19Valeria“Yes.” I begged, “Please, Khalid.”I had never heard my voice full of lust. All Khalid had to do was be in my presence, and it turned me into such a wanton woman. Even though I was a little nervous and afraid, I trusted Khalid to be gentle. I knew he would never hurt me like he had. Khalid wouldn’t even dare to think about that. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I spread my thighs, feeling the hardened length of him brushing over my calf. I felt the walls of my sex clench as instinct drew me closer towards him. When I felt him pull away, I frowned at the loss of his heat and his musky scent. “What happened?” He let out a sigh, kissing my knee softly. “I need to get a condom from my room. I will be—”I closed my hand around his, stopping him from retreating. “There’s no need. I am on pills,” I replied truthfully.Khalid(Khalid first person. Valeria third person)I had never had sex without a condom in thirty-two years of my life. I was too afraid of the repercussions of a

PART THREE “Rose Colored Sorrow.” 21Valeria(Valeria first person, Khalid third person)“Spread your legs wider, Valeria,” Khalid’s husky voice floated through the studio, reminding me of my position. “I am trying,” I whimpered, the teasing cool air brushing over my exposed, heated skin. Especially my bare sex.Khalid’s voice was in-between a teasing and soothing tone when he said, “Only for a while, my sweet one. I need to draw your swollen pink clit.”I glared in his direction, knowing well he was smirking at my delicious torture. It had been four days since we had sex for the first time, opening up to each other, both emotionally and physically. Since then, we had been having sex and making love in every way possible when we were not painting or eating.That morning when Khalid was bathing me like he always did, he had told me that the painting only needed final touches which he could do by himself. Before I could get sad, he had asked me if he could paint some more of my body.

23Valeria(Valeria first person, Khalid third person)My body kept tensing and relaxing as I tried to control my breathing, sitting naked in front of Khalid while he painted me. I didn’t know what to do. I felt nervous with anticipation. My skin was prickling with anxiousness. My fingers clenched the soft suede of the armchair he had asked me to sit on. Even the air seemed thicker and boiling with tension in Khalid’s room. It had been like that since Zara left us alone. I had told him that I was feeling much better than before, and he had asked me to have a painting session. I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to talk to him. But all my courage left when I had to expose myself for the umpteenth time in front of his piercing eyes in his childhood room. Which smelt of something musky with his signature masculine scent. Khalid dropped the paintbrush with a sigh as he stared at her face. “Valeria, what is troubling you?” He asked, wanting to know what was causing her so much discomfo

25Khalid My nose flared as I saw the sight of the library. Eleven people. Eleven people had tried to abduct my sister and decided to take Valeria. And they were all dead. “They took a poison,” Elena announced, checking the pulse of Tamara’s limp body. I had trusted Valeria in her hands. And she betrayed us. “They knew the risks of coming here.”Elena Hill was my betrothed before we both broke it and she left Azmia to continue her training in order to become a better sharp shooter. At least that’s what she told us. She had worked along with CIA and FBI before Zain called her for her help with security when he married Nasrin. She knew better than any of us what had happened in the library. Zayed was patting everyone’s clothes, checking what they had. They all were holding an empty small glass bottle, which likely had the poison they took. I pulled my suit jacket over Valeria’s dainty shoulders and pulled her to my chest, wishing she didn’t have to hear any of that. But I didn’t trust

27Valeria“And you’re done!” Zara beamed, stepping back. “Khalid is going to pray as soon as he sees you.”I smiled at her. The light makeup she had applied made me feel better. It had been a couple of days since the baby shower. Khalid was making sure I ate regularly and bathed me, always being gentle when he touched me as if I would break. He was right. I might break if someone grabbed me out of the blue.“Do you want me to take you to his room?” Zara asked in a soft voice, keeping away the products.I had talked to her about her studies when she had knocked on my door just as the sun set. She was studying photography and traveling the world all on her own. Even though she was a Princess of one of the richest countries in the world, she earned her own money and lived by herself. I was glad that Zain and Khalid had done a good job spoiling their little sister with love and not materialistic things. I shook my head, “I can manage, thank you, Zara.”“You can call me anytime you need