Spice of Love - Completed

Chapter 19

"Cat?"

Sadiq stood there, dressed not in jeans or a suit and tie but in black military fatigues. The effect was quite startling, and Cat took an involuntary step back, concealing herself further into the shadows.

"I know you are in there, Cat," he murmured, his footsteps circling closer. "I can almost smell you."

Cat peered out past the bushes at him. The sight of him, as always, took her breath away. The street light lit across his face. Cat's hungry eyes ate him up, glad for the moment to herself before she would have to steal her gaze away. He didn't deserve to know she still hungered for him... that she always would.

"Don't make me come in after you."

His threat worked well enough to burst the bubble of joy that the sight of him lit up within her. Running away from him had been tough. But staying there with him was impossible.

His steps closed in and hers took another pace back. They were now only inches apart. Her shrouded in darkness and him, following her into it. His face drew closer. His breath was a soft puff of hot air across her lips.

"Cat." Her name left his lips on a soft sigh.

Cat melted, her body swaying involuntarily forwards. She shook her head wildly. He should not be here. He could not.

"You are not supposed to be here." The words escaped her lips without warning, and his hands snapped out to clench about her arms. Cat was hauled out of her hiding place and straight into his arms. A move that was both pleasure and hell. "Let me go, Sadiq."

"Never." His breath fanned over her ear and then he was burrowing his face into the tangle of her hair. His hands moved up to clench a fistful of the blond tresses as he used it to angle her face up to receive his kisses. His lips closed over hers in an open-mouthed assault that slammed across all her senses and left her reeling.

"You belong to me, Cat," he whispered harshly against her swollen lips between devouring kisses. "You are my wife." The ache in his tone over the last had her own heart aching in return.

Cat tore her lips away. "How did you find me?"

"I always knew you were here, Cat. You cannot hide from me. I will always find you."

Cat shook her head against him. This cannot be happening. She had snuck out the window, made her way unseen across the back lane, and hid in the shrubs at the playground. He should never have found her... unless, his men had tagged after her unseen, noted her hideaway and reported back to him. Damn it!

"Lucy and Jace were supposed to..."

"They did their best, luv. Kept me entertained for all of the few minutes it took my men to report your whereabouts. I played along long enough allowing them their little illusions of a win against me. But now I have you, Cat," said Sadiq, his lips brushing across her ear, sending a delicious shiver right down to her toes, that happily curled up in her shoes. "I have you... and I am taking you back with me."

Thunder rumbled in the night skies, echoing the thrum of danger already ripping through her veins. A flash of lightning followed, throwing Sadiq's features into stark relief.

"No!" Cat fisted her hands, drawing them away from where they were flexed against his lower back, to hammer her angst into his chest. "I will not be going back, Sadiq. I am not your wife. We are divorced. The king... your father granted my request for a divorce. Ask him. He said he would see it done."

"My father does not know you are pregnant with my child," muttered Sadiq through gritted teeth. "You tricked him into validating that request for a divorce. If he had known you were carrying my child, he would never have allowed it."