chapter 26

Pari slowly turned to face him, but kept her eyes tightly shut, as if that alone could hide the blooming flush on her cheeks. She didn't even know why she was blushing this hard. Was it because of his arm securely wrapped around her waist? Or the way he gently pulled her closer until her chest pressed softly against his? Or maybe... the way his palm now rested on her cheek-warm, possessive, and far too tender.She fisted her hands tightly, wedging them between their bodies as if they could serve as a flimsy wall. A barrier against whatever storm Vikrant was stirring inside her.He, however, was unfazed.His gaze roamed slowly over her face, drinking in every little detail-from her fluttering lashes, her quivering lips, to the deep pink flush painting her cheeks.And what amused him most?The way she was still trying so hard to pretend.Pretend she wasn't affected.Pretend she wasn't aware.Pretend like her entire body wasn't betraying her every single second."Pari," he breathed, and her breath caught in her throat.The warmth of his breath brushed against her lips, sending a jolt down her spine. Her eyes remained closed, but the distance between them... it was barely there. Barely safe. If she so much as moved an inch, their lips would meet.No, no, no.She didn't want that-Or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.Really?"Open your eyes, Pari," he murmured again, the command gentle but firm, like velvet wrapped around steel.Her heart screamed for escape, for distance, for air but her body, as always around him, betrayed her.And so, she obeyed.Slowly, her lashes parted, and her gaze lifted, colliding with his.Vikrant blinked, just once, as their eyes met. As if anchoring himself in her gaze. He was close, so close that her entire world narrowed to just him. The dim room faded, the ticking clock muted... there was nothing left to see, to feel, except Vikrant.He had claimed the view.As if he wanted her to forget everything else and look at him only."Put your arm around me," he murmured, voice low and commanding.A small crease formed between her brows. Her fingers twitched nervously before she slowly raised her arm, hesitantly looping it around his torso, barely grazing him.Amusement sparkled in his eyes.Without a word, he moved his hand from her cheek and gently took hers, guiding it, settling it firmly against his side, pulling her closer like she belonged there.She gasped, eyes flying wide."Touch me like you own me, Pari."Her heart stuttered violently in her chest.How... can... he... say... that?Ahhh!!!The audacity. The shamelessness. The heat.And yet, her arm stayed exactly where he placed it.Worse, her fingers curled in, holding him just a little tighter.His palm found her cheek again, igniting a wave of heat that rushed straight to her core. He was insane. No, his touch was insane. Or maybe... maybe she was losing it. Completely."Understood?" he asked, voice low, lips hovering so close that even the air between them seemed to hum.She blinked, caught off-guard. What was she supposed to understand when he was this close, this intense? He knew exactly what he was doing to her and he was enjoying every second of it.When she didn't answer, his thumb slowly traced the curve of her lower lip, feather-light, teasing, dangerous."If not speaking," he murmured, eyes flicking to her mouth, "I wonder what these lips are capable of-""I do. I... I understood," she cut in quickly, words tumbling out in a breathless rush before he could drag the conversation any deeper into trouble.Because he was going there. And she had no strength left to pretend she wasn't already halfway gone.The corner of his mouth curved into a slow, amused smirk as he lifted his gaze from her lips and locked eyes with her."Oh, you do?" he drawled, voice coated in teasing heat.She hummed softly, dropping her gaze, her lashes acting as the only barrier between her and the storm in his eyes."What exactly did you understand, hmm?"Why... why was he like this? So cruelly persistent. She had answered, hadn't she? Then why was he making her say it?Her mouth parted, then closed again. No words formed. How was she supposed to repeat something like that out loud?"Pari..." he murmured, drawing her name out like a caress. He was pushing now, and he knew it.She swallowed hard, her throat dry, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips, which had somehow gone parched."That... I... I own you," she whispered at last, voice barely audible.And just like that, her cheeks flamed a deep crimson, the color blooming like wildfire.She could've buried herself right there." And?"Her brows pinched slightly as she finally looked up into his eyes, utterly baffled.And? What and?She swore he'd only said those few words. Was he taking some sort of advanced romance class and decided to use her as a practice dummy? If so, he needed to stop-because she was failing miserably. Zero. Big, fat zero."A...and?" she echoed, genuinely confused now."Mhmn. And..." he drawled again, his voice low, lazy, maddening.She blinked at him, considering for a wild moment, if it was socially acceptable to sew his lips shut. Because right now, everything that was coming out of his mouth was completely unnecessary... and terribly effective at turning her into a blushing mess.When she remained silent, clearly out of guesses and very close to combusting, he made no attempt to clarify. Instead, he leaned closer.She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes momentarily as he tenderly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, not with his fingers, but by blowing it gently with his breath.The sensation was subtle, almost feather-light.But her heart reacted like he'd struck a match against it."And," he began, his voice low and commanding, making her pulse race even faster.She quickly looked up into his eyes, trying to steady her breath. Before she could process what was happening, he shifted her position on the bed. His movements were slow, deliberate, and she didn't realize until it was too late that he had completely taken control.In one fluid motion, he hovered over her, his body now pressing down against hers. His one leg slid in between hers, trapping her beneath him.For a moment, all she could focus on was the feeling of him so close-too close. The weight of his body, the heat between them, the way her breath hitched in her chest.His fingers gently pinched her chin, tilting her face up toward him. His other arm slid beneath her head, cradling it, as if she was something precious-fragile and his.Pari's eyelashes fluttered helplessly, her breath tangled somewhere in her throat as his face hovered just inches from hers. Her lips parted ever so slightly, but words refused to form."And I own you," Vikrant murmured, voice like silk dipped in fire.His palm found her cheek, warm and possessive, and she instinctively leaned into his touch, eyes fluttering shut, surrendering to the intensity coursing through her."Open your eyes," he commanded, voice rough and dark with intent.A shiver raced down her spine at the tone. She opened them, gaze locking with his, and the power in his eyes almost knocked the breath out of her chest.He smiled-slow, wicked, and pleased.Then, without warning, his lips grazed her chin. Soft. Teasing. A taste of something more dangerous.Her toes curled. Her fingers clenched the bedsheet beneath her. Her chest rose with uneven breath.And Vikrant, still hovering above her, looked like a man completely in control and completely consumed.He kissed her jawline, voice deep and possessive."Every inch."His lips moved to her cheek, slow and deliberate."Every beat of your heart."Then just below her left eye, where the skin was soft and sensitive."Every breath you take."Pari's eyes shut tightly, overwhelmed, but he wasn't done.He kissed the end of her eyebrow."Every shiver you try to hide."Then his lips brushed her temple, soft yet grounding."I own you completely."Her lips parted, breath catching somewhere between her chest and throat. She wasn't sure what was more overwhelming- the heat of his mouth or the weight of his words. It felt like his love was branding her, kiss by kiss, sealing every unspoken promise into her skin.He moved lower, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose, making her heart stumble.And then, with slow intention, he leaned in until his lips hovered just above hers, close enough that she could feel the whisper of his breath."Just like you own me," he said, his voice raw, deep, and impossibly sincere."Completely."Pari opened her eyes.How could someone dominate her in every sense... yet make her feel like she had all the power?His gaze flickered down to her lips, and she could see the raw need simmering in his eyes. It was dangerous, intoxicating. If he kissed her now, she was sure she'd lose whatever sanity she had left. He'd already undone her in too many ways.But then... his eyes shifted.Abruptly, he tore his gaze from her mouth and looked into her eyes instead.The change was subtle, yet something about it made her chest tighten.A faint frown crept onto his forehead.Her heart stumbled.Why did he pull back? Did he suddenly not want to kiss her? Was she not enough? Not desirable enough? The questions bloomed fast, wild, and uninvited.She tried to brush them away, telling herself it was silly. Just a flicker. Just a pause. Nothing more.But the sting of uncertainty lingered... whispering doubts she hadn't expected to feel with him.Without a word, Vikrant slowly pulled away from her. His arm slipped from beneath her head, and she felt the sudden absence like a chill in her bones.Then he said, "I'll be back."That was all. No explanation. No glance back.He got off the bed, his movements steady, controlled as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't just touched her like she was the most precious thing in the world.She stared at his back as he walked away.And her heart... it sank.She didn't even know why.Maybe it was the abruptness. Maybe it was the silence he left behind. Maybe it was the way he distanced himself so easily while she was still wrapped up in everything he'd made her feel.Her fingers clutched the duvet, her chest tightening with a strange ache she hadn't expected. Why did he pause? Why didn't he kiss her? Why was she still burning with a thousand emotions while he walked away like none of it mattered?Was she reading too much into it? Was it something she did? Or didn't?The vulnerability crept in quietly, like a fog. She had no idea what he was thinking. And that uncertainty, it was unbearable.She bit her lip, trying to hold herself together.The night was silent, save for the soft crackle of the cigarette as Vikrant lit it with a practiced flick. He drew in a slow breath, letting the smoke fill his lungs before exhaling it into the cool night air. The smoke curled upward, disappearing into the pale glow of the moonlight that bathed the garden.His eyes landed on the flowers swaying gently under the breeze-so quiet, so untouched. Just like her, maybe. Soft. Fragile. Fighting to bloom again.But his mind wasn't here. Not really.It was still in that dim bedroom.Still tangled in the duvet, in the heat of her breath, in the wild rhythm of her heart against his chest.He brought the cigarette back to his lips, took another drag, and sighed heavily.What the hell was he thinking?He hadn't meant to leave like that. Hadn't meant to pull away from her just when she'd begun to open up-just when her walls had started crumbling and she had looked at him not with fear, but with trust.But...She had a past. A dark, cruel one.He knew that. And if he ever crossed the line-even unintentionally-it might rip open wounds that were just beginning to heal.He didn't want to be another shadow from her past. He wanted to be the light she could lean into without flinching.He threw his head back and stared up at the sky, cigarette dangling loosely between his fingers.God, she makes it so hard not to fall. Not to want.Her breathless little gasps, the way her eyes fluttered shut when he kissed her cheek, the way she clutched him like she wasn't sure whether to push him away or pull him closer-it had messed with his control.But even more dangerous was the ache in his chest, that feeling that he wanted to protect her from the world... even from himself.So he walked away.Because she deserved tenderness. Patience. Time.Not his hunger.He clenched his jaw, tossed the cigarette onto the grass, and crushed it under his boot.She was probably still overthinking in there.And here he was... burning outside.He sighed heavily, deciding he'd wait a few more minutes before going back inside. But then, his ears perked at the soft chime of anklets.He turned his head.And there she was.Standing at the threshold, draped in her nightdress, her shrug now wrapped tightly around her like armor. The sight of her- barefoot, moonlight catching on her skin, was enough to make his fingers twitch. That damned shrug. He wanted to undo every knot, peel it off her body, and claim what he already felt belonged to him.But he stayed rooted, jaw tight, gaze unreadable.She looked down-eyes flickering to the crushed cigarette by his foot.So, he found that more intoxicating than her?Her chest constricted. She moved toward him before she could talk herself out of it. She didn't even know why she came. Maybe for clarity. Maybe to scream at him. Maybe just... to not be alone in that room where her skin still tingled from his touch.The silence was heavy. Suffocating.She blamed him for it all.If he hadn't pulled away in the middle, this awkwardness wouldn't exist. They'd still be tangled in that strange, sweet chaos.She broke first." Uhm... why did you come outside?" she asked, her voice softer than intended.He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, the other sliding into his pocket."Just... needed some air."She chewed the inside of her lower lip as a provoking sentence threatened to slip from her mouth." With a cigarette? Cool."He frowned and turned his head at her, " kya kaha tumne?"( What did you say?)She mentally rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders, " nothing."She spun on her heel and began walking back toward the haveli, her steps were deliberately slow. A part of her hoped he'd stop her. Maybe call her name. Maybe reach out, pull her back, confront her with that same fire he had shown inside the room.But nothing.Not a word. Not even a breath behind her.The silence followed her like a ghost.Her heart sank. That tiny flicker of expectation she carried, he smothered it with his silence. And it hurt more than she expected.She walked back toward the haveli, her arms wrapped tighter around her body, not just for warmth, but to hold herself together. Every step felt heavier than the last, her heart sinking deeper with each one. She didn't understand why it bothered her so much, his silence, his distance.Maybe because a part of her had started believing he felt the same pull, the same intensity. And when he walked away... it felt like a rejection. One she wasn't prepared for.She bit the inside of her cheek, angry at herself.Why did I even go to him? Why did I expect something?The silence of the haveli greeted her, but tonight it felt louder than usual. Her fingers brushed the knot of her shrug, her mind replaying that moment he hovered over her... the look in his eyes... the warmth of his breath. And then suddenly... nothing.Outside, Vikrant stood frozen in place, his eyes fixed on the spot where she had just been. He didn't follow her. Couldn't.A deep sigh left his lips as he turned his back to the haveli.He didn't want to hurt her, not again. He knew her scars were deeper than what she let on. And if he had kissed her, if he had let his desire win, it wouldn't have been fair. Not to her. Not to the woman who still flinched sometimes, people raise their voice. Who still carried ghosts in her eyes.But God, the way she looked at him... the way her presence wrapped around him like gravity.Pari stopped in the middle of the living room, her steps halting as though her own thoughts had chained her in place.Touch me like you own me.I own you completely.Just like you own me... completely.His words echoed like a haunting melody in her mind, louder than her heartbeat, louder than the silence. She stood still, the dim glow from the wall lamps casting shadows across her face, across the whirlwind of emotions churning inside her.That means she had every damn right to question him. To ask why he left her lying there, breathless and burning, only to walk away like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't just flipped her entire world upside down with his touch, his words, his unbearable nearness.Her legs moved on their own as she turned back, her shrug billowing slightly behind her as the wind rushed in from the open garden door. She couldn't take this weight sitting on her chest, she had to look into his eyes and ask.Because if she owned even a piece of his soul... then why did he leave her cold and confused?And with that thought anchoring her steps, she walked again, toward the one man who claimed to belong to her, and yet stood miles away.Vikrant's brows furrowed as her voice cut through the quiet night like a blade."Vikrant?"His shoulders stiffened before he turned slowly. The moonlight spilled onto her face, casting a soft glow over the fury burning in her eyes. Her shrug clung tightly to her, the hem fluttering gently in the breeze. He took a moment to take her in, from the stubborn set of her chin to the way her fists trembled at her sides.Why was she here again?He opened his mouth, already bracing himself to speak."Pari-""Why did you do that?"She stepped over the threshold, interrupting him, her voice sharp, shaking. He froze. His lips snapped shut. Did she mean the kiss? Or the lack of it?Is she angry because I almost kissed her?His eyes searched her face for clues, but her expression was unreadable.He swallowed, jaw clenched."Pari," he began again, softer this time, "I didn't mean to-"She cut him off, eyes glassy with frustration."You left me." Her voice was quiet now, but it carried weight. "You left me there like... like none of it meant anything to you."His brows knit as she stepped closer, her expression trembling with vulnerability."Do... you not like me?"What? His heart dropped. That wasn't what this was about, at least not for him.He opened his mouth to speak, to dismiss the absurdity of her question, but the words failed him as she came even closer, her eyes wide and glistening."Did I do something wrong?" she asked softly, voice cracking.Another blow. Another painful question.Her gaze didn't waver as she whispered, "Am I not beautiful enough for you?""Pari..." He took a step forward, his voice tight, "kya keh rahi ho tum?"( What are you saying?)But she stepped back."Then why did you leave me like that?""I-""Did you never... desire me?"The insecurity in her voice gutted him. His lips parted, stunned by the weight of her confession."Pari-"But again, she didn't let him finish. Her voice quivered as she continued,"Kothe mein nahi chhuye to samjhe hum par... ab to patni hain hum aapki. Ab kyu nahi?"( You didn't touch me in the brothel, I understood. But, now I am your wife then why not now?)Her pain was raw. Real.And it was all because of him.She took another shaky breath, eyes still locked onto his."Was it just pity?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper. "You married me to save me, but never truly wanted me... did you?"He flinched like she'd struck him.She continued, the dam breaking now, words tumbling out in a storm of pain."You kissed me like I belong to you, touch me like you'd burn without it, but then walk away like I'm nothing." Her voice cracked.He opened his mouth, but her eyes flared again.She stepped closer again, her hand pressed lightly on his chest now."Is it because I come from filth? Because some part of me still smells like that brothel, like that shame?""Pari-" his voice came out strangled, almost guttural." Do you disgust me- ah!"And that was it.The snap.He surged forward like a dam torn down by floodwaters. His hand shot out, gripping her wrist, not harsh, but firm before spinning her around in a swift, breathless motion. Her back hit his chest, her arm twisted gently but restrained behind her, and his other hand flattened against her abdomen, keeping her in place.Her heart shuddered. "Bas," he growled near her ear, his breath hot and ragged. "If you dare speak one more word, Pari, I swear, I'll show you exactly how much I desire you, right here... right now."Her heart lurched, slamming against her ribs. She gasped, not in fear, but like a spark igniting into something dangerous, something unstoppable.He leaned closer, lips brushing the shell of her ear, his voice low and seething with emotion."The place you call filth every time... don't forget, I stepped into that very hell just to meet you."Then, without warning, he spun her around, his grip strong but reverent. She collided with his chest, and her hands instinctively found their way to his shoulders, seeking balance, seeking something deeper.Her lips parted, eyes wide, but before she could say anything, his fingers gently caught her chin. He tilted her head up, making her look into his eyes, unwavering, intense."You carry no shame," he said softly, but fiercely.Pari's voice trembled, courage slipping through her fingers as he stood there, holding her gaze with a grip far stronger than his hands ever could be."Why didn't you... kiss me then?"Her voice dwindled by the end, barely a whisper. But it was enough.Amusement flickered in Vikrant's eyes, dark and unreadable. "Just because I didn't kiss you... you'd start belittling yourself?"His brow arched in disbelief. She blinked rapidly, dropping her gaze, lashes fluttering like wings brushing against a cage."What else am I supposed to think?" she muttered. "Back in that brothel... you didn't touch me when I was already yours. And now... now when I'm your wife, you still..."She sighed, pain bleeding through her voice, eyes lifting to meet his again."Aap kehte hain hum aapke hain... fir kyun doori banaye rakhte hain? Kyu har baar peeche hat jaate hain aap? Kabhi ache nahi Lage hum aapko? Kya-"( You say that I am yours.. Then why are you making distance with me? Why do you step back every time? Did you never like me? Did-)But before her insecurities could tumble further, before she could speak another word that bruised herself in his name, he shut her up the only way that felt right.His lips crashed against hers.Firm. Possessive. Final.Her eyes widened in shock, hands slipping from his shoulders as the world silenced around her. No questions, no doubts, just the fierce answer of his mouth against hers with every ounce of frustration, restraint, and desire he'd buried for so long.⋆༺✷༻⋆To be continue..Read more Chapters in scrollstack as early access.