Final Vow (13 page)
“I guess. I’m still getting used to being a couple. But, I like it.” Bridget rose up on her toes and placed a quick kiss on Ahmed’s li
ps.
“I do, too.” Ahmed wrapped his arms around her and kissed her thoroughly. Yes, she definitely liked this relationship thing.
Bridget nervously held onto Ahmed’s arm as they headed down the long hallway to the space Dani had converted from a formal sitting room to a comfortable living room. Bridget knew the people waiting for them were friends; however, she’d never been half of a couple before. What if she did something wrong?
It came down to love.
All the couples here were so perfect because they each loved one another. Every fiber of Bridget’s being knew she loved Ahmed. She loved the person underneath his rough exterior that only a few were allowed to see. That’s the man she fell in love with. Her heart ached for him, knowing she was one of the few he’d ever let completely in. After hearing about some of his past, Bridget believed only Mo held that privilege. She just didn’t know what she had to do to have him trust her completely.
Lately Bridget had
been telling herself she had enough love for them both, but when compared to the couples waiting, it was clear it couldn’t work like that. The couples in the living room ahead of them stood side by side, each giving and receiving all the love they had. They were true partners, lovers, and soul mates. She knew Ahmed was that to her, but no matter how she tried to ignore it, what they had was not the same as what these couples shared.
“Is everythin
g all right, my dear? You aren't nervous, are you?” Ahmed asked quietly as they approached the door.
Bridget heard the happy voices from
within and Ahmed must have felt her stiffen as she compared their relationship. “I’m fine.” She saw Ahmed simply raise a brow questioningly. At least he didn’t press her further. So she plastered on a smile and entered the room.
“I don’t know how you did it. Ahmed is like a big brother to me, even though I don’t know his last name. When is his birthday or what is his favorite food?” Tammy laughed as the girls sat around snacking on some chocolates.
Bridget looked o
ver at Ahmed standing quietly between Will and Mo as the men talked. Tammy had just summed it up. He was a big brother to the whole town and they all loved him for it. They all sensed his goodness, but he held himself apart.
Bridget shrugged her shoulders and gave
a little smile as Tammy continued talking excitedly about them. The more Tammy squealed about Bridget and Ahmed’s relationship, the more Bridget’s heart sank. The fluffy fairy tales Tammy was spinning were too good to be true—not that she didn’t have dreams of those exact things. But the more Tammy talked, the more Bridget realized she couldn’t settle for anything less than the love these couples had.
“I think you’re embarrassing Bridget,” Kenna said politely when she realized Tammy was the only one talk
ing.
Bridget sent her a thankful look and
went back to chewing her lip.
“Have you heard the latest on Miss Lily and John?”
Kenna asked, hoping to change the subject.
“No, what?” Dani asked as she moved to sit on the edge of her seat. After years of Miss Lily sticking her nose in everyone’s relationships
, the town was having a field day with the Miss Lily and John saga.
“
Last week he asked her if she wanted to move in together.” The other women gasped at John’s blunder. Miss Lily would not appreciate that. She was as old-fashioned as could be when it came to dating.
“Is he still alive?” Bridget asked. Miss Lily m
ight be small, but she packed quite a wallop with her broom.
“
Wait, it gets better.” Kenna giggled. “He accused her of using him as her boy toy.” The women laughed so hard the men turned and stared at them. Kenna wiped the tears from her eyes and continued her story. “She told him if he wasn’t ready to commit to her fully, then he could get lost. There are rumors of Miss Lily having found love before. In fact, it was such a grand love she could never find another like it.”
“That’s so sad,” Bridget said as she glanced at Ahmed. If he couldn’t love her, would she ever be able to find
love again?
“Bets are flying at the café,” Kenna continued. “John was seen at the seniors’ dinner at the church last
night sitting at a table full of women. When Miss Lily walked in on Roger Burns’s arm, it apparently became quite the to-do. John confronted her at the banana pudding and called Mr. Burns a fuddy-duddy who is old enough to be her father.”
Tammy choked on her drink, “I guess that could be true. I mean Mr. Burns is knocking
at the door of one hundred, isn’t he?”
“Sure is,” Dani agreed. “What happened next?”
“Miss Lily told him she needed a man who was more mature so he would understand a woman like her could never live in sin.”
Bridget giggled and then burst out laughing as she looked at the four of them sitting on the edge of their chairs in a circle eating chocolate and gossiping. “Oh my gosh
—we’re them. We’ve turned into the Rose sisters!”
Kenna, Dani
, and Tammy looked around at each other and realized what they looked like sitting with their heads together and laughing. “We just need the white hair,” Tammy joked as she rested her hand on her baby bump.
“And weapons. I’m good at hitting peop
le with a purse,” Kenna teased.
“I’m good at shooting people,” Bridget put in
. She could talk about weapons.
“You’re
Edna,” Dani shouted before the girls all leaned against each other, pleased with their comparison.
Ahmed only half listened as the guys talked about the current football season. He had played rugby when he was in England so he ended up watching that more than football. He had sensed Bridget’s nervousness when they first arrived, but she seemed to relax during dinner. And now the women were sitting in a tight circle with their heads together as they laughed.
She was gorgeous as she threw her head
back and laughed. He didn’t deserve her. The dark days and nights that had stretched out into years had affected him in unspoken ways. He could never be the man she deserved. That knight in shining armor all girls dream about. No, he was the dark knight from nightmares. Who could love that?
The truth slammed into him so hard he almost lost his
balance. He had to let her go. Will looked at him questioningly but Ahmed waved him off. He just needed some air. As the conversation continued around him, he felt as if he wasn’t of this Earth anymore. He had to let her go or he’d drag her into his nightmare.
Ahmed made his way to the balcony and breathed in the cold air. There was a reason he couldn’t tell her he loved her. He didn’t know how to love. He only knew how to kill. He’d spent the last eighteen years of his life
destroying any feelings he had in order to protect himself and everyone else. No one could get close to him or they died. And now he was in the exact same position once again. He let Bridget get close to him and she was in danger.
* * *
Bridget had to admit, she’d had a good time. She said goodbye to everyone and Ahmed had escorted her to his car. She could tell Ahmed was unhappy about something, though. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m taking you home,” Ahmed said in a hard voice.
“And getting naked?” Bridget teased. Her smile faded, though, as Ahmed didn’t react. He kept his eyes on the road and clenched his jaw. “Where are we going? Your house is that way,” Bridget pointed the opposite way Ahmed was driving.
“
I told you, I’m taking you home.”
“Don’t you want to get a bag? And I left mine at your house.”
“Nabi picked it up and has already dropped it off at your house. I don’t need a bag. I’m not staying.”
Bridget felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. She looked over at him, but he just kept his eyes on the road. He refused to look at her as she felt tears stinging the back of her eyes. “What did I do?”
“You loved me. Goodbye, Bridget.”
Ahmed stopped the car in front of Southern Charms and waited for her to get out. Numbness settled over her and she
had nearly forgotten how to breathe. Bridget blindly grabbed the door handle and staggered out into the night. She made her way around the back of the building and up the steps before she could drag in a ragged breath.
Tears blurred
the stairs as she climbed them, refusing to cry out loud. All she wanted to do was wrap Marko in her arms, but she didn’t even have her best friend with her because of Ahmed. Marko was gone so she could help Ahmed. So she could show him she was worthy of his love. She felt like a fool.
Ahmed slammed his front door so hard it splintered down the middle. Zoti darted off the couch and cowered under the table as Ahmed stormed into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of bourbon. He ripped off his tie and tossed it onto the counter before turning up the bottle.
The amber liquid warmed his mouth as he took one drink after another. A part of him kn
ew he should be begging Bridget to forgive him and another part hoped Sergei would appear on his doorstep right now to kill him . . . anything to end this vendetta.
Ahmed saw Zoti and felt even worse. He’d hurt the woman he loved and scared his dog. He
did
deserve to be killed. He bent down and gently reached out for Zoti who wagged his tail and nuzzled him kindly. Ahmed wrapped his arm around Zoti and ignored the knocking at the door. He didn’t want to see Nabi. Ahmed knew he’d ask why he’d been ordered to take Bridget’s bag to her house tonight when it was clear he’d come back home. Nabi had been spending too much time at the café.
The door opened and Ahmed had his gun in his hand before the h
andle had even turned. “Get out, Nabi, or I’ll shoot you.”
“Then you’d be hung for killing a member of the royal family.”
“At this moment, I don’t think I’d care. You can get out, too. Don’t think being my prince will prevent me from kicking your ass.”
“Then let
’s go,” Mo shrugged out of his jacket and took off his tie.
“You’re on.” Ahmed gave Zoti a pet and led Mo down into his training room. He peeled off his shirt and slid on the gloves as Mo slowly unbuttoned his shirt and set it on the bench. He tried to be patient, but he just had to hit someone soon. “Let’s go,
Your Highness.”
“You broke her heart, didn’t you?” Mo asked quietly as he
squared off in front of Ahmed.
Ahmed threw
a punch that had Mo staggering backward. “It was for her own good.”
Mo kept his c
alm and delivered a jab that Ahmed easily blocked before going on the offensive again. He delivered punch after punch and just wanted Mo to go down. “And what’s good for you? What about the person you have beaten down inside of you since Sergei entered your life?” Mo countered and landed a solid punch on Ahmed’s jaw.
Ahmed took the hit
and then landed a hard punch to Mo’s face, snapping his head back. Blood dripped from the cut on his lip as Ahmed hurled punch after punch at him. Mo protected his head and waited out the flurry of punches.
“That person doesn’t exist anymore
. He can’t. He was nothing. No one loved him because he was weak. I’m not that man anymore. I can protect my own now.”
Mo
finally made his move and slammed his fist into Ahmed’s stomach before he delivered an uppercut to his jaw. “That’s right. You can protect your own, including the woman you love. And you were never nothing. You were my only friend. My best friend—you always will be.”
Mo held up his hands and tossed his gloves on the floor. He grabbed his white dress shir
t and slid it on over his sweat-soaked body. His lip was swollen along with his eye and he had a bright red mark on his cheek. Finally the anger left Ahmed. His best friend just took a beating to help him out.
“You
, too. I wouldn’t have survived without you. Dani’s going to kill me when she sees you.”
“Probably. But you deserve it. Now you better find a way to win Bridget back.”
Bridget awoke with the headache from hell. She’d eaten all the cupcakes the Rose sisters had left and cried until there were no more tears. Then she’d gotten mad. How dare he treat her like this? And then she’d passed out cold after the sugar high wore off.
Now her head was pounding, her eyes felt like sandpaper
, and she was starving. Bridget staggered into the bathroom and groaned. She looked awful. Her eyes were red and puffy. Frosting was dried onto her cheek and chocolate crumbs were smashed into her hair. She needed coffee badly. Too bad she didn’t have any. It looked like a trip to the café was inevitable.
The shower was hot and steamy when she got in and washed the evidence from last night’s pity party from her face and hair.
If she could face down stone-cold terrorists, then she could face a café full of neighbors. Bridget kept repeating that to herself as she dried off and got dressed for the day. She was on call with Annie and it would be good to spend the day with her best friend.
She walked out the door and
told herself once again it would be fine. She was strong and she’d accepted that Ahmed had hurt her. She was a strong, independent woman who didn’t need a man to make her life complete.
Ahmed hung up the phone with the florist and paced his living room. He’d never had to say he was sorry for anything these past eighteen years and he didn’t know where to start. He’d ordered chocolates, flowers, and now he was wondering if he needed to run into Lexington for some jewelry. However, Bridget didn’t strike him as a jewelry girl, maybe a gun. Yes, a gun. One of the new . . . The knock at the door had him hurrying to answer it. He had Mo’s French cook working on a romantic meal for her when he would beg her to forgive him. “Cy? I thought you were taking a honeymoon,” Ahmed said in surprise.
“We did. We left right after I got you those bank records. I
got home late last night and guess what? My phone’s been ringing off the hook. Apparently you decided to finally take the leap and started dating the perfect woman. And then out of nowhere, decided to dump her. Am I up to speed?” Cy asked rhetorically as he pushed his way into the house.
“Come in,” Ahmed said dryly.
“I wasn’t asking. What’s going on and why did you turn your back on the best thing that could happen to you?”
“I know you, the golden boy,
don't hear this much, but it’s none of your business.”
“I picked Bridget to come to Keeneston last Christmas and now I feel responsible for her. Not only that, but you and Miles are the only ones here
who have some inkling of what I’ve done. If anyone can understand you, then it should be me,” Cy said as he tossed his jacket on the back of the chair and took a seat on the couch. “I’m not leaving.”
“I can see that.” Ahmed let out a breath and took a seat in the chair across from
him. Cy smiled in victory and it was tough for Ahmed to remember that under his friend’s Hollywood good looks and winning smile was a cold-blooded spy.
“I take it Bridget is who you told me about on the plane before we jumped to rescue Gemma.”
“Yes,” Ahmed said quietly.
Cy leaned back and stretched out his legs. “Talk.”
Ahmed closed his eyes for a second. It wasn’t easy to do. “I buried that side of me years ago when Sergei killed my wife and son. What happened was . . .”
“I know w
hat happened.” Cy waved him off. “You don’t have to go into it if you don’t want to.”
“You know?”
“I am a spy, you know. A good one. The only thing I don’t know is why Sergei came after you in the first place. But, more pertinently, I want to know what happened with Bridget.”
Ahmed
knew he shouldn’t be surprised, but he was. “You know about my family. Do you know about my capture?” When Cy gave him a quick nod of his head, Ahmed actually felt relieved. Cy knew and would understand his perspective without having to relive those horrible times. “I vowed retribution. I promised myself that Sergei would pay for what he did to me, to my family. I have spent every waking moment turning myself into the most physically and mentally fit soldier I could be so I could channel my anger and exact my revenge. I detached from everyone so Sergei could never use another person to hurt me again.
“Then what do I do? I fall in love with someone close enough to Sergei’s sphere for him
to be able to manipulate and use her to torture me. Last night, all I could think about was the danger she would be in. I would drag her into this hell with me and she deserves so much more than that.”
Cy leaned forward
, rested his elbows on his knees, and took a deep breath. “You’re not the only one with a dark side. I’ve gone to places for my government that stole parts of my soul. I’ve killed, I’ve tortured, I’ve . . .” Cy took a deep breath to steady himself.
“I know. You’re not the only spy around,” Ahmed
said sarcastically to spare Cy from reliving his own nightmares.
“Thanks. But the
darkness I felt overtaking me, snuffing out who I really was, started to fade when I met Gemma. I can laugh again, for real. Not the fake laugh I used to fit in. I feel the pressure leaving and I see a future. A happy one. You had that with Bridget, didn’t you?”
Ahmed only nodded. He had felt the cold darkness seeping back into him the second she got out of the car last night. “Is it fair to her to
drag her down this path with me? It’ll only show her the beast I am and the weak boy I once was.”
“
We’re not beasts. We’re men who would do anything to protect those we love. And she knows that. She has her own darkness. It’s why I was drawn to her and sent her here. Her unit had been ambushed and she’d lost half the men in her unit. She shielded the injured with her body and held off the rebels until backup could arrive two hours later.”
“She’s told m
e some, but she’s so full of life that it’s hard to believe.”
“Did it occur to you she’s just good at hiding it?
Physically, I would choose Bridget to have my back any day. But she’s looking for that light, too, just like you are. And from what I heard, you both found it in each other. Instead of pushing her away, it’s time to bring her close. She’ll give you the answers that you think killing Sergei will give you. By the way, how did Sergei know about Bridget?”
“Nabi found bugs in the café,” Ahmed said absently as he thought about what Cy
has just said.
“I’ll take care of them. I know a way to rig them so whoever is listening has no idea I’ve messed with them. They’ll still be live, but unless you’re yelling
directly into them, you won’t be able to make out any clear words. You need to get cleaned up and get your woman back.”
Cy stood up and Ahmed held out his hand. “Thank you. I knew I wanted her back but was still worried
if it was the right thing to do.”
“That’s what friends are for.” Cy slid into his jacket and gave the cracked door a look before turning around to face Ahmed. “Oh, and I might wear
a Kevlar vest if I were you.”
* * *
The sunny day and crisp chill in the air refreshed Bridget as she waved to people and made her way to the café. She opened the door and forgot everything she had just told herself when three white heads clucked around her and pulled her down for a group hug.
“Oh
! Bless your heart."
"
I still can’t believe it."
"
How are you doing?” the three Rose sisters all asked as she suddenly found her head smashed against Miss Violet’s bosom.
Bridget pulled free and stood up to face the crowd of onlookers. “I’m fine. But I won’t be if I don’t get some coffee,” she laughed
all the while her heart broke.
“Sure thing, dear,” Miss Daisy said so sympathetically that Bridget knew they d
idn’t believe her for a second.
“Y
ou poor thing.” Bridget felt shivers run through her body as Kandi flounced into the café. “It must hurt knowing you aren’t woman enough to keep Ahmed. Or are you just that bad in bed?” Kandi laughed as if she said something funny and everyone in the café cringed.
Kandi strutted past her, hitting Brid
get in the arm with her luggage-sized purse. She had zeroed in on Henry sitting alone in the middle of the restaurant working on his computer. “See, B, you gotta take control. Men like that. You grab them.” Bridget’s eyes went wide in surprise as Kandi bent over, grabbed Henry’s collar, and kissed him. Henry tried to leap back, but Kandi had his collar in a death grip as she devoured him.
Bridget and th
e rest of the patrons cringed when Kandi deepened the kiss and Henry floundered about trying to get free. Even the Rose sisters stood transfixed. Bridget picked up a glass of ice water from a nearby table and poured it on Kandi’s head. She sputtered like a drowning cat and leapt away from Henry who promptly fell backward out of his chair, spitting to clean out his mouth.
“
You bitch! I was trying to help you . . . you, you ice queen. No wonder he left you,” Kandi screeched as she leapt at Bridget, her long nails clawing at her.
There were moments in Bridget’s
life when she had wanted to lose it. Holding a dying comrade, arguing with her father, dealing with sexist men in her work—but she had always held it together. But not today.
As Kandi came at her
, she picked up a bottle of maple syrup and squeezed it straight into her face. The café cheered, but suddenly fell silent. Bridget steeled herself and turned to face who she thought would be Ahmed. Instead, she was met with Bill’s angry face.
“I’m sorry, but she deserved it,” Bridget said as she raised her han
ds in the air, still holding onto the syrup bottle.
“I know she did. She was taking our kids to school and I thought I would surprise her by picking up breakfast. Imagine my surprise when I walk by and see her tongue down Henry’s throat.”
“It wasn’t me,” Henry called from where he was crawling away from Kandi on hands and knees.
“Oh, I know it wasn’t,” Bill said quietly. “It was my
wife
.”
“He kissed me, Billy
-Willy. You know men just throw themselves at me.” Kandi begged him to believe as she used her fingers to wipe syrup from her eyes so she could see. The patrons snorted their disbelief and some even laughed.
“That worked the first ten times, but not n
ow. I’m such an idiot. Let’s see how you like it.” Bill started looking around. “Who’s single?”
“Bridget is,” Miss Violet called out mischievously.
Bridget felt her eyes widen as Bill focused on her. He wasn’t an unattractive man. He was softer than Ahmed with a bit of a belly and his light brown hair was thinning. He wasn’t the type of man Bridget normally thought of dating, but he was a nice guy. And he had a steady job that didn’t involve gunfire. Plus he seemed to really love his children. Maybe she needed to look for a Bill of her own.
“You and Ahmed
split?” Bill asked with wonder.
“He dumped her,” Miss Violet called out again.
“Sorry, he’s almost as much of an idiot as I am. But, I need to make a point to my wife.” Bill grabbed her then and Bridget’s mouth fell open in surprise. Bill took advantage and kissed her as Kandi shrieked.
Bridget felt his hand skim down her back and cup her bottom and when she went to protest, Bill’s tongue darted into her mouth. Bridget didn’t know what to do, so she just stood there. She was single and it looked as if Bill was about to be.
However, she was disappointed. Sure, he was a good kisser, but nowhere near Ahmed’s toe-curling, get-me-naked level. Would anyone ever be able to measure up to Ahmed? Bridget almost snorted as Bill continued to kiss her as passionately as he could. No one could live up to Ahmed.
The only hint of trouble came with
the intake of thirty people’s breaths. Bridget felt a cold darkness settle over the café and broke the kiss just in time to see Ahmed step inside the door and stop. “Bill, I’d run if I were you,” she said sweetly as she gave his arm a pat.
Bill turned around and panicked. He
stumbled against the table, knocking it into a syrup-covered Kandi who, while trying to get out of the way, slipped on the spilled water. With a quick, ear-piercing shriek, Kandi’s arms flailed and down she went. Bridget watched in horror as Bill turned to see his wife hit the floor. Then he quickly turned around to watch Ahmed stalk toward him, completely ignoring Kandi flailing on the floor.
“I’m sorry, but she
said she was single,” Bill pleaded as Ahmed let out a barely audible growl. Bill backed up and hit the table now lying on its side and gulped. Bridget and the rest of the café stood in silence, transfixed by Ahmed and his murderous eyes, a terrified Bill, and a maple-syrup-covered Kandi sobbing in a puddle of water on the ground.
“I got twenty on Bill peeing h
is pants,” Miss Lily whispered.
“I’ll take that. I bet twenty on him being dead before he has the chance,” Miss Violet whispered confidently.
“That’s not fair, Violet Fae. You saw Ahmed outside and still told Bill to kiss her. You were just rigging the odds,” Miss Daisy complained.