Chapter 45 Zahra
ZAHRA
Sensory deprivation is already getting to me. I tried my best to keep track of time, counting seconds in my head, but it's easy to convince yourself you're wrong. How long have I been inside this room? Hours? Days? Weeks?
Cyrus' men sporadically open the door to throw in some stale bread or a small bowl of water. The bucket in the corner serves as my bathroom. Despite how miserable I am, I’d stay here a thousand years if it meant keeping Declan safe.
He can't find me. He won't find me. I’m determined to make it so.
I refuse to let Cyrus use me as a pawn in his game, refused to be the reason why Declan gets murdered.
My nightmares are filled with images of his cold, dead face.
Every time I would discover his limp body, I'd jolt awake, finding myself shaking and covered in sweat.
The last time I woke, I swear I heard a deep chuckle come from the connecting room, as if they were watching me fall apart.
I stopped crying because I refused to give them the satisfaction.
The screeching sound of the door scraping across the barren concrete floor sends a chill down my spine, and the bright light coming in from the room beyond nearly blinds me. Cyrus walks in first and sneers down at me as I sit chained to the floor. "It's time to be reunited with your husband."
Declan? Is he here? No. I refuse to believe it.
I squash down the feeling of hope that fills my chest. Cyrus will kill Declan the second he lays eyes on him.
I need to keep Declan as far away as possible, no matter how much I miss him.
No matter how badly I want to tell him I love him.
I should have said it before I left. Now I may never get the chance.
"Pick her up, and make sure there's no slack on those chains," Cyrus orders his men, refusing to do his own dirty work.
With the light filling the room, I could now see the large purple bruises around his neck. "Are you scared to get close to me, Cyrus? I promise I won't choke you as hard this time," I snort, relishing in how red his face turned.
Cyrus' eyes nearly pop out of his head in rage.
His hand flies across my mouth, and I taste copper.
"That is your first and last warning, girl.
" He pulls a gun out from the holster and aims it at my temple.
"No more funny business, or I'll splatter your brains out in front of your husband and the rest of your inner circle. "
I slam my mouth shut, not for my own sake but for that of my family. I need to be strong and unwavering because that is what they need from me.
The two massive guards remove the long chains that keep me trapped in the room, leaving me with only handcuffs around my wrists and shackles on my feet. Cyrus leads me into the security room where they've been watching me, keeping his gun aimed at my temple.
A rush of relief comes over my whole body when I realize Declan isn't physically here. Instead, he's being broadcast on a large screen. To his left and right are Azula and Arman, respectively. Declan's eyes meet mine and I can see them start to fill with tears as he takes in my expression.
"I look that bad, huh?" I attempt to keep my tone light, but my voice is riddled with pain.
"There's not a single moment that I've ever thought you were anything less than stunning, love. I just miss you is all." Declan's smooth, silky voice comes through the speakers, and immediately, I feel more settled and ready to brace whatever comes next.
"Ah, young love, so silly and impractical." Cyrus snickers.
Declan reels as he finally takes in the barrel of the gun aimed at my head and the man who’s responsible for causing us so much pain. "I swear on my entire being and soul, Cyrus, if you harm even another hair on her head, I will—"
"You will do nothing!" Cyrus snarls, grabbing the back of my head and yanking my hair hard enough to draw a wince from me.
Declan's face turns white in horror. "You have no power here, Declan.
You don't get to make demands. I do. And if you ever forget that, I'll put a bullet through her head faster than you can blink. Do. Not. Test. Me."
Cyrus uses his gun to whip my head, and I hiss in pain.
"You're right. I'm sorry. You're in charge. Just tell me what I need to do to keep her safe. That's all I care about." Declan’s jaw is tense, and I know it's taking everything he has to follow Cyrus' orders.
"The first thing you're going to do is tell Arman to stop trying to find our location.
He's not nearly as good a hacker as he thinks he is.
From the moment you logged on to the video chat, we could tell he was trying to track us.
Tell him to stop now, or the next time I hit her, I'll make sure to break a bone. "
Declan grits his teeth before nodding. One of Cyrus's men gives him a thumbs-up. Good. Without Arman, Declan will never find me. Which means he’ll get to live.
"What I want is simple. I want the legacy of the Persian Empire to continue.
I want us to uphold our status as the most lethal mafia in the entire world, alongside our Irish allies.
But in order to do that, we need a leadership that isn't afraid to take risks.
A leadership that isn't going to abandon everything they built for the hopes of a 'normal' life.
I have been cultivating support for my vision of the future.
Enough support that will carry us forth for decades.
All that has to be done is for you and Zahra to renounce your claims to the mafia and instate me as Don.
You do that, and I promise to let you and all your loved ones live.
I'll help you create new identities and ensure you stay hidden and protected.
" Cyrus puffs out his chest like an animal marking his territory.
"The Irish won't take well to a leader who isn't from their home country," Declan grits, though it isn't a full denial of the proposal. No. He can't actually be considered this? Can he?
"Which is why I've already enlisted your father's cousin, Fergal, to serve as the new head of the Irish mafia. His values are aligned with my vision, and he would be a fit ruler." Cyrus drops another bomb on us. Fergal had been overseeing various shipment routes and warehouses for us.
He’s the rat who had infiltrated our ranks.
Declan has also come to the same conclusion. "Fergal. I never would have guessed he had it in him." Declan's eyes lock with mine through the screen, and I give him a small shake of my head, all while I scream inside for him not to give in.
"You will hand her over first, and then we will resign our positions," Declan attempts to bargain.
"You and I both know that will never happen. We'll schedule a meeting that will be broadcast with both of you signing away your power. Once the meeting ends, you two will be free to leave," Cyrus states his terms.
Declan grits his teeth, eyes narrowing as he hisses, "Fine. As you wish. The sooner we get this done, the better."
I lose all sense of reality. "Declan, no!
You can't let him take over. I'd rather die than see him ruin our father's legacy.
Let me go, let me die, and you live. Live for the both of us—" I scream in pain as I feel an electric current run down my body.
Collapsing on the floor, I lift my head to see one of Cyrus' bodyguards standing above me with his taser in hand.
"ZAHRA, NO. YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Declan screams.
"THAT. IS. ENOUGH," Cyrus commands. "Declan, you either accept my proposal now, or I'll spatter her brains all over the floor and track you down next. I am offering you an out. And I suggest you take it." Cyrus loads the bullet into place, aiming the gun at my stomach.
"I accept, I accept. Just let her live, and I'll do whatever you ask of me." Declan's voice is riddled with exhaustion.
"See, was that so hard?" Cyrus chuckles, turning the safety of his gun back on. "We'll be in touch." Cyrus gestures to his guards to cut the livestream, while I moan for Declan to fight back.
"You can try to get rid of us all you want but we have thousands of loyal soldiers in our corner. They will never turn their back on us," I seethe.
"Oh, I count on that. You see, once I have Declan and your precious inner circles in my possession, I plan on staging your deaths as an act of retaliation from the Italians.
From there, it will be easy to convince any loyalists to stand with me and Fergal as we 'avenge' you.
I'll have your entire staff eating out of the palm of my hand and defeat the Italians at the same time. "
A guttural scream leaves me. How could I have been this naive? How could I not have known what kind of monster was lurking in my ranks?
"Tantrums won't help you, Zahra. Nothing will. This battle started long before you, and now it's time for me to finally get my justice.” Cyrus turns to a guard. “Take her back into the room. The longer she stays here, the greater the odds are that I'll put a bullet in her head just to shut her up."
Cyrus' men laugh as they throw me back into the room, and for once, I welcome the darkness and hope it consumes me so I don't have to face the pain that's to come.