OFF-LIMITS

32.

Chapter thirty two | Adrian
A month later...
I stare at her "I need the money." Her voice pulls me away from my thoughts and the urge to punch her overwhelms me, "go take from your golden boy, I'm done with this shit." I say sharply and her lips twist in disgust,

She mutters something under her breath but Layla's name catches my attention, "what did you just say?" I ask, my voice low, her eyes widening just for a second before  she masks her expression perfectly, "ugh nothing!" She says and walks away.

"Anything new?" Damien asks and I look up from the laptop, "get her the fuck out of my face before I murder her." I say and he nods, not protesting unlike his normal self, 

"How's Layla's state?" He asks changing the subject, "if you don't actually fucking care, then shut up." I say and he straightens, his jaw clenching, "I'll call Ezekiel, he's the only one who'll be able to talk to you, Jesus Christ." He mutters and gets up, closing the door behind him with a thud.

My fingers continue working tirelessly on the keys, we've got three suspicions on who might have been betraying us, two of my guards, and Reina, fucking Reina, she's been working with me for god knows how long, I suck in a sharp breath.

A phone ring startles my thoughts and I pick it up, "what is the matter with you?" He barks, his voice loud, I raise a brow even though he's not in front of me.

"What?" I ask snorting decisively, "care to explain why you went ballistic yesterday, your house looks like shit." He yells and I remove the phone a couple of inches away from my ears as he continues his yelling.

"...chop you into pieces and feed you to the dogs!" He goes on and I blow a frustrated breath, "I'll call you in a while." I mumble and Hang up, running a hand through my hair.

I grab a cigarette and light it, nicotine fills my nostrils and my mind starts to calm, he's right, I need to get a fucking grip.

✿ ✿ ✿

"Fucking really?" I yell, my voice full of rage, "oh yes!" Ezekiel doesn't back down, and points a finger at my chest, "you're going to see a therapist." He says so seriously it's actually hilarious.

A laugh bursts out of me, then another one follows, "you can't live like this, you're suffocating yourself." He goes on and I feel the pain in my chest growing, and suddenly I'm no longer laughing.

"Who told you I want to fucking live at all? You're right, it's like I can't even breathe, every breath I inhale, is full of pain and..." I stop mid-sentence, breathing heavily, clenching and unclenching my fists.

"Adrian—" he starts but then stops, "I'm not seeing a therapist," I say, and from whatever look on my face, Ezekiel doesn't protest, and my heart pounds heavily in my chest when I hear heels clicking across the hallway and turn around.

The sound of it bringing so many memories that aren't helping, Melissa appears from a room inside and I feel a muscle in my jaw ticks, "don't ever wear those inside my house again, Melissa." I say, my voice low and edged.

She pauses and swallows, her throat bobbing with the motion, "I-I didn-" she stutters and I glare, "keep your fucking words to yourself, the only reason I accepted you was because of Layla so don't roam around acting like you're one of us." I snarl and Ezekiel glares at me but doesn't utter a word.

"I don't give a shit if she thinks that you're a victim in this, I don't, you're still the reason she got hurt in the first place, is that clear?" I ask and tears form in her eyes but I don't care enough for that, moments later she walks away with her goddamn heels in her hands.

"This is madness, you just threatened her 'cause she wears heels, do you realize how fucked up you are?" He asks, I snort and run a hand through my hair, "you're acting as if you don't kill people for less." I say and he looks at me with narrowed eyes.

"You really do need a therapist." He mutters again and I glare, that fucking subject again, "If you dare bring her here, I'm gonna chop her into pieces and shove them down your throat." I say and he smiles dryly.

"I'm vegan, thank you so much." He states, giving me one of his smug smiles and I groan.

✿ ✿ ✿

"I can't," I whisper, clutching Layla's hand tighter, my whole body shakes the more I stare at her, I wish it would have been me instead of her.

No one would care if I went into a coma, hell, most of the people I know would be thankful, maybe Layla would be sad for a week or less then she'll move on with her life, I just can't, I cannot live in a world where she's gone.

Everywhere I go she's there, in my mind, In my thoughts, in my goddamn heart, I smile sadly and speak again, it's a silly thing, but the doctors say it might help her,

"the first time I met you, you kept babbling about how much you would love to visit New York, you kept talking for hours about it, and I enjoyed every second of it, the way your cheeks got red, the way you would curl a strand of your hair around your finger, or maybe the way you kept checking me out, thinking that I didn't notice," I whisper and laugh, the sound haunted and sad, fucking miserable.

My breathing shakes and pain cuts through my chest, it almost knocks the air out of my lungs, "and since that day I couldn't get you off my mind, you were the first thing on my mind every day, your scent, your smile, your eyes Layla, and oh that sweet kind heart of yours, it captured mine the moment I laid eyes on you." I whisper, pressing my lips against her knuckles, and I feel hot tears falling.

It's almost pathetic, but I go on, just saying any memory that shows up in my mind "you told me once that you wanted to know how it'd feel like to ride a motorcycle, we never got to do that, I promise you, darling, when you get back to me, we'll do everything you want." I say, my voice strained with emotions and for a moment I feel like I can't breathe.

my body becomes very still when I feel her hand move in mine, and for a second I think I imagined it, before she repeats it again, and a smile spreads on my face,

that day was the first one I slept peacefully since my girl was taken away from me.

Uh the chapters without Layla are so hard to write btw, a vote is really appreciated 💌