The Harem Master Read Online Free PDF Page B

to show his admiration and approval of all Demir did.
    That beautiful discipline, the obvious desire to serve, the way Demir was in every way the epitome of all a concubine should be… it was not something Ihsan had appreciated when he'd run away. He'd had too many other things on his mind to care about something that at the time had seemed so trivial.
    True loyalty and devotion were rare and precious; he was lucky to have the men he did. And though they had been reacquainted only minutes, it was so very apparent that Demir was well-suited to his role, born and trained to it.
    A pity it was all being wasted on Ihsan's useless, despicable father.
    He felt eyes upon him, turned, and caught Sabah's amused look, but Kitt's exclamations drew their attention before either could speak. Ihsan watched as he drew out the set of jewels that Demir had chosen for him. The first item was a choker made of several different gems cut into thin, rectangular bands. There were wide cuffs of the same for each wrist and his ankles. Jeweled cuffs for his ears, even a ruby to replace the plain gold stud in his nose. "I still want piercings like yours." His fingers twitched, but he didn't touch Demir again.
    "That can be arranged," Demir said. He removed something else from the velvet case, then moved to stand behind Kitt. His fingers carded through Kitt's hair, smoothing and untangling the already-dry strands. "Did you intend to cut your hair?"
    "No," Ihsan, Haluk, and Sabah chorused before Kitt could reply. Demir said nothing, and his expression remained impassive, but his glinting eyes seemed knowing.
    Kitt, being a brat, laughed. "Whatever my prince wants."
    "As you wish," Demir replied. He resumed fussing with Kitt's hair, pulling a comb from the folds of his skirt, and doing something with it that Ihsan could not even begin to follow. But the result was a beautiful arrangement of coiled braids that came together high on the back of his head, the whole threaded with strings of jeweled beads. "There."
    Ihsan stared. Apparently that was to be an ongoing problem. "You are always beautiful, Kitt, but I admit the Harem Master has a deft touch."
    "Deft, yes," Kitt muttered, adjusting the front of his wrap. "That is one word."
    "Behave," Sabah said.
    "If I must." Kitt turned to Demir. "Thank you."
    Demir gave a slight bow. "Always a pleasure to serve."
    Haluk shot Ihsan a look over Demir's shoulder, and Merciful Divine save him, Ihsan was going to drown them all in his bath if they did not stop it. They had more important matters to deal with, and even if they had nothing but free time, the behavior was inappropriate. Demir was temptation incarnate, but that did not mean they had to succumb. Ihsan gave a sharp jerk of his head.
    Smirk fading, Haluk bowed his head in acknowledgment of the silent reprimand. "Are you choosing something pretty, Sabah? I seem to remember you used wander around the palace draped in pretty things."
    "Pretty things my father paid for in the hopes I would attract a wife," Sabah replied with a sigh. "I would be deeply grateful, Your Highness, if you would forbid anyone touching me. If not, my father will throttle me."
    Ihsan chuckled. "I maintain you are overreacting. But, of course, no one outside the harem is allowed to touch any of you." He looked at Demir. "I would like that made known across the palace. You are the only besides myself who may touch them, and anyone who disobeys will be punished severely."
    "As you wish, Highness."
    "Lord Demir, what would you recommend for me?" Sabah asked.
    Demir returned to the trunk without a word and pulled out a red velvet case. In short order Sabah was draped in gold and rubies: ropes around his throat and waist connected by a chain of them that bisected his chest. His hair Demir left unbound, but he wove ruby and gold beads into it at random intervals.
    Haluk, decisive and preferring simplicity, had already selected gold and leather cuffs for his wrists and upper arms, a gold torque