Bound By Duty (The Singham Bloodlines Book 3)

by P. G. Van

  “So?” She wanted to take the phone and smash it against the wall.

  “I wanted to stop it and take care of you.”

  She looked at Neil for a moment before she responded. He had an unreadable expression. “Oh… why didn’t you come for me, Raj?”

  “Well, no one is more capable and trustworthy than Hunter,” his words stumbled.

  “Oh good, thanks for saving me. Now tell your trusted Hunter to let me go.”

  “Narmada, we are meant to be, and I know you don’t feel that way yet, but I’m willing to wait however long you need to accept me as yours.”

  She gagged and coughed out unable to handle the words. “Are you nuts, Raj?”

  “I am nuts about you… my delicate flower.”

  “Shut up… stop calling me that!” she yelled into the phone.

  “I love to hear the fire in your voice. I am sure you look beautiful even when you are angry.”

  “Just shoot me… just shoot me.” She looked at Neil, her eyes burning with angry tears.

  “I sense a disturbance in your voice. Please rest, sweetheart. I am anxiously waiting for your arrival,” Raj declared and ended the call.

  “What the heck is going on?” She cried and hid her face in her palms. A sense of uncertainty enveloped her threatening to consume her. She sobbed into her palms unable to accept the situation. She felt helpless, she had no one who could help her. Her father was probably looking for her only to save face and not to rescue her, and her two brothers would have probably shot all the security if they were still alive.

  Narmada almost felt like an orphan growing up except for the time she visited her grandfather in their ancestral home. Her father and mother were in their own world obsessed with maintaining their social status, and her brothers were both college dropouts who got sucked into the feuds that ultimately took their lives. She managed to keep her inner strength in spite of her immediate family ignoring her and found solace in her studies and research.

  She felt his presence and sensed the hesitation. The hesitation lasted a few moments, and the next thing she knew, she was pulled into his arms and was being comforted. He didn’t say anything but held her to him, and that’s all she needed. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into the softness of his t-shirt.

  “Neil… is this what I deserve? A fool who thinks it’s up to him to decide what I want in my life.”

  He didn’t utter a word, and she didn’t expect him to—he was never a man of many words.

  “I don’t want to go anywhere, don’t let me go, but please don’t take me to that guy. I want to be with you.” The words rolled off her lips, and when she pulled back to look into his eyes, she saw the response to her words. His eyes were clouded like he was conflicted about what he was doing.

  “I can’t… was not part of the deal.”

  She pushed him away with all her strength. “I hate you!”

  Neil watched as she stormed out of the small kitchen knocking off a chair on her way out. He let out a deep sigh and raked his fingers through his dark hair. He knew it wasn’t going to be an easy job when he agreed to it after turning it down a half a dozen times before.

  Raj claimed to have the answer to his ten-year-long hunt, and he wanted to fulfill his duty by finding the culprit. He could not let his feelings get in the way of his mission, but she didn’t need to pay the price. She was right, she didn’t deserve this.

  With that thought, he went looking for her knowing exactly where he would find her. The door to the balcony was shut from the outside, and he had other ways to get to her but hesitated. There would be no going back if he tried to comfort her one more time, it’s best for her to be angry at him.

  He banged on the balcony door. “Open up.”

  “Go away. I hate you!”

  She had not eaten in over a day, and he needed to get her to eat. “I’m not here to be loved. I have a job to do, and part of it is to deliver you in one piece.”

  There was no response, but a minute later the sliding door opened, and she came charging at him.

  “What do you think I am? A package that you deliver?” she growled reaching out to claw his face.

  He laughed holding her hands away from his face to pull her wrists together and keep her at a distance.

  The laughter annoyed her further. “Maybe I should kill you. I need to forget you were my friend.”

  “Really?” he taunted.

  She rammed her shoulder into his chest and started stepping on his toes. She knew he was way too strong for her as she had seen his strength in action, but she was too angry to think rationally.

  “I can kill you with my bare hands,” she growled before taking her teeth to sink into his chest.

  His groan gave her pleasure, but it was not the kind she was expecting. The feel of him under her teeth made her body tingle, and she noticed the sudden shift in his body as well. Her hands were still held together at her back, and her chest was melded to his as she slowly lifted her eyes to look into his dark eyes.

  Narmada’s pulse threatened to rip through her skin as she stared back into his searing gaze. His eyes went from her eyes to her lips and back, and she knew at that moment they were both having a similar reaction to being in such close proximity to each other. She felt his breath on her cheek, and slowly she felt the pressure on her hands release.

  The moment her hands were free, they involuntarily moved along his arms and around his neck, and the next instant, his lips were on hers sucking the air out of her lungs. His hands roamed her back pulling her closer to him as she angled her face to let him deeper into her mouth.

  She gasped at the intensity of the kiss and kissed him back tightening her hold on him. She moaned in sweet pain as he sucked in her lower lip between his teeth. Her fingers snaked into his hair tugging on the strands to bring him closer.

  He groaned slamming her back into the wall making her pool between her legs. Her need to be consumed by him was getting out of hand as she used his neck like an anchor to pull herself up to wrap her legs around him. His fingers dug into her flesh making her want to cry out in pure pleasure.

  One hand left her bottom and roamed her curves taking in her smoothness until it cupped her breast. He felt her hardened nipple dig into his palm. He was no stranger to a woman’s body, but she was not like any other woman. Even as a young woman six years ago, she emitted so much passion when he kissed her for the first time. They had barely kissed before they broke it off. But at this very moment, he kissed her as if his life depended on it. He could not believe he didn’t have the power to fight the passion of their engagement and was left powerless only to let it cocoon them.

  “Neil…” she whispered against his lips making him groan and want to rip her t-shirt to shreds. “I… I…” Her voice trailed off when she heard his phone blaring in his pocket.

  “Fuck!” he growled letting her mouth go but held onto her, his eyes boring into hers.

  She ignored the ringing noise and took her lips back to his and pulled his head closer. His lips were stiff for a moment before they gave into the seduction. His hand gently cupped her cheek as he brushed his lips over hers. “This needs to stop.”

  “No…” He didn’t let her finish. He pulled back and set her feet back on the ground and stepped away from her. He reached for his phone that continued to ring from his back pocket.

  “Hunter,” he growled, his voice still shaky. “Yes… you can, hang on.”

  He turned to look at her and handed the phone to her. “Raj wants to talk to you.”

  “Hit the speaker button,” she commanded wiping the moisture off her lips, her eyes threatening to sear his skin.

  She watched him as he hesitantly unmuted the phone and turned on the speaker.

  “Hi, Raj.” She maintained a cool tone.

  “Narmada, I am so glad to hear your voice. I hung up earlier because I didn’t want you to get agitated because of me. You sound calmer now,” he cooed making her roll her eyes
.

  “I’m better, Raj, but I’m still pissed.”

  “Oh, my poor baby, why are you upset?”

  She grit her teeth in disgust. “Because your buddy is holding me captive.”

  “It’s for your safety, and Hunter is the best,” Raj declared cheerfully.

  “Oh yeah? Well, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier today, and you may have done the right thing by getting me out of there.” She took a step closer to Neil and held his hand under the pretext of bringing the phone closer to her.

  “Oh… Narmada… I am so happy to hear that.” Raj got excited.

  “Yes, but Raj, you need to understand I need a bit more time to actually see you in a different light.”

  “Take all the time you need. Hunter will bring you to me when you are ready.”

  “Good and Raj… I need my time. I want to be able to roam freely and be normal. I promise not to run, so please tell your buddy to take me out.” She inched closer to Neil, her fingers wrapped around his wrist.

  He stood frozen like he wasn’t affected by her proximity, but the way his chest heaved, she knew he was having the same effect he had on her.

  “I will talk to Hunter about it… what do you want to do?”

  She went on her toes to nuzzle his clenched jawline ever so gently. “I want to go shopping, and then I want to go dancing. I hate being indoors, you know that, Raj. I told you that when we first met, you don’t remember?” She nipped on Neil’s chin a wicked smile playing on her lips.

  “Oh…yes, yes, I remember. I never forget anything you told me.”

  “Thank you, Raj, you are so sweet. Do you want to talk to your buddy?” she purred.

  “Yes, my pure flower. I feel so happy you are not angry anymore.”

  “Here you go.” She placed a light kiss on his cheek and stepped away from him, her eyes never leaving his.

  “Raj,” he almost barked.

  “Hunter, please do everything in your power to keep her happy. I am just glad she is not yelling and screaming,” Raj confessed not realizing he was still on speaker.

  She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing and held his gaze. His eyes were riveted on her face as he continued to talk to Raj. “This is not what we talked about, Raj.”

  “I know, Hunter, and I know how badly you want the information I have, so please, do as she says, please,” Raj begged.

  “Fine!” His voice was gruff. He ended the call and gave her a long stare.

  “So… when are we going shopping?”

  “Do not do this,” he warned.

  “Do what, Neil? You heard the entire conversation. Raj asked you to take me shopping and then dancing,” she said tauntingly.

  “This is not funny.” Another growl.

  “Do you see me laughing? What makes you think this is funny?”

  He gave her a long, burning stare before turning away from her.

  “Neil, when are we going shopping?”

  He stopped short and spoke without turning around. “Get something to eat, and I will take you out.”

  “Really? I will be ready to go in ten minutes,” she said enthusiastically as he disappeared into one of the bedrooms.

  She walked to the room she had slept in that night and into the bathroom. She looked at the image of the woman in front of her. Her hair never looked so messy, her eyes were swollen from oversleeping, and her lips were still swollen from the kiss.

  The image in front of her didn’t bother her when normally she would fret about how she looked. She stood in front of the mirror gently running her fingertips on her trembling lips. They felt warm, and it made her tremble. She didn’t know what to think of the moment she had with Neil, and what surprised her most was his reaction.

  The memory of their first kiss six years ago came crashing followed by the pain she endured when he disappeared without a word. She had come a long way from those depressing moments, but something in the back of her mind told her she had not forgotten him. The feelings they had for each other had somehow survived all these years, but she didn’t know what it meant.

  Was there a reason why it was Neil who was chosen to kidnap her, or did Neil choose to kidnap her?

  Why did he kidnap her? What information was Raj talking about?

  A knot formed in her stomach when she realized she was more interested in finding out about him and what was driving him.

  The nineteen-year-old Neil had shown her what a true friend was, and it was the first time she had a real friend. He invoked feelings she had never felt for anyone, and since he saved her life back then, she knew she owed him her every breath.

  CHAPTER 7

  “I’m ready to go,” Narmada announced stepping out of the bedroom into the living area later that day. Neil refused to take her out before sunset. She had managed to spend the day indoors, and he kept to himself. She heard him inside another room and wondered what he was doing there until he walked out of the room hot and sweaty, making her hot. He had been working out, and she couldn’t help but gawk at his ripped structure.

  When she saw the sun go down, she went into her room for a shower and changed into a pair of leggings and a tunic that were in the closet. Her hair was combed back into a high pony, and she looked ready to hit the streets of whatever was the closest.

  Neil was at the dining table loading his gun. He had changed also, and his hair was no longer unruly. “You need to eat first.”

  “Eat what?” Her stomach grumbled at the thought of food.

  “This,” he pointed to a bag of food on the table.

  “That… no way. I ate that food twice already. I want to eat out. I’m starving,” she urged.

  He looked at her without stopping to load his gun.

  “Looks like you know how to handle a gun,” she teased remembering the time the previous night he stuck the barrel of it in her mouth.

  He stood up and tucked the gun into his boot at the ankle. “I know a little.”

  “Good, let’s go.”

  “Not yet.” He walked toward her with a strip of black fabric in his hand.

  She couldn’t help giggling when she realized it was a blindfold. “I didn’t realize you were into kinky stuff.”

  “Stop,” he warned turning her around by her shoulder.

  “Easy,” she crooned as he placed the piece of cloth over her eyes. “I know how to get to the hallway and the car. What the heck are you trying to do?”

  “Shut up.” His breath was warm in her ear, and the heat made her want to pull him to her.

  “Fine, I can’t see a thing. How am I going to walk?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt her body being lifted off the ground making her shriek in surprise.

  “Hold on.” He had toted her over his shoulder, and it made her sense of space all the more confusing.

  “Don’t let me go,” she pleaded.

  “I won’t. Stop talking.”

  Narmada was surrounded by darkness as he carried her around what seemed like a flight of stairs, then she heard water, then something rough and heavy moving, and a moment later, she smelled the fresh air. The night air was filled with fragrances from the plants surrounding the building.

  “That smell is so nice.” She took in a deep breath of the fresh air as he carried her onto a flat surface. He set her feet on the ground a few minutes later and pulled off the blindfold.

  It was pitch dark, and she had no idea what time it was. “Where are we going?”

  “You said out, this is it.” His voice was soft but steady.

  “Dude, I can’t see your face so clearly, and I can’t tell if you are kidding or serious.”

  “I don’t joke around.”

  “Fine, call Raj. I need to talk to him,” she challenged.

  He cursed under his breath. “Move.”

  “What do you mean move, I can’t see a thing.”

  “Fine, follow me.”

  “What the heck, give me your hand, so I don’t fall and hurt my pretty delicate f
lower face,” she grumbled, and the next moment, she heard the laughter, the laughter she was familiar with. It was how the Neil she knew laughed.

  “Oh my God, I found my long-lost friend in this darkness,” she teased.

  “Come here,” he said taking her hand with a smile only he knew was playing on his lips.

  She took his hand gratefully and gingerly followed him. “No street lights?”

  “This is a forest.”

  “Does the forest have a name?”

  “Does it matter?” he retorted.

  “Fine, don’t tell me. Where are we going?”

  “Out.”

  “Stop being a dick!”

  A few minutes into the walk, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she was surprised she could see the dusty path they were walking on and the darkness from the huge trees surrounding them. The hut or the fake hut was built right in the middle of the forest, and she could barely see it until they came close to it.

  “Are we going to walk all the way to wherever we are headed?”

  “Maybe.”

  “What is wrong with you? How did you turn into an asshole?”

  “I was always one. Never claimed not to be one.”

  “Whatever… so do you live here while you are not doing what you do?”

  “What do you think I do for a living?” He couldn’t believe he was having a conversation with her. It had been years since he had exchanged so many words with one person. From the time he left what he had thought was going to be his home forever, he had not exchanged more than a few words with anyone. Something about her made him want to talk, making the pressure ease a bit from his chest.

  She pulled her hand away from his and folded her arms in front of her chest and kept walking. “I don’t need to have a conversation like this.”

  She kept walking in silence, and a few more minutes into the walk, he stopped and waited for her to realize he had stopped walking. As expected, she walked a few meters after he had stopped and turned to look at him. Her silhouette was that of an angry but confident woman.

  “Now what?” she asked, her voice piercing through the quiet night.