Page 4 of Genie's Boy
“Don’t you want to make your last wish, Master? Maybe one for world peace?” Like that would ever happen. “Maybe for a twelfth wife?” As though eleven weren’t enough. Oh, let’s not forget the twenty-three kids they bore for him.
His face reddened to a dangerous shade as he approached me. “You may not care for me or my life, but I control yours.”
In my human form I towered over him, and yet he had zero fear. He may intimidate the commoners, but not me.
“You’re right, which is sad. Though I know many who live far better than you do.” And with those final words I left him to ponder what they meant. A final jab as we parted, a potential checkmate to try and push him to make that final wish. All the gold in the world wouldn’t right his wrongs nor make him whole. He’d do well to realize that.
Silently, I appeared at the edge of the marketplace, and my senses immediately led me to Raj as he strolled through, picking out a loaf of freshly baked bread and fruits from the stalls as he planned his meals for the day. He reached into his pocket and retrieved more coins than he remembered having. How did I know this? Because I was the one who had slipped them in there. His head turned from side to side but found no one near enough to have been able to pull off such a maneuver. He shook it off and continued perusing the vendors’ wares.
“Always.” My voice was but a whisper as it ghosted through the air.AlwaysI would be there, the one to ensure Raj never had to beg, borrow, or steal. He wouldn’t meet the same fate his parents had. Not whilst I roamed this earth.
I kept a better distance than I had before, clocking his every move as he’d pick up an item only to decide against it and set it back down. I’d gathered quite the collection of gifts to spoil him with someday. Odds and ends I’dwatched him eye only to decide against them. Dreams of dressing him as his sun-kissed flesh peeked from beneath sheer fabrics. Jesus, how many times had I come from those very thoughts?
The only problem with all of this was, what if he never felt the same for me?
Would fate be so cruel?
Don’t answer that.
“Follow me.”
Shit, this was the second time in just as many days Raj had snuck up on me. I bowed my head and followed him between the stalls and up the stairs to his room.
“Sit.” Raj was full of surprises today, though I was inches away from turning him over my knee and tanning that gorgeous ass of his for this bossy attitude. When I glared at him and made no move, he softened his request. “Please.”
I glanced around the tight room, which held two twin beds, a small table with two chairs along with a makeshift kitchenette of sorts and did my best to school my features. Giving away the fact I was intimately familiar with this space would take us down a path Raj wasn’t ready for. I took a seat while he stood in front of the open window and patiently awaited his next move.
Chapter Two
Raj
Now that I had him here, in my personal room, I had no clue what to do. My intention was to interrogate, though now I had forgotten why. I’d seen him many times over the years, popping up here and there mostly through brief encounters. It wasn’t until recently that this behavior had changed in both frequency as well as persistence. Having him this close, I noticed things that hadn’t previously caught my eye. His eyes were the deepest shade of emerald I’d ever seen. His intense gaze, currently locked on me, was unnerving, framed by his strong, firmly setjawline. How was it I’d never noticed another with this much detail? No man nor woman had held my attention for more than a moment, and never in a sexual nature. Yet here I stood, fighting the insane urge to kiss him.Must find my words…
“What’s your name?” Why had I asked that? Everyone knew his name and who he worked for. But somehow, that was the only question that came out.
“Genie.”
“Genie.” No clue why I had repeated it. “Well, Genie, as you know, I’m Raj.” Even to my ears, my words sounded scripted. “I’m determined to get to the bottom of this. Why is it that every time I turn around, you’re not only standing there, but staring directly at me?”
The mysterious man shrugged, no change in facial expression whatsoever. “I told you…”
I cut off his overplayed tirade. “Yes, you watch everyone. Blah, blah, blah.”
His brows furrowed and he growled as he flew across the room and gripped my throat.
“You’ll do well not to cross me, boy.” Though he did his best to sound angry and powerful, his eyes darted from mine to my lips before he released me and was back across the room in two strides.
His stern words rattled me, though not in fear. Truth was, I couldn’t deny the excitement that coursedthrough my veins while at his mercy. If Genie’s eyes traveled south down my body, there was no way he’d miss how my body had responded to his touch.What the hell was wrong with me today?
As expected, he didn’t miss a thing. The curl of his lip when his gaze landed on my groin only served to fuel my desire.
“Now…” He sat back down. “Where were we?”
So full of himself.
But if he dominated me as he had again, I couldn’t be held responsible for what it did to my… err…um… pants? Taking a few moments to contain my overenthusiasm and put the errant soldier at ease, I stared out the window at the children playing in the field below and counted to ten.
“Are you still with me, Raj?” Genie’s voice startled me. Lost in thought as to how and why his presence had such an effect on me, I’d forgotten I wasn’t alone.
