He had had ample opportunity to contemplate his error of judgment in the last couple of hours. How he could have been so complacent, so blind, he really did not understand?
For the third time he struggled to free himself, but it was hopeless. She had been ruthlessly efficient and very thorough. He was pinned out like a butterfly to a piece of card. His wrists were bound, one to each bedpost at the headboard. His ankles, one to each post at the foot of the bed. She had taken good care not to cause him injury, she had made a point of making him secure but as comfortable as possible. But he was very secure, freeing himself was as far away as when he had begun his struggles all those hours ago.
He was silent too. She had seen to that, the silk scarf she had crammed into his mouth had soaked up most of his saliva. His efforts to spit the scarf out as futile as his struggle with his bonds. She had clamped a hand over his mouth to prevent him spitting the scarf out, then she had taken off the soft silk scarf she was wearing, placed a knot in the centre, forced the knot behind his teeth, she had had the scarf twice around his head, forcing the knot and the scarf that filled his mouth even more tightly in there, and then she had knotted it behind his head.
Her thumb had traced his upper lip then, and he practically screamed in frustration, which came out as a muffled howl. He was securely bound, and even more securely gagged. He could do nothing until he was released. He squirmed helplessly as she patted his cheek, and bent to kiss his lips.
Even with the frustration of his restraint, his body responded to her touch. Even pinned out like a butterfly. He wanted her.
"I'll be back. Don't go anywhere." She patted his cheek again, put her hands either side of his head and gazed deeply into his brown eyes. "You know why I'm doing this?" He could not bear that look in her eyes, he nodded, yes, I understand, however uncomfortable he was, and she was very good at what she had done. He could not complete his mission. He was going to live, and suddenly through all the rage and pain, and the hatred, that was what he wanted to do.
He tried to tell her. Her hands were still holding his face, he grunted through the scarf, he couldn't form the words, but she understood him all the same. She shook her head. "No. I can't take the chance, I cannot lose you." He knew why she was doing it, why she had tied him to her bed. He was naked, but she had carefully covered as much of him with the quilt as possible.
He had never failed at a mission. Until now. Until the woman he loved decided to protect him from himself. At first he imagined that this would be easy, that gaining her trust and her heart would be simple. He had already gained the trust of the older, more worldly wise woman. Who would undoubtedly have shot him on sight if he had not been able to take her out first.
Now the game had changed. Irrevocably. There was nothing he could do except wait.
Ari Haswari lay on his back and wondered just what he was doing. This was going to be a long day. He closed his eyes and drifted.