Ishq hua

Chapter 7: Silent wars

Arsh

I wasn’t going to let her go.

Even if my parents offered her the choice, even if they promised her freedom, there was no way out for her. Not while I still had a say in it. I might not know exactly what plans I had for her, but one thing was certain, she would stay by my side. There was no room for second thoughts.

When I told my parents about the bounty on Aira, they didn’t for a moment think I was being noble. The fear I had planted in their minds about the assassin, the supposed threat on her life - it wasn’t out of concern for her safety.

And they were right.

It wasn’t.

The bounty had come to my attention through Andrea, a friend of mine - and one of the best assassins out there. She told me someone had offered her money to kill some Aira Agnihotri in London, she had figured out that I had some sort of connection to her so she informed me.

Of course, Andrea hadn’t taken the job. Her twisted sense of morality kept her from killing innocents, only criminals. But not every assassin was as picky as her. Someone else would take the job sooner or later. And when that happened, Aira would be just another body, her life cut short before its time.

But that was a gamble I wasn’t willing to take.

I was the one standing between her and certain death. As if I would let anyone else lay a hand on her. If someone was going to ruin her life, it would be me - not some nameless, faceless bounty hunter. She was mine to control.

Adi bhai was the only one against it. He suggested we take care of her security but send her back home if she wanted.

Send her back? Why would I play bodyguard for free?

As soon as her father left, Aira had slapped me. Hard. Right in front of my entire family. The sharp sound of her hand cracking against my cheek echoed in the silent room.

No one had ever dared lay a hand on me before, not until today.

And why hadn’t I killed her yet?

The room was still. All eyes were fixed on the door as she stormed out. The shock on their faces said it all. They were more shocked about the fact that I didn’t say a word to her.

More like babygirl stormed out before I could unleash the hell on her.

My father’s expression was screaming shock as well, as if even he didn’t know what to make of what just happened.

Finally, his gaze shifted to me, his tone firm but restrained. “The only reason we didn’t interfere,” he began slowly, “is because you said you would protect her.”

His voice carried authority which I couldn’t deny, but I wasn’t fazed. I met his gaze, arms crossed over my chest. “Have I ever failed?” My voice was calm, collected, almost bored with the conversation. “I will keep her alive. Whether she likes it or not.”

The room fell into a tense silence again, the kind that made the air thick, heavy with everything unsaid.

My mother exchanged a glance with my father. I could see it in their eyes - they wanted to tell me otherwise. They wanted to give her right to choose for herself.

But they knew, just as well as I did, that even if they all went against me and sent her back, it would only be a matter of days before she ended up as a news headline.

She was safest with me, like it or not.

My father’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak. He knew the truth too well.