FF: Exotic pg90 (The End) - Page 2

"Answer me, will you?"

He made a conscious effort not to raise his voice.

"I half Russian. Mum Marathi. I make Vodka. One on the rocks for you? Where bar?"

She frantically searched for the liquor cabinet trying to get away from RK's questioning eyes.

"A girl who drinks, I like it. Still haven't answered my question".

"Me not drink, only make drink. Dad bewada, doctor say no drink", she made a quick skull sign as she rushed towards the bar.

"I see you talk in signs". She quickly served him a cold one to shut him up. He admired her carefully carved features through the liquor glass. "Now, enough of the games. How did you get to that place? Who hurt you and why?"

She covered her ears with her hands and responded in a trembling voice, "Mafia. Big bad people. You no get involved, please. I will leave soon. Today, you want me to go, today? I go now".

She rushed out, RK caught a hold of her hand and pulled her toward him. "You are not going anywhere, not until you are indebted to me. Your big bad people can't lay a finger on you till I am with you. I am the superstar RK. I am invincible".

"Nobody invinci., invincible", she said suppressing a laugh, "You proud man, they scare Putin, you no problem".

He tried remembering who Putin was. Ah, the Russian president. Did he get himself into too big a mess to clean up? She seemed to be entangled in some next level shit. Was it worth risking his career for her? Was she worth it?

"Second thoughts?", she read his mind. "I used to rejection. I leave now. Thank you superstar". She cupped his face in her hands and gave him a kiss on his lips, not a peck but a kiss.

That one gesture cleared up the doubts clouding his mind. The rosy lipped girl, who struck lightening down his spine, was definitely worth it. He recovered from the shock and pulled her closer to his body.

"This Russian way to say goodbye", she got out of his grip.

"So, you are not attracted to me? Don't lie".

He searched her eyes for a validation but found none. "You nice. I no one to like. I bad for you".

"Do you like me?", he was still not convinced.

"NO. You no boyfriend material", she covered her head with her hands waiting to get thrashed. He laughed it off and took her in for a hug. "You are staying. I am invincible, no matter what you say. As for your big scary men, I have a solution. First, you have to tell me the whole story right down to the details. EVERYTHING".

"I born in Moscow in St. Joe's hospital", she sure knew how to press a man's buttons.

"Ok, not that much detail. Fast forward a bit".

She nodded, as if, she expected that to be his response "I live in Moscow, sin city. Big man ask me sell drugs. I lose drugs, he run after me, beat, try kill me. I run from dogs. Ship. India. Big man come to India. You find me".

"You don't want to go back to Moscow, do you? So, stay here with me. As for the Mafia, I will take care of the money".

"They no keep traitor alive. I betray. I run away".

"Marry me and it will all go away. No one can dare touch the wife of a superstar".

She was suspicious of his intentions, "Why? How this help you? No one nice to help without return. What you want?"

"You have got a brain in that head of yours. It works a lot faster than it should. If you kept it in check maybe, you would not have gotten into so much trouble". Seeing as she was not amused, he answered her burning query, "I want good publicity. I am probably never going to find LOVE or whatever it is they do in the movies. I just don't want to be seen as the playboy who ends up alone, the one who never gets married. You are a good choice. You need me and you are Russian. That's a plus. Bollywood likes something exotic".

"I warn they out to get me. Still, I think about it". She left without another word.

RK sipped on the glass of vodka from the Russian girl. Why did he blur out a marriage proposal? Perhaps, to handle the PR mess he made after the MMS scandal with Deena or, was it the girl he was concerned about? Certainly, the former. He liked her but, not enough to marry her. He argued with the Rishabh inside of him trying to convince him otherwise. The drink made get over the fight with himself, at least for the night.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had finally made her decision, "I marry you under some conditions. I no want to talk about past. I stay with bodyguard. You stay away from za Russia. No hurt me. I equal to you. No put me down."

"Smart, I like it. Here is what I want from you. Dress nice, look nice, smile and come with me to events. You are going to be my wife so act like it in public. And, we have ourselves deal "' she nodded in agreement. "Go pick a dress. There is a pundit and a lawyer waiting downstairs. Be therein an hour."

The couple took the seven rounds around the holy fire with the priest chanting mantras. Both the bride and the groom were ignorant of the significance of the vows that tied them in unison. The only difference was their reasons for being ignorant. Madhubala had a language barrier; RK willingly overlooked the importance of the rituals. They registered their nuptials with the law.

"Now, the only thing left is, your introduction to the world as Madhubala Rishabh Kundra", RK whispered to his wife as they posed for the camera. "I never look this pretty", Madhubala seemed the least bit interested in RK's worries. She was busy playing dress up like the girl who never had the chance to do this in her life. Maybe, this was a first time wearing fancy clothes and makeup. Hell, this was her first chance at happiness. But, could she get it with RK?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The time had come for Madhubala to face the big scary world again, the kind she though she had left behind when she married RK. As soon as she stepped out the car, she realized his world was no different than hers. The same bunch of crooks waiting for her to do something wrong. The same jealous looks burning her milky skin. The same perverted men undressing her with their eyes. The million pair of eyes that surrounded her pierced a thorn through her heart. She squeezed her husband's hand in fear. He reassured her by placing his hand on her bare back.

They posed for the cameras on a grand red carpet. RK took Madhu's hand out and pointed to rock on her finger when a rude teenager passed sexual comments at Madhu. "She is taken. She is mine. She is my wife"

"Don't worry. Bittuji will teach him a good lesson afterwards", RK whispered while trying to hide from the cameras.

A huge smile appeared on her nervous face. It was the first genuine smile he had seen from her. He felt accomplished. Their moment didn't last long as his little announcement had created a commotion in the crowd. The paparazzi blinded their sight trying to capture RK's lady. They had started a stampede. The growing number of tabloid reporters threatened to break the barrier that separated the star couple from them. Madhubala's face turned red. She was experiencing several emotions, all at once. He buried her face in his chest and left through the nearest exit. He sat in his limousine and rubbed her hands and feet until she finally came back to her senses. "Better? We will go when the media storm calms down. I am used to this nonsense. Whenever something big happens, Indian media is the first to freak out. Even that pervert boy was calmer that they bunch of lunatics. I just got married. I did not bomb a place. Seriously, calm the hell down. Idiots, don't you agree?"

She laughed at how passionately he hated the media, "Lets go. We do this today." The couple walked, hand in hand, confident to face the excited herd of reporters awaiting their return.

The crowd had dispersed by the time they arrived. Probably, trying to find information about RK's wedding. RK thanked the heavens and proceeded to meet the film fraternity, the people he really wanted Madhubala to meet. All those skeptics had said that with his ways around women, he would end up alone. An alcoholic and alone. He would love to prove all of them wrong. All those jealous souls would burn at the sight of his precious, exotic beauty WITH BRAINS. He needed to emphasize the fact that he had not bagged a bimbo who wanted his money. Rather, a sensible girl who wanted him, not his fame. Well, he was half right. She did not want his money but, she did not want him either. He could change that quickly. Afterall, how long could an ordinary girl resist the charm of the superstar, RK?

_________________________________________________________________

"Now is the time when you start faking it, all of it. Nothing after this point is genuine. Act as cheery, happy and in love as you can. Act like you are in heaven and meeting God. Really, you have just stepped into hell and meeting the devils. Here comes one of them". He made her laugh out loud.

"Ah, muah, muah. How lovely to see you all, na? You must be knowing who I am. Well, you Miss Russian beauty, I just checked twitter only. How foreign you are? I am Jogi Parker dress designer. Darling come to my boutique and I will give you something nicer than this Manish Malhotra dress. Babe, you are pretty but, this dress is weighing you down. I toh fida at your hubby. Muah, Muah. See you at the bar. Here is my card", the designer left without waiting to hear a response.

"Nice to see you too, Jodi", said RK feeling ignored.

"Not so bad. He like me more. You no so much", she laughed at his misery.

"You are not forever alone afterall", a drunk, stumbling lady approached the couple.

"I hate to say, I told you so but, I told you so Miz Mirchi. I mean Mishti."

"Hmm okay, I will give you this. She is pretty hot. Nice to meet you", Mishti pulled Madhu in for an unwanted hug and very carefully tried to spill her drink on Madhu's dress. RK grabbed Mishti's wine glass before any mishap and escorted Madhu to a, shall we say, a safer corner of the venue.

The night went on without a glitch, Madhu did not get a chance to talk. "This industry is not exactly filled with good listeners. Everyone carries around a big ego. They all just need an opportunity to sell themselves. They will open up shop every chance they get. Just nod and look interested", RK tried explaining the ways of his work to his wife.

"You do same? Sell to whoever buy?"

"I am different, they are willing to buy even if I don't want to sell. That is why I hold you close. Now, get ready to leave and face them again". They headed out to a crowd of epic proportions. Reporters, equipped with the latest gear, ready to capture the action.

"One person talk. Rest of you, shut your faces if you want to hear an answer. Otherwise we are outta here". The crowd went mute for a few seconds after RK's remark. Then, they went back to the fish market scene. Madhubala said something that immediately caught their attention. "I know how to speak Russian. Indian language uh, English, very bad. Hindi, okay. Marathi, dhaasu". Her remark spread a wave of laughter among the crowd. Finally, a middle aged woman came forward and introduced herself as the senior reporter of a leading news channel. She started by asking Madhubala easy questions about her background. Madhu made up while lies with poise. She said she came from a Russian university, " RK fell in love. I married". When the reporter wanted details about her past, she hesitated. RK sensed her discomfort and called it a night."That's all you are going to get from my wife. Remember, I am the public figure. If you give all your camera time to her, what will I get?" He used a witty remark to tackle the suspicious reporters. They both looked into each other's eyes and said, "Lets head home". They had bonded in the most unusual of circumstances. They treaded on a path with an unknown destination.

They both had many discoveries to make about each other. RK certainly had more to him than met the eye. Madhu was no open book either. There was no guarantee she was being truthful to her husband or, even herself. Will they reveal their respective secrets to each other? Stay tuned for more.