For Duty's Sake

“No buts, we’ll both protect each other.”

“Do you think I am being too harsh on Elsa’s brother?”

“No, but if you can work it out so he serves his time closer to his sister, I think that would be good.”

Zahir nodded. “It will be done.”

“For me, but not for her?” she asked, curious that he had shown no indication of even hearing the other woman’s request.

“Yes.”

“She said you’ve always been mine.”

“You said you believed her.”

“I do. I didn’t for a while,” Angele admitted. “I do now, though.”

“What changed?”

“I figured out that you love me.”

“What?”

“I’m not even sure you haven’t always loved me, but you wouldn’t let yourself consider such a thing because I stayed thirteen in your mind. You transferred your feelings for me onto Elsa, but not enough to allow you to even consider marrying her instead of me.”

“How…I…” He went silent for several long moments, took a deep breath and let it out. “You’re right.”

“Say it.”

“I will on our wedding day.”

“Yes, you will, but you’ll say it now, too.”

“Now who is being bossy?”

“You’d be bored silly with a pushover.”

“I love you.”

She started to cry, but he didn’t say anything. How could he? His own eyes were just as wet.

He made her eat the salad before taking her into the bedroom and laying her gently on the bed.

“Another wedding night?” she asked softly as he divested them both of their clothes.

“A night of affirmation. I love you beyond reason. It is not an emotion I ever thought to experience. I know now what I felt in the past was lust mixed with relief at being just a man, for a few short hours. But I realized something, I’ve never been able to leave my role behind…not even when I was with her. Only with you, can I be what I am and still be free to be just a man.”

“You are the man I love, the man I have always loved.” Her words came out breathless as he touched her in places that made her quiver, squirm and moan.

“And you are the woman I love, will always love.” And then he proved it with his body, making gentle, long love to her, repeating the words in every language he spoke fluently and a few he did not.

When he yelled out Aziz when he climaxed, she knew she really was his beloved.

EPILOGUE

ANGELE wore the dress Zahir had given her on their first night together for their wedding, making his mother cry and his father beam with unadulterated joy. Their wedding celebration lasted a full week before he took her on a honeymoon to Paris, telling her it was appropriate for them.

It was the City of Lovers after all.