Defending Zahrah

by Kendra Mei Chailyn

  The thought crushed him for he knew it would break Zahrah’s heart. Cyclops prayed Hadeel was just a lackey.

  Arms snaked around him and Cyclops sighed. He didn’t have to look to know it was Zahrah. Her soft body, the smell of her—he moaned and turned in her arms. Instead of backing away, she pressed into him, rested her head against his chest and held on tight.

  “Couldn’t sleep?” Cyclops asked.

  “My brother is trying to kill me.” Her voice trembled.

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  “You heard that tape.” Zahrah shivered. “There is nothing else. He hates me. Why would he side with Gulzar when he knows what that man did to me?”

  Cyclops sighed and held her tighter. There was nothing he could say to reason with that. If he had a sister who complained some man raped her, the first thing Cyclops would do was cut his balls off not become his best friend.

  He remained that way with her for a while. Her closeness aroused him and made him think back to the moment she’d kissed him. Though he wanted to run, Cyclops held onto her until she stepped back on her own. When she looked up at him, the moon was vibrant in her gaze. The softness she sent his way weakened him, stole his control and he was left wanting.

  “Zahrah…”

  “Yes.” She whispered. “The answer is yes.”

  “But you don’t know what I wanted to ask.”

  “You wanted to know if you could kiss me.”

  “How?”

  “This moment, Declan. I feel things when I’m with you and though they are confusing and scary, I know you’re the only man who can make them behave.”

  Cyclops lowered his lips to her. This time, though he tried being tender, all he managed was a growl before plunging his tongue into the warmth of her mouth. He thought for sure she’d pull back, change her mind about offering up her lips so willingly. Instead, she fisted the front of his shirt, tilted her neck back and met his passions like a woman on a mission.

  Cyclops’ knees trembled. He leaned his back to the wall, trying to stay on his feet, trying not to scoop Zahrah into his arms and bring her back to one of the bedrooms. He had to remember she was hurt before and he couldn’t be like the man who’d taken from her something she didn’t want to give him. So, he settled for the kiss, for her mouth moving along his jawline down to his throat. The fire her tongue sent through him was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. In that moment, the heat of the desert country was nothing as he smoldered to ashes for her.

  He pulled his mouth away from hers and bowed his forehead to her nose. “Damn, Kitten.” He rasped. “We should stop.”

  “Really?”

  “Because if we don’t, we’ll end up doing things we shouldn’t.” He panted, loving the feeling of her breath on him. “I’m so hot for you right now. But my brother is here, which is for the best because I don’t think I could control myself otherwise.”

  “Okay…” She turned to head inside but he caught her arm and tugged her back to his chest. “Declan, I’m really embarrassed right now.”

  “Why?”

  “I all but threw myself at you. You see I’m a woman, right? I know I may not look like it.”

  “Stop that. You stop that right now.” He cleared his throat. “There is no way I can miss how much of a woman you are. But Kitten, I’m trying to do the right thing here.” He cleared his throat.

  “And what is that.”

  “I don’t know.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “But even though the lines are blurred right now, I have to put you ahead of what my body needs. Please…I’m trying to do right.”

  “I know.” Zahrah bowed her head while caressing up his arm. “And I adore you for it. I just wanted to be in your arms—is that so bad? Is that want something I should be ashamed of, especially after Gulzar? I know being with a man shouldn’t be terrifying—you confirm it for me every time you look at me like you are now.”

  Cyclops looked away. He couldn’t without wanting to tear her clothes off.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  He nodded and met her gaze.

  “After this is over—if I were to come to you and ask you to make love to me…”

  “And I was sure you meant it…”

  “Sure.”

  “Yes.” His voice cracked. “I would give you everything you needed from me and my body. But right now, I will have to settle for another kiss then I should go and switch places with Darius.”

  Zahrah gave him a dazzling smile and pushed to her tiptoes. “Remember your promise, Declan.”

  “To get you home safely?”

  “No…the other one.”

  Cyclops smirked. “I’ll remember.”

  She kissed him. This time Cyclops gave her the control to give him as much or as little as she would like. When she backed away, he dropped a chaste smooch to her nose and turned for the door. “Don’t stay out here too long. It’s hotter than hell.”

  “I won’t.”

  He gave her a final look and though tempted to rush in for another kiss, he made his way out to the front of the house. Ronin peeled himself out of the dark and approached him at the bottom of the steps.

  “Did you talk to Thunder again?”

  “Yes. He will be here,” Ronin said. “You’re falling for her, aren’t you?”

  Cyclops turned away from his brother. “I can’t seem to stop myself.”

  “Well.” Ronin sighed. “Let’s keep her alive and bring her home. Then the two of you can figure out what you are to each other.”

  “What are your feelings about it? Her and I, I mean.”

  “You’re a grown man, Cyclops.” Ronin told him in a tired voice. “You have to be able to figure this out for yourself. If Sunshine is the one who answers your soul’s call, then who am I to be against it? All I want is for you to be happy and safe.”

  “You’ve never told me that before.”

  “I didn’t think I had to. I’m your brother—I assumed you knew loving and protecting you came with the job description.”

  Cyclops smiled and hugged Ronin. “Get some sleep.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Ronin jogged up the stairs and Cyclops took his place in the darkness.

  “You look like hell.” Tex leaned closer to his computer screen to peer at Cyclops. “Didn’t you sleep last night? I thought Ronin was there with you?”

  “He is.” Cyclops yawned while reaching for his coffee. “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “I heard you called in Thunder,” Tex said. “He should be landing any minute now. He has to stop to get you some gear first and then he’ll be on his way.”

  “You have connections here?” Cyclops asked.

  “You’re new, so I’ll look past that. But usually it’s best you don’t ask questions.”

  Cyclops nodded and smirked.

  “You asked me to look into Zahrah’s family.” Tex’s face slipped to the side of the laptop’s screen as different pages began opening on the it. “Y’all better sit down for this—‘specially you, Zahrah.”

  He exchanged looks with her and she fell into the sofa beside him as if her legs gave out.

  “All right.” Tex made one screen bigger.

  They peered in. Though his Arabic wasn’t one hundred percent, Cyclops frowned as Zahrah’s hand found her mouth. Tears toppled down her cheeks and Cyclops drew her into his arms.

  “A death certificate?” Ronin asked.

  “When did her father die?” Cyclops asked. He wasn’t really good with Arabic numbers. Ronin hadn’t gotten around to teach him yet.

  “About ten months ago,” Tex replied.

  “How?” Zahrah squeaked.

  “They are saying natural causes.” Tex continued typing away. “It’s very vague. I’ve been digging and there wasn’t an autopsy. I mean, you find a man dead in his home and no one checked to see if it was foul play? I’ve been doin’ this for a minute and how these countries operate still boggles my mine.”

 
Zahrah pressed her face into Cyclops’ neck. All he could do was hold her until the trembling stopped.

  “Another thing.” Tex began.

  “Of course, there is.” Ronin growled.

  Tex pressed his lips in a thin line before continuing. “He changed his will right before he died.”

  “Are you sure he did?” Zahrah asked.

  “Yes.” Tex replied. “We had Zero authenticate the signature and you father did sign it. He left an inheritance for your older brother, Farhad who gets half and you get the other half. It seems your father cut Hadeel out of his will completely. Farhad has been to trying find you, but it seems someone has been sabotaging his search.”

  “How do you know that?” Ronin asked.

  “Long story. But, needless to say, there are so many things going on in that main house.” Tex frowned as another window popped up. “Right now, it seems Farhad has fallen off the face of the earth. There hasn’t been any movement on his credit cards or bank accounts in three weeks. Hadeel is now running the family’s company and he’s not doing a good job.”

  “Do you think…” Zahrah started but the rest of her words seemed to have died in her throat.

  “Don’t think about that now,” Cyclops said.

  “I want to see my father’s grave,” Zahrah said, defiantly. “I want to see where they laid him to rest.”

  “Cyclops?” Tex asked.

  Cyclops nodded. Though he was pretty sure they would expect her to go there, he couldn’t very well say no. They didn’t give her a chance to say goodbye before he wasn’t about to take this chance away from her.

  “What’s your plan?” Tex asked.

  “Send me the address and directions to the grave. I’m going to take, Zahrah to her father’s grave.” Cyclops explained. “Since Thunder is on his way, give him a heads up and send him our way. He and Ronin will run backup just in case we walk into an ambush.”

  Tex nodded and started typing again. “I’ll see what I can find and check on Zero’s ETA.”

  After Tex returned to his rabbit hole, Cyclops turned to Ronin who nodded knowingly and left the room. Cyclops framed Zahrah’s face and smiled.

  “I know this feels like they just dropped a house on you,” he said. “But I’m going to need you to be strong for just a little while longer. They will be expecting you to go see your father and I’m pretty sure we’re walking into a trap.”

  “Maybe we should wait.”

  “Wait until?”

  Zahrah shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Chances are when this is over, we’re going to have to run out of here. You probably won’t get another opportunity. So, we do this now.”

  Before she could reply, Ronin returned with a black bag. He set it on the floor in front of them and pulled out two guns. Cyclops released her and began suiting up. Though he knew Zahrah hated weapons, he still handed her a silver Glock.

  “I don’t know anything about guns.” She told him.

  “You may not need to use it,” Cyclops said. “But I prefer you have it and don’t need it, than not have it and need it. All you have to do, is remove the safety here, point and squeeze the trigger.”

  When she nodded, Cyclops set to work in strapping a holster around her hips and shoving the gun into it. Once he was done, she pulled her shirt over it.

  “We should go,” Ronin said.

  The discomfort grew inside Cyclops’ chest the closer they drew to their destination. Though he knew this could end badly, he was prepared. He shoved two Glocks into his thigh holsters, a Ruger LC9 into his hip holster and the blade he’d used the first night they arrived in Egypt. He ensured his light trench was concealing the weapons but while he went directly to the tombstone with Zahrah, Ronin remain in the covers of the trees, watching.

  The moment Zahrah arrived, she fell to her knees in front of the stone and bowed her forehead to the dirt. He wanted to hold her hand, to help with the grief that rocked her body while she sobbed, but Cyclops was busy watching the people around them.

  The air was hot but not as it was the night before. The sun was hiding somewhere behind some menacing looking storm clouds. Still, he couldn’t focus on the weather unless something major shifted in the air. He studied the old lady placing dandelions on a grave and wondered who did that?

  A man dressed like a soldier stood rigid in front of another and about five stones away, a woman stood with a little girl, staring down at the rock in front of her. He took a moment to look at Zahrah who was whispering, what he assumed was a prayer, the bowing her head all the way down to the earth again.

  When he looked up again, there was a man at the edge of the site.

  “Nine o’clock,” Ronin said into Cyclops’ ear.

  “I see him.” Cyclops turned to look straight ahead but kept the man in the corner of his eye.

  Zahrah stood and moved to his side. That was when the made his move and lifted a gun toward them. Cyclops wrapped an arm around Zahrah’s hips, grabbed his gun with the other then shifted so she spun out of harm’s way. When he lifted the weapon and fired, it clocked the man in the shoulder but not enough to stop him.

  Zahrah shrieked but Cyclops pulled her behind him. The other people in the cemetery took off as fast as they could but the shooter kept right on coming. The loud book of Ronin’s Taurus echoed through the silence and Cyclops glanced back to see his brother had taken out another man.

  Ronin slipped back into the trees and Cyclops moved through the lane of stones, gun trained and waited for the man to stick his head out from behind the large angel he was hiding behind. When he did, Cyclops placed a bullet between his eyes. Blood splattered the white stone of the angel, and the man hit the ground hard.

  There wasn’t time to breathe for a pullet grazed the angel. He pushed Zahrah out of harm’s way to hunch down behind a large stone then swerved in the direction of the firing. He managed to get the guy in the chest right as Ronin’s gun went off again.

  “Declan! Behind you!” Zahrah screamed.

  He made a mental note to spank her later for disobeying.

  Two arms wrapped around him from behind and he sent his head slamming backward. Though it hurt like hell, the man yowled in pain, released him and staggered away. Cyclops turn in a roundhouse to the side of his head before kicking the man in the knee and slamming a fist in the side of his head. Cyclops’ attacker fell just as a bullet grazed the ground beside Cyclops’ foot. He dove into the spot beside Zahrah.

  “Where is he?” Cyclops asked.

  “I don’t have a clear shot,” Ronin replied. “Shit—on the move.”

  “Tell me.” Cyclops insisted.

  “Your six o’clock. I’m gonna draw him out with fire. When I do, go low.”

  Cyclops inhaled. “Roger.”

  In no time at all, the familiar sound of the Taurus roared through the air. When it did, there was a follow up with a less powerful weapon. Cyclops twisted, rose upward and fired. This time, he managed to get the man in the shoulder then the back of the head.

  When he glanced over to where his brother should be, Ronin was tousling with an attacker. Cyclops moved to help but remembered he had Zahrah with him. He picked up a stone and sent it sailing into the man’s back. He shouted in pain and was momentarily distracted for Ronin to get him in a choke hold.

  “Stop struggling.” Ronin warned. “Last warning, stop—struggling!”

  But he didn’t listen.

  Ronin choked him until he passed out. Knowing they could probably get some information out of him, Cyclops didn’t strangle the fool. Instead, he tossed the man over his shoulder like a sack while Ronin helped Zahrah up. Heading back to the car, stepping over bodies, they moved as quickly as they could until a distinct sound echoed through the air. It wasn’t the boom of a gun. Most people wouldn’t have recognized it. But being a sniper in a war zone, the noise caused Cyclops to turn around.

  Both men stepped in to use their bodies to protect Zahrah, but they didn’t need to. The sound of
a bullet tearing through bone and brain matter should have told them so. A man dressed in black slipped to his knees. Cyclops noticed the hole through his head and arched a brow.

  “Oh, the roar of Thunder.” Ronin muttered.

  Cyclops studied the trees across the way until he saw Thunder move before continuing to the car.

  “So, we’re not going to talk about the man with the hole in his head?” Zahrah asked. “Whoever shot him could have killed us.”

  “Trust me, Sunshine, though Thunder probably have many reasons to want me dead, he wasn’t aiming for us.” Ronin opened the trunk and Cyclops dropped the man in. Ronin didn’t speak again until after the trunk was locked. “If Thunder wanted us dead…”

  “We’d be dead?” Zahrah asked.

  “Precisely.” Cyclops looked around. “Get into the car.”

  “What about your friend?” She asked.

  “No need to worry.” Cyclops said. “He’s long gone.”

  Chapter 11

  When they pulled up to the house, a man kind of peel himself from the trees to the left. Zahrah reached for Declan’s thigh but he only lifted her hand and kissed it. She saw why he wasn’t worried the moment Darius climbed from the back seat, darted over to the Asian man and all but leapt into his arms.

  “Thunder?” She asked.

  “Yes. They’ve known each other since they were children,” Declan explained. “But at nineteen, Thunder went back to Japan to enlist in the military there.”

  “Did he have to do that?”

  “No. But that’s the kind of man he’s always been.” Declan kissed her hand again before releasing it. “Come on. You should meet him.”

  As they inched closer to where Darius and Thunder were in deep conversation, Zahrah couldn’t help noticing how handsome the newcomer was. Everything from his jet-black hair that was cut neatly and shoved back off his forehead, to his height and the way his brown eyes read through her—all of it made Thunder one of the sexiest men she’d ever seen. Not as hot as Declan—her cheeks heated—but up there.

  The introductions weren’t done until they were in the house with the doors locked. Even then, Darius and Thunder went through the house with guns strapped to their thighs. When they returned without incident, Darius took the job of introducing us.