A Stranger's Affection

by Charlene Namdhari

  “Ready?” Liam’s soft kiss to her cheek warmed her insides.

  “We shot out of Vegas this morning, drove for almost three hours, visited Death Valley, and drove for another hour. Where could we possibly go in this rustic place that would be unique.” She grinned. Her new husband had this insane idea to do a shortened version of ‘Around the world in eighty days.’

  “You’ll see.” He winked and linked his fingers with hers as the driver eased the vehicle into the single lane road.

  The next ten minutes passed in comfortable silence. Nishani became engrossed in the view. As the sun made its slow descent, a drizzle caused the roads to steam. A distinct freshness permeated the air. It took at least three rings before she realized her mobile was buzzing. Nishani reached for her bag on the floor and fished out her mobile.

  “Don’t answer,” Liam said.

  “It’s Ashni. Probably checking up on me.” Nishani laughed.

  Liam smiled. “We’re on our honeymoon, and you’re with your husband. I’m all the protector you need. Don’t answer. You can call her later and give her the scoop on our first fuck.” He slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I can’t wait to get you under me.”

  Nishani forgot her ringing mobile as Liam claimed her lips in a slow kiss. When they parted, her mobile pinged with an incoming message. She smiled and dropped the phone back into her bag. If she knew her sister by now, Ashni would be furious Nishani hadn’t answered. Since her reunion with her family, Ashni made it a point of checking in every day. The old Nishani would’ve probably cringed in irritation. She looked forward to that call. It was their way of catching up on the years they’d lost as sisters.

  “How long are we staying here?”

  Liam pulled a schedule from the inside pocket of his jacket and opened the piece of paper. “Three days from Las Vegas to Santa Monica, a week in South Africa, a week in Europe. I left the last week for you to decide.” He kissed her cheek.

  Excited, Nishani smiled. “Hmm.” She snuggled closer to him. “Thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better honeymoon.”

  “Anything for you.” His grip tightened on her shoulder.

  She looked up when the car slowed to turn. After the rugged terrain they’d driven over on tour, the mud slicked road the driver took now, didn’t surprise Nishani. A few buildings alternated by open green fields scattered the way as the car bounced along. Given the sparsely populated surroundings, Nishani wondered what Liam had planned for their first official sit down dinner. He was an ardent historian and probably arranged a cultural taste of the local cuisine.

  The sudden impact of shattering glass wrenched a surprised scream from Nishani when the back windows exploded. Everything happened so quickly; nothing registered as the entire scene unfolded like that of a typical horror movie: Liam and her door opened simultaneously. Raucous shouting, followed by hands reaching inside. Both pulled from the moving vehicle without a second to breathe.

  “Liam!” she finally managed a scream.

  “Shani!” Liam’s yell came from the other side of the car.

  She thrashed wildly to get free. It was a futile effort. Two men, dressed in ski masks, with steadfast grips to her arms and legs, carried her away from the now stationary car. She had no chance to take in her surroundings as they raced into a semi-lit building. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of another two men dragging Liam through the door. Inhaling deeply, Nishani yanked hard on her arms and slipped from her attacker’s grip. In the second, it took him to react, she clenched her fists and thrust up, catching the man in the stomach. He released her, and she fell to the floor, hitting her shoulders hard. The man holding her legs tightened his grip while his partner dodged Nishani’s flailing hands and latched onto her arms once more.

  “Liam!” she shouted once more. “Hel—” The sudden blow to her face, startled her into silence. The ringing in her ears continued. Another punch caused an explosion of white stars behind her lids. Her attackers threw her with such force; her body slammed onto the concrete floor. Nishani tasted blood while her tummy muscles clenched in fear. A sharp kick to her back wrenched an excruciating yelp. Pain, hot and heavy, shot down her spine. Her mind hazy; she couldn’t open her eyes. Somewhere near her, Liam cried out.

  Please, God. The voices around buzzed in a language she didn’t understand. Gathering strength, Nishani pushed up her body to sit. Breathing hard, she opened her eyes and focused her gaze. The dim light from a single bulb above limited her vision. She searched for Liam. He lay in a silent heap on the other side of the room. His white shirt now stained a blood red. No.

  She shifted her gaze and barely made out the four attackers. They argued for a second before one man cursed then muttered in English, “Remember, he wants proof of her death, we can’t just throw her in the fucking river, you idiot.” Then he turned and noticed her.

  Someone wanted her dead was her last thought before the man shouted. The others swung around. Their garbled string of words made no sense and quickly ended when her sight blurred as another punch connected with her jaw and sent her sprawling once more. The blows came hard and fast until she heard nothing, saw nothing, and smelled only the stench of her blood mixed with urine.

  When the hits finally stopped, she refused to succumb to the deadly warmth that spread through her body. “Liam,” she whispered. There were no more tears, no fear, and no panic. Just iron willpower, something she’d relied on when faced with danger on the streets. There was no pity. She’d let her guard down. Now, her new life would end before it even had a chance to begin.

  Not sure how long she laid in a state of semi-consciousness, Nishani tuned her hearing to listen to the sounds around her. The sweet silence forced her eyes open. She could barely see. Swollen lids and the warm trickle of blood down her face obscured her vision. She rolled onto her back—the ordeal painful. There were no arms to restrain her—no shouts of panic. Encouraged, she inhaled with extreme effort and pushed her body to sit. Weaving groggily, she squinted around the room. Seeing no one, she attempted to move. Although painfully slow, she crawled toward what looked like the doorway. When she reached the frame, Nishani gripped the dry wood and urged her body to climb. As soon as she stood, a wave of dizziness invaded her body. She shut her eyes tight and grabbed the wall.

  “Please, God. Give me strength.” Despite the prayer, Nishani accepted she’d soon pass out. And if she did, it would be with her last attempt to get away from her attackers. On shaking legs and an aching body, Nishani wobbled out into the darkness. Unsure of whereabouts or where she headed, she ran. And as the blackness swallowed her weaving form, she prayed someone would find her and save Liam.

  Chapter Five

  “STOP FUCKING PUSHING me. I can walk!”

  Colton Black looked up as his right-hand man, Lazarus, yelled at Rex and entered the room. Colton nodded to Rex. When the door closed, Lazarus glanced back as the heavy lock clicked into place.

  “What the fucks going on, Colt? Why are we in this godforsaken place and miles from nowhere?” Lazarus turned to face Colton. His eyes dark pits of pure rage. Yet the bob of his Adam’s apple a dead giveaway to his nervousness. He probably figured something was wrong.

  “You tell me, Laz.” Colton leaned against a desk, the single piece of furniture in the empty room. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the man in front of him. His emotions remained cold and unfeeling.

  Colton rescued a frail ten-year-old Lazarus from the streets almost fifteen years ago when Lazarus had nothing and no-one but a cardboard bed and a tattered jacket. Colton fed him, trained him, and trusted him with his life. And that alone made this confrontation harder to deal with, but it had to be done. If anything, it sent a message to his men. Don’t mess with Colton Black even if he treated you like family.

  “I-I don’t understand.” Lazarus’ beady gaze shot between Colton, Rex, and Brody, one of Colton’s men.

  “I always assumed you were intelligent, Laz, but I
guess assumption is the mother of all fuck ups, ain’t it?”

  “What the fuck, Colt?”

  “What’s my number one rule?”

  Lazarus dropped his gaze to the floor and inhaled deeply. It seemed like he understood where he’d messed up. “No matter the job, we never touch women and children.”

  Colton cocked a brow. “Touch?”

  “Never fuck women.” Lazarus stomped his foot in irritation. “Rape.”

  The job was simple. Get into the Russian base, steal the info, get out. Colton had given his men the alarm code, the time the security guards would change shifts, and where to park to avoid cameras. Lazarus, however, disappeared, delaying the team’s exit. And when he finally returned to the vehicle fifteen minutes later, his smug grin gave Brody a hint of what had gone down. Brody’s report confirmed the call Colton received from their inside man the next day. Someone had raped one of the employees in the toilet.

  “Fuck, man, she was just some dumb bitch asking for it.”

  Colton’s sharp intake of breath came a second before his right fist connected with the other man’s jaw sending him sprawling to the floor. “That dumb bitch happened to be someone’s daughter or sister,” he snarled. Colton aimed to fuck up the Russian’s plans to seize the arms deal in Deepwater Ridge and kill every one of those fuckers, but his men were primed never to touch women and children.

  Lazarus cupped his jaw as he got to his feet. “I’m sorry, man. I fucked up,” he muttered, rubbing his jaw.

  “Oh, you fucked up. Royally.” Colton fished the recorder out of his pocket and held out his hand. “Do you know what this is?”

  Lazarus took the device and examined it. He glanced up in confusion. “Tape Recorder?”

  “Ratting me out to the cops is one thing but planning to overthrow me with an enemy, now that takes balls. Serious balls.”

  If it were possible for a man’s eyes to grow any larger without popping out of their sockets, Lazarus would’ve probably attempted it. He stared at the recorder then at Colton. “Whatever it is, Colt, I swear it wasn’t me. Someone’s trying to set me up,” his voice rose with each word.

  “Shut the fuck up and press play.” Colton returned to his position at the desk.

  Lazarus pressed the button, and the sound of his cockiness filled the room. The other voice, easily recognizable from his conceited Spanish accent, belonged to DeLuca, Colton’s arch enemy. Lazarus gave DeLuca the rundown of Colton’s business affairs and the weak spots Lazarus believed would be easy to manipulate to gain control of Colton’s operation.

  When the conversation ended, Lazarus dropped the recorder and looked up, his black eyes pleading. “Please, Colt, it’s not what you think.”

  His harsh laugh resonated around the empty room as Colton glanced at his brother. “What did that sound like, Rex? Brody?”

  “A plan to fuck up your business,” his brother responded, and Brody nodded.

  “Five months I had you followed, you dumb shit. I trusted you.” Colton shook his head and neared Lazarus as the other man stepped back. “You were my 2IC. After everything I’ve done for you—”

  “Please, Colt, I swear, man. I’d never do that to you. You and Rex are the only family I have,” he shouted.

  “Give it a rest, Laz. That recording is your voice. No one has the fucking time to manipulate it,” Colton growled. He lashed out with another curled fist. For a moment, he stared at the smear of blood on his knuckles. Then he glanced down at the broken nose of the man kneeling in front of him. “There’s nothing I hate more than a cocky bastard that lies. And you’ve proved blood is thicker than water. You’re no family.”

  Lazarus struggled to stand. His gaze followed Colton’s hand as he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gun. Colton pointed the weapon at him.

  “Shit! Colt, please, man. You don’t have to do this,” Lazarus wailed.

  Colton crossed his arms and tapped his weapon lightly against his chin. “It’s fascinating watching what fear can do to a grown-ass man. Seeing you beg, turning you into a little bitch. Did that dumb bitch plead with you, Laz? Did she cry for you to stop, not to touch her?” When he got no response, he pointed the gun at Lazarus’ chest and yelled, “Did she?”

  “Yes,” it was a sob.

  “And that gave you power, right?” Colton asked. Lazarus merely stared his eyes large marbles of distinct fear. “Do you know why I brought you out here?” Colton waved the gun in the air, and Lazarus shook his head. “So, when I kill you, no one would hear the bitch scream for his life. Besides, you’d lay here for days, months even and no one would find your rotting body—”

  “Please, Colt,” the other man begged. “I’m sorry.”

  Colton laughed. “What was that you said on tape—Colton’s a useless pussy without his fucking brother and bodyguard, it would be easy to nail him when they’re not around—did I get that right, Laz?” He scowled at the other man. “I’m sending Rex and Brody outside with my gun. Then I want to see you take this pussy down.”

  Before Lazarus could respond, Colton held out his weapon to Rex. His brother approached, took the gun, and left the room with Brody. When the door closed, Colton turned, glared at Lazarus as he removed his jacket, and let it drop to the desk. He held out his hands. “I’m all yours.”

  As though he’d received a new brush of energy, Lazarus’ pleading features transformed. He sneered. “I’ going to enjoy this, and DeLuca will be happy. Says you owe him.”

  Colton laughed. “I owe him shit. I paid my debts. That’s the problem with know-it-all’s, always got the wrong fucking information. Guess DeLuca only told you what you needed to hear. Clever bastard. Then again you’re an arrogant dumb fuck—”

  “Screw you, Colton,” Lazarus yelled and leaped forward.

  Colton sidestepped him effortlessly and lashed out. His right hook connected with the man’s chin. Stunned, Lazarus stood back, his breathing hard. Then he cracked his neck and stepped forward, straight into Colton’s fist and a sickening crunch to the stomach. Lazarus dropped to his knees, panting.

  “What did I teach you?” Colton circled him. “Never underestimate your enemy. You never really paid attention, did you? Always chasing the skirts. You forgot your place, the respect—”

  “Fuck you.” Lazarus vaulted to his feet and advanced. “You’re nowhere near as strong as DeLuca. Black Lord? Hah! You’re nothing. An old fuck. More like Lord of the fucking pussies.”

  Colton snapped. He lunged forward and grabbed the other man by the collar, shoving backward. Without a break in stride, he lifted Lazarus by the neck and slammed him against the wall. “I’m the fucking boss. You’re a fucking nobody. You’d never make it my shoes or your own for that matter,” he hissed, his tone deadly. He squeezed hard, and the other man clawed at Colton’s wrist to get free. “I’ve no idea why I thought you could head up my family operation.”

  He jerked Lazarus forward and banged his back hard against the concrete. Then with a hand around Lazarus’ neck, Colton swung the other wide and launched punch after punch to Lazarus’ face. Satisfied the other man’s face resembled red pulp, Colton stopped and let go. Groaning, Lazarus sank to the floor and stayed down. One eye closed against the swelling lid; his breathing came out in staggered pants.

  “What do you think of this old fuck now? Never judge a man by his age, Laz. Forty-two is not old. It’s maturity, experience. Something you won’t need for a soon to be rotting corpse,” with those final words, Colton stepped away as Rex and Brody returned. Get rid of him,” he instructed Brody and wiped his bloodied hands on the rag Brody handed him, then turned to his brother. “I’ll see you at home.”

  “Don’t you want me to ride with you?” Rex asked.

  Colton shook his head and reached for his jacket. “I just need to be alone for a bit, okay?”

  As if Rex sensed his brother’s pain over Lazarus’ betrayal, he nodded. “Later.”

  Outside, Colton took a deep breath. He slid into the driver’s seat
of his SUV, raked a hand through his hair then started the engine. His mind wandered as he eased the vehicle slowly over the rugged terrain. While he wasn’t a man who showed emotion quickly, he couldn’t deny Lazarus’ betrayal stung. Fifteen years Colton had raised and groomed the man. Fifteen wasted fucking years he could’ve spent tutoring Rex instead.

  But Rex was his brother, and Colton wanted him to have as little to do with the criminal world as possible. While he’d taught his brother to be tough, Colton made sure Rex got an education. The plan was for Rex to marry someday and have a family. Although his brother was now a practicing attorney, Colton never sought his help for issues he could get done himself. Lazarus, on the other hand, would’ve taken over from Colton one day. Only, the bastard wasn’t willing to wait. It seemed he had other plans in mind.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Colton caught a flash of movement. The thump in front of his SUV had him slamming the brake in haste. With a curse, he opened the door and climbed out. He couldn’t have hit a dog. The shadow had been too large to be an animal. He rounded the vehicle, and his breath stagnated.

  “What the fuck?” He dropped to his knees. In the glare of the headlamps, he picked up the crumpled heap of a woman. Momentarily stunned, he cradled her in his arms then checked her pulse—the faint throb beat against his fingers. “Hey, can you hear me?” Carefully, Colton brushed aside the wisps of hair stuck to the blood on her cheeks and cupped her chin lightly. God, someone had done a serious number on the woman. He glanced around and wondered what she was doing out here all alone and almost fifty miles from the nearest suburb. She moaned but said nothing. “Can you hear me?” he gently coaxed. Another soft moan jolted Colton into action.

  Scooping her up in his arms, he walked around to the back door and opened it. Gently, he settled her on the seat, shut the door, and scanned the area. Nothing stirred except for the faint wind that picked up suddenly. He climbed into the vehicle and started the engine. As he maneuvered the SUV down the road, Colton kept a lookout for anything suspicious while he dialed Rob’s number. His doctor answered on the fourth ring.