“You didn't have to do all of that,” Reed said.
“Yes, I did.” Piper turned her smile on him, but it was clear it was only platonic. “You did so much for me, it was the least I could do.”
“It's late,” Julien spoke up. “We'll leave you to get settled. Give us a call if you need anything, no matter the time.”
“Thank you.” Reed put out his hand again and Julien shook it.
The three of us stood in silence for nearly a full minute after Piper and Julien left. The apartment was quiet and any sounds from outside were muffled. Reed released me to walk over to the door and turn the deadbolt. I had a feeling he wasn't doing it because he thought we needed protection from people in the neighborhood.
“Why don't you two head upstairs,” he said. “I'll see what Piper has in the kitchen and whip us up something while you're showering. When you're done, I'll bring up some food and take a shower. There are two bedrooms. The bigger one's on the right. I'll be in the one on the left.”
“No,” Halea spoke up. “You and Nami will share the bigger room.”
“Halea.” I could feel the heat burning in my cheeks.
“I am not a child, Namisa.” Halea's eyes narrowed and, for the first time, I saw myself in her face. “You two need to be together. End of discussion.”
As she started up the stairs, Reed turned to me with a half-smile on his face. “That is definitely your sister.”
I laughed softly. “Yes, she is.” I held out my hand. “Shall we find something to eat before going upstairs to our room?” I liked the sound of that.
He took my hand and then sighed.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
“We finally get a room where we won't be interrupted and I'm too tired to do anything but sleep.”
I laughed again and stepped into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. His automatically closed around me as well. I rested my cheek on his chest. “That's okay. We have plenty of time. And falling asleep in your arms sounds like the best thing in the world right now.”
He kissed the top of my head. “Yes,” he agreed. “It does.”
Chapter 17
Reed
Waking up in that bed, with Nami in my arms, the bright sunlight streaming in between the curtains, the smell of whatever it was Halea was cooking wafting up the stairs, it was like something out of a dream.
Piper had left some of her clothes for the girls and I still had a clean outfit or two in my bags, but it was pretty clear that one of the first things we needed to do after breakfast that morning was go shopping.
I called a car and the three of us went into the city. There still hadn't been anything on the news about the girls being missing and I was beginning to suspect that there wouldn't be. Tanek still had until tomorrow evening before the king and queen knew something was wrong, I was willing to bet that he would do whatever it took to make sure they didn't find out. That probably meant he’d try to figure out where we'd gone and come after us. I just hoped that by the time he realized we'd left the country, Kai and Tomas would have gotten Ina to the king and queen.
I wasn't going to worry about that though. We were safe for now and it was Nami's first time in Philadelphia, and Halea's first time in the United States. I may have had issues with my family and some of the members of Philadelphia high society, but I did love my city and I intended to show it off. We went to Macy's first, so the girls could get clothes and so that I could see the expressions on their faces when they saw the gigantic pipe organ that covered the upper parts of the walls.
When we left a couple hours later, we had enough clothes to last all three of us several weeks. We took them back to the apartment and then went out to walk. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. A bit hot considering it was the end of June, but there was a nice breeze and I could tell that the freedom of being out and about without having to worry about bodyguards or anything like that made the air smell twice as sweet.
The three of us spent the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday in various parts of the city. We walked and ate and talked. Halea quickly became enough at ease with me that she didn't seem self-conscious anymore, and even tried teaching me some of their native language. Nami's face lost its look of pinched worry and she began to get her color back even as her bruises faded. She still looked a bit peaked in the mornings, but I wasn't worried. It would take awhile for her frayed nerves to mend. We didn't know how long our peaceful time together would last, but none of us talked about it. We wanted to enjoy what we had and not think about anything else. When things started to change, we'd deal with it, but for the moment, we were safe and happy.
Thursday morning, we were up early and in the kitchen discussing what we'd be doing after breakfast when someone knocked on the door. Immediately, the mood shifted. Julien and Piper both had keys, and although they might knock just to be polite, something in my gut said that it wasn't either of my friends.
“Stay here.” I was technically talking to both of them, but I looked at Nami. Halea would follow her sister's lead, and I didn't want Nami doing something foolish.
Nami raised her eyebrow but didn't argue. I took that as agreement and went out as the person at the door knocked again.
I could've asked who it was, but it'd end up the same either way. If, by some strange fluke, it was Tanek, he wouldn't be getting into the house, no matter who was with him. American police wouldn't come in without a warrant or an invitation. And if Tanek himself tried, I'd yell for Nami to call the police.
As soon as I opened the door, however, everything changed. It wasn't Tanek on the other side, or any of the bodyguards. It wasn't even the American police, called by Tanek, which was something I'd had in the back of my mind.
No, the two people standing on the doorstep were familiar-looking. And the last two people I would've expected to see standing here.
“Your Majesties.” I managed to keep my voice polite and even, though I merely inclined my head instead of bowing. They may have been a king and queen, but I wasn't in their country and they had given their daughter to a monster. I wasn't about to give them any more than the slightest courtesy, and only that because of how much I loved Nami.
“Mr. Stirling.” King Raj shifted on the step as if he planned to come inside.
Immediately, I folded my arms across my chest, solidifying my presence in the doorway. If he wanted inside, he would have to get by me, and I didn't like his chances. He wasn't a small man, but I was bigger, and younger. And I was pissed.
“Please, let us see our daughter,” the queen spoke this time. There was a pleading note in her voice, but I didn't move.
“Reed.”
Nami spoke up from behind me and I glanced over my shoulder.
“It's okay.”
I had my doubts, but they were her parents. As long as they didn't try to take her out of the house by force, they couldn't hurt her by coming in. I knew I didn't have to worry about them talking her into coming back to Tanek, not with Halea still in the kitchen.
I stepped to one side and the queen rushed past me and threw her arms around Nami. I wasn't sure who was more surprised, her or me. Then the king stepped inside and turned towards me, his hand out.
Well, shit.
As I shook his outstretched hand, movement outside caught the corner of my eye. When the king moved to embrace his daughter as well, I looked towards the road. Kai and Tomas were standing at the car. They gave me identical nods and I felt a rush of relief. The fact that they were here meant, I hoped, that they'd gotten Ina to the king and queen, and that Tanek was done.
I closed the door behind me and turned to find Halea in her father's arms and Queen Mara wiping her eyes. Nami looked at me, her own eyes wet and shining. She motioned towards the couch and chairs that Piper had left behind.
“Let's sit.”
I let them all settle, unsure where I should sit. King Raj took one of the chairs and Halea perched on the arm, grinning from ear to ear. Queen Mara sat on the couch and Nam
i took the seat in the middle. She looked up at me and smiled, gesturing to the spot next to her. I took it, but didn't touch her. We needed to deal with one issue at a time.
“Kai and Tomas brought a young lady to speak with us,” King Raj glanced at Halea, obviously choosing his words carefully. “Ina told us about her own...experiences with Tanek.”
Nami's face tightened.
“And then they told us about you.” King Raj looked at me, his eyes narrowed. “About how you and Nami met, and the time you spent together.”
Oh, fuck me.
I didn't know what the expression on my face was, but I did see the stubborn set to Nami's jaw, the rebellious glint in her eyes. She reached over and took my hand.
“Did they?” Her voice was cool.
“They did,” Queen Mara said dryly. “Enough that they knew they could be in serious trouble for their dereliction of duty.”
My fingers twitched against Nami's, but she remained calm and collected.
“What else did my bodyguards tell you?”
I caught a flash of something in the king's eyes, something that looked like a combination of admiration and annoyance. It was quickly replaced with something else. Regret.
“The truth about what we had done to you.” King Raj stood and crossed over to where we were sitting. To my shock, he went down on his knees in front of Nami. “We were wrong, my child. So wrong.” His voice caught on the last word and he grabbed Nami's free hand. “I will never forgive myself for what that...” He uttered a word in their native language that, based on the shocked look on Nami's face, I assumed was suitably appropriate for Tanek. “For what he did to you.”
Nami's fingers tightened around mine. Kai and Tomas didn't know the worst of it. I hadn't told them all the things I knew Tanek had done, only that he'd been abusing her. That meant the king and queen didn't know.
“He's in jail,” Queen Mara said. She smoothed down Nami's hair. “And he will never hurt you again.”
King Raj turned to me, still on his knees. “Thank you, Reed, for saving my daughters when I was too blind to see what was happening.”
I didn't know if this was the right time, but I wouldn’t go another moment without saying it. If they knew that Nami and I had slept together when we'd first met, and it seemed like they did, they needed to know the whole truth of it. “I love her.”
Nami's hand squeezed mine almost to the point of pain. She clearly hadn't expected that, but she didn't look angry at my confession.
“Do you?” Queen Mara's voice was cool, but not cold.
“I do.” I made the words firm as I turned to meet the queen's eyes. They were Nami's eyes, almost the exact same shade of blue-green. “And I'll protect her with my life.”
“From what we hear, you almost did just that.” King Raj stood. “And we won't forget it.”
“Neither will I,” Nami said softly. Her parents looked at her. “What I want to know is, with all this talk of being sorry coupled with what you owe Reed – have you learned anything?”
The atmosphere immediately changed and I could feel the tension radiating off of all three of them.
“You say you'll never forgive yourself for what happened,” she continued. “But that doesn't mean anything to me if you're not willing to change.”
“Change?” King Raj's voice was soft.
Nami lifted her chin. “You forced me to marry a man I didn't choose. A man who beat me. Raped me. Repeatedly.”
My fingers were nearly numb from how hard she was squeezing my hand.
The queen made a noise, confirming my previous suspicion that they hadn't known about the rapes.
“All because of tradition.” Her voice was steady, but I could feel her body shaking against mine. “You never once asked what I wanted. Never asked my opinion on anything.” She looked at her mother and then at her father. They both flinched at the look in her eyes. “And this is what happened because of it.”
“What do you want?” Queen Mara asked. “What can we do?”
“Annul my marriage.”
Okay, that one took me off guard, and judging by the look on her parents' faces, they hadn't been expecting it either though I wasn't sure why I was surprised. Of course she wouldn't want to stay married to Tanek. I just hadn't realized that her parents had any power to control that.
“Annul the marriage,” Nami repeated. “And let me choose. Choose my own life.”
“And if we do,” King Raj said slowly. “If we let you choose, what will your choice be?”
“I will be Queen,” Nami said. “I accept that responsibility.” She took a deep breath and then added, “And I choose him.”
My heart gave an unsteady thump.
King Raj looked at me, a stern expression on his face, and then turned to his wife. She nodded and they both looked at Nami.
“Agreed,” King Raj said. “Let us discuss where we go from here.”
Chapter 18
Nami
I put my hands on the edge of the sink and bowed my head. The bathroom was full of steam, my skin still glistening. The hot water had done a great job of easing the knots in my back and shoulders, but my whole body was still tense. The past few days, hell, the past few weeks, hadn't been easy, but today had been what Americans would have called a roller coaster of emotions.
Joy at seeing my parents. Horror and humiliation when they said Kai and Tomas had told them about what Tanek had done, about the truth behind mine and Reed's relationship. The surge of love hearing Reed say that he loved me and he'd protect me. A mix of feelings so complex that I couldn't explain them or sort them as my parents asked for my forgiveness, acknowledged that they owed Reed. And then surprise at my own boldness when I challenged them.
They would annul my marriage, had promised to make the necessary calls that very afternoon. By the time we returned to Saja tomorrow, I would be free of my vows. Free to publicly choose Reed.
I swallowed hard. If he still wanted me.
I pulled the towel off of my head and let the wet curls tumble over my bare shoulders. I hung it up on the door hook and turned back to the sink. I had another towel wrapped around me and I took that off now. I looked down at my body. The bruises were nearly gone. I'd never bruised easily and they'd always healed quickly. It wasn't them I was looking at though.
I was looking for other changes.
“Nami?” Reed knocked on the door. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I said. “I'll be out in a moment.”
I pulled the towel back around me again, looked one more time at the little piece of white plastic, then threw it in the trash. After a moment's consideration, I covered it with a bit of toilet paper even though there were only two of us in the apartment at the moment. Halea might have gone back to the hotel with my parents, but I didn't want him finding out that way either.
No, he deserved to hear it from me.
I walked out of the bathroom and across the hall to the bedroom Reed and I had been using. The fact that my parents had left the two of us here, knowing we were sleeping together, was their way of saying I could make my own decisions. That they'd accepted my choice. In a few minutes, I'd know if my choice would accept me. I knew he loved me, that he was willing to go to jail for me, but this was different. For some men, this would break them.
“Are you sure you're okay?” Reed came towards me as I stepped into the room. He took my hand, an expression of concern on his face. “You look like you're feeling sick.”
I shook my head even though he was partially right. I did feel like I was going to throw up, but this time I knew it really was from nerves. The other times I'd told myself it was nerves, I knew now I'd been lying to myself. I'd probably known it then, but so much had been going on, I hadn't wanted to think about it. And I certainly hadn't wanted to think about the implications.
“I have something I need to tell you.” For the first time today, my voice shook.
“Nami, sweetheart, what's wrong?” He put his hand on the s
ide of my face. “You're scaring me, love.”
“I–” Words failed me and I ducked my head.
“You can tell me anything.” He cupped my chin, raising my head so that I was looking at him. I could see the fear mingling with concern. “Even if it's that you changed your mind about me.”
I shook my head, tears burning in my eyes. “I haven't. I love you and I want you. I wish I would have chosen you from the beginning.”
“I wish that too,” he said, brushing his thumb across the corner of my eye. “If only to have spared you from the pain of what happened.”
“It's not just that.” I took a breath and wished I had the courage to take a step back, the strength to say this without needing his touch.
“Please, just tell me.”
It was the desperation in his voice that did it.
“I'm pregnant.”
I waited, but other than a slightly stunned look on Reed's face, there was no reaction. No cursing. No pushing me away. Neither was there joy or excitement. I hadn't expected that though. Shock had been the best I'd hoped for. After all, I hadn't thought anything of it when Reed and I had made love those few times since he'd come for me, hadn't thought to tell him that we needed to use a condom.
I was able to move away now and his hands fell at his sides.
“There's more,” I forced myself to say it. “I haven't taken my birth control since we were in Venice. So when we've...and when Tanek...” Bile rose in my throat and I choked it down. The words that came out next were just as bitter on my tongue. “I don't know who the father is.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks and I dropped my head, unable to look at Reed, to see whatever expression was on his face. Rejection. Disgust. Even pity.
Then his arms were around me, pulling me against his bare chest. He held me tight, making soothing noises that had no words. His skin was hot and I welcomed the heat, my own body cold from my confession.
“Do you know what I know?” Reed's voice was soft, but there was no hesitation, no wavering. “I know that it doesn't matter whose DNA that child has, I am its father.”