One close enemy

Time was passing slowly and that's how night began spreading. Layla was getting ready for the club. Noah came to her room's door and knocked. "Come inside." shouted Layla from the inside. He opened the door and entered the room. Layla was standing infront of the mirror trying to lock her necklace. She was wearing the long net frock and ironed her hair straight. Noah kept staring at her. "If you are here then atleast help me with my neclace." said Layla. Noah nodded in yes and got closer to her. He removed her hair from back of her neck slowly and locked her neclace while she was watching him from the mirror. He set her hair down gently. "Umm thanks." Layla appreciated. "No problem!" said Noah with a smile. "Everything is ready? Make sure nothing goes wrong." ordered Layla. "I've handled everything." answered Noah. After a while they both went to car, sat in and drove to their destination. Layla was little nervous because she doesn't want to mess this up but she was confident that she will handle this perfectly.

       Club lights were bright and can be seen from far. As they entered the parking area Noah asked Layla to go on by herself and he will follow him after parking her car. She took all the guards with her and entered the club. Everyone there bowed to her and greeted her and she felt like she was a queen. It was her first time getting all this protocol because before she never went anywhere with the guards and the title of being a daughter of a mafia family but now she was the boss and all this was new to her but she felt a spark with this new feeling. She always belonged there but she didn't accept that before. She moved little further and saw them sitting at the last seat. "Yes! I am early. Mr.Adrian is not here yet." said Layla. She moved to the table. "Hey! can i sit here?" questioned Layla. The man with quite dangerous eyes moved his face upwards to Layla. He was handsome but cold. "I have company." said that man in a heavy voice. "You are mean... I mean with all these your hot looks, you seem pretty cold hearted." taunted Layla with a challenging smile. That man stood up from his seat and moved to her. Layla's guards pointed their guns towards him. Layla raised her left hand little up and pointed them to stop. "What's your name?" asked the man. "Layla Simon. And you?" asked Layla. "Brian Andrew." said the man. "So can i sit now?" asked Layla once again. Brian moved little closer to Layla. He put his finger under Layla's chin. "From up this close, You are not that bad." said Brian and smirked. He was so close to Layla that She felt the cigar smelled breath on her face. She shook her head and sat down. "I find your name little familiar. I think I've heard it before." said Brian little confused. "Sure you did. I am daughter of Simon Rigg. You worked for him? Right?" asked Layla. "So you came to me intentionally? What do you want from me?" asked Brian. Noah entered and came to the table. Layla blinked her eyes and gave him signal that everything was under control. Noah nodded assuredly. "So what do you think of working with me? I can be more beneficial for you than Adrian Gabe." said Layla. "Well her daughter offered many useful things to me that sorry to say i can't deny to." said Brian. "Fiora is dealing with you?" questioned Layla. And then Fiora walked through the door with all her guards behind looking all different. She wasn't the same person as before. The way she walked, her body language and her face expressions were all different. She came to the table and stopped. "What are you doing here?" asked Fiora. Layla stood up and rolled her eyes. "Stealing your deal." said Layla confidently. "Stop coming in my way. Go!!" shouted Fiora. "Your way? what if i don't want to?" asked Layla challenging her. They both had fire in their eyes. Their eyes met and they stared into each other's eyes for long. "Then i have no choice." said Fiora, took out the gun from her pocket, grabbed Noah from the behind and pointed the gun on his head. Layla8 laughed like crazy. "So you really have gone mad?" asked Layla in a serious tone. "He is the one who is lurking around you whole day. huh? He must be very important to you?" questioned Fiora scarily smiling. Layla snatched gun from one of her guard and pointed it to Fiora's head. "You must be keeping tabs on me. Seems like you know everything happening around me just like before." taunted Layla. "You became more confident than before but not enough to pull this trigger." said Fiora. Layla took a breath. "Babe I can if i want to." answered Layla. Meanwhile Noah was trying to free himself little by little and then he twisted Fiora's arm away from him and just then gun shot was heard. Noah stucked to his place and after a minute he turned behind slowly and his eyes met with Layla. She was barely breathing and tear rolled down her cheek. Noah moved his eyes down and saw her bleeding from her stomach and then she collapsed. He saw Brian behind her standing pointing gun in this direction and smoke was coming out of the gun. Brian started running away and Noah followed him but then he thought of Layla lying there in blood so he came back and ordered guards to chase him. "Layla." shouted Noah while holding her head on his legs. Layla's face was pale and there was sweat all over. Fiora was standing infront of Layla completely freezed. She wanted to move but couldn't. She was trembling, out of breath and she wasn't even blinking. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She started scratching her nails on inside of her hand strongly and then she turned backwards and ran to the exit. Noah carried Layla in his arms and ran outside. He removed his shirt and tied on her wound to stop the bleeding then he took her to the hospital.

Noah was standing shirtless holding his shirt in his hand at the door of operation theatre. He had blood stains all over his body and blood was dripping from the shirt. Doctor came out. "Operation was successful but we have to wait until she will regain her consciousness." said doctor. "Thank you!" said Noah.

Three days passed but Layla was still unconscious. Noah spent day and night there while Daniel also visited from time to time.

        It was six in the morning and Noah was dozing off on the chair when a doctor along with some nurses ran to the Layla's ward. Noah woke up with their noise. "What happened?" Noah questioned the guard standing at the door of ward. "I think madam woke up." said the guard. Noah smiled and sighed in relief. Doctor came out and said "She is awake now. Her vitals are okay too." Noah thanked the doctor and went inside the ward. He saw Layla lying there with half opened eyes staring at him. "Are you alright?" questioned Noah. Layla blinked her eyes and smiled. "What about you?" asked Layla with a trembling voice. "You shouldn't speak now. Just rest." advised Noah. "I am fine. I had enough rest for last three days but you look so tired." asked Layla. "I am fine now that you are fine." said Noah. Layla closed her eyes.

        "She woke up." said the guard standing infront of Fiora. "That's a relief." said Fiora in a slow and faint voice. Guard greeted her and left. Fiora turned towards the portrait of her and Layla. "That's why i told you to leave. Why are you so stubborn? risking your life like you got many lives to live? Fool!" shouted Fiora angrily to the portrait.

         After few hours, Layla woke up and turned her face to the right and saw Noah sleeping at the side of her bed. she stared at him for a while. "He looks handsome even when he is sleeping." said Layla shying. Daniel knocked the door and entered in. "Madam!" Daniel said. "Shhhhh!" Layla put her finger on her mouth and signaled Daniel to stay quiet but Noah woke up rubbing his eyes. "What is happening?" asked Noah in a sleepy voice. "I am sorry." Daniel apologised. "It's fine now. What is it?" asked Layla. "We have captured Brian Andrew. What do you want us to do to him?" questioned Daniel. "Just leave him there. I will handle him myself when i come home." ordered Layla. "That Jerk! I will kill him." said Noah with angry face. "Cool down! I have few things to ask him first. I need him alive right now." said Layla and coughed. "Are you okay? Should i call the doctor?" asked Noah. "It's just a cough. Don't overreact." said Layla. Daniel left the room.

       "It was your first day at work and you went through alot in that just one day." said Layla. "Well i did. You know you ruined my favourite shirt with all that blood over it." Noah complained. "Oh so you are worried about your shirt and not me? I can buy you hundred shirts like that." said Layla smirking. "Okay then buy me. I know you are rich, no need to show off." said Noah teasing her. Layla laughed. "Joker!" said Layla. "I am going outside for some coffee. Do you need anything?" questioned Noah. "No thanks I have people for that." said Layla rolling her eyes. "Sure Sure your highness." said Noah and bowed to her. Layla tried to control her laugh.

Few more days passed away meanwhile Layla was recovering fastly and finally the day came when doctor discharged her. Layla was packing her stuff in the ward with Noah when someone knocked.