Captive- Veiled Desires (18 page)

Amy shook her head, covering her brow tiredly.

“Mr Mulholland,” she began.

“Perhaps, it would be better if we started speaking with each other on a first name basis.”

“Well, then… Travis.” She swallowed nervously. “I found something that may prove I have a vested interest in Nora’s life. It’s her will. And she has nominated me as her beneficiary.”

“Well…,” he said. “That does change some things.”

“I want to know where Nora is.”

“Amy, you need to post a certified copy of her will to us.” He cited an address.

“Will you tell me where Nora is then?” she asked as she jotted down the address.

“Amy, let’s wait for her will first. I will then talk to my supervisor and we will proceed from there.”

“That’s not good enough. Each day you’re delaying looking for her puts her at more risk.”

“We’re not a search party, Amy. We can though make some queries about her travels. But like I’ve said before, Nora traveled to Kashmir despite our travel warnings. In such case, we cannot take the responsibility to find her.”

“If you won’t do it, then who will?!” she seethed.

“I know it’s not the answer you’re looking for, Amy. But we have procedures… guidelines.”

She nodded with frustration. “Fine, I understand.”

She ended the call and glanced up sadly at Jake. He walked up to her and took her in his arms.

“One step at a time, Amy. But we will find her. I promise you, we will.”

She wished she could talk to Amy. She would know what she was supposed to do.

Nora paced the length of her bedroom impatiently. He didn’t return to their room last night and this should have been a good thing. She didn’t want complications brewing with her captor.  She wanted to return home, free from any attachments.

So, why was she absolutely worried about him? She peeked through the curtains, hoping she would catch a glimpse of him. She couldn’t see him and her heart sank.

She must be losing her mind. Adam Afridi was the last man she should ever fall in love with. It wasn’t like she was his
real
wife; no matter how many times Adam asserted that she was. And she didn’t want to live in Afghanistan forever. This was not her home.

She let out a frustrating grunt. Why was she even considering this? “I’m a captive and I want to go home,” she said. But her chanting did nothing to curb that anxiety growing in the pit of her stomach. And when he rapped on her door and called out her name, she had to stop herself from throwing it open and leaping into his arms.

“He’s back,” she let out with relief. “He’s back.”

HAPTER 1
5

He stepped into the room, unsure of what he was supposed to do. He had revealed his love for her yesterday and somehow, instead of easing the tension between them, it had elevated the already existing awkwardness. Had he been too rash?

It was done, he decided as he moved closer to her.
Not too close, Adam
, he told himself. He still needed space to maintain some respectable control. Otherwise, he was more than likely to pull her into his arms and kiss her again. To devour her mouth; those luscious lips… to have her writhe and moan beneath him, to touch her flesh… to caress it, to taste it.

His cock throbbed uncomfortably in his pants and he turned slightly in the fear she might notice how hard he was getting on just seeing her.

“I need a bath,” he muttered. “I’ll try to be out of your way as soon as I can.”

He moved past her and towards the bathroom.

“Adam,” she said quickly. “You don’t have to rush. It is after all your room.”

He stopped. “And not yours?”

“I don’t belong here, Adam.  I… I want to go home,” she stuttered.

“I suppose I’ve received your response. It wasn’t the one I was hoping for though.”  A pain stabbed in his chest. She didn’t love him. But how could she? She barely knew him after all. And it wasn’t like she had freely walked into his life. She was coerced into a marriage with him, something she would always resent. She hated him. She would always hate him for what he had done to her.

“Adam, please…”

“No need to explain. I won’t bother you anymore.”

He marched hastily over to the bathroom.  A bath might probably ease his hurting pride a bit. He closed the door behind him and stared down at the bucket of water. He had imprisoned her in primitive conditions. How could he possibly expect her to reciprocate his feelings? Did he expect her to see past her crude circumstances and fall in love with him? Was he expecting a miracle? Because those never happened.

She heard the water splash over his body and her own body trembled from the pleasurable torture of the image those sounds created of him.  Who was she kidding? She wanted him badly. She groaned as she threw herself into her bed. She pulled a pillow over her head, trying to drown out the sounds of his bathing.

The sounds finally stopped and she straightened up quickly, impatiently waiting for him to emerge.

He stepped out, his towel wrapped tightly around his lower waist. Her eyes roamed deliciously over his torso and down to his pelvis. Beads of water clung to his wet skin and all she wanted to do right now was to lick them up with the tip of her tongue. A shiver ran up her as she imagined tasting his flesh, moving her mouth silkily over his skin.

He walked up to the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt. She turned away, blushing slightly as he dressed himself in clear view of her.  His towel dropped to the floor and she glanced up slyly, catching a glimpse of his buttocks.

He raised his eyes, catching her watching him. She reddened, moving to the end of the room.

“You know, you could use the bathroom to change,” she pretended to grumble.

“I didn’t think it mattered because you weren’t interested in me,” he said as he zipped up his jeans.

“I’m not. But regardless, it is uncomfortable.”

“It’s more uncomfortable dressing in a wet bathroom.” He sighed as he combed his wet hair with his fingers. “Nora, I… yesterday…,” he stammered.

“Yesterday, I thought over and over about what you said… about us.” She licked her lips nervously. “Adam, can’t you see? I… I want to love you. But I can’t possibly think about that when all the time I’m worried about is never seeing my friends and family again. Let me go. Please.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?!” she demanded, her anger growing inside her again.

He looked at her with equal ire in his eyes. “You think you will love me if I let you go home? You know very well I don’t stand a chance if I do that. You will never look at me again. You’d probably cringe every time you’d think of me.”

“That’s not true. Adam, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. You’ve protected me and I acknowledge that. But I have never understood why a good man like you is doing in a place such as this. Nor do I understand why you need to keep me imprisoned here.”

“You are not imprisoned. You have the freedom to roam the grounds of the property as you wish.”

“Just not go home,” she said tiredly.

“There are reasons, Nora. And I promise to tell you why one day. But for now, all I’m asking you to do is to trust me.”

“Believe me, I’m trying very hard.” She shook her head sorrowfully. “But you’re making this so difficult for me.”

He cupped her face tenderly. “I’m sorry. I never wanted you to suffer. But I’m bound. You’re my wife and it’s my duty to make sure you’re protected.”

She shook his hands off her angrily. “Will you quit saying that?! I am
not
your wife.”

“Perhaps, you don’t see me as your husband. But I cannot ignore the fact we married according to proper Afghan laws.”

“And yet you will ignore the fact that I did not give my consent to this marriage. Why do you only choose to recognize what you want to believe? Don’t I matter at all?”

“Of course you do. But Nora, like I said, I can’t explain it to you yet.”

“And I’m supposed to trust and wait for you until then. Be the perfect, obedient and submissive Afghan wife. But I am neither Afghan nor wife. Let me go home, Adam. I’m begging you!”

“I cannot.” He lowered his head. “Nora, I…”

But she slapped him sharply across his face. “You’re a liar!” she minced angrily. “You don’t love me! If you did, you wouldn’t do this to me. You would give me my freedom. I can’t believe I even considered loving you. I hate you!”

He turned and collected his wallet and keys quietly.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” she babbled, his silence incensing her anger even more.

He strode towards the door.

“So, this is how it is going to be?” she raged. “You’ve said what you needed and now you’re going to leave me here for your whore in Kabul. I wish you’d just stay with her, whoever she is and never come back here! I wish I wouldn’t have to see you ever again!”

He hesitated near the door. “And maybe you won’t.”

“What?” she asked, unsure of what he was trying to say but then brushed it aside. “Adam, please be reasonable-”

“Nora, I might never come back,” he said, cutting her off. He braced his neck, taking in deep breaths as if he was struggling to contemplate something.

“Adam?” she asked, fear creeping into her as she watched him. “What are you saying?”

“If… if that happens,” he continued as if he hadn’t heard her.  “Two men will come for you. They will help you escape and take you back home. Don’t resist. But in case they don’t show-up, there is a four by four in the garage. The key is under the carpet of the rear passenger seat behind the driver seat. I’ve stocked it with enough water and food to last you the journey. Can you read a map?”

“What… I,” she stammered, suddenly baffled by the turn in their argument.

“Can you read a map, Nora?” he asked more severely.

“Yes.” She licked her lips nervously. “Yes.”

“Good.” He let out a sigh of relief. “You’ll find one in the glove box, inside an economics magazine.  Follow the route marked in it. It’ll take you to a man called Ian Wright. He will help you out of Afghanistan and get you back to the U.S. Have you understood all that?”

She stared at him in a daze.

“Nora, did you understand everything I’ve told you?”

She nodded profusely. “Yes.”

“When you receive the news of my death, you’ll have a window of approximately eight hours to escape. Don’t hesitate. I don’t think anyone will stop you when that happens. Despite this, work as stealthily as possible. You never know. After eight hours, chaos will break out and I don’t want you here caught in the midst of it. You’ll be more harshly treated than the local women. And should Mateen get his hands on you,…” He paused, rubbing his brow.

A shiver ran up her spine at the mere mention of the name.
Mateen.
She had prayed she would never see him again.

“I’m sorry, Nora,” he whispered. “I wanted to protect you forever. Forgive me if you can.” He walked out the door, leaving her frozen at her feet and locked in a state of stupor.

“What are you doing?” Jake asked as Amy ruffled through her cabinet.

“Looking for an envelope,” she said. “I need to post a copy of this will.”

“Have you certified it?”

“I did. And from a notary public too in case they created another fuss.”

“You might want to courier it so that it gets there faster. It would be safer too.”

“It’s okay. He told me to deliver it personally at a local post office box at 2pm,” she said as slipped the paper into an envelope. “It’s only around the corner. It won’t take me long.”

“What do you mean he said to deliver it personally?” He raised his brow. “Did you say local?”

“Yeah, who knew they would have an office here in Chicago.” She shrugged. “I suppose there is a team in every state to deal with such matters.”

“What’s the address?”

She tossed over the envelope. “Can you drive me there? I’ll just change into a better tee shirt.”

P.O. Box 81352
, he read quietly as he nipped his lips.

“Amy,” he said out aloud. “Don’t you think this entire scenario is suspicious?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, tugging her spaghetti strapped shirt down her breasts.

“First of all, it’s a government department. Why would they have a regular post box?”

“The City of Chicago has a regular mail box,” she said, trying to make sense of what he was saying. “A lot of government departments have regular post boxes.”

“That is different,” he remarked. “The office itself has a government mailing address. Why would it have a private one here in Chicago then?”