Chapter 8: chapter 8

MADHAVI scan the party area. There are too much of people to keep an eye on everyone. So, I keep my full focus on Sruthi. She looks gorgeous in the purple evening gown. Her hair is pinned up in a bun and it reveals the mole she has on her nape. A tiny one that you can find only when you are looking for it. I fist my hands and shove them into my pockets.Her fiancée left the party as soon as the party was in full swing. It took her another hour or so to realize that her fiancée was not at the party. I have no idea what could be more important to that Praveen than her. If I was in his place, I would have pulled Sruthi into my arms the moment I saw her in that hot-as-hell gown and claimed that delicious lips. I would have never left her side. Yes, I know the custom dictates that the bride and groom maintain a platonic relationship before the wedding but screw custom.  I watch Sruthi greet an elderly couple and walk away from the party to the house. I slip from my spot and follow her. She disappears from my sight and I keep on walking in the direction of the house. It takes me a couple of seconds to spot her since I have to dodge a whole group of dancers on the dance floor. I maintain an eight feet distance between us. My feet don’t make a noise as I follow her. The first lesson in becoming a successful assassin is to walk without making a sound. Your prey should have no idea that you are on their trail. The mansion is located alongside the beach. The reason why Sruthi is having a beach-themed wedding. The mansion is huge and is spread across many acres of land. The party is happening in the backyard of the mansion which opens up to the water. The house is inaccessible to the guests. A security gate separates the guests from the house’s backdoor. Only authorized persons can enter it. Sruthi presses her finger on the biometric pad and the gate swings open for her. She glances behind and I quickly hide behind the speaker. When she is sure no one is near, she walks in and closes the gate. I tip toe to the gate and place my finger on the pad. The gate opens for me without a noise.We are away from the rest of the party and it is dark as Sruthi reaches for the door of the house. Some of the fairy lights at the back of the house are not working. I frown at the back porch light bulb that is not glowing. Something is wrong. The light bulb was installed today and it was working well when the party started. Vikram recruited the best of the best people to make these arrangements and I am sure they won’t be sloppy enough to install a light bulb that would stop working so soon. My eyes sharpen and I look around the area for any threats. Sruthi is fumbling with the door, trying to budge it open when I see a red dot on her back. Instincts kick in and before I could know, I am running towards her. I yell her name but she can't hear me because of the loud music. She is still trying the door when I pull her into my arms and move her away from the door. A surprised gasp leaves her and she tries to escape my arms. She struggles and since I am unprepared for her resistance, we both fall on the ground. “Sruthi,” I hiss as my body hits the ground. She is still in my arms. Her back flushed against my front. My arms are tightly around her waist. She smells of lavender. If it were not for the life-or-death situation, I would have found this moment as a romantic one. Her nails are digging into my wrists but at the sound of my voice, she goes still.“What the hell, Madhav?” she snaps in anger. I release my grip on her and she is on her feet the next moment. I get to my feet quickly and search the area. My eyes lock on the lighthouse tower. Sruthi is cursing at me in colorful words but for the moment I ignore her. I text Vishnu, a member of the security team to surround the lighthouse before texting Vikram to come to the backdoor of his mansion.Only then, do I turn to face Sruthi. Her eyes are filled with anger directed at me. This is not her usual anger. No, this time, she looks livid and ready to kill me. She takes a few deep breaths and looks back at the party with a frown on her forehead. Everyone at the party is busy dancing and drinking. No one has their attention on us.“No one saw us,” I answer.That only makes her angrier, “Oh! So, you wanted an audience for your indecent behavior?”I flinch at her words. There is no way she would listen to my explanation. I don’t want to waste my energy trying to do the impossible. So, I silently wait for her to yell at me. “Are you drunk? Have you lost it finally, Madhav? What were you trying to do to me? Why would you grab your best friend’s sister who is getting married tomorrow like that? Why are you silent? What do you take me for?” she asks out of breath. She is frustrated with me like always but today it is triple the time. She takes big gulps of air and my eyes trace the sweat drop that travels from her forehead to her jaw to her neck to her—No! Idiot, focus.My eyes snap back to her face. She glares at me and I suddenly feel like a little boy who did something wrong. “Do you know, one complaint from me to the police will get you a life sentence in jail? Not even my brother can save you.”True! The laws of Yepistan are very strict when it comes to women's safety.  Molesting a woman in our country can get you a life sentence and rape guarantees a death sentence. Thanks to the laws, the women of our country can roam around freely just like men. “What can I not save him from?” asks Vikram coming near us. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥