Daddy’s Little Warrior by Lila Fox
Chapter Fourteen
Devon cleared his throat. “Drake, I have Aisha.”
She hid behind Devon, so she didn’t see what happened, but she could practically feel the anger vibrate through Devon. She heard Drake tell the woman he’d see her later, and then she walked past them. Aisha saw how beautiful the woman was, and it was disconcerting.
She still gripped Devon’s hand and stood behind him as Emma was. Her friend was looking at her with sympathy, and she didn’t understand what was going on.
“What the fuck, man?” Devon asked.
“What?” Drake sounded surprised.
“Who the hell was that?” Devon asked.
“An associate lawyer at the firm we are using right now,” Drake said. “Where’s Aisha?”
Aisha’s eye stung, and when Emma’s eyes filled with tears, it was next to impossible to keep hers from falling.
“She’s behind me,” Devon told him.
“Aisha, come here,” Drake said.
She knew no one, but Emma saw her shake her head.
“Aisha, babe, come here.”
“I think she’s upset by the fact that woman was touching your leg and flirting.”
“Oh, fuck. Nothing’s ever going to happen with her. She’s a business associate. There’s no way I’d fuck up my relationship with Aisha.”
“You might want to tell Aisha that,” Devon told him.
Drake sighed. “Aisha, come here to me.”
Devon turned to look down at her. “I know my brother would never do anything to hurt you. I hope you know that.”
She bit her lip and nodded even though she didn’t know anything. She had no idea what the rules were for another woman touching your man in America. In Afghanistan, a man could be killed by a father, brother, or a jealous husband if he messed with a woman. And a married man wasn’t touched by other women.
She felt someone’s hand circle her wrist and start pulling her around Devon. She resisted for a brief moment and then let Drake take her into the office. She kept her head down because she didn’t want Drake to see the emotions she was trying to hide.
Drake sighed. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Good,” Devon said.
The door closed, and then Drake stood in front of her. “Babe, look at me.”
Aisha shook her head. She wasn’t ready to face him. “I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
He cupped her chin in his hand and raised her head. She knew right away he saw how upset she was.
“Come here.” He pulled her along until he sat in his office chair and she was on his lap. He touched her face again to get her attention. “Babe, there is no way in hell I’d ever do anything to jeopardize our relationship.”
She pressed her lips together to prevent the words she wanted to use spill out of her. She was not used to questioning a man because it just wasn’t allowed.
“Talk to me,” he said.
She sat silently.
He sighed. “I’m giving you permission to talk to me.”
“Even though I know in my heart you wouldn’t hurt me like that, the fact you let her touch you makes me … angry. At home, a woman would never do that, and a man would never allow it.”
He sighed. “I know it’s going to take time, but you have to realize things are very different here.”
Her heart sank. It didn’t matter. To her, it would never be right. “So, it would be all right if a man touched me even though you know I’d never leave you?”
Her heart felt like it seized for a moment in her chest. She could be beaten or even killed for talking like that in her village.
“Fuck no, I wouldn’t like it. You didn’t see me push her hand off me when she touched me. I know now not to sit by her, and she’ll hear about it if she tries it again.”
Aisha exhaled and leaned against his chest. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Tell me about your afternoon.”
“We fell asleep watching a movie. She started it again when we woke up, and then Devon was bringing me back to you.” She didn’t know if she should say anything about the man who scared them and decided to let it go. If Devon wanted to say anything, it was fine.
“How about we change, and I take you out to eat?”
The thought of leaving the building was terrifying, but she had to do it sometime, and the longer she waited, the worse her fear would be. “That sounds good.”
He lifted her off his lap. “Let’s do it. I’m starved and want a nice thick steak.”
It sounded good to her too, but she didn’t eat a lot of meat because it was very hard to come by back home, and she had to be careful not to overeat, or her stomach would start to hurt.
But Aisha would enjoy the dinner because she was with Drake. He was all she needed.
