Rise of the Devil - Part 29

 

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Chapter 29



Arnav’s POV


I am annoyed seeing Khushi talking to Aman, smiling at him and they even laughing over his silly jokes but during all this, she doesn’t even see me once. We are at the dinner table where we self-serve and Aman is impressed by Khushi’s host capabilities. He appraises her and she happily takes the compliment but doesn’t feel shy telling him how except the cupcakes everything else is cooked by the chefs. Aman still praises her and also teases me how brainless decision I was taking so far by pushing her away to Denmark. To that, Khushi adds more spice by telling him she gave me all bloody clues that she wanted to stay in this marriage and I was dumb enough to understand. I sip some water.


“Can you two stop bickering about me as if I am not here?” I snap.


Aman grins.

“Oh sorry, we forgot you are here. Right, Khushi?”

“Absolutely.” Khushi giggles giving a high five to Aman and I am startled seeing Aman reciprocating to all her antics.


Aman’s phone rings at that very moment.


“Sorry, I need to take this one.” He says getting up and leaves away to talk in private. That’s my moment now and I turn to Khushi who is winding up the plates on the table.

“Why are you not talking to me?” I ask but she continues to ignore. I snatch the plates from her hand and keep it away. “Khushi what is so wrong that you cannot even smile back at me?”

“You want my smile?” she snaps. “Then you need to earn it Devil. I am sorry for being so hard on you, if that’s what you feel but the truth is, I am really not sure where I stand in your life. You have a family and I don’t know anything about them. I don’t even know their count to be specific. It’s like I am aiming blindly at a target.”


I gulp looking away from her for a second and then meet her gaze again.


“Don’t expect me to share everything with you in one night. I can’t rush this fast in a relationship Khushi. To be honest, relationships have always scared me and they still do.”


She gives me a sympathetic stare and nods.

“Okay” she picks those plates again. “Take your time then. I am sorry for rushing you like this.”


Saying that she is off to the kitchen leaving me even more frustrated. This is exactly why I never wanted to be in a real relationship. It’s so demanding and I am not the one who can work on other’s schedule!!


“Hey” Aman comes back. “All okay?”

I press my head which has started aching badly.

“Never marry.” I mutter and he is about to laugh but he doesn’t. That’s because Khushi is back and she has heard my little piece of advice and is even more annoyed at my thinking. I turn to her and find her collecting the vessels.

“You are having one bad day Buddy.” Aman pats my back.

“Absolutely not Aman.” Khushi replies. “I am seriously enjoying your company. It is better than the one I had here all this time.”


Aman laughs. I turn to him again.

“We need to discuss a few things about Jaipal. Shall we?”

Aman agrees and we leave to the other room to take this in private. The discussion goes on for an hour and Khushi doesn’t disturb us.


“Jaipal is still in the country Arnav. We just need to find that hole where he is hiding. Someone has to know his whereabouts.” Aman explains. “I think the Gujrals have some kind of involvement with him.”


Aman shows me a few proofs on his phone which makes me think on same lines. Samrat Gujral, the one Khushi was going to marry to and his father had always been greedy for more power and they could easily get that by joining hands with a drug lord like Jaipal who had international drug connections.


“Lets raid the Gujral’s casinos and private bungalows.” I suggest. “If they are protecting him, Jaipal must be hiding in one of them.”


Aman agrees.

“But, we have to divert Gujral’s attention somewhere else otherwise this mission could risk lives.”

I have no doubt in that. A thought comes in my head and I share it with Aman.


“Leave that to me. I will ask my men to organize a party this weekend at the Sartaj Mansion.”

“Sartaj Mansion?” Aman swallows. “You will go there again?”


I shut my eyes for a second. I know that place has always haunted me with memories of killing my father. That’s where I have seen his dark side. That’s where I have got involved in what I have become today.


“Yes” I nod. “That’s the safest place for the dark world to meet without the hinderance of the Police. You know I don’t want anyone suspicious about my involvement in this covert operation.

“Right,” Aman acknowledges. “But what will this party be for?”

“Do I need an excuse to fake a celebration, Aman?”

“You do” Aman urges. “With Jaipal on the run and the Gujrals against you, anyone will be suspicious why you are suddenly throwing a party.”


He is right. I should have a definite reason so that my men can trace Jaipal without the dark world knowing its me doing all this.

“I have an idea.”


I know what Aman is going to suggest.

“NO” I snap. “I am not involving Khushi in any of this.”

“Arnav, listen. That’s the safest option for now. The king of Devils is married and he has to introduce his wife. If you don’t introduce, they might think you are afraid and it might be more dangerous to Khushi.”


I can’t!! I really can’t involve her.

“She will be safe, Arnav. I know you will have an army ready to protect her if there is a problem. I guarantee her safety too.”

“It’s not about her safety Aman. Don’t you get this? She is as innocent as a flower. I don’t want her mind or heart to stain because of my involvement with these dark people”

“She is a mafia’s daughter and a Devil King’s Wife. She is in enough ditch already until all this is over.”


I groan in frustration and stride to the window to look out. Aman follows me.

“Arnav, I know I shouldn’t be intruding in your personal life but whatever I saw here makes me think, you should tell Khushi everything. She deserves to know about you to know you better.”

“Knowing me better is like knowing my worse, Aman” I declare.

“Then so be it. She still has a right to know your worse. If you are worried it will break this bond between you two, then I suggest you stop being so negative. Khushi is here to stay in your life. If you open yourself to her, she will know you better and stick to you in times of thick and thin.”


His words soothe a part of my inner conflict. Maybe he is right. I simply nod at him and decide to take one step at a time.


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


Khushi’s POV


Aman is leaving and I am going to miss him so much. The last two hours after dinner, he and Arnav had locked up in a room to discuss work and I didn’t disturb them. I was already very angry on Devil for his secrecy but I didn’t let my mood be off in front of Aman who was our guest and we had to host him well. After a round of desserts – the cupcakes I baked for them, Aman was ready to leave. He hugged Arnav and said something to him which I didn’t understand. I was the next one to hug Aman.


“Thanks for calling me here, Khushi. Arnav wouldn’t have taken the risk otherwise.” He says and I shrug.

“The honor was mine to have you here. I don’t know when will we meet next but hope it will be soon.” I reply.

“Very. You take care of yourself and don’t be angry on Devil. He is not that bad by heart.”


I don’t respond to that. Arnav slides his arm around my lower back to show our unity and I don’t shrug him off before Aman. Our fight can wait. We both see off Aman till the car and then I push off Arnav’s arm from my body and usher to my bedroom.


I am struggling to take out the pin which I had used to tuck the dupatta over my shoulder blade. It has suddenly become so tight that I am unable to undo it by my own. That’s when I see Devil in the room. He watches me struggle and then reaches the dressing table where I am standing. Without asking anything, he begins to help. I let him do it and though I am angry on this man, I don’t drop my gaze from his. We both stare at each other for no idea how long. He is so gentle with that Pin; I think it will never come off.


“Don’t do it on purpose. To stretch this moment between us.” I snap. “I am really tired and want to rest. Just take it off anyhow..” I command.

“Anyhow?” he repeats with a smirk and I don’t understand why he has to grin like that?


The next moment his mouth touches my shoulder blade. I shut my eyes to curb the bubbling desires in my body as Devil unpins the Dupatta from his teeth. His lips touch the crook of my neck in the process making me tuck my stomach in to stop his assault. The moment he pulls away, I give him a heated stare.


“You said anyhow,” he reminds.


I try not to stare at him or show him that such gestures affect me, but I fail. He is the first man who has ever touched me like that, who can make my heart dance like it never was in my control. I don’t want to initiate a conversation as I know what his response will be. So, I take off the dupatta and stride to the washroom.


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


When I return, I find no pillows on the bed which is impossible as I had seen them just before I went in the bathroom. Devil is on call with someone but I believe he is the one who did this.


“I need everything arranged by tomorrow. Call everyone and I will invite the Gujrals myself.” Arnav commands to the person he is speaking.


Gujrals? Invite? For what? I want to know but I am not sure if he would like to tell me so I don’t ask. Instead, when he drops the call, I query about the pillows.


“Where are the pillows?”

He puts the phone on the small bedside table.

“They eat the space on the bed. So I asked Mala to discard them all.”

“What?” I snap. “I used them to create partition between us and..”


Arnav reaches me and pulls my chin up to meet his eyes.


“No more secrets and no more pillows.”

His statement makes me wonder if he really means it or is he doing this to calm me down?


“I have our wedding reception party thrown for my dark world this weekend.” He adds. I am confused why he would do that? I am about to retort but he shuts my lips with his finger. “If you want to know my dark secrets, it begins from here.. from this party. Now I leave it on you if you wish to dig them yourself, learn them from me or never want to know them at all.”


I think for a minute and smile.


“I will choose option 2. Learn them from you.” I reply with my best pout with extra puppy dog eyes for good measure.


It seems to work as I don’t have to bother walking to the bed. Devil carries me in his arms and drops me to bed. He then covers me with the fluffy duvet before getting back to his side. This is the first time we don’t have any barriers between us.


“Where is this party? Here in Chandra Mahal?” I ask curious to find out how this is going to be as I have to be prepared equally.

“Sartaj Mansion..” He replies coldly and if I am right, he hates that place. Why?


I want to ask him so much but I don’t. Now that he has agreed to reveal all his secrets, I will let him do it in his own pace. His acceptance to share with me all his past is enough for now.


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


The weekend is here. The last three days I have not seen Devil much despite staying together under the same roof. I have heard he is busy in the upcoming Party and is mostly out for the same. Sartaj Mansion!! That’s where it is. A place I have heard Dad and Buaji speaking about but they didn’t tell me anything about it yet neither I asked. Devil has promised me to share his bits of life so I will wait for him to speak up instead of eavesdropping or forcing others. Last three nights, I have gone to bed without him but every morning when I woke up, he was next to me, sleeping, exhausted. But again, not for long and he would leave home in a few hours after breakfast. I have subscribed to a food channel where I learn all these cooking hacks from now. Plus, Buaji also offers me some tips in cooking which is great.


Today, however I have no time for anything except getting dressed for the party tonight. Buaji is at the Villa to check on me while I am dressing up.


“How am I looking?” I ask her flaunting my long black shiny gown with a slit at the left leg. Devil wanted me to wear black as that’s the theme of this party. He even sent two artists to do my makeup and hair. I feel like a queen already and I don’t want to look any less tonight.

“Good” Buaji answers and looks away fiddling with her fingers.

“Buaji? What’s wrong? You don’t look happy today.” I sit next to her and she gives me a worried look.

“How can I be happy when I know you are gambling with your life. I don’t understand what was the need for Arnav to even introduce you to his dark world?”

“Sshhh” I stop her from worrying further. “He must have done this for some special reason and I am truly excited. Don’t worry, your son has an army at standby to protect me.”


She stares at me quizzically while I chuckle.


“My son?” Buaji murmurs and I stop laughing recalling she is Devil’s stepmother though she has never even treated him as a family so far. There is so much bitterness between them that I don’t understand whom to convince first and will it even be worth it. Until I know Devil’s past, its hard to judge.


The door knocks and its Mala getting inside.


“Sir is home. He’s waiting for you down to leave for the party.”


I am startled that he is here to pick me. I was in the impression he will send his car and meet me directly at the Sartaj Mansion. I get up and straighten my dress.


“Buaji, I need to leave.” I give her a hug and she blesses me. “Take care of yourself and..”

“Him?” I complete the statement for her with a grin. She doesn’t affirm it but just looks away. “Don’t worry. We both will be fine. Bye”


I kiss her cheek and walk out of the room.


To be Continued.

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