Top Assassins Call Me The Lady Boss-Chapter 176: "Because, I want to."

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Six

"I’m calling my doctor now," Ahmet said, already reaching for his phone.

Asli shook her head immediately. The movement was sharp, and instinctive. Fear tightened her throat before she could even explain it.

"She’s one of my people," he assured, softer this time, as if that alone should calm her.

It didn’t.

She kept shaking her head, small and stubborn, her arms folding around herself like she was bracing for something unseen. Ahmet watched her for a second longer, then lowered his phone. He didn’t argue and didn’t insist. For once, he simply let it go.

"Okay," he said quietly. "Not now, but let me know when you go for a check-up."

That alone surprised her.

The tension didn’t disappear, but it loosened, just enough for air to slip back into the room. Asli exhaled, not realizing she’d been holding her breath. She moved toward the bed, staring at nothing in particular, fingers absently tracing the edge of the sheets.

Ahmet leaned against the table, watching her. Not like he was assessing a situation. Not like he was planning his next move. Just... watching.

"You’re cold," he said.

"I’m not."

He didn’t respond. He simply stepped closer and draped his jacket over her shoulders anyway. The fabric was still warm from him. She stiffened for half a second, then relaxed despite herself.

"I said I’m not cold," she muttered.

"And I said nothing," he replied lightly.

She shot him a look. He only smiled, slow, almost teasing, and something in her chest shifted in a way she didn’t like because it made her feel unguarded.

She tugged the jacket tighter around herself and didn’t give it back.

That made his smile widen.

They stood there like that for a moment, neither of them speaking, the quiet oddly comfortable. It looked... wrong and dangerous. Yet, she felt good, simple, and real. And for once, she didn’t question it.

"I have a mission later in the day," Ahmet said eventually. His tone was casual, like he was asking about dinner plans. "Can I see you after? What’s your schedule like?"

Asli shrugged out of his jacket and reached for her own, slipping it on instead. The familiar weight settled over her shoulders.

"After here, I’ll be gone for hours on a mission," she said, already moving toward the door. "I don’t know when I will be back."

He followed her without thinking, stopping just short of blocking her path. "Then I will wait for you when I return."

She paused.

Slowly, she turned to face him. "You don’t wait," she said. She was not accusing. Just stating a fact.

He shrugged. "There is a first time for everything and I don’t mind doing it for you."

Her brows pulled together in a faint frown. "Why?"

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The touch was brief, and careful like he was asking permission even as he did it.

"Because," he said finally, "I want to."

That unsettled her more than any argument would have.

She stepped back, creating space between them, but her eyes lingered on his face like they hadn’t gotten the message yet. "Don’t make promises you can’t keep."

"I didn’t promise," he said. "I said I will wait."

She scoffed softly, shaking her head as she reached for the door handle. "You’re annoying."

His lips curved. "You don’t mean that."

She hesitated, then opened the door. "Don’t get yourself killed before I get back."

It slipped out before she could stop it.

Ahmet blinked, then laughed quietly. It was not mocking, or amused. It sounded warm. "That sounded like concern."

She glanced back at him, her eyes sharp. "Don’t read into it."

"Too late."

She rolled her eyes and stepped into the hallway. "Don’t eat before I return."

"Yes, boss."

She stopped, turned slowly, and pointed at him. "Don’t say that."

He raised both hands in surrender, still smiling. "Go. Before I say something worse."

She stepped out of the building, the chill brushing against her skin. At first, her face was set, and emotionless, probably a mask of focus she put on always.

Then, for no reason at all, a curve tugged at the corner of her lips. A warmth spread through her chest, soft and insistent, and she realized her steps had slowed, her mind wandering to Ahmet.

The memory of his ridiculous, sheepish smile, and the way his hand lingered when he had tried to cover her earlier, it all swirled inside her like a rush of sunlight breaking through clouds. Her lips parted into a grin she couldn’t contain, and her eyes sparkled, bright and reckless.

She shook her head slightly, laughing quietly to herself, the sound almost lost to the quiet air. Damn it, she thought, ’Damn, I think I like his smile.’

The thought was simple, terrifying, and thrilling all at once, but she didn’t care. Not this time. The realization felt amazing. She didn’t need to care. Her heart, stubborn and alive, had chosen its own truth, and the world... her world felt suddenly lighter, brighter, as she slid into her car.

*****

The sound of the door echoed through the apartment.

Ahmet’s head lifted instantly.

For a split second, his heart leapt. Was it stupid of him? He was hopeful, and eager. He straightened, already moving toward the hallway, a smile pulling at his lips before he could stop it.

"Back already?" he called, voice light, teasing. "Forgot something, or did you miss..."

He turned the corner.

Markus stood there instead.

The smile died where it was born. It drained from Ahmet’s face so fast it was as if it had never existed at all. His shoulders stiffened, his eyes sharpened, and the warmth in him snapped shut as a door slammed in a storm.

Markus only saw the frown. The guarded look. The Ahmet he knew.

He grinned.

"Oh, my brother," Markus drawled, dropping the bags in his hand by the wall. "Your breakup with Asli is really taking a toll on you."

Ahmet didn’t rise to it. "How are you here?" he asked flatly.

Markus shrugged, unbothered, moving further inside like he owned the place. "Why wouldn’t I be? You told us to continue the mission. The materials weren’t at my end." He glanced around. "I got to the Villa, realized you weren’t there, so I brought everything here. I stopped by somewhere first, if not, I would’ve been here an hour ago. I needed to take care of something."

Ahmet’s eyes narrowed. "You... you... Okay. But how did you get in?" He folded his arms. "I changed the access. You shouldn’t be able to override it."

Markus chuckled softly. "You reset it, yeah. But I can still enter." He lifted his hand slightly, wiggling his fingers. "System still recognizes my fingerprint."

Ahmet stared at him for a long moment, his jaw tightening.

Of course it did. If Markus had come earlier, Asli wouldn’t have stayed.

Markus missed the flicker of something else crossing his face. It was annoyance layered over something dangerously close to disappointment. He only saw the tension, the familiar irritation.

"You look angry," Markus went on casually, eyes scanning the apartment again, "what did I interrupt?"

"Nothing," Ahmet said quickly. Too quickly. Then, as if testing the air, he added, "What would be your reaction if I got someone pregnant?"

Markus stopped mid-step.

"What the hell?" he blurted, turning fully to him now. "You can’t do that to Asli. You’ll ruin her. She’ll hate you forever." His voice dropped, sharp with panic. "Do you have any idea what that would mean in our world? Scratch that, you know what her father would do to her."

Ahmet looked away. "I was just asking."

Markus scoffed. "Don’t even joke about that." He waved it off, forcing himself back into mission mode. "What’s our next plan?"

Ahmet exhaled slowly. "We finish everything this month. Marco needs to be brought down. As soon as possible."

"I know," Markus said, nodding. Then his brows knit together. "But why the urgency?" He studied Ahmet’s face. "Are you still angry at Asli? I figured the rushed execution was because she shot you."

Ahmet frowned. "Me? I was never angry at her."

The lie barely settled before Markus turned fully toward him.

Confused. Searching.

"You weren’t?" Markus said slowly. "That’s some bullshit. You were planning on killing her."

Ahmet blinked. "Me? When?"

Markus stared at him like he’d lost his mind. "Ahmet, you were furious. All you talked about was ending her, and anyone she cared about, if they were also guilty." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "How can you just..."

He stopped short.

His gaze drifted down the hallway. Then back to Ahmet. Then to the hallway again.

"...wait," Markus said quietly. "What happened while you were here alone?"

Ahmet stiffened.

Markus’s eyes widened, a slow grin pulling at his mouth. "Is Asli in the bedroom?" He tilted his head. "Is that why you got pissed when I walked in?"

He took a step closer, voice dropping. "Did you two reconcile?"