YazminaLion Are (4 page)

She placed her spoon down and got up without a peep. Arcan herded her out of the restaurant, avoiding the hotel lobby to get out of the establishment. Once outside, he flagged a taxi. They climbed in, and Arcan slammed the door.

“The Walk,” he said to the driver. Dubai Marina was a popular venue for tourists and residents alike. On Saturdays, there was an open-air market that featured many outdoor stalls selling everything from jewelry to knick-knacks. He thought they’d have a better chance of avoiding detection mingling in the crowd in a place that wasn’t fortified with security cameras. As he leaned back in his seat, he noticed that Yazmina was tense. The fear had returned to her eyes. “Hey.” He touched her arm. “It’s going to be okay.”

Yazmina nodded nervously.

Somehow, she didn’t seem convinced.

Chapter Four

Even though it was late in the evening, Dubai Marina was still packed with people. The temperature had been lingering in the triple digits all day, and when the sun went down, many sought release from the suffocating heat outside. Arcan was told that a sandstorm had swept across the entire UAE a day prior to his arrival, caging people inside. At the first sign of a respite, many couldn’t resist the temptation of outdoor activity.

Arcan held Yazmina’s hand as they weaved leisurely among the crowd, acting as if they were tourists. They stopped once in a while to look at the stalls, admiring the wares. Arcan bought her a trinket and a pashmina shawl. Then they sat at an outdoor café. He ordered sandwiches and coffees to avoid suspicion. After the waiter left, Arcan called Jackson about the change of plan and had him collect his luggage and settle the hotel bill. Next he called Cyeon, telling him the latest situation.

Cyeon went silent on the other end after Arcan finished his report, which worried him. Alpha was usually quick with a solution. This time, Cyeon seemed to be cautious. Breaking the law in another country needed careful and meticulous planning.

“At this point, I’m still not sure whether we’ll be able to charter a plane to America,” said Cyeon. “It’s peak season. I’m sure we could secure one, but it would take at least a few days to reserve and process the paperwork. I’m planning to go to Dubai with others. Jax is preparing the travel documents and such. I’ve called Cole too. He’ll take the first flight from Canberra tomorrow. He should call you as soon as he touches down in Dubai.”

“That’s good to hear.”

The waiter came with their order. Arcan thanked him.

“What about seeking political asylum in the American embassy? What’s our chance that they’ll grant her protection?”

“I’m not quite sure, as I’m not well-versed in international law,” Cyeon said. “I called a colleague of mine who’s knowledgeable in this subject, but he hasn’t returned my call. By the way, do you really
know
who her father is?”

Arcan’s gaze strayed to Yazmina. She was stirring some sugar into her coffee. “Some hot-shot I believe?” Arcan lowered his voice.

“Not just some hot-shot. Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Rahad owns a fleet of oil tankers transporting oil from the gulf to America. The man is a billionaire.”

Arcan almost choked when he heard that.
No shit.
If the old man swam in money, how did he have the heart to trade his only daughter for a horse?

That bastard didn’t deserve to be a parent.

The bastard didn’t deserve Yazmina.

Full-blown anger rushed into him. “Well, ain’t that great? A mover and shaker like him is a pain in the ass.”

“My instinct tells me that you two should stay away from the American embassy as well. At least until I get a report back from my intel.”

“What about the South African embassy?” Arcan asked.

Cyeon paused. “You know what, that didn’t occur to me until you mentioned it. I know some people that could actually help. Didn’t she want to go to America though?”

“Maybe we should just prioritize getting her out of the country. This place makes me paranoid.”

“Understood. Jax has a friend in Dubai. I think it would be best if you stay at his place instead of a hotel. Can you hold up for a few more hours? I’ll have Jax’s friend contact you.”

“That’d be great.”

“Hang in there, cuz.”

Arcan disconnected and pocketed his phone.

Yazmina looked at him expectantly.

“Alpha doesn’t think the US embassy is a good choice for you right now, considering your father’s connections.”

Her shoulders sagged.

“What about the South African embassy?” he asked.

“Why South Africa?”

“I have dual citizenship.”

Her eyes brightened. “Does this mean I’ve got to go with you?”

“Why… you don’t want to?”

“No, you’re mistaken. I’d love to!”

“Would you?” Arcan teased. “You’re a pretty gullible young woman. I’m a stranger. I might take advantage of you.”

“I don’t mind. I owe you a debt for my life. I’ll do anything for you.”

The beast inside him roared to life after hearing that innocent declaration. Arcan leaned on the table. Closer to her. He basked in her alluring scent—a scent that drove him crazy. “Don’t say that kind of thing so lightly. I might get greedy.”

Yazmina didn’t waver when he turned serious. “I have never promised anything I couldn’t deliver. My father taught us that well ever since we were little. I’m forever in your debt, and until I could return an equal deed to you, I could never repay you enough.”

She surprised him. Arcan didn’t expect to see this kind of quality in her. He thought she was a weak, sheltered princess who knew nothing of the outside world, and was perhaps too reliant on others for the protection she thought she was entitled to. Yazmina had proved him wrong. She might be physically weak, but she had a strong sense of pride.

Arcan admired that kind of quality in a person. “What if I knew of a way for you to repay me?”

“You do?”

Arcan nodded. “Be my woman.”

“Oh.”

“Well?” he pressed.

She blushed prettily and avoided his demanding stare. “Am I good enough for you?”

“What do you mean? Of course you are. Look at me, Yazmina.”

She shyly met his eyes.

“What do you say?”

Yazmina went back to staring at her shoes. “Yes,” she whispered. She had a dimple on her cheek when she smiled.

For a second, Arcan almost gave in to his beast’s nature. If they were in his motherland on the Serengeti savannah, he’d already have kissed her and claimed her as his.

His cellphone rang, startling him from his fantasy. He answered it. “Yes?”

“Arcan Rarh?”

“Speaking,” he said.

“Hi, I’m Dean Bennet, Jax’s friend from Princeton. He said that you need a safe house for a few days?”

“That is correct.”

“I have a property in downtown Burj. Burj Khalifa. Will that work for you?”

“Yeah. I think I know the area.”

“Great. You can use the place immediately. Jax has settled everything so you can stay there tonight. Do you have paper and pen handy? I’ll give you the address.”

Arcan borrowed a pen from a passing waiter and wrote down the address on a napkin. The safe-house was equipped with a high-end security system with remote monitoring. Arcan didn’t need keys to enter the property; Dean gave him a password to enter, and Arcan was good to go.

Arcan thanked Dean and disconnected. “We should go,” he said to Yazmina.

“All right.”

He paid cash for their barely touched food and they left.

They went back to mingling with the masses to make their way to the exit. The crowd was even more packed than before. Arcan had to snatch Yazmina’s hand so they wouldn’t get separated.

He felt uneasy.

As a beast and a man, his primal instinct was better honed than an average human’s. As a predator back in his native land in the Serengeti, he could sense when another predator had entered the vicinity.

He heightened his guard.

Yazmina suddenly yelped.

Arcan turned around. Two men pulled her arm and spoke harshly in Arabic, making an unavoidable commotion.

“Arcan!” Yazmina shouted at him.

His battle instinct kicked in at once. He launched himself at them and neutralized the targets with knockout punches. The men went down in an instant.

Arcan seized Yazmina’s hand and pulled her towards the exit to escape the scene before anyone around them fully realized what had happened.

As they ran to an indoor mall, her heart pounded so hard she thought she was going to pass out. Yazmina hadn’t anticipated that Abdullah—her father’s henchman—would catch her here. The shock alone was enough to freeze her in her tracks, terrifying her more than when she saw Arcan in his lion form.

Then, dread filled her. If her father caught her, it would be the end of her freedom. Her fate would be sealed. Her knees weakened at the very thought of it. A loveless marriage to a man older than her own father awaited her. The lonely life she’d left behind would be replaced with complete isolation.

She’d been deprived of freedom all her life. A little taste of it made her addicted. Freedom was precious, the one thing that made her feel alive. She’d made a decision for herself, not for her father.

If Abdullah caught her, she wouldn’t be able to see Arcan again.

That tiny speck of realization jarred her more than she’d anticipated.

Arcan still didn’t let go of her hand, but they were walking normally, like a pair of tourists enjoying the nightlife in Dubai.

As much as they tried to look normal, they still attracted attention. Mostly Arcan. Women were stunned by his good looks, and men stole glances at him with envy. The first thing people noticed was his tall stature and his splendid physique. Then his shoulder-length blond hair, which shone like sunlight.

He was like the sun to her.

When she was trapped in the depths of her despair, Arcan was the one who reached in for her and promised her safety. His kindness touched her deeply, kindling a ray of hope in her heart. Everything would be all right. She could get through this. Freedom wasn’t an unattainable dream.

But if he was out of her life, she wasn’t sure she could keep that hope alight.

Unconsciously, she gripped Arcan’s hand tighter.

The man looked alarmed. “Yes?”

“N-nothing,” Yazmina flustered. “I’m just nervous.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”

She hoped so. She wanted to believe that everything would be all right. As she chanted silently that the situation would turn out as he promised, she noticed that Arcan had slipped into his cautious mood again.

Yazmina had seen it a couple of times since fate brought them together, once when Arcan returned from retrieving his phone in the room. At these times, he emanated the aura of a predator ready to take down his prey.

And he did it again now.

The nagging uneasiness within her returned. Had they been followed? That must be it. Otherwise, Arcan wouldn’t be so restless. At one point, Yazmina could swear his arm sprouted coarse fur and his fingernails elongated into claws.

“Arcan…” Yazmina wanted to tell him he was slipping into his beast form.

He didn’t respond. His expression was dead serious, his posture as tense as a bowstring ready to snap. “Let’s go.”

Yazmina tried to match his long strides as they walked. A cursory glance confirmed her fears. More men followed them. If they were being inconspicuous before, now they abandoned their pretense.

She bit her lip.
No, no, please don’t let them catch me
. She chanted in silent prayer upon prayer until tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as Arcan pulled her towards the exit. The cool, air-conditioned breeze was replaced by salt-laced wind from the marina. They broke into a run. Arcan led her into the back of the mall where workers loaded merchandise from trucks.

Their pursuers were also running after them. Arcan suddenly pulled her into one of the loading docks and pushed her into a dark corner. He signaled her to be quiet and mouthed without voice, “I’ll be back.”

She panicked. “Don’t—”

Arcan kissed her on the lips as if to silence her objection.

The world stopped at that moment.

The kiss.

Her first kiss.

Her breath might be frozen in her lungs, but the lips that bestowed that kiss set her on fire.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back for you. I promise.”

Arcan dusted down his pants and shimmied to the opening. He slipped outside and vanished from her sight.

Yazmina tried to pull herself together. She’d come this far. She couldn’t fall apart now. Especially now. She crouched in the corner, making herself as small as possible. She listened to every noise.

Is he trying to fight them off by himself?

What if the men have weapons? Will he stand a chance?

Yazmina took a deep breath, listening. The night crept towards the witching hour, and this part of the mall was deserted. She could hear echoing steps. Then shouts. Then there were inhuman growls and a screech of surprise.

Arcan must have transformed into his lion form in order to get rid of their pursuers.

More growls, and silence followed.

Far away in the background, the chatter of people and a soft wind from the ocean painted the night.

She waited. Her heart thundered fast.

It felt like forever, but then, she saw him.

Arcan emerged from the street.

Her body moved before her mind could register what had happened. She ran to him and hugged him tightly.

She didn’t want to be separated from him ever again.

No, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

It was the first time Yazmina realized that she’d fallen in love with him.

They came by taxi from the marina. The safe house that Jax’s friend had provided was located in the heart of the city. It was nestled inside an elite complex building with its own private elevator and parking space. Arcan found the place quite easily.

The apartment looked plain from the hallway, but Yazmina spotted a few security cameras placed strategically. Arcan entered the password twice—once in the elevator and once by the door. The keypad LCD screen flashed green, granting them entry.