RUTHLESS

Chapter 8

Alisha opened her eyes and smiled. She turned to Conner, he wasn't in bed. She sat up and saw Valdo on the other bed and when she looked down to the floor, Conner was on the floor. Last night was just a dream. Alisha sighed, of course. It would never be so easy to make up with him.

Alisha got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. She switched on the water tap and water sprung on her head as she closed her eyes. Water ran down her body as her tears camouflaged in them. Her sister was kidnapped, in a foreign country, everyone is against her. And the only man who she ever loved, was taken. By some random chick.

She heard the door click open. She turned and saw Conner looking at her in awe. In switched off the tap and walked out of the bathing compartment. "What are you doing?" Conner asked.

"I...I was just...released my stress."

Conner smiled at her as he pulled her shirt up and grabbed a towel before wiping her hair and body.

Alisha just stared at him, in pure adoration. While wiping the water off her body, he just stared at her face. His right hand went to her cheek and caressed it. God, she was beautiful.

"We'll find her soon...I promise."

A tear escaped Alisha's eye and she just hugged him. She hugged him so tight that his singlet got wet due to her body's humidity.

"Thank you."

"It's the least I could do."

He stroked her damp hair and he carried her in bridal style back to bed. He gently laid her down as he placed the blanket on her.

"Go to sleep, I'll wake you up tomorrow." Conner said as he kissed her forehead.

***

Valdo, Alisha and Conner were in the van again, heading to an abandoned place which was Aliyah's current location. They saw two men walking up and down in front of the entrance. The driver parked the van at a place which wasn't visible to those men.

"Alisha, here's a bulletproof jacket and extra amo. This should be enough." Conner said as he handed her the things.

"Don't you need a bullet proof jacket?" Alisha asked as she looked at him.

"Nah, I'll be fine." And Conner stepped out of the van.

The three of them entered, slyly. Conner shot the three guards outside with a silencer. Conner pestered Alisha to stay with him throughout as Valdo went from the back. They were reaching soon as they heard screams.

They entered the are where the screams came from. Alisha's eyes fell on her sister tied up to a chair. Her eyes scanned for bruises, thankfully there were none.

"I'll go in first. Shoot some of these assholes, then you go in for backup. While we distract them, Valdo would've taken Aaliyah from the back." Conner whispered.

Alisha nodded as Conner proceeded. But before he went, she held his arm. "But you don't have a bullet proof jacket," she said.

"I'll be fine. Just keep yours on, nothing should happen to you." He said and went.

Alisha watched, the men grab their knives and guns when Conner proceeded. Conner shot as many as he could, leaving three more who somehow kept dodging.

They tackled him to the ground as they threw punches at him. Alisha couldn't stand there anymore, she went out and shot the top guy with a silencer, the other two got angrier as one of them punched her and kicked her jaw.

Conner stood up and saw Alisha with a bleeding lower lip, bruised forehead and a busted bruise below her eye. He kicked the one who had punched her to the ground and grabbed his knife that had fell and stabbed him.

Alisha looked at him in shock. It was brutal. He then looked at the other one who was planning to run away but he shot him with his revolver and walked over to him as he kneed his crotch and pressed his elbow against his neck pulse. The man eventually died.

Conner stood up and looked at Alisha. He instantly walked over to her and held her face. "Are you ok?" He asked as his eyes scanned her body to find wounds.

"I'm fine." She smiled at him.

"Go back to the van first. I'll be there soon." He said.

"Let's just go together, why do you need to stay back?" She asked.

"It's nothing. I'm just gonna...um...check their pockets to see if there were recording devices."

Alisha was confused but nodded and left.

Once he was sure she had left, Conner took out his cigarette and lit it up. Alisha had made him stop his smoking habit long ago. But he had developed it again. After he had finished one, he went back to the van to see Alisha hugging her sister Aaliyah.

He smiled and walked over to his mini cupboard. "Francis. Drive us to the nearest hotel." He told the driver.

Conner took off his shirt and wore another one as the previous one was all bloody. When he took off his shirt, it was then he realised he had a huge open wound on his left chest. Must've been one of the stabs. He didn't think much of it and just wore his shirt.

He turned and saw Aaliyah looking at him. "Thank you. I owe you my life." She said with a smile.

He smiled back. "You're ok right? No bruises nothing?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." She said and went to the pantry to eat.

Conner then saw Alisha seated down on her chair. The bruises on her face had become more prominent thanks to the lighting. His heart clenched as he sat beside her.

"I need to bring you to the doctor." He said.

"Don't be silly, these will recover in a few days."

"But what if you get an infection?"

"I'll be fine. I'd just need regular tapering of medication."

"Allow me to do that, please?"

Alisha smiled at him and nodded. She could tell he thought it was his fault. Thus, she placed her hand on his and stroked it with her hand.

"This isn't your fault, Sielo." Alisha said.

Conner looked up, shocked at the name he was called. Sielo, her sky, as she used to say.

He couldn't seem to look at her for long, afraid of having the urge to kiss her. So he stood up and went to sit alone...