Chapter # 28

They were back in the apartment and Amanda sighed while munching on some cookies. De Villiers was engrossed in his phone and Nathaniel was watching the news. 'I don't get it, Boss," 'What?" 'We are here to stay low but if we were truly here for hiding then you wouldn't have agreed for the date, I know you this much," She whined. Wondering why they were extending their stay here for so long when it was not necessary. 'From the second Zoran contacted me, I knew he would use a decoy due to his terror of me," He started explaining, tilting his head back towards her, gaining their attention. 'You knew?" Zariah asked. 'Yes," 'I already had a feeling that Elton was with a fake one, he won't be able to tell the difference." He sighed. 'So I already got in contact with the local gangs to deliver me a good news else the police will a good one," 'How so?" 'The reduction in crime due to the reduction in gangs. If they fail me- they die. Simple as that," Shifting his chair to them, inclining his elbow on the table with a dark smirk spreading across his lips. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, De Villiers asked, not trusting this man, 'And what task have you given them?" 'We will know soon," With a suppressed chuckle, he went back to the room, spending the rest of the day monotonously. All of them were bewildered at his chill demeanor. Because the fake Zoran faked his death served as a scar on his pride and he was fuming from inside yet behaving naturally was questionable. It was midnight, they were in their room, Zariah was frowning at Nahtaniel who was twirling his phone between his fingers. Whistling, he was checking it constantly, not turning off the lights either. Placing her hand over her waist, she glared when he refused to utter a single sound. He smiled and blew a kiss at her, not taking her reaction to his heart and extending his hand out for her to hold and sit beside him. She followed nonetheless and to fulfill her heartfelt longings, she sat, moving her fingers over the lines of his palm. Putting his phone back, he smiled sincerely at her gesture. It warmed his heart. But soon, with a discouraging exhale, he pulled her hand away and asked him tenderly. 'Nathaniel, What happened?" 'Nothing," He whispered, kissing her knuckles before taking her a strand of her hair to stroke it between his fingers softly. 'Telling me won't hurt you. You are constantly checking your phone. Is there something?" He continued his actions, 'Hmm," 'Don't you think as your partner I deserve to know a little?" 'Hmm," Hissing, she slapped his hand away, not liking him being silent with her when he should be sharing the afflictions of his heart with her. 'Nathaniel, I am talking to you," 'I am listening, Darling," He hummed, sitting straight to cup her cheeks and pull her towards him but she ripped her hands off from him. 'What are you trying to do-" And his phone rang, interrupting her and leaving her words hanging like it was nothing but scant vexation. 'Just a second, Darling," He continued smiling, picking up the call that began to distress her. 'Hello. Good Job. I will be there now," Cutting the call, he got out of the bed and snapped his fingers twice, 'Get up, Zari, we are going back," 'De Villiers! Come!" 'We are ready, Boss," 'De Villiers, get up, we are leaving. Amanda, this will be dangerous, you wait for us in the van because of your condition," Nathaniel ordered. Changing into his menacing work attire. All black with a waistcoat, sleeves rolled to his elbow and gloves as he handed his mask to Zariah, she was highly perturbed but followed his instruction. 'What is happening?" She asked softly. 'You go with him too," 'No, I will go with you. I deserve to know," 'Zariah, don't act stubborn-" 'Nathaniel, if you consider me any important then you will take me along. I am tired to being ignorant all the fucking time." She growled with tears pricking in the corner. His assertiveness, him leading back towards the path he escaped from was painful for her, she had begun to resent all this now. 'I am sick of knowing things in the end!" She whisper-yelled, grabbing his arm. Astounded, he stared at her face for the next few seconds along with the realization that- ‘She was no longer the Crazy Zariah this world knew,' All she wanted to be was be with him, as his partner, not be involved in needless fighting now. 'You did this for a reason, for me, this happened because of that, oh, everyone knew about it except for me. I am sick of it!" 'Zari…?" With her quivering lips, she threw the mask on the couch before breaking into an innocent sob. Forming their lips in a thin line, De Villiers and Amanda went back to the room, giving the couple some privacy to sort their internal disturbance. 'I just want to be a part of your life, of your things but you have always pressed me into the corner! I don't want this anymore!" Taking a deep breath, he loosened his shoulders and wrapped his hands around her, pulling her into his chest. She burst into a few tears, covering her mouth to cry as he rubbed her back to soothe her and not wail. It without a doubt pierced his heart. 'Okay, okay, darling, don't cry." 'Please don't keep me in the dark," 'I won't, you are here, you are a part of me, Darling, I don't want you to be involved in these petty matters anymore," Murmuring, he kissed the top of her head, keeping her rigidly against him to not be like this and gave her a side hug. 'As long as you are involved, it's not petty," She cried a little. 'Hey, okay, we will go. Don't panic. I just didn't want you to get worried," 'We will see about it later, I want to be a part right now," She muttered, sniffling as he wiped those tears again. He couldn't bear it, the sound of her sobbing was disheartening, he couldn't endure it, not hers at least. 'Fine then. Come along." He whispered, keeping her firmly with him. But this abrupt burst of her made it transparent that Zariah was becoming too attached with him and one threat over his head was frightening her. She couldn't fathom being in the dark anymore and he must take his next actions cautiously.