Chapter 2: chapter 2

Note: This story takes place in a fictional world with fictional places and rules.MADHAVI run a hand through my hair as I wait for my best friend to get ready for the political meeting. I tap my foot on the floor in annoyance. My hands twitch with the inactivity. I hear the sound of footsteps and my pulse quickens at the light-weight ones instead of the heavy ones I am expecting. Great! I school my features into a blank expression as my best friend's younger sister walks into the room. Sruthi has her focus on her phone and doesn’t notice me sitting on the couch as she heads to the kitchen. I take it as an opportunity to watch her. She is a beautiful woman with a fierce temper. Her bronze skin is soft and her black hair shiny. I ache to run my fingers on them. Her eyes are a rare shade of brown. Her figure is covered in big baggy clothes. One thing I learnt over the years, this woman dresses for her comfort. Something about that fact makes me long for her even more.But she is a forbidden fruit. I knew it the moment I laid my eyes on her. She is too sweet and innocent for a bitter and corrupted bastard like me. She is way out of my league. Heck! My best friend Vikram is very overprotective of her and I know for a fact that he wouldn’t want his lovely sister's husband to be a cold-hearted killer.But that does not stop me from fantasizing about her. Nor does it stop me from ogling her whenever I can get the chance.As if sensing my eyes on her, she looks up from her phone. Her eyes meet mine for a moment before she flinches in disgust. I should be hurt by her reaction but I have witnessed that look for an uncountable number of times that I am immune to it.A shiver runs through her body and I know she is afraid of me. She always was and I loathe myself for it. I admit that I am a cold-blooded assassin who can kill someone without a trace. But all those who died by my hand deserved it. I am not justifying my profession here. Hell! In another lifetime I would have scoffed at the idea of an assassin but not in this one. Because circumstances pushed me to become one and I never cared about it. The only ever time I hate what I do is when the woman I want looks at me with venom in her eyes. I could never change the way she looks at me. I have tried it for five years before giving up. But I do love getting under her skin. She is scared of me but at the same time, she puts up a strong front to hide it.“How is your Romeo?” I ask with a snarl. I hate that jerk who she is about to marry in a week. That man looks like a schoolboy with a polished face, neatly combed hair, ironed suit and a cheery smile always plastered on his face. I bet my life that jerk has no idea what hardship in life is. He is a rich pampered kid living on his father’s money.Sadly enough, the biggest thing that Sruthi wants in a man is safety. I sure as hell can't provide her with it. The professional hazards of a killer is that I have made a lot of enemies and I can't be sure when they will strike back. Safety is the last thing I can give her.“Why do you care?” she asks with a scowl.Because I am obsessed with you and I want to know if you are truly happy with him. Is the answer I want to give her but instead I just shrug.Her scowl deepens and she walks away with disgust written all over her face. I watch her walk away with a longing.Just as her footsteps fade, I hear the footsteps of my friend. I paste a neutral mask on my face as I wait for him to show up. “How long will you get ready?” I ask running a hand through my hair.My friend grins at me, “I need to look the part of perfection to the media. ”I shake my head at him. He is the defence minister of our country Yepistan. We are a small but developing country. Vikram took over his father’s place as the country’s defence minister when he was just fifteen years old. After his parents were brutally murdered before him and his sister.He was falsely convicted of his parents' murder and sent to the juvenile. That is where I met him. We clicked at the first meeting. He was the very first person who understood me. Who treated me like a human.With the help of his father’s friends, his innocence was soon proven and he was released. He took over his father’s position as defence minister as soon as he was released. Because, in our country, the position of ministers is held by families and is hereditary. I was heartbroken when I heard that he had become the defence minister. Because which politician would even want to associate with a criminal? I believed that was the end of our friendship. But a year later, when I was released from the juvenile, Vikram contacted me again and the rest is history.“Do you have any other assignments for me?” I ask hoping after hope that he would send me somewhere far away while his sister is getting married. I don't want to witness that. “Nah,” he says with a shake of his head. “No more assignments for the next two weeks.”I frown at him. “Are you sure? You don't want to finish off that rebel group leader? Or the doctor who killed people in the mental asylum? Or the—”Vikram throws me a look and I shut up. Sometimes, I forget the fact my friend is one of the most powerful men in the country. It was no easy feat for him to get a roomful of elders to listen to his defence strategies when he was only seventeen years old.“None of that matters before my sister. I don't want to complicate anything before her marriage. I just want her to have a joyous wedding. I don't want to risk anything now. So, let us stay put for some time,” he replies to my utter disappointment“How about I go on a vacation then? Remember you told me that you would send me on vacation whenever I wanted? So, why don't I take it now?” I ask hoping I still have a chance to escape the wedding.Vikram narrows his eyes at me, “Seriously? You want to leave your friend and his family at this very crucial moment? Sruthi is like a sister to you too,” he says and I cringe. If only he knows the kind of thoughts I have about his sister. “You know how vulnerable I am when it comes to my sister and I have got some intel that there is a very slim chance of attack.”My ears perk up and I straighten. I hold up my hand to stop him from talking. There is no way in hell I am going to leave my friend alone where there is a possibility of attack. If there is one thing I am good at, then it is removing the threats to him. “I will stay,” I answer with a resigned sigh. “I am not going anywhere. This marriage will happen as you wish. Sruthi will be the happiest bride on her wedding day.”Vikram beams at me in gratefulness. I plaster a fake smile like the fact that the only woman I love is getting married to a jerk doesn't bother me.Amazing! Now I am stuck here in the capital with a first seat to witness the marriage of the woman who dominates all my dreams and fantasies.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥