Chapter 19
Kavya
‘Just my luck,’ I mutter, shifting uneasily on my feet as anxiety coils tightly in my chest. Even in the dim light, I can see Reyansh’s jaw clench and the storm brewing in his eyes as he advances toward me. Swallowing hard, I remain frozen in place. I don’t even have to look around to know there’s no escape—I am trapped.
As he steps in front of me, I become an even bigger mess—my hands grow clammy, and my heart thunders like a runaway train. I open my mouth to say something—anything—but I can’t find the words. However, I quickly snap my mouth shut when I see the blazing fury in his eyes. It’s obvious I am standing on thin ice and need to stay silent.
Before I can anticipate his next move, he grabs me by the arms and yanks me out of the bar, dragging me down the corridor. He finally releases my arms, and I stumble, struggling to regain my balance. When I look up, he’s already standing before me, towering over me with that intense gaze.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” he snarls, sending a violent shiver through my already trembling body. He doesn’t even wait for me to answer as his eyes sweep up and down my body, making me painfully self-conscious of my attire. “And why on earth are you dressed like that?”
“What are you doing here?” I counter, fully aware that it’s not the smartest thing to ask at this moment.
“Do you think it’s wise to ask me that when I am already pissed?” his deep voice rumbles, making me shift nervously. I glance over his shoulder and notice a few people in the distance watching us.
“Could you please stop creating a scene? You know I hate when people stare,” I whisper-hiss at him.
“Sweetheart, you shouldn’t have come here dressed like this if you were worried about getting unwanted attention,” he growls, crossing his arms over his chest. “Now, answer me. What are you doing here?”
Beads of sweat start to form on my forehead. How on earth do I tell Reyansh that he needs to leave me alone? Being seen with him here is sure to lead to disaster and could endanger my sister’s life. Before I can contemplate a plan to escape, my phone buzzes in my hand.
Unknown: Change of plans. I couldn’t make it. Something came up. Go back home and wait for my next message.
I exhale sharply, relieved momentarily. However, Reyansh’s booming voice reminds me that I am not out of trouble yet.
“Whose message is that?”
I see his hand reach for my phone, but I quickly slip it into my jeans before he can grab it.
“No one,” I say, tipping my chin up defiantly and meeting his dark gaze head-on. Oh God! With every passing second, I witness the rage in his eyes intensify, and my brain screams at me, ‘The sooner I get out of here, the better.’
“I… I am leaving,” I stammer, taking a step to walk past him. However, he firmly grabs my hands, stopping me in my tracks and pulling me back to face him.
“The hell you are,” he roars. “We need to talk,” he states, dragging me towards the nearby elevator.
“Reyansh, let go of me,” I insist, struggling to free my hands from his grip, but his hold remains stubbornly strong.
“Not until I get my answers,” he says, pressing the button for the lift. He then reaches for his phone and dials a number. “Give me the key to room two double zero four, the presidential suite,” he demands into the phone before abruptly ending the call.
Before I can protest or question him, the elevator doors slide open and Reyansh ushers me inside. The doors close behind us and I turn around to face him. His hands are still holding mine tightly, his gaze fixed on me.
“Reyansh, you’re being unreasonable,” I murmur, letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Unreasonable? You’ve got some nerve saying that to me,” he snaps back.
I swallow hard, taking in the sheer rage on his face. I clench my free hand into a fist, silently pleading for this night to end quickly. The elevator ascends smoothly, and my heart is pounding at double the speed, uncertain of what might happen next.
The ding of the elevator jolts me, and the doors open on the twentieth floor. Reyansh keeps a tight hold on my hand as he leads me down the corridor. We reach room two double zero four, where a bellboy is waiting with the keycard. Reyansh takes the key from him and dismisses him with a nod. He swipes the keycard, and with a quiet click, the door opens. Without another word, he gently but firmly guides me inside the room.
Once inside, Reyansh closes the door behind us and turns to face me, his eyes searching mine. I take a few steps back, ensuring there is enough distance between us, and wrap my hands around my stomach.
“Now start talking,” he demands, his voice low but commanding. “What do you think you were doing down there? And whose message was that?”
“It... it was a guy I met on a dating app,” I stammer, fumbling for a lie. “He invited me here, but he just messaged saying he couldn’t make it,” The words barely leave my mouth before Reyansh advances towards me, and before I know it, he’s pinned me against the wall.
“Don’t you dare feed me that crap; it’ll only make me angrier,” he growls. “Tell me the damn truth.”
His words reverberate through my chest, weakening my resolve, but I try to hold on. I can’t bring myself to tell him the truth. There’s too much at stake.
“I swear, I am telling the truth,” I try again, disregarding the flurry of nerves dancing in my stomach. “I just wanted to unwind a bit. And let’s not forget, you are here too, so don’t play the saint.” I press my hands against his chest, attempting to push him away, but he doesn’t budge, moving closer instead.
“Liar,” he murmurs against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine as my insides twist like a wrung-out rag.
“Reyansh, you need to step back,” I whisper, feeling suffocated by his proximity.
He searches my face and takes a step back, finally allowing me to breathe easily.
“For God’s sake, Kavya, tell me what you’re hiding from me. Stop playing this game,” he says, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
“I am not playing games, Reyansh. I just… I just wanted to have some fun,” I reply, feeling a mix of guilt and shame wash over me. I know my flimsy excuse is only making things worse, but I can’t bring myself to speak the truth.
“You want to have fun? Fine. Then, let’s have fun,” he suddenly says, his voice eerily calm, and I blink at him, taken aback by his words.
I hold my breath as he strides over to the mini-bar in the corner. Tension grips me as I realize my bluff is about to be exposed. He opens the cupboard, takes out a bottle of whiskey, and pours a glass, all while maintaining eye contact with me. He then walks back up to me with the glass in his hand, his expression unreadable but intense.
“Here,” he says, holding the glass out to me. “You said you wanted to have fun, so let’s lighten up a bit.”
I glance down at the glass in his hand, then back up at him, hesitating.
“Come on, Kavya, it’s just a drink. Have it and prove to me that you’re telling the truth,” he urges.
With shaky hands, I take the glass from his outstretched hand. The weight of the glass feels heavy in my hand. I bring the glass closer to my lips, feeling my resolve falter. I can’t. I can’t do this. Reyansh’s eyes narrow, and before I can react, he snatches the glass from my hand and hurls it against the wall. The sound of shattering glass fills the room, and I flinch, startled by his sudden outburst.
“You think this is a game?” he hisses. “You can’t fool me, Kavya. I can see right through your lies.”
I shrink back against the wall. “Reyansh, when I said ‘fun,’ I didn’t mean with the drink,” I reply, trying to explain myself with another lie. “What I meant was that I just wanted to experience… being with a man, you know? I’ve never really done any of those things before, and I wanted to know what it’s like to be with a guy,” I whisper, my voice barely audible.
Reyansh’s face darkens with anger and jealousy, but in a flash, his expression shifts and a mischievous glint enters his eyes. I gulp nervously at the sudden change in his mood. Without another word, he begins to unbutton his shirt, one button at a time.
“W-what are you doing?” I stammer, my nerves spiking.
“You said you wanted to know what it’s like to be with a man. Why don’t you have fun with me then? I can teach you a thing or two,” he counters, undoing another button.
As Reyansh continues to slowly unbutton his shirt, a wave of unease washes over me, causing my heart to race and my breaths to become shallow, and I take a hard gulp. My eyes dart to the side, looking for an escape, but before I can make a move, he places both his hands on either side of my face, trapping me between the wall and his body. My gaze drops down to take in his open shirt, exposing his broad manly chest, lightly sprinkled with hair. Biting my lip, I lift my eyes to meet his. Holding my gaze, he presses me against the wall, and I feel his erection against my stomach as he leans in, bringing his lips closer to mine. But just before they can touch, I turn my head away.
“Reyansh, please don’t,” I plead, trying to push him back, but he ignores my plea , lowering his mouth to my earlobe and gently nipping it. His hands slide to my waist, slipping under my top and touching my bare stomach. The heat of his touch sears my skin, making my heart race as electric current shoots through my body.
“Do you want to try again and tell me the truth?” His fingers continue to lightly caress my skin, tracing patterns over my stomach, and I squeeze my eyes shut even tighter.
“I... I... can’t,” I stammer, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe, every word coming out in a shaky gasp .
“Look at me, sweetheart.” His voice softens, and his hand gently moves to cradle my jaw, coaxing my eyes to open and meet his. “Talk to me.”
Overwhelmed by emotions too heavy to bear, I succumb and drop my head onto his chest and let out a sob as I lose the fight against the intensity.
“I am sorry,” I choke out between sobs. “I lied because I was scared to tell you the truth.”
Reyansh wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. “Shhh… it’s okay,” he murmurs, his hand softly running through my hair. “But please, just be honest with me. No more hiding. Tell me what is bothering you.”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a second to gather the courage to confide in him. My voice wavers, but I tell him everything—the truth about Officer Viraj, my parents’ accident, and the threats from the unknown number . After a long, quiet moment, I lift my head from his chest and meet his gaze . I see a whirlwind of emotions playing in them — from rage and protectiveness to concern and empathy.
He rests his forehead against mine, whispering, “God, you’ve been going through all of this alone, and you didn’t even tell me.”
“I couldn’t,” I reply. “He warned me, threatening my sister’s life.”
“Sweetheart, you need to promise me that you won’t keep any more secrets from me, and that you won’t risk your life like this again,” he insists.
“I… I…” my voice cracks as I nervously lick my lips. I don’t want to keep secrets from him, but I am apprehensive about making a promise to choose my life over my sister’s. Truth be told, if given a choice, I wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice my life for her.
He lifts his head and gently cups my face in his large palms, his gaze locking onto mine. “You need to understand, Kavya, how important you are to me. If something happened to you, I wouldn’t just struggle; I’d be shattered beyond repair,” he says in a deep, husky voice.
I nod, my voice catching in my throat, rendering me speechless.
“Also, get this clearly in your head. When I say I’ll protect you and keep you safe, it’s not just an empty promise. It’s a vow, a commitment that I take very seriously. I’ll go to any lengths to ensure no one dares to take you away from me.”
I shake my head. “I am not scared for myself, but for my sister. I can’t lose her, Reyansh. And I am terrified of what might happen if whoever it is find out I told you ,” I admit, my voice tinged with worry.
“You listen to me, sweetheart. I won’t let anything touch you or your sister. I will move heaven and earth to keep you both safe .”
My heart palpitates, and my eyes meet his with a flutter when I see the promise in his gaze, sending a jolt through my core. How does he always do this? It’s as if nothing in the world could ever hurt me when I’m with him. Damn! The way he makes me feel is indescribable .