Rise of the Devil - Part 19

 

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Chapter 19



Khushi’s POV


An hour later, I knock the door of Devil’s room, waiting for him to open. He messed up my room this morning looking for clues that the cop Shyam Jha and I had a connection, well he didn’t get one except the phone number which the cop gave me. But that once scene had cleared his mind from suspecting me and I am equally glad that there was nothing hidden between us anymore. We were now playing at front foot, sharing what we needed from each other. Arnav might not have openly told me that he wanted me more than his dark world, but I knew that’s what he had desired in his mind when he offered me to stay in his bedroom. And morally, this was right. We were partners and should be sharing a single room. So here I am, at his room door, waiting for Devil to open and he does.


His eyes gleam as he sees me holding the handle of my trolley bag. Devil stares at me as if believing I was taking this step finally. When he doesn’t let me in, I frown.

“I hope the offer to stay in your bedroom is still On .. or should I shift with Buaji.?”


That brings him out of the trance and he moves away giving me space to get inside. This room was the biggest in the bungalow and with special bonfire section too at the corner, and currently it was lit. I needed to be warm. I pushed the trolley to the side and jumped on the Sofa which was near the bonfire, and rubbed my palms.


“This feels good” I mumble. He stares at me for a minute and then heads back to the balcony to make a call. The next one hour the man is engrossed in the same and has no time for me. I wonder what he talks and to whom? When he comes inside, I ask.

“Do you always bore your people by talking to them for hours?”

He keeps his phone in his pant back pockets.

“What exactly do you talk so much?”

“Is that why you shifted in my room? To know my dark secrets?” He queries coming forward. “Hope this isn’t a tactic to pass on all my info to that cop.”


My jaw clenches.


“One more time you show your distrust on me and I am leaving this room.”

He raises his hands in defeat.

“Spoke to your father?”

I swallow hard. I haven’t spoken to Dad much after my marriage and the conversation we had after that. He, Buaji and Devil had hidden so many things from me all this time. I was angry on all of them, especially my father because he is my Dad.. and he shouldn’t have kept these secrets from me. I wanted him to support my freedom desires.. I wanted him to ease my life from his dark life and I wanted him to leave that dark world too but, he failed me in all.

“He was asking for you.” Devil adds. “He asks about you every day.”


I exhale unsure if I should speak to him right away or not.

“I will call him tomorrow.” I lie. I don’t know if I am going to do that but maybe I could just ask him about his health and disconnect.

Arnav shrugs and starts making the bed. My mood instantly shifts and a laugh escapes my mouth.

“What?” He asks. “Never seen a man making bed before?”

“No. But that’s not why I am laughing for. I am surprised how much efforts you are putting to get me a comfortable sleep while sacrificing yours.”


He doesn’t understand so I explain more.

“I might have agreed to stay in the same room but I will sleep on the bed and you… you will sleep here… on the couch” I point.

He is momentarily struck dumb.

“What?”

“Yes, you heard it Devil King.” I purposely address him as the Devil King this time to make him realize this is exactly why I am doing this.. He still doesn’t understand.

“You told me you are ready to move in with me with your heart, mind and body, remember?” He groans inwardly.

“That’s right. But you didn’t exactly leave your dark world yet, did you? Because until you do, that seems practically impossible.”


He snorts.

“I am not sleeping on that idiotic hard couch, you heard that?”

“You will”

“I won’t”

Before we could argue more, Arnav lays down on his side of the bed.

“This is where I belong.” He mutters.

I push the pillow from my lap to the couch.

“fine. Then I guess I will occupy the sofa happily. Good night Devil King”


He doesn’t say anything, just shuts the lamp. It’s a good night then. I lie down on the couch, trying to fit on it but Devil is right. It’s way too hard and uncomfortable. I keep tossing there for no idea how long, cursing the idea of sleeping in the same room as Devil. He was so heartless. He first damaged my room and now he made me sleep on this rough couch. I would never forgive him. When I toss again, I finally see Devil getting up from the bed and reaching the couch. Oh damn!! Why is he coming here? I am about to ask when he scoops me in his arms, surprising me so much that I squeal.

“Arnav?”

“Hush” He takes me the bed and drops me there. I am about to argue that I cannot sleep next to him when he starts dumping the extra pillows between us to create a partition. Once he is done, he stares back at me. “This will help you not roll to my side.”

My jaw drops.

“As if I would” I snap.

He doesn’t argue and shuts the lamp again, sleeping on his side of the bed. I watch him for a second or two before taking my side. This is good. The soft mattress below me is all I need to get a sound sleep. In no time, I doze off.


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

Arnav’s POV


I wake up at the sharp noise of the alarm. It’s definitely not from my phone as I never keep one.


“Umm..” Khushi stretches in sleep, next to me to find that source of the noise. If she wants to sleep more, why does she keep alarm then? I snooze it on her phone and take another minute to stare at my Devil Queen. With the duvet off her body and her night gown raised till her knees, she looks breathtaking. I swallow the lump of desires formed in my throat, to make a move to this angelic woman on my bed but I don’t want to scare her. Not when she has just decided to give me a chance.. to give us a chance. But I haven’t forgotten what she wants in return.. Me off the dark world.. That’s practically impossible!!


I get down the bed and get a fresh shower. I then come down looking for the servant who can make me a cup of Coffee but I am instantly surprised seeing Madhumatiji bringing one for me. I take it from her.


“Have you seen Khushi? She is not in her room. I hope she has your guards following her if she is out for a Jog.”


I sip the coffee, its good.

“She is my room” I reply noticing the surprise in Madhumatiji’s eyes.

“What? What is she doing in your bedroom?”

“What does a wife do in a husband’s bedroom?” I question back and the shock in her eyes turns into terror.

“What did you do to her?” She shouts. “Tell me she is fine and you didn’t…” she pauses..

“force her?” I ask… completing that statement and get up. “Only because I am a mafia, doing bad business, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to treat a woman.”


She is guilty for her words but I continue.

“I might have got my father’s blood but I think from here… when it comes to a woman.. Be it for you… or Khushi.”

She lifts her gaze and meets mine. I have never shown any concern for her so far but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry for her. My father married her and even if she is my step-mother, I know now she wasn’t fully at fault. As a teenage boy, I never understood what sacrifice she did, but now I do see how her life changed after she married my father. She could have got any other man who would be a good husband to her, give her kids and she could have got her happily-ever-after but instead of rose, she got bed of thorns.


“Buaji…” Khushi comes down and hugs her. “You made Coffee? Umm.. Just what I needed”


She snatches my mug and drinks from it. Though it should have pissed me, it doesn’t. Somehow her gestures attract me to her.

“This is good.. but a bit sour..” she comments turning to me. “Did you sip it before me?”


I roll my eyes.

“No wonder” she adds sipping more.

“I am going out for an hour.” I inform.

“Great, then we will go for some shopping till then. Right Buaji?”

“No one is stepping out until I am back.” I warn but Khushi being Khushi puts up a fight.

“Devil, stop being so rude. You have work, but we get bored. Let us enjoy some fresh air. Besides, Buaji has not stepped out since we came here. So pleaseeee…”


She pouts in such a way that I melt.

“Fine. But not without the guards. And you better don’t think of fleeing”

Madhumatiji leaves us to bicker. Khushi sips some more coffee and steps closer.

“I have temporarily dropped the idea of fleeing. I feel staying with you has more thrill than running away..”

I grasp her chin and pull it up to meet her mesmerizing eyes.

“There is no thrill in living with me Khushi, unless you like seeing me covered with blood most of the times.”


She swallows.

“You are going to leave this world, wouldn’t you?”

“Someday..” I reply. “Some freaking day, maybe.”

“Maybe?” she growls, tugging my shirt. “I stayed in your room last night as you gave me hopes of being a common man again, Devil. So that you could one day lead a normal life.”

“I will never have a normal life, Khushi.” My fingers wipe off the coffee stain from the corner of her lips which she parts as I touch them. “I can pretend to be normal.”

She gazes at my face, trying to read my mind.

“Once you step in this dark world, there is no exit Khushi. And yet, if I take one, I will never be normal again.. not after seeing so much blood.. not after knowing I have killed people.”


She gulps nervously and the next instant, her lips are on mine and she kisses me chastely, that I forget everything about the world I am ruling. Maybe an exit is not a bad idea.


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


Khushi’s POV


I’m awash with sensations unknown as I drink him in. I don’t know what transpired in me that I kissed him like that. He wasn’t telling me love stories.. he was describing the horrors of his dark life and I should have run away from him but instead, I end up kissing devil. It’s seriously insane but I let that feeling stay and feel his arms wrapped around my waist, drawing me closer.. and closer.. enough to touch our bodies like they are glued for a lifetime hereon. The sounds of the vessels from the kitchen, where I suppose Buaji is, breaks our kiss. But he leans forward once more and kisses me. This is a lethal combination of sensual torture. He pulls away from me with a heavy groan and walks away. I don’t understand. One second he is kissing me like he needs me and he next instant he pushes me away like he wants to stay far away from me as possible. What should I infer from his mixed signals?

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

Shyam’s POV


I throw away the tea, which I had been savoring so far, after I get the envelope. I have been transferred to another case!! And the orders are directly from minister. Wow!! I knew this would happen if I dig more about the Devil and his dark world. My junior, Kadam, salutes me.

“Sir, seems like we underestimated the Devil King. He is just not powerful but has some serious strong political contacts too.”

I nod. Kadam is right. I underestimated this man. But not anymore.

“Kadam, no wonder how strong and powerful contacts he had so far.. everyone has a weakness. So, will he and I suppose I know who that is.”

Kadam is suspicious.

“Do you mean his wife? Is she his weakness?”

I nod carefully, a plan to trap the Devil King starts framing in my mind.

“She has to be his weakness and the only one who can help us trap him.”

“But why will she do this for us? She never contacted you even after you leaving your number.”

It is true whatever Kadam said but I am not going to sit quiet and wait for Khushi to contact me. Maybe it’s time I make my next move. I had one week to pack off from here and shift to a different city with a new task. And I had to act fast.


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

Arnav’s POV


My one-hour work extends to two hours and then three but I don’t walk away without completing it. The jeep parks in the vicinity of the hilly road, deserted from the rest of the city and currently the best place for meetings like this. A man in a long fur coat, with a Cigar in between his lips and a black hat on his head, gets down with his armed men. My guards instantly get alert, their fingers pressing gently over the trigger to shoot if necessary but I stop them. I am here for making allies not enemies.

“Devil King..” the man exclaims putting off his Cigar and reaching closer. “Have heard a lot about it. Lucky that I get to see you even. You are quite young than I thought.”

Sliding my hands in the pant pockets, I stand there, unmoved by his comments.

“When is the consignment getting dispatched?” I ask straight to the point.

“Consignment?” he mocks and laughs heartily. “You mean those dozens of women who we have trapped in the containers and waiting them to be shipped outside this country?”

I clench my jaw.

“You don’t need to describe that Jaipal. Just tell me when will the delivery happen and where? I want to ensure my men reach there for the pickup.” I snap.

“Not so easy… not so easy Devil King.. The day is still young and so is the night. I know you are desperate for the details and you will get one only if you are coming to my Casino tonight. Let’s play a game of Blackjack together and if you win, the details are yours.”

I resist the urge to smash his face. How much time will I take to do that and get the details out? But nope!! I need Jaipal for my future.

“Fine. I will be there so you better be ready to lose.” I mutter.

“So much confident? How about we raise the stakes?”

I don’t understand. He leans closer.

“I have heard your wife is beautiful.” He whispers and now I don’t control my fingers from fisting. “Whoever wins..” he adds and before he could complete that statement, I punch his face hard and Jaipal falls on the ground, with his nose bleeding. The guns of my guards click waiting for one action from my end but I choose to let them be on hold for now. Jaipal fumes seeing his blood but then I extend him my arm to stand up again and he takes it.


“My wife is none of your business Jaipal. One more will word against her and I will bury you right then and there. Do you understand?”


Jaipal’s jaw hardens but he knows the seriousness of the matter. He nods and turns back to leave. His men wait till the Jeep starts and then climb on it and drive away. How I wished to kill him right now!! Would have done that too if he had given me the consignment details. Now only because he didn’t, and was still alive, I will have to play in his Casino tonight. Damn!!



To be Continued.

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