Ayla was fuming.
Nasa loob pa rin siya ng club, pero wala na siya sa mood. Yung adrenaline rush na dapat galing sa isang hot revenge kiss? Napalitan ng... frustration.
"Use someone who can survive it."
Punyeta. Who the hell does he think he is?
She grabbed a glass of champagne and downed it in one go, eyes still locked on Sadiq who now sat back in his VIP seat—calm as fck*, legs wide open, one hand swirling a glass of bourbon.
May lalaking ganun? Ustadz pero mafia. Soft-spoken pero killer. Green flag pero red warning.
Gago siya.
But he was HER kind of gago.
"Two can play this game," she muttered, smirking.
The next day...
Ayla strutted into the Navarro estate like a queen who just came back from war.
Doon agad siya dumiretso sa study kung nasaan si Faheem, her father. At nandoon din—Sadiq.
Perfect.
"Ayla," Faheem said without looking up. "Mag-usap na kayo ni Sadiq. Ayoko ng delay. The marriage has to happen within the month."
"Wow," she said, fake smiling. "Bilis ng delivery. Gusto niyo ba may bouquet at chocolates pa?"
Sadiq turned to her slowly. "Pwede ring Qur'an and a Glock. Your choice."
Ang kapal talaga ng mukha nito.
"So," she said, walking toward him. "You think you're untouchable just because you're some holy mafia prince?"
"No," he said. "I know I'm untouchable because I'm yours."
TANGINA.
She blinked, caught off guard. Pero hindi siya nagpatinag.
"Right. Sa dami ng babaeng pilit kang hinahawakan kagabi?" she mocked. "Di ko alam kung akin ka o palamunin ng bar."
He stood. Slowly. Dangerous.
"You think you know me, Ayla?" His voice was low. Controlled. "You've built walls so high, you've forgotten how it feels to be seen."
And then he took a step closer.
"I see you."
She laughed—dry, sarcastic. "Oh, please."
"Don't 'please' me," he said, voice now firmer. "Unless you mean it."
BOOM.
She took a deep breath, trying to hide how her heart just slammed against her ribs.
But she refused to lose this round.
She leaned closer, lips inches away from his.
"If you think I'll fall for a man just because he's dangerous, calm, and looks like sin in a prayer robe—"
She smirked. "You're dead wrong."
"I'm not asking you to fall," Sadiq whispered, eyes never leaving hers.
"I'm asking you to stay... unt
il you do."