Chapter 4

Caled’s POV

I knew it wouldn't be easy to tell Hanna that her life was on the line. Samir didn't want to tell her about the wedding, but I didn't agree with lying to her. It was easier to keep me in the dark, just protecting her from afar. He didn't need to lie or hide things from her. I've always been a man who believes in the truth above all else, even if it hurts. Lying is a lot of work because you have to constantly create other lies to keep the first one. I wouldn't do that to Hanna. He would always be as honest with her as possible. When he asked me what I was doing at the club, I said the first thing that came to my mind, because Samir had already asked me to tell the truth himself. But I immediately regretted it and wanted to tell him everything, except that Samir arrived on time and stopped me from saying what I wanted.

Now, faced with her difficulty in disclosing about the arranged marriage, I had no choice. I would tell her myself about our grandparents' pact. Seeing her freak out when her father started the conversation was agonizing. I had to give him the tranquilizer prescribed by the doctor. He didn't want to have to take her to a hospital after what had happened in that alley. My men had been quick to disarm the bandit and now he was being interrogated to reveal who was behind the attack. Yes, because it was clear that this was an ambush. Giving Hanna the drug was part of a Machiavellian plan, and I would find out who was responsible.

She had been sleeping for 24 hours, that worried me. I called the doctor a few times and he assured me that it was normal due to the drug's effect on his system. I almost couldn't sleep at night as Hanna had scary dreams. She moaned and cried in her sleep. Several times I approached her face and sang the song she was performing at the bar. I knew how much she liked the American actress' repertoire. I sang to soothe her heart and told her that she would always be safe as long as I lived.

“And I will always love you

I will always love you, oh”

After she calmed down, I lay down beside her to try to get some sleep. I could relax better knowing she was by my side. I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up to his moans. I opened my eyes and saw Hanna squirming and panting. She looked like she was having a sex dream. At first I felt uncontrollable jealousy imagining that she was dreaming of another man, but suddenly I heard my name come out of her mouth with a moan. That made my member jiggle inside my pants. The way she squeezed her legs made me salivate. She was dreaming of me. How was that possible? I took a deep breath feeling my whole body tingle when she called out to me again. An uncontrollable urge to touch her body made me lift my hand over her, but I pushed that thought out of my mind at once. I had no right to touch my brother's future wife, and I would never do so without her asking me to.

As her breathing began to quicken, the moans turned to pain. She was scared. It made me sick. I sat next to her and tried to wake her up gently.

“Hanna, please wake up!” I whispered in his ear.

"Do not kill me!" she screamed as she opened her eyes. His body was shaking involuntarily. She looked startled to see me in front of her.

"Sorry but you were having a nightmare and I was trying to wake you up" I explained.

“How long did I sleep? Did you dope me?” she trembled.

“You took a tranquilizer that the doctor prescribed, because your blood pressure was very high. Try to stay calm, please ”

"Where's my father?" she tried to get out of bed and I stood up trying to calm her down. But she was still dizzy and her body staggered.

I held her in my arms and watched her eyes travel down my chest to my mouth. The urge to touch her lips was maddening. Her skin was as smooth as the finest silk in the Orient. And it was hot as the desert sun. My heart was pounding in a frantic rhythm and my breathing took on an uncontrolled rhythm. Hanna seemed mesmerized by my eyes, like easy prey in the face of her predator. I noticed that his chest was rising and falling very fast. Our bodies were so close I could feel her nipples hard under the shirt she was wearing, both pressed against my bare chest. I was shirtless and she started to slide her hand over my shoulder. What was happening? I couldn't let go. I closed my eyes, feeling Hanna's warm, soft hand move up to my beard. She didn't seem to want to get out of that position. I swallowed hard when I felt my member swell, leaning against her body, and she noticed it too, as she quickly exhaled through her mouth. I couldn't control myself anymore. My desire for Hanna was real and I wanted to kiss her. I opened my eyes and watched his lips parted, so inviting. The pink, thin flesh was too tempting. I approached slowly and I would have taken her to my lips if it wasn't for the ringing of the phone. The answering machine answered. It was Marcela, an ex-girlfriend who insisted on revisiting the past.

“Hi Falcão, I miss you. Why don't you return my calls?..." I released Hanna right away and turned off the device that was next to the bed, on the nightstand.

When I turned my gaze to her, she was already picking up her clothes from the couch and I tried to explain.

"Sorry about that. It's an ex-girlfriend"  What was I doing? explaining myself ?

“Don't your worry. You don't have to explain anything to me. I do not know you. By the way, why am I wearing your shirt?” she stopped and looked at me with surprise in her eyes.

“Your brother changed it because yours were stained with vomit. I washed them yesterday and you can wear them now.” I pointed to the clothes she was holding and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling strangely despondent.

“Thank you for that. I won't give you any more work. I will go back to my house”

“Hanna , wait . Your father and brother are no longer there. Your house has been invaded.”

"What?"  she let the clothes fall to the floor.

“Yesterday, after they left here, I took your father home and we found everything torn up. He took everything he could and dropped him off at a hotel. His brother is with him now. You need to stay hidden for now. I'm already investigating the people who are after you, but I need you to stay here, safe.” I tried to speak calmly, but she was upset.

“What do you mean to stay here? I do not even know you. What's happening? I want to see my father now.” she screamed. He waved his arms and walked from side to side.

“You can talk to him on my phone” I took my device out of my pocket and handed it to her.

“And where is my phone?”

“Your phone was tapped. But let's work it out” I tried to explain, but she cut me off.

“I'm going to the police now. This is so weird!” she yelled with a raised finger.

“Hanna, your father is an immigrant. You can't go to the police. It will get him into trouble.” I tried to calm her down, but she was pacing around, completely upset.

"I can't believe this is happening to me."

“Hanna, I'll explain everything to you if you calm down. I won't hide anything from you, but first I need you to feed. You haven't eaten anything for hours"

“ Okay ! I will listen to you.” She took a deep breath trying to calm down.

“I'll let you finish getting ready. I'll be in the kitchen if you need it,” he said, leaving the room to make her more comfortable.

A few minutes later, Hanna walked into the kitchen, probably carried away by the smell of the esfirras that were baking in the oven. She asked if she could help, but I pulled out the chair for her to sit at the table.

“The smell is wonderful. What is it?" she asked as I opened the oven.

“ Beef and cheese esfirras with spinach. He likes?"

"Love. My dad always made it when I was a kid. But after my mother died, he lost his taste for cooking.”

"I'm very sorry. You must miss her so much.”  he said as he served his plate.

“I'm so sorry. A mother is greatly missed, especially at times like this, when you feel lost. She would know how to advise me.”

"I know how it is. I've been away from my family for a long time,” I said as I sat down opposite her.

“You're Arab, aren't you? My father said the man who hired him was from the same country as him. He just hadn't told me he was the son of a sheikh. You're also rich, from what I can see. Your house is magnificent.” she talked as she chewed. It looked hungry.

“I am the son of a sheikh who rules my country. My brother is the king.”

"Wow! So you are the prince?”

“Let's say so” I confirmed feeling awkward when she referred to me that way. I was so used to my life in New York that I often forgot my royal ancestry.

“Prince Falcon! Interesting. I imagine the success you make with women. Rich, tasty…I mean…very tasty… your food” Hanna stuttered and turned red as a pepper. I had to stop myself from laughing. She was graceful even when she talked too much.

“Thank you for Prince Falcon. It's a name that was created by my friends, because of the way I behave in the financial market. I have a company here in the United States that manages the finances of entrepreneurs. And about women... I've had many relationships, but none that fill the void in my heart." I said looking straight into her eyes and she swallowed her food, almost choking.

“It must be very interesting to work with stocks. But tell me about you. How did you get to the United States? What was your life like before, in your country?” Hanna talked and ate hastily. It felt like he hadn't eaten for hours, and he was.

“I moved to the United States when I was nineteen. I came to study and learn all about economics. The intention was to learn and take this knowledge to my country. But I ended up falling in love with New York and I stayed.” I counted as I poured more orange juice into her glass.

"Thanks. Now are we serious? Who are you? Why are you helping me? And who are these people who want to kill me? Why? Have I never harmed anyone?”  Hannah was anxious. I tried to think of the right words to tell her all about her past, but I couldn't find a way to say it without scaring her.

"Finish your juice and I'll show you something"

When we finished our coffee, I took Hanna by the hand and led her to my office. She looked at everything with great interest and I wondered what was going through her head.

I asked her to sit in my chair, facing the computer. I pulled up another chair and sat next to him. I took the computer mouse and directed the pointer to a folder where there were photos and videos of Mudab . I showed her several pictures of the palace and the city where I grew up. It explained what each place represented to me. When I showed images of the desert, his eyes lit up and I got excited. Could it be that Hanna had the same fascination with the hot sands of the desert as I did. It was the best place in the world for me. I showed a video where I trained my hawk and she let her mouth open slightly.

“This is Amber, the jewel of the desert. I got it from my father when I turned eighteen. He was just a puppy and today he is my best friend.”

"Where is he?"

“In Mudab . I couldn't bring him with me. But whenever I visit my country, I spend a few days with him in the desert. It's the best place in the world to get your mind in order.”

“Sounds fascinating!”

"Would like to know?"

“It would be amazing, but I don't know if I would get used to the weather”

“It's not as hot as it looks. It depends on the season. At night it is very cold. Temperatures drop a lot and can go below freezing.”

I kept showing Hanna the pictures and she was blown away by all the richness and beauty of the country that would one day be at her feet, but I still didn't know if I could tell her that. He needed to prepare the girl for what would be her fate.

“I can't believe my father had this luxury life and abandoned everything for my mother”

“A man hopelessly in love is like a hawk after its prey, nothing can stop it.” My eyes were fixed on the back of his neck and I noticed his breathing quickened at my words.

“Why do you want to kill me?” she looked at me and her brow was furrowed. His stunned gaze made my heart clench.

“Why are you Princess Hanna Al - Makhzumi Abudab , future wife and queen of my brother, Rafiq Mustafa Al- Madini , king and lord of Mudab .” I said bowing to her, but Hanna laughed so loud and continuous I thought she was going to choke.

“ Okay ! Now I understand that this is a prank. Who invented this story? It was my brother who hired you for this game, right?” she spoke in the midst of compulsive laughter, but when she realized that my face was serious, she came to herself and calmed down.

"Why is it so hard to believe what I'm telling you?"

“Because it's ridiculous. Me, future wife of a king? Which is? What did you come from? From the Middle Ages?”

“In our country, marriages are contracts made between families even before children are born. It is a custom that still exists in our culture. Not in all countries, but in most. Our families have had business agreements for many years and in order to strengthen their power, your grandfather made a pact with mine, where you and my brother would marry, thus establishing the two families' dominion over the Mudab territory and the countries neighbors."

"What? Did they decide on my marriage before I was born? Not even dead that I marry a person I don't know"

“Hanna, I understand you're amazed by all of this. It's normal, because you grew up in a totally different culture from ours. I live here and I know it sounds crazy what goes on in the East, but that's how things work in our culture. Of course you have the right to refuse your suitor. You won't be forced to do anything, but at least allow yourself to know the options. I am sure you will be enchanted by your country ”

“This is not an option. I'm not leaving the United States. I am a singer and this is where I will make my career.”

“I can't make you, but I would very much like you to come with me to Mudab . Your father would be very happy to see the family again. Also, it would be safer for you to spend time there, until I can find out who is threatening your life.”

“This is madness. I'm not going anywhere. And I want you to take me to my father”

I took a deep breath and was going to try to argue, but my cell phone rang right away. The information took me by surprise and I couldn't contain my worried look as I turned to Hanna. Things are now complicated.