Ruler of Your Ruh [a mafia romance ]

Chapter 28: "You...love me?"

Samina:

I waited. The chilled air fanning the tail of my hijab onto my face- inches apart from his.

His lips parted, "You, Samina, are the light in my darkened world," his eyes fixed on mine as he continued, even as a tightness began to form in my chest, "From the moment I saw you in Katia's house, when you kicked me in anger, despite the man I am. In a split second you took my soul and held it captive."

He cups my face in his calloused hands and continues, "You are my prayer that was granted. You complete me. If you break my soul tonight, then fine. As long as you know that it belongs to you now. You hold my heart and my soul, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

I'm stunned into silence.

He peers at me with his honey eyes and leans in impossibly close, "Say something, Ya Ruhi."

I feel... Whole. This is what I was missing. He was what I was missing. His eyes stay on mine even as I pull myself out of his gentle hold.

Standing up, I hold my hand out for him. His brows knit together in confusion yet he curls his rough hand around mine and stands up.

Letting go of his hand I begin to walk outside. The heat of his body behind me insinuating that he doesn't stray far.

I climb the steps that lead to the roof and sit on the edge. A soft smile plays on his lips knowingly as he settles next to me, and I move closer, ever so slightly. If he notices, he doesn't acknowledge it.

"When my Ammi told me about the engagement I despised her for it," I begin. "My life was plagued by thoughts of being shackled to a life I never wanted for myself. I would wonder how a mother could throw her daughter away like that. How she could do that to her only daughter?" The words come out in a harsh whisper, only for his ears.

Sometime when I was speaking, his arm made its way around my waist in a comforting manner, his touch sending sparks throughout my body.

"Slowly I began to blame myself. I blamed myself for letting it happen. For being a coward."

After a few seconds of silence I continue , "So I did the only thing I could think of to cope. My parents 'trained me' to become the strongest person in the family," I draw quotes in the air, "But never stronger than them. They were always my weakness. So I took my anger out on the people that deserved it."

I glance over and am met with a soft stare like he wants me to keep going. He wants me to tell him my story. To make me feel heard.

"My job was to torture and turn in rapists, groomers, and molesters," his body stiffens next to me, "I forced each one of them to confess to their crimes and confess on tape. Then I tortured them until they were no longer conscious. They were still alive but broken beyond repair. So I turned them in to the police. Each one of them died in jail once the prisoners find out what they did to get there." My face is one of disgust.

"I was always calm. I trained myself. Unless I was around Katia, I never let my guard down," I give him a pointed look.

"Until I finally met you," I roll my eyes at the memory, "You made me livid, and the funny thing is, I didn't even know it was you until Katia told me your name," I huff, "I never bothered looking you up. I never bothered even thinking about you until I met you."

His hand tightens around my waist and I look up at him, "My initial reaction was to yell at you since you walked in all cocky and irritating." he grins at my description. "Then I blanked on how handsome you- nope not finishing that."

"Oh come on Habibti you were getting to the good part," he laughs.

"I am not feeding your ego."

He sighs in mock defeat, "Fine... go on."

I grin, "Anyways, you know what happens next because you were there of course. But what I was getting at was... Along the way, I didn't realize it. Or rather, I didn't want to realize that I was starting to feel something for you. That I was beginning to love... you."

Heat rushed to my face as I admitted the one thing I was hiding from. I feel him take my shoulders and abruptly turn my body to face his. When I look up, I see that the full moon has illuminated his face softly. He cups my face in both of his hands.

His eyes glow in the moonlight, and I can't help but be mesmerized.

Since the day I met Azim, his beauty struck me fiercely. Right now? His beauty is unmatched. His eyes glinted, "You... love me?"

He sounds shocked and it breaks my heart. To think that he ever thought himself unworthy of love is... awful. "I tried so hard to hate you. I thought that maybe you would hate me too and I'd be free from heartbreak, and that's how we would end up living our lives. I wished that I could have hated you," I breathe. "But I can't."

His breath fogs softly in the cold air and hope fills his glowing eyes, as two dimples form on either side of his face.

"You, Azim, are all I can think about. Now it's you who plagues my mind. I am so very in love with you."

With those words, his lips press against my forehead.