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“NO,” Vihaan roared, still pointing the gun at Dev’s father.
“If you don’t drop the gun, then the next sound you hear will be of a bullet tearing into your sister,” Dev said in a cold voice. His heart pounded, the weight of the gun heavy in his hands. His insides clenched, but he had to get through this to ensure they all were safe.
Vihaan pivoted. So much pain was etched on his face as he looked at Dev. He shook his head as if unable to believe Dev could do that to them.
Aaryan exchanged a forlorn glance with Vihaan. His knuckles were bloodied, and his face bruised. Vihaan left the gun on the floor. Immediately, his father’s men caught him and bound his hands behind his back. They bound Aaryan as well, pushing him to his knees. Dev dropped the gun from Avantika’s head and backed a step from her. His father nodded to his lackey, who immediately took the gun back from Dev. It was clear his dad didn’t trust him fully.
“Now, that display was absolutely unnecessary,” Pritam said, his tone light.
Dev wanted to kill him. How could this cold, cruel man be his father?
“However, your recklessness will cost you both.” Pritam Luthra looked at Shamsher, and Dev’s heart fell to his feet. “Punish her.”
A few men grabbed Avantika. She struggled against them as Shamsher advanced forward.
“Dev,” his father beckoned him with a finger, and Dev went to him.
“This wasn’t the plan,” he whispered through gritted teeth.
“Your friends shouldn’t have fought like that.”
“Did you expect them to stay still while you murdered their parents in front of their eyes?”
“Well, now they will never fight again.”
“Leave Avantika out of this.”
His father patted his arm. “My dear boy, is she your weakness? Raj has always suspected her of being so. Should I order Shamsher to take her away and ruin her?”
Dev’s heart stilled. He couldn’t reply. His father was a monster, and he couldn’t show any emotion in front of him. If he did, they all would die or worse. Avantika! God! He had to save her.
“I don’t care about her.” The words felt like acid in his mouth. “They’re going to die soon anyway.”
“You’re finally seeing things my way,” his father praised.
Avantika, Aaryan, Vihaan, and Sanjana—Dev reiterated in his head—he was doing this for them. To keep them safe.
From behind him, Shamsher ordered the men to hold her still. Avantika screamed; Vihaan and Aaryan begged Shamsher to leave her alone. Dev’s stomach turned. Bile rushed up his throat to see her bleed. God! He loved her so much. But one wrong move from his side, and his father wouldn’t hesitate to kill her and her brothers.
Every wound inflicted on her etched itself on his heart. After tonight, she’d never be the same. She’d always think he betrayed her. But he had no choice. He had to save her and her brothers. He had to keep Sanjana safe. They all were his everything.
Seeing Avantika’s agony and hearing her cries would be his punishment for the rest of his life. And so, he would watch. Even if it killed him, he would watch because he couldn’t save her from this trauma. But he would save her from a fate far worse.
Her cries rose.
They would haunt him forever. His eyes burned with unshed tears, and the urge to kill Shamsher raged through him. But Dev was surrounded, helpless, and weak. Today, his father had all the power and Dev had none. However, time never remained the same. A day would come when he wouldn’t be helpless, he wouldn’t be weak, and on that day, he’d ensure that this man, his dad’s lackey, who’d hurt Avantika, Sanjana and him, would pay. That was a promise.
Minutes passed, or was it hours…he knew not, but finally, Avi’s screams stopped, and she lay unconscious. Seeing her prone form, his eyes misted, but he swallowed the tears. She would survive this ordeal, just like he had. Just like Sanjana had. She wouldn’t have been able to survive what his father’s second option for her had been.
“Stow them in the basement,” his father ordered. “I want them all conscious when we kill them. They need to know that no one can mess with Pritam Luthra and get away with it. I will enjoy watching them burn with this house.”
Once the siblings were taken away, his dad said, “Set the house on fire as soon as she’s conscious.”
A loud thunder resounded, lightning struck, and rain began to pelt all around them. Dev exhaled a sigh of relief. There was no way the house could be set on fire in the rain. Thank God! He’d gotten some more time. Avantika, Vihaan, and Aaryan were alive, and they’d be safe in the basement. He was the one who’d suggested they be stashed in the basement when his father had been detailing his plan to set the house on fire.
Dev was well aware that Aunty Shaira had once used the basement for storing food. Now, he had to plan their rescue.
Two more days passed,and Dev thanked God for this sudden stroke of luck. It had rained and rained that first night and the next morning, thereby thwarting his father’s plans of setting the house on fire with the Rajpoot siblings inside. But now, night had fallen, and the skies had cleared. He had to act before his father changed the plan again.
