didn’t conceal his delight as he hungrily eyed her. He nonchalantly rubbed his groin before uttering a string of words in Arabic.
Her eyes fell to the plates of food beside him. To the ornate glasses beside the plates. Although she didn’t speak the language fluently, she understood the intent behind this gesture—join him for dinner and then let him have his way with her.
She’d be allowed to eat, and he’d be allowed to have her whenever he wanted. Like some sort of twisted sex-slave, servile wife.
She’d seen the other women hurrying throughout the vast array of buildings when she’d been brought in, eyes down. Children scampered around them, kicking balls or playing with makeshift toys. Guards stood watch, looking mostly bored until she was brought through.
And then there was him.
The man seated before her was some sort of head-honcho for this compound with multiple wives. He hadn’t raped or otherwise harmed her—yet. But she’d only been here two days. Emily knew he was growing impatient. The first night she’d met him, she’d skittered back as he’d chuckled.
Yesterday he’d eyed her hungrily in the hallway but only looked, not touched.
And now?
Maybe he’d intended to make her some sort of wife to him, but she’d die before she laid down and let him fuck her. Before she popped out his babies and let him keep her hidden away in this godforsaken place with the other women.
He barked something to the guard behind her, and the man promptly left, letting the heavy door shut behind him and leaving her alone with him.
Resisting the urge to tremble, her eyes flicked toward the food.
She was starving.
They’d probably drugged it or something to make her more acquiescent to his advances. She could fight him off, probably. But not forever. There were other men around, other guards just outside the door.
Would they tie her up or hold her down while he raped her? Could she stall him for another couple days and hope she could escape this hell hole?
She resisted the urge to shudder.
She was a special agent with the State Department for heaven’s sake. She protected others—foreign dignitaries, American officials. One night riding patrol with the guards around base and bam—she was captured.
Trapped.
Intended for the asshole, apparently.
Her eyes narrowed.
“You are American,” he said in a thick, Middle Eastern accent. His eyes ran over her fair skin and long, dark waves. They’d actually allowed her to bathe when she arrived at this compound, and that worried her. But they hadn’t dressed her in the traditional women’s clothing—she still had on her old clothes, although they’d been washed. She wasn’t required to wear a headscarf.
She met his dark gaze but didn’t respond.
“So strange, that you Americans have women in your military. We don’t allow our women to fight. You are weaker than men, no? And yet they sent you off to war in countries where you don’t belong.”
She pursed her lips together, glaring at him. There was no need to point out that she was not in fact in the military at all. Would he value her more if he realized she was with State? He’d probably be just as irritated to learn she was a trained agent whose sworn duty was to protect high-level government officials.
“I’ve never been with an American woman before,” he continued, his eyes raking over her with interest. “Such fair skin and dark brown hair. Tell me—is the hair covering your pussy the same shade as atop your head?”
Her jaw dropped, and she barely resisted gasping aloud.
He chuckled and licked his lips, looking over her some more with interest. She resisted the urge to cross her arms and step back. No doubt he could see everything through her threadbare tank top.
But she wouldn’t let this asshole see that he was getting to her. If he dared touch her, he’d get a swift kick to the balls. He was big, but Emily didn’t doubt she could get in a few punches and kicks before his guards returned.
She could probably even take this guy to the ground.
Of course, then she’d be left with the aftermath of his men returning. She couldn’t fight them all—not without her weapons. Not without adequate food and nourishment for the past month. Even if she did manage to escape, she wouldn’t be able to run very fast or far. She’d have to hide carefully so they didn’t find or track her.
“I could let my men have their way with you,” he commented dryly in a thick accent. “Unless you care