AVNEIL

Chapter 3 - New deal

      Avni trudged along the pavement at a sedate pace, her mind focused on the gentle footsteps that seemed to echo throughout the desolate street.

     Let's date. Neil's voice whispered in her head. She shivered in disgust and pushed away the thought. Neil Khanna would never want to date someone like her, it had to be some sort of game or bet and this time would be different, she wouldn't be a victim of his games, not again.

     In an instant two men in suits appeared from nowhere and grabbed by the wrist. "Come with us, miss."

     She turned to fight but lost her balance and found her feet dragging along the cement."What? I don't have money? Where are you taking me? Let me go."

     The men dragged her and pushed her inside the stretched out limousine that parked across the street. Avni slowly lifted her gaze, which settled on Neil sitting opposite her. His leg crossed over the other and his face held a fixed expression.

     "You. Did you really have to kidnap me like that?"

     "It's refreshing isn't it?" he grinned.

     "What do you want Neil?" she pulled herself to sit.

     "Your answer?"

      She scoffed. He couldn't have been referring to when he asked her out just couple days ago.Ask? The thought of it amused her. More like demanded.

      "To what question," she asked.

     "I didn't know you had short term memory. I remember asking you out."

     Look who is talking about a short term memory, he still hadn't recall that they went to the same high school and how much horror he made it for her. Avni leaned back against the long narrow leather seat, her arms folded and her fingers tapped against her skin. She took a long look at him, his face was filled with confidence, whatever game this man was paying he wasn't accustomed to losing.

     She brought herself to the edge of the seat, leaned forward, and decided to play along. Itwasn't difficult, all she had to do was disappeared deep within herself. It was the only way she could cope by becoming someone else. It was a skill she honed over the years of living with an abusive father and being bullied all through high school. 

     Avni reached for him and he remained still. Her fingertips stroked along his freshly shaven jaw, over the fullness of his hard mouth. He felt his heart pound with every stroked she made, her hands moved to his collar then wrapped her fingers around his neck tie and pulled him closer. He didn't try to move away, simply followed her bidding, and kept his gaze locked on hers.

     She made her voice as sultry as she could and brought her lips to his ear. "Know this and never forget...You and I....never going to happen." She shoved him off intending to leave him there, puzzled but he seized her hand.

     He was Neil Khanna, heir to the Khanna fortune, he owned almost every building in the city, and some abroad and even have more than 20,000 employee all under him. Yet some simple poor cook treat him with disrespect. "How dare you refuse me?"

     "Let go." She whined and wiggled her wrist out of his hand. "I rather have Afghani warlords bleed me from my liver than go on a date with you."

     He didn't understand, he never met this girl before but she spoke to him with so much distain. It felt like his brain was short-circuited and needed to be rebooted. It was going differently a while ago, he thought he had her. He can't just go free like that, he had to make sure she regret her decision.

     "The money is now doubled."

     On his signal, the men that had brought her came and pulled her out of the car. Then zoomed off leaving the girl by the side of the road.

     Neil lowered the window of the car and stared out, the car was parked in front of a grey mansion, DD's house. He came down from the car, surveyed the large compound, the stark brown colour of the house is tainted by the rows of palm trees and shrubs in the front lawn. The multi-colour flowers greeted him. DD always did have an eye for colours.

     An elderly man emerged from the house and gave a low bow to Neil.

     "Uncle, how are you? It's been a while." Neil grabbed his wrinkled hand and shook it. He wasn't really his uncle but he don't know what to call the man he knew all his childhood years and practically raised DD as if he were his own.

     "That's because you don't visit, young sir."

     He chuckled. "Hey, don't turn this around on me. Where is DD?"

     "He is in the studio." The elderly man led him into the through the large, red, double French doors.

     "Don't worry, I can take it from here." Neil permitted the man to leave then moved further into the house, his footsteps echoed across the room.  

TO BE CONTINUED....

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