Arabe furrowed her brows as she gazed aside the window again. The shadow was still there.


    And she felt it watching her. She was apprehensive, and the hair on her skin stood.


    She rubbed her now mmy palms on the nightie she donned and gripped the cell phone she plucked from the nightstand.


    Dialing ze’s number, she chewed on her bottom lip whilst waiting for him to pick up his phone.


    Although he told her not to call, she couldn’t help it.


    She didn’t know what lurked in the dark, and she had heard of some killingstely. She doubted the perpetrators were around.


    “Please pick up.” She murmured and stilled as footsteps approached her door.


    A key twisted in the lock, and she nced around frantically in search of what she could use to defend herself.


    Since she came, it was her first time encountering such, and she didn’t think she had given anyone ess to the house aside from ze.


    Yet, she doubted it was ze. He’d have informed her if he wasing around!


    She gripped a stake by the window and slowly walked towards the back of the door.


    Immediately, it went open; she swung wildly on impulse.


    The stake collided with a skin.


    Arabe grinned as she heard the skin break, and she dropped the stake to the ground as she heard a familiar voice.


    “Fuck it, Be. Where did you learn to swing like that?!”


    “ze?!” She shouted.


    Arabe jerked backwards, eyeing him. Before moving towards him.


    “Oh my god, I am so sorry!” She mumbled, seeing the mess she had created on his face. His face was currently distorted, and she wondered if it would ever go back to its usual shape.


    “I thought it was someone else.” She gripped his hand and heaved a breath as it felt warm on her skin. She pulled him towards the bed after securing the door with the lock.


    “This looks horrible. I am sorry!”


    “I’m fine,” ze grunted, gripping her hand. His eyes narrowed at her, and he winced at the movement he made.


    The blow was fatal, and he was sure if it were an ordinary man, he’d have some brain damage. But he wasn’t an ordinary man.


    It was the reason he was still standing. Arabe made a fuss with his face and grabbed ointment and washcloth to tend to the injury.


    ze knew the condition his face was in, and he as well knew it wouldn’t be for long. He wondered what she’d do if she saw him healing. But he doubted he’d stay long for her to see it.


    “I’m not staying long.” ze blurted out as soon as Arabe appeared. He winced at how direct it sounded.


    Arabe stopped in the middle of the room, “What do you mean you won’t stay long?”This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    “I only came to check how you are. I am worried about you.”


    Arabe rolled her eyes and shed him a smile. “You don’t need to be worried.”


    But deep down, she wanted him to be.


    “Tell me, Be. What has been going on with you since I wasn’t around?”


    “Nothing.” She shrugged. “I need to tend to this.” She added as he gripped her hand.


    “It’ll heal,” ze mumbled.


    “How the hell do you n to heal? You are not a god, and you don’t have any almighty power to make you heal.” She pushed his hand away and continued.


    ze didn’t argue with her, intend he watched her. She didn’t look happy. He was aware she was faking it. But he didn’t want to upset her by asking what was happening because she might be.


    Yet, he couldn’t help but to.


    He gripped her hand, halting her for the second time. Despite the re she shot at him, he didn’t stop.


    He made her straddle him, and he murmured. “You know, you can tell me whatever is going on. I hate when you try to do things your way.”


    “What if you are the reason I am moody? What will you do about it?”


    ze stared at her in confusion, and he shook his head.


    “Nothing, I know that.” She said, pushing herself up. “It’s best I keep it to myself.”


    ze stood on his feet and moved towards her. He gripped her waist and turned her to face him.


    “You can tell me anything.” He said. “If I am faulty, I’ll try to adjust.”


    Arabe narrowed her eyes at him and heaved a breath. Then she shoved his chest suddenly.


    “How the heck do you leave me in thisrge house all by myself? You don’t even make any attempt to call or even send a message to see if I am alive! Fuck it, ze, you are starting to act like Sandro…”


    “Be…”


    “Recently, I found something weird lurching in the dark. I was scared shitless as I assumed Sandro’s watchdog was watching me. Shit, I had to swing at you because I thought they wereing for me and…”


    ze strode towards her, pulled her into him and covered her lips with his before she could make another sentence.


    “Stop!” He heard her muffled scream, but he didn’t stop until she responded to him.


    “I’m sorry.” He murmured, cupping her face. “I can’t drag you into whatever is happening in my life, and of course, I still watch over you. But not always because sometimes my work gets too dangerous and…”


    “What if I want to be part of everything you do? What if…”


    “No what-ifs!” ze snapped.


    He shoved his hand through his hair. “You can’t be part of it. I want none of it for you and not even my sister! But we were born into this. We were born that way and didn’t have much choice!”


    Arabe felt sorry for him. She saw his struggles and everything he was trying so hard not to do, but he couldn’t do away with it.


    Of course, being in the Mafia was hard, and several rules came with it. Her father had died due to one of the rules he broke, she believed.


    She didn’t want the same for ze, and maybe she was insensitive for wanting his full attention while he was going through a lot and, at the same time, trying his best to keep her safe.


    She wrung her fingers together and moved towards him. She wrapped her arms around his midsection and mumbled. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to sound insensitive.”


    “It’s fine.” He rasped, turning to hug her properly. “Just stay away from trouble and be safe for me.”


    “I’ll.” She mumbled, hugging him tighter and enjoying his warmth.