Bound To You ✔

Chapter 11 ~ A Crushing Bonfire Night

Hanging out with Jamal Hasim's gang and attending parties at Azad mansion are poles apart. One is exciting with dangers lurking around while the other one is boring with arrogant people showing off.

Isabella should have been scared of these people but instead she found herself walking around in her black jeans and hoodie completely normal. She blended easily with the gangsters as everyone in the hood knew that her mother and she are under the protection of Jamal Hasim so no one can ever dare to lift a finger at them.

She stood a little far from the bonfire yet the heat managed to reach her. It was large enough to warm the guests in the chilly night. Being outrageous, it glowed in a yellow and orange flame that rises into the sky.

Isabella let her eyes wander around and stopped at Toni, Jamal's only son.

The high cheekbones, smattering facial hair, athletic body and wavy hair attracted women like bees to a hive. Each arm was on the shoulder of two girls while he focused on a conversation with a third. He was an eye catcher and he knew how to use it damn well.

Isabella too has a little crush on him but she'll take the secret to her grave before ever telling anyone because just imagine a future with a gangster; it's terrifying.

As if reading her mind, she caught Toni looking at her for a moment. She smiled at him instead of panicking or raising a suspicion although her heart is currently racing with trepidation.

He removed his arms and excused himself from the trio of beautiful girls.

"You are doomed Isabella. Act normal," she whispered to herself before smiling at him once again until he stopped in front of her. Words get stuck in her throat as she sensed his strong male scent and she did what she did best.

Smile.

"You came?" He asked.

Isabella found it rather weird as she has never missed bonfire night a.k.a the second of January since she was ten years old. Her mother stopped coming with her when she reached eighteen because she fully trusted Isabella in the hands of a bunch of gangsters. Sarcasm noted.

"You have never noticed me before?"

He laughed. "Of course I did. I met your mother a few days ago and she told me you have a job and you work overnight sometimes so I thought you might be busy."

"Right," she said casually but inside she was furious at her mother for not informing her that she had met Toni and told him that she had start working. This is important information.

"I don't have night shift so here I am, continuing tradition."

And he laughed again. Isabella could watch and listen to him laugh all day as he was pretty to look at and his laughter was pure bliss to the ears. She focused on his soft lips how they could curl when he smiled or his eyes would light up. She was totally fangirling and crushing on the mafia's son until someone called his name from behind.

"Toni. Your sister is at the river with a boy."

His mood changed so fast that Isabella could swear she heard knuckles crack.

"See you later," he uttered.

She witnessed his deadpan face and fuming exit. Only the Lord can help that poor boy and probably his sister if his parents aren't already there. Turning around to leave for home, she stopped abrupt when a tall man with a dark beanie and a black beard reaching below his chest stopped in front of her, in other words, he looked pretty scary.

"Yes?"

She waited for him but he neither moved nor answered until Isabella looked deep into his eyes and observed his face well, taking in all the details.

"Ei...Eijaz?"

"Thank you."

Isabella looked around frantically, sweat trickling down her neck. An undercover cop is a nothing but a scared little lamb waiting to be slaughtered amongst hungry lions. She feared for Eijaz's life and herself even though he is in disguise.

"You can't be here," she whispered, still looking left to right.

"Act normal, please. We don't want attention," he begged.

"Of course, we shouldn't," she replied in one-go and gulped the glass of juice in her hand in one sip.

Eijaz unexpected visit has certainly startled her and scared her more than these gangsters walking around with knives or guns in their back pockets. Everyone hates cops here as they are known to be bootlickers of the rich so did Isabella before she realized that being in hands with them can uplift her financial crisis.

"Do you know this is a forbidden zone for people like you? Yet, you're here."

"I'm here for you."

"Appreciated but this is suicide mission. What if-?"

"Be positive Isabella, did you find anything?"

She recalled yesterday's lunch at Azad's mansion including her little chit chat with miss perfect Zeenat and Zaid's conversation at the table. She nodded.

"Everything and nothing."

Eijaz looked confused and why wouldn't he? Zaid literally told her everything about him and yet it felt like nothing.

"I met him yesterday at my grandparents' house. He was there for lunch."

"What happened?"

"He played twenty questions with me. I know he tried to play it cool by engaging in long conversations but I counted twenty. Why was he trying to know me? Shouldn't it be vice-versa?"

Isabella waited for an answer but he blinked his eyes and a small smile appeared on his face. She moved two steps closer to him and lowered her voice.

"Aren't you worried that he is trying to know me? What if he is suspecting me?"

Eijaz bent down and whispered in her ears. "If he was suspecting you, we wouldn't be having a conversation in front of a bonfire."

"He is that dangerous, isn't he?"

Eijaz nodded. Isabella stepped back and this time turned her eyes to the bonfire's flames that were slightly diminishing.

"You act normal and continue to work. He'll try to know more about you so he might do anything to keep you closer. This time I want you to play twenty questions with him without letting him know."

"I already played and I found out that he is scared of spiders but he will say height to maintain a reputation."

"He lied because he has a pet spider in his home."

"How would you know?"

"I'm his brother-in-law, in case you have forgotten."

Mentally smacking herself with a flip-flop, Isabella huffed. "How stupid of me! When did I forget that part? But are you sure he'll try to know me more?"

"Positive."

"But why?"

"Zaid loves only one person in this world; his sister and you saved her life. In his eyes you are a hero while he remains a villain and there's always a love and hate relationship between the two until one of them finally wins."

"I don't understand."

"It doesn't matter, all you have to do is keep an eye on him, attract him towards you but act normal. A poor girl who is working as a waitress in a grand hotel. That is your story."

Telling war stories around a bonfire and planning on spying a businessman slash gangster both make the heart thundered with fear. But fear is a harbinger that leads to bravery. You can only challenge it once you've dared to undergo through it.

"Of course."

"Take care of yourself and always remember that I'm here for you, no matter what."

Isabella smiled, this time it was one of recognition and genuine. "No one ever said that to me before."

"You're risking your life for me. It's the least I can do. Good luck for the upcoming adventures because you'll need it badly."

She watched him leave too and muttered, "Thanks, I guess."