Captive- Veiled Desires by Clarissa Cartharn

hard… But that was all he was doing these past few days. If there had been one, he would have discovered it by now.
    He gathered up his courage and marched up to the house. He could hear the ramblings of the women as they busied themselves with the little banquet they were preparing for him. The delicious aroma of the food cooking in their wood fireplaces, drifted to his nose. He swallowed. The woman had better shape-up by the evening or he’d be the laughing stock of every criminal ring in Afghanistan and beyond.
    He rattled the door before opening it. He wanted to give her enough notice before leaping in on her. He stepped in cautiously.
    She was tidying up the mess she had created yesterday. She barely glanced at him as she strode past to tidy his bed. She wore her dress without her pants. And as she stepped around him, he couldn’t help looking down at her naked feet.  They were slim and beautiful. His cock stirred in his pants. Since when did he have a foot fetish?
    “Leave it,” he said, shaking himself out of his sudden strange fantasy. “I’ll get one of the women to tidy up the room.”
    She ignored him as she continued to straighten-up the bedspreads.
    “Nora…” He moved to pull her away but she slapped him away and then rushed off to the end of the room. Her eyes darted about the room, scared and wary. His heart clenched. He didn’t want to see her in such pain. “I won’t hurt you.” He spoke to her softly as he inched slowly towards her.
    “Let me go,” she begged. “Please, let me go.”
    “I can’t, Nora.”
    She bit her lips and closed her eyes.
    “Nora,” he said. “We’re getting married, today.”
    She didn’t say anything. She didn’t react at all.
    “The women will dress you for the wedding ceremony. It’s going to be held this evening at about seven o’clock,” he continued. “They will then lead you down to the common room after the nikkah has taken place. And when the mullah will ask you if you’re agreeing to the marriage during the nikkah , you will say “I do”.”
    She lifted her eyes up harshly at him. Her defiance had seeped back into them. His entire body tensed. Those eyes were going to be the cause of his death one day.
    “No,” she said.
    His lips thinned. He didn’t do well when people challenged him. “I’m not asking you, Nora.”
    “I won’t do it.”
    He stepped threateningly towards her, his shoulders bulking. His fears were coming alive. She was going to humiliate him before everyone.
    “What?” she dared. “You’re gonna hit me again? You might as well kill me now because I will not do it.”
    “No, I won’t kill you.” He gritted his teeth menacingly. “I will have you alive. I will, however, be compelled to kill those who are close to you. You and solely, you will be the reason for their fates.”
    She widened her eyes in shock. “I don’t believe you,” she muttered. “You know nothing about me.”
    “Is that so?” He smirked. “Nora Jennings. Age, twenty-eight. Was the photographer for the Chicago Herald until a month ago when she decided she wanted to travel and see the world outside of Chicago, a city in which she had spent her entire life. Studied at Lincoln Park High School and then moved on to get her photography degree from the University of Illinois. Your parents separated as a child. You haven’t been in contact with your father for the last ten years and you most possibly do not even know where he is. Your mother died six years ago in a freak car accident. Two cars collided; one slid away and hit your mother who was an innocent pedestrian on a crossing. Life couldn’t have been more unfair to you, Nora. I thought I had cashed in all my chips. There was no one who was really looking out for your return.”  He placed his hands against the wall, on either side of her head, blocking her exits. But there was really no need to worry about her escaping. He had caught her attention and he was going to make sure that was