Total pages in book: 230
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
King Kashmir.
Day’s arms went around him, but now they were surrounded by guards. Rai had brought an army with him.
Because he was no longer the spare. Because he was the last of the Kamdar line and he was king.
“We have to go.” Rai was back on his feet, nodding toward the helicopter.
Kash felt himself being pulled away from Day, but there was nothing he could do. He had to go home. He glanced back, saw her standing there with tears in her eyes.
And he knew the whole world had changed.
CHAPTER 1
Present Day
Miami, Florida
Kash woke when the pillow beneath his head shifted. Confusion set in even as his head started to pound. His mouth was dry as the desert. Why was the bed moving?
He wasn’t going to wake up this morning. There was no reason to. He was going to lie here and pretend he had absolutely nothing to do.
In some ways it was true. He was fairly inconsequential recently.
He groaned as he realized the pillow he’d been lying on wasn’t a pillow at all. It had been a woman’s hip, soft and warm.
Where the hell was he?
“That’s right, Your Majesty. Time to wakey, wakey,” a male voice said. “I’d offer you eggs and bakey, but I saw what you drank last night. We might want to hold off on the food for a while. Wish I could let you sleep this off, but I got orders.”
The voice was familiar, but he struggled to attach a face. Whoever had invaded his bedroom was speaking English with a Western accent. Kash didn’t want to open his eyes. The world was far too bright. “Well, I’m the king so I can override any orders you’ve been given. Where is my guard? And who the hell are you?”
“Yeah, I take my orders from Big Tag. I think he’s far scarier than you are. Especially right now.” More light invaded his previously darkened room. “That’s right, darling. You should get dressed. The king is thankful for your company last night. And your sister’s. And whoever the other lady was.”
“Oh, good lord. Does he owe you cash?” An upper-crust British accent split the air and Kash did recognize that one. Simon Weston. And his partner, Jesse Murdoch, was the laconic Western guy.
“They’re not hookers.” Why the hell was McKay-Taggart here?
“Yes, we are,” a feminine voice said. “And we agreed on a thousand for each of us. Are you telling me we’re about to get stiffed?”
“I’ll make sure you get everything he promised you and a bit more if you’ll please avoid the paparazzi outside,” Weston was saying. “If not, you’ll find I’m good at suing people. Your choice, ladies. Easy cash or a nice lawsuit. Jesse, would you please escort his majesty’s friends to the taxi that’s waiting for them?”
“Sure thing, partner. You going to deal with our charge?” Murdoch asked.
“Hopefully our charge isn’t about to vomit all over the hotel suite. Let management know that we’ll be leaving soon and will require a security escort off the grounds. Michael will be here with the limo and Boomer is watching to ensure none of those reporters get to this floor. I’ll have the king down in thirty minutes.”
“We’ll be ready. Ladies, let’s get you home. You should probably put on some clothes…oh, huh. I didn’t know those counted as clothes. All right then.”
The door closed and Kash forced himself to sit up. The room immediately started spinning, but he wasn’t going to give in. “Where is my guard? I don’t remember much about last night, but I do know I didn’t call McKay-Taggart. I certainly didn’t need you to rescue me from three lovely ladies.”
Weston looked perfectly neat and clean in his three-piece suit with shiny loafers. He crossed the suite to where someone had brought in coffee service. He poured a cup and started back across the room. “One of them isn’t a hooker. One of them is a reporter and she’s about to discover that the film she took last night of your antics is going to go missing. Jesse’s quite excellent with sleight of hand.”
He frowned. “A film?”
“Some would call it pornography.” Weston placed the cup on the nightstand. “I’ll choose to call it a reality show that will never be aired. As for your guard, apparently he quit last night. He was fed up because he’d figured out who the lovely lady was, but you refused to listen. He called home and explained the situation and your mother hired us. You’re lucky you were here in Miami. If you’d been in Europe, you would be dealing with a cranky Aussie. I assure you I’m going to handle you with more care than he would. Well, unless you give me trouble.”
Kash reached for the cup. Some of it was coming back to him. He’d fought with Rai. The man had been his personal guard for years, but lately they’d been squabbling like an old married couple. Rai knew him, knew how to deal with him even when he was a complete ass. Lately Rai kept getting on him, pointing out all the ways Kash was failing.