by Lia Lee
“Was he your younger brother?”
“Yes, but as twins, that matters less than you think,” she said with a wry smile. “He was reckless, running out onto the ice. I knew better, but after a terrible moment, I ran out after him. There was a crack, like the end of the world, and he fell in.”
She paused, remembering how terrible it had been, how the black water seemed to open up under the rough ice, ready and able to swallow up something as small and unwise as a little boy.
“What happened to him?”
“If I hadn’t followed him out there, he would have died,” she responded. “He would have thrashed under the water until his strength gave out, and he would have died. Instead, I was there to pull him out, screaming for help as I did so. When I pulled him out, I was exhausted, but fortunately a neighbor heard.”
Raheem’s arm tightened around her as if afraid for the little girl that she had been.
“And what happened then?”
“The neighbor took us into her garage, stripped off our sodden clothes, and got us into a warm bath. It’s an old trick for people who have suffered a shock. She gave us hot chocolate, which looking back, I’m certain was laced with a bit of brandy, and she called our parents.”
Irene laughed to herself a little bit.
“They were furious. We were both grounded for months, until it was spring at least. Terrible.”
“But you had done nothing wrong,” Raheem protested, frowning at the injustice. “You saved your brother.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Irene said, her voice slurring a little. In the warmth of Raheem’s body, and clean and dry in a way that she hadn’t been for what felt like years, she could feel herself dropping off.
“I would think it matters a great deal,” said Raheem, who already sounded a little distant.
“Doesn’t,” she insisted. “He’s my brother. He’s my family. I have to look after him. Always.”
She had the idea that Raheem was saying something else, but it didn’t matter. Instead, the world was falling away into a deep and indigo haze. She was safe now, and her body needed it so badly that she fell asleep without another thought.
***
Raheem watched his wife sleep for a few moments. She was a warm weight against his body, gorgeous and soft and pliant in a way he had never seen her before. It took all of his strength not to touch her, not to kiss her again. It wouldn’t be right. When he kissed her, he wanted her to kiss him back, to know what was happening and to want it as much as he did.
Not for the first time, he wondered if he had bought a kind of trouble that would be with him the rest of his days. He could feel that fingerhold she had on his spirit and his heart growing greater, but he put it out of his mind. That reckoning could come later on.
Right now, there was more to think about. For several long moments, he simply stroked her bright hair, relishing the way the firelight glinted off it. She fell asleep in his arms so trustingly that it made a foreign part of him ache. He was not known to be a sympathetic man, or sometimes, even a compassionate one, but this little thief brought it out in him.
If she was a thief at all.
The story she had told echoed in his head until he realized what he had to do. With a gentle touch, Raheem detached himself from her, leaving her curled on the couch. She uttered a small sigh of protest before drifting into a deeper sleep, and he smiled a little.
He stepped into another room briefly, his phone in hand.
“Yes, it’s me. No, sorry about waking you up, but this can’t wait. All right. I want you to put together a dossier on Peter Bellingham, Irene Bellingham’s brother. Yes, her twin. All right…”
CHAPTER FOUR
Irene awoke slowly, blinking her eyes against the bright morning light. For a moment, she thought that the past few months had just been a dream. She was still in her graduate dorm in Khanour, and she had nothing ahead of her but the study to which she had devoted her life. Her brother was fine, and everything was safe.
Then she woke up a little further, and while she wasn’t in the prison cell any longer, she was far from home.
The bed that Irene had been sleeping on was enormous, white cotton in all directions. She started to wonder if it was the bed that had given her one of the best nights of sleep that she had ever enjoyed, but then she heard another person’s breathing.
She finally woke up the rest of the way when she saw that she was not alone. Sleeping beside her was none other than Raheem himself. Against the stark white of the covers, Raheem’s dark skin seemed to glow. For the first time, she could simply look at him, and her chin in her hand, she took the opportunity to do just that.
His hair was inky black and as shining as a panther’s pelt, and now she could see that he had gorgeous eyelashes, long and dark. There was a trace of stubble on his jaw, and as he slept, the hand resting by his face on the pillow curled and uncurled, making her want to touch them to see if he would wrap his hand around her fingers.
Even asleep, there was a sense of command around him, she thought. This was a man who kept his country in the palm of his hand, protecting it from all comers and putting himself first in the line of defense. Next to him, her place in the world felt very small.
Irene reminded herself that as long as she got through this week, she would be fine. As long as she managed to play by his rules, she would walk free, and then, theoretically, Peter could as well.
With a start, she realized that he was watching her.
“Good morning,” she murmured, and he smiled at her.
“In Khanour, it is considered the tradition for women to bring their husbands a cup of tea before they rise.”
“Why’s that?” she asked without thinking.
“It shows that she places his comfort above her own, and that she rose early with his comfort in mind. It is a common thing from the greatest of houses to the least of them.”
“But I bet the wealthier ladies have the cooks prepare it and bring it to the door,” she pointed out, and then she blushed at how contentious she sounded. Fortunately, Raheem seemed only amused by her statements.
“I am sure you are right. Personally, left to my own devices, I prefer my own morning ritual.”
“What’s that?” she asked, and then before she could think of anything else, she found herself pinned to the mattress, the sheets and blankets a riot around her.
“This,” Raheem said, a split second before his lips crashed down on hers.
She flailed for a moment, but then the sensual touch of his lips on hers carried her away. The heat between them flared up, leaving her clinging to his body. Recklessly, she ran her hands along his back. His skin was smooth and warm, but when she realized that he wasn’t wearing anything on his lower part at all, she froze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, pulling back, and she pushed him away in shock.
“You’re not wearing anything!” she blurted out. Then, after a quick check, she felt her cheeks glow with embarrassment as she made another realization.
“I’m not wearing anything either!”
“There are sleep clothes in the wardrobes, but I generally prefer to sleep naked…”
“What did you do to me?” she asked, startled, and a dark storm came over his eyes.
This time, when he pinned her to the mattress, he looked straight down into her eyes. There was a fire there that was part passion and part fury, and she wondered then if she should truly be afraid.
“Nothing,” he breathed. “I did nothing to you. Not because I did not want you. Not because I did not think about it, but because it would not have been right.”
Irene could barely breathe, but she got her breath enough to swallow before she spoke.
“Am I supposed to thank you for that?” she asked. “For acting like a human being instead of a savage?”
For a moment, she thought that something terrible had just been unleashed. Then, as abruptly as the fury had appeared, it was gone. He pulled away, and if there was
a trace of chagrin there, it was directed at himself.
“No,” he admitted, “But believe me when I say that I have no intention of forcing you to do anything that you do not care to do.”
She felt something in her that had been tense since they arrived at the oasis relax inside her. She couldn’t have said what had frightened her then, but now she could tell it was the fear of being simply overwhelmed, of being taken without her will.
“I am glad,” she said, but she couldn’t stop herself from watching him with a little bit of wariness. Now she knew how fast he could be, and she could see that he saw the distrust in her eyes. Raheem sighed.
“I will go start breakfast for us,” he said. “You should shower, put on some clothes.”
She knew that the matter was over, but for some reason, she needed to ask him the question that was on her mind.
“Did you undress me?” she asked, and a grin flickered briefly over his lips.
“I did. I swear to you, though, I did not look or linger more than was appropriate.”
“More than appropriate for what?” she asked, and his grin turned decidedly wicked.
“More than was appropriate for a husband and his wife.”
She blushed as he got up, dressed, and made his way to the kitchen. She had truly landed in a strange place. Why, then, did she still feel so safe?
***
Breakfast was a delicious egg dish, fiery and spicy as so much Khanour food was. When she remarked on a sheikh knowing how to cook, he shrugged.
“I like having things my way,” he said. “It makes sense that I would take over at least some of the aspects of my own life.”
“Well, the results are amazing,” she murmured, sopping up the last of the tomato sauce with a slice of crusty bread. “Thank you.”
“Well, you should eat up. We are going for a bit of a long hike today.”
Irene looked up, startled.
“We are? Where are we walking to?”
“The oasis is much larger than you think,” he explained. “It is fed by a series of underground lakes, and a few miles away, there is a waterfall cut into the rocks. I thought it would be interesting to climb its face.”
Despite her situation, Irene couldn’t help but brighten up at the prospect. Since living in the city, there had been remarkably little time in her life to enjoy any kind of nature. She had grown up not more than half an hour away from the national parks, and the thought of getting to enjoy some kind of greenery was enough to make her smile.
Impulsively, she hopped up to wrap her arms around Raheem, who was putting the plates to soak in the sink. For a moment, she could feel him stiffen in her arms, but then he relaxed into her embrace, leaning back against her.
“Does it please you?” he asked softly, and for the first time, she wondered if her regard was important to him. Whether what she said made any difference to him at all.
“It does,” she said with a grin. “Very much, thank you!”
After breakfast, she found a pair of hiking sandals in the wardrobe, but as Raheem told her that there were no hazards on the trail, she decided to stick with her light dress. The day was bright and bold when they set out, and they fell into a companionable pace. There was something oddly intimate about walking in the forest together, for she could see that that was what had grown up around the oasis. There was the occasional burst of birdsong, but otherwise the world was silent except for the flowing of the small stream they followed.
Once, Raheem stopped, pointing ahead. When she peered around him, Irene was confused at first until she made out the shape of an animal sitting silently by the trail.
“A rabbit!” she whispered, but he shook his head.
“A hare. They get bigger, and they live aboveground, not like rabbits. That one’s enormous. Maybe it is the grandfather of a very large clan.”
When they move forward, the hare leaped up into the air with an impressive twist to its body and dashed into the overgrowth.
“I miss seeing animals sometimes,” she said as they walked on. “There are far fewer animals in the city than I am used to.”
“They are there if you know where to look,” he said with a smile. “Hares and foxes make their way into the city on a regular basis. Perhaps at some point, though, I should take you out to see the oryx. There is a herd close by, I believe, that uses this oasis.”
Raheem wasn’t wrong when he said it was a bit of a hike. It was past noon when they made it to the foot of the tall rocks. Before he would allow them to make the climb, he had her drink some water and eat some jerky, both things that revived her more than she thought they would have.
“I was thirstier and hungrier than I thought,” she said with surprise, and he nodded.
“It’s always the way of it here,” he said. “The things that hurt you will sneak up on you. Sometimes, if you are very unlucky, you will see that they have been creeping up on you for years.”
There was something about the way he said it that startled her, but for the moment, she let it go. She had gone hiking quite often as a teen, but since starting school, the hobby had been one that fell to the wayside more than she would have liked. Now she had to concentrate on making her way up the steep path, looking carefully at where she put her feet and occasionally even her hands.
To her surprise, she fell into a rhythm with Raheem that felt like the most natural thing in the world. Without even asking for help, he was there to prop her up or to give her a hand when she needed it. There was something incredibly relaxing about simply being able to trust him to be there, and to rely on him when she needed to.
By the time they made it to the top, she was sweaty and covered with grime, but then Irene gasped, her hands over her mouth.
The waterfall that he had promised was gorgeous, streams of pure fresh water cascading down over a rock face to crash to the pond far below. From where they stood, the light hit the spray just right to create a soft rainbow, and it was so lovely that Irene could do nothing besides stare for a moment.
When she felt Raheem’s arms go around her, she leaned back into them.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For giving me this, for helping me get up here… just thank you.”
He laughed, kissing the top of her head.
“No, I mean it… why have you done all of this?” she asked, turning to look at him. “I… I know that you didn’t do it for any cruel or perverted purpose, but… why did you bring me here? Save me from prison? All of it?”
For a moment, she thought he wasn’t going to tell her, or at least that he would brush her off. Instead, Raheem was very still for a moment, and then he nodded. From his backpack, he pulled out a small blanket that he spread out on the ground. He gestured for her to come sit with him, and curious, she did so.
“There are many reasons,” he said softly. “Many of them. Some of it was because I felt that you had gotten into my blood that day. When we met at the airport, that felt like fate taking a hand in my life. It might have been fate that you would fly away from me as well, but well, no man can see the future. Then the statue was discovered…”
She flinched at that and might have moved away from him, but he took her hand gently. It was astonishing to her how gentle he could be when he wished.
“… and it felt as if you had been wrongly taken from me. Perhaps I was merely furious that my image of you had been destroyed, but it felt like more than that. It felt as if in this moment, I could not bring myself to lose you. So I had to work to find a way to bring me back to you.”
There was a moment where they simply looked out over the beauty in front of them. Irene knew that she should have left it at that, but something inside her told her to keep going. She was close to something, whether it was a truth of some kind or some kind of revelation. When she spoke, her voice was low enough that Raheem could ignore it if he wished to do so.
“And what happens when this week ends, and I can choose
to leave?”
She could hear him take a deep breath and then another one. Irene stared out over the waterfall, willing some of its peace to come into her.
“I would allow you to,” he said, his voice gruff.
Irene took a deep breath, feeling as if something inside her had been set free. She had come to see what freedom meant after her time in prison, and she had never been more aware of the fact that she had lost it. She knew now that her liberty was something she would never take for granted again, and now that she had it, Irene intended to treasure it.
“Thank you,” she whispered, taking his hand.
Raheem looked a little startled, but he squeezed her hand gently, making no other reply. They sat next to the waterfall for some time, and after a while, they began speaking of other things. There was an ease to them now that had been missing before, something that was simply sweeter and gentler.
Trust, Irene thought. We trust each other now.
She wasn’t sure what that trust might mean after the week was up, but for now, she simply reveled in it, letting it wash over her like a calm tide. She had learned to live in the moment, and right now, this was the moment she wanted.
***
They made it almost all the way back to the house without mishap, but then, as they were walking on the path, Irene’s foot slipped on a dislodged stone, making her yelp as she went tumbling. With a muffled swear, Raheem caught her before she fell, but before that, her ankle twisted underneath her.
“Oh, ow, ow…”
Irene was just trying to get her breath back when she yelped again. Raheem had swept her up in his arms, lifting her completely off her feet.
“Raheem, what are you doing?”
“Carrying you,” he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “The house isn’t far, and you are far from heavy.”
She knew that she should protest. It seemed like the height of luxury to be carried such a short distance for a sprain that would likely be healed by morning. However, when he held her a little closer, she could feel his heart beating through his chest.