A silent billionaire.
A woman trained to kill.
When power marries danger, love turns lethal.
The moment the bedroom door closed, my soul left my body and stayed behind that door.
Outside, rain continued pouring relentlessly against the glass walls while distant thunder rolled through the mountains.
The room itself remained mostly dark.
Only occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the space for a second before darkness swallowed everything again.
He carried me straight toward the bed. Then unceremoniously dropped me onto the mattress.
Fortunately, far more gently than his behavior suggested.
I bounced slightly against the soft surface before immediately pushing myself upright.
The moment my feet touched the mattress, I attempted to escape.
A terrible decision.
I had barely shifted to the side corner of the mattress when his hand wrapped around my ankle.
My eyes widened.
Before I could react, he pulled.
The force wasn't enough to hurt me, only enough to drag me back across the mattress toward him.
"Ranbir!"
My protest only earned me a slow look.
Another flash of lightning illuminated his face. The infuriating smirk was still there.
Outside, thunder growled.
Inside, I was beginning to question every life decision that had brought me to this room.
Especially the coffee.
"I'm not done yet," he said slowly.
"Trishika."
The way he said my name immediately made me suspicious.
He straightened.
At that exact moment, lightning flashed beyond the glass walls, briefly illuminating the room again.
For a second, his expression became visible. His eyes had fire that was making me sick.
"I command you," he said with infuriating politeness, "take off my shirt."
I blinked.
Why would I have to do that?
Just because I spilled coffee on it?
The man was behaving like a child. Why only clothes, should I give him a shower too?
Absolutely not knowing him, he would immediately crave for that.
Unfortunately, escape was no longer an option. So I stepped forward and stood on my feet, keeping several inches between us.
My hands trembled far more than I wanted to admit. I reached for the top button of his shirt and began undoing it.
One button.
Then another.
His hand settled around my waist and my breath caught.
Before I could react, he pulled me forward. The distance disappeared instantly.
My hands froze against his chest trying to push him.
"Ranbir"
He did not reply and his arm remained around my waist while I glared up at him.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
I tried focusing on the buttons of his shirt instead of the fact that his arm remained firmly around my waist and moved down. One by one, I opened all buttons while pretending my heart wasn't trying to escape my chest and move my hands.
"That's not enough," he said to my ears.
I slowly touched the side of his shirt and took it off his body with my trembling hands.
The room felt strangely quiet despite the noise of rain outside. He suddenly became still.
I noticed the change immediately.
His gaze in the dimmed light shifted toward my neck, and before I could think more, he leaned slightly closer. The action was subtle, but it was enough to make my entire body tense.
A frown appeared between his brows.
My heartbeat stumbled as his lips touched the side of my neck. But suddenly he grabbed my throat and pulled me toward him. My lips remained only a few centimeters away from his lips.
"What perfume are you wearing?" he asked quietly.
The question hit me harder than any bullet ever could. For a second, I genuinely forgot how to breathe.
I had removed every trace of Velvet Viper before coming here, but strong perfume even after shower stays on the body area where it is sprayed, and how would I know he was going to kiss my neck tonight.
"Why?" I asked carefully.
He continued looking at me, his expression unreadable. The enjoyment and smirk all disappeared and now he was very serious.
My stomach dropped instantly. I forced myself to remain calm. Panic would only make him suspicious.
"It's a very particular perfume, meant to grab anyone's attention," I said, lifting my finger on his bare chest, tracing slowly from top to bottom.
While his hands still hadn't left my throat.
I grabbed his belt and pulled it toward me. My move shocked him, and he moved his hands. Slowly, I moved my hand over the dick on his trousers.
"You want me to take this off too?" I said, lifting my toes slightly to reach his ear. "Right?"
Slowly, I start moving, remove the belt, and slightly unzip the zipper. His breath grew heavy, and that intensity returned to his face again, while the suspicion finally faded from his expression.
I moved my hand slowly downward until it reached his dick under the trouser. I panicked, but I controlled my emotions.
What is that?
It's bigger than a my palm and far more than what is considered acceptable. I don't know why, but suddenly I'm regretting very hard for being his wife, though I don't can see it, but the feeling is enough to give trauma.
I kneel down, and before he can command me further, I swallow it. My mouth is hurting, and I can't believe my tongue touched his veins.
I didn't even reach halfway. I think this is my limit-I can't take it anymore. How is this going to fit?
He grabbed my hair together in his fist. "Shit, this is unacceptable," he said, but I did not stop.
He started moaning louder and I started sucking deeper.
I wrap my hand around the area which I am unable to swallow.
The lights flashed again; tears fell from my eyes and sweat covered my body, but I forced myself to continue, my touch trembling slightly. I couldn't look away from his eyes as we held eye contact.
He was breathing fast, and my body felt like no oxygen was even entering it. I took out his dick and slowly moved my tongue on it until my tongue licked every part of the dick.
I took a deep breath and swallowed the dick again, but this time I tried hard to take more.
"You're such a good wife, you know how to bring your husband to his knees," he said, growling with pleasure.
I think it's going to tear my throat apart if I go further. My jaw is hurting badly.
He is taller than all the men surrounding him, but you can't judge from height alone-his dick is also inhuman and I can't believe his strength that despite getting wet under my sarees he has not ejaculated yet. I'm now even more terrified of the future. The moment I lie down on the bed with him, it feels like death itself will be waiting for me.
I sucked harder but there were still some area was still left where my hand was wrapped. It now tasted like the pink glossy lipstick I was wearing, and my mascara was ruined badly, mixed with my tears and coming out of my eyes, making black traces.
He only held my hair so tightly I think he pulled some out too, but I didn't care because I was enjoying this moment too.
Finally, he cum. I pulled his dick out of my throat and looked into his eyes.
"Do I have to tell you?" he said, growling loudly, his voice louder than thunder.
Right now, he must agree that I am the angel who can tear his strength out of his body and can force him on his knees to obey me.
I took it in my mouth one last time and licked his cock until the last drop of cum went down my throat and into my stomach.
"Good girl," he said, gently slapping my cheeks.
Some cum was left on the edge of my finger, so I licked it with my tongue without moving my gaze from his dark brown eyes.
He must be a predator in his area, but he doesn't know I am a woman living a double life. If I want, I can hunt him even in his dreams if I don't consider him my husband anymore, or I can make him forget the world he lives in by surrendering myself to him every night.
He is a lion in his territory... but he forgot I am a lioness who doesn't bow. I surrendered myself to him completely; everything he will try to figure out will only bring him closer to a ruin that will never let him find me.
I stood in front of him, and he grabbed my neck and pulled me towards him. His grip was so strong it took my breath away.
"Let's see how you taste after sucking me so hard," he said softly, his voice steady but full of intent.
He leaned in. His lips met mine, softly, like he was waiting for me to decide if I wanted this too.
My fingers lightly curled into his bare chest, not pushing him away, just holding on as my heart raced. The taste of my glossy lipstick mixing with his cum made it more intoxicating.
And when he finally pulled back slightly, it wasn't far enough to break the moment-just enough to let me breathe again while still staying close.
I was breathing hard. Now finally, I pushed him and his grip left me.
I made my way outside the room but before leaving I stared at him, who knew who lost this battle here in this room and who brought whom to punish. I smiled at him.
When I got out, I had many messages from Chhaya. I opened them one by one.
There was a party ahead-one filled with powerful mafia figures, exporters, and influential businessmen. It was the kind of gathering where secrets moved more than money, and information was worth more than gold. We needed a way to get inside, to reach the truth I had been waiting a decade for.
But time was running out.
And I had no margin for mistakes.
I returned to my room and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling while the weight of everything pressed against my mind. Plans started forming and collapsing one after another, none of them complete enough yet.
Slowly, sleep began to take over again... pulling me back into darkness before I could finish thinking.
The next morning came quietly, sunlight slipping through the curtains and pulling me out of sleep.
Maya informed me that Ranbir had already left for the office. I nodded, still half-awake, and quickly got ready, brushing off the last traces of drowsiness. There was no time to linger today-I had to go shopping with his sisters.
I heard the car horn and quickly made my way outside. The drive from his house to the market area should have felt awkward.
Instead, it felt strangely chaotic.
His sisters had arrived to take me shopping for Reyansh's birthday. Honestly, I had no idea what suited me best. I had never really gone shopping for myself before. I only designed and bought clothes that suited Velvet Viper because she was a secret no one knew about, so even her clothes had to hide things from others.
As for Trishika...
Maa always bought clothes for her, so I never thought much about it.
But let's see what happened today.
Priya sat beside me in the backseat while Ankita and Radhika argued over birthday themes loudly enough to give the driver a headache. The guard sitting in the front passenger seat pretended not to hear anything while the poor driver looked seconds away from resignation.
"I'm telling you," Radhika declared dramatically while scrolling through her phone, "black and gold looks classy."
Radhika immediately scoffed. "Classy? You have the worst taste."
Priya leaned closer toward me and whispered conspiratorially, "They've been fighting about colors since breakfast."
"I can hear you," Radhika said instantly.
I couldn't stop the small laugh escaping my mouth.
It reminded me of home. We fought like this all the time. Honestly, I was still shocked they behaved this way because whenever Ranbir was around, they acted as if there was a snake wrapped around their necks.
But behind his back, they were normal humans.
In front of him, their behavior was insane.
The city outside slowly changed as luxury stores and designer buildings replaced crowded streets. Glass towers reflected golden evening sunlight while expensive boutiques lined the roads like private exhibitions instead of shops.
I thought we were simply going shopping.
I was wrong.
The moment our car stopped outside a luxury designer studio, nearly six staff members rushed toward us immediately.
"Miss Rathore, welcome," one staff member said quickly. "Your private lounge is ready. The new collection arrived this morning."
Private lounge?
Collection?
Before I could even process anything, Priya grabbed my wrist and dragged me inside while the others followed excitedly behind her.
The interior looked less like a store and more like a palace made of marble and crystal.
Massive chandeliers hung from the ceiling while soft piano music echoed through the luxury hall. Dresses rested inside glass displays like museum pieces. Every fabric looked expensive enough to pay university fees for entire families.
And then-
It became worse.
Three designers walked inside carrying sketchbooks.
"For custom fittings," Priya explained casually, as if this was completely normal.
I stared at her.
"For a birthday party?"
All three girls looked equally confused by my confusion.
"Obviously," Ankita replied.
"It's Reyansh bhaiya's birthday," Radhika added seriously.
"Yeah, I know that, but..." I muttered under my breath.
One designer approached politely.
"Mrs. Rathore, do you have any preferred color palette?"
My brain stopped functioning for two entire seconds.
Preferred color?
Yes, maybe black-or maybe red, just like blood.
"She likes elegant things. Soft colors are preferred, right?" Priya added.
"Right," I said quickly.
After all, I was going to a party, not trying to take someone's last breath.
While walking through countless dresses, my eyes landed on one gown and I couldn't look away.
The deep wine-red silk clung elegantly to the mannequin, its off-shoulder neckline radiating effortless sophistication. The fitted silhouette flowed into a sweeping skirt while the high slit along one leg added a bold, striking touch.
It was beautiful.
It was made for Velvet Viper.
I wanted it for her.
But it was funny.
Where would an assassin even wear something like that?
And more importantly-how was I supposed to buy it for her?
It was far more expensive than anything I usually purchased. Besides, Trishika's soft personality couldn't even look twice at this type of dress.
So I forced myself to walk away.
The designers continued placing fabrics across the table one after another.
Meanwhile, the three girls argued like fashion ministers discussing national security.
I didn't want any custom piece.
There were already too many beautiful dresses here.
I walked further and my eyes landed on another gown.
This one stopped me completely.
The second gown was crafted from smooth powder-blue satin that flowed effortlessly to the floor. A fitted bodice accentuated the waist before giving way to a graceful A-line skirt. The delicate neckline added to its refined beauty, while the absence of slits or heavy embellishments allowed the soft blue fabric to speak for itself.
As far as I knew-
That was Trishika.
"I love this. This is perfect," I said.
The designer clapped her hands immediately.
"You have beautiful taste, Mrs. Rathore."
Her bright smile hurt my eyes.
And her perfectly applied nude lipstick somehow made me feel insecure about my own fashion choices.
"That is a vintage-inspired piece," she explained.
I didn't want to know.
It just felt perfect.
Taking the dress, I went to change into it.
Surprisingly, it fit my body so perfectly it felt as though someone had taken my measurements beforehand.
"Bhabhi, you look beautiful," Radhika said instantly.
Ankita narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Wait... why does this actually suit you perfectly? It looks like it was literally made for you."
"Because bhabhi looks like rich royalty without even trying," Priya declared proudly.
"I'll keep this one," I announced.
Then I looked toward them.
"Have you guys chosen anything?"
"I'm done, but only Radhika and Priya are still left," Ankita replied immediately.
Priya was still changing her mind every five minutes.
Honestly, I was terrible at shopping.
I could buy dresses for my sisters and friends all day, but when it came to myself, I had no clue what I was doing.
Maybe I should pick something for them too.
With help from Ranbir's sisters, hopefully I wouldn't accidentally choose something horrible.
"Bhabhi, if you wear this, you'll kill bhaiya from how hot you look," Radhika teased while bumping her shoulder against mine.
I rolled my eyes.
She was such a talkative girl.
Her brown eyes were exactly like her brother's, and she carried the same warm tan complexion. She looked like the female version of him-average height, a slender frame, and strikingly similar features. Siblings often resembled each other, but these two looked more alike than most.
Honestly, if she hid her face behind a mask, stood in front of me, and stared at me with those eyes, I would probably believe it was him and start panicking.
One by one, Ankita and Priya tried on their dresses and showed them to me while I kept complimenting them. This shopping trip was far more expensive and luxurious than anything I had ever done with my friends or sisters, but somehow it felt exactly the same. The same laughter. The same fun.
I had even selected dresses for my sisters and friends since they were invited too. Sometimes, the thought of all of them gathering in one place made me nervous. Half of them secretly liked each other, and I definitely didn't want any disaster at the party.
Hopefully, everything would go smoothly.
A moment later, Radhika stepped out wearing her dress as well.
For a moment, I genuinely forgot what I was about to say.
The deep emerald gown suited her perfectly. The color made her warm brown eyes stand out, while the fitted waist and flowing skirt gave her an effortless elegance.
"You look beautiful," I said honestly.
Radhika smiled.
But something about that smile felt forced.
As she turned toward the mirror, her hair shifted slightly over one shoulder.
And I saw it.
A thin pale mark running along the side of her neck.
My eyes narrowed instinctively.
The scar looked old enough to have healed, but deep enough that it would never disappear completely.
Before I could study it further, Radhika noticed my eyes on her neck and immediately pushed her hair forward, trying to cover it.
Every off-shoulder dress, she rejected.
Then another thing caught my attention.
While changing into a different outfit, when the back zipper wasn't fully closed for a brief second, I saw more scars.
Faint white lines crossed the upper part of her back.
They were random marks and lines. Some were deeper, while others were thin.
Radhika noticed me observing her.
Her smile disappeared, and she looked away, avoiding my eyes completely.
A few minutes later, she returned wearing a dress with a much higher neckline and fabric covering most of her back.
The scars were fully hidden beneath the dress.
I didn't ask a single question about them-not because I wasn't curious, but because I knew that look.
The look of someone carrying pain they weren't ready to speak about. She wasn't comfortable enough to tell me anything yet, so it was better if I kept my curiosity to myself.
So I simply smiled and continued discussing dresses with the others but my mind was already working.
Radhika Singh Rathore was hiding something painful.
And one day, when she was ready, maybe she would tell me herself or I could find the truth on my own.
Now we were finally done. Everyone had chosen their dresses and decided to take them home today.
We had spent so much time inside the boutique that night had completely taken over the city. Darkness stretched across the roads outside, swallowing everything beyond the glow of streetlights.
The return journey should have been peaceful.
Instead, it became one of the most stressful drives of my life because now I was suffocating.
The shopping bags occupied nearly half the vehicle while Ankita and Radhika continued arguing. Priya was scrolling through her phone while occasionally joining the argument whenever she felt strongly enough about something.
Outside, darkness had swallowed most of the highway.
Streetlights appeared only occasionally, leaving long stretches of road illuminated solely by the vehicle's headlights.
I sat quietly beside the window, looking outside and trying to breathe some fresh air.
Then suddenly-
The driver slammed the brakes.
The entire vehicle lurched forward violently, and shopping bags scattered everywhere.
My head snapped up.
A black SUV stood directly across the road in the wrong lane, blocking our path completely.
For one second, nobody understood what was happening.
Then both doors opened, and two men stepped out wearing black jeans and black hoodies. Their faces were covered with masks beneath their hoods.
They had rifles in their hands because they were snipers.
Every instinct inside me immediately sharpened.
The atmosphere inside the car changed instantly. Fear spread through the vehicle like poison.
Everyone froze.
Radhika grabbed my arm so tightly that her nails left marks on my skin. Everyone started panicking, but she was even more frightened. Tears started falling from her eyes.
The guard accompanying us quickly exited the vehicle and raised his weapon.
Unfortunately-
The moment he saw the rifles pointed toward him, his courage disappeared.
I watched his hands begin shaking.
His breathing became uneven. Though he tried not to look scared, my assassin eyes could see fear crawling beneath his skin.
The girls still looked at him with hope.
That hope was about to be disappointed.
The two attackers noticed it too. Confidence immediately appeared in their body language-the first sign of victory.
One of them began walking forward slowly, almost mockingly.
Inside the car, everyone ducked lower beneath the seats, including the driver. I freed my arm from Radhika's grip and pushed her under the seat while calmly consoling her.
She looked a little relieved now.
The first gunman pointed his rifle toward the car.
"Everyone throw your phones outside. Now."
Nobody thought much about it. They simply obeyed.
The driver immediately lowered his window and tossed his phone onto the road. The girls followed seconds later with trembling hands.
I didn't move.
"Bhabhi..." Priya whispered nervously.
I tightened my grip around my phone.
"No."
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
The gunman heard my refusal and immediately moved toward my side of the car.
"What?"
"I said no."
The atmosphere inside the car froze.
Radhika stared at me as if I had completely lost my mind.
The gunman pointed his rifle directly at my head.
I didn't move.
My eyes remained fixed on the weapon he was holding so carelessly. I could snatch it away and fire back before he realized what happened.
But not in front of them. That would leave them shocked. Questions would follow-questions I had no intention of answering.
How did I know how to handle a rifle?
"Throw the phone," he said aggressively, gritting his teeth.
I tightened my grip around it.
"No."
The man laughed in disbelief.
"I didn't know Mr. Rathor's wife was this beautiful."
Everyone looked at me like I was insane. They couldn't believe someone was arguing during a hijacking.
"Lower your heads. Under the seats," I told them.
This time they listened.
The man lowered his rifle slightly, clearly losing patience.
"You want to play games?"
The door was yanked open violently and his hand wrapped around my arm.
"Fine."
He dragged me out of the car.
My phone slipped from my fingers as he snatched it away and threw it across the highway.
That was exactly what I wanted.
Behind me, the girls ducked lower inside the vehicle while both gunmen focused entirely on me.
Now everyone else remained protected inside the car with their heads beneath the seats.
Rainwater from an earlier storm still covered parts of the highway. Cold wind tugged at my saree while my hair whipped around my face.
He kept dragging me forward while the guard remained frozen like a statue.
"Leave her or I'll shoot you!" the guard said, pointing a trembling gun toward them.
"Oh really? Is that what you call aiming?" the attacker said confidently.
I tightened my grip and punched him straight across the face.
The impact caught him completely off guard. He stumbled back two steps in shock, releasing my arm instantly.
I didn't waste a second and ran toward the guard.
"Mrs. Rathore, please stay inside the vehicle," he said, trying to look fearless.
"Give me the gun," I said quietly.
"Wh-what?"
I calmly untied my pallu as it flowed in the wind and secured it firmly around my waist.
Both attackers looked confused. Even the guard stared at me as if I were completely insane.
His hands trembled as he tried to hand me the gun, but I had no time to waste.
"Now," I said, raising my voice.
The poor guard surrendered it without resistance. The moment the gun left the guard's trembling hand and landed in mine, the atmosphere changed. Both armed men noticed it immediately.
One raised his rifle.
I fired first.
The shot struck the road near his feet, forcing him to jump aside. Before he could recover, I closed the distance and slammed the gun into his jaw. The impact snapped his head sideways. He stumbled backward with a curse.
The second man rushed forward.
I turned to kick him-
And immediately stepped on my own saree. For one horrifying second, I nearly fell flat on my face. The gunmen weren't even my biggest problem anymore.
My saree was.
I caught my balance at the last second and drove my knee into the attacker's stomach. Air exploded from his lungs. He doubled over.
I grabbed his rifle and yanked it downward while smashing the butt of my gun against his temple. He collapsed to one knee.
The first attacker recovered and charged toward me. His fist came toward my face.
I ducked.
The punch missed.
My elbow crashed into his ribs before I spun and kicked him across the chest.
This time the saree wrapped itself around my ankle again. I almost cursed aloud.
The attacker looked more shocked by my clothing than the actual kick. I quickly tucked another fold of fabric into my waist.
Much better.
The second man raised his rifle again, and I grabbed the barrel and shoved it upward. The shot exploded harmlessly into the night sky. Before he could react, I punched him directly across the face three times. Blood appeared instantly. The rifle slipped from his hands. I caught it before it hit the ground.
The first attacker lunged from behind. I spun and drove the rifle stock into his throat. He choked and staggered backward.
I followed immediately with a kick to his knee. The joint bent the wrong way. His scream echoed across the highway.
The second attacker tried tackling me.
Unfortunately, my saree decided this was the perfect moment to betray me again.
The loose fabric tangled around my legs.
I stumbled.
The attacker almost reached me.
I dropped low, swept his legs out from beneath him, and sent him crashing onto the road instead. His head struck the pavement with a painful crack.
I rose quickly and adjusted my saree once more.
At this point I was fighting two gunmen and six meters of fabric simultaneously. The fabric was putting up a better fight.
The first attacker pulled a handgun.
I fired the rifle.
The bullet struck his shoulder. The weapon flew from his hand.
Before he could recover, I reached him and punched him hard enough to send him onto the hood of the SUV. The metal dented beneath his weight.
The second attacker charged with a combat knife. I sidestepped the blade and grabbed his wrist.
Then I twisted.
The knife dropped.
My fist connected with his jaw. Then my knee. Then the rifle stock. He collapsed beside the road and didn't get back up.
The remaining attacker looked between me and his unconscious partner. Now genuine fear appeared in his eyes.
Good.
Now he was thinking clearly. Unfortunately for him, it was too late.
He turned and tried to run. The rifle left my hands and struck the back of his legs. He crashed face-first onto the road.
Finally, I shot both men and the game was finished.
Both men were dead.
For a few seconds, I simply stood there, catching my breath.
Then I walked toward the guard and handed his gun back.
The poor man was still shaking. His hands trembled so badly that he could barely hold the weapon.
"It's over."
His eyes immediately filled with tears.
"I... I couldn't do anything..."
I sighed.
"Listen carefully."
He looked at me.
"If you tell your boss that you froze and couldn't protect anyone, then your life is finished."
His face paled further.
"You protected everyone," I continued calmly. "You fought bravely. You saved us. You risked your life."
"But-"
I interrupted him softly.
"You did everything possible. Remember that."
The guard stared at me in shock.
Then he slowly nodded.
I could practically see all the flashbacks running through his mind of Ranbir brutally dealing with people he considered unworthy.
He knew getting killed by those gunmen would have been easier than being brutally tortured and then killed by Ranbir's hands. Ranbir never gave anyone an easy death, and he knew that.
Good.
I walked back toward the car, opened the door, and sat inside.
Fortunately, all three girls were still under the seats.
"It's okay now," I said softly.
"Everything is fine. We are safe now."
Their frightened faces relaxed slightly.
Ten minutes later, headlights appeared on the highway. Several black vehicles stopped around us.
Rathor security had finally arrived after the game was already finished.
One car door opened instantly.
Reyansh and Nishant stepped out with their men.
The moment the girls saw them, they got out of the car and rushed forward. Meanwhile, I quietly stepped out of the car and stood in front of it, far away from them.
Not a single tear had fallen from my eyes. I had known that this would not be my last night. I would do anything to save myself and I would never die this easily.
A few minutes later, another vehicle stopped.
My heart skipped.
Ranbir stepped out.
I immediately lowered my eyes, but I secretly peeked at him because there was no sign of fear on my face.
His gaze moved over his sisters first. One by one, he pulled them into his arms.
Radhika looked completely shattered. She clung to him desperately, crying harder than everyone else. As if death had brushed past her and she still couldn't believe she survived.
Poor girl.
I never realized she was this emotional.
Then I heard Ankita saying something to him, and I heard it clearly.
"...one man dragged Bhabhi away."
"...he tried to assault her."
Shit.
My entire body froze.
Ranbir's eyes immediately found mine.
The sympathy in his eyes-for the first time-nearly made me uncomfortable and shocked.
He started walking toward me.
I wasn't worried about what they were saying to him because I knew they had not seen my reality.
They hadn't seen me fight. They hadn't seen me kill both men. I was worried about something far worse.
What if the guard told the truth? What if Ranbir looked at him with those terrifying eyes and pulled the truth out of him? Suddenly, real fear crawled beneath my skin.
Well, this fear worked.
My breathing became uneven. Sweat appeared on my forehead and slowly rolled down my skin. I tried to remember all the times I had broken down and cried brutally. That trick worked.
Finally, tears began falling.
My vision blurred and suddenly, I looked broken too.
I probably looked worse than everyone else. My hair was completely tangled from the fight. My saree had shifted around my waist. My dupatta hung unevenly from one shoulder.
That would be enough to convince him I was scared and traumatized by the attack.
Not an assassin who killed people.
He stopped in front of me and looked at me from head to toe. Then he removed his coat and draped it over my shoulders.
The fabric swallowed my entire frame. His coat was so big compared to my tiny body. It smelled faintly like coffee and it was warm.
Then his hand settled behind my shoulder. Before I could react, he pulled me against him and hugged me.
Seriously.
I froze instantly.
His chest was solid beneath my cheek. One arm wrapped firmly around my shoulders while the other rested protectively against my back. My height only reached his chest, even though I was taller than all the women in their family.
I could hear his heartbeat. It was faster than mine, like he was more scared than us about this situation. His warmth surrounded me completely. For a brief moment, the storm, the highway, the bodies, the fear-everything disappeared.
And I hated it.
Because my body relaxed before my brain could stop it. Because his touch was so comfortable that I wanted everything around me to stop and this moment to stay here forever.
Then the realization irritated me immediately.
So I grabbed the front of his shirt and glared at his chest.
Stupid man.
Stupid hug.
And stupid heart for liking it.
Ranbir's hand remained firmly around my shoulders as he looked down at me.
"Are you hurt?" he asked quietly.
I shook my head.
"No."
His jaw tightened anyway.
Without waiting for another answer, he guided me toward the cars. Then his gaze shifted straight toward the guard.
The poor man visibly stiffened.
"You."
The guard immediately stepped forward.
"Sir."
Ranbir's eyes narrowed.
"What happened?"
The guard swallowed.
"I... I fought them, sir."
I nearly closed my eyes. That was a terrible start.
Ranbir folded his arms.
"Two trained snipers and you handled both?"
The guard nodded nervously.
"Y-yes, sir."
The question sounded calm.
The guard quickly began repeating the story I had given him.
Ranbir remained silent, and somehow his silence felt worse than shouting.
"What weapon did the first sniper carry?" he asked.
The guard froze.
"A rifle, sir."
"What rifle?"
The man's face drained of color.
"I... I don't know."
Ranbir took one step closer to him while his arm was still wrapped around my back. My hand rested against his chest, and my eyes lifted toward him in panic.
His expression remained completely unreadable, but my heartbeat started dropping.
"You don't know."
"No, sir."
"You defeated two armed men carrying military-grade weapons," he said through gritted teeth.
"But you don't know what weapon they were carrying."
The guard began sweating.
I could practically see Ranbir putting pieces together inside his head. He would rip every piece of truth from the guard's mouth until he found out my secret.
Because he knew.
This guard wasn't part of his elite security division.
As Velvet Viper and through our contract, I knew many things about them.
The guard wasn't trained for sniper combat. He wasn't trained for close-quarter engagements, and yet somehow he had defeated two armed attackers.
The story made no sense.
Ranbir's gaze became sharper.
"Show me," he said, taking one step closer. "The fight."
The guard blinked. His panic became visible, and his hands started trembling.
Exactly as I feared.
One more minute, and Ranbir would tear the entire lie apart.
I immediately touched my head and pretended that I was fainting. My vision blurred dramatically as I swayed.
"Trishika."
Ranbir's attention snapped toward me instantly.
Good.
I allowed my knees to weaken.
His arm wrapped around my waist more tightly before I could even finish falling.
The guard looked ready to thank every god in existence.
"Ranbir..."
My voice came out weak, and I gave him a complete performance of my acting.
The concern in his eyes appeared immediately. He didn't even look at the guard again. Instead, his eyes fixed on me, and he lifted me carefully into his arms.
I secretly felt bad for the guard. The man looked seconds away from collapsing himself.
Ranbir carried me toward the nearest car and opened the rear door. His movements became surprisingly gentle. He helped me sit properly before adjusting the coat that still rested around my shoulders.
"Sit back."
I obeyed immediately, not because he ordered it, but because I wanted him far away from that guard.
He entered and sat beside me in the backseat. Outside, the remaining vehicles formed up as the convoy slowly pulled onto the highway toward Rathore Mansion, rain beginning to streak across the windows.
Inside the car, silence settled.
I could feel it.
Ranbir wasn't speaking, but his mind was still working-replaying everything, analyzing the guard, the attackers, the timing.
Trying to understand how things had gone the way they did.
And more than that... I could feel his suspicion shifting, circling around something he couldn't yet name.
Who had planned it.
And why.
Write a comment ...