Danish truly had no intention of hurting Amora. But that stubborn girl had exhausted his patience. Yeah, let Amora think whatever she wanted. Did she think Danish was a thug? He didn't care.
"Don't argue with me if you want to be all right." Danish pressed a bandage over the cut on Amora's neck.
The girl winced against the sting. "I can't understand the way you think. You're the one who hurt me, so why are you treating me now?"
"It means I'm a responsible man." Danish closed the first-aid kit and examined Amora's neck, making sure the wound was completely covered. "Sorry. I had no choice."
Amora merely shrugged, her thin lips pursed in a pout that made it clear she was tired of dealing with Danish. Her slender body rose from the chair and disappeared into the bedroom. A few minutes later, the girl came back out wearing a black knit sweater and a gray scarf wrapped around her neck. A light coat of lipstick completed her look.
"Are you going somewhere?" Danish asked.
"Hmm, do I need your permission too?" Amora sneered flatly.
"I'm going to ride in your car again. I have somewhere to go."
"The fare is one hundred thousand per kilometer."
"You think I don't have money?" Danish pulled a platinum debit card from his wallet and tossed it onto the table. "Take it. Use it however you want."
Amora's thin lips puckered. She examined the debit card, her brow furrowing as if she were thinking something over. Yeah, just as Danish had suspected, Amora slipped the thin object into the small bag hanging from her shoulder. Money could silence her, perhaps that was also why Amora had agreed to become Dr. Andre's mistress.
"I'm driving." Danish snatched the car keys off the table after pulling up the zipper on his leather jacket. "Tell me where you're going."
"A meet and greet at a bookstore." Amora named one of the biggest malls in Jakarta.
"Okay. I'll get out at the intersection near the old building."
Danish exhaled cigarette smoke into the air. Both his arms rested on the rooftop railing. Standing atop the old building, he watched vehicles snake along the capital's roads. A gentle breeze tousled his increasingly messy hair.
"Why haven't you contacted me all week? And why did you run away from the apartment? I went there looking for you, but it was empty." A woman's soft voice fired a barrage of questions at Danish.
Danish turned and flicked the tip of his cigarette. Ash instantly fell and scattered through the air, adding to the pollution. The short-haired girl's name was Keysha. She had a slender figure, an oval face, and a petite-looking nose.
"I was running from Edward's men," Danish replied.
"Edward? Is he still holding a grudge over his brother's death?"
"He'll keep chasing me until I'm dead."
"Why don't you ask your father for help solving this?"
"So I can become a coward? I can handle it myself."
"Your life is what's at stake." Keysha placed her palm over the back of Danish's hand. The bangs on her forehead fluttered in the wind.
"I like this game. Let's see who dies first—Edward or me."
"Danish...." Keysha gripped Danish's hand tightly. Her voice sounded hoarse, as if she disagreed with the tall, broad-shouldered man beside her. "Don't toy with death."
Danish laughed and pulled his hand from her grasp. "Have you forgotten how many times I've escaped death? Luck is always on my side. And I'm sure Edward won't be able to kill me."
A harsh sigh escaped her. Keysha covered her face with both hands, unable to imagine all the terrible things that could happen. So far, no one had ever escaped Edward's pursuit. Anyone who dared to oppose that gangster leader met a miserable end.
"You don't need to worry about me. You know how I've managed to survive such a brutal life? I've made it through twenty-five years. So what does Edward amount to? To me, he's nothing but a speck of dust on the ocean." Danish dropped his cigarette butt onto the floor and crushed it under his shoe until it went out.
"Okay, but I hope you'll always be careful. Edward is a formidable opponent."
"Of course."
Keysha adjusted her skirt, which had been blown askew by the wind. Her slender body leaned against the rooftop railing as she looked at Danish. "So why haven't you given me a report on my brother-in-law's mistress this past week?"
"I haven't found her yet," Danish said. Of course, he was lying. For now, he had to keep his secret, considering that he still needed Amora's apartment as a hiding place.
"Really? You've always been good at tailing people."
"I've been following your brother-in-law, but I've never seen him dating any woman. A few times, I saw him meeting patients at a café. Nothing seemed special to me."
"Really? Then why does my sister keep smelling women's perfume on Andre's clothes?"
Danish gently patted Keysha's shoulder. Honestly, he felt guilty about hiding the truth. Ah, but he had no other choice. Besides, he also needed to investigate further whether Amora was really having an affair with Dr. Andre or whether there was something else forcing them to meet so often. Hmph. What a mysterious girl.
"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on your brother-in-law. If I find anything suspicious, I'll report it to you."
"Thanks, bro! If you manage to find that mistress, I'll add to your payment."
"Relax, Key."
"Oh, right. Have you had breakfast?"
"Hmm... I already had an omelet." Danish picked up another cigarette and placed it between his lips.
"How about we grab some coffee?"
Danish lit the cigarette with a match. He glanced at the watch on his left wrist. "I can't. I've still got something to take care of after this."
"All right," Keysha murmured, disappointed. "Then I'll get going."
"Okay."
Danish's gaze returned to the dozens of cars trapped in traffic, and he let Keysha walk away from him. The slow slap of her flat shoes echoed behind her. Then another man's voice seemed to call out to her. It was Randy, Danish's close friend.
"Keysha likes you." Randy handed Danish a can of beer.
Danish gave a short laugh and took the drink. It was cold. "She's too good for me to toy with."
"Asshole. So how long are you going to keep playing around with women?"
"Until I get tired of hating women."
Randy opened his can of beer and took a drink. "Just because your mother abandoned you as a baby, you lump all women together. That's not fair, asshole!"
"What else can I do? My hatred of women is already in my blood."
"Heh, I curse you to one day fall in love with a woman who doesn't want you. Then you'll know how painful it is to be unable to reach the woman you love."
"I don't care. Besides, that's impossible. I'm not like you, dreaming of a beautiful life with a woman and children you call a happy family."
"So what exactly is the purpose of your life?"
Danish drew deeply on his cigarette. The white smoke passed down his throat and filled his lungs. At the same time, he exhaled a thin stream directly into Randy's face, making the man cough softly.
"I don't have a purpose in life."
"You're completely insane. If you don't have a purpose in life, why are you running from Edward? Why not turn yourself in and let him kill you? Wouldn't that be better?"
"That's not how it works, idiot!" Danish scoffed. "I want to stay alive even if I don't have a purpose in life."
"How funny." Randy drained his can, then tossed it into the trash. A stray cat sleeping soundly leaped in fright and stared warily at the trash can. "So where are you staying now? You can't go home to your father, can you?"
"Yeah, I'm renting a room in a girl's apartment."
"Your new girlfriend?"
"No. Just a stranger who happened to save me."
"Is she pretty?"
Danish lightly punched Randy's shoulder. "All you ever think about is pretty women."
"From the way you're acting, I can guess she's a pretty girl."
"Unfortunately, she's not. She's skinny and flat-chested. And her face? I'd rate her a six and a half. The point is, she's boring and cruel."
"Oh, really?" Randy's brow furrowed as he stared sharply into Danish's eyes. "We've been friends a long time. I know when you're telling the truth and when you're lying."
"I'm not lying this time, asshole!" Danish waved a hand in front of his face. "Want to get coffee with me?"
"Coffee? Sure."
"Fifteen minutes. I don't have much time. After this, I have to pick her up."
"Pick her up? You sound like a possessive boyfriend."
"What are you talking about, idiot! Of course I have to pick her up. For now, I don't have access to her apartment. I'm only using her as a tool."
"Okay, whatever you say. I think you should be careful if you don't want to develop feelings for her."
"Love, you mean? That's not going to happen. A cruel girl like her isn't my type."
"We'll see." Randy raised one corner of his lips in a teasing smile.
Danish burst out laughing and pretended to smack his friend's head. Then the two of them walked side by side toward the stairs, heading for a café not far from the old building. Once again, Danish checked his watch, making sure he wouldn't be late picking Amora up at the bookstore.