*Mature Scenes*
Kanza Hadad
"Your pacing around is making me dizzy," I said, falling back against the bed. "What's so bad about staying here for a bit anyway?"
My husband gave me a dissatisfied glance. "Need I remind you that we're at the heart of mafia territory?"
"But it's comfy here. Look how soft this bed is," I smiled, bouncing on it. "And super fun."
"Kanza, you're getting distracted again."
Pursuing my lips, I crossed my arms. "I can't help it. I don't know anything that's going on here."
A flash of guilt fell across his visage, breaking the nerves as if his composure broke into shards of glass. I didn't mean for my words to come off as harsh or insensitive, but by the time I realized how my tone must have sounded, it was too late to remedy the situation. Tanwir was losing his cool the longer we were stuck here, and I was no help.
Not knowing about mafia dynamics made me feel helpless. I always prided myself in being a woman who charted her own path through life without restraints, yet for the first time since I was a kid I was facing barrier after barrier. I heeded Tanwir's warnings about the dangers of mafia life, so I chose to be careful with my words, which for me was extremely hard.
Still, I believed in Tanwir's words. We may not have been married for long, however there was a deep trust between us that required no words.
While I was distracted by my own thoughts, I didn't realize that the bed dipped beside me, the heat from Tanwir's body so close to mine that I felt my entire body light up in anticipation. His cologne wrapped around me like a warm blanket, comforting me in an embrace of love.
Looking up, I met his gaze, lost in the sincerity of his brown eyes and the fullness of his lashes that were heavy with guilt. His black frames caught the light from a lamp nearby, outlining the almond shape of his eyes, the softness of his features whenever he looked at me with his kind eyes.
I didn't remember a time when he didn't have this gentle aura to him. I saw it with Amira so many times that my chest would clench painfully at not having Tanwir look at me with those eyes. He was always so focused on the well-being of his family that he never saw the longing in my gaze.
And now he stared at me as if I was the most important person in his life, as if he'd lose his mind if he couldn't protect me.
Instinctively, my fingers traced the outline of his strong jaw, feeling the prickle of black hair. "Tanwir," I whispered, worry lacing my tone. "Are you alright?"
He leaned his head against my shoulder, arms encasing me to his body. Surprised at first, my body adjusted to the sudden change, and I found myself stroking his tangled hair.
"I'm sorry," he said with a hoarse voice.
"For what?"
"For dragging you to this God forsaken place," he mumbled, arms tightening around me. "If I can't protect you... if I lose you, I don't know what I'll do."
A small laugh escaped me. "What nonsense are you spouting now?" I asked, keeping my voice soft. "We're going to be fine, Tanwir. In Shaa Allah (if God wills it), we'll stay out of harm's way."
His broad shoulders tensed as he lifted his head. Dark shadows loomed over his visage like clouds of defeat as an aura of ambivalence emitted from him. His tired gaze met mine, almost pleading me the same way his voice did moments before.
Knock Knock.
His face hardened, all traces of vulnerability erased as if it was never there. No longer did I see warmth in his gaze or the worry that laced his expression. Instead, I saw indifference etched across his mask, an icy glare forming as he stared back at the door.
The enforcer. That's what they called him.
Tanwir stood up, walking towards the door with heavy steps, his shadow trailing behind him as the moonlight eclipsed the room. There was an ominous darkness present as the temperature dropped significantly, my arms wrapping around myself in an effort to calm down.
Is this feeling what Tanwir warned me about?
The door creaked open to reveal Halvard. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked with a cheeky grin.
Tanwir's shoulders relaxed as a sigh escaped him. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else," he apologized, stepping back to let him in. "Did you need something?"
"Hey, Kanza," greeted Halvard with a wave before his attention turned back to Tanwir. A leather case was in his other hand. "I came to drop this off."
Tanwir stared blankly at the case, still as stone.
Tilting my head, I glanced between the case and my husband, wondering what was so spooky about a box. "What is it?" I asked.
Halvard opened the lid, presenting a shiny, one of a kind black gun with Tanwir's initials engraved in gold letters. "I figured it was time to return this back to its owner," he said. "The boss has a mission for you tonight with our guests."
My husband's fists clenched. "Did Alexander tell you to give me my gun back?"
"Well..." trailed off Halvard, a little nervous. "He told me to give you special instructions."
"Which are?"
"The guest at dinner tonight is a rival mafia leader and if negotiations don't go too well with Alexander, he wants you to be there to dispose of the threat."
Tanwir didn't seem phased by the request, reaching out to pick up his gun from the case and some bullets. "Where's Alexander? If this is such an urgent task, he should have told me himself," he said as he adjusted the mechanics of his gun.
I was reeling in shock at how casual my husband was with the whole conversation. He spoke as if he was talking about the weather or the news. He handled his gun with a precision and comfort that astounded me like it was his second nature.
Strangely, I was more curious than afraid. Maybe it was his words that kept repeating in my mind like a broken echo, but I wanted to know more, to delve into this part of Tanwir. His world was a lot more complicated than black and white, and I was determined to find all the colors that he lost.
Halvard gave me a sideways glance. "Should we be talking about this with your wife here?" he asked. "She's not used to mafia life and this might be uncomfortable."
Tanwir narrowed his eyes at him. "Do you think my wife is incapable?" he questioned.
"No, but-"
"She's a lot stronger than you think," he said, a harsh tone leaving no room for arguments. "I don't need to shield her from what we do. If that was the case, I wouldn't have brought her with me."
Raising an arched brow, Halvard looked between us with an amused grin. "You have a lot of faith in each other, huh?"
"Of course we do," I said before Tanwir could respond. "How would our marriage work if we didn't?"
A look of awe crossed my husband's visage, his hands stilled on his gun as he stared back at me with an intensity that made me dizzy with the love that blossomed from my chest.
"How long have you two been married?"
Tanwir snapped his head in Halvard's direction with a deadly glare. "None of your business."
He raised his hands in surrender as a deep laughter escaped him. "Aw, come on."
The gun clicked in Tanwir's hand, safety lock off. "What's the special instructions?" he asked, completely ignoring Halvard's comments. "I need details about the rival's weaknesses."
"Straight to business as usual," he sighed, dragging his fingers through knotted ends of his black hair. "He has a weakness for alcohol and women, easily manipulated by money ventures, and has allies within the police force."
"Why is he a threat?"
"He got in the way of our shipment and tried to frame us for illegal drug extortion."
Tanwir stroked his stubble with his free hand. "What was the shipment he stopped?"
"He exchanged our weapons shipment with his drug crate. Undercover officers have been tracking the new drug for months now because of its addictive qualities that rival heroin. Word on the street is that this gang makes it themselves and supplies it to smaller gangs nearby," he explained, shaking his head. "We've been having problems with them for a few weeks now. The boss wanted to increase our weapon presence, but they got in the way again."
Pacing around the room again, I saw the gears turn in Tanwir's head. His eyes glazed over in deep thought as he worked the angles of the information he was given. Pausing abruptly, he looked at the gun in his hands again, finger stroking the engraving. He must have been battling with whether or not he wanted to go through with his duties in the mafia again.
"Am I going to this dinner too?" I couldn't help but ask, grabbing both their attention.
"Yes," rumbled a smooth voice, venomous as his gold eyes.
Alexander casually strolled into the room, dressed in a red button-up and black trousers. His sleeves were pulled up, exposing the outline of muscles on his arms. Every step he took was filled with power, a stride of confidence. He turned to Tanwir with a slow smile, a beast lurking from within.
"Boss," greeted Halvard with his head down in submission.
Tanwir didn't care about formalities. "What's the real reason you want my wife to be present at this dinner?" he questioned, dubious of his intention.
"Isn't it obvious? A Muslim woman as beautiful as her would throw him off guard," he smirked darkly. Chills went up my spine. "He would never expect a Muslim in a place like this. He'll think of her as an offering."
This time, I was boiling with my fury. "Look," I said, standing up and stalking towards him. "I'm not here to be used as a toy for the mafia to throw around like a slab of meat. I came for answers."
I could see both Halvard and Tanwir's eyes go round as saucers, terrified at my sudden outburst. Somehow, I didn't get the memo and kept running my mouth and possibly digging my grave deeper.
"Shame on you for using a married woman to seduce some lousy freak," I hissed.
At that, Tanwir was in front of me within a second, his body shielding me from Alexander's penetrating gaze. A wave of shame fell over me, realizing I didn't heed Tanwir's warning from earlier. He begged me to be careful and here I was doing the exact opposite. I thought Tanwir would apologize on my behalf, but I was surprised by his next words.
"She's right," he agreed. "And I don't tolerate any disrespect towards my wife."
He wasn't making excuses or trying to pander to his leader. Tanwir was taking my side, supporting me for defending myself even if it meant disastrous consequences in the end.
Halvard looked like he was three seconds away from a heart attack.
If the situation wasn't so terrifying, I'd be laughing at his expression. Focus, Kanza. No time for jokes.
Alexander's eyelids lowered, chuckling deeply to himself. "I'm not asking for seduction," he mused. "You guys have wild imaginations. I merely want you to be present, to be seen and not heard. Make sense?"
"No," said Tanwir.
"Just wear these outfits and follow my lead," he commanded, handing Tanwir a shopping bag. "You'll need your gun for this. We don't need a fatal wound, but if my predictions are correct, I'll need you to aim as a warning."
"Any limb you want me to aim for?"
A smile fitted his lips, one suited for a villain. "I'll leave that up to you."
Tanwir's stone-hard expression cracked with surprise. My face probably wasn't that far off either. How the hell did Dayyan know these people?
"Be ready within an hour," said Alexander, walking out the door. He paused for a moment, looking over at me. "If I were you, I'd prepare to see some blood tonight."
Ya Allah, what have I gotten into?
"Halvard," called his boss with a snap of his fingers. "Come. I need you to look over the shipment report. Calculate the losses and compile the receipts."
He rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath. "Time to pop those pills."
Alexander scowled at his book keeper.
"I was only kidding," he amended as he followed close behind like a loyal dog.
When the door shut behind them, I looked back at Tanwir, wondering whether we were taking a responsibility that was too burdensome. One part of me knew that if Dayyan had this many ties to the underworld of mafia life, then there was no way for me to get justice without fowl play.
The other part of me wanted to desperately believe in the power of authorities, of the courts, of unbreakable law. A memory of Ibrahim's case came to mind, and a sinking feeling entered my chest, making it constrict with a painful truth.
Laws weren't always on our side.
And if we weren't careful, we'd be on the losing side.
* * * *
As much as Alexander was beginning to get on my nerves, I had to admit the man had impeccable taste. At first I thought he would pick an outfit that was revealing, but I was proven wrong.
Looking down at the floral printed abaya, I tied the gray, cloth belt at my waist, cinching it ever so slightly and allowing the dress to flow down my hips and legs in elegant waves of silk. The soft fabric caught the moonlight in its creases, emphasizing dark, crimson roses that blossomed all around. My hijab was thankfully black, so it matched with anything.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, recognizing the beauty behind my figure, my appearance. My eyes seemed brighter than usual with the buzz of excitement coursing through my veins, pale cheeks flushed in a dewy pink. I wasn't wearing any makeup today, and there wasn't anything outwardly special about the way I looked aside from the new dress.
But the beauty that I saw was in the confidence I had, the raw determination that sparkled in my eyes. I wouldn't let Dayyan win. I wouldn't let him ruin me.
My husband needed me to be strong, trusted me enough to hold my own in this fantasy world of guns and violence.
Strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me to a hard chest as Tanwir's rugged appearance appeared behind me. His onyx hair was mussed in a disheveled way, inky strands falling over his frames. His chin rested on my shoulder, a smile on his lips as he met my gaze in the mirror.
"Do I look fine?" I asked, slightly nervous to hear his opinion.
He chuckled breathily against my hijab, making my cheeks feel warmer. "I must be doing a terrible job as a husband if you're asking that."
Alarmed, I turned in his arms, chest to chest when I realized how close the proximity of our bodies were. He was dressed in all black, a tucked in dress shirt with a red tie around his neck, no jacket. I could feel a hardness press against my thigh, assuming it to be his gun.
"Is your gun on you?"
His dark eyes glittered with mischief, a side to him that I wasn't accustomed to. "That's not my gun," he whispered, inching his face closer to mine as his hand traced up the curve of my hip, slowly climbing up my body in tantalizing touches. His free hand pressed the small of my back, pushing forward so our lips brushed against each other. "If you weren't so painfully beautiful, I'd have better self-control around you."
Well, two could play that game.
Stepping up on my toes, my hands gripped his muscled biceps, closing the gap as my lips found his. Tanwir stumbled a bit, before steadying our bodies, kissing me back.
The heat of his mouth engulfed mine, tongue intertwining as I arched into him, desperate for his touch. A fire blazed across my skin, scorching me in flames of desire as heat crawled up my spine, white, hot need blinding my vision.
Although I initiated our kiss, it seemed like the more dominant side of Tanwir was taking control. One of his hands pressed behind my neck, making it impossible for me to move away as he deepened the kiss, a loud groan vibrating from the back of his throat.
His body burned against mine, and I lazily wrapped my arms around his neck, moaning into his mouth as he pulled my bottom lip between his teeth. I felt us moving backwards, but I was far too gone to care.
I needed more. I didn't want to be treated like a delicate flower or to be patient with my husband. I wanted him in every way possible, in any way that he'd offer to take me.
When I felt the mattress behind me, I pulled away from his tempting lips, clutching onto his tie and leaving hot kisses from the corner of his mouth to the length of his neck. Tanwir's breaths came out in short pants, body trembling from reining in his self-restraint. His eyes were squeezed shut as if in pain, and my hand traveled lower, down the ridges of his hard chest and to the tent growing in his trousers.
His eyes flew open in panic. "Wait," he rasped as he grabbed my hand, but he didn't move it away.
Tanwir was in a silent agony, eyes half closed as his heavy breathing surrounded me. On their own accord, my hand began to move along his length, watching the way his body tensed and shuddered above me.
"Fuck," he cursed to himself, biting his lip. I shouldn't have been that turned on by the move, but I was. My body was melting, strung up too tight by his touch, and desperately searching for a release.
Somehow gathering his senses, Tanwir grabbed my wrists, forcefully pinning them to the bed as he hovered over me, eyes glowing in the dappled light as he hungrily took in my disheveled appearance. My lips must have been swollen from the rough, demanding kiss and eyes glazed over like a doe-eyed nymph.
But my husband didn't release his hold. He was firm, reprimanding me with his eyes as if I'd done something bad. If anything, I found this to be even more entertaining. His body responded to my advances and he desired me just as much. Still, he chose the more noble, gentleman route, much to my dismay.
He leaned down, hot breath fanning my hijab. "We are not having our first time here," his voice was rough with strained control. "Got it?"
I pouted. "But I thought it was a great idea."
Tanwir nipped at my neck through the thin cloth. "I'd suggest you stop if you don't want the entire mafia to hear you scream."
A gasp hitched in my throat just as he bit down, chuckling to himself as he pulled himself on his hands, still hovering over me. The need for relief was too much of a hindrance for me to think of anything else, but I knew he was right. This wasn't the place or the time, and I didn't want to mess up the mafia's plans for the night even if it messed with mine.
They were the mafia after all.
Tanwir saw my disappointment, his head lowering once more to peck my lips. "Obey," he mumbled against them. "But don't think you won't be punished for that little tease."
"Am I going to like this punishment?"
"We'll just have to find out, won't we?" he whispered in a deep baritone, his voice a few octaves lower. The smoothness of his tone, the way it caressed my burning skin was making it hard to think.
One thing was obvious. I was becoming obsessed with my husband, feelings developing faster than I could comprehend. He had an alpha male side to him, a dominance that beckoned me, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't spur me on more.
* * * *
"You're late," said Alexander as we walked into the dining room of his mansion. He was sipping red wine, lips tinted red as if he was drinking blood.
Tanwir led me to our seats, pulling the chair for me. "My apologies," he said with a void expression. "I seemed to have gotten carried away with my wife."
This perked Alexander's interest, his gold eyes glowing amber as he stared at us. "Oh? More important than our guest?" he gestured to the stubby man on the opposite side of the table.
My husband said nothing as he sat between Alexander and I, his gloved hands reaching for a glass of water. "Pleased to meet you, sir," his voice was a low, gravely tone.
Yafeu stood behind Alexander while Halvard sat on his other side, each with a stoic expression. There were no emotions or lingering attachments in their gazes, their eyes cold with a looming void. They seemed like walking mannequins than anything else, but there was murderous intent in their dark eyes.
And they were all wearing leather gloves, except for Alexander. What the hell?
People would only wear gloves if there was something they'd be covering up later. I forced myself to calm down, to not focus on my fear.
Looking ahead, the stout man was curiously glancing at me, taken aback by my presence. His dull brown hair was greasy against his scalp, pale skin sleek with sweat. He was scared too. There were men dressed in black standing behind him, people I assumed to be mafia associates.
"Now, where were we?" said Alexander with a chilling threat in his tone. "About your shipment interference... did you really think I wouldn't know?"
The man looked away from me. "What proof do you have to pin the blame on me?"
"That's none of your concern," continued Alexander, speaking slowly. "I know all about you, from your mistresses to your rather questionable business proposals."
Oh my God. Panic began to set in as I recognized the man. He was one of Ibrahim's potential business partners. I remembered him from Tasneem's house when we baked cookies together and gave some to Ibrahim while he was in a video conference with this same man.
He barely saw me, so there was no way he'd still remember my face. I glanced over at Alexander, wondering if he knew all this time. He said I didn't have to speak because my presence would be enough, and if that was the case, that meant that this man must have recognized me from Ibrahim's house.
And that meant that Alexander knew how close Ibrahim was to Tanwir and I. He knew about Tarkan Industries and their business ordeals. All of Tanwir's warnings started to make sense, the pleads, the fear, everything began to manifest in my mind.
The man lifted his chin, narrowing his beady eyes. "You know it's illegal to snoop into my business, don't you?"
Alexander chuckled darkly. "Oh, dear. You must be much more delusional than I originally thought," he smirked like a devil ready to lure victims into a pool of sin. "In this line of business, what does legality have to do with anything?"
"Everything," he said through clenched teeth. "Even if you can pin the blame of the shipment on me, I have eyes everywhere, friends on the police force, and people who are loyal to me."
Halvard slid a folder across the table. "You might want to look into that transaction of yours," he said, leaning back against his chair. "We followed the paper trail. You cost us money and you're threatening us."
The man sifted through the documents in horror. "How did you get this?"
Flashing a smile, Halvard stayed silent, watching the man writhe in amusement.
All of them looked smug, knowing the events of tonight would fall in their favor. Alexander took another sip of his wine, pulling the glass back to swirl the dark liquid. He was toying with him, making the man go mad with his suspicions and fear.
"Oh and about that mistress of yours in Italy," added Alexander. "Did you know how wild she was in bed? A shame that her life was so short."
"You... you killed her?" he half-whispered to himself.
Alexander threw his head back in laughter. "You sent her to me. Didn't you know better?" he asked, mocking him. "You thought I'd be so susceptible to seduction that you didn't think about the power I wield in my own territory."
I watched this man crumble into darkness, watched how his eyes wildly searched around the room, lips trembling for a response. He was an affluent businessman that was leading through his mafia, making transactions through their drug trafficking. He must have planned so carefully in an effort to reduce Alexander's power, yet he saw right through it.
Tanwir gave me a sideways glance. "Cover your ears and look away," he whispered to me, holding a hint of softness in his words. I didn't dare question him.
A loud gunshot was heard, echoing off the walls in claps of thunder followed by a scream of pain. There was no signal, no indication that Tanwir would fire this early and so fast that the mafia associates had no time to react.
When I opened my eyes again, blood was splattered all across the white dinner plate in front of the man as he howled in pain, grabbing his bleeding arm as crimson red leaked between his stubby fingers. His associates raised their gun at Tanwir, who merely smiled at them.
"Shoot me," he challenged, rising from his seat. "Go on."
It was then that I realized that Halvard and Yafeu were also standing, their weapons pointed right at the associates. They couldn't shoot Tanwir when they'd be dead before they got the chance to. Even though Yafeu had unresolved issues with Tanwir, the mafia's interests came first, so he was the crutch that my husband needed to carry out his task.
"Pathetic," Tanwir said before shooting them both.
He did it so fast that I didn't even see the bullets pierce them until I saw blood seep through their clothes and heard their shouts.
"What the fuck?" shouted the man, grasping his arm. He groaned in agony. "You called me for negotiations... and... shoot at... me."
He was sweating buckets of water at this point, veins pulsing from his thick neck, and spit trailing down his chin. The man hissed and growled, throwing every curse he knew at the calm and composed men sitting beside me.
"W-Why?" the man stuttered.
Alexander took another sip of his wine, one leg crossed over the other as his metallic rings clanked against the glass. He could care less about the situation at hand.
Tanwir cocked his gun, aiming it at the man again. "Run," he spoke into their writhing misery. "Give my greeting to Dayyan, would you?"
The man's eyes widened. "How do you-"
He shot at the wall behind the man, slightly grazing his right ear. "Get out."
They didn't need to be told twice as they bolted out of the room.
Adrenaline coursed my blood, my breath coming out in pants as the room spun with images of what occurred. My nails dug so deep into my palms that I didn't notice the breaking skin. I couldn't believe what I saw, couldn't comprehend how there was so much I didn't know about Tanwir's world.
All of them went back to normal as if they didn't almost kill three people, sitting back at their seats. Even Yafeu chose an empty one.
Alexander's lips twitched into a sickly sweet smile, the perfect aura of innocence. "Shall we eat?" he suggested to everyone. He took note of my gaze on the blood splattered plates. "Oh, my. How rude of us to not clean up," he said before he clapped his hands to summon maids. "Bring new plates and silverware at once."
Is he implying that they'd eat dinner like this on a normal occasion?
"Yes, sir."
They scrambled to follow his orders, cleaning the crime scene as if nothing happened and that this was a picture perfect dinner, as if there were no weapons at the table. Halvard was already engaged in a conversation with Yafeu, chuckling to himself about the audacity of the man and how he thought he could get away.
But one thing still didn't make sense to me.
Tanwir was putting his gun back in his holster, peeling the leather gloves off his hand. I wasn't sure if it was a good time to bring it up when my body was still trembling with the sounds of gunshots ringing in my ears, however I had to find the courage somehow.
Forcing myself to take a deep breath, I tugged at my husband's sleeves, making him turn towards me. "Is everything alright?" he asked, worried. His warm hand gripped my wrist, seeing the nail markings on my palms. "Kanza, what-"
I didn't let him finish, cutting him off. "Why did you let them live?"
My question surprised him for a moment, but he recovered quickly as he brought my palm to his lips, kissing it. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that," he murmured against the skin. Tanwir's dark eyes looked up at me, a sincere gaze that made me relax to its familiarity. "We let him live to set an example to his mafia."
My brows knitted with confusion.
"It was a warning that if they tried to get in our way again, they'd have to die."
Tanwir didn't have to say it, but I knew the other warning was to Dayyan. He was telling him that he wasn't playing games anymore, that the enforcer was back in business, better than ever. My husband hit all those shots with an accuracy that shocked me, not a single slip in his posture. He wielded that gun as if it was his innate ability.
And for Dayyan, if Tanwir could shoot that mercilessly on the basis of an order, I could only imagine what he could do with the protection of the mafia.
Assalaamualaikum!
Kanza is bold bold, y'all. She really did find her perfect match ;)
I understand if you're uncomfortable with scenes like this, and I tried my best to mellow it down. Please do not read anything that makes you uncomfortable. I'm not forcing you to read it, so don't force yourself.
Now that my disclaimer is out of the way, what do you think of the mafia dynamics or how Dayyan may react?
Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow!