King of Durabia Read online

  His mother had been more welcoming than Ellena expected, given this culture did not seem to take kindly to interracial marriages.

  “My son a most wonderful, empathic, and enterprising young man,” she said. “Please do not break his heart.”

  “That is very premature,” Ellena protested. “He doesn’t know me. There’s a very good chance I won’t hold his heart long enough to break it.”

  “You do not know my son,” she said with a warm smile. “He was the one who insisted that you be rewarded for your bravery. And now his reward is a woman who defies his father to defend who he is.” She cupped Ellena’s face in her hands. “You do not know how much that meant to him and me. I have only wanted for his happiness after his father has caused him so much pain.”

  “Hey everyone,” Ellena said as Kamran whispered something to the guards before closing the distance between them until he was standing next to her.

  Damaris, a woman with a warm brown complexion and sharp, angular hairstyle and Dolly, a caramel curvaceous woman, both left their table and came to where Ellena stood. Dolly gave Kamran a lengthy onceover, taking in the white tunic—dishdasha—and pants, then his sandals, but she lingered several moments on his face. “Who is this gorgeous man and did they make any more like him?”

  “Well, um … he’s um …”

  “Her royal escort,” Kamran supplied with a slight bow.

  Kamran’s main bodyguard’s head whipped around so fast Ellena thought it would fly off. The second one did pretty much the same. Kamran gave both of them a warning glare to instruct them to stand down.

  “Damn, woman,” Damaris said with a hearty chuckle. “Leave you in the hospital for one day and you’ve got a fine ass man on your arm. And you’re dressed like the Queen of Sheba.”

  “Does he have a brother?” Dolly teased, grinning like she was about to hit the lottery.

  Kamran simply smiled, put his focus on Ellena and said, “Breakfast anyone?”

  “So, it’s like that, huh?” Damaris shot back with a sour expression as she wagged her finger at him. “I see what you did there.”

  “First Tailan gets with that movie star,” Dolly said. “Now you’re hanging out with the head Durabians in charge.”

  “Tailan is here?” Ellena asked, craning her neck to find her friend.

  “What’s that?” Carrie demanded, sidling up next to Damaris and nearly crashing into the woman in her zeal to insert herself in the conversation.

  Ellena shrank from her caustic tone and the unwanted interruption. Carrie had been a bully since their high school days. She’d made Ellena’s life hell simply because she came from a broken, poor family while Carrie was the result of two high-powered lawyers. Carrie could have attended an upscale private school of her choice. However, her lack of effort landed her in public school. She took every opportunity to remind everyone of how superior her life was to that of every other student.

  “On your finger,” Carrie gestured to the rock that Kamran had placed on Ellena’s hand that morning. His actions were meant to signal to the world that for the time being, she was no longer available for any men to approach her. The minute they hit the Free Zone, an area that was less restrictive, attention was immediately drawn to them. Some of the single male classmates they encountered in the lobby weren’t feeling the “message” at all. Several had stepped to Ellena and made their desires known. Right in front of Kamran! Soon, his bodyguards had to run interference before Kamran laid someone flat.

  “You weren’t wearing that when we got here. So, what’s up with that?”

  Carrie’s voice was loud enough to call everyone’s attention to the gift he had personally picked out before they arrived at the Hyatt for breakfast. The jewelry store owner opened the place mega-early just for them. Saba, Ellena’s new assistant, was now upstairs retrieving her personal effects from the room she was supposed to share with a classmate. One of Kamran’s bodyguards was assigned to look out for Ellena. Being royalty did have its privileges.

  “A gift from the king,” Kamran answered, his gaze narrowing on the slender woman with a face that had graced a few magazine spreads.

  “Wow. What a lucky break.” The jealousy in Carrie’s green eyes was prevalent. If any doubt existed that she meant anything but, the scowl that marred her pretty face said the rest.

  Kamran took Ellena’s hand in his and pressed a kiss to the ring, causing her to gasp and a sliver of desire to work its way up and down her body.

  “Why did you do that?” Ellena whispered so only he could hear.

  “To give her something to be extremely angry about.”

  “Kamran, you can’t claim me like this in front of them,” she warned, trying to put a bit of distance between them. Little did he know that his action would bring unwanted curiosity. “People will get the wrong idea.”

  “Which idea?” he challenged, leveling a heated gaze on her. “That you will belong to me?” His warm smile disarmed whatever nuclear barb she planned to launch his way. “Come, you must be famished.”

  “Kamran …”

  “Ellena …” he countered with a megawatt grin. The man was turning on the charm full blast and he knew she was definitely not immune.

  Touched that he had picked up on the very thing that would make Carrie so jealous she’d practically explode, Ellena gave him a conspiratorial look. “You are so bad.”

  “You mean that in a good way, yes?” He wiggled his eyebrows in the most unexpected, comedic fashion and she laughed. “I was thinking that we could have Saba enhance your original itinerary so your group will have a more well-rounded experience.”

  Her assistant was a bright-eyed Durabian woman that Kamran brought to her room in the palace last night after his mother had settled her in.

  “You mean upgraded?”

  He shrugged and didn’t make eye contact at first as Ellena avoided the curious glances of her other classmates and their significant others, who were closely watching their interaction. “I am not sure how some of your people will perceive it. I realize you came to explore Durabia with them—and now, I have been added to the equation.”

  In other words, a compromise was on deck because he wasn’t going anywhere.

  “They’ll get over it,” she said. “Let me see what the group organizers have to say.” Ellena faced the next table where her friends were chowing down on some of the buffet specialties. “Damaris and Dolly, I need to speak with you for a moment.”

  They moved away from David, Sheree, Ronnie—all members of the reunion committee, and Dolly put her eyes solely on Kamran. “Sure, what’s going on?” Dolly asked.

  Kamran explained his thoughts. The two women shared a speaking glance before their faces split in a mile-wide grin. “I’ll get a consensus from the group real quick and we can go from there,” Damaris said.

  Ellena nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Yo, listen up!” Damaris bellowed loud enough to cover the distance of the entire restaurant and then some, since their group was the only one present.

  Kamran blanched, blinked, and shook his head. Conversations trickled to a halt as everyone’s attention settled on Damaris and Dolly who stood near the yogurt station.

  “Ellena’s royal escort dude wants to upgrade our experience. What say you?”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Carrie shot back, voicing the sentiments of the sour-faced crew sitting at the table with her. Former “pretty girls” who hung with Carrie and the men from the football and basketball teams.

  “It means we get better accommodations at no additional cost,” Dolly replied, her frustration with the homecoming queen—and the fact that half of the people on this reunion trip sided with her for everything—evident. Same way it was in high school. Old habits didn’t die hard, they had an afterlife too. “Notice we now have this entire restaurant to ourselves every morning. The buffet wasn’t part of our original package, either. You’re already benefiting from his hospitality, so quit being all extra.�
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  Dolly stepped forward. “Show of hands. Upgraded with Ellena and the royal dude?”

  Half of the hands went up.

  “Keep things as they are?” Damaris said in a tone that clearly showed how stupid she thought that choice would be.

  The other fifty percent shot into the air.

  “All right. It’s split.” Dolly grimaced before focusing on Kamran “What are we going to do, because I’m rolling with you.”

  Kamran scanned the faces of everyone. “Those who are … rolling with Ellena, step this way.”

  Ellena gestured to her assistant to come forward. “Saba, please take their names. Give them to Kamran when you’re done.”

  The woman with a meek demeanor and bright smile, complied and a few people came over to embrace Ellena before she stood aside, allowing them to give their full names and room numbers.

  “It is about fifty and two people,” Saba said to Kamran when she was done. “With us, and your entourage, that will be a full busload.”

  Kamran nodded, then to the people around him he asked, “Does everyone have WhatsApp on their cell?”

  Some shook their heads, others nodded.

  “It will work on the hotel’s signal, so I need you to download it right now and add these two numbers,” he said before relaying his personal number and also the one to his assistant. “Before we leave the hotel, you will have the new itinerary and any reminders or changes can be sent through to everyone at once.”

  Saba glided forward and showed him the list as everyone went back to their meals.

  Kamran held out his hand and his guard, Rashid, placed a cell in his palm. He then gathered all the current incoming calls into a “group”, then typed a single message and sent it to everyone’s phone at the same time.

  Soon, the persons with the Kamran and Ellena group held their hands in the air, signaling that they received what he sent.

  “Hands down,” he said. “Our bus will be here directly after breakfast to take everyone to Gold Souk and Spice Souk. We will also visit the Durabia Museum. That will be about sixty minutes from now.”

  Kamran then whispered something to Saqib that Ellena couldn’t quite catch.

  “What are you up to?” she asked as his assistant practically skipped away, smiling.

  “No good.” He lifted an eyebrow playfully in an unexpected manner, causing her to laugh. “I want to make sure the outing is enjoyable for you and your friends.”

  This man right here. He is playing for keeps.

  Chapter Four

  One hour later, both groups filed through the Hyatt’s side lobby entrance and out to the buses. But a marked difference existed between the modes of transport. Ellena’s group had a luxury vehicle awaiting. The rest were rolling in one that paled by comparison. Grumbles of discontent echoed among those who hadn’t chosen the upscale experience. As Ellena’s classmates tipped by them on their way to the bus Kamran had commissioned, he personally handed each of them a sealed envelope and asked that they wait to open them.

  “What’s in those?” Ellena queried with a nod towards her classmates.

  “You will see.”

  She folded her arms across her breasts as the last passenger boarded. “Are you keeping secrets from me already?”

  “No, my love … no,” he quickly corrected and took a deep breath as though wondering if he had overstepped a boundary. “It is only a surprise. Nothing more.”

  That endearment slipped past his lips all too quickly, but something about those words warmed her heart. My love.

  The bus pulled off and Ellena and Kamran settled in their seats. He extracted the microphone from its cradle on the dashboard and said, “Good Morning, everyone. Let me explain a little bit about Gold Souk. This is a place where you bargain. They will give you the highest price first. Remember they are all there to make money. Your job is to get the best price possible. You do not know what that is until you walk away and then they say ‘okay, I will give it to you for …’—that is a better offer, but still probably not the best. Throw out something lower than what they actually accept and see what happens. Decide if it is important or if you believe someone else will sell it at a lower cost.” He held up a sampling of paper currency. “Remember Durabian currency is three-and-a-half of what the American dollar brings.”

  “Can we open the envelopes, Kamran?” Sheree asked, her grin wide enough to cover the length of the bus.

  “Not yet. Give it time.” Everyone groaned as he reclaimed his seat next to Ellena. He leaned toward her. “Your people are so impatient.”

  “So am I.”

  He stroked her hand and looked into her eyes. “Trust me.”

  She arched one brow. “I don’t even know you enough to do that.”

  “You will,” he whispered, and those words touched someplace deep inside.

  They arrived at an open area with riverboats, yachts, and the Durabia skyline as a backdrop across from the beginning stretch of land called the Gold Souk.

  “Now you can open your envelopes.”

  Before he finished the sentence, a collective rip of paper echoed through the bus.

  “Whoa!” was followed by a roar of joy, squeals, and excitement so loud Ellena had to cover her ears.

  “Just something to get you started.” He pointed a warning finger at them, looking more like a school librarian than a man who was from a Royal line. “Do not spend it all in one place. We will meet back here in two hours before we move on.”

  “My man.” Ronnie put his hands out for a pound—a fist bump—and Kamran was only too happy to oblige.

  “So where is my envelope?” Ellena asked, frowning, but before he could answer, Dolly made it to the front of the bus and asked, “What exact time are we supposed to be back?”

  “Two hours from now will mean being back here at eleven sharp,” Kamran answered, sweeping his gaze across everyone. “The bus will leave, and if you miss it, you can take a cab back to the hotel.”

  “My envelope?” Ellena asked sweetly.

  “You don’t need one,” he replied, stroking the underside of her arm. “You have me.”

  “And what does that mean?” she countered, giving him a long look. “I can trade you in for gold?”

  A mysterious smile accompanied his words. “Soon you will know.”

  They stopped at the first-tier shopping places along the riverfront, bustling with other tourists. Kamran remained silent as Ellena negotiated for pashminas—colorful silk or cashmere scarves—shot glasses, and refrigerator magnets. She felt buoyed by his encouraging smiles but didn’t miss the fact that he actually paid more than the final asking amount. “Why have me do all that work if you’re going to pay the higher amount?”

  “They know I come from the Royal family,” he answered, forking over some currency. “I cannot, in good conscience, pay them bargain prices.”

  “But you didn’t pay what they asked for the first time.”

  One of the vendors nodded as though to say, Yes, what she said.

  “And I did not say I was foolish either,” he countered, shutting the man and Ellena down. “Only half of what they threw out there is a viable cost. This way, any time you come, they will remember you were with me and treat you at least halfway decent.”

  Ellena laughed at his clever actions. “My mother used to say, ‘you can be a fool, but don’t be a damn fool.’”

  “Tell me about her,” Kamran insisted, his eyes leveling on her.

  All humor drained from her like water through a sieve. Her shoulders slumped and she shifted her feet. Ellena felt small and … vulnerable. Her physical reaction mirrored exactly how she felt.

  “I… I…” She shrugged and couldn’t seem to move another step. The weight of the estranged relationship descended on her, along with the reason it existed.

  “Too painful?” he asked, concern instantly flashing in his eyes. “Is she … gone?”

  “No, she’s alive, but she shouldn’t be,” she said with bitter
ness lacing her tone. “Not after what she did to me.”

  Kamran waved the bodyguards away. The two men put only a little distance between them. But they also kept their focus on Ellena as though sensing the change in her as well. “We do not have to talk about this right now.”

  Ellena’s tear-filled gaze locked on him. “She killed all four of my children.”

  Chapter Five

  Kamran quickly overcame his shock and drew a trembling Ellena into his arms. He held her close to his heartbeat. “Oh, my love, I am so sorry that happened to you.” He guided her past the shops and across the street, back to where the bus waited as the guards juggled their packages, struggling to keep up their hurried pace.

  “Driver, we need some privacy here.” He passed some currency to Rashid. “Bring her two bottles of Croissiere. And I would like two bottles of Hafsa. Then buy something nice, whatever you like, for yourself and whoever else you would like.”

  “Sir, I am not supposed to leave you unguarded,” Rashid protested. “Your father will have my head.”

  Waqas nodded as he added, “You know security of a Royal is a serious matter.”

  The two men who were tall, beefy, and well groomed, could pass for twins—mostly on their menacing aura and demeanor alone.

  “Then trade off,” Kamran shot back, cradling Ellena in his arms. “Go one at a time, but everyone will stay outside of the bus while we talk. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.” The driver did a little skip, then came back, a little flushed from just that short stint in the heat. “So, half of that is mine, right?”

  Kamran glanced at Rashid, who had been with him the longest. “Three ways.”

  “I will be back,” Rashid said to Waqas, who took up a post in front of the door. The driver gave a sheepish smile and followed Rashid to the walkway that would take them across the street.

  Kamran didn’t miss the fact that his guard said something to the driver that made him miss a step.