Page 3 of Sheikh's Virgin Love-Slave

“That’s a joke.”

“What is?”

The man spit out a tooth, and Ravi frowned. Maybe he’d hit him a little harder than was wise. “My ‘life.’ It’s like you said, right? I’m trapped here, and my stealing got me here. I don’t have anything to barter with, no wealth or anything else. Unless…” he licked his lips and spit the last bit of blood from his mouth. “I have a daughter.”

“And why should I care? You’re not going to give me some sob story about how you have a toddler at home. You’re far too old for that,” Ravi said before he arched an eyebrow. “Unless you like that May-December thing.”

“No, where’s my phone?”

“I’m not giving you that,” the sheikh said as he continued to circle the thief like the shark he was, deep down. “You think I’m dumb enough to give you a chance at one last pathetic call for help?”

Adil coughed behind him. “I have the phone at either rate, my sheikh.”

The thief’s expression brightened. “Then turn it on. I don’t have a passcode.”

“And what?”

“My daughter’s almost twenty-six. I think. It’s hard to remember exactly. I haven’t exactly been home a lot.”

Ravi should have shipped him off to the local magistrates and the court by now, but he was bored and being tangled up with this thief meant that he could put off having to make up an excuse to avoid Sabella. Sometimes in a life of wealth, boredom crept in. If hearing out this man’s last request before the law was called passed the time, then Ravi was game.

“Then I suppose you’re not Father of the Year,” Ravi said dryly.

“No, just look at her. She’s beautiful, one of the prettiest girls out there. Always made me proud the way she turned out. You could have her, or you could send me off to some dungeon.”

“Prison,” Ravi corrected. “We are hardly savages. After all, we don’t take what isn’t ours. Unlike you.”

“True, but you could keep me or you could have her. Wouldn’t a swap be better? I can tell you where she’s living right now, and you could have her and let me go. Even trade.”

Ravi wanted to laugh at such a pathetic trade. He could have any woman he wanted. He had Sabella waiting for him and yet, he was so deathly bored. What if this daughter was worth it? What if she was someone who might actually hold his attention for more than a few weeks at best?

“Adil, let me see his photos.”

“You can’t be serious, sir. This is ridiculous,” Adil said, concern coloring his words.

“There’s no harm in taking a look at what the man is offering.”

Adil cursed low and aggressively under his breath. “I really have to object. This man is probably bluffing.”

“And he’s tied up.”

“Fine,” he said. “But it’s a waste of time.” With that, Adil tossed him the phone. “My sheikh, it’s better to turn this piece of refuse over to the authorities as soon as possible.”

“A glance will hurt nothing,” Ravi corrected as he thumbed to the picture app on the thief’s smart phone. The photos that came up were of museums and art exhibits, taken at angles that belied a curiosity about the security layout more than any real interest in art. But as he thumbed through into the older photos, he found one of a woman who, quite literally, took his breath away. When he could speak again, he eyed the thief. “She seems young.”

“Last time I saw her was at her college graduation. Like I said, she’s almost twenty-six and I assume even more beautiful.”

The thief’s words made part of his stomach churn. What such man would offer up his daughter to someone he didn’t know to save his own skin? And yet, Ravi knew in his bones he was going to take the offer. Scanning through the graduation photos, he came to one with her cap off. Her long, blonde hair—like the color of freshly-threshed wheat—fell down to her shoulders, and eyes the color of emeralds sparkled back at him. But it was her smile, that flash of purity highlighted with enticing dimples that made him want her.

He handed the phone back to a frowning Adil before turning turned to the thief. “Mister...?”

“Callahan. Dean Callahan.”

Ravi smiled in agreement. “Well, Mr. Callahan, we have a deal. Tell me where your daughter is and how to get her, and you can have your worthless life back.”

“With pleasure.”

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