Veins of Vengeance (18+)

CHAPTER 5: THE ART OF DECEPTION

Rhea's POV

The darkness between us thickened, like the unspoken words choking the air. Aarav stood just feet away from me, his presence overwhelming in the cold, desolate alley. My heart was pounding in my chest, and no matter how much I tried to control it, my body betrayed me.

I should have been furious—hell, I was furious. He had no right to show up here, no right to be lurking in the shadows as if this was some kind of game. But his eyes, those deep brown eyes that seemed to hide a thousand secrets, held me captive.

I tightened my grip on the knife I'd hidden in my jacket, just in case. My instincts screamed to walk away, to not let him anywhere near me. But that wasn't an option. I had a job to do, and I couldn't let this unwanted distraction ruin everything.

"Is stalking women a new hobby of yours, Aarav?" I spat, my voice cold as ice. I couldn't let him see the effect his presence had on me.

He smirked, a flash of something dark crossing his face. "Stalking? Hardly. You're not that interesting."

Liar. The way his gaze lingered on me said otherwise. But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he got under my skin.

"Then what do you want?" I asked, stepping closer despite myself. My body was betraying me once again, drawn to him like a moth to a flame, even though I knew getting too close to him would burn me alive.

"I'm looking for information," Aarav said, his voice smooth yet deadly. He didn't move, his tall frame towering over me in the shadows. "And I think you're looking for the same."

"Information about Zaid?" I ventured, keeping my voice steady. I couldn't let him see that he had any power over me, even if his mere presence sent a strange thrill through my veins.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Zaid's getting too bold, playing games he doesn't understand. We both know he's making a move—on you, on me, on everything we control."

Aarav was right. Zaid Sheikh wasn't just a threat to me or my family. He was a threat to both of us, and as much as I hated it, working with Aarav might be the only way to take him down.

"Maybe you should look in the mirror," I shot back. "You're the one who can't be trusted, Aarav. You and your entire empire."

A flash of anger darkened his features, but he didn't bite. Instead, he stepped closer, his voice dropping lower, more dangerous. "Believe me, Rhea, I have more reason to destroy Zaid than you do."

My heart raced as he came closer, his breath warm against my skin. I hated how my body reacted to him, how the heat between us felt like a current threatening to pull me under. Every instinct I had told me to run, to protect myself from the growing storm between us. But I stood my ground.

"You're not the only one who's lost something," I whispered, my voice trembling despite myself.

His eyes softened, just for a moment, and that glimpse of vulnerability caught me off guard. In that brief second, I saw a man who wasn't the monster I had grown up despising, but someone broken, just like me.

"You know nothing about my losses," he growled, his voice hardening again as he stepped back, the wall going back up between us.

For a moment, the tension between us felt unbearable. I hated the way he made me feel—confused, conflicted. But deep down, I knew we were two sides of the same coin. We were both products of this twisted world of violence, betrayal, and power, shaped by our families' sins.

I couldn't let my guard down with him. Not for a second.

"I don't need your help, Aarav," I said, my voice steady now. "I'll deal with Zaid on my own."

Aarav's smirk returned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You may think that, Rhea, but sooner or later, you'll realize the truth. You and I? We're not so different."

He walked away before I could respond, disappearing into the shadows as swiftly as he had appeared. I stood there for a moment, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside me. Aarav Thakur was dangerous, in more ways than one, and I couldn't afford to let him get any closer.

But as much as I tried to push him out of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was right. We were both tangled in this web of vengeance and destruction, and no matter how hard I fought it, I couldn't escape.

Aarav's POV

Walking away from Rhea wasn't as easy as I made it look.

She was fire, pure and untamed, and standing that close to her, feeling her breath, seeing the fire in her hazel eyes, made me crave her in ways I hadn't craved anyone before. And it pissed me off.

I had no room for this... whatever it was. Lust? Curiosity? Obsession? It didn't matter. I had more pressing matters to handle—like the growing problem of Zaid Sheikh and the fact that Nisha was slipping out of my grasp.

Nisha had always been ambitious, always wanting to be more than what she was. I should have seen it coming. The way she looked at me, expecting me to give her more than I could. She wanted to be part of my world, to stand beside me as my queen, but I couldn't give her that.

Rhea. She had been my focus last night, but I couldn't forget Nisha's role in all of this. I had to be careful.

As I entered my office, I found Vikram sitting by the window, staring out into the distance. He was a shell of the man he used to be—once a lion, now broken by betrayal and age.

"Zaid's making his move," I told him, my voice low.

Vikram nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving the window. "I know. He's after more than just power. He wants revenge, like we all do."

"He's aligning himself with someone dangerous," I said, watching him carefully. "And we're losing control. Nisha's involved."

At the mention of Nisha, Vikram's eyes darkened. "I warned you about her, Aarav. You should've seen this coming. She's hungry for power, and she'll take it any way she can."

"I'll handle her," I said, though I knew it wouldn't be easy. Nisha was smart, and she knew too much about my plans.

"And Rhea?" Vikram's voice cut through the room like a blade.

I stiffened. "Rhea is a complication."

"A complication," Vikram repeated with a sigh. "She's more than that, Aarav. She's your mirror. You both carry the same darkness. The same thirst for vengeance. But remember this—mirrors can shatter."

His words struck deep, but I didn't let it show. I had no time for reflections, no time for weakness.

Zaid was making his move. And so would I.

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