Loving the Enemy (Seven Forbidden Arts Book 0) Read online

  “You’re right,” she said, her voice bright, even if her heart was breaking. “I know that.” But a girl could dream.

  She turned again, but Jacob didn’t ease his grip.

  “I told you not to fall in love with me, Lily.”

  “Yes, I know.” She swallowed hard to keep back the tears. “I won’t.”

  His eyes softened. “It’s for your own protection. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Okay.” She got it. He couldn’t love her. At least he was honest. “I’m young, but I’m not stupid. I’m probably a little infatuated with you, but you saved my life, twice, and you were my first, so I think I can cut myself some slack.”

  Yes, she was young, and yes, she wasn’t stupid. Even if she had no experience with men, she knew what she felt for Jacob was huge. This was something a girl only found once in a lifetime. She was under no illusion. Jacob had spoiled her for all men. But she would always have her memory of him, and the incredible hour they spent in a cheap motel room. And then life carried on. She wouldn’t stop living because she couldn’t have him.

  He seemed to contemplate her answer. His eyes scanned hers, his pupils moving from her left eye to the right and back. A frown creased his brow. He didn’t like her answer. But Jacob said nothing. He only cupped her face, and kissed her long and slow.

  Lily reveled in the way his tongue claimed hers, in how he worshipped her mouth with his lips. She savored every detail, imprinting the sensory impressions on her mind and in her heart.

  When he finally released her, his expression was gentle. “That’s how you deserve to be kissed, all night long.”

  She smiled, wanting him to remember her like this, not like the frightened, hungry girl he had found in the park.

  He pulled away. “Meat will be ready soon.”

  “I’ll make a salad.” She climbed into the camper before she could change her mind, and watched him return to the fire, turning his back on her.

  Lily grabbed the bag that held her clothes and the few toiletries they had bought that afternoon. She flung open the food cabinet and removed a couple of energy bars and a bottle of water. In the drawer was a utility knife, which she slipped into her pocket. The smartphone and charger were lying on the table. She hesitated, but took it with a silent prayer of forgiveness. Jacob still had enough money to buy another one. A phone could come in handy.

  Her heart beat wildly as she made her way to the front and retrieved her false passport from the cubbyhole where Jacob had left it. She opened the passenger door as softly as possible, and jumped down. She sneaked away quietly, glancing over her shoulder until she couldn’t see the light of the fire any longer, and then she started to run.

  She hit the road a few minutes later, already tired from the effort. Instead of walking next to it, she kept to the trees. Tears fell down her cheeks with every step she took farther away from Jacob. He wasn’t going to love her. She wasn’t going back to her father. She was on her own, now. She wiped the tears away and took a deep breath. It was time to start a new future.

  She was worried that Jacob would come looking for her, and hoping he wouldn’t, and knowing how bad it would hurt if he didn’t, so when headlights came into sight from the north, Lily rushed to the road and threw out her thumb, hoping to God the driver would stop.

  A big, red truck honked, and then slowed. She sighed with relief as the vehicle came to a halt. The driver threw open the door. She rushed to the passenger side, and climbed up the step.

  “Howdy, girlie,” a bulk of a man with red hair and tattoos on his arms greeted her. “What ya doing alone out here in da middle of da road?”

  Lily eyed the man. He seemed surprised, concerned even. It wasn’t a risk she liked taking, but she had no choice. There was no telling when the next opportunity would come. She felt the knife press against her thigh through her pocket, and held onto the feeling of security it gave her.

  “Can I have a ride, please?”

  “I’m not leavin’ ya out here, alone. Hop on.”

  She jumped in and shut the door. “Thanks.”

  “Where ya going?”

  “Wherever you’re going.”

  “I know trouble when I see meself some, so I’m not gonna ask.”

  “Thanks,” she mumbled again.

  “Nah. No sweat. I’ve got a daughta your size. Got a passport?”

  She nodded.

  “Good. We gonna be crossin’ da border in a bit.”

  After a three-hour drive, the man left Lily at a gas station in Maputo. Not knowing where else to go, she entered the convenience store and sat down at a plastic table in the fast food corner. It had to be in the seventies outside, but it felt ten degrees hotter inside. She pushed up the sleeves of her sweater. There were two other customers, each at their own table–a teenager wearing an Os Mambas football cap, and an Arabic looking man with a Red Cross badge on his shirt. The boy dug into a hamburger. Lettuce, gherkins and sauce squished from the sides of the bun.

  A gum-chewing waitress walked up to Lily. Her skin was as smooth and black as onyx. “Oi. O que você gostaria?”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t speak Portuguese,” Lily said.

  “What’ll it be, love?” the woman replied.

  “I haven’t decided yet.” She had no money to order anything. She only needed some place to sit and think.

  The man with the Red Cross badge looked up from his steak. He had black eyes, jet hair, an olive skin and a day-old stubble.

  “You can’t sit here if you’re not eating.” The woman pointed at a sign above the service counter that read ‘No eat, no seat.’ “Hot dog or French fries? That’s the cheapest we’ve got.”

  “Just a glass of water, please.”

  The woman sighed and started tapping her foot. “Sorry, love, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

  Lily looked around. There were plenty of free tables. It wasn’t as if she was depriving a paying customer of a seat. “But–”

  “I don’t make the rules.”

  The man with the Red Cross badge spoke up. “Get her a steak and fries. And a beer.”

  The woman watched Lily with a raised eyebrow. “You going to accept his offer?”

  “Just do it, Mavis,” he said. “And leave the girl in peace.”

  With a flick of her shoulder, Mavis turned and walked through a swing door at the back. The man wiped his mouth on a napkin and carried his coffee to Lily’s table. He looked younger than Jacob, maybe in his mid-twenties.

  He motioned at the empty chair. “May I?”

  Lily nodded. She wasn’t agreeing just because he was buying her dinner. She’d make up her mind about him in a minute. It all depended. She studied him as he sat down. He had dark rings under his eyes, and sweat stains on the armpits of his khaki shirt.

  He slurped his coffee. “Backpacking?”

  It would have been a good explanation if it weren’t so unbelievable. No girl backpacked alone through Mozambique.

  “Running,” she said.

  His hand stilled halfway between the table and his mouth. “From what?”

  “From who.”

  “A father?” His gaze slipped to her bare ring finger. “Boyfriend? The law?”

  “Does it matter?”

  He put down his cup and rubbed his chin. “Not to me, at least.”

  She pointed at his badge. “Charity work?”

  “International aid. I’m flying in food donations for the flood victims.”

  The text under the badge was in French, in which Lily was fluent, thanks to her private school education. It almost seemed like a God-sent sign.

  “From France?” she said.

  “Algeria.”

  “Oh.”

  The waitress arrived with the food and placed it in front of Lily.

  “You sound disappointed,” the man said once Mavis had moved away.

  “I … I don’t know what I expected. Definitely not Algeria.”

  His gaze measured her. �
��You’re trying to get to France?”

  “Until a few hours ago, I was hoping to.”

  “And now?”

  “And now I don’t know.”

  He pointed at the food. “Eat. It’s getting cold.” When she didn’t react, he continued, “No strings attached. I’m just buying you a seat for a couple of hours, that’s all.”

  Lily picked up the knife and fork, and cut into the meat.

  He watched her eat for a while, and then said, “You can’t stay here. You won’t last a day.”

  She lifted her head. It sounded like what Jacob had said when he had found her in the park. And she couldn’t think about that. Not now. It was still too raw.

  “What kind of plane do you fly?”

  He looked taken aback. “Transall C-160,” he said slowly. “They’ve been pulled off the market, but I guess this baby will have to last another year or two before we can afford to replace her with the Airbus A400M Atlas.” Upon her silence, he grinned. “Too technical, huh?”

  “What I meant to ask, is if you’ve got any empty seats.”

  He stared at Lily long and hard. “It’s illegal. I can lose my license.”

  “Only if you’re caught.”

  He shook his head. “I’m headed back for Algiers.”

  “That’s just across the ocean from Marseille, isn’t it?” She took a bite of the overcooked meat.

  He narrowed his eyes. “You’re a clever girl.”

  “Not really. I just paid attention in geography class.”

  He didn’t say anything.

  Lily stopped chewing. She regarded him with what she hoped looked like a plea. “Please. I have no money, and nowhere to go.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to go to France.”

  “Look, you said yourself I can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous. I stand out like a sore thumb.”

  “You won’t last in Algeria, either.”

  “But Europe is closer from Algeria. I’ll take my chances.”

  “I’m sorry that you find yourself in this situation, but I can’t help you skip the country. If you’re a criminal–”

  “I’m not. I swear. Does it look like I belong here? I’m not even Mozambican.”

  “You’re accent is South African. I can’t afford to get into trouble with your government.”

  “My government doesn’t even know I exist. Just get me as far as you’re going, and I’ll make my own way from there.”

  He pulled a hand through his hair and sighed. “Better eat fast, then. I’m leaving in ten minutes.”

  Lily closed her eyes briefly. “Thank you. Thank you.”

  He held out a hand. “I’m Karim.”

  She shook his proffered hand. “Lily.”

  “Eat.” He flicked his fingers at Mavis, got the bill and paid.

  Lily gobbled down the food and beer as fast as she could.

  “The bathroom’s at the back if you want to use it before we go,” Karim said the second she was done.

  After visiting the ladies and changing the warm sweater for her cooler yellow blouse, Lily made her way to the parking and got into Karim’s Jeep. They drove three miles to an airfield where a military freight plane was parked. In the distance, Lily could see the sign for the Mavalane International Airport.

  “This is our ride,” he said, pulling into a hangar. “Air force donated it to us when they upgraded their fleet.”

  He covered the Jeep with a protective canvas and led her to the plane. Once inside, he showed her where to store her bag and told her to buckle up while he checked the instruments.

  Lily spared a quick thought for Jacob. She hoped he was safe. She wondered where he’d go. Would he try to start a new life in Cape Town, now that he was free of her?

  “Sit back and relax,” Karim said. “It’s a fourteen-hour flight.” He flicked some buttons and lights came on, followed by the noise of the engine. “What are you going to do when you get to Algiers?”

  “Don’t know, yet.”

  “I think I have a way of helping.”

  She sat up straighter. “You do?”

  “I have a friend in the transport business. His trucks often go to Europe.”

  “And you think he’ll help?”

  “I’ll talk to him.” He smiled. “I can be very convincing.”

  “Thanks, Karim.”

  He pulled a pair of headphones over his ears and gave her a thumbs-up sign. Karim requested clearance from the control tower and soon the plane was lifting off, leaving Southern Africa far behind.

  Karim woke her with a shake. “We’re landing.” He handed her an apple, a chocolate bar and a bottle of water.

  “Thanks.” Lily rubbed her eyes. She looked from the window and saw the ocean below.

  “I’ve got it all figured out,” he said.

  “What?” She stifled a yawn.

  “We’re going to say you’re a journalist who wants to cover a story about the work of the Algerian Red Crescent in Mozambique.”

  “Okay.”

  “If they ask, you’re only staying for eight days. Tell them you’re going to find a hotel.”

  “Got it.”

  “Is your passport valid?”

  “Yes.”

  “But it’s false?”

  She quickly looked at him. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you said your government doesn’t know you exist.” He smiled and tapped his head. “I, too, paid attention in class. I know how to put two and two together.”

  Lily thought it better not to answer.

  Fortunately, her entry into Algeria wasn’t too problematic. There was a dispute about a vaccine and a yellow fever shot she didn’t have, but Karim did a lot of talking in what he told her was Berber, their national tongue. She didn’t miss the bills he pushed with his own passport over the counter. After that, it was smooth sailing.

  Karim’s car was parked at the airport. He took her to blue and white apartment building close to the sea. He cut the engine and turned to her. “This is my friend, Ali’s place. He’s the one I told you about.”

  “The one with the transport business?”

  “Yes.”

  Karim reached for his door, but Lily placed her hand on his arm. She didn’t know Karim or Ali, and even if Karim seemed kind enough, she preferred to minimalize her risks.

  “Can’t he come to your place?” she said.

  “I can’t bring you home. I have a wife. She won’t understand.”

  It seemed like she didn’t have a choice. Gripping her bag tight, Lily got from the car, and followed Karim into the building and up a flight of stairs that smelled like turmeric and curry. Karim knocked on a door, which was immediately opened by a man with a big stomach and a white linen suit. He looked from Karim to Lily, his gaze questioning.

  “Ali.” Karim hugged his friend and patted him on the back. “Can we come in?”

  Ali seemed to hesitate, but after a second he stepped aside and opened the door wider. “Of course.”

  “This is Lily,” Karim said when the door closed behind them. “She’s South African, and she needs your help.”

  Ali had a bewildered expression. He said something to Karim in Arabic, to which Karim lifted his hands. He turned to Lily. “Maybe you’d like to freshen up, yes? The bathroom is at the end of the hall.”

  In fact, she was in desperate need of the bathroom, but she was also uneasy about the exchange she witnessed. Ali didn’t seem pleased. Deciding that nature’s call had to be attended to first, Lily turned wordlessly and went down the hallway, aware of the men’s eyes on her back. There was a squat toilet and no paper. Well, when in Rome… After she had washed her hands and face, she went back to the small lounge, finding the men in a heated argument. They fell quiet when they noticed her.

  “If this is inconvenient, I can–”

  “No, no.” Karim walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t worry. Everything’s sorted. You’re leaving tonight.”

  Re
lief washed over her. She wasn’t looking forward to spending the night in Ali’s flat, that was to say if he would have let her stay in the first place.

  Karim released her and gave Ali’s arm a squeeze. “I better go. Good luck, Lily.”

  “Wait. Give me your details. I’d like to pay for the flight, and for your trouble.”

  He shook his head. “No need.” With a last wave, he was gone.

  Ali looked her up and down. He removed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his brow. Then he picked up a set of keys from a wooden bowl on the table. “Let’s go.”

  They took a taxi to a big warehouse where several trucks were parked. Ali went to an office where he pulled up a schedule, said something to a man Lily presumed to be the warehouse manager, and ushered her to a white truck.

  After driving in silence for a while, Lily said, “Where are we going?”

  “Marseille.”

  Her original plan. How ironic. “Why?”

  Ali shrugged. “That’s where Karim told me to drive.”

  “How long until we get to Marseille?”

  Ali glanced at her sideways. “Twenty hours. We take the ferry, and then the road.”

  “Thanks for helping me.”

  Ali didn’t reply.

  The rest of the route passed in silence. They made a few pit stops on the way, and had dinner in Barcelona around nine that evening. Lily considered staying in Barcelona, but she didn’t speak Spanish. It was going to be easier to find a job in France. If she wasn’t so stressed, she would have enjoyed the scenery, but all Lily could think about, was getting to France in one piece.

  From Barcelona Ali drove straight through to Marseille without further breaks. The city was bustling when they arrived, even at one in the morning. They passed the harbor and drove up a narrow cobblestone street flanked by apartment buildings with white shutters and French rooftop windows. Ali parked in the street.

  “We’re here.”

  “Thanks. I really appreciate your help.”

  “This is my cousin’s house. You should stay here.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Lily said quickly.

  “Marseille is dangerous,” Ali said. He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead. “Especially if you don’t know where you’re going.”