Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 71: Alone with Ibrahim

Jacey

I lay, sprawled on my stomach as Masterson dragged Caleb away, unable to do anything to stop him.

“No…” I whispered.

Gunfire stopped coming into the bedroom and moved off to a different location within the hacienda.

I couldn’t move. I just stayed in the same spot on the floor, stunned.

Caleb was gone.

It seemed like hours, but it may only have been minutes, until the gunfire stopped altogether.

Then I saw a pair of shoes shuffle in front of the doorway.

“So they left us one,” the sheik said.

“Interesting.” Another pair of shoes. Ibrahim.

“I suppose we’ll have to change locations now. Damn Masterson anyway,” the sheik grunted.

“But we’ll still have her,” Ibrahim said.

“Indeed. All right, Jacey, let’s go.” The sheik waited.

When I didn’t move right away, Ibrahim grabbed me firmly by the hair and hauled me to my feet.

It was then that I became acutely aware that I was still naked.

“I-I need to get some clothes,” I said, crossing my arms over my breasts.

“No, you don’t,” the sheik replied. “You belong to Ibrahim now. If you ever wear clothes again, it will be at his discretion.”

Ibrahim smiled slightly.

“No!” I protested, trying to twist away, but his grip was iron.

“Put a robe on her, and let’s get her in the car. I hope Cordoba is nice this time of year,” the sheik said, turning away.

“Where’s Caleb?” I asked, even though I was sure I already knew the answer.

“Gone. With Masterson. You should start thinking about yourself now,” Ibrahim responded. He dragged me back into the room and threw me on the bed.

The sheik clucked his tongue. “There’s no time for that now, Ibrahim. Masterson’s goons are still mowing down my guards.”

“I know. I’m just grabbing her a robe,” he said. He threw open the wardrobe and grabbed a robe, tossing it onto the bed next to me. “Put it on.”

Shakily, I got up and pulled on the robe, cinching it in the middle. “We’re going to Cordoba?” I asked.

“Yes,” the sheik said.

“Where are we now?” I followed up my question with another.

“Toledo. Now let’s go before the authorities get here.” The sheik spun on his heel, and we hurried through the bullet-riddled hacienda to a large side garage.

The sheik’s staff were already frantically packing things into black SUVs. Ibrahim brought me to a black town car and shoved me in the back seat. “Behave,” he said. “Or you’re going to regret it.”

I was sure he meant it. I sat still, trying to work out how I might get out of the town car once we were underway and get to the authorities the sheik was talking about. Maybe Masterson and Caleb were still in the country, and they’d be able to locate them if they knew to be looking.

After Ibrahim closed the door, I subtly tried the door handle on my side. It didn’t budge.

Or not so subtly.

He opened the other door again. “Jacey, I told you to be good,” he warned.

I sprang into a sitting-straight-up position, folding my hands between my knees. “I had to check,” I said.

“Of course you did,” he snorted.

The sheik then got in the back next to me. “It’s nice to have such a lovely travel companion, at least,” he grinned as Ibrahim got into the passenger seat, and then a driver got in and got us underway.

I smiled weakly, trying not to shudder when he put his hand on my knee.

“Don’t worry, precious. Ibrahim will have you wondering who this Caleb person was in less than a week,” he said confidently.

“I don’t want to forget Caleb. And I won’t forget him,” I replied stubbornly.

The sheik patted my knee before settling his hand back down and rubbing it. “Of course not. You never forget your first time, or your first love.”

“He will be my first and last of both,” I assured him.

With a loud guffaw, the sheik patted my knee again, spreading my robe so he was touching my skin. “You just keep telling yourself that.”

“I will.” I stared mutinously out the window, trying to ignore the hand on my knee and the hungry look that had been in the sheik’s eyes.

“You did tell her she would be mine, did you not?” Ibrahim asked, turning around and raising an eyebrow at the sheik.

The sheik sighed, and blessedly, took his hand away. “You’re right, Ibrahim. I did say that. For services rendered. You saved my life and asked only for the girl in return. It’s the least I can do. She’s just so… delicious.”

“I’m sure she will be,” Ibrahim smirked before turning back to the front.

Images of Ibrahim sweating on top of me while he took advantage of me, ignoring my protests and my attempts to fend him off, filled my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing them away.

“Can I just have a little eye candy for the road?” the sheik asked, licking his lips.

Ibrahim did not look back again. He simply nodded.

The sheik undid the silk belt at my waist and spread the robe open while I determinedly pretended it wasn’t happening, and it didn’t bother me. I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break down.

“Marvelous,” the sheik breathed. “Simply stunning. That Caleb, selfish bastard, keeping all this for himself.”

“It is a shame,” Ibrahim agreed. “But now we have her and, without him arguing all the time, we can be more free with our… needs. I will tire of her eventually, I’m sure.”

“Then it’s a good thing I have such a nice, big bed,” the sheik said.

I huffed. “Are you two quite done? You’re not going to scare me, and you’re not going to touch me.”

“How do you think you’re going to enforce that edict?” the sheik chortled while Ibrahim laughed as well.

I had no idea, but I wasn’t going to tell them that. “You’ll see,” was all I could come up with at the moment.

The two men laughed harder, and even the driver joined in.

“What are you going to do? Start carving ‘God will grant me justice’ into the walls of Ibrahim’s bedroom when he locks you in there?” the sheik asked.

“You know how that movie ended?” I said.

“No. I don’t remember. Why don’t you tell me?” the sheik chuckled.

I finally turned and looked at him. “Not well for the people who wronged Edmond Dantes.”

“Oh-ho! Now she’s threatening us!” The sheik doubled over, laughing.

“It’s cute,” Ibrahim smirked.

“It’s adorable,” the sheik agreed.

I pursed my lips and looked back out the window, simmering inside.

They tried to needle me several more times during the car ride to Cordoba, but I remained determinedly silent. They weren’t going to get another rise out of me.

Besides, I was busy praying for a miracle.

We must have reached Cordoba, but one wouldn’t have known it because, instead of entering the city, we were outside it once again in an hacienda-style compound. I pulled my robe closed again and got out of the car as soon as the driver unlocked the doors.

“Jacey, you’re with me,” Ibrahim barked, beckoning me with a snap of his fingers.

Like a dog.

Still, I held my head high as I walked with Ibrahim. He led me to a large room with an attached office. And one bed.

“So,” I asked primly, “where will you be staying?”

Ibrahim just laughed. “Oh, princess. You are delightful. Take off your robe.”

I doubled down and folded my arms across it instead.

He cocked his head to one side. “If you want your shot at getting back to Caleb, I would expect you would need to be alive and mobile to do it.”

I swallowed and quickly undid my robe, letting it fall to the floor.

“Excellent. We have work to do today that will last long into the evening. I might not get around the fucking you today, but believe me, it will be soon.” Ibrahim waved me toward the office.

Stiffly, I walked into the office and found my secretarial desk in the corner by the window. It was very similar to the one we’d just abandoned back in Toledo.

“Now,” he said, leaning over me as I started up my tower, “do you remember all your logins and passwords?”

“Yes,” I replied tersely.

As I expected, the back of his hand ‘accidentally’ brushed my nipple when he reached for the mouse. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response.

“I need you to categorize these expenses, just like you were doing back at the other compound,” he said, his breath fanning the baby hairs on the back of my neck.

It surprised me that they didn’t stand straight up as my skin crawled. “All right. But you know, we drove through the night and I haven’t slept—”

“That you were fucking Caleb instead of sleeping before the incursion is not my problem,” Ibrahim snapped. “Unless you’d like to go to bed right now.”

“Of course I’d like to go to bed right now!” I grumped.

“With me.” He raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Shit. “You know what? These numbers are truly fascinating. I think I’ll work to catch up.”

“I thought you might,” he chuckled. “I need to meet with the sheik, but I know you’re not going to do anything stupid. You’re locked out of the internet and e-mail systems. There’s really nothing you can do.”

“You know I’m going to try,” I told him.

“I know. I find it entertaining that you continue to think there’s a way out for you. Or Caleb.” He shook his head. “You’re both in it too deep now. The best you can hope for is that, one of these days, when we trade or sell you, you end up in the same place.”

That was not heartening to hear. I wanted out. So did Caleb. “We’ll see.”

“I’m sure we will,” he replied. Then he stood, dropped a kiss on the top of my head, and left the suite.

As I promised, I tried everything I knew to get the computer to send out a distress call, but nothing worked. Not that there was much for me to try. I was no hacker.

Finally, I resigned myself to the work in front of me and worked all day while Ibrahim was gone.

Servants came in and out with food, so I didn’t dare put my robe back on. I simply worked and munched on croissant rolls and salads. In the evening, I got paella.

True to his word, Ibrahim did not return to the suite until very late. “You can stop working now,” he said, yawning. “You and I need to get some sleep before tomorrow. It’s going to be a big day.”

“I’m not having sex with you,” I blurted, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Not tonight, no. But tomorrow, I think I can make time.” He smiled, and it seemed to have a touch of evil to it. “Now, get in the bed.”

“Naked?!” I gaped.

“Yes. Naked.” He stabbed his finger at the bed. “Get in.”

I haltingly went to the bed, remembering his threat about being alive and mobile if I wanted to figure a way out of my situation. I got under the covers and pulled the bedding around me like a cocoon.

He just laughed. “I’m going to need some blankets, too.”

“Then go get some,” I replied mutinously.

“Hmm. No.” He stripped naked before me, slowly.

I turned my face into the pillow. I didn’t want to watch another man undress.

“Look at me,” he ordered. “Or I’ll make time tonight.”

Turning onto my back, I watched as Ibrahim finished undressing. All the way.

He had a semi, and I was disgusted.

“Are you happy now?” I asked as he got into bed next to me.

Ibrahim pulled on the covers and disturbed my cocoon. He lay on his back next to me, our arms touching, skin-to-skin. “Not yet,” he murmured, yawning again. “But trust me. I will be tomorrow.”