Forbidden Power

Layla’s Life

Layla POV

I snuck out of my apartment early. He'd be mad at me this evening, but I left him breakfast on the table and a note telling him I was going into work early today. I shivered as I thought about him arriving home last night. He had had a bad day at work, and he took it out on me with some very aggressive s*x. I was still sore this morning, but I pushed the pain aside and focused on what makes me happy in life. Teddy and Marco will be waiting for me.

Teddy. I smiled as I thought of that gentle giant. He looks and acts imposing when you first meet him. I was terrified of him for a long time, but as we worked together I saw a softer side of him. A boyish side that gets excited about adventure. And then there was the side of him that scared me a little.

Up until recently Teddy was safe. He showed me kindness and respect, but it was never more than that. I could flirt with him, and he would be blissfully oblivious. I could cross the line a little bit because he was ignorant of it. However, I've started noticing that he gets aroused around me now. Not that I mind. It makes me feel good. Especially because he never acts on it. I feel sexy and empowered, but I also feel like he would never act on his desires without my permission. Unlike my husband who never listens to me and forces me to do things I'm not comfortable with.

I've thought about leaving him almost since our honeymoon, but my family would disown me, and I have nowhere to go. Teddy lives in America, but his heart is in Egypt. Would he stay here with me? Would he be interested?

I reached for my keys and let out a low groan. I'd left them in the pocket of my shorts from yesterday, and those were in the bathroom laundry hamper. I just hope my husband is still asleep. I really don't want to see him this morning.

I snuck into the room as quietly as possible and tiptoed to the bathroom. I pushed the door almost closed and quickly went through the hamper. His clothes were on top of mine. Of course they were. He always keeps me under him. Domineering even with inanimate objects. I tossed his pants and shirt on the floor, and they landed heavily. I winced at the sound. What fell so heavily? I found my keys and picked back up his clothes, reaching into his pockets and pulling out a cell phone I'd never seen before.

What is this one? This isn't his cell phone! I switched it on, making sure it was on silent, and waited for it to load up. As soon as it loaded, several text messages popped up.

Hey, babe. Thinking of you tonight. You know where I am if you want to have some actual fun. 7:53PM

Look at how wet I am for you right now. Leave that ***** and come to me. I'm ready to help you forget your bad day. 8:17PM

Don't give her all your energy. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow. Same time. Same place. 10:05 PM

Scratch that. I can't wait for you any more. Text me as soon as she's gone. I'll come there. 7:12AM

The pictures she had sent were explicit. I checked previously sent texts, and they were the same. He was having an affair? No wonder he treated me like trash! He had another woman on the side!

I wanted to be mad, but I don't feel surprised. I suspected he didn't have feelings for me when we got married. Before we got married, actually. We never had chemistry. And the way he treated me on our honeymoon... I ended up in the hospital because he tore me apart to consummate our union.

Suddenly I heard the door open.

"What are you doing in here, Layla? I thought you had to get to work early," he growled. I jumped and dropped the phone, spinning to face him. His face was expressionless. He looked from the phone to me. "You going through my personal work phone?!"

"Work phone? What are you? A pimp?" I asked, feeling angrier at the accusation than the affair. Does he think I'm stupid?

"Learn your place, woman!" He yelled, and he came at me. I barely managed to duck and get past him. I ran as fast as I could out the door and fled the apartment. The elevator would be slow, but he would expect me to go down the stairs where he could easily catch me. I needed to hide.

I spotted the janitor's closet sitting ajar and squeezed into it, pulling the door shut and locking it from the inside.

"LAYLA!" He thundered in the hallway. I shrunk back and prayed that he wouldn't find me. "Insolent woman! Come back here!"

I heard him run up the hall toward the stairwell away from me. Just as I thought. He's predictable. Simple and predictable. And I hate him. With every fiber of my being I hate him.

With trembling hands I pulled out my cell phone and turned it to silent. Just in time. His call had just started to come through as I silenced it.

"I can hear your phone, Layla. Stop being foolish!" He yelled in the stairwell. I didn't budge. I don't know what to do. I won't catch the elevator in time if it happens to come up here. The janitor will surely return to this closet soon since it was left open. Teddy and Marco are forty minutes away. What do I do?

I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed for a miracle. Then I heard the sound of the elevator dinging. It was coming to my floor! And he was still in the stairwell hunting me! I can do this!

I quickly unlocked the door and pushed it open in one swift move. The elevator doors opened, and I sprinted into the elevator as people stepped out, using them as cover. I quickly punched the button to close the door. And stared at the floor buttons. He would expect me to go to the exit to get out of the building. But there was a second exit. One in the basement where I did our laundry. Since he never went down there, he wouldn't be familiar with it like I am.

The decision was made. I pressed the button for the basement level and shrunk into the corner. Nobody else should be going down there at this time of morning.

Keys in hand, I rode the maddeningly slow elevator down, breathing in relief when it passed the main floor without stopping. The doors opened, and I peeked out. Nobody was down here. Not at 7:30 in the morning. I moved as swiftly and silently as possible to the small exit door. This was where we could come hang our clothes on the line to dry or dump out dirty water for things we had to hand wash. This was the door only the women of the building knew about since the men wouldn't be caught dead down here among us lesser beings. Well, maybe I'm being harsh. I've seen men down here. Just not my man.

I ran through the small yard and out the back gate. I ran around the side of the building and crouched in the alley. Almost there. Almost free. But what do I do when it's time to come home? I haven't thought that far yet. Right now I just need to get out of here.

As I expected, he was at the van, pacing around in his robe looking furious. Like I was the one who had done something wrong. All I did was see some text messages. It was his fault that they were incriminating. And yet it's me fleeing for my life.

"Fine. If that's how you want to play," I mumbled under my breath. I checked my phone. I have funds I've set aside in a secret account in case this happened. He thinks I don't make much money. He thinks I'm a nobody. He thinks wrong. I have thousands of pounds at my immediate disposal. That's right. I can stay in any hotel I want for as long as I want.

"I'm not trapped here. I can leave you," I whispered out loud. If nothing else I can stay at the site in a tent with men I know will protect me with their lives. I slipped out of the alley and hid beside a parked car. I just need to make it down the road a little ways so I can hail a cab.

I crawled until I reached the end of the car. I peeked under it. He was still pacing and looking murderously angry. If he gets his hands on me, he'll kill me. I have to get to Teddy. He won't let that happen.

I spotted a cab headed this way. The driver had his window down, a sign that he was looking for a passenger. Can I do it? Can I make it? I peeked at my husband under the car again. He was looking down at his phone and angrily punching something into it. I looked up at the cab again. If he keeps looking down for a few more seconds, I can make it.

I got in a sprinting position and waited for the cab to get a little closer. Then I jumped up and ran at it, waving my arms frantically. The cab pulled to an immediate stop, and I threw open the door and jumped in the back, keeping my head down.

"Drive! Drive, please! I'll tell you where in a minute. Just drive and don't stop!" I gasped. The driver punched the gas, and I sat up and looked out the back window as my husband looked up in confusion at the squealing tires. His eyes locked with mine, and his lips curled up in fury as he ran after the cab yelling obscenities.

The driver could obviously hear him and rolled up his window casually.

"Don't need that kind of language first thing in the morning," he said in a friendly tone. "Now where do you need to go, miss?"

Tears spilled down my cheeks. Finally. Finally, someone who was on my side. I burst into tears.

"Aw, miss. I have daughters of my own. No way I'll let that guy get you. Now you just tell me where you'll feel safe, and I'll take you there. No charge," he said kindly.

"No. Please. I want to pay you. I can pay you. I need to go a long way," I sniffed. I gave him the location, and he just nodded.

"Sit back and relax. I'll get you there safely," he said. I sat back and closed my eyes as the car rolled along. I felt tired, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

"Miss? Miss?" A kind voice called to me. "We're here now. I can't imagine why you'd feel safe here, but this is the address you gave me."

I opened my eyes and saw the welcoming sight of the tents and the occupants of those tents stirring around. Most importantly, I saw him. Teddy. And I instantly felt warm and safe.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You saved my life," I told the driver.

"It was my pleasure to help you. If one of my daughters ever got in that situation, I would hope someone would help one of them while I'm on my way to kill the man they're running from," he said seriously.

"I wish I had a father like you," I told him sadly. My dad will beat me if he finds out about this.

"You're too kind. Take care of yourself, now, okay? Consider your safety payment for the ride. There's no price on a life," he said. I nodded. Teddy looked over at us, and I saw his expression turn to concern. Oh. He must wonder why I'm not in the van today. I don't want him to know what happened.

"Thanks again, sir. Really. Thank you," I told him, quickly sliding out of the back seat. Teddy was on his way over, and I don't want the driver telling him what he saw.

I was too slow. Or Teddy was too fast. He opened the back door and helped me out.

"What happened?" He asked, looking me over with concern.

"Oh, the van isn't working today. I got stranded, and this nice man helped me out," I told him casually.

Teddy looked at me incredulously. The driver just shrugged and didn't refute my story.

"Well, thank you for helping her. Layla, we just got breakfast out. I'll square up payment with this guy," Teddy told me. I gave the driver a pleading look, and he just smiled. My secret is safe with him.

Teddy slid in my place in the back seat and struck up a conversation with the driver. I'm relieved to be here, but what happens when I have to go home?