“But that time you were a kid. How did you know that Menaka was the one who planned all these? It might be an accident too.”

Nandana sounds a bit pessimistic. Aditya looks at her. His eyes are burning with abhorrence. Suddenly he smashes the glass on the floor with a grunt. Nandana flinches and covers both ears with fright. She tries to step back but Aditya grabs her with both of her elbows.

“BECAUSE.. SHE.. CONFESSED.. EVERYTHING… TO ME.”

Aditya screams with a staccato. His eyes are red in fury and he is foaming at the mouth with rage. He jerks Nandana with frustration.

“I searched for her for 10 years, traced her and confronted her to know the truth. Because I knew she was the one and I wanted my Mom to rest in peace in heaven.”

He lowers his voice and folds his lips to control the bout of emotion. Still, his eyes become moist.

“Your Mom is in peace, Menaka got her punishment. God gave her the deserved punishment. Now, get out of this darkness…please. You can’t change the past but you can better the future. Forget this painful past. Look at me. I don’t know what my past is but I know my future with you will be beautiful.”

Nandana cups his face and says with a grave tone. Both are looking at each other with great intensity. Their faces are a ft apart.

“Will you help me to forget my past? Will you help me to soothe my wounds? The screams which come in my nightmares. My Mom’s helpless eyes when she pushed me from the car. Will you help me to wipe away those memories? I am tired. I want some peaceful nights…without any nightmares. Can you…”

His words get suppressed as Nandana immediately presses her lips on his rough ones. It seems that she finds it’s the best way to assure him. To promise him that she is there…always. On the other hand, Aditya was not prepared for this. He never thought that Nandana can be so responsive. He takes some time to sink into the moment and in the next moment, encircles her into his bone-crushing embrace. His hands are roaming on her back like he is trying to be sure that Nandana is a real person of flesh and blood. His lips are engulfing hers entirely like a famished soul who was searching for solace for aeons. Nandana is feeling his intensity and urge through the kiss. She too snakes his back like an earnest climber who canoodles support as its life depends on it. The room is silent. Only some soft and sweet moans can be heard. Aditya’s tongue is roaming impatiently inside Nandana’s mouth like a child gets his most wished possession after a long wait. His arms are pulling her as fiercely as he wants to dissolve her existence into his. They don’t realise when they come near the bed and in the next moment, Nandana’s back of the knees touches the corner of the bed and she loses her balance. Both fall on the mattress still savouring each other’s mouths. Now Nandana is lying on the bed having Aditya completely on her. Her fingers dig in his thick hair, pulling them softly while Aditya is still sucking and lapping her petals. Gradually his mouth shifts to her jawline and side neck. He takes a small amount of skin and plunges his teeth.

“Ahhhh…..”

Nandana lets out the first moan in response to her first love bite. Slowly Aditya crawls down and stills on her upper chest. His hand holds the border of her saree and pulls it down. Her twin bosoms are palpitating in front of his astonished eyes. The gorge of her chest valley is alluring him to take possession. He bends his head and touches the sensitive skin. A tremor runs through her spine. She curls her toes. However, the neckline of the blouse becomes the hindrance between Aditya’s full attention and manoeuvre. He retrieves and places his hands on the hook of the blouse. He unhooks one when Nandana opens her eyes. Her hands automatically reach Aditya’s shoulder.

“Aditya…”

She softly mouths. Aditya meets her eyes. There is hesitance and uncertainty.

“Let’s get married…”

Nandana’s words make Aditya stock still for a moment.

.........................

“She must be hurt. But what could I do? That time I lied that she is my fiancée just to control the situation and I wanted to have her with me. But I can’t marry her. I only want her for my physical need. That’s it. I don’t love her. In fact, I don’t love anyone. I can’t. Sorry Nandana, I didn’t tell you the whole truth about that bitch Maneka. I couldn’t tell you how I trapped her. How I trapped her in the web of my love, lust and revenge and forced her to confess her sin. How could I tell you that bloody bitch was lured and attracted to my body and affluence after she seduced my Dad? And I took this advantage. I seduced that old hag and made her admit that she…only she murdered my parents. I know Nandana, you can’t support this immoral act of mine and will question my ethics how could I get physical with that lady who was once the kept of my Dad? But I didn’t have any other way to punish her. There was no proof or evidence of her crime. The only proof would be her confession and only this way I could get it. But after that, I lost all my faith and feeling for the word LOVE. Women should be used only for physical pleasure. They don’t know how to love from the heart. Just fuck them and throw. I always believed in this philosophy. Nandana was not any exception for me until I…I…you observe and feel her closely and start falling for her. Come on Aditya..admit it that you love her. She changed your philosophy about women. My Inner demon again comes with his theory. NO…I don’t love her but I can’t let her go either. I feel incomplete without her. I don’t know why. Maybe I haven’t fulfilled my desire for her until now and that’s why the attraction is still there. I try to analyse my feeling. Then why did you avoid her marriage proposal? Marry her, enjoy her body and leave her because she won’t allow you to go further before any strong commitment. This time my evil mind sounds sense. I recline on my chair and lick my lower lip. Her ambrosial touch is still there. But I need more. I need her to the hilt. And for this, if I need to play this farce marriage game, I will do.”

An evil smile creeps on Aditya’s lips. Suddenly his mobile beeps. Aditya looks at the name. It’s Ayan. He opens the WhatsApp message box.

“We picked that girl Roshni. Waiting for you in the farmhouse.”

Aditya types,

“I am coming and don’t let her know anything about Rajesh. I will open her mouth in my style.”

He picks up the mobile and the car key and bails out of the room. He doesn’t even notice that two disheartened eyes are observing him exiting the bungalow premises from the balcony.

.........................

“Did I say something wrong by insisting on our marriage? But I am his fiancée and someday we have to get married. Maybe at that time, he was not in a proper state of mind. He has so much pain and darkness inside him. Thankfully he opened up and I came to know. Maybe, he told me earlier too but I can’t remember. But what happened to me at that time? I never thought that I can be so reactive. But that kiss was so spontaneous and needed that I couldn’t hold myself. His eyes were so vulnerable. He was looking like a kid who needs the shelter of affection and love. I couldn’t avoid those eyes. He needed it. But what about my feelings? Did I only respond to his vulnerability? No, it was not only my response. It was my way to say to him that I love him and I am there for him….forever.”

A coy smile peeps on Nandana’s lips. It seems that she has explored something new about herself. Nandana saunters to the mirror and meets her reflection. Her eyes are beaming with some unknown delight. Slowly she reaches her lips and skirts her thump on her lower lip. It is still a bit swollen. Her cheeks flush. She wishers,

“I will wait for you Aditya. I will wait for you until you are ready to give this relationship any further commitment. I love you. And for me, that is enough.”

............................

“Where is she?”

Aditya asks immediately after entering the living room.

“In the guest room. I ummm…as you said she shouldn’t know about Rajesh…I got her here as…I mean like a call girl.”

Ayan reveals after a lot of hesitation. He knows Aditya since their childhood and it is still embarrassing for him to utter these kinds of things so openly. Aditya whiffs his discomfort and suppresses his smile. Instead, he replies in a serious tone.

“Good. She should know that she is here for servicing one of her clients. I will take care of the rest. What is the need of a hammer when it can be handled with amour?”

Aditya winks at Ayan and he bends his head with embarrassment.

“You can leave now Ayan but before that, arrange some food for our two old guests. They must be dying with hunger as last night they only got my kicks and punch. Tch…Tch…Tch… But I need them alive until I get that bustard Rajesh. And after that, it will be more fun to play with those mice.”

Aditya says in a diabolic tone. Ayan bobs and heads to the secret room where the goons are locked. Aditya whistles and twists the latch of the guest room. It is 5 pm. There is enough sunlight outside but the room is illuminated only with night lamps. All the windows are curtained seems that Roshni is quite aware of why is she brought here. Aditya’s eyes fall on the frame who is sitting on the sofa with crossed legs resting on the glass table. Within a second his expert eyes measure her body which is barely clad. A cheap micro mini is hardly covering her voluptuous thighs. Her cleavage is desperately visible from her low-cut top. She was probably wearing a jacket but now it is resting on the sofa. Seeing Aditya, she gets up from the sofa and comes near to him with a slow and sultry gait. She is having some chewing gum in her mouth. Frequently she is busting the bubbles. Her top is too small and tight to hide her assets or should be said she hardly cares to hide them. Aditya doesn’t shift his eyes from hers. As she nears him, a pungent smell of cheap perfume hits Aditya’s nostrils and he automatically frowns.

“Hi…I am Roshni…so, what will we play today? A test match, a one day or a twenty-twenty?”

Roshni asks in a luscious manner and touches Aditya’s lower sensitive area. A smirk creeps on Aditya’s lips. He immediately grabs her hand and twists it on her back and revolves her body to the other side. Now, her back is facing him. Aditya reaches her ear and says in a raspy tone,

“What about a match fixed twenty-twenty? Where I will pay the price and you will play the game according to my instruction. Let’s the play begin.”