Malik - Z.M (Book 1, Malik Series)

49.

Zayn.

Zaidan's expression when he looks at me is somewhat guilty, but it disappears just as fast as it appeared.

I frown in confusion.

"Yes little brother?" Zaidan questions.

My eyes fall on Alissa who's looking away from me, eyes cast down.

"What's going on?" I frown.

Alissa doesn't say anything but Zaidan hesitates.

"Nothing. Don't forget to say goodbye tomorrow, princess." Zaidan says before walking out of the room.

Goodbye?!

She's leaving tomorrow?

As much as I hate seeing her get along as well as she does with Zaidan, I know it could escalate to bigger measures.

He can bring happiness to her and me, what can I bring her, old memories of me hurting her in ways no woman would want to experience.

I know she attempted to kill me, but she couldn't do it. Any sane slave would do the same thing, but they would have pulled the trigger too.

Alissa didn't.

"You're talking to me again?" Alissa breaks the uncomfortable silence.

I pierce my lips to the side.

She sighs when nothing comes out of my mouth. "Or not."

"You're leaving tomorrow?" I question abruptly.

She nods slowly before looking down again.

Why won't she face me?

"What's going on?" I question suspiciously.

"Why should you care what goes on with me?!" Alissa scowls. "You got your brother now."

I frown. "Stop saying that."

"But it's the truth. You've got what you wanted." Alissa states.

"I want you. That's what I want." I say honestly.

"Bullshit!" She scowls viciously. "I'm only here because you wanted your brother. You have him."

As much as she says that she wants to say goodbye to me, she doesn't want to. I know she doesn't.

"I have to go. I have to move on." Alissa says sadly. "And I'm sick of watching you and Farah together. I'm sick of you treating me like complete shit."

My fists tighten.

All this time she had been pushing me to stop ignoring my feelings for her, now that I'm embracing how I feel, she's pushing me away.

I know the predicament we're in is unstable but I can't stay away from her.

Not even my own brother can stop me from seeing her.

"Alissa-"

"All I want is for us to be okay." Alissa states.

"We are-"

"No we're not!" Alissa scowls. "Why is it that every time I see you, you ignore me or you stare at me like I'm the worse person on this earth?!"

That's still a mystery to me.

Maybe because it's the fact that I still feel betrayed?

Maybe it's the fact that I know I've fucked up with a lot of things?

"We were fine until we went to the cafe!" Alissa says.

I frown. That is true. Finding out that Sabina was a close friend of Zaidan's and finding out that Alissa had went along with the plan does still affect me.