h u r r i c a n e ( A x N ) ✔

14. Aftermath

Neil pursed his lips, staring intently into Avni's eyes. Avni's heart thudded with more vigour with each passing second. Neil threaded his fingers through her hair as he let off the burden off him.

"Avni," he began, Avni sensing his uncertainty," Dayawanti Mehta is dead." Neil paused, shutting his eyes and getting transported back to that lapse of time. Neil and DD had bust into the house just as Avni lost her consciousness and hit the floor. Neil felt his world stop revolving upon seeing a gun brandished at Avni. He aimed towards the gun and fired, knocking the gun from Aman's hands, who had shock flashing upon his face. Dayawanti had tried to stab Avni, but she was not as quick as Neil's reflexes. Neil never felt such adrenaline coursing through his veins when he felt that life would evade Avni. He had shun away all thoughts and eliminated the danger looming upon Avni who was Dayawanti. Legal actions did not worry him much as he shot her out of self-defence. 

Aman was devastated. He could not let his grandmother's most cherished wish to fade out. It was all because of that Avni, that she had been shot. Noticing Neil and DD's attention on Dayawanti, Aman attempted once again to obliterate Avni, this time, stopped by DD, who aimed for his leg. DD was aware that Avni would go berserk if Aman were to die. Neil was aware of the same.  But, fate had other plans. Aman collapsed and fell right upon the dagger in Dayawati's hands. Neil and DD tried their best to prevent the blood loss. They however accepted Aman's fate when the paramedics announced that they failed to save him.

The winds of the past seeping away from him, Neil tilted his head forward, in order to observe Avni's reaction. Avni had her eyes shut as she rewinded the bitter memories. So, it was all over...the nightmare was finally over. Relief flooded her face and tears of happiness trailed down her cheeks. She sniffed, feeling Neil rubbing his palms over her back, comforting her. Neil tensed up, he had not told her the entire happenings and he bit his tongue as the question he feared the most at this instant rolled off her tongue," Neil..what about Aman?"

The few seconds of silence caused Avni's heart to sink. She wanted to know, how he reacted, what happened to him? Had he finally realised that Dayawanti was a liar and scamster all along? The questions hammering her made it difficult to sustain the silent moment. Upon feeling, Neil's palms freeze on her back, and his clenched jaw as he stared at the ceiling, Avni's breaths got uneven as she braced herself for the worst, an ominous fear creeping into her mind. Neil wouldn't let that happen, would he?

"Aman.." Neil started off raspily, avoiding to make eye contact with Avni, whose gaze was riveted on him. "What about Aman?" Avni begged, her voice laced with despair. Neil's adam's apple bobbed as he mustered the courage to face her, "we  could not save him..".

As Avni's sobs racked through the room, Neil did the best he could to help her feel better. He sat up and caged her in his arms, despite her resistance initially. Avni fisted her hand in Neil's shirt as she mourned her loss. Neil placed his hand on either sides of her face, getting her to face him," Avni, come with me". Avni did not budge, shaking her head in denial, her face red and soaked with tears.

Neil pushed the wild strands of hair being her ears. He stood up and seized Avni's arm and pulled her towards him. "Trust me," Neil whispered, looking at her. Avni blinked, seeking to know where they would be heading off to. The only thing she needed right now was to bury herself within her boundaries and lament on her miserable life and curse herself million times. But what she was unaware of was with Neil around her, he would prevent her from resorting to her initial plans.

As Neil intertwined his hands with hers, squeezing it, Avni felt like the  walls of resistance around her obscure and the only thing she knew at the moment while she looked into his honey-brown pigmented orbs and his manly-scent engulfing her, was that she trusted him.

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It's been a long time. I'm really sorry for not updating but this week has been a busy one and tbh, i get frustrated when i see the track that is going on in Naamkaran. But, don't worry, I won't abandon this story at any cost. And, thank you so much for your love and support and please keep them coming through your votes and comments. I love you all ❤❤

p.s: This is not proof-read, kindly excuse any errors.