Lisa's POV
The night felt heavier than usual.
Noha had been distant all day, lost in thought, his mind racing with something I couldn't understand. I'd asked him if something was wrong, but he brushed it off, telling me not to worry. Yet, I couldn't ignore the unease that settled in my stomach.
It wasn't just the constant tension in the air—the heavy silence when he thought I wasn't looking. It was something deeper. Something I couldn't put my finger on, but I knew it was there.
I had seen that look in his eyes before—like he was fighting something he couldn't control. I didn't know what he was hiding, but it was only a matter of time before the truth came to light.
Noha's POV
I couldn't breathe.
Every moment I spent with Lisa brought me closer to losing control. The walls I'd built around myself, the dark parts of me that I kept hidden—they were all crumbling.
And I couldn't let her in. Not fully. Not when I knew what the consequences would be.
Every choice I made, every word I spoke, was a lie to keep her safe. But how much longer could I keep up the act? How much longer could I pretend that everything would be okay?
But the truth was simple: It wasn't okay.
Dante wasn't just after me anymore. He was coming after everyone I loved—and that included Lisa.
Lisa's POV
The sound of the door opening interrupted my thoughts. Noha stepped inside, his eyes shadowed with something I couldn't understand. He didn't even look at me as he walked past.
I watched him, unsure whether to approach or give him space. Something told me that if I pushed too hard, he'd pull further away. But I couldn't keep pretending that everything was fine.
"Noha," I said softly, standing up. "What's going on? You're not telling me everything."
He froze in the doorway, his hand resting on the frame. "You don't need to know," he muttered, his voice tight.
I took a step forward, my heart racing. "I need to know, Noha. I can't just keep living like this. Not knowing what's happening."
He turned slowly, his gaze meeting mine. For a moment, I thought he was going to say something, to finally open up. But then his expression hardened.
"You need to stay out of this, Lisa," he said, his voice low, almost pleading. "I'm trying to protect you from everything."
I shook my head, feeling a surge of frustration. "I'm not some delicate thing you can just hide away. I'm here because I care about you. I won't stay out of this."
He was quiet for a long time, his eyes burning with a mixture of anger and something I couldn't quite place.
"I can't lose you," he whispered finally. "You don't understand what you're up against."
Noha's POV
I had underestimated how much Lisa would change things. She was different from everyone else. She didn't fear me, didn't fear the life I led. She saw something in me that I didn't see in myself, and that scared the hell out of me.
I had to keep her safe. I had to keep her away from all of this.
But there was no running from the truth anymore.
Dante was coming for us. He had a plan, and he was already making his move.
I needed to keep her in the dark—at least for a little while longer.
Lisa's POV
The tension in the room thickened, my breath catching in my chest. "Noha, please. Don't shut me out. Don't push me away."
"I have no choice," he said quietly, his voice trembling. "This life—it's too dangerous. I can't let you get hurt."
I stepped closer, my hand reaching out to him. "But I can't stand by and watch you fight this battle alone. You're not alone in this, Noha."
His eyes flickered with something unreadable before he took a deep breath and stepped forward, closing the space between us. For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead, he cupped my face in his hands, his eyes searching mine.
"You don't understand," he murmured, his voice raw with emotion. "I've done things—things that can't be undone. I've hurt people, Lisa. And now, they're coming for me. And for you."
Noha's POV
I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, steady, strong, unyielding. And it made my chest tighten, a mix of fear and guilt swirling in me.
I wasn't worthy of her love.
But I wasn't about to let anyone hurt her. Not when I had already failed everyone I cared about. I wasn't about to lose her too.
I kissed her forehead gently, brushing my lips against her skin as I whispered, "I'll protect you. I promise."
Lisa's POV
The promise felt hollow. He could say whatever he wanted, but I knew the truth.
Noha wasn't just fighting his past; he was running from it. But the more I tried to understand him, the more I realized he was running from me too.
I wasn't just a witness to his life. I was becoming part of it. And if I didn't start facing the reality of what that meant, I might not make it out unscathed.
Noha's POV
The next few days passed in a blur. Meetings, phone calls, planning. Everything I did was to prepare for what Dante had in store. I couldn't let him hurt Lisa.
But no matter how many precautions I took, no matter how many people I put in place to keep her safe, I knew it wasn't enough.
I couldn't stop the storm that was coming.
Lisa's POV
The sound of the phone ringing broke the silence of the apartment. I glanced at Noha, who had barely moved since the meeting. He was staring at his phone, his expression unreadable.
"Noha?" I asked quietly. "What's going on?"
He didn't respond at first. But then, slowly, he picked up the phone and answered, his voice low and cold.
"Do it," he said before hanging up.
The room was silent again, the weight of whatever just happened settling over us. I didn't know what was going on, but I could feel the shift in the air. Something was about to happen. Something big.
And this time, I wasn't going to sit by and watch.
Noha's POV
I could feel the walls closing in. Dante's grip on my life was tightening, and Lisa's presence made it even harder to focus.
I had to protect her. But no matter what I did, I knew the consequences were inevitable. Dante was getting closer.
And soon, there would be no turning back.