Twin Inferno

35. Street fight

Ehaan’s POV

The plane hummed softly as Siya and I touched down in Italy. A business trip—that’s what I told everyone, but really, I needed to get away. Away from the suffocating mess back home, from Rudra’s sneering face and the fake condolences, and especially from Siya. I married her to break Rudra, to destroy everything he held dear. But lately, there was something about her that gnawed at me. It wasn’t love. No. But a strange pull, like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

As we stepped out of the airport, the cool Italian breeze hit us, and Siya’s wide-eyed wonder was almost irritating. She seemed so naive, so oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. It only made my blood simmer more. Everything about this trip felt wrong—the tension was palpable, even the meeting earlier had been a disaster. My patience was wearing thin, and the anger inside me was a ticking bomb, ready to explode.

"Do you want to grab dinner first?" Siya asked, her voice soft, unaware of the beast stirring beside her.

"Whatever," I muttered, shoving my hands into my pockets, leading the way down the cobbled streets.

We found a small restaurant, cozy and intimate, but my mind was far from the charm of the place. Siya ordered pasta, and I drank, hoping the alcohol would drown the rising rage. But it didn’t.

After dinner, I stepped outside for air, needing to be away from Siya’s suffocating kindness. That's when I saw them—three locals hanging by the corner, their eyes locked on Siya through the restaurant window. Their sneers were blatant, their voices low but loud enough for me to hear.

"That one’s a beauty," one of them muttered, his gaze fixed on Siya. "Bet she’s a good time."

I froze. The fire inside me ignited instantly. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, the world narrowing down to the three of them. The rage I had been keeping in check finally snapped.

Before I knew it, I was marching toward them, every step fueled by anger. "What did you just say?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

The guy who spoke smirked, his friends chuckling beside him. "Easy, man. Just appreciating what’s yours. No harm in looking, right?"

That smirk. That smug look on his face—it was the last straw. My fist flew before I could think, slamming into his jaw with a sickening crunch. He stumbled back, caught off guard, but his friends jumped in without hesitation.

Fists and elbows blurred in a frenzy of violence. One guy hit me hard in the ribs, another swung at my face, but I didn’t care. Pain meant nothing now. All I saw was red. Every punch I threw felt like a release, like the anger I had buried for so long was finally finding an outlet.

But three against one was no easy fight. A punch connected with my gut, knocking the wind out of me. I staggered back, struggling to stay on my feet. Blood trickled down my face, the taste of metal sharp on my tongue, but I kept going. Kept swinging. Kept fighting.

Suddenly, I heard her—Siya’s voice, panicked and scared, cutting through the chaos. "Ehaan! Stop! Please!"

She rushed over, throwing herself between me and the guy who was ready to land another blow. Her tiny frame was nothing compared to the brute force of the men, but somehow, she managed to push him back, her voice trembling as she screamed for them to stop.

The men hesitated, sneering at me one last time before backing off, laughing. "Keep your woman on a leash," one of them spat, before disappearing into the night.

Siya turned to me, her face pale, eyes wide with fear. "Ehaan... what the hell were you thinking?"

I wiped the blood from my mouth, still breathing hard, the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "They deserved it," I muttered, my voice harsh.

But Siya wasn’t listening. She grabbed my arm, her touch surprisingly strong as she dragged me back to the hotel. I tried to shake her off, but she held on, her fear turning into frustration. "You’re bleeding," she hissed, her voice breaking. "You need help."

---

Back at the hotel, Siya moved quickly, grabbing a first aid kit. I slumped onto the bed, my body aching from the fight, but my mind still reeling. I didn’t want her help. I didn’t need anyone. But there she was, tending to my wounds like I wasn’t the monster she just saw.

"Hold still," she whispered, her fingers trembling as she dabbed at the cut on my brow. The sting was sharp, but her touch was gentle. Too gentle.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice soft but edged with anger. "You could’ve gotten seriously hurt, Ehaan. This... this isn’t you."

I scoffed, unable to look at her. "You don’t know me, Siya."

Her hands stilled for a moment, but she didn’t look away. "I know you’re angry. I know you think you need to fight the world, but this... this isn’t the way."

I clenched my jaw, the weight of her words pressing down on me. "They were talking about you. Like you were some... some object. I couldn’t just stand there."

Siya paused, her eyes softening as she continued cleaning the blood from my face. "You didn’t have to fight them, Ehaan. I’m not... I’m not fragile."

"It’s not about that," I snapped, frustration boiling over. "I—" I cut myself off, not even sure what I was trying to say. Why did I care so much? Why did their words bother me?

She sighed, sitting back on her heels, looking at me like I was some puzzle she couldn’t quite figure out. "You’re not as heartless as you think you are."

I laughed bitterly. "You have no idea what I am, Siya."

Her gaze didn’t falter. "Maybe not. But I know you’re not just this. You’re not just anger and pain, Ehaan."

Her words hit harder than any punch I took tonight. I stared at her, unsure of how to respond. No one had ever looked at me like this. Like they could see past the walls I had built. Past the darkness.

"I didn’t ask for your help," I muttered, my voice weak.

"I know," she said quietly, standing up and turning away. "But that doesn’t mean you don’t need it."

As she walked away, something inside me shifted. I didn’t want her to leave. Didn’t want her to stop caring. But I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Couldn’t bring myself to let her in.

Because if I did... I might lose control.