Vivian approached me, his steps deliberate and heavy, and said in a cold, dark tone, "Are you planning to put on this drama in front of the whole world too?"
Confused and a bit startled, I asked, "What drama?"
Vivian pointed at my mangalsutra, his e...
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The night air on the bridge was thick with tension, the kind that wraps itself around you, making it hard to breathe. We had been standing in each other's arms, the world outside our little bubble forgotten, when Vedant's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Bhai, if your romance session is over, shall we?" Vedant's voice carried a teasing lilt, but the moment was shattered. Aarini jerked away from me as if burned, spinning around to hide her face.
I smirked, adjusting my collar as I met Vedant's gaze. "Yeah, tell everyone to get ready to move."
"Okay, Bhai," Vedant said, his tone all business as he walked off to relay the orders.
I turned back to Aarini, her hand trembling slightly as I took it. Without a word, I led her to the car. As I opened the door and helped her into the passenger seat, the sharp, blaring sound of car horns exploded around us, reverberating across the bridge like a warning. My eyes narrowed as I looked up. A swarm of men was pouring out of about twenty-five cars, and it took less than a second for me to recognize the threat. The situation was about to go south, fast.
Vedant and the others had noticed the incoming threat too. The cars had parked in tight groups, and the men were still a bit of a distance away, but not for long.
My guards reacted instantly, their training kicking in as they took cover behind the vehicles, weapons at the ready.
"Vedant, Kaden, Raj, Akash-grab the guns from the cars and take positions! I'll get Aarini out of here." My voice was sharp, cutting through the rising panic in the air. I jumped into the driver's seat, but just as I was about to close the door, the sharp crack of gunfire filled the air. The shots echoed off the metal, freezing Aarini in her seat, her eyes wide with terror. I slammed the door shut, my jaw clenched. The gunfire stopped as suddenly as it started, but the tension was now a living, breathing thing in the car with us. My focus was clear-get Aarini out of here. Alive.
I started the engine, the low rumble a comforting sound amidst the chaos. But as I inched the car forward, my blood ran cold. At the far end of the bridge, more black cars were emerging, cutting off our escape route. I slammed the brakes hard, the car jerking to a stop. "Get down!" I barked at Aarini, and she obeyed instantly, crouching low in her seat.
Fifteen more cars pulled up, and men dressed head to toe in black spilled out, their movements calculated and deadly. These weren't just Bradley's men; this was something far more orchestrated. The Planner had sent his dogs, and this was a carefully laid trap.
Smoke was starting to rise from the engine of the Rolls-Royce, obscuring us from view, but it wouldn't be long before they figured out where we were. The danger was real-if they decided to shoot at the car, it would explode. The car was already in a bad way, and a single bullet could trigger a catastrophic chain reaction with the other vehicles. My mind raced, calculating the odds. They wouldn't shoot. They couldn't. Their mission was something else entirely-Bradley's wife, the Planner's two men, and the diamonds. None of those were here, but it didn't mean they wouldn't try to take what they could.
