Guilty Pleasures

4

"Ever since I've met you, no one else has been worth thinking about."

Raghav Rao was a man made out of something else. A man shaped by the tragedies of his life. He had the world wrapped around his finger; people dancing to the tune that he played. Everyone at his mercy.

He had everything; and yet he had nothing.

The people he had once called his own, had left him. No matter how much he tried to step in, to be the son and the brother he had always been, his devotion to his family was never enough. Every breath he took, every work he did was threaded with the image of his family. His broken family.

It had been years, and he still hadn't forgotten. No matter how much his mother believed he needed the reminder; that he had somewhat forgotten all the pain through building this empire the reality haunted him enough every morning the moment he opened his eyes and every night when he was left to his own device.

It wasn't until he had started sleeping with Pallavi did the nightmares cease. She awoke a peace in him that he was sure he would never find again. He was grateful to say the least, of course he would never tell her that, but for once, he was able to shed the burden of his past with her at his side. Perhaps it was selfish of him; to solely want her for his own peace of mind, to quench a desire to be loved but more importantly to love.

Similar to our heroine, he too had long realised the blurring of their set paths, the man who feared nothing remained unfazed by their looming reality. There was no use in denying it.

It wasn't love, of course it wasn't, that he would deny, but the companionship he had somewhat obtained that he wouldn't deny.

But it was his awareness of their situation that had allowed him catch onto the behaviour of our fellow heroine. He knew the effect he had on her, he could see it, in the way her eyes would widen, her pupils would dilate, her chest heaving. He noticed it all.

Their relationship as much as the two had tried to keep it at just sex, had morphed, altered slightly to the point that when neither of them could sleep, they found themselves sharing information with each other.

His business teacher had once told him, always get to know your enemy. Observe them, study them dutifully because it is through that, that their weakness will be revealed.

For so long he had attempted to will himself to believe that was what he was doing, but watching the rise and fall of her chest, as she slept soundlessly beside him awakened something else within him.

He knew her now. Like the back of his hand. Her highs, her lows, her pleasures and her pains. He knew it all through simple observation. He knew that her family was her weakness the same way it was his.

He wanted to exploit it. And the accounts he had gotten his hands on would have been perfect for it. But he stopped himself, pushing the file into the depths of his cabinet because somehow he had begun to value her. He valued her position on the chess board because he had no qualms in admitting she was a worthy opponent.

But today, after the back and forth, the bickering, and the vow she made to stay away; he wanted nothing more but to force her back to his side. To trap her completely. It was sadistic, but so was the beast within him.

He had ultimately decided not too. He knew her. He was confident in what he knew, and he knew she would come back. She always did.

And so it was with those half reassuring words, that it began to baffle him how she kept eating at his mind, the thoughts of her starving his brain.

He couldn't focus, and for him that was a big thing. The Raghav Rao who was known to be a god amongst business couldn't even focus in a meeting. It was laughable, at how a girl had managed to mess with his mind so effortlessly.

He had dismissed the meeting soon after. Adamant to try his best to cool his flames that were roaring at the mere thought of her. If he ignited something within her, than she had the same effect on him. More so even, because he already was on fire. He was fire epitomised in its rawest form.

He looked down at his phone, a silent wish that refused to manifest at his lips. A wish for her to fulfil. But alas, he knew he wasn't that lucky. He wouldn't have expected it either.

But he had ultimately left the ball in her court. And he would wait, as respectfully as a don could for her to seek out him. He wouldn't defame her; he couldn't, not with the upbringing he had prided himself on. Not knowing he had a sister who meant too much to him, he could never hurt another woman. Not unless she asked for it of course like the millions of girls that threw themselves at him.

Pallavi was different. She didn't beg for his presence, in fact she very much detested it. She was one of the only women he had met that could think straight when he was present. She saw past the luxurious life, past the don avatar and saw him as a normal human being. Something that he had craved for.

He laughed. He sounded like he loved her. And to any other person they would most likely think along the same pattern. Unfortunately, he was set on denying that aspect. And he would take it to the grave if he had too.

His hands worked with a sense of diligence as he continued to sketch his latest design for his newest collection, his finger smudging the outline of the design to increase its overall effect. It was stunning. The small gold pearled set was something he had spent nights perfecting. He pushed aside the sketch, moving back to admire it.

He smiled. It would look gorgeous on her. His smile quickly fell with the same thought, a realisation dawning on him that this had been made for her. His fist clenched the edge of the paper until he forced himself to stop.

A sigh escaped his lips.

A curse threaded through them.

He couldn't push the thoughts of her out of his head.

And then he realised he didn't want her out of his head.

When he had finally returned to the depths of his cold mansion to retire for the night, he found himself, looking towards the side that she was prone to occupy after their numerous rounds of sex. He could still faintly smell her perfume within his room, the looming scent of lavender, causing a ghost of a smile on his face. Because it was proof, that even if it was for a short moment. He had someone.

Not anyone, but someone.

TBC

Author's note: Hope you guys enjoy this little one from Raghav's point of view. See you tomorrow for the next update xxx Take care x