Page 16 of Star Crossed Delta

SABA

D ays wore on, and the bitterness of Mak’s apparent and relentless rejection burned.

Saba’s loneliness became unbearable.

One morning, restless and bored after breakfast, she wandered through the cool, empty corridors of the lodge, yearning for a connection.

She wandered into the wings she had not yet seen, where intricate woodwork adorned the walls, and opulent furnishings decorated room after room.

Mesmerized by every detail, from the chandeliers hanging from high ceilings to the plush rugs lining the floors.

Walls showcased alcoves and niches filled with treasures, from delicate ceramics to gold figurines that glowed with subtle luster and art framed in mahogany.

Each living area was designed with fluidity, seamlessly transitioning from the interior to the exterior, allowing the breeze to circulate and the sky to be visible from its numerous courtyards.

Saba sighed, imagining family and friends gathered for intimate candlelit dinners overlooking a flower-filled internal garden.

It was a stunning home, a realm of luxury and privilege she was now a part of, yet void of love and laughter.

She headed down a set of new stairs to a lower level of the living spaces.

She rounded a corner and found a pair of open doors.

Approaching them, she arched a brow as she gazed into a high-tech training dojo. Her heart lurched.

For, in the center of the room, was Mak. Alone, immersed in his kapo training.

Saba stepped to the side of the massive doorway, hidden in the shadows, and watched him move with a mastery that stole her breath away.

He wore nothing but simple shorts, his body glistening with a sheen of sweat that highlighted every sculpted muscle and sinewed limb.

Every strike and fluid pivot of his torso spoke of years of disciplined training and a natural, almost effortless grace.

His movements were like poetry in motion, each gesture a perfect blend of strength and precision.

Saba marveled at how his muscles rippled beneath his skin as he attacked an invisible foe, the air around him charged with raw energy.

Her heart pounded as she gazed at him with awe and forbidden admiration, basking in a rarely seen side of him.

One that reminded her of the fierce, indomitable man she had married.

Even as she admired his prowess, a blush crept up her cheeks, and she instinctively pressed herself into the shadowed recess of the doorway.

Then, as if sensing her presence, Mak’s head snapped up, his sweat-wet hair falling over his eyes.

Fokk , the man was hot.

Their eyes met; his intense, focused gaze clashed with hers, startling and unguarded. Saba froze, caught in the collision of their secret moments before her embarrassment overtook her.

Without a word, she turned and slipped away, the sound of her soft footsteps swallowed by the silence of the dojo, leaving behind only the memory of that fleeting, charged encounter.

Her heart was racing so hard that at one of the staircases, she slid to a step and sat, her knees weak, holding to the banister.

How was she attracted to the man who was rejecting and treating her with such disdain?

Hating herself, she remained there for many long minutes, staring unseeing at the view outside the window that overlooked the lake; despondent, on the verge of screaming out her frustration.

Suddenly, she thought she heard the whisper of feet.

Panicked, she rose and raced downstairs, her head turning back when she slammed into a body.

She gasped and startled as she glanced up at Koda.

He stepped back and eyed her with some suspicion. ‘You needed something, ?arim ?’ he asked.

Saba floundered for a moment. She had to come up with an explanation for her wild flight.

‘Uh, naam , I was wondering if I may please ask one of you to get me a skimmer and pilot?’

It was true; she needed air, a different environment, one away from Mak.

A day of exploring The Sombra and its legendary course and its shops might be the distraction she needed.

‘What do you require, ?arim ? I can get one of our staff to get it for you.’

‘I need to get out of here, to take a damn break,’ she replied.

‘Has the ?ar sanctioned this?’

Saba sighed. ‘ Nada , he has not.’

‘I’m afraid I cannot grant your request without the ?ar’s approval,’ Koda stated, his expression giving nothing away.

The familiar feeling of being trapped in a gilded cage tightened its grip, but she refused to back down.

She met Koda’s gaze head-on, obstinacy flashing in her eyes. ‘I understand your position, but I assure you, this is of utmost importance,’ she said, willing him to see the sincerity in her words.

Koda hesitated. A flicker of doubt crossed his features before he straightened up, his resolve returning.

‘I cannot defy the ?ar’s orders,’ he expressed, his tone final.

‘While I comprehend your frustration, the punishment I’d receive by aiding you to leave the house without permission would be unprecedented for my men and me. ’

Saba bit her lip, weighing her options; the need for freedom clawed at her insides, a burning desire to break free. She also couldn’t risk putting Koda and his team in hot water, so she relented.

‘What’s the protocol for me leaving the house? Should I need to or want to? To buy something, for instance?’

‘You’ve no obligation to do so, ?arim . You can provide me a list, and I’ll deliver it.’

‘So I’m a prisoner in the lodge?’

Koda didn’t answer; he only met her baleful gaze with one of his own as her skin crawled at the truth of the matter.

She was, for all intents and purposes, Mak’s captive.

With an exhale, she tossed her head, pausing to stare at a chandelier that floated midair and sparkled from the ceiling. It lit up the rich tapestries adorning the corridor walls.

Fokk this shit , she thought to herself, before lowering her gaze to meet the strongman’s humorless gaze.

‘ Sante , for your time,’ she murmured to Koda.

Enraged and bristling, she marched to Mak’s office.

The door was half open, and she slipped into the space before he summoned her.

He sat behind his immense oak desk, surrounded by towering bookshelves and ornate paintings.

He had since cleaned up after his training session and now wore a fitted slate-gray tee and dark slacks, the fabric clinging to the lean sinew and coiled muscle beneath. His frame was carved, statuesque; each movement was precise and controlled.

Yet he remained unmoved, a rock in the center of the room, posture relaxed but distant, cold. His expression betrayed nothing as he typed on a virtual pad, gaze locked on the hovering holo screen before him.

She caught the moment he sensed her.

His limbs locked, his face cold and unyielding, his shoulders tightened, his jaw clenched, and his brow furrowed, deep like a storm gathering.

The room was neat and orderly, reflecting his precise and controlling nature.

The expansive windows, curtained by silken drapes, let in light and a breeze, offering dappled views of the stunning, lush gardens beyond.

Saba stood facing his desk as he ignored her for a few moments that stretched for an eternity. Her palms were slick with sweat as she rubbed them together, her heart racing with nervous anticipation.

The thick lump in her throat made swallowing difficult, and her mouth felt coppery with a dry and bitter flavor.

After a wait, he raised his head, his scorching eyes falling on her, cutting through her with a steely gaze, before jerking his chin in silence.

She took a deep breath, overflowing with humiliation. ‘Mak, seems I need your permission to leave the house.’

Hell, the words alone were humiliating.

He ignored her for a beat, eyes swinging back to his work.

‘To go where?’ came the gritting utterance after a long silence.

She had no idea where yet; she just yearned to know if she was free in every sense of the word. She bristled. ‘I want to come and go wherever and whenever I please.’

He scoffed in disdain.

The only noise in the room was the quiet shuffle of papers as Mak turned from his high-tech screen to consult some documents on his desk, his expression unchanged.

His reticence enraged her as the weight of his authority crushed down on her.

The steady ticking of an antique clock in the corner was the only sound piercing the charged tension between them.

The flickering crystal light cast eerie shadows throughout the room, enhancing its sense of foreboding. But she refused to be deterred, determined to gain her freedom from the confines of their home.

‘ Nada ,’ came the final rasp, making clear his word was law within these walls.

What the ever-lovin fokk?

She stared at him, gaping at his face, disbelief and anger warring inside her.

How could he deny a simple request for independence, for a savoring of the world beyond this suffocating confine?

Was he still punishing her? she thought, wanting to hurl insults in his face.

The inferno smoldering inside her flared to life, defiance bubbling up like a fierce storm, ready to break free.

Mak’s gaze remained fixed on the documents before him, his jaw set in a stubborn line. He would not change his mind, and no amount of pleading or bargaining would sway him from his decision.

Saba refused to show him her frustration, to give him an easy win. Exhaling, she swallowed her pride and mustered a calm facade, even as her insides boiled with rebellion.

‘I understand, ?ar. Sante , for your time.’

She forced out the words through gritted teeth and turned to leave, a spark of mutiny igniting within her.

She’d always pushed the boundaries.

If Mak didn’t grant her her request, she would find a way to escape the golden chains of her marriage, which grew heavier with each passing moment.

She would not live this way, alone, afraid, trapped, and unloved. She’d done so for many years, but no more.

‘Fine,’ she breathed to herself. ‘I’ll be the dutiful little wife you expect.’

Having no fokkin ’ intention of being so.

Hours later, as the sun set, she slipped through the manicured hedges and into the cover of the sprawling gardens.

With a backpack, her hands, her face obscured by a cap, and her feet in sturdy boots, her heart raced with a heady mix of exhilaration and fear.

The cool evening air soothed her heated skin as she darted among the shadows, avoiding any prying eyes that might be watching.

Her breath came in quick gasps as she ran, the lush greenery blurring around her in a flurry of motion.

Placing as much distance between herself and that suffocating life as possible.

As she reached the edge of the gardens, a high iron gate loomed before her like a barrier to freedom.

Without hesitation, she grasped the cold metal bars and began to climb, her hands scraping against the rough surface as she pulled herself up and over.

She landed on the other side with a soft thud, her pulse thundering in her ears as she stumbled forward onto unfamiliar ground.

The world beyond the lodge was a stark contrast to the manicured perfection within its walls. Here, the surface was jagged beneath her feet, the air tinged with the scent of wildflowers.

She needed to hitch a ride to freedom.

In her bag was her comm tab, which she intended to use to book a fly cab as soon as she was sufficiently far from Mak’s lodge.

She had a bag of clothes and schills in her wrist comm, enough to book passage off The Sombra.

She’d left everything else behind.

Including Mak’s cold, cruel eyes and vengeful rage.

She planned to take a passenger skiff to the ark ship Selburnia, where she was confident Shiloh was now living, and lay low wherever she was.

In time, the furor over her disappearance would end.

Perhaps the ?ar would find another woman he didn’t detest as much to marry.

There was also no way she’d allow herself to remain the fool trapped in his world, with no love, family, or peace of mind.

For a moment, she slowed, breathing in the untamed beauty surrounding her.

The shadows lengthened as twilight descended, casting darkness over the landscape. She refused to be paralyzed by fear.

With a set to her jaw, she ventured into the unknown, and all she could think of was that each moment away from Mak was liberation, a breaking of chains that had bound them to a marriage neither she nor her husband wanted.