32 ~ Ruthless Kartik #2
There were cameras positioned discreetly around the ceiling, security personnel monitoring the entrances and employees constantly moving around the gaming floor. It suddenly struck me that this wasn't simply a place where rich people came to gamble.
It was a business.
A very carefully controlled one.
Kartik's business.
He stopped near one of the tables and looked over the game for a moment.
The floor supervisor immediately approached.
"Everything fine here, sir."
Kartik glanced at the table before nodding.
"Keep it that way."
"Yes, sir." The man immediately stepped back.
I looked at Kartik.
He finally noticed my expression.
"What?"
I shook my head. "Nothing."
He raised an eyebrow. "You've been staring at me since we entered."
I couldn't help smiling.
Of course.
Only Kartik Singhaniya could walk into a place, have an entire room subtly change around him, and still behave as though nothing unusual had happened.
His arm tightened around my waist as he guided me further inside.
And despite the intimidating atmosphere surrounding us, I found myself feeling strangely safe.
Because wherever I looked, I saw people respecting him.
And wherever I stood, I felt his hand reminding me that I wasn't here alone.
I was here with him.
For the next few minutes, he was occupied with several people from the management team.
Even while discussing business, he never completely let go of me.
His fingers remained loosely intertwined with mine, his thumb occasionally brushing over my knuckles as he listened to reports and gave short instructions.
By now, almost everyone on the floor seemed to know who I was.
Kartik Singhaniya's wife.
I noticed the whispers whenever we passed, the curious glances and the sudden politeness whenever someone's eyes met mine. I didn't know whether they were impressed by me or simply cautious because of the man beside me.
Probably the latter.
Eventually, he turned toward me.
His expression softened almost immediately.
He lifted one hand and gently cupped my cheek. "I'll be back in five minutes. I need to handle something urgently."
I nodded. "Okay."
His gaze remained on me for another moment. "Stay here. Don't go anywhere."
"I won't."
He gave my cheek one final caress before stepping away.
I watched him walk off, fixing his collar with the effortless confidence that seemed to follow him everywhere.
I smiled faintly.
Then I turned around.
The women were dressed in designer gowns, their jewelry glittering under the lights. The men were in tailored suits, their eyes sharp and calculating.
I felt out of place but I held my head high.
Almost immediately, I noticed the eyes. People were looking at me. Some whispered behind their hands. Others openly glanced in my direction before pretending they hadn't been staring.
I ignored all of it.
I had already dealt with enough judgment in my life.
One more room full of strangers wasn't going to bother me.
Unfortunately, one man seemed determined to test my patience.
He was middle-aged, dressed in an expensive suit, with a smug smile that seemed permanently attached to his face. He approached me confidently.
"Good morning."
"Good morning," I replied politely.
His eyes travelled over my outfit before returning to my face.
The smile on his lips became mocking.
"I think you've come to the wrong place, miss."
I stared at him. "I'm exactly where I intend to be."
He chuckled. "This isn't really the kind of place for someone like you."
My jaw tightened. "That's none of your business."
His smile disappeared. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
I took a step away from him.
"Whatever I'm doing here is none of your concern. So go bother someone else."
His expression hardened.
"How dare you speak to me like that?"
I rolled my eyes.
He stepped closer. "Do you know who I am?"
His eyes traveled over my body, slow and deliberate making me feel disgusted.
"I clearly don't want to know."
I turned away but he caught my wrist.
I froze.
The warmth in my body disappeared instantly.
"Let go."
He tightened his grip. "You need to learn some respect. How dare you misbehave with me?" he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Do you know who I'm."
I rolled my eyes.
"Apne maa baap se pucho jaake. I clearly don't want to know who you are," I said flatly. "Piece of shit."
(Go ask your parents. I, Clearly, don't want to know who you are.)
His expression twisted.
People nearby had begun noticing.
I tried pulling my hand away. "Let go of me."
Before he could say another word, the atmosphere changed.
I felt it before I even looked up.
Kartik.
He was walking toward us slowly. Not rushing or shouting and that somehow made it worse.
His eyes were fixed on the man's hand around my wrist.
Nothing else existed in his expression. Only a frightening calm.
He stopped a few feet away. "Let go of her."
The man looked confused.
"Mr. Singhaniya!" the man said, his voice bright with false friendliness. "This bitch was misbehaving. I was just showing her place. Teaching her a lesson."
Kartik raised an eyebrow.
His voice was calm. Too calm. "Let go of her hand."
The man blinked.
"What..."
"Let. Go. Of. Her. Hand."
The man hesitated.
Before I could blink, he had pulled the man's hand away from me. He slammed it down on the table, pinning it there and then he picked up a knife.
A sharp, silver knife that glinted under the lights.
He shoved it through the man's hand.
Straight through.
The blade pierced flesh and bone, cracking the table beneath. The man screamed; a high, agonizing sound that echoed through the casino.
Blood pooled around the wound, dark and thick.
I stared.
I couldn't move, breathe or think.
Kartik didn't even flinch.
He walked toward me, pulling me closer to his side. His arm wrapped around me protectively, possessively.
"Next time," he said, his voice cold and merciless, "remember this before messing with my wife."
The man's eyes widened in disbelief.
He looked at me and I looked at him with disgust.
My heart was pounding. My hands were trembling. My entire body was shaking but I felt safe.
Because Kartik was beside me.
I saw blood dripped steadily onto the polished wood, pooling around the knife that held him in place. His face was contorted in agony, his breaths coming in ragged, desperate gasps.
But Kartik wasn't done.
"Apologize to my wife," he said, his voice cold and merciless. "For misbehaving."
The man groaned, his eyes wild with pain.
"I...I'm sorry," he gasped, looking at me. "I'm so sorry. Please..."
Kartik didn't let him finish.
His fist connected with the man's jaw...it was a brutal, satisfying crack that echoed through the silent casino.
"That," Kartik said, his voice low and deadly, "is for touching her."
He grabbed the man's collar, yanking him closer.
"How dare you?" he hissed. "I would have chopped you into pieces. But I don't want to get my hands filty because of you."
He released the man, shoving him back against the table. The man whimpered, his body trembling.
"But don't worry," Kartik continued, his voice dropping to a whisper that somehow carried through the room. "This doesn't end here."
The man's eyes widened.
He knew.
He knew who Kartik Singhaniya was and he knew what he was capable of.
Tears streamed down the man's face, mixing with the blood on his hands.
"Please," he begged. "Please, I didn't know..."
Kartik turned away from him as if he didn't exist.
He pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around me protectively. His hand came up to my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin.
"Tum theek ho?" he asked softly.
I nodded.