“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “I want it all out and done.” He nodded. I looked at Luke. “What happened to all the girls when he no longer needed them.” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear the answer.
“Once they reached the age of thirteen, Kabir sold them to the highest bidder to do with as they pleased,” Zarina replied instead.
Silently, I cried for those girls wondering if they were lucky to get a savior like me. “Why did he keep Mama or me then?” I asked, frowning.
“You were the last child born, Cinder,” Luke said. “Because your mother was Zarina’s child, Kabir said he felt closer to her. It’s why he kept her, allowed Zarina to visit with her, to teach her, and when you were born, he allowed the two of you to bond.”
“Why?” I asked.
Luke’s gaze drifted between me, Zarina, and Kabir. “Zarina, care to elaborate?”
“I thought it was because he was getting old, and with the increased scourge of human trafficking, supply and demand became an issue,” Zarina muttered sarcastically. “After hearing the stupid fuck was waiting for your tears all these years, I’m not sure.” She glowered at her brother.
“I gave you Rahim, didn’t I?” Unaffected by anything, Kabir said calmly.
“After you fucking tagged him so I would do your bidding,” she bit out.
My gaze shifted between the brother and sister. “Who’s Rahim? What bidding and what’s tagged?” Confused, I looked at Luke.
“Kabir inserts little chips into the children of the people who work for him, Ella,” Xavier explained. “He threatens to harm their children if they don’t do what he asks of them—his bidding. The chip not only allows him to track their whereabouts, it also contains a self-destruct feature that releases poison into the children’s bloodstream if they defy him. He receives a warning signal if their parents attempt to remove it without professional help.”
At his explanation, my gaze flew to Luke. “Oh, my God, is that what he did to your daughter to make you guard me?” Luke nodded. “I’m so sorry.” I stepped closer and gently squeezed his arm.
“It’s okay.” He smiled.
I looked at Zarina, remembering the night of the Blackhall event. Kabir had mentioned Rahim. “Rahim is your son, isn’t he?”
She nodded. “I got sick of selling children for Kabir, so I left him, fell in love, and married. A year later, I had a baby. Kabir visited, and thinking he was happy for me, I stupidly allowed him to stay for a few days. After he left, I got a call saying that if I didn’t come back to work for him, Rahim would die. I couldn’t get out and why that night at Blackhall, I wanted to sell you.”
“Payback?” Xavier gritted from behind me.
Zarina nodded. “I’m sorry, Cinder. I was just mad that he wouldn’t release Rahim of that chip, so I wanted to steal you from him, knowing you were his prized possession. If it’s any consolation, I delayed those boats tonight without Kabir knowing. I gave them the wrong pick-up point to give Wilkes time to get to you.”
I frowned. “You helped Wilkes?” I asked, looking from her to Wilkes. He nodded.
“Yes,” Zarina replied. “When he caught up with me in Turkey, I told him everything Kabir did. He promised to help me get free if I led him to Kabir when the time was right.”
Kabir went red in the face like he was about to keel over and die. “You fucking bitch,” he roared. “I should’ve fucking killed you when I had the chance.”
“Payback’s a whore, brother. Pity she fucked you over.” Zarina laughed. “Thank God I didn’t sell you that night, Cinder.” She sobered. “The last child is my grandchild. Wow.”
“But why?” I asked, upset. “Why was I the last child? Why did you keep me for so much longer than the other children.” I yelled at Kabir.
He laughed. “Your eyes, kitten, were the window to my soul.”
Frustrated, I looked from Luke to Zarina, hoping they would say something.
“It’s because of me and my brother,” Tahir finally spoke up, and my head snapped to him.
“You and your brother?” I asked, confused.
“We’re Kabir’s twins,” he said proudly.
I gasped at the same time Xavier cursed. “You’re Kabir’s son?” Xavier snorted, looking at Wilkes for confirmation.
“Sorry, sir, there was never anything on file to tie him to Kabir,” Wilkes replied.
I looked at Tahir. “How could you forgive your father for what he did to you?”
