Lesser Evil

14| The Villain

"You look miserable."

Miserable was a word too small to describe what I felt.

"Thanks, but I already know." I deadpanned, swirling my glass. I hadn't drunk from it yet. Some invisible force was holding me back.

"Save the sass for someone else, Shaz." The asshole in front of me rolled his eyes. My jaw ticked at his arrogance.

"You are easily replaceable so don't compel me to get up and leave right now. I'm only here for some peace."

"Well, did you find that peace?" He drawled, smirking at me over his glass. He knew that I didn't.

He leaned in, seeming genuinely curious. "What even happened to you?"

"Nothing that's any of your business."i stared daggers at the liquid in the glass, like it would somehow intimidate it enough to make it disappear.

"Kidnapping gone wrong? Out of drugs? Accidentally shoot yourself, or deliberately?" Kidnapping gone wrong? Oh, it had definitely gone wrong. But it felt more right than anything else in my life.

"Stop bothering me." I said but I still slapped down a note on the table and pushed back my chair, tugging the hood lower down my face as I made my way out of the stupid bar.

The sun was just a little before setting, preparing to go down. Even in the evening sky, I saw something other than just the sky.

She was everywhere. Consuming each thought and dream. Each breath until I couldn't fucking breathe.

Was this what love felt like? Then why was it so destructive, so painful like I had committed some sin?

Each minute, I contemplated if I wanted to turn back time and undo the moment I agreed to Fariz's deal and kidn— took Ayat. Or if I wanted to live through it again and again so I could see her face one more time.

Before I took her, I wanted to have nothing to do with her. When I had her, I wanted to know everything about her. Her name. Number. Address. Age. Birthday.

But when I lost her, I only wanted her.

Foolish man, I scolded my own self. Why would she ever want anything to do with the man who kidnapped her? I was doomed, and I knew it. But I couldn't seem to get her out of my system either.

Maybe that's why fulfilling her second request had been so easy. I didn't need drugs when I had found a new, better addiction. I couldn't tell if it was a healthy one, though.

Angrily kicking at the rocks that came in my way, I aimlessly strolled through alleys and streets.

Such a fool, I could even hear her voice right now. A bitter smile stretched across my lips. I could hear her voice when she wasn't even here. Definitely lost my mind.

The voice transformed into a scream. I shook my head, willing her scream to leave my mind. When had she even screamed that loud that it was playing in my head?

But it didn't go away, it only got louder like she was right here. It couldn't be, why would Ayat even be here?

Still, like an idiot, I silenced my thoughts and carefully heard the sound once again, following it. It was on my left, where I knew a narrow alley stretched.

When I reached there, my breath stopped.

She was there. Right in front of me.

But she wasn't alone. Two men, big men, were holding her with one of their hands pressed to her mouth.

"Hey, stop!" I called out, sprinting in their direction.

All three pairs of eyes widened, two staring at me in alarm. One— my favorite one— staring at me with relief.

I had no idea what the fuck she was even doing here but I would be damned if I let anyone do anything to her.

Protectively, I posed myself in front of her until she was caged between me and the wall behind her, the two men standing in front of me with their nostrils flaring.

It reminded me of how I had killed two people for her, but I couldn't get myself to regret it for even a single second.

"Shaz..." Music to my ears. That's what her voice was.

"I'll ask you later what you're doing here but for now, let me handle this."

One of the guys smiled almost evilly. Heck, he was evil. "Ah, you're the guy who backed down on the deal, aren't you?"

I nodded. "I am, and your boss can't seem to just get a fucking hint and back away."

"You—" The other, less calm guy, aimed a gun at my head. It made me realize I was weaponless in the moment. No one said they had to know that though.

Ayat softly whimpered behind me. They couldn't have heard it at all but I knew she noticed the same thing. I didn't have my gun on me. "Don't be scared, we'll find a way out." Unharmed, at least her.

"I trust you." I swallowed the lump in my throat at her words.

Knowing that I would only have the element of surprise on these guys, I pushed down the arm that held up the gun and instantly swiped it off the ground when it felt out of his grip, making sure to kick his kneecap after getting up. It sent him down in an instant, and then dead in the next second when I shot the bullet through his chest. They'd already done my job for me and put silencers on their guns.

Before the other guy could scramble for his gun, I shot up him too, but in the leg first, later creating a clean hole in the middle of his head.

I'd acted on adrenaline again and when the high faded, I realized I'd made another two kills. Just for Ayat.

"What are you doing here?" I immediately asked when I turned around to face her Ayat who had shrunk in herself against the wall.

She let out a shaky breath. My eyes followed the movement of her hand as it gripped the side of my jacket. "I wanted to see you."

My pulse thundered. See me? She wanted to see me? "Why, princess? Why did you want to see me?" I couldn't help but tuck her hair behind her ear. To my surprise, she leaned into my touch and I fully let my restraint go and cupped her face in my hand.

"Is it important for me to have a reason? Can't I just want to see you?"

I grinned at her narrowed eyes. "I don't think it's normal to want to see your kidnapper."

"You're more than that for me, and I don't really think anything is normal about us."

You're more than that for me. I stored the words in my heart for later. Right now, getting out of here was more important.

I dropped my hand from her face and clutched her hand tightly, leading her around the large rocks and dirt on the ground. She didn't protest even once but two minutes later, her hold on my hand weakened, causing me to stop and turn to her.

"What happened?" I asked, concerned at her pale face and drooping eyes.

Her other braced against the rough wall on my right. "C-Chloroform. I feel drowsy."

I barely had time to hear her words before her legs gave out underneath her.