Unconditional by D.M. Mortier Read Free Book Online

party Bianca was determined to experience. However, she couldn’t decline her friend’s invitation without appearing like a spoilsport, or worse, an ungrateful guest.
    They were accompanied by three of Bianca’s girlfriends. From the time they’d arrived at the exclusive club, Bianca and her other girlfriends were in complete party mode. Everything was being done in excess: the dancing, the alcohol, the men—they were determined on partying to the max. The more outrageous the activity, the better. They were rich girls from prominent families, and the word “restraint” didn’t enter their vocabulary. Rinah was completely out of her depth and ill-equipped to handle the environment she found herself in.
    Her father had been a diplomat for a number of years and she’d traveled extensively with her parents to each new post. The longest assignment he’d had was in the United States, at the Trinidadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. In fact, she had been born in Washington and spent most of her childhood there. But nothing in those experiences had prepared her for such debauchery.
    The girls engaged in a seemingly unending number of tequila shots and other alcoholic beverages that she had never even heard of. They compounded their efforts with the snorting of cocaine in the bathroom of the posh club, and encouraged men to take liberties that would have made her blush, if she hadn’t already been furious with Bianca for dragging her into this mess. Sitting alone in a corner, observing the spectacle that her friend was making, and completely disgusted, she got up to leave. Tired of being harassed and being made fun of for refusing to participate, she knew her best course of action would be to get the hell out of there as soon as possible. She had the address of Bianca’s parents’ house, and she intended to get a cab and return there.
    Bianca took her decision to leave with impatient nonchalance. Rinah expressed concern about leaving her in such an intoxicated stated, but Bianca assured her that they had already booked a room at the hotel for the night. She invited Rinah to stay and enjoy the party that would follow, if she dared. Rinah quietly declined and suffered a few moments of Bianca laughing at her prudishness. She was relieved to finally extricate herself from that ghastly scene.
    As she made her way out of the club, she was approached by a burly man who shouted in her ear, to be heard above the noise of the music, that his sheik was requesting her presence at his table.
    Rinah looked to where the man was pointing, and noted a Middle Eastern man, dressed in Western clothes, was observing them through hooded eyes and smiling lecherously at her. He was already surrounded by a group of giggling girls, who were fawning all over him. Three big, muscle-bound men, clearly his bodyguards, stood around him, observing the room.
    Rinah shook her head fiercely, politely refused the invitation, and told the man who had approached her that she had to leave. He reluctantly accepted her response and lumbered back to his boss.
    Rinah didn’t wait around to find out how the arrogant sheik took her rejection. She was now desperate to leave but was again intercepted before making her escape. She had made it to the hotel lobby before the bodyguard, now accompanied by another of his comrades, approached her again.
    “Miss, the sheik humbly requests your presence at his table,” the guard said intently, making no attempt to disguise the fact that this time it was not a request, but a command. It was evident they were fully prepared to ensure her compliance.
    “Well, your sheik could request all he wants—” Rinah began furiously before being interrupted by a mildly amused, husky voice.
    “Gentlemen, you will have to excuse my wife. What she meant was that while she is honored by your sheik’s request, we’re going home to our sick babies. Aren’t we, darling?” he drawled.
    Rinah turned and was astonished anew by the sheer