Swallowing back the urge to cry, Leila slid her eyes shut and melted into her mother’s arms.
“Leila, what are you doing here?” Aisha asked, gliding a palm over Leila’s hair. “I had no idea you were coming. But you look…” Aisha pulled back and knitted her eyebrows together, confused. “Sweetie, you look terrible. Why are you wearing a wetsuit? Is everything okay? What happened?”
“I came to find you,” Leila croaked, her vision blurring. I came to kill your psycho husband.
Aisha pulled her close again and rubbed Leila’s back. “I’m sorry. Faris said he would tell you.”
“He told me, all right. And you know what else he told me? He—”
“Ah, look.” Faris pushed his chair away from the table with a screech against the tiled floor and stood. Two servants walked down the steps, their hands filled with platters and baskets. “Breakfast is here.”
“Oh, good. I was about to ask,” Aisha said, turning away from Leila. “I see you already have tea. Leila, would you rather have coffee? I can get you some cream and sugar too.” She turned to a servant arranging napkins and politely requested a mug of coffee, with Leila’s preferred amount of cream and sugar. The servant nodded and walked off.
Leila opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out as she watched the table fill up with platters of fruits, flatbread, eggs, and falafel.
“Sami should be out in a minute.” Aisha guided Leila back to her chair. She gave no resistance as she was pushed into the seat. “He was asking about you yesterday.”
“Is he okay?” Leila scanned the table, but the gun had vanished. She narrowed her eyes at Faris, who now watched her from his seat, leaning back in his chair, hand on his chin. Her mom was clueless, wasn’t she?
“He’s not yet over the shock of it all, I’m afraid.” Aisha sighed as she filled one of the plates with a spoonful of fava beans. “He’s been sleeping in. The nightmares have been terrible. It really was awful, Leila. But Sami will be so surprised and happy to see you. It’ll be a good distraction for him. Maybe he’ll start to forget.” She added a few balls of falafel and a chunk of flat bread, then set the plate in front of Leila.
Her stomach churned, a strange sense of awareness coming over her. Herself, her mother, and Faris all at one table. Goosebumps prickled on her arms.
Aisha gabbed on and filled another plate, which ended up in front of Faris. She did all the talking—about Sami, about the villa and their plans to add an infinity pool that faced west, and also to move some boulders for a better view out the living room window. Leila ignored the perfect mug of coffee sitting next to her untouched plate.
“Leila, why aren’t you eating? You must be hungry.”
Because I want to throw up.
After a moment had passed and Leila still hadn’t moved or spoken, Aisha set her spoon down. “Leila, what’s wrong? You look so pale. Would you rather go have a shower? Did you bring a bag? If not, I can get you some other clothes so you can change out of that wetsuit.”
Leila let the question go unanswered. Her mother prattled on about some shirt she thought would look nice, but Leila could hardly listen. This all felt much too… ordinary. Her mother was acting too normal. As if she’d always lived this way. As if she didn’t care she was stuck on a remote island with a man who’d dragged her away from her family and chained her to a wall. A man who, only a week ago, blew up a museum and killed over a dozen people just to get his hands on more artifacts and his estranged wife.
As if she was happy.
“Leila,” Aisha said, putting her napkin on the table, “if you’re not going to eat, why don’t you come with me?” She stood.
Faris rose from his seat and placed a hand on Aisha’s shoulder. “Slow down, habitbi. Leila has just explained to me that she’d had a rough week.”
“Oh, Faris.” Aisha rested a palm on Faris’s chest. “You’re right. Leila probably needs some rest. I guess I’m shocked at seeing her. I was just expecting to see you out here alone… and there she was. I haven’t even had a chance to properly tell you good morning.”
Aisha smiled softly at him and patted his chest, then lowered her hand and turned, taking a step toward the stairs.
Faris grabbed her arm and twirled her around to face him. He slid a hand through her hair to hold the back of her head and pulled her against his chest, then pressed his lips to hers.
CHAPTER 36
Leila had never seen a more disgusting sight. At first, she thought it would only be a peck, but no. Faris pulled Aisha close and covered her mouth with his as if he were trying to devour her. And to make it worse, her mother didn’t even pull away.
And the man just wouldn’t stop.
Wanting to throw up, Leila tore her gaze away. It landed on the empty glass next to her plate. Desperate to put an end to the nauseating display, she snatched the glass, aimed at Faris’s head, and threw it. The glass sailed past his ear and shattered against the wall behind him.
Aisha whirled around as glass chimed at her feet. “Leila! What— I’m sorry, that was a bit much.”
A sly smile crossed Faris’s face, and he positioned himself behind Aisha, wrapping his arms around her middle. Leila had made it obvious he’d hit a nerve. And he was enjoying it. “I just wanted a proper ‘good morning.’”
“Faris, really,” Aisha sighed and untangled herself from his arms.
“Shut up.” Leila squeezed her eyes closed. She didn’t care about not making a scene anymore. She didn’t care if Faris was enjoying this torment. It was too much. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, contain herself any longer. “Just. Shut. Up.”
“Leila…” Aisha walked toward her, concern etched over her face. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” Leila hissed. “You shouldn’t be asking me. Look at yourself. What is wrong with you?” She jumped from her seat and pointed at Faris. “He’s brainwashed you. There’s no other way to explain it. He took advantage of a traumatic situation. You don’t even realize what you’re doing, do you?”
Aisha’s mouth moved silently, as if she was trying to find the words. Finally, she whispered, “Leila, it’s not”—she averted her gaze—“it’s not like that.”
Leila chest tightened. This was hopeless. Her mother was lost. “Then what is it?” Her voice cracked. “Don’t tell me you think you actually like this guy? Mom, he has a gun. He’s going to kill me.”
Aisha’s eyes pleaded with her. “No. That’s not true.”
“He’s lying to you. Why would you believe a man who kept you chained to a wall?”
Faris’s lazy gaze locked on her. “I never chained her to a wall, Leila.”
“Oh, really? Then what were those chains doing in that room?” Leila snapped her mouth shut, wishing she hadn’t asked. She probably didn’t want to hear the answer.
“Amir.” Aisha shook her head in disdain. “Once he had decided he was going to bring you home, he had them installed. I told him not to.”
