Including him. He’d nearly salivated when she’d walked out and those breasts had caught his eye. The green of the gown provided a gorgeous contrast to the creamy expanse of her skin.
Callum shrugged as he took a sip of champagne. “Let them look. She’s beautiful and tonight she feels that way. She knows every man in the room wants her. What she doesn’t know is that if one of the buggers makes a pass at her, he’ll find his head relocated up his arse.”
“Still, you could have given her some more modest choices.” Rory knew he sounded like a prude, but he didn’t like the idea of all those other men staring at her. She had three already. She didn’t need more.
He actually liked how she dressed for the office. She wore bright colors, but her skirts were always professional length and she tended to button up. He constantly wondered how it would feel to strip off those prim cardies, then rip off the pretty blouses and skirts until he eased down her knickers and spread her across his desk like a virgin sacrifice.
He had a suspicion that’s exactly what she was—a virgin.
Rory knew Oliver needed her, that she alone could lead him from that dark place in his soul and back into the light. But he worried Oliver would tear her up.
Perhaps he should rethink everything. If he told Callum what he suspected, his middle brother would be gentle with her. He could be a playboy, but when he cared about a woman he tended to take excellent care of her.
Yes, but then Rory would spend the rest of his own life wanting her for himself. At what point should he figure out what Tori needed and do whatever it took to make certain she got it? He’d spent so much time worried about Oliver’s happiness that he’d neglected to consider hers.
“She doesn’t need modest choices,” Callum argued. “She needs to know how beautiful she is. She needs to see that marrying royalty isn’t the only way to be a queen. She looks like one tonight.” Callum sighed. “Ah, the al Mussad brothers have found her again. I’ll be happy when they’re gone. They’re practically barbarians. Did you know the youngest one threatened to play football with my cock if I so much as thought about getting Tori into bed?”
Bastards. “Yes, I was accosted by Rafiq. Seems he doesn’t think much of the three of us.”
Rafe al Mussad had briefly spoken with him at the beginning of the ball. He’d explained that Tori might be an orphan but that didn’t mean she was without protection. Rory had tried to convince the man that Oliver was perfect for her, but Rafe had merely scowled and told him to get his brothers on the same page or leave her alone.
Rory doubted the man had meant persuading Callum to align with him in supporting a marriage between Oliver and Tori. He rather thought Rafe meant all three of them should pursue her.
Together.
“I don’t think I’ll travel to the country this year,” Callum said suddenly, jarring Rory from his thoughts.
The family always ventured to their country home for three weeks during the summer. In years past, when Callum hadn’t been busy practicing or promoting his team, he’d joined them. The holiday had been a tradition since they were children. “It’s your first year free. Why would you not come? We were all looking forward to being together.”
“I don’t want to leave Tori alone.” Callum held a hand out. “Before you berate me, I’m not simply plotting to seduce her. She’s a bit too trusting when she’s wandering around the city. She’s made some friends in very bad parts of town and she walks or takes the bus to see them. I want to make certain she stays safe.”
And it gave Callum ample opportunity to press his claim, Rory thought wryly. “Let me see if I understand you. You’ve managed to move into her building and now you’re going to pounce on her the minute Oliver and I leave town. Is that correct?”
Callum threw back his head and laughed. “I don’t know that I would have put it quite so bluntly, but yes, I intend to make my feelings and intentions known.”
Rory fully understood why Oliver had thrashed Callum earlier today. He contemplated doing the same right now. “Don’t. You think she’s too trusting whilst wandering the city? You can’t imagine she’d be any less trusting when you’re wining and dining her into bed. I don’t think she’s even had sex with that fiancé of hers. I suspect she’s a virgin.”
Callum stared at him like he’d grown two heads. “I can assure you she’s never had sex with the fiancé, but a virgin? Isn’t finding one over the age of twenty a bit like finding a unicorn these days?”
Rory glanced around because this wasn’t a conversation for the tabloid reporters almost certainly lurking about. Oh, they wouldn’t be allowed inside, but they always had ears and eyes at events like these. The last thing he needed was an article about the Thurston-Hughes brothers speculating on whether or not their publicist was a virgin.
He dropped his voice. “None of it matters because you’re going to leave her alone.”
“I won’t do that and I told you why.” Callum glanced up. “Damn, they’re all on her now.”
He followed his brother’s line of sight. Sure enough, the al Mussad brothers, along with the queen, hovered around Tori. “I don’t think the sheikh approves of your choice of clothing, either.”
Callum went a little pale. “Actually, I think they might be asking her how she afforded the dress.”
“Didn’t you ask Sheila to find her something she could afford?” They had a personal shopper who could work miracles at times. Of course a man like Callum didn’t need a miracle. He could buy whatever he wanted and he definitely wanted Tori. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“I wish I could. I sincerely do right now. Do you think they know those diamonds are real?”
“They buy jewels for their wife all the time. Of course.”
“Shit. I might be in a bit of a pickle then.”
“You idiot! You paid for the jewels and the gown and let her think she could afford them.”
“And the shoes. Don’t forget the shoes. They were ridiculously expensive and I bet she looks like a dream in them.” Tori suddenly glared Callum’s way. “She’s going to murder me.”
“I might help her,” Rory snarled.
“Do you think the al Mussad brothers will kidnap me and drag me to their desert to kill me slowly? Or will they simply do it here for the sake of swift vengeance?” Callum straightened. “No. I won’t let them intimidate me. I’m going to talk to the sheikh and explain that I’m serious about Tori. I’ll get his permission to court her.”
“And if he won’t give it?”
“Then I’ll watch my back and pursue her anyway. Her sister already likes me. I sent her boys signed footballs and promised to coach them when they get older. Hell, I’ll take on the country’s World Cup team if I have to.” Callum had always known how to use his resources.
“You’ll do nothing of the sort.” Maybe it would be best if the al Mussads dragged her out of the country. Otherwise, Rory wondered if the mutual desire he and his brothers had for Tori would tear them apart.
Unless she was the one who brought them all together. It had worked for the al Mussads.
But Oliver would never share, and they didn’t live in Bezakistan. Foolish notion. Such a relationship would never be accepted in England.
You’ve got a billion pounds at your fingertips. If you never made another, you could live happily for several generations. What good is all that bloody money if it doesn’t give you freedom?
Sometimes the voice in his head made too much sense.
“We’ve got a problem.” Claire approached them as quickly as her four-inch heels allowed.
“Yes, we seem to have many of those tonight,” Rory drawled. “And you’ve clearly forgotten the top of your bloody dress, too. I should have wondered why you came down wearing that shawl. You knew very well I would have told you to change.”
Her lips curled up in the sweetest smile as she patted his cheek fondly. “You’re a dear, Rory. But I’m almost twenty-seven and I don’t need my brothers to choose my wardrobe
. It’s smashing that you would watch out for me, but I think our dear Cal needs our attention just now.”
“Why?” Despite Callum’s worries, Rory didn’t really think the al Mussads would kill him. They would be far more subtle and dangerous. Besides, the queen really did like Callum.
She glanced over her shoulder, toward the entry. “Security fetched Oliver a moment ago. There’s a woman at the door without an invitation, insisting on seeing Callum. She claims to be his fiancée.”
Callum cursed. “Bloody Thea.”
Did the drama never end? “I’ll talk to her.”
“No,” Callum said. “I’ll do it.”
The press would be all over that.
“No,” Rory insisted. “You stay here. Oliver and I will deal with her. Don’t you dare show your face. It will do nothing but encourage her.”
Callum’s lips flattened. “She’s my problem.”
Claire shook her head, blond curls brushing her bare shoulders. “No, she’s our problem and we’ll deal with her. Trust me, if I ever acquire my own creepy stalker, I’ll let you handle him.”
After a long moment, Callum yielded. “All right. I’ll keep Tori nearby in case we need some damage control.”
Claire reached for Rory’s hand. “Let’s put this to rest. And keep an eye on Oliver. I’m a bit worried how he’ll handle this.”
Because Oliver was something of a psychopath lately. Rory turned and left his horniest brother in order to deal with the most violent one in a situation guaranteed to rev up Ollie’s temper. Brilliant.
Rory sighed. Sometimes, being the reasonable one was bloody difficult.
* * * *
Oliver stormed toward the security guard. He wanted to blame Tori for wearing that next-to-nothing gown and making him feel so damn possessive. If her breasts hadn’t been on display, maybe he wouldn’t have wanted to murder every man who laid a hand on her, even her brothers-in-law.
He’d watched Kadir touch her as though he had every right. Granted, the contact hadn’t been sexual, but… It was plain to see the al Mussads wanted her back at the palace where they could watch over her and very likely choose whom they believed would be a proper husband for her.
Or husbands, as was their custom.
What did Tori’s brothers-in-law think of her poor fiancé back in Texas? Did anyone give a whit about him?
As he reached the security station, Oliver felt more than ready to deal with any man who stood in his way. Instead, he found a woman beside the gate, wearing a stunning, form-fitting ecru gown that barely covered her. Gown wasn’t the right word actually. Mini-dress might be more suitable. The tiny garment showed off her breasts and brushed high on her thighs. The poor girl couldn’t possibly bend over without showing the world her backside.
If she was pregnant with Callum’s baby, it certainly didn’t show.
“I don’t understand the problem.” She pouted at the guard. “My fiancé is inside. He simply didn’t leave me with the proper paperwork.”
“You need an invitation to get in, miss.” One of the guards sent her an expression of grim apology.
She stamped her designer heel. “I don’t need an invite. My future husband is Callum Thurston-Hughes. You will allow me in this instant.”
Ah, the young and delusional. He looked her over for a moment. Thea Palmer was an “actress.” She’d landed small roles in three films and large spreads as a page-three girl before she’d taken the plunge and gone under the knife. Between the lip enhancements and the overly large breasts that looked ready to pop at any moment, she’d probably spent everything she had on surgeons. Besides being “enhanced,” she had absolutely no education whatsoever. So naturally, his younger brother had thought she’d make a proper bedmate.
According to the reports Oliver had received on her, she’d most recently landed a small role on a show in America that had been canceled after only three episodes. She’d returned to England and apparently decided that Cal was her meal ticket.
By contrast, Tori was smart. A few weeks back, they’d had a long talk about politics, and she’d known far more about European systems of government than he’d imagined. Discussions with her were a pure pleasure. He found himself engaging intellectually in a way he hadn’t since university. He’d debated with her for nearly two hours, their easy camaraderie making the time fly by. He’d been shocked when he’d finally glanced at the clock. He usually felt the weight of time…except when she looked at him with her soft blue eyes and that smile that lit up the world.
The woman in front of him had absolutely none of Tori’s easy intelligence. His publicist handled people with a deft hand. This woman used a hatchet.
“I’ll have your bloody job, I will.” She stared up at the guard.
“What seems to be the problem?” Oliver stepped out from the hallway and into her line of vision for the first time.
Her eyes widened. “Mr. Thurston-Hughes, thank goodness. Please speak with your guard. There seems to be a mistake.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Oliver saw an intrepid twenty-something woman in a modest black dress designed to help her blend in. As she loitered around the guard station, he recognized her as a reporter from The Sun. Damn. She likely intended to snap pictures of the celebrities coming and going, but the minute she realized the drama playing out here, Callum and Thea’s “love child” would be front page news. Again.
And Tori would be furious.
He wanted to throw Thea out, but the chit would likely find the reporters stalking about and give them a tearful story about how the man who had fathered her child was dancing the night away while she was left on the streets to fend for herself.
He should have thrashed Callum more thoroughly. His unruly cock had landed them all in trouble.
“Come with me, Ms. Palmer.” He unlatched the velvet rope and allowed her to pass through. He couldn’t miss the look of triumph on her face as she passed the guard. Oliver shook the uniformed man’s hand. “Thank you. You did well. I’ll handle her from here.”
The guard leaned over. “Be careful, sir. She walked up with a man who looked a bit thuggish to me. He disappeared once she got close. I don’t think she wanted me to see him.”
Oliver nodded. “Keep an eye out for him. And don’t hesitate to work with the al Mussad guards.” Of course, they’d brought their own. “They’re some of the best in the world.”
He turned back and had to hustle to catch up with his prey. She wasn’t lollygagging about, waiting to talk to him. She marched straight for the ballroom, likely prepared to hunt down Callum and cause a scene—along with massive problems for the whole family.
Luckily, Rory blocked her path before she could rush in. “Hello.”
Thea eyed him as though weighing whether she could rush past him.
Oliver intended to shut down that line of thinking. “Why don’t you join us in the office? We’ll have a good chat.”
He tried to sound non-threatening, friendly even. Surely he could manage that for a few minutes. If they could pass the evening with only minimal damage, Tori might not even have to know anything had happened at all. She might believe the Thurston-Hughes brothers could make it through one night without being at the center of a tabloid-worthy story.
Thea’s eyes narrowed. “He’s in there with that whore, isn’t he?”
And just like that, Oliver abandoned the non-threatening approach. “You had better not be talking about the woman I think you are.”
Her lips curled up in a smirk. “She might be related by marriage to Middle Eastern royalty, but that pathetic American is nothing more than a whore looking to elevate herself.”
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Rory said under his breath, scanning the area. “Oliver, we should move this somewhere private.”
When Oliver glanced behind him, he winced. Sure enough, the reporter from The Sun was talking to the guard. She wouldn’t get anything out of him, but if Thea didn’t keep her voice down, that professi
onal gossip in the black dress would hear far too much.
With a scowl, Oliver took hold of Thea’s arm and began escorting her toward the security office.
She struggled. “You can’t keep me from Callum. He’s the father of my unborn child.”
Oliver dragged her into the little room and slammed the door, flipping on the glaring light overhead. He dissected the conniving bitch with his stare. Instantly, he knew his brother was telling the truth. Callum might make mistakes, but never one this big. Oliver sensed that Thea and Yasmin were kindred spirits, the sort