Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
After enjoying a refreshing lunch of grilled goat skewers and greens, they continued the tour. Everyone they met treated Radik with deference and friendliness but never fear. He ruled here, but he was not the ruler. It was a strange dynamic, but it seemed to work.
Along their walk she met Jessica, the woman in charge of welcoming all new arrivals as well as acting as the compound’s schoolteacher.
She welcomed Saskia and invited her to drop by the schoolhouse for tea sometime.
Saskia also met Blessing, who oversaw sanitation for the compound, and she met Flora who commanded Marifiya’s social calendar.
“We’re holding a town meeting next week that you should try to attend. It’s really just an excuse to gather and eat. Nonna always provides the most delicious snacks.”
Radik then took her to the command center and introduced her to his chief security officer, Nuani, who explained the security measures around the compound to her. There were cameras, drones, satellite surveillance, bunkers filled with vehicles and equipment and more.
“It’s like you’re preparing for war,” Saskia murmured, fascinated as Nuani showed her real-time satellite images of the compound and area beyond.
He took her seriously. “Not preparing for war, but always ready in case one comes to us.”
“Is that likely to happen?”
“The larger we get, the more attention we draw from surrounding villages and their leaders. We’re using an abundance of caution but not expecting difficulty at this time.” Nuani smiled at her reassuringly.
His answer sounded like something someone would say when trying to convince a person there was no attack imminent, regardless of if an attack were imminent or not.
Saskia turned her question to Radik. “Are we in danger here?”
“You are not in danger,” he replied swiftly. “I would not have brought you here if I thought that.”
“What about everyone else? Are they as safe as you say I am?”
He hesitated before giving a brief nod. “The only difference is in the event of an attack you are to be secured first.”
She gave him points for honesty. “If we’re all so safe then open the gates, let the flow of people come through here again.
” When it looked like he would argue, she stepped closer to him, turning her back on Nuani and lowering her voice.
“You know me, Muhammed.” She gave him a significant look, silently reminding him of their six-year flirtation.
“I will never be happy locked up inside a prison and no matter how you spin it, as long as people can’t come and go from this place, it’s a prison. ”
He looked at her for a long time, his dark eyes gleaming in the harsh fluorescent lighting. Finally, he said, “I don’t like the idea of strangers having access to you.”
“Yet I’m surrounded by strangers almost all of the time. When I go to work, when I shop, when I travel. Why is it different now?”
His expression was guarded.
“Did you have people following me?” she guessed. “Protecting me?”
He dipped his head in a quick nod. “Not immediately, but within the first year of our meeting. The more attached I grew the less I could bear the thought of anything happening to you.”
She stared at him, impressed, not even angry.
She’d spent her entire life under some form of surveillance or other.
First her father, then Jozef, but she’d always known.
With Radik’s people, she’d never once suspected.
Oh, she knew he had people checking up on her, following her sometimes, but she hadn’t realized he’d had bodyguards tailing her every move.
It explained a lot. Like why her dating life dried up so abruptly and with such finality. She thought maybe it was her lack of finesse with hair and makeup.
Going back to the issue at hand, Saskia said, “I’m probably… no, I’m certain, that I am much safer here in this village than I ever have been. If you insist on having bodyguards tail my every move, then so be it. I would rather that than have the people here suffer because of my presence.”
Radik smiled, his lips pulling back to reveal his teeth. Saskia had seen it before. It was the grin of a predator.
“So be it,” Radik said decisively. “I will have Shola accompany you when you leave the house. The town gates will be opened tomorrow.”
Saskia had been so neatly maneuvered, it wasn’t until later, when she was laying on her bed, staring at her canopy that she realized exactly how much he had played her like a chess piece.
It was a multi-pronged attack. He got her to accept heightened personal security for the sake of the comfort of the compound, and he was getting her to care about his people.
She rolled onto her side, contemplating her new reality. Was it time to accept that she wasn’t going anywhere? Mostly because Radik wasn’t going to allow it, but also partly because… she didn’t want to leave. Not yet anyway.
But she wasn’t going to be happy until she could speak with her family.
Severing relations with them was the one rule she refused to accept.
She had to get him to see them as more than mafia, and she thought she could.
Radik had a huge soft spot for her, to the point where Saskia really thought it hurt him to deny her anything.
She was confident that he would eventually allow her access to the Kobas, but it wasn’t going to be soon enough for her satisfaction. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she could assure her sister she was safe. Leeza would be frantic by now.
While drifting through the minefield of her thoughts, Saskia’s gaze sharpened on a familiar bag that hadn’t been in her room before. Sitting up, she rolled off the bed and rushed toward the desk.
“My stuff!” She picked up her laptop bag, unzipping it. Inside was her laptop, daytimer, translation, and passport. “Is he crazy?” Why would Radik give her back her passport?
He would only do it if she had no real way to leave with it.
Sitting on the desk chair, she pulled her laptop out of the bag, opening it and turning it on. The first thing that popped up on her screen was the translation Aurelia had given her the night she was killed.
It probably went without saying that Radik would no longer allow her to work for the Prime Minister’s office. There wasn’t any point in translating the text… yet maybe she should read through it. Find out if there were any clues to what happened to Aurelia.
She tried loading her emails, but she had no access to the internet. It was like her phone, no opportunity for contact with the outside world.
A shuffling sound at the door caught her attention and she frowned when it was followed by a thump, then a sharp, “Ouch! Fuck!”
Saskia giggled at the profanity and went to the door, opening it.
Nikka was rubbing her head while kneeling on the floor next to a tray with a tea pot and a plate of snacks.
“You okay?” Saskia asked, trying to stifle her laughter. “What are you doing down there?”
“I was trying to open the door and nearly dropped my tray, so I went to put it on the floor to free my hands and I banged my head.”
“You know, if you’d have knocked, I could’ve opened the door and all this could’ve been prevented.” Her gaze dropped to the floor. “What’s with the tray? It’s not suppertime yet.”
Nikka picked it up and stood, walking past Saskia. “Nonna asked me to bring you a tea service. Said you’d be expecting one.” Her tone suggested Saskia should learn to mitigate her expectations. “Where do you want it?”
Saskia followed her and opened the balcony door. “Out here.” She watched Nikka place everything from the tray on the table. “I don’t usually do afternoon tea, but I appreciate the kind gesture. Thanks to both you and Nonna.”
“You’re welcome,” she said in a slightly warmer tone. “I’ll come back for the dishes later.”
Saskia ran her finger around the rim of the teacup. It was fine china with a silver frond pattern on the outside. She remembered what Radik had told her about Nikka being a potential ally.
As Nikka turned to leave, Saskia said, “What are you doing now? Can you stay and have tea with me?”
Nikka hesitated, as if trying to come up with an excuse, before shrugging. “I guess I can. I was going to help Nonna chop veggies for supper, but I can do it later.” She sat in one of the chairs and pulled it up to the table, reaching for a biscuit.
Saskia watched her smear cream then jam on the pastry before taking a bite, closing her eyes and sighing as she swallowed. Her golden eyes sparkled when she opened them. “Nonna is the best cook in the whole Congo.”
“I believe it,” Saskia said, thinking of her meal the night before.
She picked up the teapot and poured out tea first for Nikka, then for herself. Her mother had taught her from an early age how to properly serve tea.
Nikka added a generous helping of cream to hers followed by a spoonful of sugar. Saskia took hers without.
“Radik told me how you and your grandmother came to live here,” Saskia said, hoping Nikka wouldn’t mind discussing it. “I’m sorry you were driven from your home. That must have been awful for you.”
Nikka shrugged, her gaze lifting to meet Saskia’s before dropping to her teacup. “It wasn’t easy, but we managed. Nonna has always taken care of me and I’m very attached to her. Only death can make me leave her side.”
It was a dramatic statement, but then, Saskia was beginning to think Nikka had a dramatic streak to her. “I admire your loyalty to her. She’s lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one,” Nikka was quick to correct. “Do you not have anyone in your life that you feel this kind of loyalty to?”
Radik was the first person to pop into her head. Oh damn. How could she possibly give her loyalty to the man who kidnapped her, taking her freedom of choice away? Easily, she signed internally. Every hour she spent with him, she fell a little more in love. It was terrifying.
“I’m loyal to my sister,” she said. “We weren’t close when we were young, but since Leeza has had children, we’ve developed a close bond.”
Nikka’s face softened. “I love kids. I definitely want to have some one day.” She finished her biscuit, licking the jam from her fingers. “What about you? Do you want kids?”
“I uh… I…” Saskia had no idea how to respond.
She’d never thought about children before.
She’d been so focused on her career, babies had become a far-off concept she didn’t need to think about for at least another decade.
Turning the focus back on Nikka, Saskia asked, “Are you seeing anyone? Is there the possibility of children in your future?”
Nikka’s dusky cheeks turned a deep red and she dipped her head. “Uh huh, there’s a guy I’m kind of interested in.”
Saskia was intrigued. “Who is he? Have I met him?”
The blush took on an even deeper hue. “I think you have. His name is Nuani. He’s Radik’s second-in-command.”
Saskia’s jaw dropped and she smashed a hand over her mouth, trying to catch a giggle from escaping. She did not succeed and Nikka sent her a sharp look.
“You don’t think he can be interested in me?
” she huffed. “I’ll tell you something, he took me out for ice cream one day when we got a shipment of goods in.
He came right up to the house and asked me to go with him.
Said he didn’t want me missing out. If that’s not a man in love, I don’t know what is. ”
Saskia clamped her lips together, but she couldn’t help herself and the laughter spilled out.
Nikka looked like she wanted to hit Saskia with the teapot. “Stop laughing at me!”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Saskia swallowed her laughter, putting on a serious face.
“Of course you’re going to get his attention, you’re beautiful and full of life.
I was laughing because he’s so… so… militant.
” She pictured the grim-faced soldier who looked like he had a steel rod rammed up his backside. “And you’re so opposite of that.”
Nikka looked somewhat mollified. “You just described yourself and Radik, so I guess we’re in good company.”
Saskia blinked, then lifted her teacup, tapping it against Nikka’s. “Indeed, we are. Here’s to you and Nuani. May you get everything you wish for with him.”