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He gasped for air for a moment, then stood up slowly. His face was red with rage at being bested by a woman, and he drew out a long knife. “Maybe I’ll just kill you now.”
“Maybe you should leave, Feroz, while you still can,” Laila said. She pulled her Sig Sauer out of her pocket. Pointed it at Feroz and stepped in front of Amira. “Without Amira.”
Bahram looked at his sister, now weeping in Nahid’s arms. His gaze shifted to Feroz, who ignored Laila’s gun as he watched Amira with gleaming eyes.
Bahram shuddered. “I’ve changed my mind, Feroz,” he said. “You can’t have Amira. I’ll find another husband for her.”
Without taking his gaze off Amira, Feroz said, “Too late, Bahram. You offered her to me, I’ve claimed her, and now she belongs to me. I don’t give up my property easily.”
“My sister is not property,” Bahram said immediately. “She is a woman and should be treated with respect. That’s what you promised.”
“Oh, I’ll respect her,” Feroz said, his gaze devouring Amira. “I’ll respect her for the strong sons she’ll give me.”
Amira sucked in a breath and wrapped her arms around herself. Laila saw her hands trembling.
Bahram studied his sister for a long moment, then turned back to Feroz.
“You can’t have her, Feroz. I won’t give her hand in marriage to a man who won’t treat her well.”
“Sorry, Bahram. I take what I want. And I want Amira.” He pushed Laila aside and reached for Amira, who shoved him away.
Feroz raised his hand, and his intentions were clear. He would hit the girl.
Laila held her gun steady on Feroz. If he pulled a weapon, she would shoot him.
Bahram stepped between Amira and Feroz. “Get out of my house, Feroz. Don’t make me kill you.”
Feroz turned away from Amira and stared at Bahram, hatred and scorn in his expression. “Kill me? You?” He laughed and tried to shove Bahram to the side as he reached for Amira. “You’re not enough of a man to kill me.”
Just as Feroz’s fingers brushed against Amira’s arm, Bahram pulled a gun from beneath his tunic. He pointed it at Feroz’s chest and pulled the trigger.
No one moved. Laila, Nahid, Amira and Bahram stared at Feroz as he fell to the floor, blood pouring from his chest. Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and Jase burst into the house. “Laila! Where are you? What the hell is going on?” he yelled, looking around wildly.
Once he saw Laila, he stepped over Feroz and reached for her. Wrapped his arms around her for a long moment, then pushed her behind him.
Jase looked at the gun in Bahram’s hand. “You shoot this asshole?” he asked in passable Pashto.
Bahram nodded shakily, still staring at his former friend on the floor.
“Sounded as if he deserved it,” Jase said, touching Bahram’s arm. “You were protecting your sister and your mother and Laila. You have nothing to feel sorry about.”
Bahram swallowed but didn’t look away from the man on the floor.
Jase let go of Laila’s hand and crouched beside Feroz. He studied him for a moment. Put his fingers on his neck for several beats, then stood up. “Dead,” he announced.
He looked at the three woman, then glanced at the doorway to the kitchen where Darius was watching with wide, terrified eyes. He moved toward the boy and crouched in front of him. “No one’s going to hurt your mother or your sister or you,” he said. “Everyone is safe. Okay?”
After a long moment, Darius nodded. Jase squeezed his shoulder and stood up. Pointed to Bahram. “We need to move fast. You’re going to help me stow the body in the Humvee. We’ll dump it somewhere on the way to Kabul. Then you need to find me some Afghani clothing.”
He turned to Laila. “You’re in charge of the rest of the family.” He ground his teeth. “And anyone else coming with us.”
Jase led Bahram outside, and she could hear him talking to the boy. He was asking about a wheelbarrow.
She turned to Nahid. “I’m sorry, Nahid,” she said quietly. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Nahid surprised her by saying, “You had nothing to do with it. Bahram never should have promised Amira to Feroz. Especially not without asking her first. Her father would not have approved. And your man said Bahram did the right thing.”
Laila sighed. “He didn’t have a choice. It was Feroz or Amira. And you couldn’t have let him take your daughter.”
