Over and Over

Enraptured

MALÉ,
MALDIVES.

NARRATORS POV

Layla sat there, stunned, heart racing, as Hakeem drove them back to the villa.

His words still echoed in her mind.

"Keep it up, Layla. See what happens."

She swallowed hard, watching him closely.

His grip on the wheel was still tight, his jaw locked, and there was something about the way his shoulders were tense that told her

He wasn't done being angry.

As soon as they pulled into the villa, Hakeem parked the car roughly, cutting the engine.

Layla barely had time to react before he unclipped his seatbelt and turned to her.

"I'm angry, Layla."

His voice was calm, too calm, but his eyes—burning with something dark, something dangerous.

Layla inhaled sharply. "Why?"

Hakeem leaned in, his hand gripping her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Because you shouldn't be showing off your body to everyone," he murmured.

She knew what he meant. Every curve, every glance, every part of her that made men stare.

He didn't like it. Hated it.

She wet her lips, her voice barely a whisper. "I wasn't showing off..."

Hakeem's grip tightened slightly. "Then why was that idiot watching you like that?"

Layla blinked, her stomach flipping.

So this was the root of it.

Hakeem had seen it—the gym instructor watching her, the way his gaze had lingered too long.

Jealousy. Pure. Raw. Unfiltered.

Layla bit her lip, tilting her head slightly. "Hakeem, I didn't—"

His thumb brushed against her jaw, his gaze dark. "You think I like other men looking at you?"

Hakeem's eyes flickered over her. "And yet, they still stared."

Layla let out a slow breath. "You're the only one I care about, Hakeem."

His expression didn't change.

His fingers traced her jaw, slow, possessive.

"I know," he murmured. "But I don't like sharing."

Hakeem exhaled sharply, pulling back just slightly. "Next time, don't give anyone a reason to look at you."

Layla narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying?"

Hakeem leaned back against the seat, smirking slightly. "That I should keep you locked up in this villa. No one gets to see you but me."

Layla gasped. "You wouldn't."

Hakeem shrugged, his smirk widening. "Try me."

Layla's eyes widened in shock—and something else.

Hakeem wasn't playing fair.

And she was completely, utterly trapped.

Layla's pulse thundered in her ears as she stared at him, half in shock, half in something else entirely.

"Hakeem, you can't be serious," she breathed.

Hakeem tilted his head, his smirk never fading. "Aren't I?"