Chapter 16
16
NEXT DOOR
“Come away from the window,” Akram ordered, his dark eyes on Farrah.
She dropped the curtain and turned toward him, saying nothing. He stepped forward, his eyes sweeping the tiny bedroom.
“You seem taken with the new neighbors,” he said.
She wondered if she heard an accusation in his voice. “Just curious,” she replied. “The house has been empty as long as we’ve been here, so I find it strange to see people over there.”
Nodding, he said, “I should have rented that place when I had the chance. That would have given us more privacy.”
Akram turned and walked toward her, noting with pleasure how her gaze dropped as he approached. Without speaking, he moved toward the bed, shedding his clothes, knowing she would follow. And she did.
Later, as Akram snored in his sleep, Farrah lay awake, her body still aching from his rough treatment. When recruited by ISIS at the university, she had been promised a future where she would hold a valued place of honor. But so far, Akram had been demanding and coarse.
Rolling to her side, she faced the window and wondered about the couple next door. The woman appeared happy, and as she greeted her husband with enthusiasm, he seemed to be just as pleased to see his wife. Sighing, she closed her eyes, willing sleep to come. It certainly could not hurt the cause to speak with the simple woman who was now her neighbor.