Crystal
The sight of Amir wheeling his father into the foyer brought instant shivers down her spine. She pulled away from Ahmad immediately, eyes dropping to the floor.
She didn't dare meet Amir's eyes as his tone told her that she had gotten herself in a lot of trouble.
"Go upstairs now" His voice was harsh, leaving no room for hesitation.
Crystal didn't wait for a second command. She hurried up the stairs, heart pounding, and slipped into her room just as he had instructed. She wanted no part in provoking him further.
Amelia peeked into the room a few minutes later. There was fear and worry etched on her face.
"Are you okay ma'am?" She asked softly.
Crystal was grateful that Amelia, at least, cared for her.
"I'm fine, Amelia. Thank you" She replied as coolly as possible. There was a storm brewing inside of her and she didn't want to worry Amelia.
"Do you need anything? Are you hungry? Or do you need a bath?" Amelia pressed, still frowning.
Crystal gave a small, nervous laugh that didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm fine Amelia, really. You don't need to worry about me." She heaved. "I'm just waiting for Amir, he told me to wait for him here after dinner".
Amelia still didn't look convinced .
"Okay ma'am. But if you need anything, just call for me".
"Thank you Amelia. You can go and rest now" Crystal said, dismissing her.
Amelia turned and left the room, leaving Crystal to her raging thoughts.
She didn't know what to expect from Amir. Fear knotted in her stomach.
But then her mind wandered to Ahmad. Seeing him tonight had shifted something in her. She longed to reach into the deepest parts of his soul and bury herself there.
She really wished he was here so she could bury her head in his shoulder.
She lifted the dress she wore that evening to her face and breathed in. It still carried a trace of his scent, faint but undeniable.
She smiled and shook her head. Ahmad was a faraway wish. A forbidden fruit she shouldn't think about having.
Sighing, she dragged herself to the bathroom. Maybe a hot bath would calm her restless mind.
Ahmad
Ahmad had returned home from dinner thirty minutes ago, but peace refused to come.
He paced the length of his living room, restless. Crystal wasn't fine—he knew it. She had claimed she was, but her eyes had betrayed her.
Her beautiful eyes held so much tears it was too much for him to take. Something was wrong and he was going to find out what.
His phone buzzed and he picked it up. It was a message from his Father, Sultan.
"You have One week. And you'd better come with a woman".
Ahmad exhaled heavily, then his eyes lit up. The family estate.
This was an opportunity. An opportunity to live under the same roof as Crystal.
He chuckled darkly. God help Amir if he was mistreating her. God help him.
He rang the small bell on his study table, and moments later, his housekeeper Carlita appeared, rubbing her eyes.
"Carlita, I'm so sorry for waking you up at this hour" He apologized to her. It was unusual for him to do this but he simply couldn't wait.
"It's alright Mr Ahmad" Carlita, his housekeeper said, rubbing her eyes.
"Prepare a few of the house staff. We're moving to my family's estate in three days time". He announced.
Her brows rose. "So soon? Is something wrong, sir?" Ahmad usually gave weeks of notice before such a move.
"No problem Carlita. My Father wants me and Amir to move in." He replied. "Just take three of the staff with us, the rest can be left here to take care of the house".
"Very well Sir. Goodnight". Carlita said and left his office.
When she left, Ahmad leaned back in his chair, adrenaline buzzing in his veins.
He chuckled again. He couldn't wait to be under the same roof as Crystal. He was falling—hard.
Amir
Amir stormed up and down his room, fury churning in his chest.
How dare they!!! How dare Ahmad!!!
Ahmad had always taken from him since they were boys. The attention, respect, approval. And now he wanted Crystal too?
Maybe he was overreacting. He saw her wiping her eyes.
Crystal was his and no one could take her. He had guaranteed that. On paper.
And now he had to make that practical. Crystal was his key to becoming one of the most powerful men in Dubai.
She had to carry his seed. She had to. That was his way of securing his position.
He suddenly bolted up and reached into his desk drawer to fetch some condoms.
On second thought, he dropped them. She wasn't just any whore now, she was his wife.
He could do as he pleased with her and his goal wasn't pleasure, it was to impregnate her. And he didn't need condoms for that.
He crossed the hallway to her room and pushed the door open.
Crystal lay on the bed, but he knew she wasn't asleep. Her breathing gave her away.
Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. He got excited.
"Get up woman" he thundered.
She turned and sat on the bed. He gestured for her to stand up.
She stood up but didn't look up at his face. He knew she was nervous but he didn't care. It made him more excited.
He lifted her face up with one finger. She looked up at him and he almost choked.
Her eyelashes were wet and it made her eyes fucking sexy. His gaze dropped to her lips, red, parted and his pulse quickened.
"You really know how to test me crystal," he murmured, voice soft but edged with steel. "What the fuck were you doing standing too close to my brother in the dress I bought you?".
His lips curled, "My wife. Standing so close to my brother it made my skin crawl".
He felt her shiver in his arms and she looked up at him with her tear stained eyes again.
"I wasn't…." She had started to say.
"Don't," He snapped, closing the distance between them in two strides. His hand came up to her face, fingers curling around the side of her neck.
Not tight but just enough to feel the frantic beat of her pulse beneath his palm.
"You think I didn't see it?" He growled, leaning down so his words ghosted against her lips. "The way you leaned in to him… as if you were sharing something just for the two of you."
She opened her mouth to speak, but he didn't give her the chance.
His mouth crushed hers, hard, claiming, unapologetic. He kissed her like he wanted to burn Ahmad's scent off her. Like she belonged to him and he was staking that claim right now.
She tasted of tension and something sweeter she didn't even realize she carried.
Her lips were soft, but he didn't soften. He wanted her to feel the weight of his anger, to remember it.
When he pulled back, he kept his hand at her neck, his thumb resting just beneath her jaw.
He studied her face, those lips slightly swollen, those eyes a mixture of shock and heat.
"You've ruined the evening," he said finally, his voice calm in a way that should have frightened her more than shouting.
"I was going to fuck you tonight… but now?" His gaze swept her slowly, deliberately. "Now, I can't bring myself to touch something already tainted."
He let her go, stepping back as if she was something he had decided wasn't worth keeping in his hand.
"Sleep well, wife," he murmured, not looking back as he walked away, though he could still feel the taste of her lips on his, infuriatingly impossible to shake.