Spice of Love - Completed

Chapter 18

Sadiq shrugged his hips forward, his rote movements almost perfunctory as he did his part, completing his side of the bargain to consummate the marriage and spill his seed in his first wife's womb. It helped thinking about a certain pair of bewitching blue eyes. But knowing Cat's disfavour would be triggered by his action tempered any pleasure he could have derived from the act itself.

"Allaaaahhuu..."

The sound of the early afternoon prayers from the nearby mosque resounded within the spatial walls of the palace, reminding Sadiq he needed to be on his knees echoing the recital. That would make it two prayers missed that day. The dawn prayers had seen him still lost to sleep beside Cat, until his father barged in demanding his presence in his first bride's room. And now he missed the Dhuhr. The release came, almost involuntarily, more out of habit than anything else. Still, Sadiq merely lifted himself away from the lush curves of his naked bride and staggered to his feet. Bedding two wives in a row was taking its toll. He ran a rough hand through his hair, unable to hide the heavy breath that left his lips on a sigh.

"My prince?"

The summon had him turning to face her, the Pahlavi Princess, his first wife. His glance took in her seductive pose, the pout to her un-kissed lips and the lack of virgin blood splayed across her thighs and turned away without a word. There were no virgins left among the rich. Cat had proved they still existed in other tiers of society, but it wasn't Afsoon's lack of virginity that had him turning away. It was his lack of interest.

"Sadiq?" Afsoon tried calling out his name, uncertain of his reaction. But Sadiq did not care what name she called him or even if she called him at all. He ignored her and rose to his feet. If ever there was a day to drop to his knees and pray this was it. Bedding Afsoon Pahlavi had been everything a nightmare was meant to be. Not because he found her attractiveness repulsive, but because he was going against his heart's desires.

In hindsight, bedding Cat that night, three months back, had been a mistake. If she had never walked into his life, his heart wouldn't have been so twisted in disgust right now. In the end, the outcome had still been the same. Sadiq had still wedded the princess he had been so against marrying. Only now he also had a very disgruntled Cat to deal with.

But it was an ironic double-edged sword that twisted at his gut. Despite his regret in landing Cat into this mess, he was beyond excited to have her as his wife. She was his means of escape, and knowing she was bound to him for life made him immeasurably pleased. Pleased enough to even bed Afsoon.

Sadiq padded across the lush carpets and disappeared into the bathroom to stand beneath the luxurious shower head. A twist of the knob later and the spray hit him from all sides. Icy cold against the blistering heat outside. His forehead dropped against the cool Italian tiled wall and his hand ran through his wet hair. A ragged sigh left his lips. Cat was going to hate him for this. There was no way she wouldn't. She had fought him every part of the way, refusing to wed him. She had insisted only in taking pleasure of his body. There was to be no emotional exchange or an exchange of any kind but here they were, the two of them very much in love with each other. Sadiq had known what he had to do would kill her. Cat was not the type to share. She was even more possessive of him than he was of her. He'd seen it in the way she assessed every woman he came into contact with. She didn't even know she did it. But he loved that about her. How she believed him hers even without a Nikah ceremony. She was bold that way and he loved that about her.

But now she was going to hate him.

It was inevitable. Once what happened last night... this morning, really dawned on Cat, she would hate his guts. It was only the shock of finding out that he had not just wed her but Afsoon as well, that had allowed him to take advantage of her vulnerable state last night and bed her. But today would be another kettle of fish. Reaching for the bar of soap, Sadiq begun to scrub the suds down his lean muscular frame.