by Alta Hensley
“Stop!” she screamed again. “Stop! Stop! Stop!”
“I’m so sorry,” he said in a very calm and gentle voice. “I am so sorry you are having to be told like this. If there were any other way to make this easier, I would do it. But we have to get you to safety and—”
“Please,” she pleaded. “Please!” she begged again while pulling at his shirt with her balled up fist. “Tell me this isn’t true. Please.” Hot tears streamed down her face as her heart ripped from her chest, leaving an inferno of agony behind. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t hear as a sharp ringing took over. She couldn’t see, since the shadows of her nightmares circled her vision, closing in with each inhale of her dying soul. Oh God, her father! Her family! Everyone she loved and cared for. How? Could they all really be gone? Dead?
Her body shook, her muscles tightened. Her body was alive but her destroyed inner self died right then and there. The shattering pain sliced through every nerve ending in her body. If only Mercy herself would step in and spare her this pain. No! No! No! This can’t be!
“Shh,” Maddox cooed. “Take deep breaths.” When she didn’t listen but rather allowed the devastation to wash over her instead, he continued, “Come on, Adira. You are going to have to be strong. You have to be a fighter right now. I know this is hard. Trust me I know. But right now, you have to push back the grief that wants to swallow you whole and focus on my voice. Look at me and block away the pain. This very moment. Only focus on this very moment and breathe.”
Her balled up fist that clutched his shirt in her white-knuckled hold began pounding against the hardness of his chest as a howl escaped from deep inside her. Over and over she hit, as wave after wave of deep wailing sobs exploded from within, with far more force than the bomb that had just decimated her entire family and everything she knew.
The cowboy never tried to stop her once. He remained steady as her punching bag as if offering to take some of the pain away. This stranger just held her, not being able to fix it, not being able to make it all go away, but he could at least hold her, and he did.
“Why? Who?” she wailed between the tears.
“I don’t know,” Maddox said softly, running his calloused palm along the side of her battered and tear-streaked face. “But I promise you I will find out. And when I do, I will make him pay for this. I promise you that.”
She continued to cry and wondered if it was possible to truly die from a broken heart. She hoped so. She so desperately hoped so. “I wish I had died in the explosion. Why didn’t I get to die with them all?” Who knew that she was capable of producing a sound she’d never heard before? A keening that was eerie and pain filled, and yet she couldn’t seem to stop that awful noise from growing louder, shriller as the harsh reality that she was all alone added to her anguish. She had no one. They had left her behind in what had become her very own netherworld of torture.
“I know this hurts like hell, Adira. But you will survive this. You will.”
She shook her head, rubbing her face against his chest. “I don’t want to.”
“But you will.” Maddox wiped the tears away from her eyes with his roughened fingertip. “We have about an hour’s drive. Close your eyes and sleep.” When she hiccupped away her sobs, he added, “I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you. As long as you are with me, you are safe.”
Adira didn’t resist in any way. The thought of allowing sleep to take over and help numb the pain seemed like the only solution that would prevent her from screaming in agony for the rest of her life. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and nestled her face deeper into the arms of this cowboy named Maddox.
The sound of the driver’s door opening and shutting woke her up from her deep, nightmare-filled slumber. When she opened her eyes, she found herself still snugly tucked into the chest of this stranger. It was comforting, yet disturbing at the same time. Although, all momentary comfort vanished the minute the harsh reality of her tragedy hit again, and a fresh wave of tears released from sore and swollen eyes.
“We’re here,” Maddox announced softly as the passenger door was opened for him, and the driver—Keith she believed—assisted Maddox in getting her out of the car. The minute her bare feet hit the warm sand and she applied weight to them, her legs buckled. She would have collapsed fully to the ground had it not been for Maddox, who swooped her up into his arms and once again cradled her as he carried her toward a small house surrounded by a grove of palms.
It was pitch black all around, so Adira couldn’t make out if there were neighboring houses or not. Because of the lack of light, she could only assume that if so, the neighbors were spread out by substantial distance. Unlike on the water, where the stars had blazed in the sky, very few stars seemed to be out, only adding to the lack of visibility. From what she could see, the house didn’t look old or long neglected, but definitely abandoned. From the outside, the tiny structure didn’t look much larger than a one-bedroom hut. There were no signs of life, no lights on inside, but Maddox didn’t hesitate in the slightest as Keith unlocked the door, allowing him to carry her in. Maddox remained standing in place in the pitch darkness, tightening his hold on Adira until Keith finally lit a kerosene lantern, washing the small room with a warm light.
She had never been so close to a man before. Not unless you counted the time a security guard had to carry her across the grounds because she sprained her ankle when she was ten. If this were any normal occasion, Adira would have never allowed such close proximity. Her father and her grandfather would have the head of any man who would dare touch her in such an intimate way. But this wasn’t any normal occasion. He was not any normal man, and not once did she get the feeling that his intentions were sexual or intimate in any way. This was a man with a duty, a mission, and nothing else. What that mission was, she had no idea. But Adira didn’t care.
Her father was dead.
Her family gone.
She was in hell.
Her world completely shattered.
In a few large strides, Maddox walked over to a battered and dirty couch that sat in the middle of the dusty room. Placing her down on the filthy cushions, he reached for her ankles and lifted them, extending the length of her legs. He scanned her body before settling his eyes on hers. “How are you feeling? Your body? Do you feel anything could be broken?”
She shook her head.
“Nothing hurts, or at least not more than your bruises and scrapes?” He ran his fingertips through her matted hair and examined the wound on the back of her head.
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
Standing fully, Maddox took a deep breath and said, “Just rest here for a bit.” He turned and walked over to a cheap card table with four folding chairs acting as the only other pieces of furniture in the room. Keith and another man—Drake, she supposed—were yanking out equipment she couldn’t make out except for a laptop, and were removing some type of cylinders from a large case pressed up against the barren wall. Seemingly oblivious that anyone else was in the room, it was as if they were working off a mental checklist in their heads.
Maddox silently joined them in this intricate set up, and Adira watched as the men moved about in an almost synchronized choreography. It was only when she saw him pull papers from the cylinder and saw him hand them to Drake to be unrolled and spread out on the table that she understood it was most likely a map. No one seemed to care that she was in the room. Glancing to the right, she could see a small kitchen that, in its current condition, would not be utilized for preparing a meal any time soon. Two closed wooden doors were on each side of the entrance and Adira assumed they led to a bathroom and possibly a bedroom. Other than the minor furniture in the main room, the house was completely empty, dirty, and another reminder that the life she had only twenty-four hours ago, no longer existed.
“Maddox?” she called to him weakly.
His reaction to her voice was instantaneous. He was by her side in seconds. “Is everything all right? Do you hurt?” he asked as
he once again scanned her body that drowned in the large white fabric she wore.
She shook her head. “Why would someone do this? Why would someone blow up the Adira?”
He quickly went to a black bag that sat propped up against the leg of a chair and pulled out a metal water bottle. Without asking, he opened the lid as he walked back to where Adira sat and handed it to her to drink.
Crouching down into a squat, so he was eye level with her, he said, “We have to find that out. Do you know of anyone who would want to see you all dead?”
Adira took a swig of the water, and then another when the coolness of the fluid coated the grittiness of her throat and mouth, relieving a thirst she hadn’t realized she had. Handing the bottle back to Maddox, she thought for a moment and couldn’t remember her father or her grandfather discussing any business deals that had gone bad, nor had either seem overly concerned about her safety. In the past, there had been times when security had been doubled, if not tripled, but not of late. “I don’t.”
“No threats that you know of?” Maddox prodded.
“No. So what happens now?”
“We get you out of Dubai.” He patted her arm as if attempting to calm her before standing up and walking back to assist Keith in the setting up.
“And go where?” Adira said to his back.
“Texas.”
“Texas? In America?”
Maddox looked over his shoulder and said, “Yes. I’m going to take you back to my family’s ranch for safety.”
Confusion crashed against her already foggy brain in waves. “Why Texas? Why your ranch? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“My father, two brothers, and I run a safe house of sorts. It’s called the Black Stallion Ranch. Think of it as witness protection for members of the underground. You’ll be safe there until the next plan is put in place.”
Protection for those in the underground.
Was that truly what Adira was? A member of the underground? Was that why her father was dead? Her family gone? All because of the crimes her family committed. Yes, because of the wrongdoings in the dark and murky world of the bad, the powerful, and the ruthless, Adira now needed protection from it all. For too long, she’d silently marched along the subversive and corrupt domain of greed. And now, because of it, the penance was the assassination of all she loved.
Chapter 7
“Let me out here,” Maddox instructed a few blocks from the JBR. “Pick me up at the coffee shop across the street tomorrow morning… well, make that in a few hours.”
Keith nodded. The three men had discussed it and knew that checking out of the hotel in the middle of the night was bound to set off some sort of alarm or, at the very least, have some bored night clerk remembering the unusual departure time if ever questioned. It was far better to wait until normal hours before departing the JBR. “I’ll be there. Your dad and I will continue monitoring the radios for any news about the investigation. Hey, try to get some sleep if you can. We’ll take care of Miss Nazar.”
Maddox nodded. “I know you will. Okay, I’ll go make us disappear from Dubai, and meet up with you soon.” Slapping his hand against the door frame after closing it, he watched as the sedan pulled away before walking to the hotel.
He’d planned on arriving earlier so as not to stick out on the rather deserted streets or within the hotel lobby, but he couldn’t force himself to leave until Adira was deeply asleep. Perhaps if he’d left her on the couch, she wouldn’t have awakened. But he’d thought she would be more comfortable in the bedroom. Once Keith had set up the computers and antennae to listen in to police and news bands, the cackling noise was too obtrusive to allow for sleep. He’d tried to be gentle, but the movement had awakened her, her eyes immediately filling, and he’d not been able to pry her fingers from his shirt for another hour.
Rubbing his hand across his face, he entered the lobby, a bit surprised to find it as quiet as a tomb… Fuck, that was a bad choice of words. Encountering only the night clerk, who barely lifted his eyes from something he was reading behind the desk, Maddox nodded and continued to the elevator. Once in their suite, he didn’t even bother to turn on a light or undress as he entered his room. Tossing the backpack on a chair, he barely managed to remove his boots before falling onto the mattress. He was asleep before his head touched the pillow.
By nine the next morning, he’d showered and dressed and was climbing out of the taxi the concierge had arranged. He’d chosen to visit the nearest mall, over the hotel’s boutique, to ensure his purchases would be as anonymous as possible. Though clerks in each store he’d entered had been polite, to a one they had been subdued. When a young, attractive woman quietly asked if he’d like some assistance, he’d instantly understood her demeanor when he saw the newspaper she’d been reading. Dozens of faces filled the front page and though it was in Arabic, he could imagine the headline announcing the horror of the explosion.
Nodding towards the paper, he said, “A tragedy. I can’t even imagine…”
The woman had managed a shaky smile, agreeing it was a great loss, but coming around from behind the counter to help him. He’d already purchased two pairs of jeans and a few t-shirts at a different store, but picturing the scrapes and bruises he’d seen on Adira’s body, he wanted to buy her something a little less confining to wear.
The clerk appeared to be just a bit taller than Adira and maybe a few pounds heavier. But she was young, and was wearing a dress that didn’t look as if it had been designed a decade earlier. He explained he wanted to surprise his girlfriend with a new outfit.
“Is it for a special occasion? A party perhaps?” the woman asked.
“No, just something she could wear out for shopping or perhaps lunch with friends. Nothing too fancy. Comfortable but fashionable. I would come back another day but—”
“It’s not a problem, sir. Life is so…” she paused and shook her head. “Excuse me, I…”
“No, don’t apologize,” Maddox said. “You are absolutely right. Life is short. What would you suggest?” Within minutes, an almost transparent floral silk blouse and a pleated navy skirt, as well as a camisole edged in lace to wear beneath the blouse had been selected.
“A skirt will allow her to change her ensemble by simply changing her blouse.” Another piece joined the pile. This blouse was white and unadorned and yet its very construction showed its worth. The fabric was very soft and he could easily imagine it against Adira’s skin, the contrast between the pristine white and her ink black hair would be vivid.
He moved to a corner of the store and smiled. He might not be very familiar with designer labels or with clothing worn on the outside, but he certainly had an idea of what he considered the best pieces a woman could own. Despite the fact that he’d recognized the red silk dress Adira had been wearing was not only high fashion but expensive, he’d been a bit surprised not only to discover the glimmer of a small diamond nestled in her belly button but to see the black lace panties and matching bra that had been revealed when he’d removed her clothing. The woman had extremely good taste and a great eye for very sexy lingerie. Running his fingertip over a lacy, baby-blue pair of panties, he saw the clerk smile.
“I know most of the world thinks Arabian fashion is from the Stone Age, but I assure you, even when wearing an abaya, women like to feel feminine… pretty,” the clerk said.
“These are definitely pretty,” Maddox said, giving her an appreciative grin when she found the matching bra. It had half-moon shaped cups and his throat constricted a bit imagining how they would present Adira’s breasts, enhancing her natural curves that he couldn’t help but notice the evening before. While he instinctively knew she’d look gorgeous in any color, he added another set to his purchases. He had a propensity for white… the dichotomy of purity versus sensuality had always drawn him.
“Your lady will be very pleased,” the clerk said as she wrapped each item in tissue before placing them in the bag.
“Shukraan,” Drak
e said, thanking the clerk and accepting the black and gold bag she held out.
He made one last stop to purchase a pair of black flats and a pair of sandals… the total costing more than a pair of custom made cowboy boots back home. Still, he didn’t begrudge a single dime.
With purchases in hand, he returned to their suite for the last time. He checked every surface, drawer, shelf, and underneath the beds to ensure there would be no trace of the Steeles left behind. Pulling the suitcases behind him, he joined the line in front of the desk, noticing that the normal smiles and cheerful voices of everyone he saw were missing or at least very subdued. It was obvious that the news of the loss of the lives of the Nazar family, a dynasty within Dubai, was taking its toll on the city’s citizens. He paid the bill, thanked the clerk for the wonderful hospitality of the JBR, expressed his sympathy at the country’s loss, and tucking the English versions of the Khaleej Times and The Gulf Today newspapers under his arm, he climbed into the taxi in front of the hotel, giving the address of the coffee shop where he’d arranged to meet Keith.
Maddox entered the safe house, his eyes automatically drawn to the table where his father and Adira were sitting. Well, in actuality, Adira was more like hunching in her chair. Her knees were drawn up, the soles of her feet on the chair seat, her arms wrapped around her legs, her cheek resting on top of her knees. As he dropped his backpack and the bags from the mall on the couch, he heard his father speaking.
“Adira, you need to eat something,” Drake said, pushing a plate containing two slices of toast towards her.
“I can’t.”
“I know it’s hard but—”
“I can’t.”
Maddox took in the scene, seeing Adira’s tears that she was making no effort to wipe away. He watched as his father stood, gave a small shake of his head and picked up the chipped mug, moving to the sink, pouring the now cold tea down the sink. Filling it with hot water from a pot on the hotplate, he added a teabag and a spoon of honey before returning to the table. Setting it down, he said, “At least drink the tea. You need something, and I can’t guarantee when you’ll get another chance.”
