AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His strong arms crush me tighter to him, tension ebbing from his taut frame at my heartfelt words. I brush my lips tenderly over his, hoping to scorch the lingering demons. Ayaan responds hungrily, deepening our connection as I pour all my heart into this kiss. When we finally pull back, our breaths are uneven. He touches his forehead to mine and stares at me intently.
“At this moment, more than your pride, I need your love,” he confesses harshly against my lips.
“King, you never have to ask,” I reply, smiling back at him.
I know what it does to him when I seductively call him ’King’. He eagerly sweeps me into his arms, his long, determined strides carrying us to our bed. Every fibre in my body is burning to make love to him and soothe his worries, which I know will return in the morning as he’ll get busy sorting the present tensions that have gripped our lives. My king is going through the toughest phase of his life, but I know he has the power to deal with the worst.
****************
Walia House – Next Afternoon
As I step out of the car with Trisha at the Walia House, the heavy presence of extra security guards makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle. The security here is insanely tight, with additional guards stationed everywhere around the mansion. Every visitor, whether Dad’s political contacts, his staff, or servants, undergoes a thorough check before being granted access inside the gates. It’s clear that Vishnu and Aksh bhai are behind this, meticulously following Ayaan’s orders to safeguard the Walia family. The situation is growing increasingly dire with each passing moment.
After a night of passion, this morning brought with it the heart-breaking news from Krish. Manish, the undercover agent from Krish’s team, who had helped Ayaan secretly obtain a gun inside ‘The Roost’ yesterday, was dead. The CBI found his lifeless body in the now-sealed pub last night. The investigation is ongoing, but the identity of the murderer remains a mystery. We suspect they targeted Manish when they discovered, possibly from the CCTV footage, that he aided Ayaan in gaining entry and procuring a VIP-level access wristband and a gun.
After learning the truth, even though Ayaan hides it effectively, he knows that either Tej Khurana or Raghav is responsible for Manish’s death. This realisation has further fuelled Ayaan’s fury, and the gravity of the situation is sinking in for all of us. He wouldn’t have allowed me to leave the house if Aksh bhai hadn’t requested me to come to the Walia House. Ayaan, however, has sent a team of guards and Trisha to accompany me, ensuring my safety. Even though I grew up in a political family used to security measures, today is the first time I’ve sensed the looming threat of life and death. An eerie sense of danger hangs over both families, and how long we’ll need such stringent security is something only God knows.
Leaving the guards and Trisha outside, I enter my home and see Devika bhabhi knitting in the living room couch. As soon as she notices me, she gets up and hurries toward me.
“Meher!” Devika bhabhi pulls me into a fierce hug, her face etched in worry. “What is happening here? Everyone is on edge. Is there some kind of danger?”
I’m not sure how much Aksh bhai has told bhabhi about yesterday’s revelations, so I assure her that everything is under control for now.
“Bhabhi, there’s no immediate threat. And even if there were, Vishnu knows how to protect us all. Some past enemy of Dad and Kailash Uncle has resurfaced and is causing trouble. But there’s no immediate threat. Try not to worry. The men are handling things.”
She searches my face intently.
“Fine. If you say so. How is Ayaan? Aksh told me a few bits about what happened at the Shergill Mansion yesterday. He said that Ayaan is not Kailash Uncle’s biological son. He’s probably the son of that same enemy you just mentioned.”
I nod, looking down momentarily before meeting her gaze again.
“Ayaan is trying to come to terms with it even though he has known for four years that he is not Kailash Uncle’s son. He also has a twin brother, and now that they’re back, they are trying to mess with all of us.”
My voice cracks slightly as I confess my fears out loud for the first time since learning of my husband’s true paternity. Bhabhi’s eyes shimmer with compassion as she gently squeezes my hands.
“I feel bad for both of you. You got married, and instead of celebrating and going for a honeymoon, you two are stuck here with unexpected revelations and looming threats.”
I share the same sentiment. When I married Ayaan, I thought everything was finally settling in our lives, but nothing right now comes close to settling down.
“Pratap Uncle is not very happy about it,” she adds, gripping my hands. “Is that why Aksh has called you home? To help him and Vishnu convince uncle?”
I bristle internally at the mention of Dad and his acidic words to Ayaan that sliced open his wounds last night.
“I’m not taking any part in convincing Dad for anything. He has to understand for himself that whatever these two families are doing is for our benefit. Whether he agrees or not is the least of our concerns now. We are in this battle together.”
“Meher,” Dad’s voice rings out as he emerges from his home office, interrupting us. He was in a meeting with his party members discussing the upcoming elections. I ignore his commanding tone, turning instead to Vishnu, hovering silently behind him.
“Do you know why Aksh bhai called me here?” I ask Vishnu, who nods in acknowledgement.
“I know, but Aksh will personally talk to you about this, not me,” he replies.
“Alright, where is he?” I ask.
“There he comes,” he says, pointing to Aksh, who is coming down the stairs.
Before I can speak, Dad grasps my elbow roughly.
“Why are you not talking to me?” he growls. “What show are you trying to pull here?”
