Locked - Part 5

 

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Chapter 5



Khushi’s POV



Day 3


The sprain has gone the next morning as I wake up and it was one of the best sleep last night. I dreamt of Arnav Singh Raizada. Initially like other times I was just imagining him with me, on this very bed, hugging me and soothing the leg pain but later as I dozed off, this continued in the form of a dream where I saw him doing much more than just sleeping next to me. The mere remembrance of it was enough to bring a blush on my face.

“Blush in the morning?”

I jerk at Payal’s voice. I didn’t know she was in my bedroom. She comes out of my bathroom, freshly showered.

“What are you doing here?”

“My shower is not working. Neither the Raizada brothers bathroom showers.” Payal answers wiping her hair.

“What? How’s that possible?”

“Some issue with the water connection. Your shower is perfectly fine though."

I am glad. But wait.

“Does that mean the Raizada brothers will be using my Shower?”

“Maybe.” She shrugs and my jaw drops.

“No way I am letting them do that”

The knock at the door startles us and Payal takes a dupatta over her neck before opening it.

“Hi”

That’s Akash.

“Umm.. Is the shower working?” He asks nervously.

“Yes, this one is.”

“Great. Bhai needs to use it if Khushi doesn’t mind.”

My lips part on their own as I get down the bed. The very thought of Arnav Singh Raizada bathing in my shower leaves a warm feeling inside my stomach.

“Are you his postman?” I ask reaching the door. “Where is he?”

“He is on call with Tyagi to call a plumber. I thought I will ask on his behalf. Do you mind?”

“No, she doesn’t” Payal replies. “What about you? I mean you won’t need to use her shower?”

“I had bath early. It worked in the morning.”

“You wake up early?” Payal digs for more of his routine and they keep discussing that right at my doorstep.

“Uh.. guys, why don’t you take this conversation outside? I need to freshen up…”

“Oh sure.”

Akash quickly walks away and my sister turns to me.

“Stop being so bitter. You scared him.”

“I like scaring people” I mock.

“Aww.. By the way when I came to your room this morning, you were murmuring something.”

“I was? What?”

“Some name..”

Now I stiffen. Did I take Arnav’s name? Oh No.!! Had Payal heard it?

“It’s nothing.. I mean.. I was in sleep.. and ..”

“Means you know whose name you took in your dreams..”

I blush harder.

“Shut up Payal”

“Arnav… You said Arnav… stop.. Please..” Payal reveals squealing like I probably did in the dream..

I hit her and she stops the act.

“What was he doing to you that you had to plead him to Stop?” She tickles me this time and I push her away.

“Gosh.. you are such a minx .. get out of my room.”

“Oh. So that you can let Arnav come inside?” she teases again.

“Payal you better don’t say that aloud.”

“Alright.. I am leaving.” She passes me a flying kiss and walks away. I am about to shut the door when I see Arnav Singh Raizada, standing a few feet from my door and probably he had heard that conversation. Oh no!! I shut the door on his face and lock it. I am not bothered what he will think of me for shutting the door like that but I am embarrassed to face him if he has heard about my morning dreams.


An hour later, I am still in my bedroom, dressed up to start the chores when the door knocks again. It’s Arnav this time in his night shorts and sweat shirt. Looks like he hit the gym which is on the terrace.. a few instruments and a treadmill.

“I need to use your shower.”

I don’t really debate this time and move away. He walks in and heads straight to my shower. Just a second later I realize something and follow him inside before he can shut the door.

“Stop.. I mean wait..” I get in.

He is stunned.

“You want to watch?” He teases.

“Oh please.. I am not that curious to know how a man showers.”

“I am glad. And I hope there are no secret cameras too inside..” he pretends to scan the bathroom once.

“Will you shut up..? I am here to take my stuff”

I grab the Wax creams and my other toiletries which I had displayed on the little rack. He smirks as I hide them and walk out as fast as I can.

“Can I lock now?”

“You don’t need my permission. Do whatever you like”


I reply hiding the stuff in my drawer and stride out of my bedroom, giving him some privacy.


***************

Arnav’s POV


Khushi Gupta shocked me this morning when I heard her sharing the morning dreams with Payal. So, she saw me again in her dreams? Isn’t that too frequent now? I don’t mind. And the way Payal teased her just proved the dream wasn’t a normal one.. I wonder what she saw me doing with her. Not that I would ask. At least not so soon. But someday!! I take a quick shower and reach the kitchen where my morning breakfast is ready. I wonder if Khushi made that one as she is the only one in the kitchen. It was decided that the breakfast will be our own responsibility and we won’t be depending on each other. She is wearing a cool blue sundress and busy chopping the veggies.

“You seem to be in a hurry to cook?” I move closer. “You like your partner so much that you can’t wait to cook with him?”

She turns and throws a ‘You wish’ stare at me.

“I need to finish my part of the cooking fast and get back to accounting. We have some issues to fix and to be honest we are really stuck at that.”

I nod at the information and pick the piece of fruit to eat from my breakfast plate.

“What does your dad do apart from delegating his work to his daughters?” I blurt.

She frowns.

“When a man delegates his business to his son, means he is just fulfilling his responsibility but if he does that to his daughter, it’s a burden? Is that what you think?”

“No.. Please don’t think that. I meant, you and Payal take all of his workload most of the time so I was just curious what exactly does he do?”


She exhales and her face pales.

“Dad is tired. He has done this all his life without support and any help. Now if we both don’t contribute who else will?”

I am so proud of her thoughts.

“Actually, you are right. You must do something to offer him extra hand in looking after all this business.”

“How?” She sounds curious to know.

“Find a suitable guy, who is already aware how to do business” I clear my throat as her eyes widen. “And.. get married. Both you and Payal I mean.. Get married so that your respective husbands can share a bit of your workloads too.”

She goes quiet for a second or two and then smiles. It’s hard to read what she is thinking at this moment.


“Great idea. Did you give this idea to my dad before sharing it with me? Because that’s exactly how he thinks and keeps telling.”

“Really?”

“Hmm. He has promised, by the time we reach home after the quarantine period, he is going to get two grooms ready for us.”

“WHAT ?”

I am so loud that even our neighbors could hear me.

“What?” I repeat in a low tone this time. “Grooms? Without letting you know who they are?”

“Yes. What’s so surprising about that?”

“Isn’t this wrong? You won’t even have a choice in selecting a groom for yourself?”

“Oh come on. He is our father. I will blindly trust whoever he chooses for me.


Not good!! NO effing good!!

“Bhai” Akash rushes in the kitchen breaking our argument. “Your phone is ringing from quite some time.”


I take my phone from him and put it away knowing who’s calling. I am not in a mood to speak to any other woman right now except Khushi Gupta who is back chopping veggies.


*************

Khushi’s POV


I hold my smile knowing how strongly Arnav Singh Raizada opposed my idea of marrying a total stranger whom my father picks. Glad he doesn’t know my father would never agree to something like that. His daughter’s choices matter to him. Arnav’s phone call rings again and this time I see a picture of a beautiful woman flashing on the screen. I don’t like that. Who is that woman?

“Bhai pick the call. You cannot ignore her forever.” Akash insists Arnav who shows no interest in answering the buzzing phone call, making me highly suspicious.

“No way. You know how much she irritates.” Arnav replies.

I keep my eyes focused on cutting the veggies. It would be rude to ask Arnav whose call it was. Why should I bother?

“Any problem?” I still ask as curiosity bites. “Your Ex?” I poke him and in a fraction of second, Arnav Singh Raizada’s eyes are on me.

“You look very interested in knowing if I had a girlfriend. Why don’t you ask me that openly?”

I push the knife away. “What? I am interested in knowing your past affairs? I?”

“Yes You” He puts off the stove and takes a step towards me. The ringing on the phone has stopped.

“Fine” I cross my arms. “I am interested to know because your phone ringing all the time while we cook is really bothersome. It irritates me.”

“Oh yeah?” He snaps. “What about your phone calls and WhatsApp notifications? They annoy me too.”

“You know what? Let’s make a deal” I mutter. “No phones allowed in the kitchen when we cook. It will be just you and me. Without any disturbance.. How about that?”

“Just you and me?” He reconfirms sardonically and that million-dollar grin on his face re-appears. Shit! It sounded different, didn’t it? Just him and me!! No way!!

Akash clears his throat to get our attention. We don’t really care when we begin the fight and where.

“Guys, you two can make as many rules as you like in terms of Kitchen but for now can I have a word with you Bhai? Ignoring Sheetal is not good right now.”

Sheetal? Oh!!! So that’s the name of this woman whose call he is ignoring.

“Fine. I will speak to her in sometime.”

He will? Why? Who is this Sheetal? Ex? Or his present girlfriend? The sudden thought of Arnav doing all that which I saw in my dream, with someone else, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

“I need a hand here” I say looking at Arnav once Akash is gone.

“Say that again.” His eyes sparkle in mischief which I don’t understand.

“I said I need your hand.”

He reaches me in few strides and pins me to the counter behind.

“You are asking my hand? What about your father’s selected groom?”

Damn you!! I want to yell that and retreat but I know the blush on my face is conveying something else.

“I need your hand for removing the bowls from the top rack. Otherwise, I don’t need you anywhere near me Mr. Raizada.”


He grins. “You sure?”

“Never been so sure” I point the knife at him. “Now will you help or should I do this myself?”

He shrugs and helps removing the bowls.

“I will go water the plants. Cut all the veggies and wash them too” He orders.

“Sure Sir. Anything else?” I ask sarcastically.

“Keep the rice in the cooker and boil the dal.”

Now he is pissing me off. If I cook everything what will he do?

“Also, cut the paneer cubes. And.”

I pick a spoon and throw it on him but he catches it on time.

“What? You just asked and I told. Don’t ask me henceforth if you don’t wish to do.”


I am about to throw another spoon when the knife in my hand scratches my finger and it bleeds.

“Ouuuchh” I yelp in pain and like yesterday, Arnav Singh Raizada rushes to help me.

“Shit. Come here” He throws the knife away from my hand and drags me to the Faucet tap at the kitchen bar. He washes my finger while pats it dry. I keep hissing and twisting in pain. He blows on the cut which luckily wasn’t deep when a drop of blood oozes out again and he puts my finger in his mouth. Sucking it!! Everything inside my body burns as I feel the warmth of his mouth. God help me!! What was he doing? He sucks my finger.. pops it out and checks it again. He is about to blow over it when I pull my arm away.

“Your name should have been damsel” He teases. “You are always in distress”

“Oh please. It’s the other way round. Whenever you are around me, distress follows.”


He looks annoyed by the choice of my words but doesn’t say anything to extend that argument.

“Go take a break. I will do the rest”

My eyes glitter in joy.

“You mean I can take a break from cooking today?”

He nods.

“Yes Ma’am. Now get out before I change my mind.”

NO way!! I grin and escape the place in no time, staring at my finger. This incident didn’t just give me some free time to mind my own business but also enough goosebumps as a man had sucked my finger today and licked away my bruises. !! How Insanely romantic!!


To be Continued.

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Standalone Romance Novel

Aryan Bohra

They say ‘Patience is virtue’ and I have lived by that term for six long years. Not anymore. The woman who has possessed my dreams all these years, is back in town and she also happen to be my newly hired PR Manager. If there is anything in this world that I have so strongly wanted, it’s HER.

Avni Singh

They say ‘Coincidences mean you're on the right path’. I don’t think so. The man who has chased and stalked me six years ago is now my Boss. I wanted none of my paths to cross his and still here I am, at his Office, as his PR Manager. If there is anyone in this world whom I have so strongly ignored, it’s HIM.

A tangled web of Love, Passion and Responsibility.

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EXCERPT 4

“This conversation is still not over” Mom says before walking out, shutting the door behind. Once she is gone, I quickly answer the call.


“Aryan”

Damn! Her voice trembled. She is crying.

“Avni. What’s wrong?”

“Aryan.. I… I need to find her.. She is.. she is missing”

She? Who is she talking about? I am already on my feet with the car keys. It’s evident Avni needs my help. She is in a problem I cannot fathom.

“Please help me.. Please” she cries bitterly this time.

“Avni, where are you? Are you home?”

“No.. I am not home.. I don’t know where I am. I .. I have to find her. I don’t know where to look for her. She is gone.”

“Okay, hold on wherever you are. I will find you and we will find her. I promise”