Steph

This is a direct continuation from the previous part of the story, and is told from Stephanie's point of view. Strap yourselves in!

It was all I could do to keep from fainting, let alone to keep smiling as we walked towards Fatemah and... 'Ahmad', apparently.

Ahmad, the self-described 'Prince'.

Ahmad, who just the previous day had stripped me...

...who had penetrated me with a billiard cue, front and rear...

...who had thoroughly ravished me...

...who had stealthed me by 'accidentally' losing his condom...

...and who I had yelled at and stormed away from, hoping to never see again.

Ahmad, who was my husband's most important customer and contact in Saudi Arabia and who could destroy the new business with one word to his colleagues. Standing next to his wife.

Oh,

fuck

. What had I done? I was a stupid little girl: there is no such thing as a zipless fuck, even in a foreign land.

Especially

in a foreign land.

My only ray of light was that, if anything, Ahmad looked just as uncomfortable as I felt, although he was obviously trying to get his poise reestablished. I had to hope that Todd was maintaining his poker face: he was normally pretty good like that. He had acknowledged my urgent hand squeezes instantly and must have worked it all out, but he had barely broken stride. I couldn't tell whether Fatemah had noticed our reactions, but I was damn sure that Ahmad would have told her nothing. He was totally a cheater, not a swinger.

Todd came through for me.

"Ahmad," he said warmly, "this is my beautiful wife Stephanie. And Stephanie, I believe you've already met the lovely Fatemah."

Christ I don't deserve that man. There was not one false note in his voice. It was time for me to perform.

"I'm so pleased to meet you, Ahmad," I said with a smile. "My husband describes you as a prince among men."

Fatemah laughed. "He would

like

to be a prince. Actually I'm the girl with royal blood here, but it didn't come with anything other than a good heritage. I married for money, and Ahmad married for respectability."

"Sounds like a good trade," I said, smiling sweetly towards Ahmad. "He looks very respectable to me."

Inside, I was picturing Ahmad being torn apart by rabid dogs. He'd lied about the prince thing too.

By this time, he had recovered from his shock and was able to join in the banter. "I'm so delighted to meet you, Stephanie. Todd only told me about you this morning. It was quite a surprise to learn that he had brought his beautiful wife here and hadn't introduced me to her."

"I feel like I've seen you around the hotel," I said innocently. "Perhaps in the pool? Or in the games room? In any case, we have met properly now."

Ahmad just about choked when I said that, but he covered it up with a small cough. Todd, meanwhile, gave my hand a slight squeeze, and I knew why. He was holding it together himself, but he didn't want me to get too cocky in my anger. We were treading on very dangerous ground. I squeezed back an acknowledgement.

Still... fucking Ahmad. The only thing that wasn't a lie was the money, apparently.

We descended into small talk as we wandered the ruins. Ahmad praised Todd and Alex's work. Alex had been walking near us, and that allowed us to bring her into the conversation. The talk drifted into work things, and Fatemah drew me aside and chatted about the ancient palace that we were touring. She was also trying to learn as much about me as she could, and that was fine. I didn't have anything to hide, other than that I still had some of her husband's spunk inside of me, and that I knew he was a cheat and a liar.

After our tour, we all went to a nearby restaurant together. They served amazing traditional food, heavy on lamb and spices, breads and dips. Musicians wandered the restaurant playing lively tunes, and everybody was having a great time, even without alcohol. I found myself charmed despite the situation.

Late in the evening, I went to the bathroom. When I came out, Ahmad was waiting outside, and there was nobody else around. He quickly ushered me to the back door and beckoned me outside. I followed, arms crossed.

"Is this seemly, Ahmad? Should a man and a woman who are not married be alone together?"

He ignored me. "You must say nothing," he warned, "or I will cancel your husband's big order."

I played it cool. "Ahmad, I already said all that I have to say yesterday. Your business transaction with my husband is irrelevant."

"So you're not going to tell your husband?" He seemed anxious on that point, and I guessed it was because of the possible impact on his position in society, which seemed to depend on his wife's good favor. I didn't appreciate his threats, but I could use his fear.

"As I told you, I have already said my piece. I'm sure you understood me yesterday. I'm sure that you know why I was angry with you. Am I correct?"

At last, he had the grace to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry about that."

I thought I'd better quit while I was ahead. "Apology accepted. We shall speak no more of this."

He nodded curtly, and we went inside. He still had no idea that Todd knew everything already.

***

"I think that we might be able to leave this country alive," I said to Todd the next morning. "I just have to get through this little social engagement with Fatemah, and then we'll be on our way to the airport."

He nodded, looking pleased and relieved. "I'll spend some time going over things with Alex while you're visiting Fatemah, and we'll all share a cab."

Fatemah had invited me up to the Penthouse suite. She let me in, smiling and without a veil, and invited me to go ahead of her while she got some refreshments.

"Ahmad has gone off on his business travels," she said. "Just wait for me in the billiards room, and I'll be with you in a moment."

I turned towards the billiards room, and then stopped dead.

I was not meant to have known where the billiards room was. Fatemah would not have assumed that I did know. Unless...

I turned around. She was right behind me, looking at me with a bemused expression.

"You said it last night, Stephanie. 'Perhaps in the pool, or the games room?' But this is the only games room, and I knew that you had already met in the pool, and the lingerie shop. I am neither foolish nor ill-informed, Stephanie."

Fuck. Fucking, fucking fuck. I had no choice but to be completely honest and contrite.

"I'm so sorry, Fatemah. I was so stupid and naïve. It's all my fault."

She regarded me levelly. "Stupid and naïve, certainly. But I think that I must find some fault in my husband as well, and you should allow me to do that."

I lowered my eyes in acknowledgement. I was at her mercy. I had no rights here. She obviously had had witnesses at the lingerie shop and amongst the hotel staff. She definitely had connections. She could, if she wished, have me detained, and perhaps whipped or even stoned to death under the law, with or without her husband punished as well. I was a bit hazy about the law here, but I was sure that she wasn't.

At least she was choosing to confront me in private.

Finally, she invited me to sit, and served us coffee and treats.

"You were planning to leave for the airport in an hours' time?" she asked.

I nodded mutely. This was the bit where she could bring my world crashing down, and she knew that I understood that.

"Could you please tell me exactly what happened between you and my husband, and then we shall see."

So I told her. I left nothing out other than Todd's knowledge of this. I thought that she would shy away from the detail, particularly the things that I was uncomfortable with myself, such as the billiard cue and the anal penetration. But she wanted everything.

"Which billards cue?" she asked, and when I pointed the cue out, she took it down and set it aside.

"It will have DNA evidence," she said. "He's careless with cleaning."

I grimaced at that, but then I described to her the stealthing. As I was telling that part of the story, I wondered if she would understand why I was so upset, but she looked genuinely shocked and angry, and not at me.

"I guess that means I will also have some DNA evidence inside me," I said with resignation. I could see where this was heading. The next step would surely be an invasive personal examination before I was handed over to whoever would take care of things here. I could only hope that they would let Todd leave.

My hopes were quickly dashed there too.

"So what does your husband think?" she asked casually.

"My husband?" I repeated, stupidly.

She laughed at me. "Stephanie, you already know that I am not a fool! You squeezed his hand last night as soon as you recognized Ahmad. Todd covered it well but you did not. You baited Ahmad and your husband played along. He was supporting you. I

don't

understand that but I can admire it. I would never get that opportunity here, particularly not with Ahmad."

She was looking at me expectantly. Once again, this woman was ahead of me all the way.

"He gave me permission beforehand," I said, "thinking that Ahmad was a real prince and not realizing that he was Ahmad, or that he was married. He only required that I used protection and that I was honest with him. We realize that we have both been stupid. If he were here he'd be apologizing to you too."

"And has Ahmad apologized?"

"For stealthing me? Yes."

"For

fucking

you. For committing adultery, as the powerful rich male pretending to be a prince and preying on an impressionable American tourist. He didn't know that you were Todd's wife, but he knew you were married just as surely as he knew

he

was married. You wear a ring. You had your spouse's permission.

He

did not."

She was angry now, and I started to see a possible glimmer of hope. But I was still completely at her mercy, and I stayed quiet.

She suddenly seemed to reach a decision, and stood abruptly. "Call your husband and tell him to cancel the airport taxi."

My heart sank. For a brief minute, I considered whether I should try and overpower her and flee. This was desperate. But I would have very little chance of getting away with it, and honestly I wasn't that kind of person anyway. Instead, I swallowed what was left of my pride, knelt down in front of her, and begged.

"Fatemah,

please forgive me.

"

She moved closer, and I expected her to slap me. But instead, she put her hand on my shoulder and spoke gently.

"Forgiveness might have to wait. I am angry, at you and at him. But our faith teaches us that Allah will show mercy to those who show mercy to other people. I will not destroy you, just as I hope you would not destroy me."

She helped me to my feet. "I asked you to cancel the taxi because I need a little extra time. I will drive you to the airport myself. Call your husband. Don't explain."

I called Todd and relayed the request, trying to hold my voice steady. He was puzzled and worried, but agreed.

"You'll need to tell Alex something," I said.

"Alex was going with you?" Fatemah queried me sharply.

I nodded.

"I'll take her as well."

I relayed the message, and promised Todd I'd be down as soon as possible.

Fatemah went and busied herself in the bathroom for a minute, and then asked me to come to the bedroom. She held up some cotton tips and a small plastic bag.

"I'm sorry to do this, but it's the best I can manage without calling somebody else. Please allow me to take some samples."

It was humiliating, but I was already disgraced. I complied, taking my pants and panties off and lying on the bed, legs spread, while she busied herself in my intimate areas. In another situation, I might have been excited to reveal myself to her, but not today. She was gentle, and thankfully made no comment until she was done, when she suddenly echoed what I was thinking.

"This is not the way that I would have preferred to get to know you so closely, Stephanie, but I hope things can improve. You understand why I have to do this." She placed a hand gently on my hip, and spoke seriously. "One more thing, just to help you understand how things really are. You are not butchered down here," as she waved over my half-hidden clitoris, "and praise God, I also am whole. But

many

women in Saudi Arabia are not so lucky. Don't ever think that women can do as they like here. Some of us are not even allowed to enjoy the pleasures of love within marriage, let alone roam freely. It is not that long ago that Princess Mishaal bint Fahd Al Saud was executed for adultery. You may have been told that such things rarely happen. You have may been told that oppression of women has been exaggerated. But these things are real. More real than the dream of being carried off to happiness by a Saudi prince. Remember that."

Fatemah put her outer layers on as I got dressed, and then insisted on coming down with me to meet Todd at the room, presumably so that we wouldn't get time alone to strategize. He greeted us with a worried smile. She strode into the room and flicked her fingers for me to close the door behind her, and then turned to face him. She took off her veil, and his smile faded when he saw her steely expression. She took a deep breath.

"I know everything. I am allowing you to leave under three conditions. One, that you do not discuss this with Ahmad. If I use my knowledge, it will be under my terms. Two, that you disclose this incident to Alex in my presence. She has to understand how you have compromised the contract that you have with my husband, in case I have to deal with her separately. Three, that you will support from America any action that I may wish to take against Ahmad. I will try not to ruin your business, but I can't promise that. Do you agree?"

Todd was shocked, and swallowed, looking at me for guidance. I nodded helplessly. He turned back to her and responded gravely.

"I agree, and I apologize. I am so very sorry."

She nodded sharply, and then seemed to reconsider her attitude. She turned slightly to speak to both of us.

"This is not the first time. You probably guessed that. But this time there might be an opportunity for me to do something about it. That would need to be outside Saudi Arabia as he has too much power here. But we need to discuss that later. We have no time now."

Fatemah put on her veil again and we rushed downstairs with our luggage to meet Alex. We chatted about inconsequential things while the valet brought Fatemah's car around. It was a large white Jeep with ample space for us all. Fatemah put me in the front passenger seat, Alex behind her in the back seat, and Todd behind me.

As soon as we were on the road, Fatemah turned to me, speaking in her precise, no-nonsense tone. "We have thirty minutes before we get to the airport. Go ahead, Stephanie."

I swallowed, and turned to look at Alex, who had obviously picked up that something was going on but had wisely kept quiet.

"I slept with Ahmad, with Todd's knowledge, although I didn't realize it was Ahmad. He was pretending to be a prince and I didn't know he was married, but those are not excuses. Fatemah is allowing us to leave the country under certain conditions. One of those conditions is that we tell you."

"Steph!" exclaimed Alex, in shock. Her eyes were wide as she processed all this and realized the various implications.

"We're both sorry, Alex," said Todd quietly. "Apart from everything else, we should not have compromised the company."

"Does Ahmad know that you know?" asked Alex. She was thinking furiously.

"No."

"Does Ahmad know that Fatemah knows?"

"No."

"Good." She paused, but clearly the cogs were turning rapidly in her clever brain.

"Fatemah," she said. "I'm sorry too. I should have told Todd that I would cut his balls off if his wife seduced one of our clients, but to be fair I didn't quite expect this. At least now I can ask him for an even bigger bonus for my silence."

Fatemah couldn't help herself, and barked out a laugh. "Well, that's somebody who will come out ahead."

"What would

you

like out of this, Fatemah?" Alex asked directly. It was a good question.

"I'm not sure," Fatemah said thoughtfully. "Firstly, my reputation to be preserved, and that's part of why I'm letting Stephanie go. Even as the wronged party, I would be part of the scandal. Preferably some more control over Ahmad's money, and...." She trailed off.

"And?" I asked quietly.

"And some freedom to explore my own desires more before I get old," she said reluctantly. "With people who have some 'skin in the game' and will keep their silence."

So there we were. With this admission, we could find a way through. I drew a deep breath, and twisted in my seat to look at the others. "Perhaps... we might find an excuse to invite Fatemah to visit us in California as part of the business relationship?"

The three of them nodded in unison.

...

Needless to say, Alex tore into us both as soon as Fatemah had dropped us off.

"What the actual

fuck

guys?" she raged. "Steph of all the people for you to seduce, it had to be our key customer?"

"I'm sorry!" I said helplessly. "He

was

pretending to be a prince. He was so smooth, too! He had me hook, line and sinker, and somehow Todd went along with it as well. He must have magic eyes or something."

"Why do you think she insisted you tell me?" she asked.

"I can answer that," said Todd. "It's a fluid dynamics problem. She's a woman in a stable, stratified environment. She's trying to create as many convective bubbles as possible that might help overturn things. By telling you, she's making a bit more chaos around our dealings with Ahmad in the hope that she can find some advantage from it."

"I wish you'd been that analytical a couple of days ago Todd, instead of being caught in fantasy land," she said, with a murderous look at him. "I'll say my piece to you later, but all I'm saying right now is that you're bringing me on as a full partner in the company, and that won't be all."

Todd cocked his eyebrow at her. "Don't push it, Alex. What could you want other than partnership?"

She smiled saucily at him. "I might want a piece of Stephanie as well."

My mind was whirling all through the long flight home.

***

We went home exhausted on the Friday night after we landed, but Alex asked us for a strategy meeting on the Sunday, after a day's rest. She came to our place brimming with ideas. I was wondering what had been unleashed, but I was enjoying her energy. Todd would sometimes let setbacks really get him down, but Alex just switched on the turbocharger. I had let Todd know that I was in favor of giving Alex a piece of the company, on whatever reasonable terms could be organized.

But Alex had another surprise in store.

"Todd, I think you should poach Steph from her current employer," she said as she walked in the door. "As well as giving me a slice of the action. Steph has skills that would be really useful right now. Our business is going to triple at least after last week's trip. I know it's nepotism, but Steph's got a lot to lose here so you might as well give her a slice. Plus she can teach us her seduction moves in her spare time."

Todd looked at me, eyebrows raised, and I nodded.

"But this has to be formalized, including for you, Alex," I cautioned. "I've seen too many relationships die because of dodgy handshake agreements. I love Todd and I want to support the company, but I'm not going to give notice until I'm happy about terms. And I know that three leaders can be a stable configuration, but Todd you have to accept that the dynamics will change and your opinions are going to be questioned by Alex and me."

"Right," said Alex. "Now I think that we can work on the assumption that Ahmad will behave himself with the contract for now, because he's scared that Fatemah will cut him loose and he'll lose the coverage from her good name. But in the long term I think he's a bit of a loose cannon, so we need to make sure we spread our risks more widely."