To live and to love

02| 𝕷𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝕱𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖉𝖔𝖒

"El..." Al whispered, the heartbreak in her voice forcing me to harden my resolve.

"Never heard of the name."

"Lies..." He tsked, coming to stand near me, his body inches away, his cedar piney smell making my head spin. "We know you've been hunting him. We know you want him," If looks could kill, Azaan whatever-his-last-name-was would have been dead on the floor. "We know where he is. We know how to catch him. We're closer than anyone has ever been in the past twenty years," Panic seized my heart, and anger boiled my blood."We have everything you'll need to finish him. To get that sweet sweet revenge. Don't you want that Eliza?" His voice was soft silk, pure seduction, luring me to him. "We can give that to you Eliza. Both of you can walk away from here, your records wiped clean, with a chance to start anew. Think about it, a chance at a new life."

"We're leaving. It's a suicide mission. I won't risk my sister's life on this."

"You and your sister are our responsibility. Nothing will happen to the two of you."

"I sincerely doubt that." Akbar Jamshed Junejo. If there was a way I could get my hands on his pudgy little neck, I'd gladly watch his rotten soul leave his body. "We're not interested. We'd like to go to jail please."

"And not bargain for your freedom? Don't you want to be free? Not wanted by the authorities?"

"If we were in jail, they wouldn't very much want us would they?" I snapped.

Azaan threw up his hands in anger. "What is wrong with you? Is this how you would like to live your life? On the wrong side of the law, running at every opportunity?"

"No," I said, quietly. "But some of us do not have a choice."

"There is always a choice. Always. You could have a house of your own. No more running, no more hiding. Just the two of you, in your home," Besides me I saw Al take a moment to think about it, lowering her eyes in an attempt to convey her message.

She was ready to do this. Damn it.

"I need to talk to my sister," Al asked, ignoring my glare. They nodded, moving towards the door. "In a private room."

"This is a private room."

"With no surveillance."

"Sure," Azaan's voice let me know he'd won, and I bristled. Arrogant jerk.

The moment Sush closed the door of the waiting room behind him, Al turned to me, her big eyes filled with determination.

"No."

"El, please. This is our chance. We can finally get our revenge."

"He's a very dangerous man Al. This will not be easy."

"It doesn't have to be! What has our life been Eliza? Ever since you were fifteen, we've been on the streets. If it weren't for your thievery, we would have starved to death."

"He's a criminal Aleena."

"So are we!" I backed away. "Do you want to live like this? Constantly looking over our shoulders? Running from one place to another? What's the point of having money, of all the luxury if we can't enjoy it? We've got several houses in the past ten years but no home!"

"Aleena..."

"Don't you want to actually wear your heels and show off your designer bags? Don't you want to have fun in those dresses? Don't you want to live?" I didn't say anything, letting her get it all out. "I want a home, Eliza. I want to be free. I don't want to live like this anymore," She grabbed my arms. "I want us to live."