Stars Aligned

Insert 88

Thando's pov

I laid my head on the table, my arm as a pillow. It wasn't the most comfortable position to sleep in at all. My neck was stiff and hurt, my arm was numb from pressing on it all night. My gaze fell on a handsome-looking face across the table. Leone was soundly sleeping in the same position as me.
I shifted in my position, having to sit up straight before crossing my arms on top of the table and propping my chin on my arms.
I couldn't stop gazing at his cute sleeping form. The way his pink and thin lips parted as he took steady breaths.

He looked so innocent and harmless as he slept. A small smile crept on my lips before I could stop it. My hands itched to run their fingers across his firm jawline and cheekbones. My lips wanted to feel his against them. He almost kissed me a few days back. The way I felt at that moment when he pulled me close to his chest was unexplainable. The sparks I felt from his touch alone, I just wanted him to kiss me.
Leone: See something you like sweetheart?
I blinked, then blinked again. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he somehow made up that I was staring at him.

I shifted in my seat and tried to back away from the table. Leone reached to grab my wrist and pulled me closer so my face was inches away from his. The only thing that separated us was the table.
Me: W-what are y-you doing?
Leone: I asked you a question, answer me.
I couldn't function well with him staring at me up so close. His gaze was distracting. So I stuttered the next words out. I didn't know I could ever feel so nervous before a man;
Me: N-no-- I mean not like you ugly or anything. You are definitely handsome - shit I mean you are bad not that I want you. I just thought that you looked cute in your sleep.

Leone smiled, letting go of my wrist. He actually smiled not smirked but smiled at me. His smile grew larger as he continued to stare at my flushed state, till it turned into a full grin with a few chuckles there. Well, I'm glad my stupidity was amusing to him, as long as I saw his smile. Gosh, he was beautiful when he smiled. Don't think my mind would ever fully get over his smile.
Leone: Thanks for the compliments love.
With that, he shook his head and strutted to the bathroom. Leaving me to facepalm myself for being such a shitface in front of a guy like Leone. I'm never hearing the end of it.

***

You can practically say I'm living at his penthouse, considering that I'm always there day and night. I sometimes sleep there when we work on a bigger case, like last night. It's never planned though, it's just like waking up with your head on the table, a sore neck, and a numb arm with a stiff buttock. But it's worth it, it's worth putting all those illiterate men behind bars. Right now though, I'm at the hospital to get my brother discharged. The receptionist greeted me with a smile and I approached and did the usual sign-in.

I found Lwazi already dressed and waiting to be picked up. Shame, poor thing must be exhausted by being cooped up in the same room all day every day.
Lwazi: Finally. You know, besingi cabanga ukuthi ngizofela khona la. (I thought I was going to die in here.) even though I don't mind that much, I mean have you seen my doctor. That man is illusion kind of fine.
In his blabbering, we had taken his duffel bag and exited from the hospital room to the elevator and going to the ground floor.

Me: Why didn't you say, I would've asked them to extend your days.
I kept my voice playful to make sure he doesn't get the wrong idea of him actually thinking I want him to stay at that place a minute longer. Lord knows I hate hospitals.
Lwazi: Sis, he may be fine but I come first. Have you seen my skin? My abs are turning into bones. I almost look like a skeleton.
As he checks himself out. He wasn't wrong though, he was getting a lot thinner. Lwazi was blessed with looks and a body to kill.

He had nice height, tall but not the pole and madly abnormal tall, just tall enough. He had nice muscles as well, broad shoulders and biceps. If anyone didn't know him well, they would think he was straight as a ruler. Trust me, girls hit on him all the time and it's comical to watch. We reached my car and got in our designated seats. Lwazi kept on complaining about the same thing in many ways all the way and I just wanted him to shut up. He actually reminded me of a witty someone who chatted a mile a minute.

I was too focused on the car following us that I wasn't paying any attention to what my brother was saying. Maybe I was paranoid but I could've sworn that the car was tailing us. It turned where we turned, it took the same route as us even off the highway it was behind us. I mean, it could just be a coincidence that a black BMW was taking the same shortcut I took to my house, right? But as soon as we arrived at the gate as we waited for the guard to open the gates, the gunshots resounded in my ears. I immediately pulled Lwazi down by his head when I saw the car passing by and the guy pointing his gun at his side of the window.

Me: Ahh fuck!
I saw Lwazi covering his ears as the glass shattered into million pieces that fell on top of his back and head. Some glass flew out and grazed my cheek and I was sure it left a bruise. The danger was out of the way as I saw the same car disappear to the highway.
Well fuck! That was scary as shit. God, my heart was beating a thousand times a second.
Me: Lwazi, are you okay?
I turned to look at my brother as he stared at me with a haunted look. His eyes were wide as saucers. He was struggling to undo his seatbelt. He looked rather worried than shaken.

Me: L-lwazi? Are you okay, talk to me? We need to get out of here now, come on.
I started to undo my seatbelt but it was hard. I was starting to hyperventilate at the time, because one, I couldn't fucken move my right arm, and two I needed to get out of the car.
Lwazi: T-thando, sis- y-your...
I turned to look at his face as he struggled to find his voice. He was tearing up and unsure of himself. His eyes bore onto my arm. I followed his gaze and saw blood. I didn't think a single scratch on the cheek would ooze so much blood.

And it wasn't from the scratch, because when I touched my cheek, my fingertips came back with a tiny splatter of blood. I looked at my arm again and felt my breath hitch. I was shot and it hurt like hell. Lwazi started to say things but my mind wasn't registering anything he was saying. The only thing I was hearing was gunshots and the pain was a bitch on its own. I clenched my eyes shut in agony. The same guard who had opened the gate was now trying to help Lwazi take me out of the car. I was sitting, leaning against my car as I held onto my arm.
Me: It hurts, oh my God I'm gonna die.

Probably was exaggerating but a bullet just went through my body and made a home inside of it, so I wasn't giving a rat's ass. And somehow the only person I wanted at that time was Leone. I needed to call him.
Lwazi: Call the ambulance! Sis stay with me. Fuck! Don't close your eyes, the ambulance is on the way okay. Just keep-
Me: Shut up and call Leone. God, you talk a lot. Take my phone and call Leone.
I clenched my jaw in pain. I grabbed the guard's wrist with my uninjured arm, pulling him down to my level.

Me: You! You take off your shirt and wrap it around my arm tight. Now!
Maybe it was the pain or the fact that I just got shot and I was feeling dizzy for sure but I was on the roll with the commanding. The guard did as I told and wrapped the shirt just below my wound tight. He was left in a white vest. He tried assuring me that the ambulance was on the way.
Lwazi: Leone is on the way.