"So what you're saying." he flipped the knife between his fingers and caught it in time before it hit the ground. "Is that you lost her? 10 years of training and you lost her?"
James hurriedly lay his head on the ground, "We underestimated her! She was too fast and somehow managed to do stuff that even we couldn't—"
"Of course she did." Zei chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement after hearing her antics. "She's a little wild kitten after all, isn't she?"
Tossing the knife into a corner, he stood up and walked past them without saying another single word. The two men, James and Liam, breathed out in relief. Boss was probably in a good mood and let them off the hook easily. Phew!
"Kill them." his voice echoed around the warehouse and both their eyes widened when they saw a bodyguard pull out a gun from his pocket and aim it at their heads.
Turning around, they parted their mouths to beg but were unable to as two gunshots went up in the air and they both fell to the ground, blood staining the floors where they lay.
Zei smirked, shaking his head in disappointment as he walked out. "You should've known by now. I don't give second chances."
Getting in his sleek black Audi, he swiftly switched on his smartphone, navigating the destination he was expected to reach. With a press of a button, the high-performance engine roared to life, propelling the luxury vehicle forward with exhilarating speed, effortlessly overtaking the surrounding cars and pedestrians. It raced down the road, seamlessly gliding through the bustling city streets, matching the velocity of the billowing clouds overhead, as if harmonizing with the very essence of the sky itself.
On his way, the touch screen lit up bright, displaying an incoming call from Damien. Releasing a sigh, he pressed the tiny green button and leaned back in his seat.
"What?"
"Why the fuck did you leave us all here with Daisy of all people!?" he hissed out, the background voices a cluster of Theo's voice and the shrill scream of a female.
"Handle her until I get back, I'm out on important business."
Damien sounded confused. "Where the hell are you?"
"None of your business. Now don't call me unless it's something serious."
"You son of a—"
The screen darkened again just as the car stopped outside a strange-looking apartment that he had never seen in his life. Maybe because he never visited this part of the city or perhaps he just hadn't bothered to remember.
"Apartment number 7..." he whispered under his breath and paused outside a door, his hands inside his pockets as he tilted his head, a small smile taking over his features instantly.
Taking out a key from his pocket, he inserted it into the keyhole, his smile widening two folds as the door clicked open and he made his way inside to see the shocked face of a girl and the storm she would start at seeing him.
What he didn't expect was the very same girl lying face forward on the bed, tangled up in sheets with her body curled close to her knees. Zei could see her shivering from the entrance itself and slowly walked up to her after closing the door behind him softly.
Bending down with confusion etched on his face, he delicately placed his hand on her forehead, only to quickly retract it in an instant. The touch sent a surge of heat through his fingertips as if her forehead was engulfed in fiery flames. It became evident that she was battling a raging fever, leaving him feeling helpless and clueless about how to alleviate her suffering and restore the vibrant spark in her eyes.
He longed to witness her piercing gaze once more, even if it meant enduring a barrage of curses that escaped her lips with the rapid-fire intensity of a seasoned rapper.
Running a hand down his messy dark locks, he rummaged through his past memories to remember how he had taken care of his mother when she was burning exactly like this years ago.
Looking as if he was stuck in an impossible situation, Zei walked up to the closet and bit his lip hesitantly at the sight of it. Privacy was necessary at all costs. He was a monster but that didn't mean he crossed the limits he'd set for himself before this all had begun.
Shutting his eyes tightly, he pulled open the closet doors and stretched out his hand until it came in contact with something that felt soft and cool to touch between his fingers. Snatching it away as quickly as lightning, he closed the doors once again and finally turned around to stare at her.
"Every bathroom looks the same doesn't it?" he asked to nobody in particular, an unfamiliar helplessness in his now softened grey orbs. "No need to close my eyes again right?"
Placing the cold wet cloth on her forehead, his eyes caught the mess of tablets and bottles scattered all over the side table at which his brows bent down into a frown. Was she sick often? Why so many medicines when all she has is a fever?
Crouching down on the ground, he gently pushed her strands of hair away from her face. Her lips were in a tiny pout, her brows narrowed like she was suffering through a nightmare or in unbearable pain she couldn't get rid of. Raising his hand to caress her cheek, Zei gulped when he realized what he was doing and who he was doing it to. But his hand remained where it was, unable to back away even when his brain screamed a thousand reasons why he shouldn't be doing this.
He hated her.
Hated her for bringing out a side of him he never wanted to resurface.
Hated her for becoming a weakness to him.
Hated her for making him act like this.
Hated her for everything.