In the heart of the bustling 21st century, Veeranshu Rajput and Mahira Sengupta were living the kind of life most people only dream of. Veeranshu, a man of imposing stature and quiet strength, had risen to become one of the world's most powerful and...
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The night was thick and silent as my men meticulously cleared the area. I didn’t want civilians witnessing this—no interruptions, no mistakes. The streets were empty, shop lights dim, and the occasional stray glinting off puddles from an earlier rain. Everything was as planned. I glanced into the side mirror, smirking as I saw them following, clueless of their imminent downfall. They thought I was oblivious, yet they had no idea they were walking into my trap.
I finally reached the narrowed alley, where dim streetlights barely cut through the darkness. The sharp echo of footsteps followed, growing closer. I slowed my pace, giving them the impression that I was unaware of their approach. At the end of the alley, I stopped and turned, leaning against the wall with a calm, detached smirk. Three men, guns in hand, stood a few feet from me, confident, pointing their weapons in my direction.
I folded my arms, keeping my gaze steady on them. “So,” I drawled, “care to tell me who sent you?”
They laughed, mocking my calm, oblivious to the flashing red laser dots now dancing on each of their foreheads. My men had them in their sights, silent and ready. It didn’t take long before they realized the game was up. As my men closed in, they dropped their weapons, forced onto their knees, faces full of fear. I approached slowly, maintaining an air of deadly calm.
“Once more,” I said quietly, letting each word sink in. “Who sent you?”
One of them stammered, eventually giving up a name I’d never heard—a minor threat, no doubt. Rivals here in India. Still, that didn't grant them mercy. I took out my gun, leveling it with his forehead. He began pleading, but the noise only distracted me from an oddly familiar sound—faint, delicate. A soft jingling, like anklets.
I paused, looking up. That sound. Could it be her? My mind flashed back to the girl from the temple—the one in the red saree, with the light scent of jasmine still lingering in memory. Was she nearby, or was this just my mind replaying what I couldn’t seem to forget?
I signaled for silence with a single gesture of my gun, and they stilled, recognizing the look in my eyes. But then, one of them, panicking in the silence, lunged, snatching a gun from one of my men. I whipped around just in time to see him raise it toward me. Before he could pull the trigger, my men restrained him, and I heard the crack of bone as they snapped his knee. A single silencer gunshot echoed, grazing my shoulder—a mere scrape, but enough to draw blood. I didn’t flinch.
The pain was nothing compared to the rush that went through me as I tuned back into the sound I’d been trying to catch. There it was, that same soft jingling of anklets. I followed it, rounding the end of the alley, pressing my back to the wall to avoid being seen. And there she was, just down the narrow street, coming toward the alley with an expression somewhere between curiosity and concern.
My breath caught. She was as striking as I remembered, even without the saree—her hair cascading in loose waves, a simple kurti and jeans accentuating her elegance, her face glowing softly in the evening light. A light lavender scent floated toward me, mixing with the memory of jasmine, drawing me deeper into her presence. She looked around the alley, her steps slow, eyes wide as if she was both scared and intrigued. She was innocent, yet there was a boldness to her that captivated me.
I got an sweet evil idea . This time I was not letting her go from my sight . I eyed my men to clear the spot. They got the silent order. They got out silently out of my kitten's sight.I just went to the side of the wall and leaned against it as I was badly injured. Time for some action Veeranshu ! In a sweet way!
She finally spotted me, her gaze dropping to my shoulder where blood was seeping through my shirt. Her eyes widened, her expression a mix of fear and compassion. Without hesitating, she hurried to my side.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” she asked, reaching out instinctively, her voice gentle yet urgent.
I nodded, playing up the injury. “There was a shooting nearby. I got caught in the crossfire,” I replied, keeping my tone light, concealing the truth behind a calm exterior. “Please, just…help me.”
She took a quick glance around, then said firmly, “We need to get you to a hospital. Can you stand?”
Her hands reached for my arm, helping me to my feet. I couldn’t help but notice how small she was compared to me, her grip gentle yet steady . Her lavender scent filled the air, intoxicating me as we made our way through the alley. She checked her phone, glancing at Google Maps to guide us to a nearby hospital. The feel of her hands on me, her soft warmth, only intensified my determination to get closer to her.
At the hospital, she waited outside while I was being treated. I watched her from the glass, noticing how she nervously chewed on her lip, clearly worried for a stranger she barely knew. Her kindness and innocence only made her more intriguing—such a rare sight in my world. After the doctors finished, I instructed them to keep my identity concealed and not to involve the police.
When she finally came in, she looked relieved. “Are you okay now?” she asked softly, her brow furrowed with concern.
“Yes, thanks to you,” I replied, unable to keep the warmth from my voice.
I hesitated, but I couldn’t let her leave without knowing her name. “By the way, what’s your name?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could finish, Kevin burst into the room. I had never felt a surge of irritation so quickly, and it took everything to keep from glaring. Realizing it was someone I knew, she smiled gently, stepping back.
“Well, it looks like you’re in good hands now,” she said. “I should get going. Take care.”
She turned, giving a small wave as she left. I clenched my fists, struggling against the instinct to follow her. All I’d heard was “Mahi”—a fragment of her name, yet it stirred something deep within me, something familiar and unfamiliar at the same time but fiercely possessive. As the door clicked shut, I looked at Kevin, my voice icy.
“If you don’t get me her full information within two days, you’re fired.”
Kevin stammered out a reply, sensing he’d interrupted something important. But I couldn’t focus on him now. I could only replay her name in my mind, tasting it like something forbidden and intoxicating.
“Mahi…” I whispered, the sound anchoring itself into my very soul.
