Fire & Ice

Fire & Ice (9)

Aditya glanced down at me as he grunted, sitting down on a chair "I need you to take it out" he nodded towards the bullet in his arm "Get a tweezer, some clean cloth, some detol and we will be fine oh and some bandages, clean your hands and the tweezer" he ordered as if this was an everyday experience, in all honesty I wouldnt doubt it

"I can't, ive never done it before" I shook my head

"Habibti, if you dont, im going to die, now please" he clenched his teeth, throwing his head back he exhaled shakily

I returned with the stuff, and helped him pull his shirt and blazer off, I moved closer, pushing the tweezer in I stopped as he gritted his teeth

"Carry on"

I pulled it out, dropping it into a bowl and began to clean the wound, then wrapped it up, tears rolling down my face the whole time "Im so sorry Aditya, you told me not to pick anything up and I did"

"Its okay" he groaned as he stood up "I shouldnt have taken you there" he cupped my cheek with his right hand "Youre so innocent and im ruining you" his eyes were sad

"No, I asked to go, I should have listened, stop treating me like I'm fragile"

"But you are, you're not used to my world, I should have known better" he looked at his shoes

"Then allow me to know, tell me who you are and why this happened, please"

He smiled, "Sit"

I sat down, watching as he leant against the side, his bare chest covered in faint scars

"My father was the leader of a group in Arab, I guess you could say they never did anything legally, everything was about money really, dodgy deals but there was loyalty, then one day my father was shot in broad daylight, law officials did nothing because of who he was, so I took over, ever since I have had someone after me, trying to take me down so they can take over, the only reason they couldnt take over is because I was alive, if I had a son, then they wouldnt be able to but I choose not to do things like that, when you have a weak spot, they will find it" his gaze was faraway, as if reminiscing

I cleared my throat "What kind of illegal work"

He shrugged "Just the usual, taking out hits on people, drug cartel, not the trafficking women thing, that's not my thing, I dont get involved in any of it other than see it over, make sure they are doing their job correctly and safely" he laughed "You're probably terrified of me right now, but dont worry, im not here to hurt you, I dont do the drug business either, but I couldn't make them stop without getting killed myself"

"So you carry out hits on people"

He nodded "Sometimes, its not a big deal"

"Of course it's a big deal, are they innocent, and you allow people to sell drugs, if you dont partake why not just step down" I reasoned

"If only it was that easy habibti, im a walking target, if I step down, ill be dead in seconds, so unless I take out who wants to kill me first, I can never go off and live in the bahamas and no they're not innocent" he joked

"This is a serious matter" I jumped up "Stop acting like it is, this is illegal, I am a lawyer this goes against everything"

He leant forward "Not everything about the law is black and white, maybe some of my men do things I dont agree in, but think of it like this, who helps the woman running away from an abusive husband when she has no proof for the police to help, I do" he pointed to himself

"So what, you expect me to see you as some kind of saviour, this is crazy, you are crazy, you're a murderer and you killed that man today and you didnt even flinch"

Suddenly he was sitting me down "Breathe, you're hyperventilating, its okay to be scared, Abbas wasn't a good man, only I know what he would have done to you, you may not agree with my reasoning but that's only because you're not stood in my shoes, police kill people all the time, society says its okay so it is, I was brainwashed like that once to"

"Oh my god, this isnt an argument about how ive been socialised, you think its okay because thats how youve been socialised and it isnt, youre willingly help people fuel their drug addiction and that is wrong"

He stood up "We all need an escape habibti"

"And drugs is the answer to that is it"

"As I said, I dont agree with it, but I cannot change it, you're in shock right now, that's all, one day you will see im not the bad guy here, thank you for your help habibti" he went to kiss my cheek, but in my haste to get away I moved my head making my lips graze his. Aditya's eyes met mine and he smirked "Do not tease me habibti, you are my friend, stay there" then he walked away

All night I was plagued by nightmares of Aditya's words and Abbas' dead body. I was stuck between the promises I had made when I became a lawyer and the friendship I had made. Deciding sleep wouldnt come to me, I decided to get up and go for a walk. As I stepped outside of my house I saw Mahi talking to Aditya.

Since they hadn't seen me yet I stepped out of the way, listening in

"But you seem so stressed Adi, you called me here to help and now youre asking me to go home, why, I thought you wanted me" Mahi sulked making me roll my eyes

"Im just not in the mood Mahi, ive acquired a certain taste for something and you cant satisfy my need for that, only one person can" Aditya replied

"Is it my method, because I can change how I do things, I can be just like this woman youre talking about"

I heard Aditya chuckle "No, you could never be like her, she's one of a kind"

"Is it your neighbour, you seem cosy with her Adi, what does she have that I dont" she whined

I nearly choked at her words, clearly it wasnt me he had acquired a taste for

"Leave her out of this Mahi, you sound like a jealous ex, we shared one night together let it go"

"But yet, you still spend full days with her, what is it about her that I dont have" she asked again, tired of listening into this conversation I stepped out, and walked in the other direction, hoping to clear my mind

"Hey, Zoya, you can't be out this late alone" I heard Aditya call behind me before he caught up with me

"I just need to clear my head and I cant do that with you, I know this neighbourhood ill be fine" I shrugged him off

"No can do habibti, I wouldn't sleep if I knew you were walking out here alone"

"Like you sleep anyway, why did you get rid of Mahi"

"I changed my mind, she just doesnt do it for me"

"Do you have to be so blasé" I turned to face him "You talk about sex like"

"Like it means nothing, that's because it does, its not like I make love to her then leave is it, jeez Zoya, she knew what she was getting into" he huffed

"Dont you ever wish that you could have an emotional bond with someone, dont you get tired of living how you do" he baffled me

"I have a bond with you, we're friends aren't we" he wrapped his jacket around my shoulders

"That's not what I mean" I shook my head

"You're the only woman I wouldnt throw to the side habibti" he kissed my cheek "So, stop worrying about other women, I am a man and I have needs"

"That is not a need, dont justify it like it is, you dont get my point about any of this, you can't just play with people like that" I threw my arms up

"Im not, im not promising people things I wont give them, you're the only one so offended Zoya and why is that, is it because your jealous"

"Ha, me , jealous, you have got to be out of your mind, that would mean I felt something for you and I dont, I could kiss you right now and I would feel nothing" I crossed my arms

"Go on then, kiss me, prove me wrong" he leant closer "Or are you scared Zoya"

Would love to know your thoughts on what Adi said!