MAFIA COLLATERAL (Mafia series #2) SAMPLE

Chapter 21

Zameer saw Sadia sit on the bed, her neck twisted in the direction of the large grass window that gave a clear view of the garden outside the clinic.

Her leg wound was much better but it still caused her pain to walk so she was assigned a wheelchair for the time being. She was dressed in clean white clothes. She was covered from head to toe. Zameer always liked her modesty but right now, in simple white hospital clothes, he couldn't help but think how graceful she was as she sat with her back straight, shoulders squared and hands neatly folded on her lap.

She was a real lady. A unique lady. She was so different. Not just personality wise but so much more.

What am I thinking? Zameer shook his head in disapproval. Again with these irrelevant thoughts. What's wrong with me? He thought to himself as he inahled on his cigarret, letting the familiar burn of his lungs keep him in his senses. Get a fucking grip on yourself. You're acting like you haven't seen or been with a woman at all. He thought and to some extent, it was right. Ever since he got engaged, neither did he get laid nor did he approach another woman. The only woman he had talked with was Anissa and that too months ago.

He gazed at Sadia; he couldn't see her face so he couldn't tell what she might be thinking about.

Zameer hadn't approached her for two whole days. He wanted to give her time to clearly think things through. And he knew that Sadia was a smart woman and she would've calculated her chances very well. Of course, he knew that giving her incentive was not a wise or a smart move but he was a skilled manipulator and if making her think that she had a chance of escaping from him would get her to agree then he would take it. There was nothing to risk at all. He was merely doing it for reasons he had yet to know himself. But those unknown reasons were playing with his mind. But all he knew was that he wanted her to live.

For unknown reasons, may it be respect or pity, he wanted her safe and within his protection.

For Bhabi's sake. He reminded himself.

And from the way that he had observed Sadia a while ago, he knew that she had made up her mind. But it wasn't like she had much of a choice.

It was pretty simple: she either agreed willingly or he would have to use force. But he knew that he wouldn't get to use any coercion. The intimidation method usually did the job.

Sighing to himself, he opened the door and walked in.

Sadia quickly turned her head in his direction and immediately lowered her gaze.

Zameer felt annoyed with that. She always did that especially now that her real eyes were bare for the world to see. And Zameer wanted to see those eyes. He never wanted her to hide her eyes away from him ever again. But then again, why did he care? Why did he want something like that? It shouldn't matter what she did or didn't do. Whatever she wanted to do, she could do it, she was her own person. At least in regards to that, he would never make her a prisoner. He would always give her the liberties that she had every right to own except for the ones that were against his plans no matter how much she would be against them. She was a coy girl and he couldn't do anything about it.

He had to remind himself that his personal feelings must've interfere at all.

She was going to be his ward soon. Nothing more and nothing less.

So Zameer hardened his gaze and with a straight face, he stood by her side, his hands folded behind his back.

"Have you thought about what I had said?" He asked in monotone.

Sadia's hands were shaking as they came up and gracefully adjusted the loose scarf around her head. "D-do I-" she paused to catch her breath. Suddenly, it seemed so difficult for her to bring the words out of her mouth. But she mustered up all her strength. Now wasn't the time to show fear.

"W-wi-ll it be a......real....marriage?" She inquired.

"No." Zameer replied candidly.

"Then t-the Nikkah-"

"It's merely a formality."

"W-will I be-"

"Required to fulfil you're role as a wife?" Zameer said as if he read her mind.

Sadia almost gasped in surprise. She couldn't quite relax with the way Zameer was taking everything so lightly as if it didn't matter in the least. Her head raised up and she willed herself to look at Zameer.

Zameer resisted the urge to smile. She's naive. He thought. But I can't blame her really. She's just a girl after all and I ruined a lot of things for her. He thought. But he couldn't help but contemplate on that thought. Why did he care? It wasn't his problem. But sure enough, he now knew one thing: he was dead set on protecting her because he felt guilty for ruining the life of an innocent.

And this revelation in itself was so shocking for him. When did he start caring about the innocent? With the amount of innocents he had killed and ruined the lives of hundreds of people without so much as a prick to his conscience then why did he feel this way towards one girl? Why?

Before he could drown in such thoughts, Zameer quickly brought himself into composure and answered. "No, of course not. This is not a real marriage. It's just a way for me to make you my legal ward. You will never be required to exercise your rights and I will never exercise mine. It's that simple."

Sadia felt relieved to know that But one thing confused her."Le-legal......ward?" Sadia frowned in confusion. "Why would......you want to legalise......some-thing like this?" She managed to inquire.

Zameer knew that she would catch up to it. "Because even criminals needs to legalise some relations in order to avoid problems."

Of course, he wasn't about to let her know the real reason or get a glimpse of the bigger picture. Unknown to her, the army had recieved a charred body of a woman some days prior. There was no way of recognizing it or performing any forensic exams on it but he had left subtle clues to make it known that it was Sadia. And even if the army, despite having proof of Sadia's death, found out that Sadia was alive, they wouldn't be able to do anything about it because legally, she would be bound to him.

Sadia was made to believe a much simpler reason while Zameer was treading in dangerous waters. But he knew what he was getting himself into. Everything was well planned and organised. There was no way that he was about to let anything disrupt this plan. In the end, it was all a scheme to take back what he had lost. Yes, that was it. And this was a reason he was willing to believe more then anything. And he wasn't about to underestimate Sadia as well. He had already taken a lot of necessary precautions in case she did figure out the real reasons. But Sadia didn't even think about it. She believed that her father made the right choice and that never bothered her.

"You don't need to worry about anything. Just do as you're told and I'm sure that things will work out by themselves."

Sadia pursed her lips together. With a deep inhale of air, she nodded.

"Alright." She whispered.

Zameer left. Sadia refused to think anymore.

**********

"Do you, Sadia Rehman, in your full senses and consciousness, take Zameer Sheikh as your lawful husband?" The maulvi asked.

A thousands thoughts ran in her head. Her eyes jumped up and looked at the two men standing: one so terrifyingly intimidating that his mere presence sent shivers down her spine: Shehryaar Ghulari glared at her, his eyes cold as always. And his second in command, Qadeem.

Just do it, no second thoughts. She told herself.

"Yes, I do." She said in a low voice and repeated twice again. Her strength was dwindling, she willed herself to sign her name.

Not knowing that she would be held prisoner forever just by signing her name on that piece of paper.