Chapter- 34
Sanyukta's eyes grew wide as she watched in horror Sameer's grip tightening on his gun, slightly pressing the trigger...6 or 7 millimeters more and she would be gone. ...That was it, she was going to die ! Sir Life and Sir Death were facing each other, at a mere 6/7 millimeters distance, glaring at each other...keeping their stand...waiting to see who was going to snatch poor little her.
In her adventurous and eventful life, she had never been so close to death...so close that she didn't know if she was going to survive the next second. It was a weird feeling...
She didn't want to die now, there were so many things she wanted to do before leaving the mortals realm... was it weird that the first thought that came to her mind was the fact that she hadn't even done that yet. She wanted to do it at least once before dying...she didn't want to die a virgin ! she thought in horror !...way too sad...way too embarrassing...! ...But she was not sure that Sameer would comprehend the awfulness of her situation ...nor would he be willing to wait until she popped her cherry...cruel fate !
While Sanyukta was busy cursing her fate, Randhir took a step toward Sameer.
Wrong move.
Sameer's eyes flickered to Randhir for a second, before settling back on the one he had at gunpoint : Sanyukta. He was almost trapped. ...So he did the only thing that could give him a chance to escape, he fired.
Sanyukta's heart stopped, hearing the gun shot, as she instantly closed her eyes in fear, waiting for her impending doom.
One second...
Two second...
Three second...Why was the bullet taking so long damn it ?! she groaned. It's not like it had to pass controls to cross the border...of her skin.
But the impact never came. She slowly opened her eyes, almost afraid to see ...well what she going to see. Her eyes came in contact with a pair of deep chocolate brown eyes, staring back at her. She blinked.
She blinked again.
...Randhir was towering over her...he had shielded her !!! Time stopped as Sanyukta processed the information.
The two persons stared at each other in silence, lost in each other eyes... Sanyukta's eyes trailed toward his right shoulder, from where blood was coming out profusely, soaking his shirt...confirming her doubts.
They faintly heard the voices in the background, Parth Vidushi and Sahil had broken in it seems, and they were taking care of Sameer... but all these didn't matter at the moment, all that mattered were the tornado of emotions flipping in each other's eyes...for once, clearly displayed for the other to read.
Sanyukta was transfixed by the intensity of his eyes on hers. The pool of emotions displayed in them brought tears in her eyes... Shock, relief, anger... care... were the emotions Sanyukta witnessed in Randhir's eyes...as she stared back at him with only one question : ...why ?!!!
A lone tear escaped her eyes.
Why had Randhir shielded her with his own body ? why had he risked his life for hers ?... why had he taken a bullet meant for her... ? why had he put her life before his ? ...why had he put her above himself ?!!! ...without caring about his own safety...only caring about hers !
Another tear slid down her reddened cheeks as she realized the implications of his action... she didn't dare think about it...
Something inside her broke at this moment...every past actions of his were erased...all she could see was his body shielding hers... a bullet lodged on his arm, tearing his muscles instead of her heart...The dangerous, domineering and uncaring gangster had traded his life for the safety of hers... He had jumped in and taken a bullet meant for her...repeated Sanyukta in her mind, still in a daze. ...He had saved her !!!
Now that the information was slowly sinking in, anger started consuming her as she realized what it meant... He could have been killed !!!
She grabbed his collar jerking him toward herself. ...Oooh he was going to hear from her !!! she thought in her mind. The movement made Randhir hiss in pain, his hands automatically went to rest on her upper arm as he struggled to stand, he was losing to much blood. Sanyukta immediately put a hand on his chest, helping his stand.
At that moment Sahil approached them, bringing them back on the present and the situation at hand.
"Boss, we have to get out of here right now !" he said, supporting him on his shoulder.
He and Sanyukta moved Randhir outside. Tears resurfaced in Sanyukta's eyes as she gazed intently at the blood oozing out of his shoulder. She quickly pressed her palm against it, feeling his pain... her pupils dilated, feeling the bruised skin under her palm. Her eyes bore into his... Her hand wet with the liquid oozing out between her fingers... her eyes still not leaving his, tears flowing uncontrollably.
"I am going to kill you...with my bare hands" whispered Sanyukta through greeted teeth.
"Stupid gangster !!!" she insulted him, as she wiped away her tears.
"What was the need to go there all alone han ?"
"What did you want to prove han ? bolo ?!" she asked him, releasing some of her anger.
She got no response, no reaction... Randhir only listened, occasionally closing his eyes feeling the intensity of the pain.
"Idiotic, brainless monkey ! Going all Tarzan..." she muttered.
"Maybe you are not aware of it but you are made of flesh and blood moron...!!! ...you could have died !!!" she hissed at him as another sob shook her.
"Stop crying woman...you are giving me headache." he managed to say, not looking at her.
"Am not crying !!!" she yelled back, roughly wiping away her tears.
At a point Sahil moved away looking for something, she balanced Randhir over herself somehow, placing a hand on his chest.
"Know that I haven't killed you yet only because it is illegal to kill someone... otherwise I know more than 50 ways to kill you and make it look like an accident !" she seethed in anger and frustration.
The corner of Randhir mouth lifted up slightly. Stupid woman ...Among every insults and scolding of hers, he could feel her care and concern, he closed his eyes in contentment, once again she was showing this heartwarming emotion toward him, the feeling he had come to like so much... He pushed away every other thought, just thinking about the woman in his arms, close to him... safe and sound...worried for him...for his well-being. He sighed as a sense of fulfillment engulfed him. He knew that his actions had implied a lot... He knew there was still so much to clear out between them...but for now, he was just going to dwell on the warm feeling this crazy woman was procuring him.
***
Sahil had been away for exactly 2minutes and 33 seconds now... where did he went anyway ?! huffed Sanyukta getting impatient...They had to get this little basterd out of here and give him medical attention before he lost to much blood, thought a fuming Sanyukta.
"Sahil what are you up to ?! Hurry !" she gritted her teeth in anger... These gangsters were really testing her patience. She was angry on so many things her brain couldn't enlist now in present frame.
"I'm looking for something... Wait" said Sahil from somewhere.
"They don't keep gold in hospital" she swore, "Hurry !!! ...Move !!! " she shouted. Sahil looked at her, why was she reacting so impulsively. Rolling his eyes he grabbed a few packets he broke from a cupboard in inventory, gathering required things he walked back to them.
"We were short of these..." he showed her the bag while she rolled her eyes. Sahil knew that her temper had something to do with Randhir's condition. He had long understood something was cooking up between these two...and Sanyukta's outburst was only proving his theory.
"Wait...Sahil...why are we rushing to get out.. Why can't we just treat him here... ???" asked Sanyukta realizing that they were actually in a hospital.
Sahil quickly pulled the heavy bandage to Randhir's arm to stop the blood from flowing any more.
"Wouldn't the bullet seep more inside?" Sanyukta immediately inquired in concern, looking at Sahil while he hastily applied the bandage.
"We can't stay here, we need to vacate before we get caught" Sahil answered her first question, finishing his work on his boss's arm.
Of course, how inconsiderate of her, she almost forgot that they had just killed someone...! Sanyukta thought to herself, rolling her eyes.
"As for the bandage, well if we don't put it there, blood will keep oozing out...we can't risk it." he said curtly, before taking back his position at his boss side, supporting him and leading him outside.
Randhir kept glancing at her and her antics as she cursed nearly everything on their way, the toilet-seat shaped dustbins, the ugly and outdated flower pots, the bloody doors and what not. She didn't even spare the feng-shui expertise, considering it totally wrong and a designing fault to place an aquarium between the corridors.
Finally marking a safer exit they came out from the back door. Sanyukta plunged on the driver seat and made sure they reached the soonest to their hide-out. She just couldn't risk his life. anymore. 15 minutes later they stood outside den and Sahil dragged Randhir inside with Sanyukta's help.
***
The room was barely illuminated, the only source of light was procured by the raging flames of the chimney. Sahil made Randhir sit on the floor next to the chimney and moved away.
Sanyukta looked at Randhir from afar, who was gazing towards the ceiling, probably diverting his mind from the excruciating pain he was most definitely feeling. She watched him clutching his fist, tightening it with every move... her heart wrenched in agony thinking about the pain he was going through... All because of her... for her !
Sahil returned to the room with a knife in his hand. Tears gathered in Sanyukta eyes as she understood was about to happen. ...They had to take out the bullet.
Sahil sat next to Randhir and unwounded his injured shoulder, the blood flow was much slower now, all thanks to the platelets. Under the fire's light, Sanyukta got a better view of his shoulder...The bullet had ripped layers of skin, penetrating deep in his muscles...Sanyukta closed her eyes, she wanted to take his pain away instantly... each hiss of his was like a stab on her heart...
Sahil separated the meshed flesh with the swab. The bullet wasn't visible yet. Sanyukta worriedly looked at Sahil and then at Randhir who's eyes were closed and the pain evident on his face. She rushed toward him, sitting on the floor next to him. Sahil took the knife readying himself to remove the bullet.
"Wait!" she spoke hastily, " can't we give him some anesthesia to lessen the pain?" she asked in haste, as one of her hand unconsciously went on Randhir's thigh, slowly stroking it.
"We are out of anesthetics...we don't have choice" Sahil spoke as if she was asking for some soda and he denied it so perfectly.
"What?!!" she almost screamed, were they used to pain and blood. Well she already knew the blood part but pain... She remembered his last encounter when he was hit earlier in his abdomen. Gulping her saliva back she cleared her mind from anymore images of massacres.
"Why didn't you tell me first I could've have brought it in the way" she yelled at Sahil.
Sahil gazed at her in shock while Randhir spoke this time, he was in enough pain without them adding a migraine by their stupid fight.
"Just get over with it..." He groaned, she could sense his pain growing, already it had been an hour he was holding that bullet inside. She nodded and kept shut... debates could wait.
"I can't see this..." Sanyukta announced closing her eyes. "I can't stay..." she informed getting up from the floor. As she was about to walk past them, a hand grabbed her hand making her halt.
Randhir's hand caught hers on the way, stopping her. She looked down at their clasped hands and then back to his face.
His eyes held the unspoken pain, unshed tears. His facade of being tough broke before her, as he pleaded with his eyes to stay with him. His vulnerability was clear in his eyes. Her gaze softened as Sahil cleaned the blood with swab. He winced. She quickly sat back next to him on the floor, while Sahil sat on the other opposite to him. She entwined their fingers as he loosened his fist, curling her fingers into his, reassuring him with her presence.
She looked up at him, his eyes staring back at her. His usually guarded emotions were full on display no mask, no lock, nothing. She could clearly decipher the hurt, the agony, the care the vulnerability in him...he was letting her see it... tears made their way in her eyes letting him know that she understood. They didn't need words as their eyes were conveying their inner turmoil, understanding each other perfectly.
Sanyukta drew her other hand to caress his cheek, he closed his eyes only to gasp the more Sahil dipped the cotton and ointment over his wound. Sanyukta caressed his forehead, wiping the sweat beads, she then pressed her fingers harder with his.
From the corner of her eye Sanyukta sensed Sahil gripping the scalpel and breathing long before gripping that metal out, she sighed ignoring the further visions. Her grip fastened on his hand and she did the only thing that she knew will distract him from the intense pain he was about to feel. Her hand griped his nape and pulled him into a lip lock. She tenderly sucked on his lips. Her mouth covering his. She felt him tense at the sudden assault before relaxing under her touch. She angled her head pressing her lips firmly, opening Randhir's mouth wide and taking her time with each retreat.
Her mouth devoured his with devotions. Randhir was in no state to fight off his response to her. His left hand settled on her hip, arching her closer. Her tongue swept into her mouth, tangling, stroking, teasing. He had never ever felt this... the way Sanyukta made him feel. Desired. Alive. Protected. Cherished. The combination was addictive. And always had been.
Forceful, yet unhurried. Urgent, yet softer. Heat and moisture and hard lips registered just before her tongue rasped against his. For a brief moment his mind splintered, and he moaned.
Half way through the kiss she felt him tense under him, Sahil must have reached further deeper into his muscles. She doubled the fervor of the kiss, sucking, nibbling, biting his lips and started running a hand up and down his chest, caressing him...diverting him from the immense pain. She felt Randhir's body loosen a bit, as she continued her assault, earning moans of pleasure from the gangster.
Gripping his nape tighter she heard Sahil saying "Done". Finally Sanyukta slowed down the kiss, making it less aggressive and more sensual before finally breaking it. eyes were still closed. as they rested their forehead against each other. Their breaths coming out ragged from the heavy make out session. The fire of the passion still present...
Sanyukta gasped hard one last time settling her uneven breaths. Sahil dressed his wound back and quietly left, leaving the two former enemies to their privacy.
Randhir's eyes never left her face ever since he opened them. She seemed flushed in her own world, expressions clogged back to her face, surfacing up. Now that the heat of the moment had passed, she couldn't help but feel shy at how bold she had been... She sighed.
Besides the shyness, she was feeling a lot of emotions. Too much contradicting emotion actually : anger... worry... hurt... love... sadness... frustration... joy...fear... so much that her head was feeling dizzy thinking about them all...not really comprehending where, when and why one started and where it finished... She decided to recapitulate what had happened in the past 24 hours in order to see a bit clearer in this mess : First of all, she had been hurt by his behavior with Shaina, she had been sad and restless the whole evening...sad and restless, right ! Then the devil came to her and she had burst out... she cried, ok!... he didn't even try de calm her down at that moment...he just left saying a bloody sorry... that left her all the more confused and frustrated... confusion and frustration, noted ! Then this morning she was worried sick after Randhir's call, despite being mad at him... mad and worried, very logical !... Then cherry on top of the cake, the gangster found it totally logic to take a bullet for her... and in one moment every previous thought was gone as all she saw was a powerful man, a man who had taken a bullet meant for her... all she felt was love and admiration...riiight ! ...but the next second she came back to reality and worry and fear took over... the fear of losing him. The man who has made her feel so much emotions, the man who could bring out the worst in her as well as the better...
She was tired... how could one person feel some much contradicting emotion in such a little span of time was beyond her.
Not matter her principles, no matter her ideals... she couldn't deny it anymore, she was falling for the gangster... madly falling for him !
***
She was abnormally quiet, noticed Randhir.
He kept waiting for her to speak, he wanted to know... no scratch that, he needed to know what she was feeling. Earlier, all the time she would keep on blabbering her inner thoughts and now when he really needed to hear something from her, she sat there silently with a million thoughts and expressions crossing her face. He could sense her thinking deep but what ?! He needed to know !
He knew this action of today had said a lot... he wanted to know how she felt about it... he wanted to know if he was reading too much between the lines or not...
Feeling no response coming his way Randhir took the first step. "Do you want to say something?" he offered her the opportunity to express herself.
She looked at him coming back from her reverie. She nodded in negation, diverting her eyes... fuelling his anger further. ...He wasn't asking her to dig for china, was he ?! all he wanted was for her to do what she was always good at : talking !
Sanyukta collected herself up and tried standing up when she felt her wrist tugged in his clasp... again. She inhaled a deep and jerked off his hand, "You...!!!" she pointed a finger at him, her nose crunched in anger...she had bottled up so much this time and it was hard to find the beginning now.
He kept looking at her expectantly, letting her complete what she wanted to say about him. But maybe more than him she was herself confused "You know what..." she started, but not knowing what to say "...Hell! ...Argh!! just ... I dnt know !" she rose up walking away without further ado.
"Hey !!! Where are you going...?!" Sanyukta heard him say as she approached the door frame, she turned back in her tracks.
"I' m hungry mind if I munch a snack or two?" she spoke sweetness dipped in sarcasm, walking away. Leaving not much for him to do but gaze above at the ceiling.
He couldn't have found a less stubborn, less infuriating, less sarcastic woman...he sighed.
***
Randhir sensed her coming back in the room, opening his eyes he saw her entering with a tray filled with food. No matter how much she tried to be mad, she could never harm him... he smiled inwardly. He kept silent, not out of choice but out of words. He surely didn't want more complications for now.
He tried to move in her direction making it easier for him to eat but she halted him, tearing a morsel she started feeding him bite by bite. She knew he couldn't eat by himself, and she couldn't put him in anymore pain...
But that didn't mean that she had forgiven him...she avoided looking at him while she fed him. ...She was mad at him. She was not able to decide if wanted to kiss him senseless or strangle him... She was angry at him for...well for everything, even for the things he was not at fault...see that was how mad she was ! ...for making her so damn confused, for irritating her, for arousing her, she had to admit that one... and also for loving her, dared she say... to the extent of taking a bullet for her.
This guy was one weird ill-mannered beast but when it came to her safety, a gentleman could not hold a candle against him. She smiled at the thought. Ironic ...but so true !
Minutes passed by and she kept feeding him without a word, only sounds in the room belonged to the lone clock ticking in a corner and the cracklings of the fire. Randhir's eyes expected a bit more than that. How this unstoppable chatter box who had always something to say on every other thing could be so silent ?!!! ...all the more now that they really needed to speak... what he didn't know, but he knew they needed to speak ! ... a line had been crossed today, they both knew it., they couldn't go back to the way they were, doing as if nothing happened...they just couldn't.
"Seriously you won't say anything?" he tried again, frustrated with her lack of communication. Sanyukta could clearly hear the desperation in his voice... his voice was softer than usual, eyes pleading just a little bit, arrogance still present. She decided to stay silent nonetheless.
"Seriously ?!" he asked fed up with her behavior... this was getting ridiculous !
Sanyukta looked up from the plate only to glare at him and then, she resumed what she was doing, setting her eyes back on the plate.
Randhir looked at her in disbelief... was she for real ?! ...why the hell was she mad at him now ?... enough of her drama ! he decided in his mind.
"Look at me" came his assertive words.
No response.
"Sanyukta..." his words now held command, she disobeyed yet again.
"Sanyukta !" he held her jaw gritting his teeth, but further a blow she snapped back at his hand, shooing it away.
"Oww..." he winced in pain at the sudden movement and glared at her.
Sanyukta immediately tensed, her hand stroke his forearm as she mumbled a sorry.
"I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to" tears gathered once again on her eyes as she looked at his fresh wound.
Randhir took a deep breath, and calmed himself down seeing the tears in her eyes. He sigh. This woman had so much power over him, it was frightening !
"What am I going to do with you..." he whispered, defeated.
Sanyukta frown and immediately looked up at him..."I should be the one saying that" she muttered under her breath...but Randhir still heard her.
"Excuse me ?!" he asked in disbelief.
"Oh look the barbarian is actually capable of being polite...wow !" she started with sarcasm. "Though I appreciate the effort, excuses not accepted !" she informed him, giving a pointed look.
"I was not apologizing !" retorted Randhir scowling at her.
"Well even if you were, I wouldn't have accepted it !" she announced crossing her arms, going back in all high and mighty Sanyukta mode.
"I was not going to anyway" clarified Randhir.
"Right...! I was not asking you to anyway" she retorted.
Randhir looked at her incredulously...had they just made up all this based simply on the fact that he had said "excuse me"... drama queen, he muttered.
"This argument is totally pointless !" he cut short the argument.
Sanyukta was about to reply when she thought about it... well the argument was indeed pointless when you thought about it...she sighed. "I agree" she said as the corner of her mouth lifted up at their stupidity.
She had come to term with the fact that he cared for her but she was tired of it all she needed a break, this devil had a habit of putting her into very complicated situations...she needed time to think. So she stood up and was abt to leave when randhir.
"Where you going ?" he inquired.
"To my room" she replied.
"Stay..." he asked monotonously... he had already shown too much of himself !
"I... I can't" she replied looking everywhere but at him, tactfully avoid his enchanting his.
"I need time please" she said.
"Time..." he scoffed. He had just taken a bullet for her and she was saying that she needed time ?!!! His jaw clenched and his mood darkened.
"Fine !" he said angrily. "Send the gang" he ordered her.
"What ?!!! No way. You rest." said Sanyukta startled by his sudden mood swing.
"Just called them" he said, irritation clear in his voice. This discussion was over, if she didn't want to talk then he was not going to push it.
"No ! you can take care of it tomorrow...rest for now !" she ordered him.
"I didn't ask for your bloody opinion, just send them" he cut her off, clearly pissed off at her.
Sanyukta huffed and left the room, sending the gang to his room.
Randhir and the gang discuss about what happened, Sahil informs that there is no witness, so there is nothing to be afraid of, he also informs Randhir that news says that Sameer escaped, no one knows he has been killed, everything is under control, next step is Raghav.
They leave asking him to rest for now.
Meanwhile Sanyukta is in her room, she is guilty about leaving Randhir when he asked her to stay.
"Urrgh I hate him !" she huffed in annoyance. Ok May be not in the "I want to kill you" kind of way...but more of "I hope you develop allergies to chocolates and ice cream" kind of way ! she corrected herself... She was hopeless !
After debating, weighting the pros and cons, she finally decided to go back to him, she waited that the gang left.
The path was now clear as she headed toward his room... to have the much awaited talk !
Music Corner
12