Seducing the Sheik

and shut the door. It wasn’t that he was trying to close Gavin out, he simply wasn’t used to falling apart, and doing it in front of Gavin was unthinkable.

Ali turned on the shower and walked in without waiting for the water to heat. He turned his face up, letting the spray mask his tears. The scope of his sister’s betrayal was devastating.

Although he’d been hurt when he thought Ghazi betrayed him, it hadn’t gutted him like the newest revelation had. He’d looked up to his big sister his entire life. Almas had, in many ways, stepped into the motherly role after his mother had died.

Ali scrubbed at his face, feeling the heavy presence of early morning whiskers.

“Can I come in?” Gavin asked from the doorway.

Ali closed his eyes. He didn’t want to hurt Gavin. “I just need a few minutes.”

“Okay. Yell if you need me,” Gavin answered.

He started to tell Gavin he’d always need him, but stopped himself. He thought he’d always need Almas in his life, but now he was days away from sending her to jail. Jail? Jurru only had a small jail, used mostly for drunken tourists who got out of hand. What would they do with Almas and Naji?

* * * *

Gavin sat on the floor beside the bathroom door. The man he loved was hurting only a few steps away, and he felt powerless to help. Calls needed to be made, plans set in place, but Gavin couldn’t bring himself to even pick up the phone.

front him face to face it will go further in a court.”

Ali took his attention away from the hand massaging his erection long enough to answer. “I assume I’ll be protected if I’m to meet him face to face.”

“Of course. There will be ten of us on Jurru, including Gavin. Although we’ll need Gavin to help locate and expel the CIA agents currently plaguing your island, I assure you at no time will you be left unprotected,” Mac explained.

Ali nodded.

“Have you decided what to do about the documents the CIA is after?” Amir asked.

Ali and Gavin had discussed the documents at length over the past several weeks. Although he hated to hurt his business, some things were more important. “Yes. I plan to have them shredded and burned. The resort staff already knows the tastes of the clients who come regularly. Although I’m deeply grateful to the clients who have made Jurru a success, their secrets are not worth endangering my people.”

“There‘s been one change to the schedule. I spoke with the US Secretary of State’s office earlier, and Secretary of State Jenson, would prefer to tour Jurru and hold the meeting there.” Mac leant forward, resting his arms on the table. “In my opinion, Jenson wants no part of the CIA involvement. I think he’s waiting for us to get the island cleared before discussing Jurru’s future.”

“If we manage to get the island cleared of CIA on our own, what the hell do we need the State Department for?” Gavin asked.

Mac shrugged. “I guess Ali can figure that out when the time comes.”

money box of his because he wouldn’t let anyone else touch it,” Lobo added.

Gavin sat up and pulled out his phone. He didn’t know why, but the fact that Ali had left the house without him hurt. “What’s Mac’s number?”

Jack rattled off the number as Gavin punched them in.

“Hello?”

“Hey, is Ali okay?” Gavin asked.

“Yeah, he’s right here, you want to talk to him?”

“Yes.” Gavin schooled his voice. Letting Ali know how lost he suddenly felt without him around wouldn’t do either of them any good. Eventually they would have to part, if not for good then at least until Ali was able to transfer his power to a newly-elected government.

“Gavin?” Ali answered.

“Hey. Did your meeting go okay?” Gavin noticed four sets of eyes staring at him. He scowled at them and stood to walk into the kitchen.

“Yes. We drafted the paperwork to have the mineral rights held in trust, but I wanted to talk to you about a few of the stipulations I wanted the attorney to add.”

“So why didn’t you just wake me up and ask me?” Crap. Gavin knew he’d just given away his current mood.

“Because you needed to sleep like I needed to eat earlier. That’s the way this has to go between us, Gavin. You take care of me, and I take care of you.”

The band constricting Gavin’s chest began to loosen. “Thanks, but I was worried when I woke up and they told me you’d left.”

“Well, we’ve just pulled up, so I’ll see you in a minute.”