No Looking Back

Chapter 14

Faiz's POV:

She was so innocent, not knowing that she affects me like this.

She's what I'm thinking about at the crack of dawn? Great.

I close my eyes again, running the scene through my head again as the early morning rays enter my room through the glass wall on the right side of my bed. I had pulled the curtains so that the light would only enter the left side of the wall, not the right side, where my bed was.

I thought back to last night.

Me, sitting on the couch, my knee a whisper away from hers, wiping her face of that damned chocolate.

Her, sitting next to me, scrunching her face every time my skin accidentally replaced the touch of the tissue, her childish antics getting cuter by the second.

But she's not cute. She's... Layla.

I really have to keep reminding myself of that.

She's Layla Abbasi, daughter of billionaire Zayn Abbasi, Zayn Uncle, practically a second father figure to me all my life. Layla Abbasi, daughter of the CEO of Abbasi Enterprises. And she'll be taking it over it soon.

She's Layla, the best friend of my little sister.

She can't be anything for me except the best friend of my little sister.

But I'm starting to realize that she might be more than that for me.

When she bit her full, pink lips; I was an immediate goner. This woman definitely didn't know the effect she had on me.

Or maybe she did, how am I to know?

I hope she didn't realize how many men stared at her last night.

On the streets and at the grill, there would be at least two, maybe three men who I would catch staring at her.

I don't know what had come over me, but I ended up discreetly giving them glares when Layla wasn't looking. I felt possessive of her, wanting to do whatever I could in my power to protect her.

Yeah, I was infatuated with her.

Was this a big brother instinct? Maybe.

I sigh and slide out of my bed, hopping into the shower. There's the hotel's grand opening this evening to think about as well. All the major donors, businessmen, and businesswomen will be attending.

The thing is, it's not until this evening.

Still, I had to pick out one of the three outfits my mother had me pack. And then go downstairs to the lobby to make sure everything was in order.

I walk out of the shower, drying my hair with my towel, when I hear Layla laughing next door.

I grin on impulse at the sound of her laughter, but then stop when I catch myself. I was whipped. And I hated it.

I checked the time on my phone. It was 7:45 a.m.

I was supposed to head downstairs and meet with the event planner, making sure the opening of the hotel would go smoothly.

But suddenly, I wanted to see her. And anyway, I didn't have to see the planner for another hour.

I quickly slip on a new pair of boxers, sweatpants, and a dark gray t-shirt. I then pick up the three already-ironed suits and walk out of my room.

I turn and face Layla's door and knock, leaning on her door frame.

The laughing stops from the inside and someone on the phone says something to her, making her groan in annoyance.