MELODY (Book 1) ✓

Chapter 44 (Unexpected Visitor)

Lynda? Here? No! She's not supposed to be here! How! How did she find us?  I knew it!  Vivian sent her to trail me… God, please tell me it's not true! This is not happening! It can't be happening! I've led them to Akram's place. What have I done?!

Shock glued my feet to the floor, gawking at the girl, Lynda, who seemed like an alien creature right now - A ghost from my past life at the shelter coming back to haunt me.

Akram brushed my shoulder from the back. “Mel, get inside.”

When I didn't react, Akram slid in front of me. He tugged at my arm, urging me to move. ”Come on, Melody!”

I didn't budge. I stared numbly at his creased forehead as he scanned my vacant expression, before I turned my glance to the unexpected visitor across the hall.

“You know her!” Akram's eyes expanded. He whirled around to face Lynda, shielding me behind him. “Excuse me. Who are you?”

“I'm Laila.” Lynda smiled. She extended her hand and stepped toward us. My eyes caught the expensive - looking watch around her wrist. I'd seen it before and it didn't fit the unfortunate runaway teen from the shelter.

Why on earth is she using a different name? What kind of a game is she playing? I knew something about her screamed out-of-place, but no! No way! I won't let her deceive Akram as she deceived me!

“She’s L-Lynda...” My voice trembled, clinging to his arm.

Akram stiffened. The tendons in his arm bulged out as he slowly pushed me back with his body. “How can I help you?”

“Laila Hameed. FBI.”  She stepped forward and lowered her hand, slowly sliding it to the pocket of her blazer.

A jolt of adrenaline coursed through my body and my heart sped up... Flashes of the horrible dream exploded in my head - Vivian in police uniform... A gun... A pool of blood… Akram!

“No!”

In an instant, I leaped in front of Akram and locked my arms around him.

He staggered back, pulling me to his chest until his back bumped against the frame of the door.

Lynda pulled her hands up with a plastic card between her fingers. “It's just my ID.”

I caught a glimpse of the bold capital letters carved onto her identification card. Is it easy to forge FBI IDs?

Akram didn't loosen his hold on me. He turned around swiftly and drove me through the door into his apartment.

“Stay inside,” he demanded.

“No!” I groaned. “I'm not gonna leave you alone with her.”

“I'll be fine. Just wait inside.” He emphasized with a motion of his hand.

“You don't believe her, do you? You can't trust her! You can't!” I gripped his good arm pleadingly.

“I've got to know what she wants,” Akram affirmed, stroking my cold hand on his arm.

“هى فى خطر. لقد جئت لحمايتها."

Lynda interrupted in an exotic, unintelligible language.

I couldn't miss Akram's reaction to her words. His brows flew all the way up. He whipped his head toward her and his eyes narrowed. The intelligent glint in his eyes told me he understood... She had definitely spoken in Arabic.

“What did she say?” I asked in a strangled whisper, choking his arm with both of my hands.

“Let me handle this and I promise I'll tell you later, okay?” He touched my face gently for a split second.