Arabian Nights with a Rake Read Online Free PDF Page B

Bassam. What had they subjected Susannah to during her captivity? A woman did not have to be bedded to be debased and there’d been a moment of fear in her eyes last night when he’d grabbed her.
    Seldom had a woman’s attentions claimed him so completely. Alex was struck anew with the power of his desire, his desire not only to possess her but to be the first and only one to do so. That desire brought him full circle in his thoughts.
    She was Sutcliffe’s daughter and he was an Englishman bound by certain codes of conduct. In the throes of pleasure, he’d taken her virginity. By the nature of her birth and status in society, she could not be like his other casual encounters, enjoyed and cast aside when the excitement ebbed. She would surely demand from him a level of commitment he’d given no other woman. The strange thing was that, for the first time in his life, making that commitment didn’t sound like such a ridiculous idea.
    A horn blew in the souk announcing the beginning of the games. Alex turned his direction towards the big tents of the sheikh, where men were gathering for the traditional competitions. He could see Crispin’s tall frame among them. It was time to act. Before he could think of what the future might hold with Susannah, he had to win her first.

Chapter VI
    The activities of the moussem suited Alex and Crispin’s purposes admirably. Games of skills and other competitions gave them a chance to build a masculine camaraderie with the other men present. They did not hesitate to participate. He and Crispin showed off their talents at knife-throwing. They looked over the horses other sheikhs had brought in hopes of races or trading, bolstering their cover as horse traders.
    As night fell and the traditional hookah pipe came out to be passed and smoked in Bitar’s tent, Alex felt they’d made good progress in gaining a place of acceptance. Last night, they’d been invited out of courtesy, but tonight they were part of the group, having proven their prowess and their worthiness to be accepted. Alex’s mastery of Arabic had made that acceptance easier. That they were dressed in Bedouin robes and speaking the common language of the desert made it harder for Bitar to remember they did not belong. It had been a strategy that had worked well for Alex over the years and he had used it liberally today to gain acceptance for him and Crispin.
    Tonight would be the test. Alex knew what the men should talk about in the tent. They should talk politics and the business of their tribes. If they didn’t then Alex would know his acceptance was not complete. He reached for a date, using the action as an opportunity to search the tent for Susannah. He had not seen her all day. While that had been disappointing, it had not been unexpected. Her place was in the night. His body quickened in anticipation. He popped the date into his mouth, aware of Bassam’s eyes on him. The man had watched him all day.
    â€œThe Emir of Mascara has invited us to join him,” A man close to Alex said, addressing his comment to Bitar. “Will you journey on from here to Mascara?”
    Bitar shook his head and spat, his tone derisive. “No, I will not go to join that infidel dog. He calls this a holy war, but it is nothing more than a ruse to subdue us to his will. He wishes to be more than the emir of a city. He wishes to be a king over all of us.”
    â€œAre you not worried about the French? They have taken Algiers,” another asked.
    Bitar raised his arms wide to encompass the room and the world outside the expansive tent. “What is there to worry about in the desert? The French have no way to impose their law and order out here. Here, we are law and I mean to keep it that way.”
    Alex nodded along with the other men in the room in a show of solidarity for the sheikh’s opinion. He shot a quick glance at Crispin, his nod conveying something entirely