Angel in the Courtyard [Book 2]

Chapter 98 - Arisa

'If I see so much as a scratch on you then I'll really have to kill them.'

How could I go against his words? I couldn't. I had to leave it up to him. No matter how hard it was, no matter how much it hurt me, I had to fall back. At the end of the day, I knew what Khaleel was capable of, and if he said he would kill them, then he just might. The universe must have been looking out for us. It had to have been because Hino and Loyal showed up at the very last second.

I didn't know what Khaleel's plans were for winning against his cousins. They were strong, and their hits were impressive enough to land on both the former delinquent and athlete. It wasn't until Loyal joined them that I felt my heart settle. Honestly, I didn't know why he was hesitating so much. If he was the one in trouble, Khaleel would have rushed in with no questions asked.

My stress doubled when my boyfriend forced me into the empty sedan, and slid into the driver's seat. "Khaleel, don't you dare!" I lectured.

He refused to listen to me.

My shaking hands managed to click my seatbelt in place. I watched Khaleel start the car and press the gas pedal. "Oh god," I breathed.

I checked the glove compartment and was relieved to find a stack of fast food napkins inside. I pulled them out and laid them on Khaleel's lap. His nose hadn't stopped bleeding, and I couldn't sit by and let him keep rubbing it off with his blazer. Being injured while driving was not the best combination. Khaleel's grip on the wheel tightened which placed my focus on his wounded knuckles. I wished just for once that he wasn't covered in cuts and bruises. I wished for once that he was able to live his life without violence.

Khaleel grabbed a couple of napkins off his lap and applied pressure to his nose. He looked so focused and sure of himself, even though everything around him was crumbling. I wasn't sure if I should be appreciative of his composure or be terrified of it.

The drive across the pond was silent. I couldn't bring myself to ask any questions about Khaleel's cousins or his father. All I could do was pray that we safely got out of harm's way, and that the cops didn't pull us over for speeding, or for driving without a licence. Khaleel may have grown up behind the wheel in Pakistan, but no judge was going to care once he was put on the stand and under oath.

Twenty minutes later, Khaleel parked the car on a busy street downtown. He came around to open the door for me, grabbed a hold of my arm, and took me to the nearest subway station. He pulled a chunk of chain out of his pockets, and dumped them into the coin dispenser on the kiosk. The clerk working behind the counter gave us two tickets to utilize.

"Khaleel," I pleaded, as we raced down the stairs. "Where are we going?"

We barely caught the train. Khaleel never gave me a proper reply. We sat in silence by the back of the public transit, his hold on my fingers tightening with every passing moment. I looked up to find that fury had claimed him. The less he talked, the more time he had to think about his father and cousins. This was not good. I knew that and yet...I felt like I couldn't give him any words of comfort.

Khaleel led me to the shopping district and made me buy a whole new outfit. He did the same for himself. The pieces we picked out made us look more mature and put together. He found a bathroom to clean up in, and then we were off again, holding hands, carrying bags full of our uniforms, and trying to not look like runaway teenagers.

We found a five-star hotel and booked a room; Khaleel paid for everything with cash. There was no point in asking where he got all that money. I knew the answer was probably none of my business. Plus, I was sure that was the last thing he would want to discuss at the moment.

The elevator ride was quiet too, filled with heartbreaking tension that I wasn't sure I could break on my own. I kept my eyes off him to keep a cooler head. One of us had to stay calm and not lose ourselves in this crazy situation. I knew Khaleel was doing his best to be that person, but I felt like he had every right to panic and breakdown. I knew I would if I were in his shoes.

Khaleel's hold on me loosened.

My eyes flashed to his face. Crap. He looked restless and sick. It was as if his injuries were finally catching up to him. I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead and dropping down the side of his face. The sooner we got into the hotel, the sooner he could lie down, and get some rest.

The elevator doors opened on the twenty-first floor. It was my turn to hold onto Khaleel's hand and drag him out. I got the key card out of his coat pocket and opened the door to our small hotel room. The steel door shut behind us automatically, and as it did, Khaleel landed on his rear. The shopping bags toppled and rustled beside him and he finally released my hand. I got goosebumps when he hung his head and leaned his elbows against his knees.

"Khaleel," I said, dropping to his level.

His body began to tremble and tear droplets fell on the hardwood floors. My heart broke for him. I didn't dare to pull his chin up, instead, I brought his head into my chest and held him for as long as he needed me to.