His Hired Bride

by Holly Rayner

  In the elevator we laughed and shared stories of the day’s customers, and once we were back in our makeshift “home” together, Rafiq insisted we wind down the night in a celebratory fashion.

  After whipping up a batch of delicious cocktails, he took me out on the penthouse patio for the first time. Despite the height of the building, it was warm and quiet, and the view took my breath away. The city sounds floated far away, muffled by distance and the soft summer breeze.

  Even out here, Rafiq had comfortable, stylish furniture. He sat down on the cushy black loveseat and gestured for me to join him with a smile. I sat down close to him.

  “To a successful day,” said Rafiq, holding up his glass.

  Clinking my glass against his, I said, “To a most successful day.”

  He smiled at me as we sipped our drinks. The alcohol warmed my throat and relaxed my muscles.

  “You really did an amazing job,” I said as I settled back against the loveseat. “Thank you for that. I’ve made more money this week than in my entire life put together.”

  “You deserve every penny, and more, Evie. You’re very talented,” said Rafiq. “I never paid lip service to your work, I hope you know that. Despite this arrangement and all its… complications, please know your art stands above all that. I wouldn’t make that up, not for anything.”

  I smiled softly at him. “It’s nice to feel so supported. Sometimes this life is a bit terrifying, being out here on my own. I mean, not all on my own, I have my parents back home, and Joel of course, but really, most of the weight I carry by myself.”

  “You’re braver than me,” he said. “Brave enough to head out into the world on your own terms, and unafraid of living uncomfortably. You should never sell that short.”

  “Is that what you’re afraid of, Rafiq?” I asked. “Losing all this luxury and comfort?”

  Rafiq looked down at me for a moment before he put his arm around my shoulder. “Would you think less of me if I said yes?”

  My knee-jerk reaction was to say yes, but I didn’t. Instead I asked him, “Why are you afraid of that? You know most people live their lives without it every day, and still live happy, right?”

  Rafiq sighed and looked out toward the city skyline. The sound of the busy streets below wafted up like soft background music. Somewhere distant, a siren sounded. “I don’t know, Evie. I suppose it’s just perspective, really. I’ve never known anything else but this life, so to live without it seems...”

  “Scary,” I finished for him.

  “Yeah,” he said. “A little.” He wouldn’t look at me.

  I didn’t know what to say to him—I had never had this level of luxury and security to consider giving up in the first place. I laid my head on his shoulder.

  “Would your father really cut you off if you kept up your life the way it’s going?” I asked quietly. “He would really and truly leave you out to dry?”

  “Really and truly,” sighed Rafiq, staring out at the city. “He’s said it since I was a young man. Ever since I first started to show signs that his influence over me was…waning. I have some of my own money, of course, but my life apart from him would undoubtedly look different.” He sighed again. “Or, rather, still could become different. I guess we’re not out of the woods yet.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I wish things could be different for you. I may not know exactly what you’re going through, but I can see the way it hurts you, Rafiq. And I know that pain is real. I hope you can find a way to get rid of the pain one day… I hope you can find some way to reconcile all this and be at peace.”

  Rafiq’s eyes were misty and full of emotion when he looked over at me. I squeezed his hand and gave him a little smile.

  “Maybe one day I’ll be brave like you,” he said.

  His words hurt my heart. “Well, even if you aren’t, you should know I didn’t exactly hate spending time with you today. So you achieved more than you thought today, it would seem.”

  I could almost feel the tension evaporating from his muscles beneath me. He smiled. “Am I growing on you, Evie?”

  I laughed. “I suppose you could say that. We made a pretty good team today.”

  “Yeah,” said Rafiq thoughtfully. “We really did.”

  Rafiq pulled me closer against his body, and laid his head on top of mine as we watched the setting sun.

  I didn’t remember finally dozing off, snuggled tightly in Rafiq’s arms. But I certainly remember the huge and startling realization that I was falling in love with Rafiq, and didn’t want our time together to end.

  TWELVE