Page 45 of Releasing the Djinn
Setting the pot back down on the table, Nadira resisted the urge to glare at Kedar and risk making anything that might be going on between the young couple worse. She wasn't sure what the man had done to her sister, but she was positive some sort of abuse was taking place.
For a few moments, Nadira was lost in her own thoughts as she took a few bites of her chicken when she heard the knock at the front door. There was only enough time for everyone to exchange a confused look with one another before the door opened. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a black button-down shirt, Idrak strolled through the doorway and into the room.
"Sorry, I'm late," he announced pleasantly as he made his way around the table and to the empty seat next to her.
With his long curling hair combed back and slight stubble to his dark beard, Idrak's good looking human disguise rendered everyone momentarily speechless. Nadira had to resist rolling her eyes.
As if sensing her indifference, Idrak leaned over and pulled her into a possessive kiss that made her whole body burn with embarrassment. Now speechless herself, Nadira blinked as Idrak thanked her mother for the plate of food she offered him.
"I am so glad you could make it," her father intoned sorely. "Nadira was telling us that she wanted you to stay home and rest instead of coming to see her family."
Nadira had to resist closing her eyes with a groan as she looked from her father to Idrak, who was happily munching on his food.
Wiping his mouth with the napkin in his lap, Idrak cast her father an amused look. "Yes, I know. Nadira didn't want to come herself and I almost wouldn't let her but I would never try and control my wife," Idrak let his gaze pass over Kedar and land on her sister in a long assessing look that made Nadira's heart clench before his gaze returned brightly back to her father. "But I got bored and for some reason I just could sense that I was needed, so here I am."
Nadira couldn't stop her hand from seeking his out beneath the table, her heart swelled and ached as his hand closed around hers in silent communication.
Throwing down his napkin with a snap, Samad Razdan's face twisted into outrage. "How dare you? Why would you ever try to keep her away from her family? And you," her father's livid gaze turned to her as he pointed an accusing finger at her. "How could you-"
"With all due respect, old man," Idrak began in a deep warning tone that seemed to quiet the whole room. "If you don't drop that finger this very second, I will reach over and-"
"Idrak," Nadira gasped, squeezing his hand in a quick death grip.
But Idrak did not turn to look at her and the room was deadly silent now. Instantly her father dropped his pointing finger as he began to sputter in visible indignation from the threat, but Idrak continued.
Sitting back in his chair, he looked over the stunned occupants of the table while his thumb rubbed soothingly at her hand.
Looking to her mother, he stopped. "You want to know why your daughter or I never come to visit or even why you have not been invited to our house, correct?"
Regaining her composure, Candrii gave him a commanding look in return. "Yes, of course. A mother should be able to see her daughter when she wants."
"It's because I won't allow it," he said, simply causing Nadira to stiffen and shoot him a hard questioning glance. Feeling her stare, he gave her a grim smile. "It's true, my love, even if you were so inclined to spend time with them, I'm afraid I would have to adopt Kedar's thinking and domy dutyto guide and remind you that your parents are fucking terrible."
Nadira was too stunned to move or say anything as she watched her mother's face burn in anger. But Idrak wasn't done.
"You thought I forgot," he practically snarled as he looked from both her father and mother. "You thought I would forget how you starved and mistreated my wife and then practically threw her into my arms at the first sight of an eligible male, before finding out who orwhatI am."
"Idrak stop," Nadira begged.
But Idrak ignored her, his grip tightening around her hand.
"You spent your life coddling this little fool," he waved a hand towards Nazma as he glared daggers at her mother, who sat ramrod straight in her chair, enduring the verbal assault, "and now look at her, scared and abused far from home. Do you take a lot of calls from your youngest daughter, Candrii? Calls begging for her to be allowed to come home, begging to end this marriage before there is no turning back? Or are you letting them go ignored as she suffers in a marriage you pushed her into?"
Nadira looked to her sister, who bowed her head in shame and Nadira's gut twisted in sorrow and anger. Looking to her mother, Candrii flinched under the disgust she could see in her eldest daughter's eyes.
Kedar began to lean forward, opening his mouth to speak at the insult but Idrak hushed him with a single word of silence, not bothering to look in the man's direction. Everyone watched in stupefied horror as Kedar seemed to choke on his own words. He pantomimed almost comically as he clutched his throat alarmed that no sounds would come out.
Turning back to her finally, Idrak gave her a lopsided smile as he took in her furious but worried expression. Looking to her sister's downturned face, she looked back at her husband.
"You want me to save her, don’t you?" he asked aloud as if there was no one else in the room with them.
Lifting her chin, she stared back at him as she answered firmly. "Yes."
"Fine, but you will pay for my help later," he warned with a dark promise that made her skin burn.
Everyone knew at the table without the need for an explanation he meant sexually.
Turning back to Nazma before Nadira could yell at him, he spoke to her sister. "Do you want out of this marriage?"
