Self-Titled [Completed]

Woman

"Let's go out tonight."

Both Liam and Zayn looked at her in shock. She found it hard to say the words since she used the exact ones on Harry, vividly remembering the night she ruined everything.

"You ready to get back in the swing of things, babe?" Zayn asked, curious but internally excited to have his woman-in-power back at his side.

"There's no point in me sitting around. I'm still hurt but I have to live with what I did. May as well be productive with my time before I can't do anything."

Liam and her locked gazes for a moment. He gave her a look that asked: "Are you sure this is what you want?" She silently replied: "It's what I have to do." Liam seemed disappointed but understood her reasoning. She appreciated Liam's concern for her well-being. He genuinely cared for her, listened to her late-night rambles, and even offered his advice. He was nervous of overstepping his boundaries as Zayn's colleague but she assured him she'd settle any complications should they arise.

"Payne," Zayn called the man by his side, "call Simon and tell him to meet me tonight or the deal's off." Liam nodded before exiting the room. "So, tell me, baby," Zayn began, standing from his seat and walking around his desk towards her, "what made you decide this? Really?"

"I can't change what I did," she said with a sigh, gingerly placing her arms around his neck while his hands explored her sides. "I still love him but...this is what I chose to do. There's no point in crying over it anymore."

"Hmm," Zayn hummed. "Well, I do love having my woman at my side. Making deals without you just isn't the same, baby." She bit her lip, the action not going unnoticed by him. "I've never met a woman who could take power away from me the way you do," he whispered before leaning down and capturing her lips.

It felt wrong to kiss Zayn. She felt she still belonged to Harry; she believed she always would. She was going to be the mother of his child. She may not have had the greatest upbringing but she had morals. Zayn knew her well enough to know these thoughts were running through her head. In his eyes, there were no strings attached. Sometimes they kissed, sometimes they made out, sometimes they fucked; they just did the actions with no feeling behind them. It was why everything she experienced with Harry was so different; she'd never perceived reciprocated emotion before and she fell in love with it.

"Sir, he said he can meet tonight," Liam announced, entering the room once again. Zayn reluctantly pulled himself from her lips.

"Payno, what did I tell you about knocking before entering?"

"My apologies, sir."

"I put good faith in you, Liam. I don't want it to happen again."

"Of course, sir."

"If it happens again--"

"Zayn," she interjected. "It's fine." He was silent while he stared her in the eyes, trying his hardest to overpower her. "Do you really want to fight me?" Zayn sighed at her question.

"You're damn lucky," he told her. "See her to her room, Payne. We got a meeting tonight."

She and Liam walked through the halls side by side. During the time she was gone, Zayn had finally managed to get his people permanently off the streets. He had become the Pablo Escobar of what he did, holding so much silent power at the snap of his fingers. It was different but something she enjoyed. She couldn't imagine living nomadically while pregnant.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Liam asked her as they neared her room.

"What else can I do, Liam? This is what I've gotten myself into."