by M. V. Kasi
“He’s watching you!” Pooja whispered into her ear. “I’m literally getting goosebumps seeing the look in his eyes.”
Naina shook her head. “It’s just an act,” she whispered, even though her stomach quivered at his look. She recalled their time together in the shower while getting ready an hour ago.
“Why are you blushing then?” Pooja whispered smugly. “And come on! Nobody can act that well. And what is the need for him to act? He’s already married to you and gained your father’s alliance.”
Naina didn’t have an answer to her friend’s reasoning. Luckily, the music picked up, and the rest of her friends jumped up excitedly.
“Let’s dance!”
Naina danced with her friends as they let their hair down after a week of assignments and coursework. There was only a month remaining until the finals, and it might be the only time they could afford to party before being neck-deep in the exams.
But even as she enjoyed herself, she was aware of Shiv’s presence. She raised her head to see where he was, but he wasn’t on the top two floors. Frowning, she searched for him. She was sure she felt his presence somewhere close by.
She found him. He was standing at a distance near the bar area while speaking to someone.
“He is the owner of the club.”
“Really? Wow, he’s so gorgeous.”
Naina turned to look at the women who were discussing Shiv. They were slightly older than her and her friends, but they were all beautiful and much more sophisticated.
They were exactly the kind of women Shiv Jaipal would have dated in the past. Had he not married her, he probably would have picked a sophisticated woman like them to marry as well.
She felt a dull ache in her heart at the thought.
She knew she was falling for the devil. Each moment she spent with him, she was opening her heart piece by piece. She knew he would stomp on her heart one day, and yet that didn’t stop her foolish heart from beating faster when he was around.
Maybe it’s time to face the harsh reality. Instead of waiting for him to betray her, she could move things along and make it happen much earlier before she completely surrendered her heart to him.
“Do you like that man?” she suddenly asked the group of women.
The women looked at her and frowned. Seeing her along with her university friends dressed in simple clothes, they gave her a dismissive glance.
“His name is Shiv Jaipal. Not only does he own the club, he is one of the wealthiest and powerful men in the country.”
The women continued to frown, wondering why she was giving them the information.
“If any of you can get his phone number or even a date, I’ll give you this.” She pointed at her bracelet.
There were soft gasps. “Are those real diamonds?” one of the women asked.
“Yes. They are real diamonds, and even if they weren’t, you’d still have the opportunity to get his phone number or a date.”
The women looked excited. She could hear their excited voices as they discussed among themselves. A few minutes later, the prettiest among them straightened her back. “I’ll go first.”
With her heart aching, Naina watched as the beautiful woman made her way to the devil. She was reminded of the first time she had gone to him similarly and asked him for a drink and a dance.
He had rejected her then, but she knew it was because she was supposed to get married to his friend. But now, the beautiful woman didn’t come with any strings.
“What the hell are you doing, Naina!” Pooja whispered.
The rest of their friends were oblivious to what was happening. They were dancing away merrily.
“I’m doing the inevitable. Speeding things up.”
“That’s hardly inevitable! Why do you think he’d fix a date or give his phone number when he is married, and his wife is a few hundred feet away?”
Pooja was right. Naina turned away, making sure that when he looks for her, she would be facing him with her back. She wanted him to feel free to flirt or set up a date.
“He’s not your father, Naina! Give him a chance.”
Naina remained quiet even as her heart began to beat with a sick thud. A few minutes later, the gorgeous woman returned.
“Did you get his number?” the woman’s friends asked. “Or a date?”
“No.” There was disappointment in the woman’s tone.
“Let me try.” Another woman said before going to him.
“He’s hardly talking to them,” Pooja whispered. “In fact, he has a frown even though he’s trying to be polite with them.”
The other woman returned after a few minutes. “Maybe he’s not into women,” the woman said with a huff. “Most gay men are quite gorgeous like him.”
Pooja muffled her laugh. “If only they saw your hickies!”
Naina’s cheeks heated with a blush. Shiv Jaipal definitely preferred women. And she could certainly assert to that fact.
One by one, the rest of the women went and came back unsuccessful. When the last one went, Naina couldn’t bear the suspense and turned to see.
Like Pooja had mentioned, Shiv was speaking to the woman with a small frown yet a polite look on his face. Then slowly, while the woman continued speaking, his frown melted, and he began talking to the woman.
Something sharp pierced her heart. She knew she was going to lose more than her bracelet that night. She had a grim, satisfied look on her face while Pooja had a thundering frown.
“I told you he would cheat,” she told her friend even as a sick feeling took over her stomach.
She didn’t know why she was feeling sick when it was something she had expected.
After a few moments, the woman returned excitedly.
“Did you get his number or a date?” the woman’s friends asked.
“No!” the woman replied excitedly. “Even better. I told him I was an investment banker and graduated from a top management school. He said his friend was looking for an executive with a similar background. I’m going to have an interview next week!”
Naina was stunned, and Pooja burst out laughing. The rest of their friends stopped their dancing to ask what had happened.
“Nothing,” said Pooja, continuing to laugh hysterically.
Naina felt confused. Why didn’t he flirt with any of those women? He could have at least taken their numbers to set up a date when she wasn’t around.
Suddenly, there was prickling on her neck.
“Dance with me,” the devil whispered huskily in her ear.
With her heart thudding, she slowly turned while pasting a polite, friendly smile for the sake of her friends who were watching them.
His hands held her waist and moved her away from her friends.
He watched her with an amused smile. “I’m going to spank you tonight for interrupting me while I was talking to someone important.”
Her cheeks burned, and she tried to think of an explanation. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she murmured, deciding to play dumb.
“The last one told me about your little game. Diamond bracelet, huh?”
Oh shit.
She thought he’d be angry, but he wasn’t.
His smile turned wicked. “Go on, have fun with your friends for the next two hours. But don’t forget what’s waiting for you tonight.”
Despite his threat, she shivered when his thumb rubbed against the sensitive skin at the back of her elbow.
And just like that, she fell back into the devil’s spell. Each moment she spent with her friends, she was filled with anticipation.
When she finally left the club and reached home, he kept up his promise.
That night as she lay exhausted in his arms, she realized that she was quickly losing the battle to protect her heart from the devil.
CHAPTER 4 4
“Hello, Sameera. How are you?”
Naina shook the hands of a middle-aged woman whom she was meeting at the university cafeteria. Despite the ca
sual clothes, the posture and body language of the woman gave her away as a cop.
“Good afternoon, Naina. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Naina had spoken to Sameera Vasisht on the phone over the last year, but had never met her in person. Aditi Shaurya had given Sameera’s contact information as someone trustworthy who could help with her escape.
Even though trust didn’t come easy, Naina had no choice other than to go with what she had at that time. But over the months, she began to trust the policewoman when she realized that the policewoman was not the kind to be swayed by money or power.
“Here are your mother’s and your passports.” The policewoman placed a small folder on the table in between them.
“Thank you.”
Naina didn’t touch the folder. She felt strangely reluctant to take it. Until a few weeks ago, she had been desperately waiting to get things to move faster so she could continue with her future plans. But now, the thought of the day made her feel strangely heavy inside her stomach.
“So, how are things going?” Sameera asked.
“My exams are beginning next week.”
“Oh. Good. So, you’ll graduate soon.”
Naina nodded. “Yes.”
The policewoman watched her closely. “Our department has gathered enough information on your father and stepmother. In two weeks, we plan to have them arrested. Thank you for helping us.”
At the request of the policewoman, Naina had planted several spying devices in her father’s home. She didn’t regret doing it. She had long known her father was morally corrupt, but to know he was involved in things such as drugs and sex trafficking, had turned her stomach.
“There is sufficient proof to lock up your father and stepmother for the rest of their lives, but we need them outside for two more weeks to use them as bait to capture others.”
“I see.”
Naina had always wondered whether or not she needed an escape plan if her father and stepmother were arrested. But she knew that sometimes, the corrupt managed to evade the law. And so, she didn’t want to take chances.
“All right, I need to go. All the best for your exams, Naina. Do call me if you need any help.” The policewoman stood up to leave.
Naina got up and shook the policewoman’s hands. “Thanks a lot for your help, Sameera.”
After the Sameera Vasisht left, Naina reluctantly picked up the small folder containing the passports and put it inside her bag.
She was supposed to be happy and excited that the day she had been waiting for a very long time was getting closer. She could finally escape and build a life for her mother and herself. But she didn’t feel that way.
It was madness, but the thought of leaving the devil made her heart feel strangely heavy.
***
“Mr. Jaipal, we can confirm it is him.”
Shiv was standing in the bedroom talking on the phone as Tejas and the team of investigators provided him with updates. There was proof that Vicktor had another surgery, and they had found his fingerprints and DNA at a London clinic.
“We believe he is still in London because there is a close watch on all the borders.”
“Keep a closer watch on the ports,” Shiv ordered. “I’m pretty sure the bastard must be using cargo ships to smuggle himself to different countries because it’s harder to track those.”
Shiv was frustrated because the law enforcement kept a close watch on all the borders. But still Vicktor managed to escape from Moscow. The bastard had ruled over the dark underworld for so long that he had enough powerful contacts that would help him.
“What about the doctor who performed the surgery? Do we know her whereabouts?”
“Not yet, Shiv,” Tejas replied. “There is a search going on for her as well. But there’s indication that she went with him willingly.”
Shiv continued to be frustrated. “I’ll be there by morning. I need all places combed and every damn CCTV footage screened.”
He ended the call with an angry, frustrated sigh.
With changing faces and resurfacing from death, Vicktor was like the combination of a damn chameleon and a cat. But the bastard won’t have another life. This time when he killed Vicktor, he’d wait until the bastard’s body burned in hell before leaving.
He let out another frustrated sigh feeling impatient.
He turned when he heard the bedroom door open. It was Naina.
All thoughts of Vicktor and the rest of the fucking problems disappeared from his mind as soon as he saw his wife.
He saw her pause when she saw his suitcase lying next to the bed with his clothes packed in. There was a small frown on her face, and although she tried to hide it, he could see the disappointment.
“I’ll be gone for a week. By the time I return, you’ll be done with your exams.” He smiled wickedly at her. “I think it’ll be good for you if I’m away during your exams. Or you won’t be able to resist me and would demand I service you day and night.”
At his remark, her eyes flared even as her face turned a dull red, making her look more beautiful.
“You are not irresistible,” she said haughtily. “I can resist you just fine.”
“Really?” He pulled of his shirt and shed his shorts.
She tried to hide it, but her eyes swept over him and her breaths turned faster and heavier when he went towards her with a dark, challenging smile. He deliberately looked at the digital clock and then at her. “Two more hours, sweetheart. Prove that you can resist me.”
She gasped when he picked her and carried her to their bed before throwing her on top of it. Within a minute, he peeled her clothes off and bared her beautiful body. He wanted to explore and drive her crazy, but the thought of being apart from her for a week made him to possess her immediately.
She moaned and clung to him as he drove deep into her tight warmth. “Will you miss me?” he asked, watching her face as it twisted in pleasure.
“No,” she panted even as her nails dug into his butt, pulling him closer.
“No?” He pulled out and slammed into her again. He bent his head to suck on the soft, fragrant skin of her neck.
She moaned louder when he hit her sensitive spot deep inside.
“No…” she said with fractured breaths. “I won’t… even know… you are… gone.”
He laughed while exhilaration and longing took over. He continued to slam into her, making her moan and gasp in pleasure. He made her body shatter twice before he let himself go. When he spilled deep inside her, he kissed her damp forehead and murmured into her ear. “I’m going to miss you.”
CHAPTER 4 5
A week passed in a blur of studying and exams. Now that they were finally done, Naina was brimming with excitement like the rest of her friends.
“Naina, are you joining us for the movie?”
Naina shook her head with a smile. “No. I’m meeting my mother this afternoon. I’ll see you all next week.”
“Ooooh. Are we celebrating at The Dungeon? Call Shiv and ask him if we can. Tell him it’s a big celebration since we are done with our finals.”
Naina laughed. “I will.”
Waving to her friends, Naina headed towards the car waiting for her outside. She was filled with excitement and anticipation. Not just because she had been well prepared and was confident of performing well in her finals, but also because the devil was going to return that night.
He hadn’t called or messaged her for all week. The arrogant man must have thought he would be distracting her. Maybe he was right. Her cheeks burned recalling some of his text messages when he had wanted her to hurry home after classes. They were dirty, raunchy and more than just distracting. They always got her hot and bothered.
It was only nine o’clock when she returned home after meeting her mother, had dinner and settled into bed. She had been missing on sleep for the entire week, not just because of her long hours of study for the exams, but also because she couldn’t sleep well without Shiv.
; She missed the devil, even though she hadn’t admitted to him before he left that she would miss him. She missed his closeness and his touch. And she also missed sleeping wrapped around him.
As soon as he came, she was going to smother him in kisses. And then, she was going to blow his mind with all the things he had taught her of how to please him. She blushed recalling the things he taught her. She had been more than an eager student, wanting to learn all the things that had him begging and demanding from her for a change.
Her phone buzzed right then, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a notification of a text message from a private number.
Think of the devil…
She grinned and opened the message. It was a video. Intrigued, she clicked on it, expecting for it to be something raunchy or funny.
Barely a few seconds into the video, her smile dropped, and her face became deathly cold.
Chills ran through her while nausea churned her stomach. She barely made it to the bathroom where she threw up violently into the toilet.
No! Oh God No! No!
The message she had received contained a sex video.
CHAPTER 4 6
“There was no suspicious activity, Shiv. Except for meeting her mother, Naina came straight home from college.”
“Thanks, Vasu.”
“But…”
Shiv looked at Vasu with a frown. “But what?”
“But Naina didn’t come to gym this morning. She never missed a day.”
“I see.” Shiv didn’t think much of it. Maybe Naina decided to sleep in and give it a rest. She’d been working hard and must have stayed up late during exams.
Thanking the man, Shiv went to the penthouse. Anticipation pulsed through him. He had a shitty week, but the thought of getting back to his wife was the only thing that kept him going.
He pushed open the door and saw Sitaram. “Good morning, Sitaram. How are you?”
“I’m fine, Shiv.”
