For fear of tearing her skin in vain, Mia made no effort to remove her hand from the king's iron fist and contented herself with a bruised heart to let him lead her without hesitation through the corridors before they arrived in front of an imposing door which he violently opened with one hand while the other literally crushed his wrist. Once inside what looked exactly like an office, he finally released her hand and she lightly massaged the sore wrist around which the sheikh's hands had left marks which, according to his medical experience, would take time to fade completely. Silent as the king's loud breathing left no doubt about his current state of mind, Mia peered around the office upon hearing his sentence. After all that's why he had set up a scenario to bring her here. She had resigned herself to it and was just praying that he would get bored quickly and let her go home.
- Sit down.
Averting her eyes from the imposing dark brown-hued bookcase that stretched along the wall, Mia shook her head from left to right to signify that she did not want to sit down but the king's icy gaze did not give her the choice. Mia knew she was acting like a puppet who had no will and she hated herself for it but she understood that it was the only way to escape the wrath of the dominant who sat behind his desk darting at her an impenetrable gaze.
- So you think that by seducing my cousin, you will manage to influence our decision if your implication in the fraud of John Smith were proven.Hackim accused her bluntly.
The gaze previously resting on the marks on her wrist which were already taking on a blue tint, Mia suddenly raised her head in the staring eyes almost coming out of their sockets.
-Excuse me ! Seduce your cousin ? I had suspicions about the state of your mental health but now it's confirmed that you are crazy. I would have gladly helped you to see more clearly, but I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist. Cheeks flushed from the effort she had to make to raise her voice and eyes shining with anger, Mia had risen to face the king who was still sitting in his seat and watching him, his face neutral and impassive.
Hackim was conscious that he was making more of his accusations because there was no doubt that of the two, the seductive one was his brother, but he couldn't help but resent him for smiling at his jokes. What was that slight tingle he felt in his heart when she laid her hand on Malick's arm in such a familiar way? Immersed in his thoughts, he paid no attention to what the young woman was saying. He only saw her great arm movements and her fiery gaze which all reflected her indignation at the accusation of which she was the victim. His gaze was then drawn to his wrist whose blue marks left no doubt as to their origin. Suddenly standing up, he circled his desk in three big strides and gently but firmly grasped her hand to get a closer look at the damage.
-Why? He heard himself say in a low voice where guilt pierced.
Stopped in her tracks by the shockwaves that shot through her at his touch, Mia looked down at her hand that was holding her wrist like it had just moments ago. Only this time there was no more brutality.
-Why didn't you tell me I was hurting you? He demanded louder again, guiding her to the sofa that occupied a corner of the office near the library.
Too busy hiding the shivers that kept running through her body from his touch, Mia didn't respond and just stared at him as he strode proudly out of the office only to return moments later with what looked like a medicine box. Opening the box, he took out a tube of cream which she held out her hand to take believing that he was going to give it to her for her bruises. What was his surprise when instead of handing her the cream he knelt down in front of her and grabbed the hand she held out to give him the cream himself. Her circular movements to pass the cream made her whole body react, traversed by vibrations that she had never felt before, to the point where she had to use all her willpower not to let out a moan of pleasure. She who thought this man incapable of gentleness!
Hackim deliberately made the moment last. He wanted to explore the myriad of sensations that touching her gave him. He needed to understand what was going on between them but the more time passed, the more his legendary self control was strained and he found himself thinking of the effect his lips would have on her. Realizing that he couldn't control himself any longer, he closed the tube of cream and applied a bandage to the bruises then got up to leave his office before completely losing his mind.
"What just happened there?" Mia wondered, still stunned by the depth of the sensations that the mere touch of the freezing cold had given her.
TO BE CONTINUED