Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Melina’s off to the side, dolled up and pretty in a stunning silver sequined dress. Annoyed and unimpressed, she’s lying cross-armed over the bar, sipping at whatever drink is in front of her.
I make my way to the table.
“There he is, the big man himself.” Nasir’s drunk. I can hear it on every slurred word. “I was just telling my new father here about you.”
Henry bursts out into a fit of laughter at the word father.
“Go home. Now.” I stare at Nasir straight in his beady eyes. His jolly demeanor cracks instantly.
“Did something happen?” He stutters on a few of the syllables, but his body is paralyzed.
Few people have seen my cruelty and lived to tell the tale of it. Nasir has, in the prime of my military career, and by my tone alone, he knows to take caution.
“Leave, Nasir. I won’t say it again.”
Nasir grabs his jacket and wallet and starts running for the door.
“What was that about?” Henry asks. His eyes focus on Nasir.
“Are you okay, Melina?” I ignore him for the moment.
“Fine. Why are you acting so strange?" She raises a brow. Even with the confusion of my outburst, Melina’s mood brightens with my presence. The uncomfortable pout she had when I got here is replaced by a warm smile. It’s almost enough to soothe my burning spirit.
Almost.
“Because Omar wants to kill you, Henry,” I say it bluntly because there’s no way to sugarcoat it.
“The fuck did you just say?” Henry roars.
“He plans to do it on Sunday after the wedding, once your daughter and your company are signed away. He wants to make you an example. Show the world that Omar Ali is a force to be reckoned with.” I have to hand it to Omar; his plan is brilliant. Play coy until the marriage is over before walking away with everything.
And if it weren’t for Melina, I’d have been the one to deliver the bullet.
Henry turns to wax in his chair. His limbs dangle at his sides, and I can practically hear his heart thumping.
“You can’t let that happen,” Melina says, a line of tears swelling in her eyelids.
“I won’t. It’s why I’m here. I know what I must do, but I need both of you to continue as normal.”
“As normal?” Hysterical laughter follows his sentence. “That piece of shit wants to kill me.”
“He won’t. You need to do what I say now, Henry. Everything is going to work out for the better, but I need a distraction.” I don’t want to throw Melina into the lion’s den, but right now, I must.
It’s the only way for her and I to share a brighter future.
12
MELINA
The lump in my throat hasn’t gone away since Malik confessed Omar’s plans. He promised our safety but told us to follow through with this ridiculous arrangement. I don’t doubt him. He must have something up his sleeve. But I can’t shake the overwhelming fear hanging over me like a thick, dark cloud.
Dad and I sit opposite Omar and Nasir at a massive dining table. He has guards stationed on every corner of the room, the same way he had them on our first meeting. But I recognize one of them, at least, I think I do. He’s the guy who picked up the American’s belongings after Malik swooped in to save the day.
“It makes me happy to hear you all had a wonderful time last night,” Omar says, sliding a stack of papers to Dad. “Nasir hasn’t stopped raving about you since he got home, Melina. You’ve left quite an impression on my boy.”
He slaps Nasir’s shoulder while he speaks. Nasir doesn’t carry the same joyous tone as his father. His eyes keep shooting to the door as if he’s expecting something to happen.
We’ve been here for an hour, maybe longer, and Malik hasn’t arrived. We exchanged pleasantries, and where fear bit on my words, Dad somehow managed to keep a level head and pretend everything was okay.
What if something happened to Malik? Word got out that he confessed everything to us, and they got to him during the night? It weighs on my mind every passing minute without his arrival.
“Booze and gambling can make any dark night a little brighter,” Dad says. He scans the pages and, after a short pause, continues, “It all looks to be in order. Everything we agreed on as discussed.”
“Were you expecting something different?” Omar strokes his pudgy chin.
“If it were me on the other side of the table, I’d probably throw a few extra clauses in. Hope they go by unnoticed,” Dad answers. I’m taken aback by how calm he is in the face of danger. No fumbling for words or stammering, he’s standing toe to toe against the man who wants him dead.
Omar laughs, and Nasir joins him. But their chortling comes to an abrupt end when the double doors on the far side of the room swing open with Malik behind it.