Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
True to his word, Jozef demanded the Koba group be ready to leave Marifiya within the hour. The jet had landed at Radik’s airfield and was ready for their return trip to Prague.
Saskia tried to persuade him to stay a few more days, but he pulled her aside, signing, I meant what I said.
I have business back home that requires my attention.
I wish we could stay longer, see for ourselves that you’re well settled here, but now is not the time.
We spent too many weeks in South Africa looking for you.
He glanced at Radik, then signed, He is an extremely difficult man to find.
On that count, at least, I’m pleased. My enemies will not be able to get to you here.
Sakia suppressed a laugh. Jozef was mafia through-and-through.
Enemies lurked in every shadow, but at least he was satisfied that Saskia would be safe without his protection.
It was a battle she’d been fighting for years, and one, it seemed, she’d finally won. It only took hooking up with a warlord.
“Thank you for coming for me,” she said.
His gaze was serious as it held hers. I will always come when you need me. Never doubt that.
“I don’t,” she whispered, blinking back tears as she pulled him into a hug, surprised at how tightly he held her. He wasn’t one for affectionate goodbyes. Sure enough, as soon as he let her go, he boarded the plane without a backward glance.
“He’s trying not to cry,” Shaun said, giving Saskia a warm hug before boarding the jet behind her husband.
“Don’t forget about us,” Havel said gruffly, coming to stand in front of Saskia.
“I couldn’t if I wanted to.” Saskia wrapped her arms around his middle and gave him a tight squeeze.
“Make sure Radik gives you access to the outside world again,” Leeza said sternly, taking Havel’s place and hugging her sister. “Kris and Addy have been despondent since you stopped answering their video chats.”
Saskia’s heart ached as she was reminded of her niece and nephew. It was going to be hard not seeing them any time she wanted. In Prague, they were a 20-minute drive from her place.
Radik came to stand behind Saskia, his hand skimming her back. “Saskia will have complete access to outside communications. And we’ll be sure to visit soon. I know she misses the children.”
Ayaan was the last to say goodbye. “Watch out for snakes,” she warned Saskia. “They’re no joke around these parts.”
“I have the anti-venom for every poisonous creature in this region,” Radik said seriously, pulling his sister in for a rib-cracking hug. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?”
She stepped back. “You sent me away to keep me safe, now you’re asking me to come back?” she teased. “You need to make up your mind, big brother.”
He chuckled. “Six years ago, I didn’t have Marifiya yet and you were being hunted by an enemy.”
Ayyan’s eyes glittered with malice. “One day I will track that man down and make him regret every bad decision he ever made.” She paused, then added, “For the time I allow him to live.” She climbed aboard the jet with the others.
As the plane lifted into the sky, Saskia said, “I love them and I’m going to miss them, but I’m not sorry to see them go.”
Radik, who stood behind her, squeezed her shoulder. “Now that I can be assured of Jozef’s hospitality, we’ll be able to visit them soon.”
Saskia smiled, waving at the plane as it got smaller in the sky. Radik had called Jozef by his first name. He’d never done that before. Things were changing.
As they drove back to the village in Radik’s beat-up truck, one security vehicle in front of them and two behind, Saskia asked him, “Are you really going to give me access to the outside world? Or is that just something you told my family so they would leave.”
He chuckled, taking her hand and lifting it to his mouth to kiss her fingers. “I can’t give you complete unrestricted access. No one living here has that, me included. For Marifiya to remain safe, we must be invisible to the outside world, but you can make and receive calls as often as you want.”
Saskia nodded, then shook her head. “I need access to the internet too so I can check translations when I’m working. Can I do that?” She also enjoyed shopping online, reading the gossip subreddits, playing games. Would she have to give all that up?
“You don’t need to work anymore, but yes, you will have access to the internet with some restrictions.”
“Good, I can’t imagine never being able to go online again,” she said.
“And as far as work goes, I’ve never needed to have a job, it’s just something I’ve always wanted.
I don’t know if I can give that up, especially since I worked so hard to get my degree and find a placement in the Prime Minister’s office. ”
“What if I offered you – ” he began.
“A position working for your organization?” She shook her head. “That’s what Jozef was offering. I’m not interested in becoming a glorified and unnecessary assistant just so you can keep me someplace safe and I can feel like I’m making an honest living.”
They lapsed into silence and she relaxed and enjoyed their bumpy drive through the rainforest thinking the topic was forgotten.
When they arrived at Marifiya and parked in front of the house, Saskia climbed out of the jeep. Before she could go inside, Radik took hold of her hand, pulling her to face him. “Do you trust me, my angel?”
He hadn’t given her a single reason to distrust him. In fact, he’d given her everything and more since arriving in Marifiya, including the two things she wanted most, her family and her freedom.
“Yes, I do,” she said firmly.
He cupped her face and bent to give her a lingering kiss, heedless of the activity in the town, the chuckles as people had to move out of their way to get around them.
“Then trust that I will make you as valuable to my organization as you are to my heart.” He cradled her hand in his and held it to his chest. “I’ve known you for years.
I know how important it is to you that you have meaning in your life.
I will not strip that from you by locking you away from the world. ”
Wow. What did a person say to something like that? He just kept getting better and better.
“Okay,” she whispered because she had nothing else.
Saskia thought it would take time for Radik to find meaningful work for her, but he joined her for dinner on the patio that evening. “Can you be ready to take a flight with me tomorrow morning?”
She grinned. “Yes, of course! I’d love to. Where are we going?”
“On a business trip.”
Oh, it was for work. Nerves hit her. “Will I be expected to translate? I usually know what I’m dealing with ahead of time. I don’t know all languages of course, but I’m good at understanding common…”
He smiled indulgently. “I will not need a translator, but I would appreciate an impartial observer. My contact and I both speak French, a language I believe you are fluent in?” At her nod, he continued, “I do not speak Sango, his birth language, but as you have an aptitude for languages, you may pick some up.”
She knew he likely didn’t need her there, but she was excited for the opportunity.
The next morning as she prepared for their flight, she chose an outfit that was both professional and stylish.
A dark blue sleeveless dress that covered her from neck to knees but clung to her curves.
She added a pair of two-inch black heels, a black bag, and a flower-patterned blue silk scarf.
“You are too beautiful for me,” Radik said when she joined him for the short drive to the airstrip. He bent to kiss her, his lips lingering against her cheek.
He wore his usual outfit of dark green combat fatigues, combat boots, a black beret, and dark green jacket with his medals displayed on his chest. He looked military through and through.
Shola joined them, of course, because where Saskia went, Shola went. Along with Shola were five others who Saskia didn’t recognize. As the plane prepared to take off, she realized the five extras were talking and joking as though they were good friends.
“They’re from the same unit,” Radik explained, bending to speak in her ear.
“Unit? But aren’t they your people?”
He nodded. “They are, but I have several thousand soldiers working for me from across the globe. They form units, each with their own leaders and camp commanders. These men are all from the Central African Republic, like my contact.”
“Are you the camp commander for Marifiya?” she asked.
“No, but I was until recently. Nuani has taken over so I can enjoy my retirement.” He pulled her hand to his mouth, kissing her fingers as his gaze lingered on her face.
She loved how hands-on he was with her, even around his soldiers. He wasn’t shy about his love.
The flight took less than an hour, including takeoff and landing, but Saskia enjoyed her time in the air, her gaze on the landscape below. It was mostly thick trees with the occasional town peeking out from the heavy brush. She thought they were flying west, but she wasn’t sure.
They landed on the outskirts of a city.
“Where are we?” Saskia asked as she descended from the plane to the tarmac, shading her eyes with a hand as she looked around.
“We’re in Bangui,” he answered, taking her arm and directing her toward a black SUV with tinted windows.
“Central African Republic,” she said automatically. She’d minored in geography, thinking it would go well with a linguistics degree. Once Radik had made himself known to her, she’d paid particular attention to the continent of Africa.
“Indeed,” he said. “It is a neighboring border city to the RDC.”
She climbed into the waiting SUV, Radik sliding in with her and Shola taking the front with a driver. Saskia twisted in her seat to watch the rest of their party get into another vehicle.
Radik hadn’t briefed her on the meeting and she might have wondered if he was trying to deliberately keep her in the dark but having watched him around his people for the past several weeks, she decided it was just part of his character.
He rarely gave away what he was thinking and was even more tight-lipped if tactics were involved.
He seemed to be the guy who thought big, then delegated what needed to be delegated to his staff.
He wasn’t used to explaining himself, which was fine for his employees, but not his future wife.
They were going to have to work on his sharing skills, but for now, Saskia was content to sit back and enjoy this new experience.
She couldn’t help but stare at everything as their driver maneuvered the SUV away from the airport, the other vehicle following close behind. They drove past multi-story buildings, parks and people.
“Oh, are we here already?” she asked, disappointed as they pulled up to a curb less than fifteen minutes from the airport.
“My apologies,” Radik said, his body language stiff as he waited for their security to surround the vehicle before opening his door. “If you like it here, we can come back and spend a few days.”
“I won’t know if I like it here because so far I’ve only seen an airport and…” She looked up as Radik helped her from the vehicle, using his larger body to block hers from sight. “A hospital?” she finished, reading the sign on the building. “Is someone sick?”
Radik placed his hand at her back and urged her to hurry indoors, his gaze constantly scanning the street around them. She was slightly taken aback by his stiff, professional demeaner. He was different in Marifiya, where he would walk down the street with relaxed ease.
He’d acted this way in Pretoria too, but she’d been so preoccupied by her kidnapping she hadn’t paid much attention.
“Are you expecting an attack?” she asked in a low voice as he whisked her into the building where his people fanned out to do a security check.
Radik’s expression was closed, but she could tell he was weighing his words carefully. “Always, it’s how I’m still alive. You don’t need to worry though, I don’t expect anything imminent.”
She nodded slowly. “I understand.” She really did. She’d lived this type of thing her entire life.
Warmth entered his eyes as he smiled at her. “I expect you do, but it’s not what I wanted for you. I wanted…”
“Marifiya?” she finished for him. “A home that feels like home.”
“You truly do understand.” She reveled in the intimate moment until Shola approached them, saying, “We have his room number.”
“Let’s go.” Radik took her hand.