The detective limped out of the corn field holding his arm and barely wincing. He'd been shot in the bicep.
"He's on the run! Proceed into the field and proceed with caution. Suspect is armed and dangerous. Two officers down" the detective instructed into his radio. Mood had cried wolf. It was a trap to bring the officers to him, to bring a gun to him. He'd shot them both between the eyes with a hand gun and taken both their guns. Now he was armed with military grade weapons and had better chances of escaping.
While some police men flooded the field, others went into the barn, to find Ahmad. All the found was his blood and Zayn's cell phone on the floor. He'd bolted out while they were focused on 'mood'. The police had no idea where he was. He wanted to take Zayn's phone, that way he could use it to reach Layla when he regrouped and came up with a new plan. But he decided against it. ' The bastards could track him with it' he thought and taking the sim out the phone at this time was damn near impossible.
"Damn it Layla!!!!" He yelled smashing the phone against the cement floor. Ahmad was livid, and Layla and Zayn were going to pay for this.
He peeked out the metal door and all the police men were faced away. It seemed they hadn't even noticed the door to the barn yet. So he bolted out of the door and dashed into the field opposite the one where 'mood' was being hunted like a wild animal. He was still dizzy from the head injury Zayn gave him and there was still blood stinging his eyes but he ran. He ran like hell.
****
They lifted Zayn onto a stretcher and wheeled him into the ambulance. Layla hopped in with them, her hand not once leaving Zayn's. He was barely holding on to her. His hands were so cold and his eyes were still a bit lifeless.
"He will be fine, we just need to get fluids into him as fast as possible. he is severely dehydrated" the EMT told Layla. To which she nodded.
"Are you family?" The man asked. 24 hours ago she would have hurriedly told the world that she was his wife but now, she felt like they'd know that there was another woman in her house and they'd laugh at her.
"Yes I'm family" she said simply. The emt nodded and smiled. Layla smiled back weakly.
***
Zayn was starting to look like a person again. Color and warmth had returned to his limbs and face and his breathing was now uniform. He was stable but he was out cold. It been three days since the rescue and he was yet to utter a single word. Layla prayed Ahmad had not done any permanent damage. Layla's hand seemingly had a mind of its own. She was mindlessly caressing Zayn's face with the back of her fingers. She almost became a widow and Rya an orphan. And worst of all, Zayn would have died not knowing the she loved him. So she said it to his unconscious self because she wasn't sure she'll be able to say it if he was awake.
"I love you. I love you Zayn, with everything that I have and everything that I am" she whispered to him quietly, barely hearing herself.
Layla soaked a towel in warm water and began to wipe the remnants of dried blood off his beautiful face. Even after going through hell and being unconscious, Zayn was still handsome. She wiped carefully, avoiding the stitch on his forehead and the many cuts and bruises on his face, avoiding his nose which the doctor had to reset. He looked so tired.
Zayn opened his eyes and caught Layla's gaze. Her breath caught in her throat and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Her heart pumped like she was on drugs. Even nearly docile, Zayn just proved to her that he had her. He had her bad.
"I had to practically die before you could tell me you love me?" Zayn asked, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. All Layla could do was stutter for a full 20 seconds.
"You're awake! I have to call the-
"Shhhh just stay with me Layla, just shut up and stay with me" he said weakly pulling her to his chest.
"I thought I'd never see you again, so forgive me if I want to feel your skin on mine for straight seven days"
Layla chuckled. She was afraid to lean into him to much. What if she collapsed his lungs with her weight?
"I'm not ceramic mama Im not going to shatter" he insisted pulling her onto his side.
"What if I squash you?"
"Then I'd die a happy man"
Layla bolted up to glare at him.
"Too soon?" He asked with a slight chuckle
"Forever, is too soon for such an awful joke" Layla scolded.
"I'm sorry my love" Zayn whispered kissing her forehead. There in his side was were she belonged. layla was content, she was at peace and she almost didn't give a damn about B.
****
"im so skinny now" Zayn said with a pout as layla helped him out of their suv.
"you barely lost 10 pounds, stop being such a baby"
"I can't afford to lose any weight. How am I going to pick your fine self up if I'm out here getting skinny?"
Layla was tickled by his seriousness. He's so unserious sometimes...
"God i missed rya so much i could just start crying" layla was silent to that. she could'nt tell zayn that he was was not going to find Rya waiting for him upstairs. Zayn who notices the tiniest changes in layla's demeanor noticed this rather obvious one.
"penny for your thoughts?"
"lets just get you upstairs, you must be tired-
"you know im not moving an inch from this place until i know whats bugging you so come here" zayn pulled her into his embrace.
"are you okay"
layla nodded; yes. Butterflies...
"rya okay?"
"yes"
"then why are you so suddenly upset? its not like you to just switch up"
"ill tell you once we get home" layla said walking away quickly so he doesn't pull her back.
"Layla" he called out warningly which she simply ignored. if she could wait over a week to talk to him about it, he could wait a couple of minutes.
"why are the lights on?" layla heard him ask from behind her and she just chuckled.
the house smelt nice, like something was cooking. something tasty. layla got in the house first. the dinning table was set. almost all her serving dishes were out. aunty b had cooked. how did she know zayn was coming back today?
zayn came in shortly after, a perplexed look on his face. he caught a familiar scent in the air and he could hear movement in the kitchen. he looked at layla questioningly. layla said nothing. as if on cue, B appeared, wearing another one of Zayn's shirts. this time, the green flannel he wore on their first date. she probably bought that too. it was like a punch to Layla's gut. She felt so stupid
"what the hell are you doing in my house Bintu?" Zayn fired, suddenly understanding Laylas mood swing.
"you mean OUR house Z, this house is half mine and im back where i belong" Zayns blood came to a boil in an instant.
"You must be delusional B"
"You know I'm right! This house is ours, she doesn't belong here!"
Zayn closed his eyes and stood motionless. Layla didnt know whether he was thinking of something or contemplating murder. so she chose that moment to speak
"i should get going home to Rya-
"i dare you to finish that sentence layla" Zayn warns, shooting daggers at layla. so she kept her mouth shut.
"Bintu, i dont even want to know what the hell you think you're doing but before i get back, please, i dont want to see you in my house. I don't even want your scent still lingering in this house. kin gane?"
B was shocked. she could barely form words so layla asked the question that was on both their minds .
"and where are you going?"
"to bring my daughter back home"
layla wanted to laugh at B's face but she still had a bone to pick with Zayn. she used to wear that shirt for crying out loud. once they were in the car, Zayn turned to speak but she interrupted him with a hand in his face.
"just drive, please Zayn" he couldn't miss the horseness in her voice. she was going to cry. Because of him. He'd hurt his wife. his heart twisted forcefully and painfully. B is trying to ruin his life.
"dada!"
AUTHOR'S NOTE
WELL THIS CHAPTER IS TRASH...