Author's POV

" Successfully we solved all of those damn coordinates and it lead to many places in 5 different countries." Alec informed as he handed out a paper to Leonardo .

" China, Nepal, India , Russia and lastly Italy." He added with Leonardo listening attentively while looking through the scribble paper that has the name of the countries Alec just said out loud.

"We have already sent a couple of our guys who are in China to Nanchang, as soon as the first coordinate was solved, to check out what is in the place. " he told and his boss nodded in acknowledgement.

"I think what we find in there would be the same in other places too. But it's just my thoughts." Maya implied with a slight frown and a thoughtful look after thinking what possible business would be running in those places.

"It would be easier to catch them if the business running is common." She added with ease with the thought the work would finish fast if it was as she said " but I doubt it is." she sighed.

"Where is Andrew?" Leonardo asked when he noticed his cousin was yet to return after he sent him for some works to be done.

"He said he will be here but it's already been 3 hours. He probably stopped by somewhere?" Alec replied with a shrugged of unknown and Leonardo nodded.

" The activities will probably be different in different countries, so send 3 men each to the other countries, make sure they lay low." Leonardo began as he leaned away from the chair and rested his elbow on the table as he interlocked his fingers in the air.

"That fucking Cobra might've already know we have his coordinates sorted out and are in high alerts" he grumbled with irritation in his voice of the games his nemesis has been playing with him.

"When will we get the information from China?" He asked with his gaze turning to Alec as he replied " A day or two the most"

"But boss, If he knew we have his men and about the coordinates, why is he still silent?" Maya asked with confusion raising on her face.

Usually when they get a hold of something of their enemy's, their enemy would do whatever in their hand to destroy it or take it back.

Strangely the Cobra's were yet to do a move about it. Leonardo was already suspicious the moment Andrew caught those men and their leader did not do anything.

But he couldn't figure out what are they planning that none were coming to destroy their tracks .

One thing for sure was, something big was for sure going to happen.

" He is planning something" was all Leonardo could say with a distant mind as he thinks of any possibility that could occur.

A day passed as usual with nothing changed. The more Noor was becoming distant from Leo, the more he was becoming frustrated until he had enough!.

It was night that Noor was filling her bottle of water for herself incase she felt thirsty in the middle of the night.

The house was once again filled with eer silence. Nobody was home except the guards in night duty.

Noor haven't seen Maya ever since which ended up her doing all the house chores.

She missed her co-worker.

Michelle already informed her she was out on a date with her boyfriend while Jack stepped out as he got call from work.

After re-filling her bottle, she went to switch off all the lights that were still lighting the rooms.

She wont lie, the house is really beautiful and huge. Noor has always wanted to see how the inside was designed and she did not imagined any less of how beautiful it was kept.

But now that she was living in it, it didn't made her feel like home.

Even if the house of her uncle was only a small two story building, it felt home for her.

Why make huge houses if it doesn't feel warm and welcoming like home?

As she switched off the last room, she was on her way to her room when the main door opened.

The dim light near the entrance door gave sight of who it was and Noor stood frozen seeing the person.

His appearance was way different from how she saw him in the morning .

The crisp wrinkle-free black shirt was now a disturbed mess with his first three buttons undone showing his brawny caramel chest with his sleeves both rolled up till his elbow displaying his veiny and firm hands.

While his once neat styled intact hair became a messy over-brushed bush as if he has ran his fingers through it multiple times letting it down and loose.

Noor noticed his black blazer was nowhere on his body but without it he was even looking more sexier in his drunk appearance.

As the night's cold wind blew inside, Noor shivered at it's contact while staring at those mysteries orbs .

Unknown to herself, she couldn't move her body and she felt her mind stopped working as she sees him moving.

He walked like a disabled person as the door behind shut close and worry laced on her frowned brows seeing the way he walked.

Is he drunk?

Noor felt alarmed thinking he might hurt himself while drunkly walking as if he will trip on the floor.

She rushed to help him before anything could happen. Her face scrunched in disgust with the contact of the alcohol smell coming from him.

God-! He smells terrible!

Taking his one arm and placing it over her shoulder, she instantly felt his weight as she helped him dragged to the living room.

Ya Allah- why is he so heavy?!

As her scent hit his nose, Leonardo leaned closer to her neck taking in her sweet scent activating every calming cells in his body.

" Agh fuck" he groaned to himself low enough to not make her hear him as he felt himself getting hard.

Reaching the living room, Noor slowly placed him on the sofa as he kept mumbling incoherent words to himself.

To be truth she was actually surprised seeing him drunk. He has never been home while being drunk so she was curious how he ended up in this state.

Noor let out a sigh as she relaxed that for now he has to sleep on the sofa because she can't carry him all the way to his room because of his weight.

She can't believe he looked fit but yet was heavy. The irony in men's weight!.

As she turned to leave, she felt a grip on her clothes and instantly she was laying on top of a muscles bed- his chest.

It happened in a blink that her brain was trying to process what just happened to her.

When it intrigued her she started to struggle to get up from her position
" Sir please leave me!"

She had her scarf lossely draped around her, not the usual style she wore amd due to her movements, bunch of strings of her hair fall from it's hiding.

Leonardo's hand around her waist only tightened the more she struggled. Noor wasn't sure what to do since this is the first time she is taking care of a drunk person.

On the other hand, Leonardo thought this was a dream. The moment he landed his eyes on her, he couldn't help but let out the breath he unknowingly held.

At last he was able to see her face properly after days of her avoiding and ignoring him.

Well he can't complaint either; it was because of him that she was avoiding.

But she can't avoid him in the dreams because he won't allow it. It's his realm where she has no control.

"You are trying to avoid me even in dreams" he murmured as he pulled her closer, her faces inches away from him as their breath mingled. 

Noor understood he thought he was dreaming, so she has to handle the situation calmly. 

Disturbing a person who thought he was dreaming is dangerous, no one can predict what they will do next.

" Just because I killed a person, you are avoiding me?" He asked as his body slowly eases out " I've killed more than one fiore."

Slowly and little by little he let his guard down, pulling down the wall he built to protect himself from vile and selfish people around him.

He has known the world is dangerous, filled with selfish and vile people since at the age of 14.

You can't trust anyone but yourself in such places and he has learned it the hard way.

But in front of her, he doesn't know why he can trust her- wholeheartedly.

"That bastard deserved to die. He touched something he shouldn't." Noor was confused at his words and thought he is under the influence of alcohol that he was playing with words.

" You didn't have to kill him for it" she whispered disappointedly as her vision adjusted to the dark and was able to see his face outline.

A husky chuckle erupted from his stomach vibrating Noor as her face showed confusion " You are so naïve fiore. Don't make it a habit."

" I kill people because I have people to protect or else my sanity would've long gone." He breathed.

" I will kill anyone who dares to harm them" There was threat lacing in his promise and it sent cold shivers down her spine.

" I don't want to lose them like my parents." Noor was speechless at what she just heard.

If not for the darkness preventing her vision to see him clearly, she could've easily see the deep emotion swirling in his black orbs.

But she felt the hurt and pain in his tone when he said it.

" I miss them" he declared with a vurnable voice which shocked her. She felt as if he was in the verge of breaking down.

She felt pity as she understands how losing parents meant.

She knew that very well.

She thought if a person loves killing people as if they are nothing, they wouldn't have a heart.

But his words right now said otherwise.

Did she misunderstood him? Did she really judged a book by it's cover?

But it was never her fault either. He was always looking as if he was unapproachable with his stoned face.

At that cold black eyes always show coldness and lifelessness.

If only she knew that those lifeless black orbs were also once filled with life until a devastating tragedy decided to gloom those orbs with black clouds forever.

To be honest she felt a bit jealous after hearing him say he would protect his people. Having a person like Leonardo that will protect them with his life are some lucky people.

If only she knew she was also included.

Leonardo brushed away the string of hair that was hanging out from her scarf making her freeze while his other hand caressed her waist ever so lightly giving her tingles.

"Bellissima" he complimented using his Italian accent while Noor frowned hearing the unknown word that left from his lips. 

[Beautiful]

She came to her senses when she felt his touch and struggled again to pull herself away from him as she begged "P-please release me."

Noor tried to get his grip off her but it only made him to held her wrist and in a flash she was underneath him as a gasp left her mouth.

"You can't run away from me in here fiore" He said as he smirk and Noor's breath began to hyperventilate at the sudden change of position.

To think she felt pity for him after hearing him talk about his parents.

I was so right! This man!!

" Mamma ti amerebbe" he said with a slight smile playing in the corner of his lips as he adored the beauty under him.

[Mother would have love you]

Noor wasn't understanding what he was saying. She thought he was talking gibberish due to the alcohol and with each passing seconds she was feeling anxious.

Leonardo leaned down to her exposed jaw as he deeply inhaled her scent making her legs go weak as he groaned and looked back at her stunning gray orbs " You don't know what you do to me fiore."

" S-sir p-please" she whimpered with shut eyes feeling her body paralyzed as he leaned down again and Noor shut her eyes with tears falling from the corner of her eyes.

Is he going to do something to her? Is he going

Few minutes passed and she couldn't sense any movements.

When Noor tried to release her wrist from his grip, it was easily done and she turned to see him passed out on her.

Noor let out a breath of relief and quickly got away from him, her loose scarf fell from her head as she breath panic.

Alhamdulillah- I thought-

She brushed off the negative thoughts that were forming and stared at the sleeping figure for a while before she left to her room.

 The day of Suzy's birthday party arrived but Leonardo was still in his office handling his company's work. 

The party starts at 6pm so why would he bother going early ? And besides he planned of going late before the party ends, so he would stay only for a few minutes.

"P-please release me"

" I don't want to lose them like my parents."

" Mamma ti amerebbe"

Leonardo slammed his pen down remembering the bits of memory he was unsure where it came from.

What was that.

He remembered getting up from the sofa when he woke up but did not know how he reached home.

That night he was out drinking with Andrew but his playboy of a cousin ditched him and went somewhere with a girl.

After that he doesn't remember anything other than being with Noor and talking with her in his dream.

He doesn't know why he got that drunk in the first place.

The moment when he leaned inhaling her scent and the position he and she layed on the sofa was clearly plastered in his mind.

You must be fucking kidding me. It wasn't a dream.

Leonardo wasn't sure if he should be glad that they at least talked after days of cold war well... from her.

Or if he should curse himself that he was still unable to fix what's happening between them.

On top of that Jack paid her debt and now he can't do anything to keep her with him.

Fuck, should I just form another debt?

He sighed while brushing through his coal locks as he leaned on his chair. Forming another debt just to keep her will only worsen their situation.

And yesterday Jack informed him that he is going to move Noor somehwere safe. 

His body went into a halt as he remebered why he got so drunk that he doesn't remember much about that night.

Tsk. Should I just hide her from everybody?

Meanwhile at the mansion, Noor has been feeling uneasy since morning. She wasn't sure what it was but it was disturbing her a lot.

" Noor you are going to leave from here today. As much as I want you to be far from here, I don't want you to stay away " Michelle whined hugging her only friend and only got a smile in return.

" You can come and visit me. I am sure you know Jack's friend."

" Well I do know I will visit you but I don't know about this "friend" Jack has told you about." Michelle informed while air quoting the word friend with her fingers and with narrowed suspicious eyes " I told you he never shares anything about himself with anyone. "

" Including what and who are in his life" she added.

Just as they were speaking about Jack, he appeared and seemed to be in a rush. Michelle noticed him and stopped him in his tracks

" Jack! Where are you running?" 

Noticing Noor with Michelle, he went towards them as he rolled his sleeves up his elbows " I was looking for you."

Jack went up to Noor as she looked at him with a curious expression as to why was he looking for her.

" Oohh~ straight to wifey once you see her huh-" Michelle whistled with a playful smile as Noor's cheeks bloomed with rose pink due to embarrassment.

Jack rolled her eyes but he was enjoying his little maiden's reaction. He could only imagine what reactions she would have if he was the one to tease her.

He couldn't wait for the day that she will officially be his. His and his only.

If destiny allows.

" I know I am suppose to take you today, but I have got to go somewhere right now. I am sorry." He apologized feeling bad when he knows how badly she wants to be away from here.

He wasn't blind to see how sometimes she look depress and unhappy whenever the house was empty.

She wasn't even allowed to go out since she was a debtor and on top of that Leonardo has already warned her once.

And she knows he doesn't say empty warnings.

" I promise to come as soon as possible and take you. I would probably return at evening though." he informed while rubbing the back of his neck in guilt.

" It's ok. It's your job so it can't be helped" Noor assured with a small smile but deep down she was a bit disappointed. 

Jack knows she was a bit disappointed because she was so excited that she was finally free from this cold four walls that was suffocating her even though it was a spacious place.

But he can't do anything when he finally got a lead about the Cobra's leader from his men. 

After all he was doing all this for their future.

He thought to tell Leonardo but decided against it and thought to confirm it himself first.

" Noor are you okay?" He asked seeing a frown on her face that caught his attention and Michelle's " You look... disturbed."

Noor was contemplating whether to tell them or no. She fiddled with her fingers as sge sighed " I just... I feel something ominous."

Michelle and Jack looked at each other confused at her words.

" What do you mean omnious?" Michelle asked as Noor rubbed her worried heart " I am not sure."

It was also unknown to her as to why she was feeling such a way so she couldn't explain her feelings clearly to them.

"Hey relax, I am sure it's nothing. Dont stress out too much ok?" Jack  comforted her as Noor tried to take his reasons.

" Yeah he is right. Maybe its just because of stress you are feeling like that" Michelle joined.

" Ok then I have to get going if I want to return early tomorrow" He announced as both the female nodded in good bye.

" SO that means I still got a day to spend with you? YAY!!" Michelle cheered happily "Let's go shopping!"

" I am on my way. Are you sure you saw the man with the Cobra tattoo on him?" Jack asked through his phone at the receiver.

" Ok.... I am on my way" he said as he hanged up the call and open the door of his Jeep.

" Jack WAIT!" Noor shouted as she cane running from the house and seeing her a smile formed on his face as he closed the door.

Her breathing accelerated a bit as she stood infront of him " Easy princess. Did you need something?"

" This" she said as she handed out an accessories like thing.

It was a small square shaped like pendant attached with strings from both sides.

The pendant was covered with a green fabric making Jack wondered at what the inside has.

" What is this?" He asked as Noor handed it on his forwarded palm.

" Taweez."

Jack's face was lifted with interest at her words and Noor knew he wants her to explain it.

" It's a protection pendant. My aunt gave it to me from an Imam for my protection and I feel like you need it." She explained as she recalled the day her aunt gave her the pendant.

It was when she was very sick that her aunt visited the imam of the masjid near their home.

Noor's aunt explained how her little niece's fever was not decreasing for 3 days straight even though they already went to the hospital.

That's when the Imam visited their house and cured her with Dua'as (prayers) and gave her the pendant for her protection.

Jack felt pleased knowing Noor was worried for him as a playful smirk slowly appear on his pleasureful face " So in short you were worried for my safety~?"

Noor did not reply but gave a timid nod as a light blush creept on her face.

She wasn't sure why she couldn't reply with her voice. She felt the words stuck on her throat causing her to reply with a nod.

She felt as if she got caught doing something.

Astagfirullah- I did nothing but worry though.

Jack chuckled at her reaction, happy for himself that he made her flustered "Thank you"

A knock was heard from the door as he replied with his authoritive voice "come in"

" Sir it's time for Miss. Suzy's party" his PA informed after entering his cabin as Leo leaned on his chair sighing " Is it not possible for me to go last minute?"

" What time are you planning on going?" His PA asked to be certain of what he meant as he looked into his boss's schedule "10"

Leonardo's PA scrolled down through his packed schedule to check whether he would be free during the desired time.

" I am sorry sir, but you have an important meeting with the J Company's senior director regarding our next project that is to be launch"

A sigh of irritation escaped from him as he has no other choice but to attend the party early " I will only attend for 10 minutes. After exactly 10 minutes take me away from there"

Though he could stay for half an hour but he didn't want to be anywhere near that leech while his PA replied with a confused ok without any questions asked.

As much as he hates that he has to attend the party he doesn't want to miss the drama that will soon be happening.

After days of investigating who posted that false anonymous post about him, he finally found out the culprit.

A wicked smirk slowly stretched across his excited face like a Cheshire's grin thinking of the drama that will uphold.

Shall we go and give the best birthday gift to her.

◇  ◇  ◇  ◇  ◇

☆ Ok wait a minute- its not even a week and another chapter already?! Damn that was fast!

☆ If I am lucky enough to use my brain I think there will be another chapter in two days? Hehehe.

☆ And OMG you guys really want Noor to end up with Jack?? 🤔🤔 Oh well, let's see what the story holds for them.

Have a great day and happy reading ! ;)