Suffocation ھوٹن (A Pakistani Romance)

Part 2

Nina spooned some soup into a bowl, turning off the stove with her free hand as she placed it on a tray. Accompanied by some toasted bread and tomatoes, the soup would serve as her mother's lunchtime meal.

It had been three months since her father's death. The guests had all left in the following weeks leaving Nina and her mother alone to the expansive house and the memories left behind.

Everyday, Omair would arrive in the afternoon. He'd force her to sit down and eat with him and then grab her hand, pulling her into her bed for a nap.

Even now, as she left her mother's room, leaving behind a tray that would most likely be half touched when she'd go back to retrieve it, Omair stood in the living room.

He straightened as he saw her, eyes softening as she walked past him into the kitchen.

"Nina. Ghar ajao." He spoke softly, as if afraid of her.

Nina looked right at him. "Yeh hi mera ghar hai."

He scoffed, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him. "Your home is with me. You're my wife. If you don't plan on coming back with me anytime soon, then I'll be forced to do something you won't like."

She averted her gaze. "Omair. Live your life the way you wanted to. Stop coming here. There's nothing left here for you."

His soft brown eyes, so light that they resembled caramel, bore into her, his angry features settling into an expression of hopelessness.

"You're here. Mera sab kuch idhar hai."

She pushed past him, having heard enough. She planned on getting to her room first and locking the door but he was hot on her heels and stuck his foot in before she could proceed with her plan.

Pushing in, Omair towered over Nina, his hand grabbing her wrist as he tugged her towards him.

"You loved me, Nina? Is that all gone now?" He was being bitter, cruel like always.

"Leave." She ordered, breathing through her nose as she tried to build a distance between them

He slipped his hand against her cheek, his warm palm coming in contact with the smooth skin. "Mujhe maaf kardo." The words were uttered like a plea and Nina's heart dropped.

"Mein apki jaan chor rahi hoon. Isn't that what you wanted?" She wants to turn away from his touch but his other hand has slipped around her waist and is pressing her body into his.

"Nahi." He whispered, mouth dipping to kiss the freckle above her lip. "I was a fool."

She closed her eyes as his lips traveled over the expanse of her cheek, feather light touches, his sighs bringing heat back into her body.

"Stop it." Nina breathed, pushing against his shoulders.

Omair shook his head, kissing her nose over where her piercing used to be. Another thing he had taken from her. "Nina please."

Except Nina isn't with him in that moment. She's beneath him, her face muffled by the pillows, her hips raised as his hands pull her into him ruthlessly. And she knows that like in that memory, Omair's touch always feels so good, so right, but afterwards, he discards her like he never cared to use her in the first place.

"Please." He begged, but her eyes are glassy and she's not responding to anything he says or does.

"What changed your mind?" She sounds so strained as she asks, her dark eyes locking onto his.

"What?" Omair's confused, his eyebrows scrunched as he questions her.

Nina blinks slowly. "Why the sudden interest in me? Why did you come back here?"