Between Two Barbarians (Savagely Sweet Barbarians #4)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

JAMAL

“Jamal Farid Al-Masari!”

I loathed whenever my father used my full name. It usually meant I had screwed up in some way. I wasn’t sure how though. I was asleep in bed. How could I get into trouble while asleep?

The arm that had been around my waist yanked away abruptly, and my companion sat up. It took work not to wince.

Oh. That was likely why.

Feigning sleep only lasted so long before my father was looming above me, his fury beating against me like heat waves without me even opening my eyes.

I peeked one eye open, then slammed it shut again when I saw the wide eyed horror and anger carved into his face.

If he didn’t learn to relax, he was going to get sick. It’d happened before.

“Get up this instant!”

My companion had already scrambled out of bed and was rushing to pull his clothes on. I didn’t move quite so hastily, sitting up and stretching my arms above my head. When I let them drop with a sigh, I swore the vein on my father’s forehead became more pronounced.

“Am I late for something, Father?” I asked around a yawn. It wasn’t the first time Father found me in bed with someone. It likely wouldn’t be the last unless he learned to knock. I wasn’t overly concerned with it.

Incensed, Father glared at me. “What were you thinking? He is a prince of Shari! He is meant to be here to meet with Princess Nadia!”

Frowning, I glanced at my companion again, who was blushing brightly and hopping on one foot as he tried to pull his boots on. “You said you were unattached,” I said accusingly.

He hadn’t expected to be drawn into the conversation and froze, wide-eyed, as the attention landed on him. He swallowed hard. “I-I’m not. Not yet, anyway. This was only our first meeting.”

I shrugged and turned, raising my eyebrows at my father. “What’s the problem, then? It was just a bit of fun.”

Father had been angry with me before. Many times. His reaction now seemed unjustified. It wasn’t as though I forced the man into my bed. He came willingly. Even if he did say he wasn’t interested in males the first time I flirted with him. I enjoyed proving him wrong.

“The problem?!” Father squawked. “The problem is that he is promised to Nadia! You have done many shameful things, but this is a scandal! What will the king say?”

My companion blanched, his swarthy skin turning almost grey. “You don’t need to tell him, do you? I can just say Princess Nadia and I aren’t compatible…”

That confused me. Princess Nadia was great. “You’re not compatible? Why not?”

The prince, whose name escaped me at the moment, gave me a significant look, but I didn't understand why. It wasn’t as though spending the night with me bound him to me in any way. It was just a bit of fun. All men did it. Didn’t they?

“Get dressed,” Father hissed when the silence went on too long. “You’d best hope the king doesn’t take this as an insult. I’ve protected you from your foolish mistakes in the past but this? I’m not sure I can protect you from the consequences of this.”

Wrinkling my nose, I looked up at my father in confusion. I still didn’t understand what the big deal was.

“I deeply apologize for my son’s actions, Sulvani. I beg your forgiveness.”

My father’s hand pressed down on the back of my neck, keeping me bent in half in front of the king.

If he thought he could get away with it, I had no doubt he’d have me on my knees with my forehead pressed to the floor.

Thankfully for me, the king didn’t like that kind of posturing.

I wouldn’t have responded well to being forced to act that way.

Especially when I didn’t do anything wrong.

“This is a grave situation, Hakim,” the king said, his warm voice firm and unyielding.

I did my best not to shiver. The king was my very first crush and had he not been married already when I became of age, it was him who I would have preferred to chase.

The man was hot as sin. If he asked me to kneel, I’d gladly get on my knees for him.

“Prince Caesar is now unsure of the match. When his father finds out, it could be a problem.”

I wanted to ask why it would be a problem, I knew many princes who bedded others while they were unbound, including the king’s own sons, but my father’s hand pressed harder on my neck when I tried to straighten, keeping me bent over awkwardly.

“Whatever we can do to make it right, Sulvani, you need only ask it of me. I am appalled that my son put you in this position.”

“Hakim…” the queen protested, her voice softer and more kind than the others in the room. “I doubt he meant any harm.”

“Whether or not he meant harm, this incident cannot go ignored, Raiza,” the king chided.

“Our relationship with Shari is tenuous at best. This marriage was meant to solidify our alliance. It’s strange; no one had mentioned Prince Caesar was interested in men.

I wouldn’t have suggested a marriage contract if I’d suspected as much. ”

“He wasn’t,” I supplied helpfully, a smirk pulling at my lips.

Father’s hand tightened roughly enough to make me wince.

The smirk disappeared, and a scowl took its place, aimed at the floor since he still wouldn’t let me straighten.

I should have sent the prince back to his bed after our night together.

It wasn’t like I was interested in a repeat.

I caved when I saw how stunned he looked.

Sending him away felt cruel at the time. I regretted it now.

“Let him up, Hakim,” Queen Raiza insisted.

Finally, the pressure on my neck loosened, and my father allowed me to straighten again.

Blowing a stray curl out of my face, I did my best to keep my face contrite, or at least neutral.

Somehow, this was turning out to be a much bigger deal than I thought, and I didn't want to end up with my head on a spike just because the prince had been easy to seduce.

“Jamal? Do you have an explanation for this?” King Zohaib demanded, his stern face firmly in place.

Despite a night of fun, I still felt a tingle being under the man’s scrutiny.

It was a shame he was married. I wasn’t interested in taken men.

If I’d known Prince Caesar was supposed to wed Princess Nadia, I would have steered clear.

Drawing in a breath, I summoned all my lessons on decorum, crossing my arm over my middle and bowing again to the king, this time without remaining bent over. “I apologize, my king. I had no idea the prince had an intended. He told me he was unattached.”

It was the most apologetic I could be. I wasn’t sorry for seducing him. It had been fun, and after Prince Zakai left, there was a serious lack of fun in the castle. Not many others were willing to get into mischief with me.

A heavy knock on the door had us all turning, and one of the rijali poked his head in, his expression apologetic and a little confused. “Prince Caesar requests an audience, Sulvani.”

With a deep frown, King Zohaib waved at the guard to let him in. When Prince Caesar entered, he looked determined, and I knew the moment his eyes landed on me that this wouldn’t go how I wanted.

“King Zohaib. Queen Raiza. I’ve come with a request. I do not wish to marry Princess Nadia. I wish to marry Jamal instead.”

Horrified, I gaped at him, putting my hands up when my father spun to face me accusingly. Thankfully, the advisor who’d accompanied the prince on his journey rushed to intervene, physically dragging the prince out of the room while whispering harshly in his ear.

All eyes swung my way as the door clicked closed again. I took a step back, hands still raised, my words rushed as I insisted, “I didn’t tell him to say that! I have no interest in marriage! It was just supposed to be a night of fun!”

“Well, it seems you made quite an impression,” Queen Raiza replied flatly. I couldn’t even enjoy the compliment. I’d never said anything to the prince to make him think I was interested in more. I was careful with my conquests to make myself clear. I wasn’t interested in marriage.

With a heavy sigh filled with exasperation, the king sat back in his chair.

Queen Raiza set a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

I watched the exchange with only a hint of envy.

I wasn’t interested in settling down just yet, but seeing the two of them together did make me consider the possibilities.

It’d take someone special to tie me down, though.

“What are we going to do about this?” King Zohaib asked the room at large. “I’m sorry, Jamal, but I cannot bring this marriage idea to Prince Caesar’s father. It would be considered a grave insult and–”

Shaking my head wildly, I agreed with him. “No, no, my king. I don’t want that at all.”

He seemed glad at least that I was on the same page and not about to kick up a fuss. But it begged the question what we were going to do about Caesar? This one-sided infatuation was problematic. It wasn’t like they could send him back home for suggesting such a thing. Could they?

“Perhaps it's best to remove Jamal from this situation,” Father finally spoke up, his expression cross, but the hand he settled on my shoulder more reassuring. He knew me. Knew I wouldn’t cause an international incident like this on purpose.

“We can send him to our family home for a time, to put some distance between him and the prince.”

Queen Raiza frowned, fingers tapping lightly on the back of King Zohaib’s chair as she thought.

“I’m not sure that will be enough. Caesar willingly faced Zohaib to make this request, knowing it would be considered an insult.

Your family home is within city limits. He could come looking for Jamal if he knew he was nearby. ”

I shuddered at the thought. Was I going to be forced into hiding until the prince finally went home?

“What about the barbarians?” Father asked suddenly. “We’ve been meaning to send someone along to see how things are going. They are good allies. I’m sure they’d be happy to have Jamal in their care for a time until the infatuation ends.”

My face twitched to hide the excitement I felt for the idea. Father intended for this to be a punishment, I could see it on his face. I didn’t want him to think I looked forward to it, or he’d change his mind.

“Oh… no… Are you sure?” I asked, attempting to look worried by the prospect.

King Zohaib nodded thoughtfully. “That is a good idea, Hakim. The clans should be settled by now. We can send Jamal to Orthorr and give Caesar time to come to terms with the situation. See to it that it is done.”

I bit back a grin, nodding solemnly in agreement. This was turning out better than I thought. Barbarian clans, here I come.