The Line Between us

Dangerous Attraction

The warehouse was finally in police custody, Kaif had escaped. Alif was still watching the officers load the wounded victim into the ambulance when Sahir ran up to her.

" I told you not to go in there alone! What if something had happened to you? "

Alif sighed, " I'm fine Sahir, really. You don't need to worry."

" Someone has to, since you don't seem to care about yourself."

As soon as he finished, an officer yelled out that the victim was alive, and Alif told him to take her to the hospital, but her thoughts were already drifting away.

Daniel.

The man that should have been her enemy.

He'd fought along side of her, and disappeared without a word.

⸻

The next day Alif wandered into the hospital and spotted Daniel walking out of a corridor.

" Hello Officer. " He smirked, " Missed me?"

" Not even in your dreams."

She walked away, but as her twisted ankle nearly buckled her knees, he caught her by the waist.

Alif was surprised to find herself leaning against him briefly, her hand on his shoulder,

" Careful. " Daniel murmured, his eyes on her face.

" I can manage."

" Obviously."

He got a doctor to look at her ankle, and Alif turned on him as soon as they were alone.

" Why did you save me in the warehouse?"

Daniel's expression hardened, " I was saving myself. If you died, I'd be next on his list."

Alif huffed, " Then why save me now?"

Daniel said nothing in response, only shaking his head, and walking away. As soon as he was gone, Alif turned and left, ignoring the way his words had affected her.

⸻

Later that evening Sahir drug her out to a club to take her mind off things. She was nursing her drink, when a very familiar voice slid up behind her.

" Not enjoying yourself Officer? "

Daniel was leaning against the bar, dressed in black, looking insufferably handsome.

" Do you follow me around?" Alif asked, narrowing her eyes.

" Only when I'm bored."

" Find a new hobby."

His gaze traveled up and down her face, " Maybe I just found one."

Alif turned away, fighting off the smile that wanted to appear. A waiter bumped her injured ankle, and she would have fallen, if Daniel's hand hadn't appeared to steady her. He pulled her closer, the other of his hands resting lightly on her waist.

" Does it hurt?" he asked, the teasing gone from his voice.

" No."

" Liar."

Alif looked up at him, realizing how close he was,

" Stop looking at me like that."

" Like what?"

" Like..."

" Like you know something you're not telling me."

A shadow crossed his expression, " Maybe I do."

A slow song was playing, and Daniel held out his hand. " One dance?"

" Absolutely not."

He was already pulling his hand back, but Alif caught it before it could go far. “One. Don’t get excited.”

His smirk returned. On the dance floor his hand hovered lightly at her waist, while hers rested on his shoulder. They moved slowly, and more than once in the dim lighting, their eyes locked. Daniel's fingers brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face, lingering at her cheek for a moment.

" You always fight it so hard, when it comes to wanting what you want?" His voice was low and rough against her ear.

Alif raised an eyebrow, " Only when it's dangerous."

His lips were barely an inch from hers, his eyes watching hers intently before he moved down to her mouth.

" Then I guess we're both in trouble." He whispered.

Alif felt her heart betraying her when his fingers curled in her hair, pulling her in closer. His breath fanned against her lips, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away. He paused, hovering just above her forehead. Neither of them moved. Neither of them wanted to be the first. Finally Alif whispered,

" This changes nothing."

Daniel looked into her eyes, " Of course not Officer, " He kissed her cheek before stepping back. Her hand fell from his shoulder, and he was gone in a flash. Alif turned and left, smiling to herself. She was a policeman, and Daniel was a criminal. They were suppose to be enemies, but one dance had changed everything. And Daniel had found out something much more dangerous than the danger she could bring to his case.

Alif found herself watching him from the entrance long after she'd left. He was still watching her. He raised his glass and smiled, but she just rolled her eyes and smiled at him. Some lines were meant to be crossed. But others, were dangerous to step over.

The next morning Alif came to the station determined to forget about the night before.

Daniel's touch, his voice, the way he had looked at her.

Focus Alif. He is a criminal not a distraction.

Later that afternoon she found him in the hospital corridor wearing a grey hoodie and dark jeans.

"Good morning Officer," Daniel greeted with a familiar smirk.

"Don't you have a criminal empire to run?"

"Kindly, don't you have a habit of forgetting me?"

She gave him a look. "In your dreams."

Daniel looked at her face, amused by her will not to look at his.

"Careful Alif, keep being so stubborn and I am beginning to think that you actually enjoy looking at me."

"Keep talking Daniel, and I will take you to jail."

He took a step closer and lowered his voice.

"And what if I like it when you threaten me?"

There was a second of silence before Alif turned her head away.

"Keep talking and I'll arrest you."

Daniel almost reached for her, to pull her close and see how many seconds would pass before that beautiful tongue of hers would stop wagging. He wanted to brush the hair from her face, find the places where her muscles were tight, and see if her eyes would still challenge him when there was no more room to hide behind her words.

Just the thought of it made his jaw tick.

Damn her, she was frustrating.

Alif took a step back from him.

"You and I are nothing alike. I fight to protect people, you fight for revenge."

Daniel's smirk wavered.

"You really think the law will save everybody?"

"I believe in doing what is right."

Alif turned to leave not giving him time to answer, leaving Daniel with a unfamiliar mix of frustration, something akin to admiration, and a dangerous brand of want. She had him in a way that no one ever had, even if he would never admit it. He wanted her more than he believed it was wise to want anyone, which in turn made him angry because she, no doubt, would kill him if he ever showed it.

⸻

Inside the ICU the rescued victim finally told them what they wanted to hear.

"Kaifs grand father once was RONANS BUSINESS PARTNER. Ronan betrayed him over an illegal organ trafficking deal and since then Kaif has wanted revenge on Ronan and by extension Daniel, the heir apparent."

Alif looked at Sahir who in turn looked at the man.

"And why did Kaif take you hostage?"

"I witnessed him killing two men, he saw me and two days later his men found me."

"Did Daniel have anything to do with it?"

The man shook his head. "But Kaif mentioned him. He said let's see if Daniel saves this one as well."

Alif narrowed her eyes. It seemed that Kaif wasn't only after Daniel's empire, he was using innocent people as pawns in his vendetta.

"If you testify he can be put away for a very long time."

The man took a deep breath. "If I do, he will kill me."

Alif put a hand on his shoulder. "Not on my watch."

She left the room with a new lead, but a thought niggling at the back of her mind. Daniel wasn't only up against the rival family, he was about to become the next victim in their vendetta filled war. Which made the crazy part of her that wanted to make sure nothing happened to Daniel swell in a way that made her both angry and ashamed.

It was none of their business really, but Daniel had become the closest thing in her life that resembled family. Neither of them seemed to be aware that the real war, the one that truly mattered, would be between Kaif and herself.

And not for any grand reason other than the fact that she was a stupid sentimental fool.