by P. G. Van
““That’s her, the star… rather queen of my thesis… Neil… are you okay?” Narmada noticed the shift in his manner.
He blinked his eyes a few times. “I know her.”
“You know Devasena?” Narmada was surprised.
“I don’t know, her but I’ve seen her before.”
“Is this the woman you see in your dreams with her child?” she asked walking closer to him.
“No,” his voice was barely audible.
“What is it, Neil?”
“I don’t know how I know all these Hindu women when I grew up in a Christian missionary.” A deep frown formed on his forehead.
“What do you remember about this woman?”
He shook his head. “I can’t place her.”
“It’s okay… I don’t want you to think about it. We can talk about it when we go home tomorrow,” she comforted.
“Home?”
“Yes… the home you left years ago.”
“Joe,” he growled when he realized his brother might have told her more than what he may have told her.
“It’s fine. You can’t stay away from people you love for long.”
“Narmada… what do you know about the woman?” he asked softly.
“Neil, stop obsessing over my thesis,” she teased.
“No… I… there are a few things that don’t make sense in my life. The Ferris wheel, the man with that Senani loyalty tattoo, the dream, and this image…”
“And my anklets,” she finished laughing.
“Your anklets remind me only of you,” he crooned. “It was very clever of you to leave them behind.”
“A girl has got to try everything possible.”
“I wanted to kick myself when I saw those roll out of the dash,” he confessed.
“You deserve a kick in the rear,” she teased.
“I…” She didn’t let him complete. “Hey… you know what’s weird about the unknowns in your life?” She looked like she was onto something.
“What?”
“The tattoo on the man is a Senani tattoo, and Devasena is a Senani, too.”
“I don’t understand… eeew… I just hope we are not related and what would be worse is if you turn out to be a Senani.” Her skin crawled at the thought.
“Who is that woman in the picture, and why is she of interest to you?” Neil asked staring at her screen.
“This is Devasena Senani, the only woman born into the family, and she is my grandpa’s cousin. She was one firecracker.” Narmada held a sense of pride in her voice. “She was such a trooper, she would hunt and kill just like her brothers and cousins. When her parents refused to send her abroad to study, she asked her brothers and cousins to mail their books to her so she could read them. She was a self-taught woman who was probably better educated than her Oxford-graduate cousins. She was the most caring and giving woman. It was a match made in heaven when she married to the great Abhimanyu Singham…”
“Hold it, did you say Singham?”
“Yup. The Singhams are one of the prominent families in my ancestral province.”
“Call Joe.” It sounded like an order.
“Why?” She was surprised he suddenly seemed agitated.
“I need to know if the Singhams who are after me are the same ones.”
“The Singhams are after you?”
“I think that’s the name…”
“The Singhams are a well-known family, and our family has a weird relationship with them.”
“Weird?”
“Well, my two brothers were killed by the two women the Singham brothers married,” she declared flatly.
“What and how are you not angry?”
“My brothers were a disgrace to the brotherhood. They grew up with my grandpa and have no respect for women. All they cared about were the feuds.”
“So, this woman married a Singham and?”
“Well, it was a true love-after-marriage story. Abhimanyu Singham who was a total beast gave in to Devasena’s charm and… you’ll need to read my manuscript for that,” she teased.
“I will.”
“Why are Abhay and Dev Singham looking for you?” She went back to what he had said earlier.
“Abhay is the name Joe mentioned. That guy made it to the hut.”
“Your underground one?”
“Yes.”
“Wait, do you mean one of the Singham men showed up?”
Narmada started dialing Joe’s number on Neil’s phone. “Joe, he is up and won’t shut up.”
She put the phone away and smiled. “He’ll be here in two minutes.”
“Why do I feel like I have no control over everything that is happening now?” He kept looking at the image of the woman on the screen.
“Why does it have to be in your control, Neil? Most things that happen are beyond our circle of control.”
“What happened to her?” Neil was curious.
“Devasena? She married Abhimanyu Singham and became his strength while he ruled the province, and she took over the province when her husband and sons were killed.”
“Killed? All at the same time?”
“No… not at the same time but…Oh, remember that woman in Raj’s house?” She continued when he nodded. “Her name is Neelambari, and as per the traditions of the region, she was supposed to marry Devasena’s older son, Vijay Singham, but he fell in love with another woman, and that wedding didn’t happen. When Vijay Singham broke off the engagement, a feud broke out between the families, and in one of those attacks, Abhimanyu Singham was killed leaving behind Devasena and their two sons.”
“Hmm… what kind of feuds?”
“Pretty bad, my family was aiding the Singhams because of Devasena, and it got worse when the temple massacre happened… holy shit!” It was a scream that rolled off her lips, making Neil reach for something, anything that could be used as a weapon.
“What?” Neil asked.
“Oh my God… Oh my God… I can’t talk,” she said scrambling to pull up another document on the computer.”
“Narmada, talk to me.”
“Neil… the dream… did you tell me there was a temple and there was an explosion?”
He nodded feeling the jitter he felt every time he woke up from that dream.
“Ranadeep Singham… that was the name of the third son of Vijay Singham who was declared dead in the temple massacre,” Narmada declared, her voice wavering.
Neil looked at her not knowing how to react. “What?”
“Neil… you are Ranadeep Singham… that is the only explanation… you are the youngest brother the Singhams are looking for… Oh my God… this is so surreal.”
Joe walked in at that very moment and caught the perplexed expression on Neil’s face. “Neil, are you in pain?”
“Joe, the Singhams… Neil is a Singham.” Her voice was a lot more confident as she pieced everything she had learned about Neil in the past few weeks.
“Is that why the Singhams are looking for you?” Joe asked, his voice a whisper.
“No.” Neil was in denial.
“Neil… the Singhams have multiple teams looking for you, and the oldest Singham is looking for you personally? Is there a bigger reason? Why are they protecting that man you shot?” Joe asked.
“Hang on Joe… one at a time… Neil… the Ferris wheel, Vijay Singham had three sons, all of them born in London.” Her excitement knew no bounds. She was thrilled she was able to connect the dots based on the information she had and for it to answer all of Neil’s questions. “We should call the Singhams!”
“No!” It was an order Neil issued. “You will do no such thing. Based on the information we have, the Singhams are out there for my blood. It is a pure coincidence my dream matches with an accident.”
Rana… that was the name the woman called the child.
“Joe, tell him. This is it. He’s had too many things unanswered, and this pulls it all together.”
Joe looked at Neil confused.
“Do
not listen to what she is saying, Joe.”
“Neil, she has a point,” Joe objected.
“I do not want to discuss this anymore,” he yelled.
Narmada walked closer to Neil and ran her fingers through his. “Just because you have a family out there, it doesn’t change the fact that Joe is your brother, and you love every single person in the family.”
Neil looked away from her like he couldn’t accept the fact that she hit the nail on the head.
“Neil, we don’t need to discuss this now, but we do at some point.” She ran her hand up to cup Neil’s cheek.
“I agree with her.” Joe smiled, handing the roll of newspaper in his hand to Narmada.
“What is this?” She scrunched her nose opening the newspaper. She looked at the heading of the article.
‘Mega Constructions, President and CEO, injured in a hunting adventure’
Narmada smiled a devious curve playing on her full lips. “Bastard totally deserved to get his face blown up. How dare he shoot my Neil!”
“She’s the right match for you, Neil.” Joe laughed.
“I shot him in the shoulder, and it says here that he had concrete splinters hit his face.” Narmada turned the newspaper to show the picture of the man with a bandage on his face.
Neil looked at the picture, and his eyes widened. He held his breath and stared at the picture. The equipment that was monitoring Neil’s vitals suddenly started to beep.
She dropped the newspaper and rushed to his side. “Baby, what is it?”
“Doctor,” Joe called looking at Neil staring at the newspaper that lay on the ground.
A doctor and a few of his assistants rushed in and checked on Neil. He wasn’t moving, and the doctors kept talking amongst themselves as to why his blood pressure and heart rate were off the charts.
“Joe, what’s going on?” Narmada watched the doctors give Neil medications through the IV.
“Don’t worry, he will be fine. If there is one guy who’s invincible, it’s him.” His brother’s voice held confidence.
“I’m pretty sure Raj’s dad has something to do with Neil’s past,” she whispered.
CHAPTER 21
“Neil, stay put,” Narmada ordered removing the plastic wrap she had wrapped around his shoulder. It had been a week since they got back from the hospital. She did not bring up the discussion they had about his potential link to the Singhams or his reaction to the picture in the newspaper.
Neil had woken up after another twenty-four hours after he reacted to the picture of Raj’s farher in the newspaper and didn’t mention anything about the conversation he had with Joe and Narmada. The doctor recommended not to bring up the topic that agitated him if he didn’t ask, and he didn’t. Neil had been held back in the hospital for a few more days, just to be on the safe side.
Narmada got all teary-eyed when Neil hugged the woman who was the only mother he had known the day he came back from the hospital. Joe had introduced her as Neil’s wife because she refused to stay anywhere other than in his room. Neil’s adopted mother wept holding onto the son she thought had run away from home.
She had ambushed him multiple times trying to cut his shoulder cast open. The doctor was coming home that day to remove the cast.
“I can’t wait for the cast to come off,” he grumbled as she rubbed his damp hair with a towel. She stood in front of him as he sat on a chair letting her pamper him.
“You think you’re Superman…you need to let your body recover,” she taunted and the next moment yelped in sweet pain. Neil had managed to inflict pain by sinking his teeth into her breast right over her cotton tunic.
She pulled off the towel and glared. “Stop it.”
He pulled her closer with one hand burying his face into her chest. “I missed you.”
“I was right here with you,” she moaned when he squeezed her breast.
“I can’t get enough of you, baby. What would I do without you?” He held her, his face to her heart. She circled her arms around his head planting a kiss in his damp hair.
“Marry me, Neil,” she blurted.
He pulled back to look into her eyes. “Isn’t that my line and except for Joe, everyone in the house thinks we are married. Do we need to make it official?”
She slowly took her lips to his smiling lips as she let him savor her. “Can I kiss you?”
“What are you doing now?” His tongue tapped on her lips.
“I want to kiss you… I know you are hard, and it can be painful. I want to kiss you here.” She ran her hand lower to cup her palm over his throbbing hardness.
His breath hissed as she pulled away from his lips, her eyes never leaving his as she went on her knees in front of him. She leaned in to lay a trail of kisses starting with the sexy cleft in his chin. He groaned gripping her hair as she went south toward the hardness that longed for her.
She slowly circled his nipples, one after the other sucking in the skin on his chest between her teeth.
“You’re killing me, baby.”
“You like it?” she murmured against the dips and crests on his chest.
“When did you turn into a temptress?” he grunted and tightened his hold in her hair.
She hummed a response, but he was in no state to understand it. Her hands roamed his back as she tugged on the towel with her teeth.
He was sure he would blast and explode with her sensual seduction. She pushed away the towel and took his throbbing shaft in her hands. She slowly took her eyes to his as the tip of her tongue moved toward his pink tip.
Her body trembled with excitement when she saw his eyes turn into pools of lust. She smiled at him, her own body high on desire before circling her lips around his intimidating thickness. She took in the velvety softness enjoying the feel of him on her tongue. She pumped with her hands as she built up a steady rhythm with her mouth.
Neil was sure his heart was going to burst through his rib cage at the rate at which it was beating, and his blood coursed through his veins like it had nowhere to go. She moaned like she was having the best time of her life as she lapped and sucked him, and that did it for him. He came hard, so hard he couldn’t remember the last time he came so hard, and she gulped him down like she owned every drop of him.
Narmada drank in his release like she couldn’t get enough. Her body hummed from the realization that she was the reason for his release, she was the reason for him to hit the peaks. He let her hair go and pulled her onto his lap with one hand.
“That was mind-blowing,” he whispered against her lips.
“I guess my research paid off… I did more than one type of research while you were down with the drugs.”
“You are the drug I need,” he growled as she got off his lap to adjust his towel around his waist.
She laughed. “Put on some clothes before the doctor shows up.”
He looked at the clock on the wall. “We have at least thirty minutes before anyone else shows up. Come here, I want you to come in my mouth.”
The moment the words left his mouth, they heard a knock on the door.
“You got to be kidding me!” He bunched the towel around his waist as he went to open the door.
Joe and the doctor stood outside the door.
“I have to attend to a patient and wanted to check on Neil before I go to the hospital.” The doctor was almost apologetic for showing up early.
“I’m glad you could make it,” Narmada smiled, shaky on the inside.
The doctor opened his case and went about his usual checks, first heart rate and blood pressure. The doctor frowned and restarted the blood pressure machine.
“What’s wrong, doctor?” Joe asked interrupting the heated gaze Narmada and Neil held as she stood behind the doctor and his brother.
“His blood pressure is up, and his heart rate is high. He has been steady since last week, and I am wondering if any of the medications are causing this.”
Narmada turned crimson and was glad the men weren’t looki
ng at her, just the man she loved had his eyes trained on her face.
“Neil, do you feel fine?” The doctor sounded concerned.
“I feel awesome, doctor.”
Narmada bit her lip to stop herself from laughing as the doctor went through his notes, talking to himself about what could be causing the spikes in Neil’s vitals.
“Doctor, I feel fine. Could you get this cast off? I have a lot of things to do.” Neil’s eyes scanned her body like he was stripping her.
“We might need to take you to the hospital for a quick check,” the doctor declared.
She drew in a deep breath and decided to put the doctor out of his misery. “I kissed Neil just before you arrived, doctor.”
The doctor turned to look at her and smiled sheepishly. “That explains it.”
She watched as the doctor worked on removing the cast from his chest. She caught him looking at her like he was going to pounce on her the moment the cast came off. The doctor directed Neil to move his arm in different directions before signing him off as normal.
Joe escorted the doctor out of the room, and the first thing Neil did was take her into his arms. He hugged her, his arms holding her to him like he was worried she would disappear.
“I’ll drive you nuts later tonight.” He tugged on her earlobe with his teeth.
She laughed, happiness overflowing her heart as he pulled on a t-shirt and shorts. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” She laughed as he led her out of the room and into the large living room.
“You guys eloping?” Joe teased.
“Totally,” Neil snorted and ignored Joe’s follow-up question about where he was headed.
Narmada laughed as she followed him to the car that was parked outside. “Where are we going?”
“Nowhere dangerous.” He laughed starting the engine.
Narmada took in the greenery within the compound and also outside. She had not stepped out of the house since the day they moved Neil from the hospital. Neil’s mother, Joe’s wife and child lived in the huge house. She interacted with them when Neil was napping, but she couldn’t get herself to leave him alone for long, especially after his reaction to looking at Raj’s dad a week ago.
