Before The Sky & The Sea (Completed)

chapter three

ZAHRA

"The audacity that man has! Can you believe it Wes? I was so angry," I ranted as I sat across Wesley at our favourite lunch spot. Wesley laughed as he watched me rant.

"Damn, Zar. He must've really got on your nerves for you to call him a.. what was it? A bigot? You're fuckin golden, you know that?" Wesley continued laughing whilst biting down his lunch.

"It's not funny Wes! And you know the worst part? After I literally ranted my heart out, he just did a 180 and apologised, saying he'll see me for the next meeting," I took a bite of my food before continuing my rant, "Urghhhhhh, how am I going to survive my meetings with him without punching him in the face?"

Wesley shook his head, he still couldn't stop smiling. He found the situation so hilarious but there was nothing hilarious about it to me. "THE Ian Sanchez apologised to you, huh?"

"Bare minimum, Wes."

"Do you even know who he is, Zar? He's fuckin notorious, he's like-" before Wesley could continue I cut him off,

"SHUT! I don't want to hear any gossips right now, I already cussed him out enough in my head. It's too much sin for a week. I already know enough to know he's a jerk,"

"You're gonna regret not hearing my gossip, but fine. Suit yourself. Come on, eat up you have like 15 minutes left,"

I quickly finished up my lunch before heading out of the diner. I silently cussed in my head when I ran into a hard body, I gasped even louder when I felt hot liquid spill on my toes.

"Fuck!" the man's voice yelled, and I could easily tell it was Ian Sanchez's.

"Language," was all I replied as I kneeled down to pick up the cup of spilled coffee. Wesley stopped me mid way, he passed me a piece of wet tissue and picked up the cup to throw it away himself. "Don't worry bout it Zar, I got it,"

I wiped my leg briskly. When I finally glanced up to face Ian, he was already staring at me. "Who's that?" he asks.

I raised an eyebrow at him. I don't need to answer him. "You should really watch where you're going, Mr Sanchez,"

"Me? You're the one who wasn't looking up, Ms Zahra. You really have a way of always blaming someone else for your mistakes don't you?" Ian replied.

I couldn't help but scoff. This man was infuriating. He was the idiot never admitting to his mistakes. "Excuse me? I'm not the one carrying a cup of hot liquid and not looking where he was going now, was I? I'm fine by the way, thank you so much for asking," I replied, making sure my sarcasm was emphasised.

"Why should I ask if you're okay? That's your boyfriend's job, no?" Ian retorted with a cocky smile, darting his eyes towards Wesley.

"Childish," I muttered under my breathe as I walked pass him, heading towards Wesley and hopping in the car.

IAN

I was trying so hard to bait her on confessing whether or not the guy with her was her boyfriend. When I said I did research on her, I meant her work, and her general background. I didn't even know how she looked like or her personal life. I didn't think I would care.

I mean I still don't, I'm just intrigued.

Now though, I'm thinking I want to know everything about this woman. I don't know how to describe it. I don't know why she's so intriguing but she is. I don't think that's her boyfriend, they didn't look in love or whatever but how the fuck would I know how "in love" looks like? On the other hand, if it wasn't her boyfriend, why was she avoiding the question so persistently?

I wasn't even mad about the coffee. How could I be? The fact that she wasn't mad at me for staining her beautiful white dress made it hard for me to be pissed.

I walked into the diner to order some lunch. I love that. That she's classy but isn't arrogant enough to only eat at high class places. It's a good trait, it's not a trait many people possess. Not everyone can be confident without arrogance. Zahra Aisha however, seems to be doing an amazing job at it.

"Good morning, Ian!" Eliza, the older woman that has been working at this diner for three decades greeted me. She would recognise me anywhere.

I smiled warmly at her, Eliza was in her late 60s, and has came to be like family to me. "Good morning Eliza. Looking gorgeous as ever,"

Eliza winked at me as she headed to the back and I couldn't help but let out a low laugh. I would love to say I was here just to have lunch but I wasn't. I was meeting Frank, the leader of the Italian mafia.

I own successful restaurants and hotels, sure but to start out in the first place, to have as much money as I do, I needed to do some... illegal shit in a nutshell. I told myself I would get out of this business as soon as my restaurant took off but.. once you get a taste of how it feels like to be feared, to have the money I do, it's hard to take a step back. You never stop wanting more.

Anyway, moving on, Frank is here to negotiate a drug deal with myself. Frank was a cunning man. As feared as I am. I'm arrogant, not stupid. I always ensure to tread carefully whenever I'm dealing with him. One small mistake and he could get multiple people to turn on me.

We discussed it for a little while. At the end of the day, I got the outcome I wanted. As I usually do.

I looked up at Eliza and chugged down my cup of coffee. She was staring at me with a blank expression for a long minute so I smiled at her.

She doesn't smile back. Instead, she sighs. "You know I love you, kid but so help me God, you're gonna get yourself killed one day if you don't stop involving yourself in this shit."

It was a statement I had no answer to. I merely let out an insincere smile. I know Eliza was just worried about me. Everyone knows what I do. Everyone except Zahra Aishah, apparently. I wonder if her demeanour would change when she does.

Maybe that's when my amusement with her will end.