Chapter 18
Anvi had spent her life believing that monsters were easy to recognize.
They had sharp teeth, cruel eyes, and voices that dripped with venom.
But she had been wrong.
Because the most dangerous monster she had ever met-the one who had stolen her freedom, her breath, her very sanity- was standing in front of her in a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, jaw clenched as if he was barely restraining himself.
Agastya Singh Rathore was losing control.
And it was all because of her.
---
Anvi's back was pressed against the cold marble wall, her pulse hammering as Agastya's fingers curled around her wrist.
Not painful.
Not forceful.
But firm. Unrelenting. Possessive.
"Tell me to stop," he murmured again, his voice low, rough, dangerous.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "Stop."
His jaw ticked.
And for the first time-he let her go.
But the way he did it?
Slow. Reluctant. Like he was giving her space, but only because he wanted her to know...
That it wouldn't last.
She exhaled sharply, trying to ignore the heat burning beneath her skin. "You need to stop doing this."
"Doing what, Pari?" His voice was laced with amusement, but his eyes told a different story.
"This." She gestured between them. "This game. This obsession."
He tilted his head slightly. "What if I told you I don't know how to stop?"
Her chest tightened.
Because the worst part?
She believed him.
---
For the rest of the day, she avoided him.
She refused to sit near him at breakfast.
Refused to react when his dark eyes followed her across the room.
Refused to acknowledge the way her pulse quickened every time he so much as breathed in her direction.
She had to get away from him.
She had to escape before she lost herself completely.
And so, that night-she made a mistake.
She waited until the house was quiet.
Until the guards had changed shifts.
Until the moon hung low in the sky, casting silver shadows over the estate.
Then, she slipped out of the bedroom.
Her bare feet silent against the cold floor.
One step at a time.
One breath at a time.
Freedom was so close.
And then-a voice cut through the darkness.
"Going somewhere, Pari?"
Her body locked.
She turned slowly.
And there, standing at the top of the staircase, dressed in all black, was him.
Agastya.
Waiting. Watching. Predicting her every move.
His expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned with something close to fury.
She swallowed hard. "Let me go."
He took a step forward. "You know I can't do that."
"Agastya-"
Another step.
"Come here, Pari."
Her stomach twisted. "No."
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
And then-he moved.
Faster than she could process.
Before she could take another step, his hands were on her, gripping her waist, pulling her against his chest.
A sharp gasp left her lips as her body collided with his.
"Running from me again?" he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "When will you learn, jaan?"
Her pulse slammed against her ribs.
She shoved at his chest. "Let me go."
His grip only tightened.
"No."
The word was final.
A declaration. A vow.
She stilled.
Because the way he said it-soft, dangerous, broken- made her realize something terrifying.
He wasn't just keeping her here because of control.
He was keeping her because he needed her.
Because if he let her go... he wouldn't survive it.
And that?
That was far more dangerous than his obsession.
---
Agastya's fingers tightened around her waist, his jaw clenching as if he was fighting something within himself.
"You drive me insane, Pari." His voice was rough, hoarse with something raw.
Her stomach flipped. "That's not my problem."
He exhaled sharply, his forehead pressing against hers for a fraction of a second.
The touch was barely there.
But it shattered something inside her.
His hand slid up her back, fingers brushing over her bare skin.
Her body betrayed her.
A sharp shiver ran through her spine, her knees growing weak, her breaths coming out too fast, too uneven.
His grip tightened, holding her upright.
Like he knew.
Like he felt it too.
Her eyes fluttered shut for a second.
A second too long.
Because in that moment-he kissed her.
Not soft.
Not gentle.
But fierce. Wild. Desperate.
Like she was the only thing keeping him from drowning.
A muffled whimper slipped past her lips as his hand tangled in her hair, angling her head back, deepening the kiss.
She should push him away.
She should fight.
But instead-her fingers curled into his shirt, holding on for dear life.
Because if she let go now, she wasn't sure if she would survive the fall.
---
When he finally pulled away, his breath was ragged, uneven.
His forehead rested against hers, his grip still firm on her waist.
His voice was hoarse when he whispered-
"I don't care if you run, Pari. I'll always find you."
Her chest tightened.
Because for the first time, she realized-
He wasn't just saying it.
He meant it.
And the worst part?
She wasn't sure if she wanted him to stop.
---
A Fire That Couldn't Be Tamed
The kiss lingered on her lips, burning like a mark she couldn't erase.
Agastya's breath was still uneven, his forehead pressed against hers, his hands firm on her waist as if he wasn't ready to let go.
And Anvi?
She was trapped.
Not just in his arms.
Not just in this house.
But in him.
Because no matter how much she hated him, her body betrayed her.
And the worst part?
He knew it.
---
Anvi pushed against his chest, breaking free from his hold, her heart slamming against her ribs.
Her breathing was uneven, her fingers still curled into his shirt before she forced herself to let go.
She turned away, clenching her fists. "You can't keep doing this, Agastya."
His chuckle was dark, slow. "Doing what, Pari?"
She turned, her glare sharp. "This. Controlling me. Kissing me. Acting like you own me."
He stepped forward.
She stepped back.
His smirk deepened. "Tell me, Pari. If you hated it so much..."
He reached for her wrist, his fingers brushing over her pulse.
"Why didn't you stop me?"
Her stomach twisted.
Because the truth?
She didn't know.
And he knew it too.
---
She had to get away from him.
Before she lost herself completely.
But the moment she turned toward the door-his hand shot out, gripping her waist, pulling her back.
A gasp left her lips as she crashed into his chest, his arms locking around her, caging her in.
"You think you can run from me, Pari?" His voice was dangerously low. "You still don't understand, do you?"
Her heart pounded. "Let me go."
"No."
His grip tightened. "You belong to me. You always have."
Her breath hitched.
And then-his lips were at her ear.
A whisper. A warning.
"And I'm done pretending otherwise."
She gasped as he spun her around, pressing her back against the wall, trapping her beneath him.
His body was too close.
His heat was suffocating.
His scent-intoxicating.
Her fingers trembled against his chest.
"Agastya..."
His hands slid to her jaw, tilting her face up.
His gaze burned into hers, dark and unreadable.
"Say it, Pari. Say you don't want this. Say you don't want me."
Her lips parted.
The words were right there.
But she couldn't say them.
Because it was a lie.
And Agastya?
He saw everything.
A slow, wicked smirk curled at his lips.
"That's what I thought."
And then-his lips crashed against hers.
---
This kiss was different.
It wasn't just anger.
It wasn't just obsession.
It was desperate. Addictive. Consuming.
Like he had been waiting for this moment his entire life.
Like he needed her more than he needed air.
And Anvi?
She was falling.
Her fingers fisted his shirt, holding on as he deepened the kiss, as his hands roamed over her body, gripping, claiming.
She should stop him.
She should fight.
But instead-she kissed him back.
And that was his undoing.
A low growl rumbled from his chest as he lifted her off the ground, pressing her harder against the wall, his body molding against hers.
Her breath was stolen.
Her heart was lost.
His lips moved down her jaw, to her throat, to the sensitive spot beneath her ear.
A soft moan slipped past her lips before she could stop it.
And Agastya?
He lost the last bit of his control.
His teeth grazed her skin.
His hands gripped her tighter.
And then-a loud explosion shook the entire mansion.
The moment shattered.
Anvi gasped, her body jolting as Agastya ripped away from her, his eyes snapping toward the door.
The air smelled like smoke.
The sound of gunfire echoed through the halls.
His entire body tensed.
And in that moment, she saw it-
The shift.
The man who had just lost himself in her...
Had become the monster once again.
"Stay here." His voice was sharp, cold, lethal.
And then-he was gone.
Off to fight the war that had just come knocking.
Leaving her behind.
Breathless. Shaken. And more confused than ever.