Liberation (7 page)

The men were incredible at removing Marci from the gala.  There were few goodbyes and fewer conversations. 

Fahad discreetly gestured to Tyler who went into action instantly with three other members of his team.  By the time they reached the luxurious lobby, combined security staff surrounded them and they limo waited at the curb. 

Half an hour after she almost collapsed from physical and mental exhaustion in the middle of a charity ball attended by several hundred people, Fahad and Nuri were settling her between them on the supple leather seats. 

“It will take more than an hour to get to the house.  Rest, Marci.”  Nuri nudged her gently against Fahad and removed a cashmere blanket from a side compartment.  “Close your eyes and just breathe,
kalby
.” 

Already more relaxed than she’d been in too long, she asked, “What does that mean?” 

“Another time.”

“Okay.”  Then she was asleep.

* * * * *

The sensation of warm hands moving gently over her face and neck stirred her and she blinked against the low lights of the limousine. 

“Here we are, Marci.”  She struggled to sit up but her body felt like concrete.  “Rest.  We have you.”  Fahad lifted her from the limo and she saw they were in a large garage.  He started to walk but a huge man stepped in front of them and spoke sternly in Arabic. 

“They want you to be free to move…”  As she said it, the man took her in his arms as if she weighed nothing.  “Hello,” she murmured up at him.

“Hello, Miss Canfield,” he replied in a deeply accented voice.  “I am Khalib.  I will get you safely to the living quarters.  Do not worry.”

“I never worry when I’m with Fahad and Nuri.”

“Then you are even smarter than I have heard.”

She estimated him to be close to seven feet tall and watched as almost a dozen members of both teams moved them into the main house.  Once inside, the tension lessened substantially.  Tyler walked at Khalib’s side. 

“All is well, Marci.  We have done sweeps on the estate several times in preparation for your eventual visit.” 

The huge man smiled at her.  “The house is well fortified.  It is capable of withstanding a tank or helicopter attack.”  He winked.  “We have tested this to be certain.  Even your White House does not have as much security.”

“Well…that’s distressing for the President.”

He grinned.  “You must not worry.  The Ghonims have advised additional armaments.” 

She caught brief glimpses of the rooms they passed and wished she could explore further.  “I’m awake now, Khalib.  You can put me down if you want.” 

“I would rather not, Miss.  The cousins say you have a warrior’s spirit.  Even warriors must rest.” 

A few minutes later, they passed through double doors and Khalib placed her gently on a bench at the end of the massive bed.  Fahad and Nuri stood to the side with their hands behind their backs.  Stepping back, the big man bowed regally. 

“I am the head of security for the estate.  Should you be in need, simply press any of the red buttons located on either side of the bed, beside the shoe rack in the closet, or along the underside of the toilet tank in the bathroom.  Help will arrive within moments.” 

“Thank you.”

Gesturing behind him, a young man walked forward with a carved case.  Lifting the lid, he displayed two 9mm handguns inside. 

“We are aware of your training and your preference for the smaller, lighter 9mm.  They are loaded and will be in the top drawer on either side of the bed.  Safety is engaged.” 

“Did you know my father?”

“I trained with your father’s head of security for two years.  When you left Dubai, I traveled with your team to New York.” 

“I’m sorry…I don’t remember.”

“You were hurt in your body and your heart.  I give you my word that no harm will come to you while on these grounds.”  He inclined his head.  “However, you will rest easier knowing you are not completely dependent on us for your protection.” 

Her smile was slow.  “You’re right.  Thank you.”

“I will turn you over to the house staff.  It is an honor to have you with us, Miss Canfield.”  He turned to go and the men in tactical gear followed him out.  Tyler gave her a jaunty salute as he turned to follow the others.  As the last guard stepped into the hallway, a small woman entered with a smile. 

“I am Bena.  I oversee the running of the house.  We can talk more tomorrow.  Tonight, you need comfortable clothes for sleep.”  She walked into the closet and emerged with a t-shirt and sleep pants in the softest fabric, laying them on the bench beside her.  “Everything is in your size and we have stocked the bathroom with basics.  Please let us know what else we can get for you.” 

“I appreciate your kindness.” 

“I have much to say but it will wait.  Welcome to the estate, Miss Canfield.  Sleep well.”  With a bow, she left and pulled the doors closed behind her.

Marci stared at the door for a long time, thinking about her introduction to the staff.  She didn’t realize she’d zoned out until Nuri knelt in front of her. 

“Sleep is priority.  We will help you dress and you will get every second of it that your body requires.  I believe you caught your level of exhaustion just in time.  Many more days and I fear you would have been hospitalized.” 

Fahad sat beside her and began the task of unbuttoning her gown, pulling her head to rest on his shoulder.  Nuri slipped off her shoes and gently raised her gown to remove the silk stockings she wore.  Their touch on the bare skin of her back and legs gave her goosebumps but her mind drifted.

Stroking the backs of his fingers over her cheek, Nuri smiled as her eyes opened. 

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to…”

“Ssh, Marci.  Come.” 

He gathered her in his arms and raised her to her feet.  As Fahad lowered the gown and gently lifted her feet from inside, Nuri held her against his chest and worked a soft shirt over her head.  He helped put her arms inside when she missed the hole.

At her back, she felt Fahad pulling sleep pants up her legs.  When they were settled low on her hips, he stood and straightened the t-shirt.  Only when she was completely covered did they set her back from Nuri’s chest. 

Fahad lifted her in a cradle and walked around the bed as his cousin pulled back the linens.  He put her in the middle of the big bed and she watched as the men stripped down to boxers and climbed in on either side of her. 

She struggled to keep her eyes open, not wanting to miss a single moment.  “You’re beautiful…”

“Tonight, you sleep.”  Fahad kissed her temple.  “A woman on the verge of complete exhaustion needs rest, not seduction.” 

Stubbornly, she mumbled, “But I
want
seduction…”  They chuckled quietly. 

“What position do you sleep in most comfortably, Marci?” Nuri asked.  Without a word, she curled on her left side. 

They kissed her and she remembered nothing else. 

* * * * *

Unsure of the time, Marci opened her eyes and there was dim light from a tiny lamp across the room.  The cousins were pressed to the front and back of her body.  Never in her life had she felt men with such warm skin. 

“You need to sleep more,” Fahad whispered behind her. 

“Quick bathroom break.”  She was shocked at the scratchy element to her voice. 

Her forearms were folded against Nuri’s chest and she lifted her face to stare into black eyes that sparkled in the sparse light.  He scooted off the bed and pulled her to the edge. 

She stood quickly and didn’t understand what was happening until Nuri caught her inches from hitting the floor.  “Are you alright?”

“I…that was weird.”  Fahad stood on her other side, his cell phone against his ear.  He smoothed his palm over her hair as he spoke to someone on the other end.  “I’m fine.  Just a little disoriented.”

Nuri walked her into the bathroom and she took care of business.  Opening the narrow door, he walked her to the sink and she took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the light.  He kept his palm on her at all times. 

After she washed her hands, he led her back into the bedroom and her eyes widened at the two additional people waiting for her.  One wore sweats and carried a classic doctor’s bag.

Fahad had pulled on sleep pants but stood gloriously bare-chested. 
Focus, Marci.
 

“Hello.”

“Miss Canfield, I’m Dr. Rosen.  I need to take a quick look at you.”  He gestured to the bench at the end of the bed.  She sat shakily and he bent over to take her hand.  When he shined a light in her eyes, she flinched.  He straightened and said calmly, “You’re suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.” 

He held out his hand and his assistant placed a packet in his palm before walking to the built-in bar and putting ice, water, and sliced lemon in a glass. 

“This is an electrolyte replacement.  I’m going to instruct the house staff to give it to you four times a day.”  His smile was gentle.  “I hear you’ll be with us for a few days?”

“Yes, through the weekend.”

“That should be enough time to get you back on track.  Any allergies I should be aware of?”  She shook her head.  He opened the pouch and lifted one side of his mouth.  “It’s disgusting.  You can drink lemon water after to get rid of the taste.  You’ll want it.” 

She took the pouch and squeezed it on her tongue.  “Oh god, it’s revolting.”  She swallowed and fanned her face.  Reaching for the glass of water, she drank more than half before the weird aftertaste was under control. 

“Excellent, Miss Canfield.  If you get a headache, nothing stronger than ibuprofen.”

“Thank you, doctor.” 

The older man crossed his hands in front of him.  “If I may say so, it looks as if you’ve been dealing with such symptoms for a while now.  I imagine your level of daily responsibilities would make most of us look lazy but…you won’t do anyone any good if you collapse.”  He rattled off the signs of dehydration.  “Have you had any of those symptoms for more than a month?” 

“I…yes.”  She heard the cousins inhale sharply.

“How long would you estimate you’ve had them?”

“A-about four months or so.  I probably made it worse.  When I get tired, I go for coffee.  I’m drinking a lot more these days when I forget to eat or have to cut my sleep short.”

“Hmm, a perfect combination to wear your body down to a dangerous level.  I’ll be by to check on you tomorrow.  In the meantime, drink and
rest
.”  He nodded and left with his quiet assistant following. 

Fahad picked her up and put her back in bed.  Nuri handed her the glass of water that he’d refilled.  They stared at her with their arms crossed until she drank the entire thing. 

Handing it back, she gave them a small smile.  “I’m not normally such a pain in the ass.”  The expressions on their faces weren’t annoyed.  They were worried.  “I won’t neglect the basics again.  You have my word.  There are too many people depending on me to fail based on lack of water and sleep.  I’ll be more careful from this moment on.”

Exhaling roughly, they nodded and turned out the lights.  When they got back in bed beside her, she soaked up the way they felt against her. 

Twenty minutes later, she whispered, “Lemon water.  Fuck.”

Laughing, Fahad slid from beneath the covers and took her hand.  “Slowly this time.” 

Taking care of business, he hustled her back to the bed.  When she was settled between them, she said happily, “You’re so warm.  Hard.”

Nuri ground out, “More than you know.”  The words set off a round of laughter.

“We could…” she began.

“Absolutely not.  You need rest and that is what you will get.” 

They pressed close and began to talk softly about many things.  The smooth, accented sounds of their voices carried her into a deep and dreamless sleep. 

Marci slept for an entire day, waking only to drink and use the bathroom.  Dr. Rosen checked on her but she was barely awake.  At least one of the cousins was with her at all times. 

Just before dawn on Sunday morning, she stirred and stretched.  It was luxurious. 

Doing a quick evaluation, she realized she felt physically better than she had in
years
.  Her body was truly rested, her mind was clear, and she was filled with a sense of joy that was brand new. 

Turning her head, she met Fahad’s eyes and understood the cause.  He rolled toward her with a smile.  “You look much better, Marci.”

“I
feel
better.”  His black eyes sparkled and she felt as if she was falling into them.  “Thank you, Fahad, both of you, for everything.”

“There is no reason to thank us.  We have been worried but it was worse than we knew.”  He reached out and stroked a strand of her hair off her cheek.  “You are beautiful when you sleep.”

Nuri came out of the bathroom toweling his thick black hair and gave her a huge grin.  “This time you are really awake.  It is good to see your eyes so clear, Marci.” 

Another towel was wrapped around his waist, leaving his chest bare.  Unlike the night she’d arrived, she was able to appreciate the all-over caramel tone and the scattering of black hair across his pecs.  She sat up and realized that even his
feet
were attractive. 

“So pretty…I’ve never noticed a man’s feet before.”  She glanced up.  “Did I say that out loud?”  Nuri laughed.  “Lovely.”

“Are you hungry?”  Fahad sat up beside her. 

“I’m not sure.  I need to shower.” 

Nodding, he stood up and held out his hand.  “Everything you need is in the closet.  There is another entrance to the bathroom.”  He opened the door and showed her built-in drawers that held underthings.  From the rod, he took a soft t-shirt and yoga pants.  “Something comfortable, I think.”

“Thank you…again.  You went to a lot of trouble.”

Bending, he kissed her forehead.  “No trouble.  Shower and we will talk when you are done.  Take your time.  Hopefully, your assistant remembered all your personal products.”

She blinked.  “You miss nothing.” 

“Ah, that was Nuri.  I contented myself with clothing.”

From the closet door, Nuri added, “We shared the selection of shoes and other accessories.” 

Looking back and forth between them, she had to smile.  “Something tells me you don’t do this for all your guests.”

“You are not a guest.  You are a different matter entirely.”

“Take your shower, Marci.  We will wait.”

“You do a lot of waiting for me, it seems.”

They stepped close and lifted their hands to either side of her face.  “It is no chore to wait for the right woman.  It is an honor to do so.  One day, you will realize this.”

She went up on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around their necks, hugging them hard.  They responded by crossing their arms over her torso, pulling her closer.  The way each had a cheek pressed to hers was warm and comforting. 

“You make me feel safe.  You make me feel loved.  No one else has done that without conditions.  All my life, I’ve been alone.”  Their hold on her tightened and they buried their faces at her neck. 

“I’ve been drawn to you from the night we met again.  I wondered when you’d tire of working around my schedule, my responsibilities.  You never did.  I’ve become…accustomed to your presence.  My days aren’t as good if I can’t see you.” 

“It is the same for us.”  She nodded and they took turns stroking their hands down her back. 

“Before I shower, I need you to tell me…do you see this in a permanent way?”

“We want to keep you, Marci.  It is our wish to have you with us always,” Nuri whispered. 

“We want you to be the woman that we work together to love and care for, to enable you to live the demanding life you must.” 

Pulling back, they stared down at her face.  She asked, “What about
your
demanding lives?” 

Nuri shook his head.  “I have not missed a single day of work.  My businesses require time but not like yours.  I have dozens of family members that work within my various enterprises.  I am the oldest of
twelve
children, Marci.  Many brothers, sisters, and cousins work for the company I inherited.”

“I am the oldest of nine and it is the same for me.  For you,” Fahad explained, “it is much different.  You are the only child of your mother and father.  To count all family related to you by blood would take only your fingers.  You are left to manage strangers, people not as invested as you are in the success.”

“I never looked at it that way,” she confessed.  “Dad and I were the only family working for the company.  He started it and the plan was always for me to take over.  I was groomed to do that since I was very young.”

“If we require time off, we are able to take it.  It is harder for you and this is something we knew before we approached you.”  Fahad stroked his palm over her hair.  “Who you are, the way you are invested in your life and your company, these are things we admire.”

“We have no wish to change you, Marci.  Not now, not ever.  The woman you are is the same one we fell in love with when you weren’t even fully grown.”  Nuri gave her a gentle smile.  “We would have you no other way.”

“You love me?”  Both men nodded slowly.  “I love you, too.  I didn’t think it was possible to love two people at the same time.”  She shrugged.  “I never even loved
one
person.” 

They took turns bending to kiss her lips lightly.  “We are proud to be the first to earn your love.  You are the first for us as well.  You will shower and eat.  We can talk more when you are ready.” 

Placing her palms at the bend of their neck and shoulders, she stroked her hands down their chests.  “I have the basics.  I don’t feel like talking anymore.”  Leaning forward, she planted kisses on the skin above their hearts.  “I’m dying for you.” 

“I have never desired anything in my life as I do you.”

“We will take excellent care of you, Marci.”

“I know you will.”  Stepping away, she turned, picked up the clothes, and backed toward the door to the bathroom.  “I won’t take long.  As far as food, something light…and fast.”

They were grinning as she ran for the shower. 

* * * * *

An hour later, Marci was showered, fed, and tired of waiting. 

Patting her lips, she took a final sip of the mint-infused water and stood.  The small in-suite dining table was covered in small platters of fresh fruit, fluffy pastries, and assorted nuts. 

They turned in their seats to watch her. 

Walking a few feet away, she removed the t-shirt and stretchy yoga pants.  More nervous than she’d ever been in her life, she took a deep breath and took off her bra and panties. 

The cousins stood and walked toward her in a way that gave her goosebumps. 

Stopping far enough away that she could take them both in, they stripped their shirts over their heads. 

She murmured, “My hands itch to touch you.”

“Your touch is heaven.”  She didn’t know who said the words.

They hooked thumbs in the waists of their sleep pants and pushed them down their legs.  The way they looked in the form-fitting boxer briefs was the stuff fantasies were made of but when they removed them, she tugged her lower lip between her teeth. 

They were at ease with their nakedness, standing a few feet away with their hands at their sides. 

The skin from their faces to their toes was an even toasted brown and warm.  The sparse black hair on their chests, legs, and arms tempted her to pet them.  She allowed her eyes to roam down, taking in definition and cocks that jutted proudly from their groins. 

Both of them had no pubic hair.  Their shafts were clear in all their glory.  It wasn’t unusual for her to be denuded as a woman but no previous lover had been so prefectly groomed.

“You make me fucking ravenous.”

They lunged toward her and carefully tackled her to the big bed.  They took their time touching her, kissing her, and lightly tickling her. 

It was the first time she’d felt the urge to laugh in bed and it felt
wonderful
.  In turns, they appeared in her line of sight, smiling as they lowered to kiss her deeply.  At all times, they stroked their fingers over her skin.  Erogenous zones she didn’t know existed flared to life. 

The feel of four hands and two mouths giving her their undivided attention was incredible.  An absence of feeling rushed to the finish was unique and gave her time to enjoy every sensation to the fullest. 

Then they were both above her, staring at her face as they stroked their fingers through her hair.  They alternated kissing her and nuzzling her cheeks. 

“Are you frightened, Marci?”  She shook her head and Fahad smiled gently.  “We need to relax your body, to prepare you.” 

She nodded as if she understood and they smiled. 

Nuri rubbed his cheek against her shoulder.  “If anything makes you uncomfortable, you need to tell us so we can put you at ease.  The only thing that matters is your pleasure.  Our pleasure will be heightened by yours.”

Going up on her elbows, she took a deep breath.  “I have to tell you something.  I’ve had conversations with Riya about the, uh, logistics and I’m excited.  Tawny overshares and offered a hundred suggestions involving props, costumes, some climbing gear…it all got very confusing toward the end.”

The cousins laughed warmly and she joined them. 

“The point is, I’m dying for you, and I
have
been for months.  I know you, I love you, and I trust you.  I want this, I want you both more than I can explain.  Now…do the minimum preparation necessary and fuck me before I pass out from anticipation.  It’s making me lightheaded.” 

Warm hands tightened on her body and in her hair.  Fahad and Nuri’s eyes glowed like black diamonds as lust flared bright and hot in them.  They pressed against her hips and she felt how hard the blood throbbed in the silken skin of their cocks. 

They pulled her more firmly between them.  Pressed to her chest and back, they placed their lips at her ears and murmured together, “As you wish.”