Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Or so he thought.
Hours had passed when Malik slowly woke up, and the first thing he became gradually aware of was the feel of a woman lying next to him. Her back was pressed against his chest, and his arms were around her, possessive as a lover. Iris, however, was stiff in his arms, but this only amused him. Was this some kind of role-playing game where she would play hard to get and he’d need to coax a response from her?
He would indulge her for now, Malik decided in sleepy arousal. He began rubbing his half-erect cock against the cheeks of her ass, which seemed fuller than he remembered. He reached around her body, his fingers finding her pussy with ease—-
A whimper—-
His eyes flew open.
Kyria.
He shot to a sitting position. Fuck. Kyria’s trembling figure rose as well, and when she turned to look at him, her face was white and she was looking at him with fear in her eyes.
FUCK.
“I’m sorry,” he bit out.
She nodded jerkily.
“I thought you were someone else.”
“O-of course.”
FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.
“Did I frighten you?”
Her lips parted and closed.
That was answer enough, wasn’t it? He had frightened her. If she wanted him like the way he wanted her, she wouldn’t have been frightened. She would have been aroused. But she was not.
“I think I should go,” Kyria whispered.
“I think you should.” His voice was harsh, and it was all he could do not to lash out as Kyria stumbled in her haste to leave his tent.
It was over.
He had taken a risk, gambled on waiting for her, and now it was over.
There was nothing to wait for.
Part II
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting,
Dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.
~ Edgar Allan Poe
Although the first five years of Kyria’s life were spent in a small seaside town in Greece, her earliest memories were of picnics by the pool, rollercoaster drives in the desert, and countless cozy dinners at home. In these memories her family was complete, and by this she didn’t just mean her parents. The Al-Atassis were there, too, all four of them. The two families were inseparable in those days, and because she was too young to understand the difference between commoners and royalty, Kyria hadn’t seen anything wrong or strange in it. At that time, all she knew was that she was happy and loved. Everywhere she looked, there was laughter and kindness to be found. And of course, love – lots and lots of it.
There was such love in everyone’s hearts that when her parents passed away and Hadwin and Vanna had told seven-year-old Kyria they would take care of her, she had believed them. Despite her pain and loneliness, despite the grief that tore at her heart but her young mind couldn’t quite grasp, one thing she had not been was afraid. The Al-Atassis were family, and so there was nothing to be afraid of. She was not alone because she had family.
Growing up, the Al-Atassis sought to shield Kyria with their wealth and power. No one was allowed to speak to her without an Al-Atassi present, and those who dared to comment on her inclusion in the royal family were severely dealt with.
It worked, but only for a time.
Some things in life a person must inevitably learn to face...it was one of Hadwin’s favorite things to quote to his children, and so it was for all of them, and that included Kyria. As her life gradually extended beyond the walls of the palace, her world became bigger but darker, and she soon learned that things weren’t always what they were made out to be. Her position as Vanna Al-Atassi’s legal ward was one coveted by many, and more often than not people she trusted turned out to be nothing but frauds, wanting to get close to her because they either wanted to use or hurt the royal family.
Girls who were supposed to be her friends, boys who supposedly wanted to date her, teachers who should have had her best interests in their hearts – all of them eventually showed their true colors, and with each betrayal Kyria found herself withdrawing further and further until she could no longer remember how to lower her guard.
In her quest to protect the royal family from being taken advantage of, Kyria had trained herself to watch her words, to swallow her pride rather than make waves. It might make her appear like a coward in other people’s eyes, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was not bringing shame to the royal family, and thus her image as a quiet little mouse of a woman came to be, with Kyria only coming alive and letting go of herself when in the company of her family. Only with them did she allow herself to smile and speak her mind, to take risks and make mistakes. Only with them did her love pour out, her devotion to them fierce and unwavering. She had already lost so many of her loved ones at an early age, and she would do whatever was needed not to lose another one again.