The Criminal's Love

Chapter 37

~~~~~Walid~~~~~

The view in front of me was starting to look better. The rage I had felt a few days ago standing in this exact spot, watching my buildings burn down to the ground, felt unbearable.

I wanted to rip Mikael's head off but I knew that his time would come too. After the bullet I had received from him, the closest I could get to him was his cousin brother. Pasha had ended his life and I didn't have any regrets at all. Eye for an eye it was.

The explosions were just a small warning from Mikael. But he was stupid enough because that only gave me a heads up. It made me realize we had more informers around us than I could imagine.

There was no way he could make that happen without the help of someone very close to me. I had to figure out who it was before it was too late.

I shifted and turned when I heard footsteps entering the terrace. Jasmin stepped inside, taking tiny steps towards me.

She had calmed down some moments ago and I had asked her to rest, but she obviously liked to do the exact opposite of what I told her.

"Walid." The way she dragged out my name, sounding like an innocent little soul, made me lean back against the railing. She only did that when she wanted something.

She had already asked for the impossible a while ago. She wanted the war to end, but she didn't know it was not possible. She didn't know Mikael. He would never agree with peace. Or he would, but he would ask for something I would not even give him over my dead body.

"When you said I can't go out, did you mean I can't even go out with you? Like you let me do before, go with you to the bazar?" She asked, her big hopeful eyes staring at me.

She had spent ten minutes thinking about it in her pretty little head and now she came back to ask me...

"You can't go with me to the bazar." I said with a straight face.

Her shoulders slumped. "But why?"

"I told you already. It's not safe for you. I don't want to risk it." I explained again.

"You mean to say you can't protect me?" Her eyebrows raised as she tested me.

I knew what she was doing. She was trying to make me change my mind by trying to manipulate me but she didn't know I invented that move.

"I can protect you, but I need to stay alive to do that. I would take a bullet for you, but once I've take that bullet...who's gonna protect you then?" I asked, giving her a serious look. Her face changed and she fell right into the trap.

"You're right, we shouldn't risk it. You won't get hurt because of me again." She nodded, her eyes filling with sadness and she phased out like she was recalling a memory.

I stayed still and watched her beautiful face turn dull. I hated seeing that look on her face. I loathed myself for making her life hell but I had promised myself I would fix everything soon.

She turned around and was about to walk back inside when I called out for her. She waited for me to speak and I debated whether I should say it or not.

I hated how she could always make me do things I had strictly decided against. Just one sad look of her's could make me turn everything upside down just to give her back the smile she deserved.

"We can't go to the bazar, but I can surely take you out now and then when you want to go out." I finally said, mentally cursing at myself for giving in.

Her eyes immediately lit up and she smiled. But her smile dropped just as quick. "No, let's just not risk it." She backed out.

"It's fine, I'll arrange tons of security if you don't feel safe with me." I shrugged, making her frown at me.