This Stream of Dreams (Mirella, Rashid and Adam Book 2) by Roberta Latow

her the slightest unkindness, withhold one fraction of the love she deserves from you, today or any other day for that matter, be warned: I will inflict such cruelties on you as you have never imagined.”
    Lili was shocked by his words, the tone of his voice, the look in his eyes. It was as if Rashid had said to her, “I willentrap you in all that is vile. Brand you with the evil side of my nature, which will destroy your life; and, if it comes to that, I will enjoy every moment of your demise.”
    “You would do well to heed my advice, Lili. Put away your pathological self-centeredness, and allow yourself the privilege of loving and adoring Mirella in the same way you do yourself. You have a great deal to make up for, Lili, and your incentive can be that I have just made you no empty threat — simply a promise of what I will do to you if my advice is ignored.”
    Rashid slowly slid off the veranda railing, picked Lili’s hand up in his, and noted with satisfaction that it had turned cold and was trembling. He bowed his head and placed his lips upon it in a kiss, then gently pulled Lili, who was rigid with fear, into his arms, and gave her a friendly, reassuring hug.
    “Now you have an example of my kind of love,” he whispered in Lili’s ear, “and the lengths I will go to in order to protect what is mine. Make no mistake: Mirella may have married Adam, but she is mine.”

4
    M irella exercised her prerogative as a woman and arrived a little after the designated time for her first assignation with her husband. She felt quite ridiculous when she hesitated in front of his door, not knowing whether to knock on it or not.
    It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea of how a wife such as she approached her husband their first time alone together … or, indeed, on any other occasion.
    “Ridiculous,” she said aloud, at the same time reaching up and touching the cluster of white moth orchids she had pinned in her raven black hair in place of her wedding hat. The seductive flowers seemed to reassure her, and she opened the door and walked in.
    Adam was standing in front of the sitting room fireplace opening a chilled bottle of Dom Pérignon. He looked up at Mirella as she came through the door. She was still dressed in the superb white lace wedding gown and her splendid jewels.The sensuous orchids in her hair were not wasted on him. They were a seductive sexual signal that made his bride even more ravishing to him.
    He smiled at her as she walked toward him. That smile of his left her weak-kneed, as it always did when it was accompanied by an erotic twinkle in his eye for her. He poured the champagne into a pair of large Lalique crystal
coupes
mounted on tall slender stems frosted with a pattern of hollyhocks. The coupe was etched with a scene of a couple lying in a field of tall grass and wild flowers making love under the soft warm rain of summer. He handed one to her and they touched the rims together. Only the faint ring of the crystal broke the silence between them. They sipped while looking into each other’s eyes.
    “Hello, my love,” Adam murmured.
    “Hello, my heart,” she answered.
    Simultaneously they placed their champagne coupes on the mantelpiece. Adam embraced Mirella. They kissed with passion, holding each other close. Their arousal was swift because this romantic liaison in the midst of their wedding celebrations ignited a sexual spark that flared into a sensual fire and engulfed them.
    Reluctantly Adam released her, clapped his hands, and three violinists surprised Mirella by suddenly appearing from the bedroom to serenade her with a sweet, tender love song. Adam reached for their glasses of champagne and handed one to Mirella. They faced each other in the flower-filled room, its antique maple furniture covered in patterned glazed chintz, its Currier and Ives prints framed in bird’s-eye maple seeming to wink and smile at them as they sipped champagne.
    Adam’s romantic gesture was perfect.