Emerson and the Lion Ch. 11

Izem pulled out his phone and opened an app. He still had the speech to text app on there from the last time we'd talked. I felt a twinge of happiness knowing that he held onto it for me.

"He left me. He fucking left me," he said as the app translated.

"I'm so sorry," I signed and saw that Ali had expressed similar condolences.

"He saved up every nickel he got from me and then stole some coins and bonds I had. He stayed back in New York. I should have known better than to take him back to the US for your wedding. The little pussy said he missed Florida. I woke up this morning to a note. He even took my credit card to charge plane tickets to Tampa. The bitch," Izem called over our waiter and ordered whiskey.

Ali slid an arm around my waist and held me protectively. He knew I wanted to go home with him, that I'd never wanted to stay in the US, had nothing to go back to. But still, the thought that a cub could slink away like that rocked him to his core.

"I am sorry, dear friend. You know you can count on us for whatever you need. Perhaps you should eat something," Ali suggested as I held onto Izem's phone and read.

Izem leaned his head against my shoulder and Ali reached a hand up to stroke his hair.

"I'm done. I'll find a nice Arab boy who knows what loyalty is. These little pink bastards are more trouble than they're worth," Izem moaned.

"Hey!" I typed. "I'm a little pink bastard!" I held the phone up to his face and laughed. I felt his body shake in laughter as he leaned against me.

"Well you're the little pink bastard I wanted all along," he said and the app translated. "But you have been claimed, marked beyond repair by my best friend. I will move on."

I felt his lips against my cheek and turned to look at Ali. He sighed and gave me that smile that said we should be gentle with Izem.

"You will fly home with us. All right? You'll sit by us and keep us company. We have already slept enough on this journey," Ali suggested.

Izem nodded and Ali paid the check as we headed off to our gate. The whole flight home we listened to him talk about the boy named Jason. He had bought him everything he wanted, treated him like a prince.

"That is your problem," Ali noted. "You must not let them own you. The cub is yours to raise appropriately. He must appreciate what you give him and beg for your approval. You are too free with him. You did not break him, and he took what you offered and believed it to be his right. My Emi was never so wild. He was always so grateful for what I gave him. Now, I'd give him the moon. He earned the right to own my heart."

"It's too late now," Izem lamented. "I'll do better with the next one."

"You will," Ali assured, but I knew his look was doubtful. He hugged me to his chest as we curled up together in his seat while Izem sat in the one intended for me. He stroked my back while I laid against him and looked at their conversation on his phone.

+++ +++

We put a sad Izem in his car at the airport and then headed back to our little home in the Hamad compound. I was so happy to see Kadir bounding towards me with his tongue hanging out when we got home. He pounced on me with licks and kisses as Ali carried our bags inside. I would put everything away tomorrow.

We arrived to a house filled with our wedding gifts. We'd spend the next day opening them and writing out thank-you notes to everyone.

We settled into our bed that night as Kadir laid across the foot of it. He hugged me to his chest as my husband that night. It felt different, deeper. We were always digging for that next level in our relationship. We fell asleep together as officially joined in both of our home countries. Here I was his property, there I was his husband.

Closing my eyes against his heartbeat with my hand holding on to his soft, yet impressive cock, I knew that everything was now complete. There was nothing more I needed.

+++

Thanks for reading. Taking a break from Noah to revisit other stories. Please let me know if you want to read more.