Bulbul was still in her thoughts of admiring him and planning to get on him when they saw a bullet turning up bursting the tire of the car infront, which make it loose its balance and end up crushing a coffee shop on the side. Purab quickly put on the brakes to avoid an accident and look around to see from where the bullet came when a bullet just hit the rear-view mirror of their car. "Purab..." Bulbul shouted as they both bend down in the car for precautionary measures. Purab hand was on her back as he said out loud through the voice of firing bullets. "When I ask you, Jump out behind me" Bulbul nodded. She had been through these situations before with him. Purab move up and after looking around a bit, seeing people who were sitting on the road side tables running inside to hide himself, he opened the car door in a quick moment and jumped out to run and hide himself behind the brick wall of the nearby restaurant. The road was deserted now which was filled with people just a few minutes before. "NOW" he shouted peeking from the door. Bulbul heard and moved her body to the driver seat when *SHOOT* a bullet came and crashed the passenger side window. She looked at the broken window. Her heart was screaming that it's the end and then again she heard his screeching voice. "JUMP OUT" and she did. She ran in the full speed to him but as she was about to reach the door of the restaurant, *SHOOT* her heart felt a jolt and the next moment, she was falling down on the floor but just in time, Purab caught her and dragged her inside, hiding her along with himself behind the wall. He anxiously pat her face, making her open her eyes but after fluttering her eyes a little, she was lying motionless in his arms. He frantically opened the buttons of her over coat and pulled out her hand to examine which was bleeding badly. "Bulbul...open your eyes...Bulbul" he asked her, shaking her face while she stayed unmoved. "Bulbul..." he called her again as he pulled out the soft woolen belt of his overcoat and put it tightly around her arm just above the wound to stop bleeding. The sound of bullets increases as he heard voices of Aashna and Sakshay along with the trained drivers who were firing back now. After 10 minutes, silence took over the place but Purab didn't notice anything. His gaze was just fixed on her angelic face, her rosy lips that had turned pale, her big black eyes were hidden behind those eye-lids which made him anxious as he always like to see his image in her eyes, her cheeks were pale too with a few blood drops were staining them, her forehead was having that similar frown which she usually had when he don't get her what she like or they have an argument on a silly thing. "Bulbul" Almost in a whisper, he took her name again and again, wishing that his voice will make her conscious like she usually get with his presence. "Purab..." Aashna called for him when she and Sakshay get inside the restaurant "Oh my God!! She is bleeding..." Sakshay said as he and Aashna get in the restaurant. "She needs medical assistance Purab" Aashna said diverting his attention. "Police will be here in few minutes, is everything covered?" Purab asked them as he caressed Bulbul's hand calmly. "Yeah...you don't worry on that front, Sakshay proclaimed. Purab get up holding Bulbul in his arms as he heard Ambulance siren and came out.
"You still don't wanna leave her..."Purab sigh hearing that voice. "I already told you Purab that she don't belong to this world of ours... along with us, she is also in a great danger...Are you gonna keep risking her life like this?" Aashna said as she and Purab were standing alone in the corridor of the hospital. Purab was looking inside through the small window of the door. Monitors were attached to her body and doctor was examining her. "Aashna, I think we are over with that topic...Aren't we?" He asked strictly. They were so over that topic two months back. Before Aashna could say anything, the doctor came out. "We are quiet lucky here Mr. Khanna...the bullet just passed by really close to her arm...she is completely fine now and will wake up in 2 hours...Just make sure she don't use this hand much for atleast 2 weeks" Purab nod and as doctor left, sigh in relief. "She was lucky this time, but what if next time, bullets are not so generous to her...and will take her away from you..." Purab felt shiver inside his body with Aashna's question and look inside once again to a sleeping Bulbul. "It's better to get her away from this world of ours by ourselves Purab, atleast you will know that she is alive and safe...rather than keeping her stick with us, risking her life every second" Purab closed his eyes as he re-winded the scene he witnessed when she got that bloody bullet. If he had been close, he would never have let anything hurt her like this. Seeing him not responding Aashna sigh. "You take care of yourself" Aashna left the next moment and Purab opened Bulbul's room door slightly and entered with slow steps. On approaching the bed, he looked at her. She was sleeping peacefully. He put forward a chair and sits down holding her hand. His eyes stick on her face and his lips, keep praying for her wellness and kissing her hand in between. His mind constantly running Aashna's words again and again. He knew and agrees that whatever she said was true but what about his heart. His heart always feel a stab like something hard hit him whenever he even thinks of making her get away from himself. She was a flawless beauty that was trapped in his world. He knows, his heart knows how he just wished himself to be another man, in another world, happy like every other guy, leading a normal life, wishing to have his own family without ever been worried about their coming life that if he will have another day to see or not. A tear escaped his eye. He had never been this helpless in his life. He likes to take orders from his Master and after giving them to others, to make sure that the work is done perfectly. He had given orders to kill specific people around the world, but now he wish to give her a command to get back to life. He pushed back the little hairs that was covering her forehead and kissed her there. "You need to get away from me Bulbul...You are alive and happy, that's enough to keep me alive rather than keeping you with me and being afraid every single moment that I am putting your life in danger" Aashna has warned him before, and that's why he was ignoring her, thinking that may be this way, she herself with get away from him. But ignoring her, seeing the disappointment and tears in her eyes, controlling himself to reach for her, and glance of that million buck smile almost killed him every time. "As soon as you get fine, I will make sure to get you away from me, in a world of peace and love...that's what you deserve...that's where you belong..." He promised himself.
Purab entered with a bowl of vegetable soup to see her siting, with that pout that always left him to just wish to read her mind. The thoughts must be so special, that make her lower lip turn out, making her look ever so sweet and adorable that one could hardly ignore. Her bandaged right hand was lazily placed in her lap while the other was caressing her own neck. He wouldn't have dared to interrupt her and would have keep looking at her to memorize this image for forever if this soup wouldn't have been essential for her to take "Bulbul..." his soft voice curved her lips into a smile but on seeing the soup, she frowned. "Not again...please" she pleaded but she knew it better, that it's useless to argue with Purab. "You have too...see I specially got that ready for you" Purab gave him one of his sweet looks to which she can't say no. Purab put forward a spoon and Bulbul open her mouth, closing her eyes. "Yuck Purab" she turned her face. "How can you ask me to have this" Soups were surely not one of his favorites. "Cause right now, it's best for your health" and for the pain too. He added in his mind and put forward another spoon full of soup. Doctors prescribed some painkillers for her and also a sleeping pill to take whenever she feels pain, but Bulbul being Bulbul, always put up the mask of braveness and strength as she don't want anyone to see the pleasure of her to be in pain. She already had given enough memories to others. Purab knew her just well enough to know when she is hiding her pain or fears from him and he would usually find a way to get them away from her. She was there living with a single mother in the chawls of Mumbai, who due to some circumstances and for the sake of finalizing a deal, presented more appropriate to say, gifted, Bulbul to a business man. If it was not for Purab's power of physiology, Bulbul would have been trapped in any of that low rated room. Purab saved her and from then she is accompanying him everywhere. He was always so true and sincere right from the start. He believed her enough to not lie to her about his PROFESSION but he didn't dare spend a dime from the money, he earned through this on her. It was always the money he earned from his export business that was reserved for her. She wasn't bound to stay with him. She was given a choice to stay at a peaceful place with a job in hand, but she chooses to be with him. It was something so magnetic about him that didn't let her go away from him. They got together well and soon, she realized, it was not some attraction only, she was in love with this man who came as a savior for her and now, she can't even think to stay away to take a breath without him.
"You must be joking right" Bulbul said, cupping his face with her trembling hands as tears swim in her eyes. "No, I am not" Purab said with a voice, that he hoped was strong enough to make her see that was so firm on his decision. "I want you to go away from here Bulbul...I wish, I just wish that in the start you would have took the decision to go for that bloody job than sticking with me...But now, as I get it, I don't want you to stay with me anymore..." Bulbul looked at him in disbelief. Whatever period she has spent with him were like the most beautiful period of her life. Purab made that so. The care, the love, the sweet small moments of love, the soft touch, and he would settle her on the shelf to cook something for her and then sharing it together, Bulbul would never forget that in her life-time. Did she disappoint her? Was she now what he expected her to be? Did she say something to annoy him? "Purab...Please tell me what's wrong? What have I done to annoy you?" She said in a desperate crying voice. "It's you I am annoyed with. I had enough babied you that now I feel that my life's is just been so restricted. I can't go anywhere alone, I can't decide anything without the thought of what you are up to...I can't make my own plans" Purab said jerking her hands away, leaving her stunned as he continued. "We can't plan a trip now as Bulbul is not fit, I can't go away leaving you all alone to yourself...You always think it's essential to tell me what should I wear to what should I eat...Oh! You can't eat that Purab, you know you can't handle spices. Yuck Purab, that color looks awful on you..." He mimicked her in a hard voice. "That's enough now. I wan to lead my own life, the way I want that to be...I don't wanna have a teacher appointed for me to tell me do's and don'ts of my life anymore" Purab almost barked at her, leaving her crushed and heartbroken in tears. She moved back till she hit the damn wall. "Bulbul" his heart cried out her name. His hands so wanted to move forward to grab her to save her head to hit the wall but he curled his hand into a fist, controlling his emotions. "If you want to see her alive, you have to do that Purab" He told himself again and again in his mind. She moved down on her knees, her teary eyes stuck on him as she tried to read his tight expressions. "You are not my Purab...You are not.." She mumbled. "Surly I am no longer that fake Purab who would show that his every thought belong to you...Actually today, after a long time, I am feeling just MYSELF" He stressed on his words making her believe that whatever he said, he meant that.
"Purab" she wakes up all sweaty and terrified. The first thing she did was switching on the side lamps and hurriedly rushed to see Purab in other room and found him sleeping peacefully on his bed. She took a sigh of relief and wipe off the sweat with the back of her hand. Her eyes not leaving his face just to confirm herself that it's not a dream and he is actually laying there all sleeping. Going close and leaning down on him, she looked at the sweet look on his face. His closed eyes, his clear forehead that got some wrinkles but as she moved her fingers caressing it, they went away. His light beard, just like the way she loved. In her view, that surly gave him a sexy look but she preferred clean shave. His broad shoulders looking out from that black skin fitted black vest he like to wear in the night. His one hand was under the pillow while other on his stomach. Bulbul moved away the small strands that were coming on his forehead. With the moment, Purab flickered his eyes to see an intriguing Bulbul, noticing her features. "Hmmm...What brought Ms. Bulbul in such a night to inspect this gangster?" He said in a sleepy tone as his hands took a place around her tiny waist and pull her on himself. "I just had a bad dream" Bulbul explained. "Ah!! I am hurt...now the bad dreams had to get you come close to me" He said with a hurt expression."Make me believe that I belong to you...brand me as yours Purab" She wanted to say. He looked at her face for a moment. He wanted that. He so wanted that tonight so he could have that taste of her sweet lips, the fragrance of her intoxicated smell that will stay with him forever. A night, so pure that he could always remember and cherish afterwards before he will make her get away from himself. They were having that desire, passion, love, attraction, she always sees. But this time there was something else too. Something that seems too fearful and alien to her to see in his eyes. Not letting her get too much into him, she leaved him there being blushy and in confiscated feel altogether, proceeded to her room.
Waking up with still sleepy eyes, she looked around seeing that bright sunshine welcoming her. She stretched her arms out and her ears could get sounds from the kitchen. She turns at the click of door to see Purab getting her a cup of coffee. "Good Morning" he wished. "Good morning" She wished back in a groggy voice. Purab smiles fade remembering that it's the last morning he is gonna watch her like this, in his apartment, feed her, take care of her. "Bulbul, you need to pack the bags" he said standing infront of the mirror. "Are we going somewhere?" she asked while making herself seated. "Not us, just you..." that make her stop her action and quickly getting out from the bed, straightening herself. "What? Just me...without you...it's so out of question Purab" she replied. The nightmare from the last night again surrounded her senses to think. She felt herself like the same terrified Bulbul whom she gets to know, face to face. Is Purab, Her Purab is also fed up from her like the one from dream? She thought, giving him a blank look. He knew he shocked her with the news. Damn, if he wasn't in this line where you always have a life at the stake and he had seen, enemies destroying full family of the other one, and all he had for himself, the only family he created and was so close too, is Bulbul. Where at a part, she provide her strength to fight, one the other hand, she was also her biggest and only weakness and his enemies surly knew that. All people had spotted them together at so many events, parties, conferences, charity balls and he never denied that she was his girlfriend. Though he hadn't dared to tell her that he love her so much, with the fear that his love will not let him get away from paying off the debt he own to his master who get him out from the life of an aimless orphan roaming on roads and made him so successful and rich, that now, he is running the lives of so many charities and people. "Bulbul" he said softly, coming closer to her. "It's not for long...We got to know from our sources that the person who attacked us last time, is planning again to trap us and after last time, I don't wanna put your life in risk anymore" He said in a soothing voice, rubbing her shoulder up and down. "But Purab..." Purab cut her in between before she could say anything more. "First let me end..." Bulbul defeating sigh as tears took place in her eyes. "You are going to Shimla with Sakshay. He also need some rest to gain his strength back. Two of my men will pick you up from the airport and get you to the safe house. In few days, I and Aashna will join you both..." Purab said pulling her close in a hug. Bulbul closed her eyes, letting the tears flow. Though his plan sounds convincing, but she had the fear, that if she get away from him, she will loose him for forever. Purab kept caressing her hairs to savor these moments of her closeness for the rest of his life. Though he had planned to get Sakshay with her, but Sakshay will depart to some other place at the last moment, leaving her to get to the safe-house so that in few days, she could start a new life. He will call her, convince her, though he doubts that she ever will, but he will try his best to safe her from the demons of his world. "Purab, you will come in few days, right?" Purab nodded giving her a weak smile while cupping her face in one hand, wiping away her tears. "Promise?" she was just looking like a baby that demands her favorite toy. He looks into her eyes to see uncertainty. It was the first time, she asked for a promise and Purab knew, if he doesn't do that, she will never leave. "Promise" He said, making her smile. Unknown to her, he had crossed his fingers of the hand, that was wrapping around her waist.
"Ready???" Aashna said getting into the roo. "Yeah" Purab and Bulbul turned away, breaking the eye lock they had. Bulbul was looking stunning in her black jeans with welty Blue ink top. For safety, Purab get her a scarf, so no one could identify her entry back in India. "Let me get the luggage" Sakshay asked as he entered the room and took away Bulbul's bags. "Don't worry Bulbul, everything will be OK and these two will join us soon...but till then we could have some peace of mind and sometimes, we can even share a tea, back-biting about these" Sakshay said, trying to lighting up the mood. Bulbul gave him a fake smile cause her heart was right now, feeling so anxious. "Ok guys, we are waiting down...come soon" Aashna said with a wink that made Purab and Sakshay laugh and later, she left with Sakshay. Bulbul turned her gaze to Purab who was standing with a wary look in his eyes. "Bulbul, see I promised you that I will come soon...they why are you leaving with such a sad face?" Purab cupped her face. "I will miss you Purab" she said in a shaky voice. "Oh come here" he pulled her in his arms. "I will miss you too Bulbul, but just cause I will miss you, I could never put your life in a risk" Bulbul closed her eyes for a moment, clutching his shirt when a red light made her open her eyes. "We will be together soon and then..." But before he could say anything more, "Purab..." Bulbul shouted and took a roll, still holding him when *SHOOT*. Purab could all hear that and then look at the blank look in her eyes as she fell on the floor and he too get down with her in time to just miss another bullet that entered from the window of the room and hit the closet in the back. In minutes, the firing voice could be heard louder but Purab keep looking at Bulbul. The bullet hit her back this time. Purab pulled out his hand that was holding her waist to see if full of blood. "Bulbul" he shouted. "I...I love you Purab" She said that as Purab again and again took her name, till she couldn't hear him anymore. Hurriedly, he took her in his arms and rushed down to the main entrance. Sakshay saw them coming and also noticed the freaky look on Purab's face and Bulbul soaked with blood. "What happened to her?" Sakshay asked as he approached them to help Purab with Bulbul. "She got the bullet, that I suppose to had" Purab explained. Sakshay opened the car door and he quickly get inside with Bulbul "Aashna, take care of everything here" Sakshay shouted as he took the driving seat and rushed off to the closest hospital.
Purab was pacing into the corridor of the hospital. 2 hours had passed since Bulbul disappeared into OT. His hands were sweating, his mind running all the bad possibilities that could occur but his heart was way away from all these emotions as it seems like it stopped to beat. Though he could hear the frightening strong beats of his heart coming almost from his throat but it wasn't pacifying him the way it usually does. It seems like she took his heart, leaving the beats just for him. Or maybe these beats were of her heart. He couldn't say anything. He just know that right now whatever happened, he wanted to see her looking back at him with those deep hazel eyes that always make him see his reflection in a crystal clear manner. He was still in these thought when doctor came out. "Mr. Purab Khanna...We are lucky that the bullet didn't hit her backbone otherwise she would have to face some serious problem. She is ok now, just under the effect of anesthesia right now. Due to blood loss, she is still very weak. Just took great care of her" Doctor explained holding his stethoscope. "Can I see her?" Purab asked. "Right now we are keeping her under observation in ICU...you can see her for few minutes" Purab nodded. Opening the door, he gets inside to see her hand attached with a wire. The beeping sound of monitors filled his ears. Her mouth was covered with oxygen mask that a nurse removed as she came in crossing him, and after reading the monitors, left. Purab took slow steps and took the seat beside her bed. He keeps looking at her face which seems too pale right now. Just like she had when she was about to leave for the airport. Right then it was her fear about losing him that turn all her rosy cheeks pale. Right now, it's about his fear of losing him that again made her pale. He moved forward her hand and caressed her cheek with his fingers. "Why you did that Bulbul, I was already making you get away from me...my cursed life...why you took that bullet I supposed to have on you girl?" He asked as the tears, he almost thought had dried long back, rolled down his cheek. "Why you did that Bulbul?" "Cause I love you Purab" She whispered in a low tone. He looked up at her face, showing the pain she got with the slight moment she tried to make. "Don't you dare move" He said warning her. And she agreed like always. "You got scared" Bulbul said with a small smile on seeing the worried teary eyes on his. "I almost died" "Shhh" she whispered as she couldn't move her hands even. The anesthesia was still capturing her senses but thankfully, her mind and heart was working at its best. "Can you live without me?" She asked after a small pause of silence. As he shakes his head, she again asked in a weak voice. "Then..." she gulped down her saliva and continues. "How could you think I can stay away from you? I...I knew all about you right from the start Purab...If I had to leave you, I would have done that before getting into your life" She explained in a voice just hearable to him. "I wish I just wish you would have left me then Bulbul...atleast you wouldn't have to face this" He said as tears again rolled out his eyes looking at her condition. His all too lovely and lively Bulbul, laying on a bed. "Then I would have died 2 years back..." Purab gave her a warning look. "I want to thank you for these two amazing and wonderful years of my life Purab...If it not had been for you...I would have a life, no girl wants to live...you gave me everything, my happiness, my life, my love..." She explained while getting out of breath. She wasn't in condition to talk much but she needed to express herself now more than ever. Purab keep looking at her, caressing her hand, looking at all the love she had for him in her eyes. "I am still waiting for a reply here Purab...Do you think laying on this bed making me feel any good" She said with a loop side smile. Purab chuckled and cupped her face with another hand. "I love you too" His words set her body in calm and peace. She closed her eyes with a wide smile and Purab keep admiring this beauty that belongs to him and thanking God for getting this sunshine into his dark life. He gave a smell peck on her forehead and her right cheek. "..Don't be mean and take advantage of my situation here" She complained. He giggled a bit moved back but with a relieving smile that they are going to be together for eternity. Though Purab hated being a part of this criminal world but that's what he was taught to do right from the start. He hadn't started doing that on his ownself but right now, he was feeling great that due to this, he got to meet the most awaited gift of his life, the only relation, he can called as his own and he will always cherish it, no matter what.
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Ritzee
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