7. Margarete
CHAPTER 7
Margarete
W e drive in silence, not one word uttered as we sit crushed against each other in the front of Xander’s truck. I force my mind away from the brush of his hand against my thigh and the pull I feel toward him—an attraction that utterly terrifies me. These emotions are fleeting, a reaction to his physical appeal, nothing more. After all, desire is a sin we must bear. Attraction is simply a device used by Satan to veer us from the holy path to God.
Liar. If attraction is a sin, why aren’t you running from the desires evoked by Johannes?
Sensing my worry, Hans gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, his fingers wrapped around mine since we climbed into the truck. I remind myself that he trusts Xander. I attempt a smile to ease his troubles before turning my gaze out the window at the trees zipping past.
I’m unsure how long we’ve been driving, but night gives way to day and settles into night again. The truck finally comes to a halt, and Xander turns off the ignition. He turns to me, his eyes losing their ethereal beauty and adopting a predatory gleam in the dusk. “We’re here.”
Johannes gets out of the truck before placing his hands on my waist and lifting me out. As my feet land on solid ground, I gaze up at the mansion surrounded by never-ending trees.
“This is where you live?” I ask Xander.
Xander shakes his head, moving to the back of the truck to grab my satchel and Hans’ duffle bag. “No. Friends live here. They’ll get you to a safe house.”
Disappointment floods me at the knowledge that he’s pawning us off on others. I’m puzzled by my sadness. I should be glad that he isn’t forcing his presence on us.
My fingers flutter, twirling and twining together. Nervousness sweeps over me and settles heavily in my stomach. I glance at Xander and Hans as they lift the motorcycle from the truck and place it on the asphalt.
Xander catches my eye and smiles, revealing white teeth that gleam in the darkness. “Like what you see, Maggie?”
I quickly divert my eyes before lowering them to the ground. “Your face is hidden. There isn’t much to see. I was just wondering where you’re going?”
“Why, Maggie? Will you miss me?”
His glib tone irritates me. I want to tell him to burn in Hell, but I can’t form the words fast enough, so I simply glare at him.
Xander laughs as he approaches me. I focus on his visible tattoos, cringing internally at the realization that they’ll weigh heavily against him on Judgment Day. He raises one large muscular arm covered with intricate designs and pats me on the head. “Don’t worry your pretty head. I’ll never be far away from you.”
He leans in, his fingers brushing mine as he reaches for my bag. I pull back instinctively, and our fingers tangle in a hesitant dance before he withdraws. The fleeting touch causes a wave of heat to wash over me, leaving me breathless and intoxicated.
Xander’s lips part as if he wants to say something before he shakes his head, leaving me with my belongings. He waves for Hans and me to follow, taking long strides toward the large steps and looming double doors of the mansion.
We wait as Xander rings the doorbell. The door opens quickly, revealing an attractive woman with long, dark hair. She smiles broadly and throws her arms around Xander’s neck.
Xander laughs as he embraces her. “Relax, will ya? You’re about to suffocate me.”
I hate the pang of envy that blooms in my chest as the woman pulls back and slaps his chest. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you for ignoring me for two weeks.”
I watch in fascination as Xander’s cheeks flush, and he nervously rubs the back of his neck. Are they together? “I’ve been preoccupied.”
The pretty woman turns to Hans and me, offering a warm smile. “Who are your friends?”
“Azadeh, this is Margarete and Johannes.”
Azadeh’s smile widens as she steps back and opens the door so we can enter.
“Who’s at the door?” a tall man asks.
I press my lips together to stifle my squeak. His appearance is frightening. He’s tall and broad, with tattoos and scars covering most of his visible flesh. He stops behind Azadeh, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.
“You remember Alexander, right? We used to work together.” The scary man narrows his eyes at Xander and nods in acknowledgment. “Margarete and Johannes will be staying with us for a while. This is my husband, Cyrus,” Azadeh introduces. She glances at Xander. “You’ll be staying too?”
Xander nods. “If it’s not too much bother?”
“Of course not,” Azadeh assures him. She waves a hand around her. “As you can see, we have more space than we’ll ever be able to use.”
I peer at the man lovingly holding Azadeh. He resembles a demon, scorched in the flames of Hell, but his eyes shine with devotion as he gazes at her.
Azadeh pulls away from Cyrus and grabs my hand. “You must be starving.”
As we walk down the large hall, warm breath teases my ear as Xander whispers, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
I have no clue why he’s saying those words to me because I didn’t vocalize my reaction to Cyrus out loud.
Azadeh’s kitchen is massive. A large island dominates the center of the room, with stools positioned around it.
“Do you have many children?” I ask.
Azadeh opens the refrigerator door before turning to me. “Not yet, but we’re trying. You’d think one of my men could get the job done.”
My gaze moves to the man who enters the kitchen. He has an eye patch over one eye, the other a captivating blue. “Hey, now, you only said you were ready a week ago.”
Wrapping his arms around Azadeh, he twirls her in the air and kisses her passionately. My mouth gapes, and I blink as they embrace in front of Cyrus. He seems unbothered by the sight of his wife with another man as he sits at the island and casually drinks from his mug,
Xander chuckles as his gaze zooms in on me like a magnifying glass. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
Azadeh smiles at Xander. “Amin.”
“Amen,” I correct.
I shiver as Xander places a hand on my shoulder. “Azadeh didn’t grow up Christian. She grew up Muslim. For her, it would be Amin.”
I look at her, my eyes wide. “Muslim?”
Azadeh nods. “I was raised Muslim.”
“Are you Christian now? You’ve been saved?”
Xander drops his hand. “She saved herself. No one needs to hop from one Abrahamic doctrine to another in the hopes it will be any different since they’re all copy and pastes of each other.”
“Xander,” Azadeh says, her voice vibrating with authority and something akin to a warning.
“She needs to know the truth. It’s all bullshit.”
“Xander, you and I know that belief is a spectrum. It’s possible to feel a deep love for God without belonging to a specific religion. The two are not mutually exclusive. One brings tranquility, while the other brings strife. Religion is a prison, while spirituality is a sanctuary.”
I allow Azadeh’s words to sink in, unsure if I place any validity in them. “If you don’t accept Jesus, you’ll burn.”
“Maggie.” Xander says my name as a warning.
“It’s alright,” Azadeh says as she untangles herself from the one-eyed man. She steps toward me and smiles. “I accept Jesus. I think he was a wonderful man. If we all lived like Jesus, the world would know peace and prosperity. No war, no abuse, no greed, and most importantly, no more hate. The problem is that those who vehemently claim to love Jesus have never accepted his message into their hearts. Now, enough with all this talk about God and religion. Let me feed you and set you up in your rooms for the night. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”