Part 3
Milind had returned home and after freshening up had left for his office he was working on the details of a new hotel he wished to construct in Mumbaii. "Khanna get me the plans from the architects assigned" he had called his secretary up. The morning seemed surreal after last night, he could not quite put a finger on his feelings but he knew they had definitely taken a nose dive since he had found out that she had deserted him. He leafed through the designs submitted by his architect it looked so stupid and only yesterday he had okayed it, where was his mind today. His cellphone had rung and he had recieved it to hear Sukriti on the line "Bhaiyya what are you going to wear for your wedding? It's only a week away" Sukriti had reminded him after exchanging pleasantries. "Leaves!" he had retorted quite put off by the idea of marriage to Mallika and Sukriti had burst in a bubbly laughter. "Bhaiyya they'll hardly remain green till next week moreover they might wither away and you'd be in a fix" she had giggled despite being a mother of two she hardly behaved like a grown up woman. Milind had smiled hearing her tinkling laughter "I'll wear whatever you decide" he had given her his consent for the cream sherwani she had chosen for his auspicious occassion. Clicking his cell shut he sank in his chair heavily closing his eyes opening his shirt buttons he was suddenly feeling extremely clautrophobic.
The act though fetched no respite from the haunting image of the damsel in distress he had met the previous night and he had flipped his eyes open. What was wrong with him she wasn't Cleopatra and certainly not the only girl he had interacted with in his lifetime then why had she left that indelible mark on him. Opening up the file again he proceeded to concentrate on the designs and the costs to be incurred there were far more important things in life than floundering in a sea of memories. The day had passed quickly once Milind set his mind to work shunning every other thought besides the project and the minor details relating to it. Pretty soon he had finalized a design and had it sent to the department responsible for getting it passed by the government. Stretching his arms high above his head he cracked his knuckles yawning tiredly he hadn't slept properly the previous night and had decided to call it an early night little had he known the night had only just begun. Gathering his coat and briefcase he had donned his tinted shades and left for the parking lot when his cell phone had rung again this time it was Rahul. "Meet me at Blue Lagoon in precisely twenty minutes" had come the prompt instruction and even before he could utter a single syllable in protest the line had dropped.
So much for an early night Milind had thought wryly revving his engine his mood foul despite his best efforts Prachi had not stopped haunting him and now he was tired of fighting back his thoughts giving himself lame excuses for thinking about her accepting the fact that he indeed was hell bent to know more about her.Prachi stood silent her head throbbed badly her mind well aware of the perilous condition she had landed herself in, around her she could see women putting on final touches of their makeup. She felt like crying not that she hadn't been doing that earlier, oh why hadn't she listened to Gauri's advice, why did she have to go to the hospital. She stared at herself in the mirror spanning the entire length of the wall she wore a short spangled black top with an excuse of a skirt in matching shades. Her hair was left open her ears sporting large silver hoop earrings the girl who had helped her do her makeup had shaded her eyes in a smoky charcoal mixture her unsmiling lips were painted bright pink. She felt nauseous and thought she should throw up but instead had picked up a brush and slid it through her straight velvet hair. What was she doing she asked herself the umpteenth time, she could run, there was still time but then what would Vikram do march up straight to the hospital and finish off her grandmother. Did she want that...... no. "Time to go!" a waiter had snuck his head in and informed the girls , she heard stools scraping, scramble of feet and a mad frenzy of last minute sprays and checking ons before the girls filed outside for their work.
Prachi stood up to inspect herself in the mirror her long legs were revealed right up to her thighs her arms bare the cut of the top so damn low anyone could see what size lingerie she was wearing underneath a silent tear escaped her as she walked out of the room to her definite doom. She stood in the queue beside the bar feeling a dozen eyes lift up to her immediately boring into her making her feel she stood there naked. She bit her lower lip to keep herself from crying and tried to put on a straight face her heart bled at the precarious situation she was in and prayed for a miracle to happen. One that would allow her to go back home and make her grandmother hale and hearty. The deafening din of the record on play filled her ears jangling her back to her senses she felt a masculine arm snake around her waist and opened her eyes in horror to find Vikram lick his lips lewdly. "Aw darling you think I'd put you up for sale without tasting you first" he had whispered near her ear and she had loosened his arm from around her stepping back in terror. "You said it was only one performance at the bar tonight and I could go" she had reminded him her voice shaky indicating the pure dread that grew fast inside her.
"Did I?" Vikram had laughed cruelly "Well then I must've meant a night with me and rest for the boys what say" he had winked at her advancing towards her purposefully. Prachi desperately looked around for an escape route but there seemed to be none she was cornered and in his territory very much at his mercy and will. She felt him push her against the wall closing in her she closed her eyes shielding herself from him her hands wrapped around her she sunk to the floor. He though had not finished with her pulling her up roughly he pinnioned her arms against the wall wrenching them away from her her desperate cries for help were drowned in the loud music as he licked her collarbone hungrily. She tried to free herself of him wresting her hands from his when she felt him bite her hard she screamed in agony crying profusely how she wished she would die in that instant "Leave me!" she shrieked jerking her head from side to side while the scoundrel pursued her lips.
"How much for her" she had heard a familiar voice intervene the assault putting a stop to it altogether. Vikram had been forced to answer the well to do customer eyeing the girl precariously the truth was if Milind would've had his way Vikram would have been lying there in a pool of blood. How dare he touch Prachi, his blood boiled to see him thrust himself on her his mind was a muddle and he knew right now he had to keep up with the act for it was neither his place nor his call. The pub was Vikram's he realized that all the men working there were his picking up a fight with the owner meant twenty against three and that was not a good ratio to begin with. His friends Rahul and Karan had arranged a small bachelor party for him keeping in mind that his bachelorhood was soon to end they had called him at this pub to choose a girl for himself for entertainment. He ofcourse had negated the idea instantly and had been about to leave when he saw a girl being mauled by a man only when he had drawn closer had he looked at her and in an instant he had known she was the girl he had been thinking of the whole day."She's not for sale" Vikram had snapped thoroughly vexed at the untimely intrusion just when he had started having fun the stranger had dropped in.
"I'm willing to pay any price" Milind had stated calmly Prachi stood trembling the men were cutting out a deal for her she hoped the earth would shatter and she would be enveloped inside it. "She's not even broken in yet" Vikram had tried to waive off Milind "I think I can handle that" Milind had replied in a dead pan tone. Vikram could see the man was adamant and to him the money came above everything else stepping away from Prachi he had accepted the offer "Twenty thousand" he had told Milind smiling wickedly. "Virgins ain't cheap these days!" he had guffawed and Milind had found it extremely difficult to keep his fist pocketed lest he lose control and break the man's jaw. Prachi in her daze had been unable to identify Milind as her generous benefactor from the night earlier she was running a high temperature and felt the world swimming around her. Placing the bills in Vikram's hand Milind had lifted a drowsy Prachi up in his arms "Leave me!.. Leave me!" she struggled and kicked in his strong grasp her attempts on being released grew feeble as her strength drained due to the fever. Rahul and Karan had gaped at Milind as he sauntered out of the pub carrying a howling Prachi in his arms who was now begging to be freed. "Milind are you nuts, for all we know she could be a minor" Rahul had lashed at him watching Prachi whimper in his arms eyes closed as she held on to his collar. "Listen I know the girl that b*****d was trying to assault her" Milind had informed the two. "Now what" Karan had asked stumped they had thought they would have a boy's night out here they had landed themselves in deep trouble.
"I'm taking her home thats all I can think of at the moment but I'll call you guys up later with a plan, I can't return her to that pimp" Milind had gritted his teeth in anger. Rahul had opened the Cadillac door while Milind laid a still pleading Prachi on the seat strapping her firmly lest she run away and closed the door. "You both had better return home now before Vikram keeps you here to ensure my return" Milind had advised and both had consented following Milind's Cadillac with their Sonata. Once at a safe distance from the pub Milind had stopped his car in an alley he could not take Prachi home in that attire even though he lived on his own he still had servants to tend to his needs and he could not bear to let anyone see her that way. Switching on the overhead light he gently patted her cheeks "Prachi... Prachi" he called out to her she probably had fallen unconscious during the drive. When she did not come around he rubbed her palms calling out to her simultaneously "Prachi for God's sake open your eyes" he then picked up the water bottle and sprinkled some of it on her. That had done the trick she regained consciousness and had instantly wished to flee Milind though had the door firmly secured and try as she would she couldn't open it. "Let me go..." she hiccuped "Let me go..... I won't do this" she sobbed hysterically trying her best to distance away from the man beside her. "Prachi.. Prachi" Milind had called her again holding her face in his hands he made her look up to him it was only then that Prachi took in his features and identified him as the kind stranger. Joyous tears stained her cheeks as she held his hands in her own wetting them with her fast dropping tears words failed to convey her relief though her tears said it all. "Listen I can't take you home in this dress" Milind had informed her talking slowly so that she understood him. "Home!" she echoed her eyes had widened and she dropped his hands in fright "Yes home... and no I'm not taking you there to rid you off your virginity so please don't look at me as if I'm satan incarnated" Milind had tried to make light of the grave situation and he had felt her release her bated breath.
"You will have to wait here till I bring you something decent to wear" he had explained to her and she had nodded her head in submission. Stepping out of the car he walked all the way to a departmental store he knew was situated across the road once there he bought a few salwar kameez suits for her and hurried back to find her unconscious and slumped on the front seat. Opening the door he slid in and tried to revive her yet this time she seemed to be in a deep sleep Milind could feel her fever rise and pushing aside any thoughts of crossing limits he stripped her off her body hugging garments. He then chose a simple white salwar kurta for her and struggled with the ordeal of dressing her in them pulling the kurta over her head he folded down the sleeves making her hand go through one first and then the other respectively. Pulling out her hair from the inside of the kurta he released her tresses buttoning up the garment he then drove her home. The door to his mansion was opened by Ramu Kaka who was shocked to see Milind carry a girl in his arms "Milind beta who is this?" he had asked in a low tone.
Kaka was a trusted servant and had followed Milind over the years like his shadow be it good or bad Kaka had always been at his side. When he had left Haryana Baba had asked Kaka to accompany Milind to London since then the two had stayed together over the years Milind had come to accept Kaka as a part of his family and respected him just like he respected his own father. "Kaka she's a friend " he had lied conveniently and proceeded with her up the stairs to his bedroom once there he had lain her on the bed covering her with a blanket asking Kaka to prepare some soup for her he dialled the doctor. Precisely half an hour later the doctor had arrived and had checked her thoroughly "It's viral Mr Mishra you'll have to take care of her make sure she drinks lots of fluids and for now a cold compress will do the trick" he had also injected her with an antidote and prescribing a few medicines had left. Asking Kaka to keep an eye on her Milind had left with the doctor dropping him home he sought out a pharmacy and purchased the required medicines returning swiftly Kaka had meanwhile been keeping the cold compress on Prachi's ablaze forehead. Sitting by her side Milind had proceeded to check her forehead which burnt to the touch and he had resumed the exercise of keeping cold compresses on her forehead hoping for the fever to break down.
Prachi had meanwhile gained consciousness and was startled to find herself in alien surroundings. Her vision having cleared she sat upright immediately the sudden movement had caused her head to hammer incessantly and she dropped it in her hands in agony "Prachi" Milind had called out to her and she had looked up at him through red rimmed eyes. Her fever had not subsided completely and Milind desired her to eat something before he gave her the pills "I'm not hungry" she had refused the soup Kaka had made for her. "Well I'm not listening to that so you better open your mouth before I make you drink this myself.... just like I changed your clothes" Milind had threatened her and she had stared at him astounded. Checking her clothes she realized he told the truth as she was dressed in a white salwar kurta instead of her top and skirt. "You.. you changed... my ... clothes" she stammered in disbelief "Yes I couldn't very well bring you here dressed up like a call girl now could I" he had replied staidly ladling a spoonful of soup he blew on it gently before holding the spoon to her. He noticed her eyes had glazed and she sank back against the downy pillows grimacing at the sad twist in her life. "If it's any consolation I did perform the task without any lights" he had muttered and she had lifted her hazel eyes to him "Thank you" she had whispered softly before sipping the contents in the spoon he held. Their eyes had met then and his world stood still, those were the very eyes he had searched for since long they were warm like an ocean of melted chocolate the watery film that covered them had blessed them a dewy look and despite his best efforts to tear his gaze away from them he realized he couldn't, he sat hypnotized.
Edited by blind horizon - 16 years ago
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
