brothel?”
Max narrowed his eyes.
“The operations that run here are strictly confidential. You’re intruding in an area where you are not welcome so I suggest you get the hell out, now. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself involved in.”
Malcolm looked at Tahra with a genuine sympathy in his eyes.
“I can’t leave you in this awful place.”
Tahra just wanted to hug him and Max eyed the way he gazed at her.
“Did you fuck her?” he asked, with an icy conceit.
Malcolm looked confused.
“What do you mean, ‘did I fuck her’?”
Tahra felt embarrassed and gazed down at the floor.
“It’s a simple enough question,” Max stated, and repeated the question with vehemence. “Did you fuck her?”
Malcolm looked as if something had clicked within. He and Max stared at each other for a short while, Max trying to control his temper and Malcolm resisting the urge to punch Max. He turned to Tahra.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t win with this asshole in charge of your life.”
In response, Max seized him by the collar of his jacket and shoved him hard up against the wall. They locked eyes, hateful of each other for different reasons, and Max vented his frustration by repeatedly slamming him against the wall. Tahra tried to intervene and break up the altercation.
“Leave him alone, he doesn’t deserve this. Let him go.”
Keeping Malcolm tight up against the wall, he ceased his actions and fixed him with a stare. The conflict appeared to hold in a stalemate until Max finally released him. He concluded the matter by virtually hurling him into the street.
“And stay out!” he barked.
Malcolm straightened his jacket and gave Tahra an exasperated look, as she viewed the scene with consternation and embarrassment. Fixing his eyes on Max with an expression of disdain, he delivered his parting words.
“You know, your jealously will destroy her eventually.”
Malcolm walked out of Tahra’s life, giving her one last glance of apology. Max closed the door, victory written all over his face. With a vehement and icy stare, Tahra stormed up the stairs and returned to her room. Flinging herself on the bed, she sat there dejectedly for a minute, frustration boiling up.
Unable to contain herself any longer, she picked up shoes, a brush, books, the radio…anything, and one by one, she hurled them at the door with a scream.
What the hell had she gotten herself into?
***
Max and Tahra ignored each other for a few days but when he re-appeared at her door, he looked troubled. Turning him away wasn’t an option, so she let him in and he sat on her bed. Despising his proximity, she sat in the chair in the corner of the room. Silence made the air thick, and Max broke the tension.
“Do you really hate me?” he said.
She didn’t answer immediately but eventually conceded, “Yes, I do.”
He accepted the answer but then proceeded to defend his actions.
“I only want what’s best for you, Tahra. As I said, you’re too important to be wasted.”
It did little to reverse her acrimonious feelings.
“What can I do to change your mind?” he asked.
“Let me go,” she answered promptly.
“You know I can’t do that, I have an agreement with your father.”
She sighed.
“Okay then,” she figured she’d test him out, “show me the world, show me the life you denied me.”
He fell silent for a moment, a long moment and she didn’t expect a reply but he gave her the one she least anticipated.
“Okay.”
Tahra almost performed a double take.
“What?”
“Okay,” he repeated. “I have contacts in the States and I can find work for both of us. Visas can be obtained quickly. You want to see the world, I’ll show it to you.”
“Really?”
The atmosphere in the room began to thaw.
“Absolutely. We can leave in a few weeks.”
How could she refuse? He must have felt some remorse and she realised that, in his own way, he must care enough to make this concession for her. She began to feel both a sense of nervousness and excitement.
“Thank you,” she said, and meant it.
Max looked relieved and stood up, Tahra copied. She couldn’t read his expression, but did he regret making the offer or was he getting something he wanted too? It looked like he had nothing more to say and he moved to open the door, as obviously now there were plans to make but he paused before leaving.
“Did you….have sex with that photographer?” he asked, this time with humility.
She met his concerned gaze and replied, “No, I didn’t.”
He seemed satisfied with the answer and left. She sat on her bed,