YazminaLion Are Read Free Page A

of the lobby. He gave the driver the name of the hotel where he was staying in Dubai. With a smooth lurch, the taxi coasted onto the main street.
    Forty minutes later, they were in his hotel room in Le Meridian. Arcan locked the door and snagged the phone. He called Jackson to let him know that he was back in town. His business partner didn’t know the nature of Arcan’s beast. He thought Jackson must have been worried when he didn’t return from the club. They still needed to wrap up the loose ends of their business deal before they left Dubai on the weekend.
    His call went straight to Jackson’s voicemail. Arcan left a short message asking him to call back.
    “Are you hungry?” he asked Yazmina.
    She gave him a tiny nod.
    “Good. We can have a late dinner after we wash up. How about I go take a shower first then run downstairs to get you some new clothes? We can go to a restaurant afterward.”
    “Thank you.”
    “It’s my pleasure, Yazmina.”
    Arcan took a hot shower and changed into freshly laundered clothes. While Yazmina was in the bathroom, he placed a long-distance call to South Africa to talk to the pride alpha, Cyeon. His cousin was a lawyer. He oversaw the K’stal business, and Arcan thought Cyeon would be able to help him in this situation.
    “I have a problem,” Arcan said after Cyeon picked up the call on the third ring.
    “Why, cuz, I’m good, thank you for asking,” Cyeon mocked on the other end.
    “Sorry, Alpha, I’m rather distraught.”
    “Are you in jail?”
    “No.”
    “The stripper you were with last night turned out to be a guy?”
    Arcan snorted. “Worse.”
    “Talk to me.” Cyeon’s tone turned serious.
    “I’m in Dubai. We had celebratory drinks last night, and I had a few too many… I blacked out. Apparently, I went lion, and the next day I found myself in a cage on a cargo ship headed to New York.”
    “Where are you now?”
    “In my hotel room.”
    “How did you manage to get out?”
    “I picked the lock and jumped ship with a life raft. The problem is, there was a stowaway with me when I woke up.”
    “He was with you when you shifted?”
    “ She ,” Arcan corrected. “The ship’s captain found the girl and shoved her into my cage. She freaked out at first, but we were able to smooth things over. Anyway, her name is Yazmina, and she’s running away from her arranged marriage. I promised her I’d help her.”
    “Stowaway,” Cyeon muttered. A pause. “She wants to go to New York?”
    “She told me she has family there that can help her. I wondered if you have connections that could help me obtain a passport and such.”
    “Not in Dubai. I know a guy who could do an American or UK passport in America. Why don’t you escort her to the US embassy and ask for asylum.”
    “Asylum, huh?”
    “Tell them she’s a political refugee and her life is being threatened. I’ve heard some embassies have made exceptions in similar cases.”
    “You sure they’ll give her asylum? I’m worried they’ll hand her over to her father. She told me her father is an influential man and has friends in high places.”
    “A big-shot’s daughter, huh? That is complicated. You sure you want to dip your toes in that kind of water?”
    “I know the risk. I promised her I’d help.”
    “Is she pretty?”
    “Very.”
    “Bastard.” Cyeon laughed heartily. “Maybe I could charter a private jet to come pick you up and fly you to the US. We can smuggle her in as a flight attendant or something. Let me call some people first, and I’ll call you when I’m able to arrange something.”
    “Great. By the way, I lost my phone when I blacked out. I’ll go buy a disposable and let you know my new number.”
    “That works. What’s her name?”
    “Yazmina. Yazmina Al-Rahad.”
    “Al-Rahad. I’ll look into it.
    “Thanks, Alpha.” Arcan disconnected the call and put the phone down. Yazmina was still in the shower. He retrieved some cash and a spare credit card from his bag,