Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 7

Karan had seen her walking down the stone steps after hesitating for a few seconds. He had recognized her too. It wasn't difficult. Anybody who saw her once would not easily forget her. She had that kind of face. Oval with a clear but pale skin. Her hair wasn't very long either probably shoulder length. She had a small nose and beautiful lips. Slight that was what she was slight. Short and thin. Maybe too thin he had no doubt she was underweight. Besides he had carried her to the main house not very long ago so. It irritated him. Her pale face had lingered in his thoughts longer than he would have liked. He kept his coffee mug down and went towards the back door. What did she want now? Whatever, he will get rid of her fast but this time he will tie up the buggers first.

Don and Kiser hadn't been chasing her to maul her. They had spotted her near the river first. He had seen her too. Wondering who she was he had kept an eye when she had walked back towards the main house. Curious to get to know her the dogs had followed and run towards her. They wouldn't have harmed her. He had known that what he hadn't known was that she would run. He had screamed for her to stop but either she had a hearing problem or she was too scared God knew but the dogs had thought she was playing catch just the way he played with them. Damn, he had almost lost it on his dogs today because of her especially when she had fallen. They wouldn't have hurt her but their weight would have crushed her. She was a slight little thing. Thankfully his whistle had done the trick. And then his mom had taken over. She should have informed him there was a guest in the house. He would have taken more care. How was he supposed to know someone new was here? He had just gotten back from Bangalore from his meeting with a client last night.

And to top it all madam had fainted. That had caused him some concern but when he had felt her come around as he had carried her in he had felt better. And just when he had been hoping that she kept herself to the house she was here. Trespassing.

He had come up behind her. How dumb did one have to be to not know there was somebody standing behind them? She hadn't known till the last second. Till he had made a deliberate sound. He had seen her go still. Who was she expecting? The dogs, maybe. So he had decided maybe he should let her know who it really was before she fainted again.

"Looking for a repeat of the morning scene," he had said announcing himself and he had seen her first tense and then relax a little. So she had been expecting the dogs.

Then she turned and he saw a whole new expression on her face. She just stared at him. At any other time he would have found a pretty girl like her staring at him amusing but right now it was definitely irritating. Had she never seen a man before? She practically perused him. Had he not sensed the nervousness he would have thought it to be a bold move. Her gaze finally shifted and she stared at his feet. Then tucked an invisible lock of hair behind her ear. She reminded him of a nervous filly. And they were quite unpredictable considering their inexperience and immaturity.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

Her voice was soft almost like a wisp of silk. Velvety soft. So she was here to apologize.

"What for?" he asked impatiently.

He wasn't in the mood to soothe her fears or nervousness though he wanted to and that was what was bugging him. He didn't know her from Eve and yet he wanted to take away that nervousness from her and fill up the void with confidence. What the hell? And he frowned.

"For this morning," she said nervously, "I was not aware that there were dogs on the property. I had seen the lights on last night," she said and glanced at him when he raised an eyebrow she went ahead explaining, "I mean the lights of this house," she said and gestured with her thumb pointing backwards, "but I hadn't known who stayed here," she said and saw his lips rise a little and she was suddenly awkward. There was a cleft on his left cheek. What was she doing? What was she saying? What had the lights got to do with what happened? "I mean I have been given that room," she said pointing in the other direction and Karan didn't even bother to look at what she was showing him. Maybe he knew she thought. "I was told this morning that you lived here but I hadn't known you had dogs or I would have been cautious," she finished in a rush.

Karan wanted to shake his head but he didn't. He kept looking at her. He knew he was making her nervous probably scaring her too but he didn't care. He never had.

"Apology accepted," he said brusquely, "anything else," he asked.

"No," Avni said wondering if she should say something else or just keep quiet. Then decided she should tell him at least why she ran. "Look, I am really sorry I did not want to cause any problem for you or between you and uncle aunty and I know I should not have run but..." she said then paused and bit her lower lip.

Karan watched her curiously. She was a strange one. She was so not sure of what she was saying. He could easily tell. And then she started chewing her lower lip, at this rate she would either burst into tears or faint again for sure and he couldn't afford either scenario. His mom wouldn't let him hear the end of it. And he heard her fear. So she was scared of dogs. Nothing new. Lot of people were. So why did she not complete her sentence? Did she think he would laugh at her? It was probably the most common fear after the fear of death.

"You are scared of dogs," he completed for her.

Avni looked up at him surprised.

"Don't be," Karan said, "you are not hard to read," he told her and that seemed to upset her even more.

"I am sorry," she said again.

"I am not hard of hearing I heard you the first time," he said rudely, "now if you are done I have work to do," he told her dismissing her and moved forward to pass her as he went inside.

Avni looked away and started to walk back when his words made her pause.

"One more thing," he said, "I don't take kindly to trespassers so next time don't come here till you have an absolute reason to," he said.

Avni watched him turn and walk away. He was a weird one not to mention rude. But trespasser? She was on the Dogra property. How was she trespassing? Maybe he meant his private space. Well she had only wanted to apologize and it seemed she had. And he had accepted it too though impolitely but...it wasn't as if she was going to make a habit of coming out here. Whatever it was she better not cross paths with him again. He was a dangerous man. And it would be better for her to stay away from danger especially when she already knew where it was. She needed to live safely, make a safe life for herself where nobody could turn her world upside down again. With that she turned and almost ran back.

Karan Vir Singh Dogra was the potential danger and she should avoid him at all costs. Only things were easier said than done.

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

Thank you for taking out the time to read ...

Votes and Comments Appreciated !!!