Noha's POV
It had been a few days since Lisa and I talked things through. A few days since I realized that, no matter how hard I tried to protect her, I couldn't keep her in the dark forever.
It wasn't easy, trying to balance the weight of my world with the delicate, fragile love I shared with her. But she wasn't a child, and she wasn't weak. Lisa had shown me time and time again that she wasn't afraid. She was willing to stand beside me, even when the rest of the world seemed determined to tear us apart.
But I could see it in her eyes—there was something different now. A certain resolve, an unspoken understanding between us.
But it didn't change the fact that danger was still looming over us. Dante was out there, and everything that had happened in the past was circling back. The past had a way of catching up with you, no matter how far you ran from it.
And I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep Lisa out of the storm.
Lisa's POV
I wasn't afraid of Noha's world. I wasn't afraid of the danger, the bloodshed, or the darkness that came with it. But the more I learned about the people Noha was involved with, the more I realized just how dangerous it truly was.
I could see it in his eyes—how burdened he was, how much he hated the life he was forced to lead. He didn't want this for me. I knew that. He wanted to keep me safe, to shield me from everything that had scarred him.
But I wasn't going to let him push me away.
I wasn't going to be the one who ran.
I had made my choice. And I had chosen him, despite everything.
Noha's POV
I was pacing the apartment, something I rarely did, but I couldn't stay still. Too much was at stake.
There was a traitor among my men. Someone close to me—someone I thought I could trust. And that knowledge was eating at me, making it harder to breathe.
I needed to find out who it was before it was too late.
I couldn't afford to make mistakes. Not with Lisa involved. Not when Dante was closing in.
The door opened, and I turned around, immediately on alert.
It was Lisa.
I tried to push the worry aside and focus on her, but I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get worse.
"Everything okay?" she asked softly, her eyes searching mine, as though she could read the anxiety on my face.
"Yeah, just dealing with some business," I lied, my voice strained.
But she wasn't fooled. She never was.
"Tell me what's going on," she said, stepping closer, her gaze unwavering.
I shook my head, trying to keep the tension from spilling over. "It's nothing you need to worry about."
But she wouldn't let it go. "Noha," she pressed, her voice insistent. "I'm not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever. You need to trust me."
And in that moment, I realized that I had never truly trusted her. Not completely.
It wasn't that I didn't want to. I just couldn't bring myself to put her in more danger.
But I had been wrong. I should've trusted her. Because she was more capable than I had given her credit for.
"Alright," I said, finally breaking. "There's a traitor. Someone from my circle. Someone I trusted."
Her eyes widened, but she didn't flinch. She didn't back down.
"Do you have any idea who it is?" she asked.
I nodded. "I have some leads, but I'm still piecing it together."
"I'm not going anywhere, Noha," she repeated, her voice filled with determination. "Whatever happens, we face it together."
I didn't know whether to be grateful or terrified. She was stubborn, and she refused to be left in the dark. And as much as I wanted to shield her from it all, there was no turning back now.
Lisa's POV
The air between us was thick with tension. I could feel the weight of Noha's words, the weight of everything he had said. A traitor. Someone from his own circle. It was hard to grasp, but I wasn't going to let it shake me.
I was in this. In it with him.
"Whoever it is, we'll deal with them," I said, trying to sound confident, even though I was terrified. The thought of someone close to Noha betraying him, of everything he had built being ripped apart—it was too much.
But Noha didn't flinch. He didn't pull away. Instead, he stepped closer, closing the gap between us.
"Promise me you'll stay out of this," he said, his voice low, a dangerous edge in his words. "I don't want you anywhere near it."
"I'm already in this, Noha," I said, my voice steady despite the fear rising inside me. "I'm not going anywhere."
For a long moment, he just looked at me, his eyes searching mine, as if trying to see if I meant it.
Finally, he nodded, though I could tell he didn't like it. "I'll keep you safe," he promised, his voice barely above a whisper.
Noha's POV
The night felt heavier than usual. There was a sense of foreboding in the air, a feeling that something bad was coming.
I was torn between wanting to protect Lisa and knowing that the more I kept her in my world, the more danger I put her in.
But I couldn't walk away. Not from her. Not from us.
"Stay close," I said, my tone firm as I looked at Lisa. "There's more going on than you know."
She didn't argue. She just nodded, her expression resolute.
Lisa's POV
We left the apartment together, the weight of the unspoken words hanging between us. Noha was still holding onto his secrets, but I wasn't giving up. Not now.
There was a long road ahead of us, filled with danger and uncertainty, but I had made my choice.
And I wasn't going anywhere.
Noha's POV
I led her through the back streets, moving swiftly, purposefully. Every step felt like we were walking closer to something darker, something neither of us was ready to face.
But there was no turning back.
Dante wasn't the only enemy we had to worry about. The traitor within my own ranks was a threat too, and I wouldn't rest until I found out who it was.
But as I looked at Lisa, her eyes full of quiet determination, I couldn't help but feel like I was holding onto the only thing that mattered anymore.
Her.
Lisa's POV
We finally reached the safe house, and the tension in the air was palpable. Noha's men were already inside, waiting for him. They weren't the type to ask questions, not when their loyalty ran so deep.
But tonight, Noha had a different kind of determination in his eyes.
Whatever was coming, I had no choice but to be ready for it.