Don't Remind Me

Chapter 46: The Devil's Deal

"He didn't mean it." Azaan's soothing baritone does nothing to placate the guilt burning a hole through my belly.

"Yes he did. And I agree with every word." I responded dully.

After learning about my history with Musa, and his possible involvement with Pareeshae's mysterious disappearance, Faris had (for the lack of a better phrase), lost his cool.

He blamed me for endangering his wife and baby, by association.

He raged at Azaan for being too calm about this tragedy.

He nearly killed my security guards for their cluelessness about her disappearance.

He yelled at me for crying too much.

He was hurt, scared and crazed at the same time.

Naturally, I was at the top of his shit-list. And I wordlessly took every venom-laced accusation he threw my way, because I knew in my heart that I deserved every bit of it.

Azaan was torn between wanting to protect me, and wanting to humor his distraught best friend.

Faris paced like a caged lion in Azaan's compact living room, where me, Azaan, and Daniyal had gathered to contemplate the best way to find Shay. He has been pacing like this for the past 48 hours. Because it's been 2 whole days since Shay was taken away from us. During that time, Faris hasn't slept, eaten, or shaved. He looks like a prison escapee with the unkempt stubble, unruly hair and the murderous mania fueling his vigil.

"Tell me again, what that bastard said." Faris's rough voice snapped me out of my drowsy misery of waiting for a phonecall. I uncurled myself from the couch I had collapsed earlier on.

"Let her rest, brother. You've heard this ten times already," Azaan murmured softly, laying a cautious hand against Faris's arm. Daniyal just shook his head, and walked off for a smoke. 

"Fuck her rest," Faris shrugged the hand off, snarling with impatience: "I need to hear it again."

"Maybe you should rest too. You're not helping Shay by acting like an asshole!" Azaan's tone sharpened, and I sensed another bout of bickering coming on.

"It's okay, Azaan. I don't mind repeating." I rasped quietly, clearing my throat to rid myself of the croaky fatigue clogging my words.

"Yesterday morning, I got a phone call from Musa, asking to meet up. Apparently, he had been sending me flowers, as a misguided attempt to endear himself to me." I began. Azaan growled out a curse when he heard this part.

"Musa wanted to settle the matter of my brother and Chandi in a more private setting. I have no idea what he had in mind because I shut him down unequivocally. I didn't think to discuss it with anyone, because this isn't the first time he has tried underhanded tricks to make me lose focus on winning publicly. In case you don't know; he is the one who got my mother's company banned from a couture event, just out of petty malice..."

I swallowed thickly. If Musa wanted to break my spirit once and for all, he had succeeded. I was tired of fighting. I was too tired to repeat the same words over and over for Faris, the private security team, my lawyers...

I drew strength from Azaan's encouraging nod, as I continued narrating the whole sordid tale.

"Then after Shay went missing, I got a text from the same number that indicated that he was involved. And then another that told me to wait for his "Social Call", because it's in my best interest." I clutched my phone closer, stroking the sleek black surface of the blank screen. We have been waiting for the social call ever since.