"If you want this marriage to work... Just remember that I'm the one in charge."
Meheera Varma isn't your normal girl next door. In fact, coming from one of the most important gang families in the world has made her quite far from normal. Since she...
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The next couple of days are the hotel are absolute hell. I've had to pretend that me and Ajay are in love, which is pretty hard to do when you both despise each other.
Veena bids us goodbye, and gives us a hug goodbye.
Another long, awkward, 2 hour drive awaits the both of us.
I get into the passenger seat, not even wanting to acknowledge Ajay. I take out my phone, and call my older sister, Sama, who I haven't talked to since the wedding.
"Meheera! Oh, I'm so happy to hear from you! How have you been?"
"I've been good, Sammy. I've missed you so much. How's Fardeen?"
"Good as well. Actually, very good. You know, we've been trying very hard for a child. And Fardeen has been trying very very hard." She laughs through the phone, and I can't help but laugh either. Sama has the type of laugh that will make everyone laugh.
"Enough about my sex life. How's you and Ajay's?" When she says this, I turn towards Ajay, my giggly mood stopping.
"It hasn't happened much... but, um, I'll tell you once it does, okay?"
"Okay... but if you need any tips I-"
"Didi! Sharm karo!"*
She laughs again, and I join in too.
"Okay, I'll leave you alone now. I love you, Meheera. Please come visit soon. We miss you."
Tears well in my eyes when she says this, because I miss her too. I miss my whole family.
"I miss you too, Sammy. I love you. I'll try to visit soon. Bye, didi." She hangs up, and I want to crawl into a hole. Why did I have to get married so soon?
"Who was that?" Ajay says. He doesn't look at me, instead still focusing on the road ahead of us.
"Sama."
He nods his head, the awkward silence returning.
"You know, when that room service guy came to our door, he pissed me off. It took all of my strength not to beat the shit out of him." I stare at him, shocked.
"Ajay, it's not like you like me anyways. You just wanted to prove that you're all big and strong."
We come to a sudden halt, and it looks like we'll be like that for a while. Traffic in California is no joke.
"Meheera, you think you know everything don't you?" He stares me down, the gaze making me scared.
"Why else would you do it? You don't care about me at all."
"Meheera, just forget it." And with that, we've gone back to silence.
•••
Once we reach home, I feel... alone.
Ajay's father called him for some business to deal with, so I'm alone once more in the house.
Instead of doing anything, I just stay in the bedroom and watch some T.V.
I get a call from Ajay midway through the show I'm watching. When I answer the phone, however, it sounds urgent.
"Meheera, please lock up all the doors and windows. The Italians found our home." My blood turns cold. The Italian mafia has been our family's rival gang for almost 4 decades. My great-grandfather killed their leader at the time, and ever since then, they've been out for blood.
So when Ajay says this, I don't waste any time running around the house, locking up everything.
That is, until I reach a dark room. I fiddle around for the light. I never find it, because within 30 seconds, an arm is wrapped around my throat, and everything goes to black.
•••
author's note
hi, everyone! so, instead of just uploading every tuesday, i've decided to upload every tuesday and wednesday. one chapter a week isn't enough content for you all, so i want you guys to have as much fun reading as possible. so a chapter will be going up later today :).
