FF: M&G - Protect The Boss 2 - Ch39 pg95 24/2 - Page 30

"Why are you avoiding me you narcisstic jerk?!"

The lift jolted once more, and Geet had to hold the wall to steady herself. Maan stepped forward to help her, but she held a hand out ' her eyes glimmering in defiance as she remained determined to hold her own.

"Geet, be careful, the lift keeps moving-"

"That's what a lift does! It moves!"

Maan rolled his eyes inwardly as he realised there was no escape from her. Today, he would have to answer her questions ' the ones she spoke and the ones that shone from her eyes.

He shrugged off his blazer and tie, throwing them onto the floor before he turned to face her. "Shoot. Ask me whatever the hell you want."

Momentarily distracted by his physique, she blinked away the distraction as she held her slender hand up.

"Five fingers."

"I'm aware you have five fingers."

"Which means five questions. There's no haste, Mr Khurana. We have all the time in the world."

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In the silent confines of the office bathroom, Pammi dialled the memorised number.

She kept a lookout for any unwanted visitors as she gave clear instructions on what she wanted the listener to carry out.

Fifteen minutes later she ended the call, the resonating sound of the final beep of the button being symbolic in more ways than one.

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After so many days into her arrival, Gauri finally persuaded her daughter to step out of the house. The familiar air of her hometown hit Sasha in the face, and she almost smiled at the wave of memories it carried, albeit how short lived they had been after her father's tragic death.

They took a stroll along the familiar river bank nestled a few yards away from their house ' a favourite place of Sasha's when she was a child. The swing that hung from the tree branch was no longer there, but the mere place gave her a sense of warmth and belonging ' like there was finally some place that she could call home.

The ringtone of her phone broke her out of her thoughts. Gauri walked on ahead, leaving her daughter to attend to the call in private. Sasha took one look at the ID and rejected the button, considering blocking his number altogether.

No matter how far away from Delhi she was, she couldn't seem to escape Dev Singh Khurana.

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Geet held her thumb up.

"Question one. What's going on with Dev & Sasha?"

"Sasha likes him. I thought you were aware of that."

"I am. I told Dev at the party that she had feelings for him."

"But he hasn't acknowledged that because he has feelings for you," he clenched his fist.

"I'm aware of that. You know as well as I know, that his feelings aren't reciprocated from me."

"So what's the question?"

"Why did Sasha leave KC?"

"I don't know."

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes you do. You know everything about her."

He took a step forward. "Jeez Geet, is that a hint of jealousy that I'm picking up on?"

"Don't change the topic."

"I'm not. She didn't deny that it wasn't because of Dev, but there may have been an entirely different reason that she didn't want to disclose to anyone."

"So I should stop trying to guilt trip him?"

Maan smirked. "No, you can continue with that. I enjoy watching him squirm."

"Which leads me onto my next question. Why can't you make an effort with Dev?"

"I can't stand him."

She placed her hands on her hips, pacing the floor gently. "You can tolerate each other. I saw how well you organised the party together."

"Because you threw us into the deep end."

"I was trying to resolve relations between you two. Have you always been like this?"

He craned his neck backwards, as if her questioning was tiring him. "No. We got along well until our education started to get serious. Our parents moulded us into rivals. But I don't begrudge my father for that. Rivalry is healthy."

"Do you ever think there'll be a time when you can see eye to eye?"

"I can't say. The future changes. Maybe we will, maybe we won't." He averted his gaze from the floor to her eyes. "Why are you so interested in our relationship?"

"Because I care," she said honestly, then cleared her throat. "Question three. Do you really want this?"

"Define this."

"Being KC's CEO."

"Yes. I do."

She smiled slightly. "I had my doubts. But what does my opinion matter? You've proved yourself that you can do this, and that's more important than anything else."

"But your opinion does matter, Geet."

Geet waved him off. "Thanks. Question four-"

"Why are you averting the topic? I'm telling you what you want to hear, and you're ignoring me?!"

"I'm not ignoring you, Maan, I'm just-"

"So when I do it, it's the biggest crime in the world, but when you do it, I'm just supposed to pretend I didn't say what I said and you didn't hear what you heard?"

She frowned. "That makes no sense!"

"I know it makes no sense, that's what I'm trying to prove, if you'll give me a chance!" He stepped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "I've realised that you need to hear this either way, regardless of how it may affect you and your future plans-"

"You're ruining the order of my questions!" she protested as she tried to pry his hands off her.

"That's what you care about? The order of your questions?"

"Yes, there is a reason why-"

He slammed her against the wall, she flinched as her back collided sharply. "Break my back, why don't you?! I'll be claiming full compensation!"

"Geet!"

"Maan! For god's sake, just shut up and hear me out!"

"Are you going to listen to what I have to say-"

She clamped her hand over his mouth. "Shut the hell up! My word, your mouth is like a motorboat! Just shut up!"

His eyes widened at her outburst, and once she was satisfied he wouldn't protest against her hand, she started to speak.

"I have to get everything out in the clear before we confront each other about what happened after the party, when you dropped me off home. The fourth question I wanted to ask you about was Yash & Pinky ' if you knew about them. But I'll tell you anyway ' Yash and Pinky are engaged."

He spluttered against her hand in shock.

"Eugh, you just spat all over my hand!" She removed her hand as she wiped it on his arm, as Maan ran his fingers through his hair, reeling from shock.

"Yash, as in my friend Yash' and Pinky, as in your friend Pinky?"

"No, the Korean ones(!) Yes, our Yash and Pinky!"

"How come he didn't tell me any of this?! How long have they been seeing each other?"

"Since we met you guys at the club."

"It's been that long?!"

"They're the reason why I first kissed you."

"Wait, what?" He turned back towards her as she moved away and sat on the floor, her legs welcoming the relief.

"Remember the night when I called you, asking for you to help me find Pinky?"

He nodded as he sat across her, stretching his legs past hers.

"She ran off to Yash's, she was having a bit of an emotional breakdown because of a bad experience in her past. When you decided to stop by Yash's and ask him if he knew of her whereabouts, I realised she must be with him' so I kissed you to divert the attention from them."

"I suppose I should thank them," his mouth pulled up into a lazy smile, and she had to resist the urge to kiss him again, because her all important question was still unspoken.

"Hey, don't be too harsh with Yash for not telling you. He's a good guy. He makes her happy."

"Us men aren't as petty as women," he winked.

The lift jerked once more, before finally unjamming itself and heading back downwards slowly.

Maan stood up and Geet used his offered hand to pull herself up. She straightened her appearance as Maan bent down to retrieve his blazer & tie.

She glanced at him once before she blurted out. "Why did you say you liked me that night?"

He sighed, as if he had lost. "Geet, please. Let's go outside and talk about this properly."

"Why are you not answering my question? What is it that you're avoiding?"

"I am trying to be honest, but you won't-"

She pointed a warning finger. "Do not turn this back around on me. I asked a straight question, I want a straight answer."

The lift door opened and Maan hastily made his exit, walking past the front office swiftly as he heard the running sound of heels behind him.

She grabbed his wrist, swinging him back towards her. "Just tell me!"

He scanned her face, which clearly showed her frustration at his constant denial ' and then grabbed her hand as he led her towards his car.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded as he pushed her in the passenger seat, climbing into the driver's seat himself and locking the doors.

"You wanted your straight answer. I'll give you your straight answer."

Chapter 32 - Love Careers Zindagi - Page 54