“This is perfect, thank you.” Zahrah told him while climbing off the bed. “And why do you call me that?”
“Call you what?”
“Kitten.”
Cyclops arched a brow. “I do?”
She smiled. “Bathroom?”
“Out the door and to the left.”
She walked by him and disappeared out the door. While he waited for her, he hurried back to the kitchen for bottled water and by the time he returned, she was fighting with the plastic wrapper around the spinach dip bowl. She became annoyed and used her teeth.
“I keep hoping I was having a nightmare,” Zahrah said without looking up. “But I smell like smoke and my hijab is seared…My life is gone.”
“I don’t believe that.” Cyclops told her. “I’m sure you’ve been down before.”
“Not like this.”
“You know something—you don’t have to deal with this now.”
“But eventually.”
“Yes.” Cyclops set one of the waters on the bed beside her as she dipped a rice cracker into the creamy goodness of the dip then shoved it into her mouth.
“Listen, Zahrah. I—”
Ding Dong!
Cyclops frowned. “Hold that thought.”
He left the room and jogged to the door. “Tex, Mozart? What are you guys doing here?”
“Is Zahrah here?” Mozart asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“Get her,” Tex said. “We need to talk.”
Chapter 3
Zahrah wasn’t in the mood to meet Declan’s friend. Honestly, all she wanted to really do was curl into a ball and die. Everything she’d worked for after gaining her freedom was gone. Sure, she could make more merchandise but that would take time. She’d worried for two years before she even set the store into motion.
Then one night, it was nothing but ashes.
Maybe they were right. Maybe she wouldn’t amount to anything. Maybe everything she touched would turn to hell.
To make matters worse, she barely knew Declan Stone. She didn’t want to plop herself down in the middle of his boys. When he told her the meeting was about her, she almost fell over.
“I’ll wait outside the door for you,” Declan said.
She exhaled and watched his back exit. She shoved a piece of watermelon into her mouth and chewed while fixing her hijab as best she could and rinsed her mouth before walking with Declan to meet with his friends. When she entered the room, the men stood and turned grim expressions to her. She managed a small wave but didn’t move from Declan’s side.
“Zahrah, meet Tex and Mozart.” Declan introduced them.
“John Keegan.” The man with the accent told her with a dazzling smile. “I wish we coulda met under different circumstances.”
“Sam Reed.” The other spoke up.
With introductions out of the way, she took one of the chairs and Declan stood by the window, his arms folded across his chest. “Zahrah—I don’t think I have to tell something is really wrong. The light, your attack, the fire—and I know you didn’t ask for my help but, the worries wouldn’t go away. I reached out to some friends and they found something.”
Her heart raced. She winced at the painful hum of it as she shoved her fingers under her thighs. “Okay. What did you find?”
“There ain’t no easy way to say this,” Tex said. “So am just gonna say it. Everything you’ve been through in the last little while has been because you were targeted.”
“What? So, they were on purpose.” It was more of a statement than a question. “That would explain why they lit the front door on fire then blocked the emergency exit so I couldn’t get out. They really were trying to kill me. Why?”
“There’s a bounty on your head.” Tex explained. “It was put in play by someone in Egypt.”
For a moment, she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. Her entire body was numb as the world seemed to hum loudly around her. Zahrah choked on air. “Um…” She turned to Declan. “Did he say there’s a bounty on my head?”
“It means…” Mozart started.
“I know what it means, Mozart!” Zahrah snapped. “I’m scared not stupid!”
“I’m sorry.” Tex continued. “We’re still tryin’ to find out who, but the underworld is shady as hell and there’s very little paper trail.”
“What the hell, man!” Zahrah slapped a hand against her thigh. “I’ve been good! I mind my own business. I work hard and pay my taxes—I donate to charity!”
“Kitten.”
“I’m not—I can’t. Okay? This is bullshit!”
“We’re going to figure this out.” Mozart told her.
“Okay.” Declan’s voice was a rumble. “How do we find out who?”
“The only thing we know.” Mozart stepped in. “Tex ran facial recognition on one of the guys who attacked Zahrah. We were able to get his image off the camera at the bank across the street. His name is Taloud Al-Fayed. He has connections to a bunch of underground organizations out of Egypt.”
“You mean terrorist organizations.” Zahrah pushed.
“Not necessarily.” Tex told her. “There aren’t on any lists yet. Maybe it’s because, so far, they haven’t been involved with anything on this side of the world. Or they could just be a gang in Egypt.”
“Either way, I’m sensing deadly.” Zahrah looked around at the men with her.
“They are.” Tex replied. “But we’ve dealt with people like this before.”
“What are you going to do?” Mozart asked.
Declan shrugged. “I don’t know. Zahrah and I need to talk first.”
“If you chose to go to Egypt, all I need is four hours and I can get you some back up.” Tex explained. “We have friends in Germany.”
“Germany?” Declan asked.
“GSG 9.” Tex nodded. “I have friends all over—just sayin’”
“A bounty on my head…” Zahrah muttered.
“Don’t worry.” Mozart patted her shoulder. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
“Thanks.” Zahrah managed a smile. “I’m trying to not freak out.”
Mozart nodded but it was time for him and Tex to leave. But she couldn’t concentrate. She paced one way then the next, Tex’s words raking over her brain like a poker against coals. In one turn she crashed into Declan’s chest. She didn’t step away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his back and held on tight. “I don’t want to die, Declan.”
Declan returned her embrace. “You’re not going to die.”
“How are you sure?”
“Because I won’t let you.” His voice was hard. “Now, the first thing we’re going to do, is take a look at your store. There has to be something there.”
“The cops are going through it with the fire department.” Zahrah shrugged. “We won’t find anything.”
“Let me worry about that.” Declan grunted.
She was about to say something, but her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She’d forgotten it was there and when she pulled it out, the face was cracked.
Zahrah frowned.
“Great, seven years of bad luck.” She slid the bar to the right and pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“What in the hell, Zee!” Craig cried. “Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Craig—calm down a little.” Zahrah groaned. “Listen, Craig, remember that vacation you wanted to take?”
“Zahrah, now is not the time to talk about taking time away.” Craig snapped. “Are you okay?”
“Trust me Craig.” She told him. “And yes, I’m fine. A little crispy around the edges but nothing a nice bath and a good night’s rest won’t take care of.”
“Seriously?” Craig asked in the way which told her he was irritated with her.
“I need you to do me a favour.”
“Sure.”
“That vacation, you need to take it and you need to take it now.”
“What? Why?” Craig pushed. “What’s going on?”
“I will explain later. But do this for me.”
“Zee, you’re scaring me.” Craig told her. “I’m coming over.”
She shook her head. “No, you can’t do that.”
“What the hell not?”
“I was attacked, Craig.” She explained. “I was attacked and now my store is burnt to the ground. Something isn’t right and until the police finish their investigation, I need to make sure you’re safe. And safe means I can’t come to you right now. Until we can figure out what’s going on, I can’t take the chance someone is following me.”
Craig sighed. “We?”
“It’s a long story. But let’s just say I have an army trying to help me out right out—an actual army. I don’t want to lead danger to you.”
“Come with me.” Craig pleaded. “We could be on a beach before you can say police incompetence.”
“I can’t. Please, Craig. Please.”
“What are you going to do?” Craig asked.
“I’m going away for a little while.” She told him while turning to look at Declan. “Don’t tell me where you’re going, okay? Stay for as long as you can. When it’s safe to come back, I’ll find you.”
“Zahrah…”
“I know…if you need money…”
“Girl, stop it.”
Zahrah swallowed the lump in her throat. “You’re the most important person in my life. And I need you to be safe. You’ve taken care of me for so long…”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Craig. Go now, okay. Maybe don’t book your flight until you’re at the airport or something. Just—go.”
“I promise.”
The first tear rolled down her cheeks and she boxed it away. She’d come so far—built so much and in one stupid night, it was all gone. She had to tear her friend’s life apart to save it and she couldn’t even give him a hug. Holding her breathe, Zahrah hung up.
“I’m going to Egypt.” Zahrah lifted her chin.
“Good, I’m coming with you.”
“Declan, I don’t want to ruin your life too.” Zahrah told him. “I mean, I barely know anything about you.”
“Let’s get the purple elephant, right?” Declan faced her and held her gaze. “My name is Declan Stone—former marine. I speak English and French fluently. I have one brother, Darius, currently deployed in middle east. My father has died. My mother is alive, and travelling the world—what else do you need to know?”
Zahrah tilted her head. “Why are you helping me?”
“Truth?”
She nodded.
“It’s the right thing to do.” Declan rubbed the back of his neck. “And you intrigue me.”
“I do?”
Something flashed in his eyes. As quickly as it came, it was gone. “Listen,” Declan said. “I want to do this, okay?”
Zahrah’s eyes burned with unshed tears, but she held her breath to keep them at bay. She was interested in Declan. She figured she could have had breakfast with him, see if they really matched then maybe take it from there.
“Besides.” Declan walked away from her to fall into one of the seats. “You owe me breakfast. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Okay.” She knew he was trying to make her smiled. “We’re going to Egypt.”
“Better.” Declan pulled a grey box from his pocket and removed what looked to be an earbud. He pushed it into his ear, pressed the bit hanging out of his ear. “Tex—can you get us to Egypt?”
In the dead of night, they headed to Zahrah’s place. She guided him through the back of the place after he parked a block away and made the rest of the journey on foot. When she went to turn on a light, he caught her arm.
“You’re going to have to do this in the dark,” Declan said. “Lights will tell people we’re here. We don’t want that.”
She frowned and tried storming out. Unfortunately, Zahrah only succeeded in bumping into a few things on her way from the kitchen. She found her duffle where she usually kept it, opened it and dropped it on the bed. When she packed, it was only necessities—panties, a couple pairs of jeans, a few tops, two headscarves and some money she had hidden under her mattress. If it was one thing her mother had taught her, it was to always hide a little something somewhere.
Before heading back to Declan, she ran into the bathroom and picked up her toiletries bag. There was no time to check what was in it. Besides, she had no light anyway. Zahrah merely shoved it into the side of her duffle. By the time she made it back into the kitchen, Declan was sitting on the island, eating something.
“Apple,” he said. “Want one?”
“No. Not hungry.”
He shrugged, hopped down and extended his hand for the bag. She handed it over and they were on their way again. As they exited the house out the backdoor, Declan stopped suddenly. Zahrah crashed into his back and yelped. Declan clamped a palm over her mouth.
“If we’re going to get out of this alive,” Declan growled. “I’m going to need you to keep your eyes open, and the sounds to a minimum.”
She shrugged from his arms but said nothing. What she wanted to do was lay into him, tell him off. It wasn’t like she wanted to be in the position she was in either. Instead, she pressed her lips into a thin line and followed him back toward the vehicle. This time, when he stopped, Zahrah was in tuned and didn’t slam into his back. Declan reached back and pulled her down to hunch beside him. They watched as two men shone flashlights in through the window of the jeep. They walked around it, looking into the front and the back seats. They spoke to each other then hurried across the street to another car and drove off.
Declan and Zahrah exchanged glances and were no doubt wondering the same thing. She arched a brow.
“Stay here.” Declan moved to leave her, and she caught his arm. “I’m not leaving you. I want to check something.”
She nodded and released his arm.
Declan left her bag and hurried from their hiding spot. At their vehicle, she watched as he felt against the jeep, along the handles. When it seemed as though he found nothing, Declan went down to his back and pulled his body underneath it. When he made an appearance afterward, it was to jog across the street and hunched down beside another vehicle.
Soon, he was standing beside her again.
“What was that about?” Zahrah asked.
“They were tracking us,” Declan said. “They placed tracking devices on the jeep. Something is going on here, Zahrah, something big. These people aren’t amateurs.”
“I want to know why I’m so special.” Zahrah muttered. “I don’t like this. I’ve finally had my life how I wanted it and they ripped everything away from me.”
Declan gritted his teeth, nodded and picked up her bag. “Okay—let’s find them and ask them.”
Though she wanted to say more, the anger bubbling from deep inside pushed words toward her lips, Zahrah said nothing. She nodded and walked by his side back to the jeep. Declan tossed her back into the back and made a phone call.
“Tex,” Declan said. “I’m putting you on speaker.”
“Got it. No dirty jokes.” Tex’s voice boomed through the speakers in the jeep.
Declan shook his head. “You’re one of those, huh?”
“One of those?”
“Assholes.”
Tex laughed. “You live and you learn, Brother. What you need?”
“They had trackers on my jeep.” Declan explained.
“Don’t move it yet,” Tex said. “Lemme scan it.”
“You can do that?” Declan asked.
“Want me to tell you what colour underwear you’re wearing?” Tex’s voice dropped and octave.
Declan groaned but Zahrah managed to chuckle.
“Tex.”
“You’re no fun.” The computer genius sighed dramatically. “Hold on…”
Both Zahrah and Declan exchanged glances but neither said anything. They waited in the awkward silence of the jeep until Tex’s voice sounded again.
; “Found one—spare at the back of the jeep.”
“Shit.” Declan pushed from the front seat and she twisted to watch him. This time he hurried across the street and placed the bug on the same vehicle as before. When he crawled back in, he cleared his throat. “Now?”
“You’re clean. Listen, get back to your place. Mozart is on his way with a care package.” Tex explained. “I called in a favour with a friend and he’s letting us borrow his private jet for this little mission. It’ll take you as far as Germany then you’re going to have to find your way from there. But I know some people who may be able to help you.”
“Germany?” Zahrah asked. “That’s still a good four-hour flight away”
“I know,” Declan said. “But if we fly straight into Egypt there will be red flags. We want to avoid questions and extra attention.”
Declan turned on the engine and flipped the car into drive. He peeled from the parking spot and Zahrah scrambled to get on her seatbelt. Declan handled the vehicle like a racer, zooming in and out of traffic. She stifled a scream with her palm and clamped her legs together. He glanced at her but not for long before his eyes were back on the road. He only slowed once he turned on his street. Instead of going through the front, Declan parked in the back. He gathered the bag, took Zahrah’s hand and made their way through a back entrance and up the elevator.
When they were finally in his place, he dropped her bag on the sofa. They were barely settled when someone knocked. Declan hurried to the door and peeked out.
He pulled it open and Mozart stepped by him.
Zahrah wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be doing. Instead of leaving the room, she fell into one of the chairs as Mozart tossed a massive bag at Declan. Declan caught it and immediately zipped it open.
“Okay, we managed to scrape a few things together.” Mozart explained. “If the identities get burnt, we’ll see about finding you others.”
“Burnt?” Zahrah asked.
Declan handed her a passport and she flipped it open. “Um…who is this?”
“For the next little while, it’s you.” Mozart leaned back in his chair. “We don’t want to draw attention to your movements. The longer we can keep these people in the dark, the better.”
Zahrah sighed.
Defending Zahrah Page 3