‘Everything’s going to be all right, Tarek. Your mother and I will make sure of it.’
To Safiyah’s surprise Tarek lifted his head, sniffing, and nodded at Karim. Her husband smiled at the boy, then moved away.
‘I’ll leave you two to rest. Get a good night’s sleep. It’s going to be a big day tomorrow.’
Karim slanted her a look that made her toes curl. Then he drew a breath that made that impressive chest swell.
‘You’ve had a lot to deal with, Safiyah. We’ll discuss this later, when you’ve had time to adjust. After the wedding. But make no mistake: this is unfinished business.’
Then he turned on his heel and left, closing the door quietly behind him, just as if he hadn’t turned her world inside out.
Already Tarek’s eyes were closing. It seemed he didn’t want to talk, just needed the comfort of a cuddle. Safiyah began singing a soft lullaby, but as she watched her son’s eyes close and felt him relax she thought about what Karim had said.
There were two more full days of wedding celebrations. Two more days till Karim expected her to surrender to him. What was she going to do about that?