DESTINED SOULMATES

CHAPTER 009

Zayn’s POV

“You’re running out of time, Zayn. I’m running out of time here and I’m sure you know what’s at stake,” my father hissed through the speaker, his voice sharp and threatening.

I leaned against the window, phone pressed against my ear as I stared at the gentle ripples of the ocean. “I’m working on it,” I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Are you? Because it sure as hell doesn’t look like it. You need her trust. Make it happen, and don’t let these thirty days elapse before I get what I want.”

The line went dead before I could say anything else. I locked my jaw and tossed the phone onto the table with more force than necessary.

Trust? I scoffed.

Julian made it sound so easy, like it was something I could conjure up immediately after I snapped my fingers.

I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through my hair. This wasn’t supposed to be complicated. I thought it was going to be easy. But nothing about her was simple.

My mind strayed to the other night. That stupid dare and….Ariana.

Her touch. It was so light and tender that it felt like she wasn’t sure if she should be touching me. But it hit me harder than anything ever had. I could still feel the warmth of her fingers on my skin and the tingling but electrifying sensation I had felt. And when she pulled away, I….

I wanted to hold her hand. To keep it there. To keep her close.

Then, when Kaiser dared me to kiss someone, it took everything I had within me not to move. I didn’t even need time to think because I knew exactly who I wanted.

I wanted to kiss her. Badly. My whole body had gotten tense with the need to feel her lips against mine but I just…I just couldn’t.

The urge was so overwhelming that it scared me, and I just had to leave before I got reckless.

What the hell was I supposed to do? Julian was breathing down hot on my neck and Ariana was messing with my head pretty badly. I was trapped, and the walls were closing in fast.

I needed a distraction. Something to drag me out of my own head before it swallowed me whole.

My gaze caught the bookshelf in the corner. A book. Yeah. That could work.

I pushed myself off the window and walked over to it, grabbing the first one that caught my eye. I needed something thought-provoking and heavy. Maybe it could turn down the noise in my head, even if it was just for a little while.

The sun was scorching, but the shade by the pool offered some relief. I settled into one of the lounge chairs and flipped open the book in my hand, hoping to distract myself from the pounding in my head.

I reached into my pocket, fingers brushing the smooth surface of the pill case. I wasn’t in the mood for any surprises. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been through this before but missing a dose was no longer an option, especially with how unpredictable things had been lately.

My eyes skimmed through the text but they all blurred together as my stupid thoughts kept drifting to Ariana. Why her? How was she able to slowly unravel everything I had kept tightly wound within me? And that too without making any effort?

I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. This…situation my father had me in also seemed like business as usual. Just business.

A sharp, familiar pain cut through me, dragging me back to reality. I grimaced, shifting uncomfortably in the chair as the pain—which had started as a dull ache—started to spread.

I fumbled for the pill case, hands trembling slightly as I popped one into my mouth. Swallowing it dry wasn’t ideal, but there wasn’t any time to worry about that. The wooziness hit next, a dizzy spell that made everything tilt to the side, just enough to be disorienting.

I leaned forward, gripping the edge of the chair. The pill bottle slipped from my hand and fell on the floor, rolling under the chair. ‘Damn it.’

Slowly, the pain began to subside after a while. My breathing had gotten even again, and the haze in my head began to clear. The ache wasn’t gone, not entirely, but at least it was manageable now.

I relaxed back on the chair and closed my eyes, placing the book on my chest as I took in a deep breath and then exhaled.

I was tired of this pain. Not just in the way that a very stressful day made you feel, but I was exhausted deep in my soul. It wasn’t just physical anymore. It had gotten deeper, woven into the fabric of my existence now.

This wasn’t living—it was surviving. Every medication, every appointment, every single fragment of hope was shattered because every trial led to a dead end.

I had more than enough money for myself but still…it seemed like there was no escape.

I opened my eyes, staring at the clear blue sky. How long could I keep going like this? How long before I finally couldn’t take it anymore? I needed to find a way. An end to this misery.

“Hey.”

I turned my head to see Ariana standing a few feet away, holding a stick of candy floss. She looked soft, almost ethereal in the glow of the late afternoon sun. Her white crop top revealed her smooth and flat belly, making me discover she had an innie for a belly button. The black shorts she wore revealed a good portion of her thighs—beautiful and sexy—and I just felt like placing my head in between them.

When she noticed my stare, she cleared her throat and took a few steps closer, before settling onto the chair beside mine. “Hey,” I replied, tearing my gaze away from her. “Back already? Where’s uh…where’s Kaiser?”

She shrugged and I watched her tear a piece of the pink floss before popping it into her mouth. “He’s still there. Having fun,” she said softly. “I got tired and decided to head back.”

I nodded as I swallowed, still feeling strangely awkward a bit after she caught me ogling at her.

“You…like reading?” she asked, her voice low and almost hesitant.

“Yeah,” I said, glancing down at the book still on my chest. “It helps me clear my head.”

She did a soft ‘mhm’ in acknowledgement as her gaze drifted to my arm. Her eyes traced the ink on my forearm, lingering on the phrase inscribed there.

“Noli…timere,” she read aloud, her pronunciation careful. “What does it mean again?”

“Do not be afraid,” I translated.

She nodded slowly, her fingers absently twisting a piece of the fluff as she probably registered the words. “And the one under the dragon?” she added, her gaze lifting to meet mine.

I smirked, remembering the truth-or-dare game. “You still thinking about that tattoo?”

“Maybe,” she admitted and I saw the way her lips curved slightly.

I extended my arms wide as I stretched out a little and a soft grunt escaped me. “Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.”

She tilted her head to the side a bit, waiting for me to translate again.

“If I can’t bend the will of Heaven, I shall move Hell,” I said, my voice dropping slightly.

Her brows furrowed and a flicker of something crossed her face—understanding? Or maybe it was curiosity. “Why Latin though? Did you take classes in it or something?”

I chuckled lightly, the sound surprising me a bit. “Yeah, I took a few classes,” I said. “Besides, it’s different, and it’s not really a common language anymore, so I like it.”

She gave a small nod. “It suits you,” she murmured, barely counting as a whisper.

For a moment, the silence stretched between us, but it wasn’t heavy. It felt comfortable.

“You ever read a book entirely in Latin?” she asked and the question caught me by surprise.

I shook my head, lips curving into a half-smile. “Not yet. But maybe I should.”

Ariana smiled and shifted in her seat, her gaze drifting lazily to the pool’s shimmering surface. I picked up the book and tried to focus on it again, but her presence was….distracting.

Calming, in a way I couldn’t quite understand.

I felt her move beside me, and before I could glance over, she bent down and retrieved something from beneath my chair.

“What’s this?” she asked, holding up the small pill bottle as she tilted her head to study the label.

My chest tightened.

‘s**t, I had totally forgotten about that.’

I reached out tentatively, taking it from her hand before she could ask more questions. “Just something for headaches,” I lied, slipping it back into my pocket.

Her eyes stayed fixed on me, scepticism reflecting in their depths. “Headaches?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Dragging days, too much sun. You know how it is.”

Ariana didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t push. Instead, she gave a small and thoughtful nod as she leaned back in her chair, tossing another bite of candy floss into her mouth.

Her gaze shifted to the calm and steady ocean, but that suspicious look in her eyes hadn’t completely faded.

I leaned back in my chair, letting out a slow and quiet exhale.

It was time to put an end to this.