Veins of Vengeance (18+)

CHAPTER 6: LINES IN THE SAND

Rhea's POV

The air in my office was thick with tension, not unlike the feeling that always gripped me after a run-in with Aarav Thakur. His face lingered in my thoughts long after I left that alley, far too close for comfort. I tried to shake him from my mind, to focus on the task at hand, but he was becoming an inescapable presence.

My phone buzzed on the desk, breaking my concentration.

It was a message from Maya: You good? You disappeared at the gala. Heard there was some tension with Aarav Thakur.

Of course, news spread fast. Even the faintest whisper of Aarav's name sent ripples through the underworld, and I had no doubt every family was already speculating about the growing hostility between our factions. I quickly texted back, I'm fine. Business as usual.

But it wasn't business as usual. Not anymore. Aarav had a way of rattling me like no one else could. He was a puzzle, a dangerous one at that, and if I wasn't careful, I would lose myself in trying to solve him.

I got up from my chair and looked out of the large glass windows of my office, the city sprawling beneath me. Mumbai at night was a living, breathing entity, and tonight it felt restless. Or maybe that was just me.

The door swung open, and Neha, my younger sister, burst in without knocking. She never knocked.

"Rhea," she said, sounding breathless, "I need to talk to you."

I turned away from the window, my mind still clouded with thoughts of Aarav. "What is it?"

Neha looked concerned, and when she was concerned, it usually meant something was terribly wrong. "It's Zaid. He's making moves. People are talking."

My stomach dropped. So it wasn't just Aarav who felt the growing storm. Zaid Sheikh, our long-standing rival, had been unusually quiet lately, which was always a bad sign. The fact that Neha had heard whispers meant the threat was closer than I had hoped.

"What kind of moves?" I asked, my tone sharp.

"He's aligning with someone—someone powerful. I don't know the details yet, but from what I've heard, this alliance is dangerous for us. And for Aarav's side too."

Of course. Zaid would never go at this alone. He was smart, manipulative, and ruthless when he needed to be. Aligning with someone powerful could shift the balance in this city.

"Who's his new partner?" I demanded, already fearing the worst.

Neha hesitated, then said, "I think... it's Nisha Malhotra."

The name sent a shiver down my spine. Nisha. Aarav's obsessed lover and the woman who had been a thorn in his side for longer than I could remember. She was ambitious, power-hungry, and fiercely loyal to no one but herself. Aligning with Zaid was a smart move on her part. Dangerous for all of us.

I clenched my fists. "That woman has a death wish. She's playing with fire."

Neha nodded. "She's playing both sides, Rhea. You know that. If Zaid's partnering with her, it's not just about power anymore. It's about revenge."

"Revenge on whom?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Aarav," Neha said quietly, confirming my fears.

Of course. It was always about Aarav. The web of alliances, betrayals, and vengeance in this city always seemed to lead back to him. Nisha had once been his closest ally, and now she was his enemy. Zaid knew exactly how to use that to his advantage.

"Where did you hear this?" I asked Neha, already moving toward my desk to grab my coat.

"People talk," she replied, watching me carefully. "But I didn't come here just to gossip, Rhea. I'm worried about you."

I paused, my coat half on. "Worried? About me? Why?"

Neha frowned. "I've seen the way you look when Aarav's name comes up. It's not just hate anymore, is it?"

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. Neha was too perceptive for her own good. But I couldn't let her know how deep the conflict ran inside me. How every time Aarav's name was mentioned, something stirred within me that I couldn't control.

"I'm handling it," I said coldly. "Don't get involved."

"I'm already involved," she shot back. "You think you can keep your feelings locked away forever, Rhea? This isn't just business anymore, and you know it."

I glared at her, unwilling to admit that she was right. "This is about the family. About protecting what's ours. Nothing more."

"Then why do I get the feeling it's more than that?" Neha's voice softened, her concern genuine. "You can lie to everyone else, Rhea, but you can't lie to me. Not about him."

I clenched my jaw, unwilling to have this conversation. Not now. Not when I was so close to losing control.

"I don't have time for this," I snapped, pulling my coat on fully. "Zaid is making his move, and I'm going to find out how far he's willing to go."

Neha sighed, clearly frustrated, but she didn't push further. "Fine. But be careful, okay? You're walking a dangerous line."

I didn't reply as I left the office, my mind already racing with plans. Zaid and Nisha were dangerous together, and if I didn't act soon, this city could turn into a bloodbath. But as much as I hated to admit it, Neha was right about one thing.

Aarav Thakur was more than just an enemy to me now. He was a complication I couldn't afford.

Aarav's POV

The punch landed square in the man's gut, sending him to his knees with a wheeze. I stepped back, wiping my bloodied knuckles on a towel that Rohan handed me.

"Where's the intel?" I asked, my voice cold and unyielding.

The man coughed, blood dribbling from his lips as he tried to speak. "I—I don't know... I swear..."

I leaned down, my patience wearing thin. "You're lying. And I don't have time for this. Where's Zaid?"

The man trembled, his eyes wide with fear, but he still wouldn't give me what I needed. I stood up, signaling to Rohan. "Finish this."

Rohan stepped forward without hesitation, and the man's pleas echoed through the warehouse as I walked away. I didn't have time for half-truths and cowards. Zaid was out there, making moves, and I needed to know what he was planning.

But it wasn't just Zaid on my mind. Nisha's betrayal stung more than I wanted to admit. She had always wanted more, but I never thought she'd align herself with someone like Zaid Sheikh. I had trusted her once, allowed her too close, and now she was using that trust to try and destroy me.

I stepped out into the cool night air, trying to clear my mind. The city stretched out before me, alive with danger and secrets. Somewhere out there, Rhea was playing the same game I was—trying to stay one step ahead of Zaid while keeping her family safe.

Rhea.

Her name felt like a curse and a temptation all at once. Every time I thought I had control over my emotions, she shattered it with a single look. She was fire, and I was already too close to being burned.

Rohan stepped out behind me, wiping his hands clean of the blood. "He's dead. Didn't give up anything useful."

"Then we move on to the next one," I said, my voice hard. "Zaid's not going to hide forever."

Rohan nodded but hesitated. "And what about Rhea? She's in this just as deep as we are. You think she'll play along?"

I looked out over the city, my mind clouded with thoughts of her. "Rhea will do whatever it takes to protect her family. Just like I will. But we both know this isn't going to end with one of us walking away."

Rohan's expression was unreadable, but he didn't argue. He knew as well as I did that this wasn't just about Zaid or territory anymore.

It was about Rhea. And it was about me.

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