Chapter 12 - Sayid
I walk beside Nora, my hand resting at the small of her back as I lead her toward her hotel room. I don’t need to touch her, but I do need to accompany her. After everything that has happened, I will not let her out of my sight until I know she is safe.
She is still shaken, though she does her best to hide it. She holds her head high, but I feel the slight hesitation in her steps.
When we reach her door, I enter first, scanning the room before allowing her to follow me inside. It is probably unnecessary, considering my security has been stationed on this floor all night, but I am not willing to take any risks. “Pack what you need,” I tell her, my voice controlled despite the possessive energy still simmering beneath my skin. “If you forget anything, it can be sent to you.”
She glances at me, something flickers in her expression—uncertainty, maybe. As if she still doesn’t fully believe what is happening. She moves around the room quietly, gathering her belongings, while I lean against the doorway, watching her.
When she finishes, I take the bag from her. “Come,” I say. Just before leaving, she finally retrieves her phone that is plugged in at the bedside table. As she walks close to my side, I see the screen lit up with a flurry of missed calls and texts, all from Liam.
She pauses mid-step, brow furrowing as she scrolls. “Liam called me… a lot.” I already knew why.
“Gary told him about Tyson trying to cut in during the father-daughter dance,” I explained. “And when he didn’t see you for the rest of the night, he got worried. He called my room early this morning.”
Her gaze snaps to mine. “You spoke to him?”
I nod. “I assured him you were safe. That was all he needed to know.” She hesitates, glancing back at her phone, fingers hovering over the screen. “You don’t have to call him,” I say, voice even. “He knows you’re okay now.”
She exhales, still torn. I have no doubt she appreciates Liam’s concern, but I also sense her hesitation to open up that conversation, to deal with the inevitable questions.
She continues walking next to me, and I can’t help but glance down as she types a reply out. Just a quick response: Thanks for checking on me. Enjoy your honeymoon! Then, she locks her phone and tucks it away.
I place a guiding hand on her lower back once more, leading her toward the elevator. Once inside, the proximity between us is magnified. My body surges with the need to touch her again. I have to control this urge, but I settle with a compromise. I turn and pull her into me, pressing my forehead against hers as we descend.
I feel her body relax, and her breathing regulate. A shift in the air settles between us—an understanding. She has chosen me. And I have no intention of ever letting her go.
When the doors open, my hand returns to the small of her back, and I guide her out. We go out through my private exit, where the sleek, black car is waiting. I open the door and let Nora slide in first before taking the seat beside her.
As the car pulls away from the hotel, I see her glance out the window, as if realizing for the first time what leaving meant. “You’re quiet,” I note.
She turns her gaze toward me, those wide, intelligent eyes studying me. “I still don’t understand why you’re doing all of this.”
I exhale slowly, my patience endless when it comes to her. “I told you already, Qamari. ” I reach for her hand, tracing the delicate bones of her fingers. “I take care of what is mine.”
A small shiver runs through her, but she doesn’t pull away as our fingers laced together. Her adorably small, delicate hand, perfectly protected in mine. She moves her other hand to my wrist. Silently tracing my watch, and the custom emerald cufflinks on my suit jacket.
“How old are you?” She asks, still tracing my arm. Her touch is exquisite.
“37, why do you ask?” I’m curious why she wants to know. She looks up into my eyes.
“Well, when I first learned about Zahir’s extremely wealthy family, and his obscenely rich and generous Uncle, I figured you to be much older.” I let a small laugh escape me. It isn’t the first time this mistake has been made.
“I certainly didn’t know who you were the first time I ran into you. And didn’t quite figure it out until the rehearsal dinner.” She takes a deep breath, and I can hear the catch of emotion lingering with the exhale. “I am so grateful for everything that you have done for me.” I pull her closer, and kiss the top of her head. My everything.
When we arrive at the airport, Nora’s lips part in surprise. She takes in the small, private airfield, the polished luxury cars parked nearby, and then her gaze lands on the private jet waiting in the hangar.
Her brows lift. “Of course you have your own jet,” she murmurs. I smirk.
“When I said I would fly you home, I didn’t mean just paying for two first class seats on a commercial flight.” She just shakes her head at me with an amused grin on her face. But I could sense something else in her expression—hesitation perhaps.
As we pull into the hanger, I can hear the hum of the engines. I step out of the car first, then offer her my hand. She takes my hand, and sucks in a deep breath before stepping out of the car. With her hand in mine, I led her towards the stairs of the jet. The wind playing with the loose strands of hair that have slipped from her braid.
Just as we reach the stairs, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, recognizing the number immediately, I have to take this before departing. “Go ahead Nora, I will follow in just a moment.” She nods and then embarks up the stairs.
“Talk,” I ordered. The voice on the other end belongs to my investigator, the one I had set on Tyson the moment I decided to destroy him. He was not only a distant relative, but a former Interpol agent as well. I knew his connections would dig up everything I needed.
“We dug deep.” His tone clipped. “Found more than you initially asked for. Financial fraud, multiple NDAs paid off, and a few incidents swept under the rug—incidents that make what he did to Miss Steven’s on the yacht look like child’s play.”
My jaw tightens, fingers curling around the phone. I’d suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed is another thing entirely. “Who is he currently working for?” I ask, voice low. I knew Tyson had a degree in accounting. And when I initially saw the yacht footage, I made sure he lost not only his job, but his credible reputation as well.
“Well that’s where things get tricky. On the books, he works as an accountant for some marketing company. However, that company is only a shell corporation.” He pauses for just a moment. “Sayid, he works for the Pavlova’s.”
A muscle in my jaw ticks. “Have a full report ready by tomorrow morning.” I gaze up towards the jet, and I can see Nora watching me through the window. I lower my voice. “Meet me at my Boston residence.”
“Understood.” I end the call and slide my phone back into my pocket. This will be a bit more complicated than I first anticipated, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible when it comes to protecting Nora. I make sure my emotions are level before entering the cabin.
“Business?” she asks lightly.
“Unfinished business,” I correct, offering my hand to her as we take our seats. Boston awaits us. And so does the reckoning I have planned for Tyson.
The cabin is refined, elegant, with plush leather seats and dark mahogany accents. Everything in my life was designed for comfort and control. For the first time, I wonder what exactly she thought of all of it. There is still so much more for her to discover about my life.
After take off, I have food and drinks brought out to us. I sit across from Nora, watching her bright green eyes. When she finishes eating, she moves back in her seat, curling her legs beneath her. She is more relaxed, but there is still an unmistakable tension in her shoulders.
I know she still has so many questions. And I have answers. I move to a seat on the other side of the table, closer to her. I lean forward, resting my forearms on my knees, holding her gaze. “I told you before that I chose you. But I don’t think you understand just how much I meant that.”
Her fingers tighten slightly on the armrest, and she swallows. “Tell me, then.”
I exhale, my chest rising and falling as I search for the right words. “For years, I was content. I had control, power, prestige, wealth—everything a man could ask for. And yet…” I shake my head.
“Something was missing. I had no interest in the women thrown at me, no desire to entertain anyone who did not set my soul on fire. I wanted a future, a family. But the idea of sharing my life with someone who did not truly see me for who I truly am, was suffocating. I wouldn’t marry for the sake of traditions and formalities.”
She listens closely, her green eyes locked onto me, unblinking. “Then I saw a picture.” Her brows furrow slightly. “It was a simple thing,” I continued. “A photograph of you, with Liam and Zahir. You were laughing, head thrown back, and yet… your eyes.” I lean closer. “Your eyes told me everything, and yet nothing at the same time. I needed to know more.”
Nora inhales sharply, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. “So, I listened.” My voice drops lower. “Zahir and Liam spoke about you often. Not always directly, but enough for me to piece together the kind of woman you were—fiercely loyal, stubborn, full of life, and yet…” I exhale.
“There was something else. A sadness beneath the surface. Something they did not fully see, or perhaps did not understand. I couldn’t let the gnawing interest in you go.” Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “I wanted to meet you in person to see if my feelings were based in truth. So I offered Zahir my yacht. But unfortunately, a business complication arose and I couldn't attend the trip.”
“And then,” I murmur, my hands tightening into fists, “I saw what happened on the yacht.” Her entire body stiffens, and I immediately soften my tone. “You should know, I did not see it by accident.”
My gaze burns into hers. “When I first heard about the trip, I requested the footage from my security team. I told them it was to monitor Zahir, but that was a lie. I wanted to see you. I wanted to understand why you had already taken root in my mind.”
She lets out a shaky breath. “And you saw…”
“I saw everything. Not just the moment that Tyson put his hands on you,” I say, my voice rough with restrained fury. “I saw Liam tackle him, saw you shaking. So, I went back through the footage, seeing the way he watched you. And I knew, Nora. I knew something had happened before that night, something worse.”
My fists clenched. “And the urge to protect you consumed me. That was when I knew—I could have no other but you. I needed you just as much as you needed me.” Nora’s breath hitches, and her hands tremble in her lap. I reach towards her, and she lets me take her hands in mine.
“I started making small changes,” I admit, my lips curving slightly. “Adjusting my travel schedule, increasing my business dealings in the States, ensuring I would have more reasons to return.” My voice deepened.
“More than just wanting to protect you, I needed to know more about you. I even went to some of your final softball games. And when I saw that determined, fiery side of you, it just deepened my attraction, my desire—my love for you.”
“Really? You actually came to one of my college games?” The surprise in her voice is disheartening.
“A few actually. I didn’t want to disrupt your life out of my own greed. I waited patiently for you, Nora. I continued to watch over you from afar, waiting for the moment when our paths would cross as naturally as possible. I hosted the wedding not entirely out of generosity, but also in hopes that I would finally get to meet you.”
“And when you practically stumbled right into me that night getting out of the elevator, I knew my patience had not been wasted. Finally seeing you in front of me, consumed by your scent in the elevator, every feeling locked into place for me. The love I felt for you before we even met, anchored in my chest, practically crippling me.”
Silence stretches between us, thick with something unspoken. Nora's chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, her lips slightly parted. “Sayid…” I lean forward, one hand reaching out to touch her cheek with the back of my hand. She shivers.
“I have never wanted anything the way I want you,” I admit. “But I will not take what you do not freely give.” My fingers move to cup her chin in my hand. “So tell me, Nora. Will you be mine?”
Her breathing is ragged, her pulse fluttering beneath my touch. Her gaze drops to my lips, and she tilts forward slightly. It would be so easy to close the space between us, to claim what I know is already mine.
But just as our lips are about to meet, she pulls back, a shaky exhale leaving her mouth. A hesitation, almost a sadness reaching her eyes. I clench my jaw, every muscle in my body wanting to reject her hesitation.
Before I can speak, she whispers, “Sayid, I want you, and I want to be yours. But…before I can let you claim me, there’s something you need to know.” I frown slightly, studying her face.
She pulls her hand back from mine, curling it into her lap as she swallows. “I’ve been hiding something, and not just from you—from everyone. There are things that no one else knows about me.”
I exhale through my nose, forcing myself to relax. There is nothing that she could say at this point that would push me away. “Then tell me, Habibti.” What she didn’t know… was that I am still hiding something, too. She has no idea about my true identity, who I truly was. And when she finds out, I can only hope she will still want to be mine.