Wild Desert Princess (3 page)

Chia’s fury hadn
’t abated. She watched Jahan carefully, biding her time, careful to keep her rage from Jahan. Until Jahan admitted there was more than just lust between them, she would not give into him willingly.

“Chia, stop being childish. I don’t know why you fight your feelings. You want me with the same fire that I want you. You were made for love with your women’s curves. All I have to do is touch you and your cream prepares you for my possession.”

“That’s my body’s response. It would happen with any man who is a good lover.”

Angry at her refusal to give an inch, he snarl
ed, “That is something you will never know, Chia. I’m the only man who will every touch that sweet flesh, baby!”

“We’ll see! When can we leave her
e?” She hated her body’s response to his and didn’t know how long she could continue to battle her feelings for him.

“As soon as you are carrying my child we will leave.” Jahan’s gaze fastened on her belly.

“We’ve been here for nearly a month, Jahan. I just finished my period before you took me prisoner. We won’t know for sure for a couple more weeks.” Chia didn’t regret for one minute her lie to him. She’d been due for her period when he’d captured her and she figured she was already pregnant with his child. She absolutely refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing yet. He was so cocksure of himself. She wanted to shake that absolute certainty that he was right.

“Then here we will stay” His gaze shifted to her swaying breasts. Reaching for her, he crushed her to him, falling back on the bed, he drew the hot tips deep in his mouth, lifting her, positioning her to take his shaft.

Damn her traitorous body! Chia groaned and rode him, pushing down against his thrusts, taking him deep inside her. She made love to him with reckless abandon, knowing she had to get away from him before she lost traces of herself. It was all she could do to hide the slight nausea she was feeling in the mornings.

Jahan’s heart soared with love. Chia was finally giving herself to him freely.  He loved her so much. Exhausted, he drift
ed to sleep, a satisfied smile on his face. For the first time since he’d caught her, he let his guard down.

Chia wait
ed until she was sure he was asleep and crept out of the bed, she grabbed some clothing and hurried to Lady. Fearing he would wake she fumbled with the reins and then finally she raced back to her parents.

Chapter
Five

Amanda clasp
ed Chia tightly to her, her eyes so like her daughters, streamed with tears.

“Hurry, honey. Let’s get you into a hot bath.”
Malek waited in the bedroom until Chia was safely in bed.

Amanda ha
d not forgiven her husband. They listened quietly as Chia told them of her stay with Jahan in the desert. She told them everything. Malek was furious that Jahan had her followed and insulted her honor. Sobbing, Chia, told them that he thought her a loose woman.

Amanda he
ld her hand, hearing the pain and beneath it the love Chia had for Jahan. She realized her daughter needed some time to come to grips with her new feelings.

“Are you with child?”
Malek asked quietly.

Blushing, Chia answer
ed honestly. “I believe so.

Amanda
rose and ushered him to the door. “Rest now dear. We’ll decide what to do in the morning.”

Amanda argue
d with Malek all night and he still contacted Jahan and told him that Chia had come home. The men planned the wedding date. Amanda walked out of the room, fearing her marriage would not survive their differences. Furious at her stubborn mate, Amanda went to her trusted maid and sent her to Chia. Malek was implacable, not listening to her concerns about Chia. To him it was a matter of honor. He refused to listen to her.

Chia waken
ed suddenly at the women’s gentle touch. “Your mother wished me to warn you.  Your father has informed Prince Jahan that you are here and he is making plans for your wedding. She gave me these things for you.”

Chia jumped out of bed and donned the servants clothing quickly. Her eyes
teared up at the purse full of money and her passport. Her mother had sent her a note telling her to take a cruise ship to Britain to visit the family in Ireland. Hurt beyond belief at her father’s betrayal, she walked out of her home, not bothering with a servant. Chia took her SUV and by mid-morning she’d dropped it off at their home in the city. She changed into men’s clothing, her long hair tucked under a ball cap. It had been easier than she’d imagined to book passage. Strolling slowly along the pier, she located the luxurious ship and began making her way to the boarding area.

Normally, nothing frightened her, but she knew in her heart if Jahan found her again, she would be forced to wed him. Her parents were her guide for what she wanted in her own marriage. Deeply in love, she’d rarely heard them argue. Her heart tripped as she realized they’d barely spoken since the whole mess with Jahan had begun. God, she couldn’t bear it if she’d been the cause of any discord between them.

She fought the moisture gathering in her eyes. It wouldn’t do for her to be caught crying and give her disguise away. Relief swept through her. She was only a few feet from safety. For a split second she forgot to concentrate on her walk and to her great dismay, she spun around at Jahan’s quick yell.

Jahan saw a young man headed towards the liner and noticed an enticing sway of full curves under the loose cut of men’s trousers. He called ‘Chiandra’ quickly and smiled with satisfaction as she spun around, her eyes widening
as they rested on him.

“No,” she screamed and raced down the pier. Her shoes were too large and she fought to keep her balance. Hearing his heavy steps behind her, she darted a quick look over her shoulder, tripping, she fell, striking her temple on the edge of the pier as she slid over the edge into the murky water.

Jahan saw her stumble and then fall, his heart pounding as her head hit the pier and then she disappeared in the water.

“Chia!” he bellowed, and flew through the air after her, hitting the water and dove, searching the murky water for her. His lungs nearly bursting, he surged upwards and
gulped in air and then dove again. On his third dive, his fingers tangled in strands of long hair. Pulling her limp form to him, he lifted her to her father waiting on the pier.

Jahan scrambled onto the scarred wooden
pier and knelt at her side.  Lord she was so pale.  He saw she was not breathing and crushed her to his chest-his tears mingling with the stream of water from his long hair.  Laying her back down, he began rescue breathing on her.   She finally vomited the water from her body and lay gasping weakly on her side. 

Chia blinked at the dark, handsome face before her.  She could almost swear she saw tears in Jahan’s eyes.  She glanced at her father’s worried face and deliberately turned her face away from both of them.  Scooping her up, Jahan carried her to his sleek, black sedan. 
Malek crawled in the driver’s seat as Jahan settled in the back with Chia.  He cradled her tenderly against him, unmindful of the water dripping on to the leather seats.

Chia began to shake
, her teeth were chattering.  She felt Jahan gather her close and wrapped a throw around her.  “Let me go!” she whispered weakly, unable to summon the energy to open her eyes.

“Never, love.  I’ll never let you go!” Jahan growled just loud enough for her to hear.

Tears seeped from beneath Chia’s closed lids.  She was trapped.  He would never let her go, especially not now after he knew she was going to have this child.

Malek
watched the tender way Jahan held her and the misery stamped all over Chia’s face.  He hoped he had made the right decision.  Amanda had not spoken with him since late last night and when he’d entered their bedroom, she had coldly informed him she would be sleeping in one of the guest rooms.  Pride had kept him from stopping her and later as he lay awake in his lonely bed, anger had kept him cold company.  He feared she would never forgive him once she learned of Chia’s brush with death.  Guilt lay heavy on his broad shoulders.  He had promised Chia she could choose her husband and he had broken that promise.  He wasn’t sure he would be able to forgive himself.

“
I have you,” Jahan whispered as Malek quickly maneuvered through the heavy traffic, taking them to their home near the capital seat in the city.  Using his cell phone Malek called their private physician and told him to meet them as soon as possible.  He tersely explained the accident to the doctor. 

In minutes,
Malek had pulled into the underground garage of their large home.  Jahan lifted Chia and followed him through the garage and into the main house.  Malek led Jahan to Chia’s bedroom and found Amanda waiting there for them.  Jahan reluctantly left Chia to her mother’s care.  He didn’t want to let her out of his sight, but after seeing the cold fury on Amanda’s face, he stepped out of the room after laying her on the bed.

Malek
stepped forward, and quietly explained what had happened.  Amanda listened and his heart froze at the look she gave him. “I blame you for this.  Just look what you have done to our baby!”

Malek
paled at the condemnation in her tone, his gaze sweeping over Chia’s soaked shaking body, her ashen face, and the blood welling from the ugly cut in her temple. “I had her welfare in my heart, Mandy.  I felt he loved her.”

“You gave her to Jahan,
Malek.  He kidnapped her, possessed her, he kept her prisoner and then when she left he ran her down like a wild animal and she very nearly died.  If this is his idea of love, she should beg for his hatred.  She’d probably be safer.” Amanda forced the cruel worlds out, all she wanted was to throw herself into Malek’s strong embrace and let him make it all right.  Unfortunately, he’d helped cause the problem and she wasn’t sure if it could ever be made right, or if she could ever forgive him.

Malek
reached out a hand to her, beseeching her. “Mandy,” he rasped and flinched when she turned from him.

“Go now,
Malek.  We must get her out of these wet things before the doctor arrives.” It nearly tore her heart out to see the pain in his dark eyes, the guilt and devastation stamped all over his face.

He left them quietly, and went down to the den to wait with Jahan.

Amanda and one of the servants quickly stripped away Chiandra’s sodden clothing.  Amanda stared at the tiny love bites covering her daughter’s full breasts and the insides of her thighs.  Well, at least Jahan had given Chia pleasure, shown her the physical act between a man and woman could be a wondrous experience. She had feared he would take her with little regard to her pleasure.

Amanda knew her daughter well, she loved Jahan and had been drawn to his strength from the first time she met him when she was a child and he was a teenager.  Even then Jahan had been possessive and bossed her around.  That was perhaps the problem.  He’d always treated her as though she belonged to him and he could do with her as he wished.
Chia had always had a mind of her own. She would not be some man’s possession.

Chia opened her eyes at her mother’s gentle touch.  Tears welled in her large green eyes and ran down the sides of her face. “Oh, mama, what shall I do?  Jahan will never release me now that I carry his son.”

Amanda’s heart nearly broke in two at the desolation in her baby’s face. “I wish I could reassure you, honey.  I’m sorry I can’t.  Jahan will force you to wed him and your father will help him.  Now it is a matter of honor for them.”

“How could papa break his word?  He promised me I could choose my husband,
and that I could marry for love.” She raised her hands weakly as they slid one of her night gowns over her head.  Dizziness swept through her and she fought the nausea roiling in her stomach. “I think I am going to be sick,” she wailed.

The servant brought a basin and held it while Chia emptied her stomach.  Shaken, she lay back against the pillows and allowed her mother to wash her face.

“How far along are you Chia?”

Embarrassment spread through Chia, bringing a hectic flush to her cheeks. “Probably about four weeks or so.”

“Mm, well, there will be some talk I am sure, when the babe is born a month early.” Amanda knew she had to be matter of fact about the wedding.  Chia had no choice now. Their men were all about honor.

“My wishes matter not at all.” She sobbed.

“Chia, baby.” Her mother soothed. “You know I love you, but you must think of your child now.  His father’s a powerful ruler and he must bear his name.”

Chia began to sob, the helplessness of her situation pushing her too near hysteria.

Dr. Ahmed Ali Khan knocked lightly on the closed door and then walked in.  You took one look at Chia’s shaking body and drew out a syringe.

“Doctor she’s pregnant,” Amanda informed him softly.

“So I was informed by your husband.  Do not fear this is a mild sedative and won’t harm either her or the child.”

Chia barely felt the needle prick her arm.
  She was withdrawing deep into her mind, no longer able to cope with the stress.

Dr. Khan recognize
d the signs and hurriedly sewed the gash on her head.  His hands were gentle but thorough as he examined her and confirmed her pregnancy. “She’s pretty close, she’s probably about three and a half to four weeks along.”