All Over Again

Chapter 63

Misha's POV:

"It's getting pretty late, I will drop you off back home once we are done here." Ibraheem looked at his watch and then at me. I nodded my head as I set the plates on the table. We had decided to order in instead of going somewhere cause after the events that took place, we just decided to stay indoors. I had my dupatta around my neck like a muffler to hide the marks he left me cause I couldn't think of anything else. "Also, the next time I visit Lahore might be a little late, I was out cold for over a month so now I am burdened with work."

"Is it Shahbaz again?" I felt my heart beat drop a bit as I said his name. The images of him shooting Ibraheem along with me shooting his neck played in my head. It was hard to forget. I had continuously been getting nightmares of that day. Near impossible actually. I had hoped time would heal the wounds that had settled in my head.

"No, not at all. We are planning to acquire land near the port but the commissioners are bothering us so we just need to use some *ahem* coercive tactics." Ibraheem assured me as he pulled a chair out for me to sit. I graciously took the seat opposite Ibraheem as we decided to dig in. "Don't worry, I will keep contact with you over the phone."

"Ofcourse. What about Kamran and Fahad? Will they also be in Karachi?" I questioned carefully because I needed to know for Rubab and Zoya's sake. Mostly for Zoya's sake. Kamran cannot know she is back.

"Yes, they will be in Karachi with me. They have no reason to visit Lahore unless I come. Well Fahad has a reason but Kamran lost all interest once Zoya disappeared." Ibraheem then paused and looked at me without blinking. He then he gave him a calm, collected smile which I returned.

I was about to take the first bite of the delicious sizzling hot Chicken Chilli Dry when Ibraheem broke the silence with the dreaded question. It looked like he was connecting the dots. He trained his eyes on me as he put down the fork and looked at me expectantly.

"So who is Z, meri jaan?" Shit, I thought he would forget it over the make-out session we just had. Did the mention of everyone else trigger his memory or something? I pretended to not hear his question as I took the first bite of the meal and let it burn my tongue. Spicy. Just the way I like it. The food didn't manage to burn my throat though since Ibraheem's follow up question made me to choke. "I thought on who Z could possibly be while knowing me. It is Zoya isn't it? Since you don't know a lot of people."

I coughed and splattered grabbing the coke to kill the choke but it didn't really help. Ibraheem patted my back with an unreadable look on his face. "Judging from your reaction, it is her. Does that mean she is back?"

"It is her but she is not. Not back I mean." I replied as I took another bite, focusing on a green chili in my plate. I refused to make eye contact with him. Ibraheem placed his index finger under my chin and brought my face up to look at him.

"Jaan that was a Pakistani code. It wasn't WhatsApp. It was a text message." I wanted to slam my face in the wall or better yet in the plate. Guess there was no point in lying now, I grabbed his hand in mine and pulled him towards me giving him the best puppy eyes I had. I knew my eyes was his weakness.

"Please don't tell Kamran!" I begged as I eyed him carefully. He raised his eyebrow as he sighed. "Please don't. She came for our wedding. She did it for us. It's a matter of life and death. KAMRAN CANNOT KNOW."

"Jaan, even if I don't tell him, Kamran has the senses of a hell hound, he will find out one way or another." Ibraheem gave me a resigned look which was unlike him. "Plus you know he is my cousin, literally my brother so-"

"Well, then do something and make sure he doesn't." I knew I was asking something really difficult from Ibraheem but this was for the best for all of us. Zoya was precious to me, she was the sister I never had. I didn't want to do this to Ibraheem but I loved the two of them a lot and I didn't want to lose either of them.

"Well, can you at least tell me what her deal is? What is it that caused all this to happen anyway?" I was reluctant to tell and it wasn't my story to tell but maybe if Ibraheem had a slight idea, maybe he would help us more.

"I can't tell you everything but all I can say is almost 11 years ago, Zoya witnessed something she shouldn't have. She was just in a wrong place at the wrong time and since then there are people trying to murder her. Her life is at stake. I hope you understand." Ibraheem seemed deep in thought but he slowly nodded his head.

"I will try my best, meri jaan, but just know that Kamran is not someone who gives up easily. He has the eyes of a hawk. The nose of a hound. Nothing escapes him. He can read even the slightest of reactions once he puts his head to it. He was trained like that from a very young age so he could make sure no one ever scams us or harms us and..." Ibraheem paused to look at me dead in the eye.

"And?" I felt the alarm take over my senses as Ibraheem described Kamran.

"Ever since he lost Anushay in childhood, he has become far more lethal. She was the barrier that stopped him from becoming the heartless person that he is now. It's like she made him more human. Once she was gone, he changed completely. I love Kamran, he is my dear brother but if Zoya is Anushay she should be careful. Kamran is like a predator. Once he sets his eyes on the predator, he won't let go no matter how long it takes."

I listened to him without uttering a word as I felt the anxiety slowly taking over me. Ibraheem decided to continue when he realized that I wasn't going to say anything in response. I had lost the words. I thought Fahad was dangerous but Kamran was something else too.

"Shair. That's the nickname Anushay gave him before she disappeared and since then, he has been nothing but a shair. A lion true to his character. Zoya should run if she doesn't want this, she should run as far as she can." I gulped as Ibraheem uttered the last few sentences.

Zoya's POV:

"And this one is called Faizan. Yes, he really has grey eyes. His stare makes you uncomfortable but he has a really soothing aura around him. He is one year my senior in Law." I zoomed on his face and handed the phone to Rubab so she could take a look. She had a stony expression as she looked at him closely. "Not your type? Oh well, check this one out. His name is Haider. He is on his way to becoming a chartered accountant. Isn't he hot? When he flexes his arms, you just want to-" I was cut off when Rubab's house doorbell rang. It was just the two of us and Rubab's younger brother who were home since Auntie Uncle had gone to some wedding.

"It's the pizza delivery guy." Rubab looked at the clock on the wall and then got up from the bed, putting my phone on the pillow. She picked up her wallet from the side table. "I will be right back."

"Want me to tag along?"

"Nah, it will hardly take a minute. Lil bro is sleeping so I will just get it myself." With that Rubab was gone while I looked at the options of hot men I had chosen for Rubab so she could move on from both Zohaib and Fahad. She needed a good man. Haider seemed like an amazing option. He was hot and....well that was it but that would do.

When more than 10 minutes went by, I got up from the bed. What is taking her so damn long? I threw my phone on the side as I decided to go check up on her too. After a few seconds, I pulled open the wooden main door and looked at Rubab's back as she looked at someone outside the main gate. It was hard to see who it was since most of his body was covered by the metal gate.

"Rubab, what-" I couldn't see who the person was until he shifted and his eyes met mine. I felt a dangerous shiver run down my spine as a wide smile conquered his sinister expression. Fuck.

"Oh, what a surprise. Welcome back, Zoya."

Author's Note:

Hello and Asalam o Alaikum!

Many of you are asking how many chapters of this book are left so the answer is almost 7 including the epilogue. InshaAllah this book will be done by the 70th Chapter. That is the plan but my plans never actually work so you never know but yeah.

So who is scared for Zoya and Rubab?