Sweet Revenge Ch. 04

When she woke, it was morning, and she rolled to find the bed empty beside her. Had Richard returned in the night? Surely, she would have woken if he had. Her heart ached as she thought of him lying next to Samiya somewhere else in the camp.

She stiffened her spine and made the short walk to the spring to bathe. She certainly wasn't going to hide in her tent all day.

It had become her custom to rise early and indulge in a morning bath while the men were away. That way, she didn't have to worry about Richard intruding on her, as he had done that first morning. She had just stepped beneath the trickling water when she heard someone coming into the clearing. She crossed her arms quickly over her breasts, as she eyed her towel that was lying just out of reach. She looked up to see Samiya sauntering into view.

Samiya smirked at her as she approached. "Were you lonely last night?" she asked.

Karina glared at Samiya. The nerve of the woman to flaunt the fact that Richard must have shared her bed last night! Karina was determined not to let her see how much that disturbed her.

"As a matter of fact, I slept wonderfully well. I was glad not to have to endure any unwanted attentions." Karina wrinkled her nose delicately and returned to her bath. "If I were not being kept prisoner here, I would gladly leave, and you could have Richard all to yourself."

She was aware of the other woman's eyes sweeping her naked body, but she refused to show any embarrassment, as she carefully lathered her long, slender legs. To do so would have left her vulnerable to the other woman's insults and her pride wouldn't allow that.

Samiya secretly fumed as she watched Karina bathing. She was confident that she could win Rashid's favor, and if his response to her dance last night was any indication, it would not be long before she had him in her bed.

"You are a fool," Samiya purred, watching Karina closely. "Only a crazy woman would not want the attentions of a man such as Rashid. Last night was just the beginning. I will do whatever it takes to hold his interest long after he has forgotten about you!"

Karina raised a delicate brow and considered the other woman, before she began to soap her arms. "Yes, you made that abundantly clear with your dance last night. I don't think there was a man there that wouldn't have wanted you. Richard is no different. However, I will not be reduced to the level of whore by him or any other man." Karina's eyes speared the other woman, and her meaning was clear.

Samiya simply shrugged in dismissal, as she ran a hand down her curvaceous form. "You English women are so prudish in your thoughts. You fail to see that a woman's body is the only tool she has to get her way with men. I have learned to use mine, and I will soon have Rashid as my husband." Her eyes scanned Karina's body again, and she smiled smugly. "Mark my words, he will soon tire of you, and I will be waiting to welcome him with open arms." She gave a throaty laugh and turned to leave the clearing as abruptly as she had entered it.

Karina waited until Samiya had disappeared from sight, before she sank weakly back against the rocks. She began to tremble as tears threatened again, and she took several deep breaths to regain her composure. She didn't know why Samiya bothered her so much. Didn't she want to be rid of Richard's attentions? After all, she hated him!

She finished her bath with grim determination and returned to the camp to help Fatima prepare the morning meal. Fatima eyed her closely, taking note of the dark circles under her eyes and her pale cheeks.

"I noticed Samiya walking back from the spring this morning," she stated quietly. "Did she intrude upon your bath?"

Karina expelled a deep sigh. "She came to taunt me with the fact that Richard is attracted to her."

"I told you that he had never given her much notice. Any attraction is surely in her imagination." She tried to sound reassuring, but Karina shook her head slowly.

"No, I saw him watching her with my own eyes last night. Didn't you see the way she danced for him? He was obviously interested in everything she was offering him. Then, he didn't return to bed last night, so I can only assume he spent the night with Samiya."

Fatima frowned thoughtfully. She had watched Richard with Karina, and she had been convinced that he cared for her more than he wanted to admit. Fatima had secretly been hoping that there might be a chance for them to find happiness together. However, she didn't want to foster false hopes for the girl, and she turned back to the food, biting her tongue in silence.

They worked quietly until the men returned for breakfast. As the men sat around the table, several women bustled around to serve the meal. Samiya hovered over Richard. Several times, she bent across him, brushing her breasts against his arm. He looked up at her as she spoke to him in Arabic, and he laughed at what she had said.

Karina felt a stab of jealousy, but she turned away to offer bread to the other men. She smiled at Amir, when he spoke to her, and he smiled reassuringly. While the gesture warmed her heart, Karina could take no real comfort from it. She knew that she was merely Richard's mistress and nothing more.

When the meal was concluded, Karina made her way alone to their tent. She hadn't exchanged two words with Richard all morning. When he poked his head through the flap of the tent a few minutes later, she whirled away from him and pointedly ignored him as she tidied the items on her small table.

Richard came to stand behind her, and he leaned over to nibble her shoulder, as his hands came up to cup her breasts. Karina stiffened and said caustically, "Is Samiya too busy to accommodate you just now?" She imbued the words with venom, and he turned her to face him.

He knew that she must think he had spent the night with the other woman, and he continued to let her think the worst. He kept telling himself that if he made her hate him, it would be easier on her when he sent her back to her father. He rolled one nipple into a hardened bud.

"I can think about her later. Right now, I want you."

He swooped to kiss her, but she ducked to the side, and his kiss landed on her hair. Cold fury bubbled up inside her, and for once, her anger overshadowed her passion.

Richard was used to her resistance, and he continued to kiss her in an effort to stir her senses. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he quickly divested them both of their clothing. However, this time her determination to resist him was bolstered by her hurt and anger, and she managed to remain passive and unresponsive to his touch.

He nibbled her sensitive skin and caressed her in all the spots that usually inflamed her passion, but she lay still and limp against him. He drew her nipple into the hot cavity of his mouth and suckled firmly, but instead of moaning her pleasure and arching her back as she usually did, she continued to lie still on the bed. She kept her eyes tightly closed, and her lips were compressed into a grim frown.

As he bombarded her with sensation, she whipped up her righteous fury over his infidelity, and for once, her mind won out over her body. His own blood was boiling with desire for her, and it was a long time before Richard could acknowledge Karina's lack of response. Finally, he lifted his head to stare down at her as a deep frown marred his forehead.

Karina opened her eyes and glared up at him as his eyes probed hers. "What's the matter? Am I not as pleasing as Samiya?" She ran a hand seductively over her full breasts and down her hip, noting that she had his undivided attention. She could feel his erection pressing against the flesh of her hip, but she ignored the evidence of his passion as she continued to taunt him. "Is my body less appealing than hers?"

Richard's eyes followed where her hand led, over her taut nipples, her slender waist and long flowing limbs, and his eyes burned with desire. Samiya couldn't compare, and he was tempted to blurt out that information, but kept quiet. He didn't feel any satisfaction from the fact that his plan was working.

Releasing a frustrated groan, he thrust Karina from him and rose to dress. She remained unmoving as he stared down at her, and he finally turned and stalked out of the tent.

Karina smiled as she reached for her dress and donned it. Finally, she had managed to resist his charms, and she was determined not to give in to him again. He might keep her prisoner here, but she would be damned if she would allow him to humiliate her any further! She ignored the empty ache in her loins and resumed her normal activities.

***********

The next several days were tense ones. Karina continued to renew her righteous anger whenever she thought of Samiya. That was occurring more and more often, as the other woman made no effort to disguise her interest in Richard. Whenever the villagers gathered, Samiya would make a point of sitting next to him, and she always managed to find a way to draw his attention to her. He didn't seem to mind her efforts in the least. In fact, he encouraged her through his silence.

Karina noticed that Richard would often smile down at Samiya and whisper in her ear, while he ignored Karina entirely. She told herself that she was glad his interest had shifted to the other woman, but the victory was hollow. Especially when she felt the tightening in her chest that was becoming more and more familiar at the sight of them together.

Richard flirted shamelessly with Samiya, and his people were confused by the shift in his interest. They had come to respect and admire Karina, and they didn't understand why he had abruptly changed his mind. However, they resigned themselves to wait and see what his intentions were. They knew him to be a good man, and they had confidence that he would make the right decision where the two women were concerned.

Only Fatima and Amir were bold enough to voice their disapproval. Fatima confronted Richard when he returned to the village one morning.

"Why do you continue to dally with Samiya, when I know that you are not seriously interested in her?" She watched him patiently for his response.

Richard frowned at her darkly. For the first time, he did not seek her counsel. "I have my reasons."

"Whatever your reasons, your actions are not right. You will hurt both Karina and Samiya, and neither of them deserves that. You need to be honest with them."

Richard gave an exasperated sigh, as he glared down at Fatima. "I will handle things my own way. I don't need your advice."

He turned on a heel and stalked away, leaving Fatima frowning in his wake. She had never seen him so angry or unreasonable, and she shook her head in disapproval.

Later that day, Richard was grooming one of his stallions alongside Amir, who was performing the same task on a different horse. Richard didn't have his usual patience with the animal, and Amir noticed.

"What's the matter with you? You've been in a foul mood for the past few days."

Richard glared at him and continued to brush the horse. "Women! They baffle me."

Amir raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure what you are baffled about. The only thing that surprises me is how you can be shocked by Karina's anger. The way you have been acting lately with Samiya, any woman would be angry at you."

Richard stopped brushing and stared at the other man. Amir was his closest friend, and Richard had thought that he, above anyone else should understand his position.

"What are you saying?" he asked coldly.

Amir stopped working as well, and the two men stood watching each other. "I am saying that you are not being fair to Karina. You brought her here out of revenge against her father. While I disapproved, I remained silent. Given the brutality of how Ameena was killed, I felt you deserved some flexibility in how you sought your revenge. However, I have observed Karina over the past weeks, and she has shown herself to be gentle and kind. She doesn't deserve what you have done to her. Ameena would not approve. And now, on top of everything else, you are amusing yourself with Samiya."

Richard ground his teeth in frustration that for the second time that morning, a trusted friend would turn against him. "I have my reasons," he growled.

Amir raised a skeptical brow. "Well, while you pursue your 'reasons', you may lose your only chance to find happiness again." He looked at Richard for a long moment more, before he dropped his brush and walked away.

Richard stood watching him, trying hard to swallow the lump in his throat. He felt that his own friends had deserted him, but he was determined to follow his plan. He refused to dwell on the things that might have been. If circumstances had been different, maybe he would have had a chance for happiness with Karina. However, there was no way to change what had happened between them. He was doing his best to lessen Karina's future pain, and if no one understood that, then too bad.

As the days passed, Karina grew more and more withdrawn. When Richard made love to her, she closed her eyes and thought about him with Samiya. It was an effective tool, and it allowed her to lay passive beneath him until he finished.

Richard hated the way things were between them. He had tasted Karina's sweet responsiveness in the past, and he longed to have it again. However, he knew that it would be better for Karina this way. She was strong willed, and if he could make her hate him, she would not be so hurt when he returned her to her father.

********

Richard woke up in the depths of night, and he listened to Karina's soft breathing. He resisted the urge for as long as possible before pulling her sleeping form against him. His heart ached with tenderness, and he longed to tell Karina his true feelings. Instead, he placed fleeting kisses along her neck and shoulder, while his hand explored her softer regions.

Karina released a sigh in her sleep, and snuggled closer against his chest. She was having the loveliest dream. Richard was lying with her in a lush green meadow, and they laughed as they rolled among the daisies. He rose on one elbow and smiled down at her, before he kissed her tenderly on the lips. She sighed, looping her arms about his neck. He nibbled on her taut nipple, laving it with his tongue until it became a hard pebble before he moved to her other breast. She moaned as he caressed the hot, slick flesh between her thighs, his fingers delving into her velvety softness. She opened her legs to welcome him and stroked the back of his hand in encouragement. He entered her with a strong thrust, and her eyes flew open as she came fully awake.

This was no dream! Richard was making love to her, and she couldn't resist the passion that he had ignited in her. She eagerly met his thrusts, and he rewarded her with a groan of pure pleasure. She tilted her hips and he plunged even deeper inside her. Her breath hitched at the incredible fullness. She gripped his shoulders and wound her legs around his waist. His eyes flared in triumph, as he devoured her swollen breasts with his tongue and teeth.

He traced molten kisses up her neck until he finally reached her parted lips, and she returned his kiss with eager abandon. They climaxed together, and she felt wave after wave of his hot seed bathing her womb as she clung to him to hold him inside for longer. Their eyes met and held for several long moments before he withdrew. They turned in opposite directions and went back to sleep, each wondering how to guard their heart from even more pain.

It was while she was bathing the following morning that Karina discovered she was pregnant. Her eyes widened as she realized that she hadn't had a monthly since her capture weeks before. She put a trembling hand over her naked belly and bit her bottom lip. She shouldn't have been at all surprised by the discovery.

Karina concluded her morning bath and returned to help with breakfast. Fatima eyed her closely, noticing her pale cheeks and the dark circles beneath her eyes.

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" she asked quietly.

Karina gave a slight shrug. "Well enough, I suppose." She couldn't bring herself to tell Fatima about the child. She knew she couldn't keep it a secret forever, but for now, she kept the knowledge to herself.

*********

The child she was carrying changed everything for Karina, and she worked on her own secret plan over the next several weeks. She had tried everything she could think of to keep from loving Richard, but nothing had worked. Even when he flirted with another woman, Karina still loved him. She was determined to win his love in return. If she was patient and persistent enough, perhaps she could make him fall in love with her, and then he wouldn't want to return her to her father.

Apart from feeling sick in the mornings, Karina glowed with good health. She did her best to ignore Samiya's pursuit of Richard, for the other woman had not given up in her quest. If anything, she had redoubled her efforts.

One morning, as Karina sat sewing with Fatima, the older woman looked at her briefly and spoke in a quiet voice. "When are you going to tell Rashid that he is going to be a father?"

Karina paused mid-stitch. "How did you know?"

Fatima chuckled softly. "It's not that hard to see. You have not had a monthly since coming to us almost two months ago. You are radiant with good health. Your sickness in the mornings..." Her voice trailed off as a smile lit her wrinkled face, and she reached over to pat Karina's hand. "I have known for some time now, but I know that you have not told Rashid. You cannot hide it from him much longer. Pretty soon, your belly will start to grow."

Karina looked down and nodded. "Yes, I know. I just haven't wanted to change things." She bit her lip and continued, "I'm not sure how he will take the news." She looked at the older woman uncertainly.

Fatima sighed. "I cannot predict his reaction. I can only tell you that Rashid is a very stubborn and proud man. He has strong feelings for you, but he is battling with himself. You must find a way to tell him, and soon. Perhaps, when he is faced with the reality of having a child with you, he will rethink his position."

The opportunity came sooner than she had thought. That afternoon, as they sat in their tent, Karina looked over to see Richard watching her closely. "What's the matter?" she asked him softly.

"I was just wondering about why you seem so different lately. I can't quite put my finger on it, but you are changed somehow."

His eyes probed hers until her gaze skittered away. When she spoke, her voice was very low, and he had to strain to hear the words.

"Yes, motherhood has a way of changing a woman." She looked up to see his reaction, but his face was blank.

He mentally retraced the time since he had kidnapped her, and he cursed his own stupidity for missing the signs. Of course, that explained much of her behavior lately. He felt a cold lump in his chest at the thought of letting her go. For the first time, he seriously doubted his ability to carry out his plan. Cutting Karina out of his life would be like cutting out his heart, and he wasn't sure he was strong enough to do that.

Richard clenched his jaw and held his silence. He needed time to think and sort out what he would do. He rose and walked to the door before turning back to her. He hesitated before speaking. "I will see you at dinner," he finally murmured, before he left the tent.

Karina sat trembling in his absence. She had finally found the courage to tell him, and his reaction, or lack thereof had taken her completely by surprise. She had expected smugness or gloating. She hadn't been prepared for his total lack of emotion. She wrapped her arms around her knees and placed her cheek atop them.