"Holy shit. The Don's son...he died around the same time as Max. Their funerals were a few weeks apart," I recall.
"Aye. Once I realized who I had killed, the heir to the Greek mafia, I called Cyrus in a panic. He assured me he would handle everything. Make it look like a drug deal gone bad to avoid an all-out war between our two organizations. So long as I was willing to help him in the future. His words may have been thinly veiled in empathy but I saw the look in his eyes. He was thrilled to find me in such a compromising position. Thrilled that I would be at his beck and call. To this day, I'm convinced he knew what I would do once I crossed paths with the man who was responsible for Max's murder. I played right into his hand." Aidan hangs his head in shame.
Dear God. A war with the Greeks. Few mafias had the resources to annihilate us, but they were one of them. "He played us all."
"And he continues to. I swear on my life, Declan, I had no idea that he was the one who killed Naser and our father. Dad and I may not have always seen eye to eye, but I loved him," Aidan pleads with me to believe him.
And I do. I may want to rip his head off for the damage he’s caused, but his explanation sounded more like the Aidan I knew. One who loved with such ferocity that sometimes it consumed him and led to idiotic choices.
"What was the favor he asked of you?"
"To keep him updated on Zahra's whereabouts at all times.And who she was talking to. At first, I figured he was just being protective of his new boss...but over time, I couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was going on. I didn't ask any questions though. I just kept my head down and did what I was told, like a good soldier." He rolls his eyes. "He always acted jumpy whenever Uncle Lorkan came around. I assumed they hated each other, but it seems like Lorkan was onto him this whole time."
"Fucking Lorkan," I sigh.
"This past day has been an absolute mindfuck," I groan, dragging my hands across my face. I understand my brother better now, but I don't think I'd be able to see him as anything other than a traitor. At least not until Zahra was safely back in my arms. "How do we get her back?" I plead, desperation in my voice.
Aidan's response is deeply unsatisfying. "We wait for him to reach out."
"What if he doesn't?" My tongue is as dry as the desert.
"He will. We're all a part of his circus now. And there's nothing he loves more than getting to act as a ringmaster."
45
ZAHRA
Sensory deprivation is already getting to me. I tried my best to keep track of time, counting seconds in my head, but it's easy to convince yourself you're wrong. How long have I been inside this room? Hours? Days? Weeks?
Cyrus' men sporadically open the door to throw in some stale bread or a small bowl of water. The bucket in the corner serves as my bathroom. Despite how miserable I am, I’d stay here a thousand years if it meant keeping Declan safe.
He can't find me. Hewon'tfind me. I’m determined to make it so. I refuse to let Cyrus use me as a pawn in his game, refused to be the reason why Declan gets murdered. My nightmares are filled with images of his cold, dead face. Every time I would discover his limp body, I'd jolt awake, finding myself shaking and covered in sweat. The last time I woke, I swear I heard a deep chuckle come from the connecting room, as if they were watching me fall apart. I stopped crying because I refused to give them the satisfaction.
The screeching sound of the door scraping across the barren concrete floor sends a chill down my spine, and thebright light coming in from the room beyond nearly blinds me. Cyrus walks in first and sneers down at me as I sit chained to the floor. "It's time to be reunited with your husband."
Declan? Is he here? No. I refuse to believe it. I squash down the feeling of hope that fills my chest. Cyrus will kill Declan the second he lays eyes on him. I need to keep Declan as far away as possible, no matter how much I miss him. No matter how badly I want to tell him I love him. I should have said it before I left. Now I may never get the chance.
"Pick her up, and make sure there's no slack on those chains," Cyrus orders his men, refusing to do his own dirty work.
With the light filling the room, I could now see the large purple bruises around his neck. "Are you scared to get close to me, Cyrus? I promise I won't choke you as hard this time," I snort, relishing in how red his face turned.
Cyrus' eyes nearly pop out of his head in rage. His hand flies across my mouth, and I taste copper. "That is your first and last warning, girl." He pulls a gun out from the holster and aims it at my temple. "No more funny business, or I'll splatter your brains out in front of your husband and the rest of your inner circle."
I slam my mouth shut, not for my own sake but for that of my family. I need to be strong and unwavering because that is what they need from me.
The two massive guards remove the long chains that keep me trapped in the room, leaving me with only handcuffs around my wrists and shackles on my feet. Cyrus leads me into the security room where they've been watching me, keeping his gun aimed at my temple.
A rush of relief comes over my whole body when I realize Declan isn't physically here. Instead, he's being broadcast on a large screen. To his left and right are Azula and Arman,respectively. Declan's eyes meet mine and I can see them start to fill with tears as he takes in my expression.
"I look that bad, huh?" I attempt to keep my tone light, but my voice is riddled with pain.
"There's not a single moment that I've ever thought you were anything less than stunning, love. I just miss you is all." Declan's smooth, silky voice comes through the speakers, and immediately, I feel more settled and ready to brace whatever comes next.
"Ah, young love, so silly and impractical." Cyrus snickers.
Declan reels as he finally takes in the barrel of the gun aimed at my head and the man who’s responsible for causing us so much pain. "I swear on my entire being and soul, Cyrus, if you harm even another hair on her head, I will?—"
"You will do nothing!" Cyrus snarls, grabbing the back of my head and yanking my hair hard enough to draw a wince from me. Declan's face turns white in horror. "You have no power here, Declan. You don't get to make demands. I do. And if you ever forget that, I'll put a bullet through her head faster than you can blink. Do. Not. Test. Me."
