Souls Estranged (The Souls Trilogy Book 2)

by Anne B. Cole

Raja wondered if his friend was female. When he hailed a cab, she noted he wore no ring. As the taxi pulled away from the airport, he checked a text on his phone.

  “Flight has been canceled, won’t be in until tomorrow.” JD didn’t appear disappointed. “Do you have a hospital you prefer to go to?”

  “There’s a clinic in Queens.” She paused, unable to remember the name.

  JD gave the name of the facility on Queens Boulevard to the driver. He knew the area well.

  When they arrived, he held open the door to the rundown medical clinic. Over a dozen people in the waiting area noticed them enter. She avoided eye contact and checked in at the window. After a few minutes, space on a wooden bench opened and they shared the seat. As she filled out pages of paperwork, JD’s arm brushed against her side. Each time the outside door opened, he stiffened and appeared to study the people who entered.

  Before she summoned the courage to ask what he did for a living, a nurse called her name. To her surprise, JD followed her into the examining room.

  “You her husband?” the nurse asked brusquely.

  “Brother,” he answered without hesitation.

  “You okay with your brother in here?” The middle-aged nurse asked.

  Raja recognized the difference in their skin colors and nodded, not knowing why she agreed or why he lied.

  “The doctor will be right in.” With a disapproving frown, the nurse left.

  “Brother?” Raja inquired hesitantly.

  “This isn’t the best neighborhood or clinic. I apologize if I overstepped.” He looked sincere, but instead of offering to leave, he took a seat.

  Raja didn’t know whether to feel insulted, or afraid. A sense of calmness waved over her, as if she knew JD and trusted him. She had been taught to trust no one.

  Despite the rules, she wanted him to stay.

  Chapter 26

  Corned Beef and Pastrami

  Raja

  The overworked and underpaid doctor cut away the gauze, cleaned Raja’s burn, and rewrapped her hand. The blisters forming between her thumb and finger and on the inside of her wrist throbbed, but she would never complain.

  “Here is a supply of gauze pads, tape, and antibiotic cream. Keep it clean and watch for infection. The nurse will have instructions for you at check out.” The doctor hurried from the room without waiting for a reply.

  JD’s brow creased with displeasure.

  “Good to go.” Raja left the examining room and paid with the credit card Jamal had provided her. She knew she would receive an email about the clinic visit by the end of the week. In three years, she had never needed medical attention. Her superiors questioned anything out of the ordinary.

  Three uneventful years.

  Jamal made no direct contact, yet she knew he scrutinized her every move. He paid her rent and provided money for food and public transportation. Whenever a need arose, money arrived in her mailbox before she considered asking. In return, she remained ready and on alert.

  They walked out of the clinic an hour after their arrival.

  “How’s the pain?” JD asked.

  Raja’s heart skipped a beat when JD guided her down Queens Boulevard instead of hailing a cab.

  “Not bad.” She refused to admit how much it hurt.

  His gaze shifted skeptically from her hand to the shops along the street. “Hungry?” He took out his phone and punched in a number.

  “I’m good,” Raja replied even though she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

  “I’m starved. The best deli in Queens is only two blocks away.” JD ordered a corned beef and pastrami sandwich. “Knish or fries?”

  Raja grinned. “Knish, spinach please.”

  After shoving his phone in his back pocket, JD nudged his shoulder against hers in a friendly gesture. “I knew you were hungry.”

  Again, Raja flinched at his touch. He immediately created more space between them as they walked side by side in silence.

  Raja noted JD watching a group of young men across the street. They belonged to a gang well-known for armed robbery. Her superiors had cautioned her to avoid them.

  When JD’s hand found hers, she didn’t pull away. Matching her steps to his, they quickly covered the distance to the deli. Once inside, he released her hand.

  She wished he hadn’t.

  The queue to the register held eight people. Raja caught JD staring at her necklace as if he recognized it. She quickly touched the beads in an attempt to cover her surprised reaction.

  “It’s beautiful, unique,” JD commented as they moved up in line.

  “One of the few things I brought from my home country,” she declared softly.

  “Where’re you from, Raja?”

  When he said her name, she felt her whole body quiver.

  “Iraq. I thought you knew.” She kept her response light and smiled teasingly even though fear crept into her.

  JD grinned. “Nope. I had you pegged for an Arabian princess who took a job at a coffee shop at LaGuardia to prove to her father she could make it on her own without his millions.”

  Raja forced a smile. The line moved forward.

  She watched him bite his lip and concluded from his expression that he knew her father no longer lived and regretted the comment.

  For a minute, she wanted to flee from this guy. He read her so easily and she had become comfortable around him in a few short hours. JD could never, ever find out who she was and what she had been trained to do. The minute passed when she saw sadness within the deep pools of his chocolate eyes.

  He, too, had lost someone.

  “My parents died when I was an infant.” Raja had never spoken those words before.

  JD lowered his gaze to her wrist. “How long were you in the orphanage?” He questioned her as if he had been there himself and knew the children had been tied to their beds, fed scraps unfit for animals, and slept on cots soaked in urine. His hardened expression told her he knew what happened to the girls when they matured.

  Her gaze immediately lowered to the tile floor even though Jamal had not let that happen to her.

  “A very kind man adopted me when I was thirteen. He’s dead now.” Raja knew he didn’t believe her lie. She distanced herself from him, moved up in line, and grew frustrated. Subtle movements of a liar had been drilled into her during training. Any fool could pick up on them. JD was no fool.

  “My mom died last year,” he announced softly.

  She sensed by the tone of his voice he continued to grieve for his mother, but said nothing since they approached the counter.

  “Corned beef and pastrami, spinach knish,” A beefy man passed JD’s order to him in a paper sack.

  JD opened the bag and sighed. “Where’s the pickle?”

  The man at the register called over his shoulder for a pickle. Nimble hands promptly wrapped the dill and handed it to him.

  JD paid the bill, grabbed her hand, and walked outside. It took less than a minute to hail a cab. A few minutes later, they reached her apartment.

  Raja nervously invited him in. Never before had she brought anyone to what she called home. She shuddered, expecting repercussions.

  JD excused himself to use the bathroom as she pulled two bottles of water from the refrigerator. She noticed him casually check the other two rooms.

  “Nice place,” he called as he entered the bathroom.

  Her neighborhood had a high crime rate, yet she had never been a victim. She credited her safety to Jamal.

  JD returned as she split the sandwich and knish between two plates.

  “Ever had pastrami from Katz Deli?” When she shook her head, he continued, “This isn’t quite as good as a Katz sandwich, but it’s as close as you can get in Queens.” He picked up the top piece o
f bread on his half of the oversized sandwich and slathered on Russian dressing. “Want some?”

  “Please.” Raja watched him spread the sauce. The first bite melted in her mouth. When they had finished, he washed the plates and knife in the sink, despite her protest.

  “Time for bed.”

  Raja froze at his sudden declaration.

  Does he notice how much I enjoy his company? Does he expect to spend the night? Does he sense I’m considering?

  He chuckled and hung the dish towel on the oven door. “For me, that is. I pulled early shift tomorrow.” He must have seen her reaction and mistook it for pain. “Would you like me to check your hand before I leave?”

  Raja’s wrist throbbed with every beat of her heart, which raced at an incredible speed. Instead of responding, she sat and nodded shyly.

  JD washed his hands and carefully removed the bandage. Raja refused to flinch, yet her breathing gave away the pain she encountered. He frowned.

  “Be right back.” He disappeared into her bathroom and returned with a bottle of ibuprofen. “Three should do the trick. No more until tomorrow.” He handed her the pills and a bottle of water.

  She downed them as he pulled a chair next to hers. He carefully applied salve and a fresh bandage.

  She didn’t feel pain, only the compassion he so freely gave. No one had ever shown her this type of kindness. At that moment, Raja believed it could be possible to love someone and be loved in return. She lowered her head, embarrassed by the sudden burst of emotion. When he finished, she took in a ragged breath.

  JD’s fingers wiped a tear from her cheek.

  Raja couldn’t remember the last time she’d cried. It wasn’t allowed.

  His hand lingered and cupped her cheek. Lifting her face, his lips brushed hers with a feather touch. They returned for a second more before his forehead leaned against hers.

  “I have to go,” his husky voice sounded, barely above a whisper.

  Too stunned to speak, Raja blinked. She could tell he wanted her to invite him to stay.

  He looked at her hand. “Will you be okay tonight?”

  She swiped another tear on her cheek and quickly stood.

  He stepped to the door. Raja followed silently and unlocked the dead bolt.

  “Thank you.” Gratitude repeated inside her head.

  I’ve never been kissed before. My parents must have, but I have no recollection.

  Desperate not to let him go, she eased her hand over his. “Can you—” Years of training commanded her to stop.

  Jamal will find out.

  She yearned for JD’s touch. She didn’t want him to leave, but didn’t dare ask.

  “Stop by tomorrow after work?” he finished her question.

  Raja let go of his hand on the door knob and relaxed into a grin. “I’d like that.”

  “I’ll call around noon tomorrow.” He twisted the knob.

  Raja panicked. “You don’t have my number.”

  JD lowered his head and shuffled one foot. “I watched you fill out the paperwork at the clinic.”

  Slipping between him and the door, she reached on her tiptoes and boldly planted a kiss on his cheek.

  “My shift ends at four.” She silently begged him to stay. Somehow she knew he would be the perfect gentleman.

  “I can swing by the coffee shop.” JD hesitated as if he had second thoughts. “Take care of that hand. I’ll see you.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow at four,” he confirmed.

  The door clicked behind him.

  She pressed her forehead against the wood and slid the deadbolt. Peering through the peephole, she watched him walk across the street, turn on Queens Boulevard, and wave for a cab. Thoughts of seeing JD again filled her heart with warmth.

  As if on cue, her phone rang. With trembling hands, she picked it up, knowing it wouldn’t be JD.

  Chapter 27

  The Assignment

  Raja

  Raja finished wiping the coffee shop counter when her apron pocket vibrated. Grabbing the cell phone she had purchased two days ago with tip money, she opened the text.

  ‘Dinner at my place?’

  Her cheeks flushed in anticipation. Despite Jamal’s stern warning to avoid involvement with outsiders, Raja had met JD several times over the past week. Her entire world had suddenly flipped upside down. She wanted a new life, one with JD.

  To conceal her involvement with Jamal, she avoided conversation with JD that centered on work. This prevented her from asking about JD’s profession, but it protected her. She wanted to know the real JD, not his job. She believed what people did for a living didn’t necessarily reflect their true self.

  Raja’s purpose in life had been focused to be ready to complete Jamal’s assignments. Jamal had saved her, sculpted her into what he needed her to be. She had known nothing else. In less than a week, eight years of training dissolved away. Feelings of hate and revenge vanished when she spent time with JD.

  It felt right. It felt good.

  She no longer wanted to live her life Jamal’s way. Somehow she had to break free and start over. She needed to tell JD about her past, be honest, and hope for a miracle.

  Raja feared Jamal, but she could no longer deny herself what she desired. Never before had she experienced the care and concern of another, the security of an embrace, the sweetness of a kiss. She wanted more out of life than duty, revenge, and hatred. Experiencing love for the first time, she refused to run from it.

  With trembling fingers, she typed a text. ‘Dinner sounds wonderful. I want to tell you about my past.’ She pressed the send button.

  No turning back.

  Within seconds, he replied, ‘The past is in the past. You’re intriguingly beautiful inside and out.’

  An icy shiver crawled up her back. An American, a New Yorker, JD had every right to hate her.

  Raja decided to chance the truth, no matter the outcome. Without thinking, she texted more.

  ‘I’m afraid.’

  Before she could type, ‘you might change your mind.’ her fumbling fingers hit the send button.

  Raja thought about typing the remainder of her intended message, but realized those two words were exactly how she felt. An admission of weakness, the truth.

  The phone vibrated his reply. ‘Trust me. Meet at six?’

  She quickly texted, ‘Six.’

  Raja slipped the phone into her pocket as a man approached the counter. He stood at average height, with brown hair and dark eyes. Dressed in casual business attire, he blended in with the airport crowd. Until he spoke in Arabic.

  “Good morning, Raja.”

  Raja’s heart raced. Jamal had announced during her training that all assignments would be initiated by an unknown contact.

  Is this man giving me an assignment? Or did he simply read my name tag?

  She chose to speak in English. “I’m sorry, can I help you?”

  The man tilted his head and scrutinized her. He requested a cup of coffee and a bagel, in Arabic.

  She casually returned a blank stare, allowing her training to take over.

  “I’m sorry. I only speak English,” she replied.

  A smile curled on his lips as he pointed to the basket of bagels and the coffee pot.

  Raja served him, accepted his money, and watched him take a seat at a nearby table.

  Her heart lurched when he stood after only a minute.

  As he disappeared within the crowded concourse, she hurried to clear his cup and untouched bagel.

  Bile crept up her throat as her fingers grazed a sticker affixed to the underside of the plate. Inconspicuously, she peeled it off and shoved it in her pocket. She returned to the counter and Flo’s scrutiny.


  “Are you feeling okay?” her manager asked.

  Words escaped Raja. Within an hour, she was expected to follow detailed protocol and await further instruction. Her shift didn’t end until this afternoon. The thought of possible assignments caused her stomach to flip.

  “Sit down. You’re whiter than a sheet.” Flo hustled around the counter, pulling Raja to a chair.

  “I . . . I think I’m going to—”

  Raja ran out of the stand to the public restroom in the concourse and shut herself into the second stall. She sat away from the toilet, hugged her knees to her chest, and let her training take over.

  Control. Remain in control.

  A plan formed inside her head, one allowing for many possibilities. All of them led to the same conclusion.

  I’m turning myself in.

  After washing her hands, she returned to the coffee shop. Flo promptly relieved her from her work obligations. Outside the airport, she hailed a taxi that dropped her off in Manhattan. Within a half an hour, she had purchased a prepaid phone and rode the subway to Whitehall Terminal. A glance at her watch showed nearly ten in the morning. The next boat entered the dock. A crowd of people lined up, ready to board.

  Protocol dictated all assignments were to be given aboard the ferry to Staten Island.

  Never before had she been summoned. A week ago she would have been thrilled to put years of training into action. Now she wanted out. Her superiors were close. If they suspected hesitation or if she failed to complete the required task, they would kill her.