Zahirah Chapter 7

How did I end up with a house full of bikers swiftly doing something to the wiring and placing cameras all over the inside and outside? Since when did my assertiveness totally get passed over? Oh, it was done nicely, but all the same. When I argued again with Twisted that this wasn't necessary, he informed me it was. The next thing I knew, bam, half his club was here.

Putting in security wasn't the only thing being done. Atticus and Bodie were back. They were working on the house again. They'd muttered there needed to be a few repairs and some painting done, which they didn't finish yesterday, along with cleaning the gutters. I'd never cleaned the gutters. Was it something I was supposed to do?

I admit that when it came to the house and upkeep, I wasn't the most knowledgeable. Zafir had always taken care of those things. When he died, it had been a blow when I had to learn to mow the yard. I was happy when I finally got it to look right. Now, not only did I know how to mow it, but I also did all the precise trimming he used to do. The flowers had always been one of my things, so they weren't an added job. As the kids got older, they helped me with the yard work.

We had a system for doing the household chores to make it equitable. Although I admit, gutters and painting weren't on the list. Anything that required me to climb more than a couple of feet off the ground was out. Arif would do it, but I was scared he'd fall and either hurt himself badly or, worse, kill himself.

I was busy watching what Wire was doing in the living room until the roar of what I recognized as our mower snapped me out of my stupor. I took off running for the door to the garage. I prayed it was a neighbor's mower. I yanked the door open to find the big door was open, and our mower was gone. Damn it! They had to stop. I slipped on a pair of shoes from outside the door and then raced out to the driveway. Following the sound of the roar, I went to the back of the house and found Twisted mowing my back lawn. I waved at him to get him to stop. He shut it off and came to me.

"Zahirah, is something wrong?" he asked in concern.

"Yeah, you're mowing the grass! Twisted, please, you don't need to do this. All the painting, cleaning the gutters, the cameras, and the wiring — now this—is too much. I have no idea how much the security system is costing. I don't expect you and your club to take care of all this."

"Love, I'm sorry. I should've explained. Let's sit for a minute." He gestured to the patio furniture on the back porch. I went with him. Per his usual, he pulled the chair out for me first before he sat down. Who would've ever thought a tough, scary biker would have manners? I'd met plenty of men in suits that everyone thought were upstanding gentlemen who wouldn't do it or open a door.

"Explain what?"

"One, having so many of us here serves a couple of purposes. A big one is that it lets those around here know you have support, and it comes from our club. A lot of people don't want to mess with us. Having them know you're friends with the Pagans is a good thing. Two, it's helping to get some things done you don't want to let get out of hand. It's not hurting any of us to do a little bit of work today. Three, the security system and the cameras aren't costing you anything, so no worries about how much it's gonna cost. The monitoring is free, too."

I vigorously shook my head no. "Absolutely not. There's no way you guys are doing all this work for free. I'll pay for the security system and monitoring, and I'll pay the guys for all the work they've been doing, especially Bodie and Atticus. As for you, stop mowing. I'll do it later."

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest, and crossed his ankles, giving me a smirk.

"Why're you looking at me like that?" I snapped peevishly.

"Like what?" he asked innocently.

"You know. As if you know something I don't or you find amusement in what I said."

"I was trying to imagine how a little thing like you was gonna stop us. I mean, let's get real. You can't physically make any of us stop working or accept payment. If you call the cops on us, I doubt they'll do anything. There's no shame in accepting help, Zahirah. We're not asking for anything in return."

"And that's why I'm saying stop. We're not charity cases. We take care of ourselves. Your desire to help is admirable but unneeded. Surely, there are families who have greater needs than us."

He dropped his arms and leaned toward me. I had to force myself not to move away. He was no longer smirking. "We don't think you're a charity case, and yes, the majority of the things you do take care of yourself and those kids. But there's no goddamn way I'll let you or the kids climb on tall ladders to paint and repair or to clean gutters. Pushing this mower is hard work. I need a workout today, so this will be it. As for helping others, we do it from time to time. You haven't failed, nor are you weak because we're helping here and there."

"I don't—" I was cut off by Arif running around the house. He had a panicked look on his face. I came to my feet and rushed over to him. What was wrong now?

"What is it?"

"He's here," he hissed.

"Who's here?" I asked in confusion.

"Faheem. He's in the driveway demanding to speak to you," he said softly.

My back stiffened. What was Faheem doing here? I told him the last time he showed up unannounced that he wasn't welcome. I knew it was rude, but I didn't say a word to Twisted. I just stomped off to the front. The way I was feeling right now, I might just eat Faheem alive. When I rounded the house, I saw the Pagans gathered in silence. They were staring hard at him. It was enough to almost make me giggle… almost. He was trying to appear unaffected, but I knew he was most likely trying not to shit himself. As soon as he saw me, he came hurrying toward me.

" Zahra, minn hem hulaa al-nas bahaq al-jehaime lamada hem hanal . Z ahirah, who the hell are these people? Why're they here?" he demanded.

My hackles rose. The last thing I needed was one more man telling me what to do, especially this one. I liked Twisted and the Pagans. I disliked Faheem immensely. I felt a looming presence behind me, and without looking, I knew it was Twisted. I opened my mouth to tell Faheem it was none of his business and to ask why he was here but Twisted beat me to it.

"I don't know who the hell you are or what you just said, but by the tone of your voice, I know you're reprimanding her. Don't. If you want to ask something, you can ask me and you can do it in English," he said with a growl in his voice.

I had to fight not to shiver, and it wasn't from fright. Something about Twisted's tone made my body react. I turned to tell him I'd take care of it. His scowl was enough to make one's legs weak when I glanced back at him. His eyes were narrowed on Faheem. Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand on his arm.

"It's okay. I've got this," I said. I heard the swift intake of breath then realized what I'd done a second before Faheem began to yell in outrage.

" Ant telmse! ant takhjal ayltk boslokk al-fadfadh! "

"It's none of your business what I do," I hissed back at him.

"What did he just say to you?" Twisted asked gruffly. He was getting angrier-looking by the second. I knew he wouldn't like it but if I didn't tell him, I knew enough about him to know he wouldn't let it go until I told him something. I'd have to tame it down.

"He said, you're touching him! You shame your family with your loose behavior!" Arif said loudly from behind us.

"Arif!" I admonished him.

"I'm sorry, Ima, but he's not going to say stuff like he usually does then leave and you're upset. Not again."

"Arif is right. He has no right to do this or be here. You've told him several times not to come back but he won't listen," Aliya added.

This had muttering and low growls coming from all of them but none as loud or mean-sounding as Twisted's. He moved so he stood between me and Faheem, who appeared a bit sick-looking as he took at the pissed-off men surrounding us. Had he just noticed them? Idiot. As much as I wanted to take care of this myself, I was enjoying having these strong men doing it. Maybe he'd finally get the message.

"Zahirah, who is this clown? Is what Aliya said true? You've asked him not to come here, and he does it anyway? How many times?" Twisted demanded.

"His name is Faheem Nader. Remember I told you about the friend of my father who helped establish Zafir here, then me? This is his son. He seems to feel it's his responsibility to come here and tell me how to do things. He thinks the way I'm living and raising the kids is a disgrace to our heritage, and we should all be more traditional. I've told him several times I don't want or need his guidance, but he keeps coming back."

"And what does his father think of him doing it? I thought you said he was a good guy who you admire."

"Faheem's father is gone. He passed away four years ago."

"You don't owe this, this barbarian, an explanation! Why are all these outlaws here? Why did you touch him so familiarly? Your ab would be ashamed of you," Faheem spits out.

"It's none of your damn business why she touched my arm. We're not in Qatar, and from what I know, her ab wasn't living in the Dark Ages. He raised her to be a modern, independent woman. Who we are is the Pagan Souls MC. Is there anything else we should know about this guy?"

I didn't think I should tell him the rest. He was already rather upset. I should've known my two chatterboxes would out me, though, so when one of them did, I wasn't too shocked.

"Yeah, he keeps harassing her to let him take care of her. He insists she must marry him because it was what their dads wanted, and it was all arranged before our jed , grandfather, died. He claims he never got the chance to tell her. Supposedly, neither did our baba ," Arif told him in a rush.

"Really. Is that so? Well, babe, I can see why you didn't tell me about him. You know I'm a possessive man. Knowing a man is out there claiming you're his and pushing you to marry him doesn't sit well with me. Faheem, I highly recommend that if you want to remain healthy and intact, you forget you know her and stay away from her and the kids," Twisted snarled at him. I swear he grew bigger.

Faheem took a couple of steps back. He was sweating, but he didn't run. Instead, he glanced at me. "What is the meaning of this? You know you're to be my wife. Enough pretending you're not. Send these men away. I don't know how you knew I was coming today, but this pathetic display is beneath you."

"I didn't know you were coming, and I'm not sending them away. You're the one who needs to leave. I will never marry you, and if my ab or brother ever intended for me to marry you, one of them would have mentioned it, or your ab would've. I don't know why you persist in this lie, but no more."

As I finished speaking, Twisted turned and moved over to place his arm around me and bring me close. I let him. The way Faheem's face turned purple made me want to smile. I'd never liked the egotistical misogynist. He was undoubtedly a throwback. Unlike his ab , he was Muslim rather than a Christian and adhered strictly to the old ways.

"You wanted to know who we are and why I'm allowed to touch her. This is why. Zahirah is mine, and I don't give up or let others touch what's mine," Twisted told Faheem.

If I thought he'd leave it at that, I was proven wrong. The next thing I knew, I was wrapped up in Twisted's strong arms, and he lowered his head to mine. I knew he meant to kiss me. I should've protested, but I didn't. Instead, I let his lips meet mine.

His lips were firm as he placed multiple tiny kisses on mine before he pressed them tightly to my mouth. I forgot we had witnesses and kissed him back. He hugged me tighter against him. I wasn't sure what would've happened next if I hadn't heard Wire say something.

"I think that tells you right there that she's not yours and never will be. Why don't you leave while he's busy? If you don't, I'd hate to see what he'll do to you. We call him Twisted for a reason—one you don't want to find out."

Twisted reluctantly and slowly lifted his head away. He stared intently into my eyes the whole time. It was the slamming of a door that made us look away from each other. I saw it was caused by Faheem. He'd gotten into his fancy car and was glaring at us as he started it, then backed out of the driveway recklessly. He took off with a squeal of tires.

The Pagans were all laughing and talking about him. I was dazed. Twisted tugged gently on my arm. As I glanced up at him, I saw he appeared apprehensive. "Come with me," he said quietly. I let him lead me away from the others and to the backyard. As soon as we got there, he started talking.

"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't offend you. That wasn't my intention."

"Offend me how? By telling him off? I wish my efforts had been as successful so you didn't feel the need to do it."

"Yes, that, but I meant more about me kissing and touching you. I don't know what's acceptable in your culture, and I'm trying hard not to step out of bounds. The last thing I want is to offend you and have you want nothing to do with me."

I thought it was sweet that he cared. The men I'd met didn't seem to care. How did I tell him I wasn't offended at all and, in fact, enjoyed his touching me, especially the kiss, without sounding like I was hinting for more or sounding easy?

"I wasn't offended, and I know you did it to get him to stop and leave. Who knows, maybe he'll believe you're really into me, and he'll stay away. I admit that would be nice. It gets tiring to have this same confrontation and talk with him over and over again."

"I did do it partially to get him to leave you alone, but that wasn't the only reason. And that kiss was more for me than him."

His confession stunned me. Was he saying he was interested in me? Or was it merely he wanted sex? Despite what some may think, I wasn't a virgin, but I didn't go around sleeping with guys just for the fun of it, either.

"Twisted, I appreciate you helping out with him, and your kiss wasn't offensive at all, but you need to know, I'm not one of those women who go around having relations with men. I wasn't raised that way. I have to be involved with the guy."

"So you're saying if I want sex to forget it. You're not an easy woman," he said bluntly.

I slowly nodded yes. I wasn't able to determine what he was thinking by the expression on his face. He wasn't coming across as pissed. Oh God, had I totally messed up? Talk about mortifying. My face heated up.

"Zahirah, let me be clear with you so there are no misunderstandings. I know you're not a woman who would go around having random sexual encounters with men. You're a woman like the wives of my brothers. I kissed you because I'm attracted to you, and I'd like it if you and I could see if there's more to it. That is if you find me attractive at all. If you don't, tell me, and I'll back the hell off, although we'll still help you and your kids. Our friendship isn't dependent upon you and me being anything more than what we are right now. But I gotta say, I hope like hell the fact you kissed me back means you like me too and aren't opposed to exploring this."

My whole body flushed with warmth, and it wasn't from embarrassment. It was a full-on attraction. How could Twisted doubt I found him tempting? The man oozed sex appeal. I knew women noticed him everywhere he went and had to make their interest known. If they didn't, then they were blind and asexual. Admitting I found him alluring was hard, but no way I would let him think I wasn't. Not after he put himself out there.

"Twisted, I'm at a loss for words. I'm not used to men being so honest and blunt. Or for one to say he finds me appealing. However, I don't doubt you're used to women telling you that. Honestly, I can't say I only see you as a friend. I have no idea if we have more in common or not, but if you'd like to find out, I'm willing to see. That's all I can promise you. Arif and Aliya have to be my priorities, though. I have an obligation to them to see that they have what they need and are raised to be able to care for themselves."

A slow, sexy smile spread across his tempting lips. I had to fight not to kiss them again. He moved closer then, his arms creeping around my waist. "Beautiful, you have no idea how damn happy you just made me. I know those kids are your priority. All you have to do is see you with them. I get it. All I ask is for you to let me in and let me get to know not only you but them, too."

"Okay," I whispered.

He grinned, then lowered his head and kissed me again. This time, it was more assertive, and after a few seconds, his tongue pushed to invade my mouth. I opened up, let it inside, and fell even harder under his spell. God, I hoped I wouldn't live to regret this.

???

I was nervous, and it was for more than one reason. One was the fact that I was with Twisted. I hadn't seen him since his confession and those kisses two days ago. When we parted, we were both rather breathless, but our attention had been snagged by our names being yelled. I think his club knew we were kissing and didn't want us to get busted by the kids.

In the end, they finished the work on the house and he mowed the yard despite my protests. It was hard to let him go when they left for the night. He informed me he wouldn't see me the next day since he had a job to do for his club, but he'd call me in the evening so we could coordinate for today. I was told in no uncertain terms not to go or do anything without him.

Our mission was to see the parents of the boys who were messing with Arif and Aliya. We'd debated together on who to talk to first. He explained what Wire found out about Billy. It was rather disturbing news. I didn't want to bring problems to the club. As for myself, I didn't know how the assistant mayor could do anything to me. I had nothing to do with the mayor's office, nor did I own a business like the Pagans, who had several of them.

In the end, we thought it best to see Billy's stepdad and mom first. If we did the other ones initially, no doubt they'd tell him anyway. If we spoke to him and his wife first, they might warn the others, but it would give us an idea if we were in for a lot of attitude and pushback.

I tried to convince Twisted not to come so the club wouldn't be targeted. He got upset and told me there was no way he'd run from the likes of them, nor would he let me do it alone. He assured me the club could handle anything that might be fallout from this. I prayed hard that they would surprise us and be willing to address the problem with Billy.

The house we pulled up to was one of the nicest ones near Cherokee. Those with money lived in big homes scattered around the area. I had to admit, the house was huge but not something I'd want to live in. It was too opulent for my tastes. As we drove up and parked, I was full of jitters. We were in a truck Twisted brought, not my car. He insisted on picking me up and driving. He reached over and squeezed my left hand.

"It's gonna be fine, Zahirah. Remember, no matter what they say, we'll have accomplished what you wanted: to talk to them. How they react is on them. If they ignore us and don't bring their boy in line, it's on them how he ends up. If the boy keeps it up, he's headed for a fall. He's almost eighteen."

"I know. Okay, let's get this over with. I hate leaving the kids at home alone."

"They're safe. Wire has eyes on them, and the alarm system is set. They know if anyone comes along to call the clubhouse, they'll send a few of the guys. The sooner we do this, the faster we'll get you home," he reminded me.

This got me into action. He tugged on my hand when I went to open my door. He shook his head as he frowned. I dropped my hand and let him get out and come around to open it. I should've remembered. He opened doors, including car ones. He helped me out. It sat relatively high, so I was thankful. Holding my hand, we walked to the front door. We were about to ring the doorbell when it swung open, and we came face-to-face with a woman. She was dressed smartly and frowning at us.

"The highway is that way," she said impatiently as she pointed off into the distance.

"We're not lost, thank you. We're here to see you, Mrs. Jenner, and your husband if he's home," I politely informed her.

"And you are? How does my husband know you? If it's something to do with work, you can see him at the office. He doesn't like to have private meetings after hours."

"It's not about work. We figured he'd prefer to speak about this here rather than at his office. It's about your son Billy. As for who we are, I'm Twisted, and this is Zahirah Hussain."

I saw her stiffen as soon as her son's name was mentioned. There was a flicker of unease on her face. "I have no idea why you'd have anything to say when it comes to my son. I don't know either of you."

"Why don't you ask your son to come out here? I bet he'll recognize me and know what it's about. He and I met a few weeks ago," Twisted said with a slightly gruff tone. I placed my hand more firmly on his arm.

"I'm sure we can all talk this out. Mrs. Jenner, is your husband here, or should we just speak to you and Billy? We'd like to clear the air tonight. There's been an issue which has gone on long enough," I told her firmly.

"I can't think of what we'd have to talk about. My husband is busy."

"We need to talk about the fact Billy and his two buddies not only have been harassing Ms. Hussain's niece and nephew, but they also physically assaulted both of them. Now, I don't know about you, but I think most citizens would look askew at the assistant mayor not addressing such a matter. People need to feel their public representatives take things seriously. Some might think if he can't control his own stepson, how can they trust him to control things in our local government? We don't want that to happen," Twisted said with a quirk of his eyebrow.

He was totally pleasant as he said it, but the underlying implication was there. She wasn't stupid. Her face blanched before she turned and called out, "Jacob, I need you to talk to these people."

She didn't yell, which meant he was close enough not only to hear her but also to have heard what we said. What a spineless coward. He let her answer the door and do all the talking. Moments later, he came striding up to the door. He had an arrogant look to him. He looked down his nose at me. It was hard for him to do it to Twisted since he towered over him, but he tried. Jenner folded his arms over his chest. I wanted to snicker. He didn't look half as big or intimidating as Twisted did when he took the same stance.

"What seems to be the issue, Marla? Who are these people?"

"I'm Zahirah Hussain, and this is Twisted. We're here to talk to you about Billy and how he's been acting toward my niece and nephew."

"You mean allegedly acting. I recognize your name. Principal Pecardi told me you came to the school, caused a scene, and made these unfounded accusations about Billy and his friends. I don't know what you and this man think you'll gain by going after our son and his friends, but I can promise you, you won't get any money from us to stay quiet. Slander those boys, and I'll sue you for what little you've got. I swear people like you come to this country and think you can get hardworking people's money. Why don't you get a job and earn it like the rest of us?" he asked snidely.

My temper kicked in, and I knew from the tension in Twisted's arm that he was about to blow. If this was how they wanted to act, no more polite Zahirah. "I do work, thank you very much. I'm not here to blackmail you. I'm here to tell you to get your son to stop harassing and assaulting my kids! They've done nothing to him or his friends. I would think you'd want your son to grow up to be an upstanding citizen and not a hoodlum. If he stays on this path, he'll find himself in jail one day."

"Are you threatening him?" he puffed up to say.

"No, it's a promise. If I find out those boys continue to go after Aliya at school or outside of it or after Arif outside of school, then you'll have me and my brothers to deal with. I promise you, that is something you don't want. We don't take kindly to abusers," Twisted growled.

"And just who are you and your brothers that I should be afraid of you and them?" Jenner snapped. In the background I caught sight of a teenage boy. He looked scared when he saw Twisted. Twisted must've seen him, too. He pointed past them.

"That little shit knows who I am. I caught him and his buddies beating Arif and molesting Aliya. I warned the other two. This one is the one who ran off like a coward. As for who my brothers and I are, well, I think you've heard of the Pagan Souls MC, haven't you?" He had chosen not to wear his cut since we'd hoped the families would be willing to talk and listen without being confronted by the fact he was a biker.

Both adults took a step back. Their fear was palpable. They glanced over their shoulders at Billy and then back at us. This wasn't the way I wanted this to go. Jenner's mouth tightened. "You're trespassing. I suggest you leave. If you come near us or our son again, we'll have you arrested. I won't be threatened by a bunch of dirty bikers or a terrorist," he snarled before he slammed the door in our faces. As soon as it was shut, we heard the lock engage.

Twisted just shrugged and led me back to the truck. I was ready to cry. If this was how they reacted, I didn't hold out hope that the other two families would be any different. He assisted me into my seat and then got in. He turned on the truck, and when he drove off, he made sure to gun it. As we drove down the road, he worked to reassure me.

"Love, don't worry about that blowhard. He thinks his money and job earn him respect and room to bully people. No wonder his stepson acts the way he does. There's nothing he can do to you or us."

"Are you sure? I don't want to cause more trouble. Maybe I should've left things alone."

"No, you shouldn't have. People like them need us to stand up to them. Now, do you want to go see the other two tonight?"

"No, but we should. I doubt they'll be much nicer, especially since it seems Principal Pecardi already warned them I complained."

"It doesn't matter if he did or not. Let's do it. The sooner we get them off the list, the sooner we can get you home. I promised the kids we'd order pizza tonight."

That was true. He'd asked first if it was okay to feed them pizza, and after I said yes, he told them we'd order it when we got back from doing this errand. They knew what we were up to. They had been more than alright with his idea. I didn't tell him I planned to pay for it. We could hash it out when we got back.

The other two houses were close together, and they lived in less affluent homes than the Jenners, although they were nothing to sneer at. At the Turner's house, there was no answer even though there were cars in the driveway. I imagined they were inside, hiding and watching us from the windows. After ringing and knocking several times, we left and went to the last one, the Pacers.

There, we did get an answer. I recognized the woman who answered the door as the one who'd been in the principal's office with Dianne. She gave us a snotty look. "If you don't leave, I'm calling the police. I know what you're up to, and you won't get any money from us either. Leave us and our son alone."

"Mrs. Pacer, we're not trying to get money out of anyone. I just want my nephew and niece to be safe. Your son and his friends are making that impossible."

"I know all about your niece. My son told me what a little slut she is and how she's been chasing him. He keeps telling her to leave him be. I guess I shouldn't be surprised she acts the way she does after seeing you and the company you keep," she added with a grimace.

"My niece is a good girl and wouldn't give your son the time of day, which is why he's probably always after her. Let me be clear—he touches them again, and he'll be in for a rude awakening," I warned her right before she slammed the door on us.

On the ride home, I was left to consider what my next steps would be. One thing I did know was the kids would have to get serious about the self-defense instruction I'd started to give them again. Undoubtedly, our visits would make those boys act worse, but no one could say I didn't try. Being disliked or outright hated wasn't new for us.