Jenna sat crossed leg on her bed, uh her and Hudayfah’s bed, and stared admiringly around the room. It was amazing, but that was a given considering how impressive their penthouse was. Blair from Gossip Girl would have been jealous over Jenna’s wardrobe, let alone the rest of their home. She wasn’t sure how Hudayfah managed to bring clothes over in the span it took for them to get from the grocery store to home, especially considering they weren’t even going to say in New York. But somehow he had, and Jenna had spent a good thirty minutes exploring the Abayas and scarves and skirts and shirts and shoes and purses and the jewelry. Oh the jewels were incredible, and she had no doubt they were all real. It made her a little nervous to have such expensive things, but she couldn’t help wearing one of the pearl rings now.

As she unwrapped the towel from around her head, she began to brush out the knots with a hairbrush that looked like it was made out of real silver. She had just taken a long hot bath in the biggest Jacuzzi tub she had ever seen in her life. Which was also in the biggest bathroom she had ever seen. There was also a stand up shower, his and her sinks, and the floor was made out of tile with fluffy purple rugs spread it.

Her favorite color.

The toilet even had a separate room to itself.

After she had soaked long enough, the bathtub had a heater so the water would never get cold, she began to explore the pajama section of her closet, yes she had a pajama section, and yes she had her own closet, his was on the other side of the room. Which was also quite large.

In the main room they had a California king sized poster bed with an actual canopy, two separate dressers that were next to their respective closets, and gorgeous paintings adorned the walls. They also had an adjoined sitting room with couches, a flat screen, and a mini fridge. There was an impressive array of movies in the entertainment center, and Jenna couldn’t help but realize there were quite a few BBC movies, which were her favorite. Hudayfah had obviously done his research about her, but how had he made this house ready when they were on their way out of the country?!

She would have to ask him.

There were also double doors that led out to a balcony, that held a café table and chairs, and for half a second she could imagine the two of them eating breakfast out there in the early morning, and she quickly pushed it away. She didn’t want to start a relationship with him. But it was beginning to get harder and harder to remember that. She had eventually settled on a pair of polka dot pants, a long sleeved black t shirt that covered her hips and fuzzy slippers. She didn’t know how he knew her size but she was too grateful for such a sweet gift to question it.

They had arrived home from the grocery store about an hour ago after buying almost everything. Jenna had been shocked when the total came up, but Hudayfah didn’t even blink, and handed over his credit card as if he was spending a few dollars, not a few hundred dollars. Once they had arrived him, Hudayfah had given her a quick tour of the living room, the kitchen, and their bedroom, and had shown her where the towels and her clothes were. Once she had been made acquainted with all she would need that night, he had said he and Rami needed to go do some business and would be back in an hour. At first she had been nervous about being leaving left alone, but then she realized she would be able to explore a little. He had told her that whatever changes she wanted to do in the house she would have unlimited funds to do so, but she wanted to find out about him first. After all a man’s bachelor pad was his sanctuary.

She wrapped a black scarf around her shoulders in case Hudayfah and Rami came back unexpectedly, and skipped down the impressive staircase down to the living room. She couldn’t help but think that though it was fancy and obviously no money had been spared to furnish and decorate it, it was also comfy. She went into the kitchen and began to put away the groceries, admiring it all. Her favorite room had always been the kitchen, and this one was so beautiful. The countertops were swirled black marble, and the cupboards were cherry red. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen that had drawers on each side, the stove and oven were black, and the fridge and microwave were red. She had to walk a good distance to get from the stove to the fridge, and as she took in the femininity of the room she couldn’t help but wonder if it had been remodeled for her. It didn’t seem like something a twenty six year old manly man like her husband would choose.

After she had explored a little, and rearranged a few things to her liking, she began to cook. She was making chicken and rice, salad, and brownies. Yes it wasn’t that fancy, but it was a meal she had made often and was good at it, and as it was her first time cooking for Hudayfah, she wanted it to be good. It made her feel a little uneasy that she wanted to impress him, but she pushed it aside as she found the matching black toaster and red blender.

She began to hum as she chopped up the onions and the garlic, and soon the room was filled with the smell of them cooking in olive oil. As she turned the heat down, she began to chop up the chicken, waiting a few minutes before adding it to the pot. She mixed the water she was going to cook the rice in with olive oil, salt, and turmeric and after she had put it to boil, she began to chop up the tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber. She was so engrossed in what she was doing that she almost screamed when she felt an arm coming around her waist.

“Oh I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She let out a breath as she felt Hudayfah at her ear, and she gently pushed him away.

“You scared me!” she exclaimed, and he leaned against the island, his eyes sparkling.

“Sorry. I just smelled such wonderful smells and as I haven’t had a home cooked meal in quite a few months, I had to come give my thanks.”

She felt herself blush at his compliment, and his smile widened at the pink tinge. “Well thank you. Where is Rami?” she asked.

“He is waiting outside in case you didn’t have your scarf on,” he looped a finger around one of her curls, “which you don’t.”

Such an intimate gesture surprised her slightly, as Rami wasn’t even there.

“Oh! I am glad he waited then.” She exclaimed, and she hurriedly wrapped her scarf around her head, securing it into place with the pin she had weaved into her pajama sleeve. Hudayfah took a step back, and she felt herself blush again as his eyes roved over her.

“You look cute in polka dots.” He said cheerfully, and she gave a smile.

“Thank you for all of my things. How did you manage to get it all here when we weren’t even staying in New York?” she asked.

“That’s my little secret,” he said mischievously, “I am going to go get Rami.” He lingered near her for a few seconds, before kissing her hand, and she was glad he turned away for she turned as red as her new blender.

Keep it together Jenna.

You don’t like him.

You know he is doing it all for the sake of his friend.

His friend isn’t even in the house.

Shut up.

As she mentally argued with herself, she checked on the food, placed the salad in the fridge to cool, and began to make the brownie mix, trying to ignore the fact that she could still feel his lips on her hand.

It was going to be a long two weeks.

***

“Jenna that was absolutely delicious!” Rami said with a satisfied smile as he patted his mouth with his napkin.

Jenna smiled, and reached for her water.

“Barak Allahu Feek Rami. I am glad you like it.” She turned to Hudayfah who was leaning back in his seat, and gave a shy smile.

“Did you like it?”

He reached forward and took her hand in his. “It was perfection.” He punctuated his response with a slight brush of his lips over her hand, and she had to practically will herself not to blush again. She better get used to all of this and soon. He seemed determined to put up a strong act for his friend, and she had no choice but to go along.

“Oh please, don’t make me throw up all of that great food.” Rami groaned, and Hudayfah laughed.

“Jealous much?” he asked, and Rami scoffed.

“Yeah okay.”

“Perhaps I should tell Jenna why you are not jealous?” Hudayfah turned towards Jenna, a roguish smile on his face. “Rami has his own little sweetheart he has his eye on.”

Jenna let out a laugh as Rami threw a napkin at his friend from across the table. But as the dining table sat twenty four, it landed in the middle, not even reaching Hudayfah.

“Hudayfah, don’t embarrass him!” she scolded, and her husband laughed.

“Yes dear.” He said in a slightly mocking tone, and though she knew he was joking, she still flushed at the endearment.

“How cute! She still blushes when you call her pet names!” Rami crowed, and Jenna gave a forced smile. Rami might not know that this was the first time he had called her anything but her name, but she sure did.

Hudayfah cleared his throat before standing.

“Shall we retire for the night? I don’t know about you both, but I am exhausted.” He said extending his hand, and after a few seconds she took it, standing as well.

“Shouldn’t I clean up first?” she asked, and he smiled at her.

“The cleaning ladies come every morning, let’s just put away the food, and put the dishes in the sink to soak, they will take care of the rest.”

Jenna’s eyes widened in surprise.

Cleaning ladies!

How awesome.

The three of them got the food put away and the dishes in the sink in record time, and after they said their salaams to Rami, the two of them climbed the stairs, Hudayfah holding her hand. Yet the second they reached their room, she dropped his hand as if it was on fire, and he frowned slightly.

As he closed the door behind them, and she realized they would be alone, she felt her fear come back full force. In the airplane they had had that pesky flight attendant checking on them every few minutes. They had only been married three days after all, she still wasn’t used to the fact that she would have to sleep next to him.

Hudayfah turned back to look at her.

“How do you like the house?”

His professional tone of voice surprised her as he had been all affectionate a moment ago.

He is putting on an act dummy.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Any changes you want made please let me know. Even in here. I know its kind of masculine.” He said apologetically, and she smiled.

“Other than a few splashes of color, I think its wonderful.”

Before he could answer, her phone began to ring, and seeing it was her house number, she waved the phone at him.

“I think it’s my mom. Do you mind?”

He waved a hand in her direction. “Go ahead, I am just going to get ready for bed.” He said heading towards his closet, and she pushed answer on her phone.

“Salaam Mama.”

“Nope, guess again.”

Jenna felt her stomach sink as her older brother Muhsin’s voice filled her ears.

“What do you want?” she demanded, and he let out a chuckle.

“Wow so you marry a billionaire and are suddenly too important for your poor family?”

Billionaire!?

“No it’s just the person who ruined my life and made me have to marry some guy I don’t know that I am to important for.”

“Don’t tell me you aren’t enjoying yourself. What has he already given you unlimited funds? Bought you an island?” he scoffed.

“Why are you being such a jerk to me?!” she exclaimed, and he laughed again.

“I’m not little sis. I am just teasing you.”

“Well stop it. Why are you calling me?”

“Just checking in. How are you answering your phone, you are supposed to be on a flight to your honeymoon.”

“We decided to stay in New York for a few weeks.”

Muhsin was silent for a few moments, before clearing his throat.

“Why?”

“Something was wrong with the flight and when we had to get put on standby, we just decided to stay here for a little while.”

“Hmm, I see.”

She didn’t like his tone. She didn’t like that he was calling her in the first place, but she especially didn’t like his tone.

“What?”

“Nothing, listen I need a favor.”

“Seriously? You are asking me for a favor?”

“Yeah I just need a loan, and I thought who better to give it to me than my little sis who could probably buy a small country and not even notice the money was gone.”

“Why do you need a loan?”

“Does it matter?”

“Considering I had to get married to save you in the first place, yes it does.”

“I just need it for some things.”

“Like what?”

“Are you going to give it to me or not?!” he demanded in annoyance, and before she could respond, the phone was plucked out of her hand.

“Muhsin, I would really appreciate it if you don’t call my wife asking for money. Next time be man enough to come to me with your screw ups.” He ended the call, and tossed her back her phone.

“Thanks.” She said, and he turned to look at her, anger glinting in his eyes.

“I am not stopping you from talking to your family, but I don’t want you to speak with him.”

“I didn’t know it was him, he was calling from the house phone.”

“Fine but just remember it next time he calls, and there will be a next time.”

There was silence between them, for he still looked quite angry, and they stood awkwardly for a few seconds, his arms folded over his chest, and her turning her phone over in her hands nervously.

“Did I do something wrong?” she blurted out, and he blinked in surprise.

“No, I was just telling you I don’t like you talking to him. I know he is your brother but I don’t trust him.”

“I didn’t mean that, I agree with you,” he smiled slightly, “I just meant all of a sudden you went all cold on me.”

His eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she said shifting uncomfortably, “you were calling me dear and holding my hand and then all of a sudden you are talking to me like someone would a coworker, not their wife.”

His eyes widened in disbelief.

“Hey you made it perfectly clear that you wanted this relationship to be for others. Not for us. Can you expect me to do anything else?”

“You hugged me in the kitchen. Rami wasn’t there.”

He shrugged.

“He was in the hallway, he could hear us.”

Jenna felt her stomach drop at that.

It had been an act.

“Fine.” She said spinning around, and he caught her wrist.

“Are you seriously angry at me for not hugging you for real, when you flinch when I even touch your arm?!”he asked in disbelief.

“Let go of me.” She said angrily, and he dropped his hand immediately, and took a step back, a pained look on his face. After a few seconds he grabbed one of the pillows off of the bed.

“I’ll sleep in the sitting room.” He said gruffly.

“You don’t have to.” She said quietly and he turned to look at her sadly.

“Yeah, I do.”

*** The man took a hesitant step into the room, knowing how angry Jamaal was going to be. He didn’t like when things didn’t go according to plan, and this definitely wasn’t following the plan.

“Where have you been? I have been waiting for an hour.” Jamaal demanded as he stepped forward, and he winced slightly.

“Sorry, I thought I was being followed so I had to drive around until I lost them.

Jamaal waved a hand in the air.

“Fine, fine. Do we have her?”

“Um, not exactly.”

“WHAT?!” Jamaal bellowed, and he angrily knocked over a ceramic cup, causing coffee to spill across his desk and onto the floor. “Why don’t we?!”

“They didn’t go to Egypt.”

Jamaal raised an eyebrow.

“You told me that’s where they were going for their,” he made a face, “honeymoon.”

“They were. But I guess they were on to us. They are staying in New York.”

“For how long?”

“I am not sure. Rami hasn’t touched bases with me yet.”

“Who is Rami?”

“Hudayfah’s huge strong best friend who is also his bodyguard.”

“Hmmm, we will have to take him out.”

“It won’t be easy, that man is like an elephant and would die for Hudayfah and Jenna.”

Jamaal’s face softened slightly.

“Ah Jenna.” He gave a slight smile before realizing he wasn’t alone and he scowled. “I don’t care, we will send in fifty men if we have to. Send someone immediately to New York. Where are they staying?”

“I know Hudayfah has a house there but I don’t know where it is.”

Jamaal snorted.

“You don’t know where it is? The man paid me twenty thousand in cash he had in his car! Where else would they be than the Upper East Side.” He glared at the man. “You should have known this. Why do I have you around then if you can’t get information on the inside?!”

“Like I said, Rami hasn’t checked in with me yet and his number is disconnected. I am guessing they spotted our men in the airport and got new numbers for security reasons. He will call me soon.”

“He better. When I am not in control, I get very unhappy. When I am unhappy, people who have made me so,” he paused to finger a knife on his desk, “get hurt. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Get four of my men on the earliest flight to New York.” He pulled out a wad of cash from his desk drawer, and tossed it at the man who caught it, looking at it uneasily.

“I thought our fight was with Muhsin? Why are we going after Hudayfah?”

Jamaal glared at him. “Because Hudayfah decided to play the hero and get himself involved. Plus, he took away what was promised to me and I don’t forget easily. Now go, you could have booked a flight already.”

“Yes sir.” He said before hurrying to leave the room. That had gone surprisingly well, and he wanted to get out of there before Jamaal became angry and inflicted pain. He pulled his hood over his face in case one of Hudayfah’s friends were around and recognized him, and got into his rental car, starting the engine and tearing out of there. It was a pain having to rent a car every time he came to see Jamaal, but his car would have been recognized in a second with all the time he spent with Hudayfah and the others.

As he pulled to a stoplight, he glanced uneasily at the pile of money that was sitting on the passenger seat. He was beginning to regret betraying Hudayfah like that. After all he was a good friend and had helped him out more than once without even asking for anything in return. But Jamaal had offered big money, and he had needed it. He had lost his job, was having trouble paying rent, and was embarrassed to ask Hudayfah for another loan, for they both knew he would never pay him back, so it was more of a gift. While he knew his friend could afford it, he was one of the richest men under fifty in the entire country after all, it was a matter of pride now.

Though its not like his pride didn’t take any hits when he was around Jamaal. The man was evil. Truly evil. He was ruthless and angry, and didn’t care who he hurt or what he did as long as he got what he wanted. And right now what Jamaal wanted, was Jenna. He didn’t know the details for he wasn’t that high up in the ranks to be trusted yet, but Jamaal had been seriously pissed when he realized Hudayfah had married Jenna to keep her away from him. He still was mad, and would not rest until he had her by his side, and had tortured Hudayfah to death.

He probably didn’t even care about Muhsin anymore, even though the idiot didn’t take the hint that he was off the hook, and would probably end up doing something stupid again. He had a serious problem, and part of him was thinking he should probably warn Muhsin to stay away. But then it would be exposed that he was the traitor and he couldn’t risk that. Just then his phone rang, and seeing an unknown number, his stomach sank. It could be just about anyone at this point. He put his phone on his car speakers, and pressed answer.

“Hello?”

“Salaam bro.”

Rami.

“Salaam Rami! I am so glad you guys are okay.”

Silence.

“Why wouldn’t we be?”

Oops.

“I’ve been calling you for two days now and you haven’t been answering.”

“Yeah, we were being followed, we had to dispose of our numbers and wait until we got new ones.”

“Are you guys in Egypt?”

“Nope. We had to stay in New York.”

“Where?”

“Hudayfah’s house.”

“Where is that?”

Silence.

“Why do you need to know.”

Shoot he was getting suspicious. His meeting with Jamaal had rattled his nerves and he wasn’t being careful enough.

“Just in case.”

“Of what?”

Shoot.

“I need to come.”

“If we need you to come we will send for you.”

“Of course. Sorry this whole thing has just gotten me rattled. You know Hud is like my brother.”

“Yeah I know bro.” Rami said, his voice softening a bit. “Look if you need to reach us you can call on this number it’s my cell.”

“Okay. Does Hud have one?”

“Yes but he is on his honeymoon if you need to reach him you can call me and I will tell him.”

“Okay. So how are the newlyweds?”

“Disgustingly happy and lovey dovey.”

“Good.”

Not good.

Jamaal would not be happy.

“Alright I gotta go bro. I’ll check in in a few days.”

“Okay.”

“Salaam.”

“Walaikumasalaam.”

As he hung up the phone, he rubbed a hand down his face, his heart beating painfully. All of this secrecy and double crossing was going to kill him!



Literally.