Chapter Seventy Seven. #2
That single, invitation-only gesture shattered his remaining resolve.
The moment his lips brushed against hers, the world around them ceased to exist.
His eyes flared, swallowed whole by an intense, intoxicating haze.
Noticing Ira's eyes fluttering closed, Devraj surrendered entirely deepening the kiss.
She tasted like an addictive drug that consumed every drop of his sanity. His grip around her waist tightened instinctively, pulling her against his chest as the kiss turned wild and completely relentless.
Ira's breath was rapidly slipping away. Her chest heaved, and she feebly tapped his shoulder to signal for air, but Devraj was entirely gone, lost in the overwhelming ecstasy of having her in his arms.
He didn't even noticed her light tapping.
Oh no... he's completely hooked! Her eyes snapped wide in panic.
She began hitting his back, shoving against his broad chest and even yanked a handful of his thick hair to push him off, but he didn't budge an inch.
In fact, her random hits against his back only seemed to ignite the heat in his blood even further, eliciting a moan from deep within his throat.
What on earth?! she panicked.
"D... D... Dev... raj..." she gasped through the kiss, but the man was entirely lost.
"Y-You... moron!" Ira gathered every ounce of strength she had, hitting him hard while sinking her teeth firmly into his lower lip.
The sting finally snapped his mind back to reality. His dark eyes flew open, coming face to face with Ira's furious red-flushed face staring up at him.
Devraj abruptly pulled back, hovering above her as Ira gasped for air, her chest heaving as she dragged oxygen back into her burning lungs.
"You almost killed me!" she said, glaring up at him. "I... I literally couldn't breathe, and I was seconds away from fain-"
She abruptly cut herself off.
Devraj's jaw was tight in guilty as he scrambled off the couch, standing up so fast he nearly stumbled.
Ira's brow furrowed into a deep frown as she watched him back away.
"Are you okay?" she asked, rising from the couch and reaching out to touch his arm.
"I'm... I am so sorry... excuse me..." he stuttered, turning to hurry toward the hallway, but Ira swiftly stepped into his path, blocking him.
Up close, she could see his chest heaving, his dark eyes wide.
"Please... move out of the way, meri jaan." he pleaded, voice choked with restraint.
"What is wrong with-"
Ira's words died in her throat as her eyes instinctively traveled downward.
Oh, my god.
Her face instantly widened, and she whipped her head away.
"You... you can go." she stammered, stepping aside to clear his path.
Instead of walking past her, Devraj reached out and gently caught her wrist, holding her back.
"Did I... did I make you uncomfortable?" he asked in worry.
Ira looked back at him, an understanding smile breaking through her embarrassment.
"You are barely holding yourself together, Devraj. Go take a cold shower. I'll wait for you right here."
She gently pulled her wrist free and walked back toward the living room.
Devraj stood frozen, watching her retreat. His hand involuntarily twitched, every fiber of his being screaming at him to pull her back into his arms. The intoxicating memory of the kiss they had shared just minutes ago brought a tender smile to his lips.
He wanted her so desperately it ached, but he would wait. If anything, he wanted Ira to take every step at her own pace.
he finally turned and walked away.
Back in the living room, Ira sank onto the cushions.
Her entire face was burning bright crimson, and she raised her palms to lightly slap her own cheeks in disbelief.
Are you completely insane?! You actually kissed him, Ira! she mentally shrieked, burying her face in her hands. Ugh! What on earth happened to your self-control?! And I was blaming him?!
her hands dropped to her lap, and a helpless smile curled her lips.
"It's so surreal how life turned out." she whispered.
She was in love with one of the most dangerous, terrifyingly obsessed men in the country. A man who made the entire corporation tremble in fear... yet knelt submissively at her feet.
Taking in a breath to settle her heartbeat, Ira reached for the glass of ice water Devraj had brought her moments earlier and took a refreshing sip.
Suddenly, the warm ambient lighting throughout the living room brightened by a bit, making her brow furrow.
"Greetings, Miss Ira." a familiar synthesized voice chimed softly from the villa's integrated smart system.
Ira flinched, almost spilling her glass.
"Right... of course. I completely forgot this place has an active voice."
"My sincere apologies for startling you, Miss Ira." the system replied seamlessly. "I am stepping in to inform you that a visitor has just arrived at the front gates."
Ira's frown deepened as she glanced toward the dark windows. It was far too late for unexpected guests. Setting her glass down, she stood up from the couch.
"Um... do you know who it is?" she asked looking around, not sure where the voice was comingfrom.
"Facial recognition complete." the system announced. "It is Mr. Rathore."
Ira's eyes snapped wide.
Devraj's father?!
Almost immediately, the soft chime of the front doorbell echoed through the place.
"Shall I grant entry, Miss Ira?" the system inquired.
"Yes... yes, please open it." Ira managed to say, smoothing down her anarkali, and fixing her hair.
"Very well."
The system went quiet as the electronic locks disengaged with a solid click.
The door opened, revealing the imposing silhouette of Mr. Rathore standing under the exterior lights.
He stepped over the threshold, his heavy gaze sweeping across the grand room before landing directly on Ira.
One of his dark eyebrows arched upward in quiet observation.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find you here." he stated authoritatively.
Ira offered a polite slightly nervous smile.
"Greetings, Uncle."
The older man studied her for a moment.
Then, a rare faint smile touched his stern face, an unexpected warmth on a face known throughout the city for its ruthlessness.
Ira was shocked herself.
"I had a feeling it would be you who unlocked the doors." he remarked. "Devraj would have never let me in."
Ira blinked, confusion crossing her mind.
"How have you been, Ira?" he asked warmly, stepping closer.
"I am doing very well... and how are you, Uncle?" she replied politely.
He looked down at her, a chuckle escaping his lips.
"Please, no need to be so formal with me, Ira. You will soon be my daughter-in-law, after all." An amused glint in his eyes. "Though I am still trying to figure out how exactly you managed to wrap my son so completely around your little finger."
"Oh, um-"
"Why are you here?"
Devraj's voice interrupted them.
Ira turned toward the hallway to see him stepping into the light.
He was dressed in casual clothes, a dark shirt clinging to his frame, and a dark sweatpants, but his thick hair was still damp from the shower, water glistening under the ambient lights.
His father's warm expression instantly hardened into a stoic authority.
"I was enjoying a peaceful moment with my future daughter-in-law until some maniac stepped in to ruin it." Mr. Rathore stated dryly.
"I asked you a question. Why are you here?" Devraj repeated, stepping up beside Ira and instantly wrapping a protective arm around her waist to pull her against his side.
Mr. Rathore met his son's lethal gaze boredly with a raised brow.
"Rani's family just brought a formal case to my desk. I heard you pushed Rani to an underground brothel, for human trafficking." he said flatly.
Ira eyes widened and pulled away from Devraj.
"You did what!"