Broken Souls

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 18

सारी शिकायतों का हिसाब
जोड़कर रखा था मैंने
उसने गले लगाकर
सारा हिसाब ही बिगाड़ दिया...

~Aviraaj S. Rathore
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Author's POV

They gazed at each other with unwavering intensity, their eyes locked in a battle of curiosity and intrigue. Aviraaj was captivated by the enigmatic woman before him, a living embodiment of Pandora's box, brimming with countless surprises. Just when he believed he had unraveled her true nature, she effortlessly shattered his perception with a single unexpected action. Today, it was the gun and the knife, objects that he had grown accustomed to, but she wielded them as if they were mere playthings. Reflecting on the incident at her house, when he had caught her off guard, he realized that her response was far from ordinary. It was as if she had been trained for such situations.

And now, as he stared into her eyes, he couldn't help but be intrigued by the challenging glint that danced within them. Aviraaj was no stranger to intimidation, yet it seemed to not affect her. He knew deep down that she understood he posed no threat to her, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. After all, he held the upper hand in this encounter. At the very least, she should have displayed a hint of fear. But instead, she stood defiantly before him, daring him to press on.

Aarayna gazed at him with an empty expression, devoid of any fear. She had absolute certainty that he would never commit such an act, regardless of how menacing he appeared or whose blood stained his hands. Moreover, her indifference stemmed from the countless instances in which she had found herself in perilous situations, facing threats from guns or various other weapons. Thus, she couldn't have cared less about this particular circumstance.

The night enveloped them in darkness, a heavy silence hanging in the air. Aviraaj's voice, deep and husky, shattered the stillness.

"Tell me, Aarayna, who are you? Spare me the lawyer facade and reveal your true self. These hands..."

He released his grip and gently caressed her slender fingers.

"They possess a certain skill, a dangerous prowess that I can sense just by looking at them..."

Tracing the edge of a knife along her cheek, the cold touch sent shivers down her spine.

" Who is the real Rayna? " he inquired, sliding the knife down and returning it to its original position. Aarayna took a deep breath, a mixture of relief and hesitation. She yearned to disclose her true identity, but the trust between them was still in its infancy. They had a long journey ahead, and it wasn't just her harboring secrets. Aviraaj, too, held his own share of dark mysteries...

Aviraaj tenderly clasped Aarayna's hands, careful not to leave any trace on her fragile skin. As he held her, he sensed the turmoil within her eyes. He anticipated a sharp retort from her, yet she remained wordless, causing him to doubt his own perception. Eventually, he released her hands, and she inhaled deeply, still unable to meet his penetrating stare. A faint blush graced her cheeks, while Aviraaj smirked mischievously, teasingly waving her car keys in front of her.

Aarayna's eyes widened in surprise as she was taken aback by it, desperately attempting to reach out and grab it. However, he swiftly concealed them behind his back, causing her to shoot him a piercing glare. The mischievous glint in his eyes only made him chuckle as if he found her reaction amusing. If only her intense gaze had the power to cause harm. But then, her expression softened upon hearing the enchanting sound, and she simply shook her head before asking,

"We are not going home, are we? " while looking at him with narrowed eyes, he used her own words against her and said,