Arshi FF - Dusty Haven - [TH#2 Link on Index Pg 1] - Page 25

Chapter 6 - Angels ...

Nanny Raizada opened her eyes and slowly sat up in bed. In the bright wash of the full moon, coming in through the windows, she could see clearly, although there were no lamps lit. She got out of bed and walked over to the window, opening it wide. The cool breeze of the night, blew through her salt and pepper hair as she leaned on the sill. The entire land lay before her, bathed in the silvery light of the moon. The land her husband had nurtured and kept. Faint night sounds from the animals in their enclosures drifted to her ears. In the distance, the mountains rose majestic and dark. Stars twinkled in the deep midnight of the sky above. She walked back to her bed and sat on it, resting her back against the pillows, waiting. 

The large wings of the owl obscured the light from the windows. It sat on the sill, looking at her. She smiled. 

'Tell me. Am I doing right by my children?' she asked, a small worried frown on her face.

The owl seemed to smile, although she knew it couldn't have done that. 

In a deep voice it said:

The mind will guide the heart so far.

The heart will find its Northern Star.

The mind will say what seems to be,

May not be what the heart will see.

Reason can tell, and reason can show.

Quietly like the streams that flow,

Or like the storms of destiny, blow.

What you think might be the best,

Allow your heart to see the rest.

Perchance it is that two must be.

And two will twist and turn to be.

The Swan does swim to another stream,

The Horse will drink, but not in a dream.

The Deer sleeps below the Eagle in the skies.

Be wise and listen, but with your eyes.

She bowed her head carefully and said, 'I thank you.' Her brow knitted in a frown. She was puzzled. It was clearly a message from the spirits. Living here on this land had taught her this. The natives had shown her how. Her spirit guide had spoken, and she knew she must listen. He was never wrong.

The owl bobbed his head and flew away, its broad wings darkening the window for a few moments.

Nanny Raizada's eyes flew open. She slowly sat up in bed. The moonlight drenched landscape was still the same. She stood at the window looking out, thinking, what she'd been thinking about before falling asleep.

The Gupta girls had won her heart. Both of them so different, but both so pure and innocent. The older one, Payal, quiet and shy would complement Arnav's broodiness beautifully. She would be the calm in his incessantly busy life. The center where he could find peace and steadiness. Whereas the younger one, the little firebrand, Khushi, would light the fire in Akash's shy, reticent nature. His work as a doctor was often depressing, and she would be the right one to bring light and joy when things got too serious. 

Yet her spirit guide had hinted otherwise. 

She decided to go to the cloakroom and opened her bedroom door. To her surprise, she saw a faint line of light coming from the bottom of Arnav's study. It was late! Why wasn't he sleeping? The boy worked too hard as it was. He needed the rest.

She knocked softly on the door before opening it. 

*****

Sleep had never been a problem for Khushi Gupta. That and her appetite. But now, both seemed to have deserted her. She'd barely been able to make inroads into the delicious meal at lunch. Nor had she wanted dinner.

Why had she cried in front of him? she thought. Why had she even thought, that asking him why he wanted to buy would give her an answer that would ... satisfy her? Was it all really for profit as he said? Why didn't she believe him? She'd seen the look in his eyes. Like something he'd wanted to say. And why, oh why, had she mentioned that she was tired of moving? He didn't need to know that. It was her problem. It had nothing to do with him. 

She sighed and turned over in bed, trying to find a cooler spot, lying on her side. Her right hand lay on the pillow and her eyes were drawn to the welts on it. She sat up in bed, softly rubbing the tips of her fingers over the marks. He'd bruised her. Only after she'd shoved him, she thought with a little smile, a faint shiver of remembered excitement running through her. The bruises didn't hurt her, not anymore. Her eyes softened, her breathing grew deeper, as she remembered how his tanned fingers had looked against her pale skin. She gulped as she remembered his hard touch, the callouses on his palms, the fierce warm grip. A blush rode her cheeks, as she stroked her fingers over the marks, eyes drifting shut as she remembered that feel. 

She sighed, lying back in bed, her fingers curled around the marks of his fingers. Khushi slept peacefully, dreamlessly.

*****

It had been six months since Danny Roy had passed away. 

Arnav walked up to the front door of the Box-Lightning ranch. He knocked and waited, looking around him, hat in hand. There were a few horses in the corral, but not a soul in sight. He knocked again, and then heard shuffling footsteps coming to the door. It needed painting, he saw. The door creaked open and Rudi Roy peered up at him, blearily. 

Arnav almost gagged at the strong reek of alcohol coming off the man. 

He wore a pair of trousers that didn't seem to have been washed in a long time. A plaid shirt open to mid-chest revealed a dirty vest underneath. He was barefoot and held a bottle of beer in his hand. His protruding eyes watery and bloodshot, the veins on his forehead standing out. His hair stood up in tufts around his face, which was shadowed by a scraggly beard on jaws that hadn't seen a razor in weeks. 

'Howdy, Rudi,' Arnav said, not bothering to hold out his hand. 

'ASR?! What a surprise. Come in! Come in!!' he said, smiling broadly, showing tobacco stained teeth. 

Arnav stepped into a living room that hadn't been swept in a long while. He gingerly walked in, and sat on the couch that Rudi indicated. 

Rudi sat down opposite him, his smile changing into a scowl.  'What brings you here so early?' he asked.

'I have a proposition for you, Rudi,' Arnav said in a quiet voice. He didn't know how Rudi would take it. Well, he hoped. 

'A proposition? What kinda proposition?' Rudi looked at him suspiciously, his tongue tripping over the long word.

'A business offer, Rudi. I'd like to buy the Box-Lightning,' Arnav said. 

Ruhi looked at him, blinking owlishly. For a full minute. Arnav waited, eyes narrowed trying to read the expressions on his face. Then, to his surprise, Rudi burst out laughing. He guffawed loudly, slapping his hands against his thighs, tears of mirth rolling down his cheeks. Arnav waited, patiently. 

As suddenly as he had begun, Rudi sobered up. His alcoholic haze seemed to have lifted. 'Why should I sell to you?'

'For your grandsons,' Arnav replied.

'My grandsons!' Rudi laughed scornfully. 'You and your Nanny took away my grandsons. Did you forget? You won't allow me to see them! And your sister? Isn't her place here at her husband's home? But no, she's too high and mighty to live here, where she belongs. You took them all away, ASR,' he scorned. 'Now you want to buy the only thing I got left? Over my dead body.' He declared dramatically. 

'Look at you,' Arnav's voice turned cold, fury simmering just below the surface. 'You're drunk all the time. The ranch isn't being looked after. Your grandsons were frightened, of you and your screaming rages when you get drunk. You expected me to leave them and my sister here?' he asked incredulously. 

Rudi stared sullenly at him. Arnav sighed, reining himself in. 'The children were scared of you, Rudi. They took a long time to settle down. Now they're happy. So at least, let me secure their father's land for them. Let me buy it, look after it, and keep it in trust for them. Until they can grow up and take it over,' he reasoned. 

Rudi shook his head, alcohol fumes once again blotting out reason. 'You took away my grandsons,' he repeated. 'The only memories I had of my Danny, and you took them away. You even changed their name to Raizada. I'm not selling to You!' he spat. 'Stay away from my land, Raizada, 'cause next time, it'll be my guns talkin', not me,' he declared.

Arnav sighed. It was fruitless. 

He'd tried again and again, over the next few months, but Rudi was adamant. He would not sell, nor would he take help from Arnav. He wanted his grandsons back before he did so. Arnav couldn't allow it.

Five months later Rudi was dead. Ambushed. Killed by a bullet to his head. No one knew who'd done it and why. No one mourned his passing. 

*****

Arnav sat behind his desk, his bare feet up on the table, the top buttons of his shirt undone. His holster and guns lay on the table, on top of some papers. His sleeves were rolled up and one hand held a tumbler of what looked like whisky. His hair was tousled, as if he'd run his fingers through them many times over. He was lost in the past, until his Nanny's voice brought him back to the present.

'Nanny,' he said in his soft, husky voice, bringing his feet down and standing up, as he saw his Nanny in the doorway. 'What're you doing out of bed?'

She walked across to him. 'Sit,' she said. She ran a hand over his head. 'What's worrying you, child?'

He pulled up a chair close to his, before holding his Nanny's hand and helping her sit. He sat across from her, his forearms resting on his thighs, the glass of whiskey held between them. He looked down at it, swirling the contents before he gazed up at her without lifting his head. 

'Would you like some whisky, Nanny?' he smiled that endearing lop-sided smile of his. 

She shook her head and smiled at him. 'No. Thank you.' She tilted her head, her wise eyes looking at him and said. 'Tell me what's troubling you.'

He looked down again, frowning into the whiskey, choosing his words carefully. 'If we buy out the Guptas, they have no place to go,' he said in a low voice. 

Nanny frowned. She didn't speak. There was more here and she wanted to hear all of it. He sighed, leaning back now, looking up at the ceiling. 'At first, all I was focused on was getting that property. I knew the state of the ranch was bad, just not this poorly. Rudi let everything fall apart after Danny passed.' He took a sip, wincing at the burn from the alcohol. 

'And now?' Nanny prompted him gently. 

'They would lose their home if we bought them out,' he stated baldly, without going into who 'they' were. He frowned, 'Akash said they'd been moving around for two-three years, now. He doesn't know why.'

'It bothers you that you might render a family homeless? You're offering them good money for what they have, Arnav,' she reasoned gently. 'They could easily buy a home and settle down.'

He couldn't reveal Khushi's broken state to his Nanny. She'd wanted their conversation private. He had to respect that. 'I get the feeling they're at the end of their rope, if they had to move again. I think Mr. Gupta's used up all his resources to buy this ranch.' He shook his head. 'They can't afford it.' 

Nanny raised her eyebrow wondering how he knew this much about the Guptas, but she believed him. 'Do you know what you want to do?' she asked him. 

He nodded his head slowly. 'I can only make another offer. But a different one,' he said. She narrowed her eyes, raising her chin to let him know she was listening, as he began speaking. 

Arnav had thought long and hard about this. He understood that Shashi wouldn't sell. He understood why, though not all of it. His little private talk with Khushi had replayed over and over in his mind. He'd thought of her only as a feisty girl, but this afternoon she'd exposed a vulnerable side to him. One he couldn't grapple with. It had confused him, why her tears had torn at him. He hated himself for the way he'd bruised her. He'd never done that to a woman. Never been abusive, yet he'd held her so tight, that he'd hurt her, bruised her. The guilt was eating at him, and he hated how small it made him feel. He couldn't even talk to Nanny about it. 

But all that had to be set aside for now. He didn't know why it was that they'd moved so often. He did know it would break them to move again. He had honed in on what would be the right thing to do. And so he came up with an idea, one that should work for all the lives involved.

Nanny nodded her approval, as he finished speaking. It was a dignified solution and a good one. She smiled at him, nodding wisely. 'I think Shashi will accept this offer. I'm glad that you're not bringing Drew and Dev into the picture. It wouldn't be right. I'm proud of you, my boy,' she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. So wise at so young an age! God bless him!

He felt the kiss as a cooling breeze of relief on his brow. 'Thank you, Nanny. Now if only Mr. Gupta agrees to it,' he said. 

'He will,' she answered confidently. 'Talk to him tomorrow.'

'I will,' he said, finishing off the rest of the whiskey. 

'Go to bed now,' she advised, getting up. 

'You too, Nanny,' he smiled a small smile watching her leave. 'Good night.'

*****

Arnav arrived at the Box-Lightning to find Red tied to the verandah railing. He slipped off Shadow and tied his reins next to Red, rubbing the noses of both horses before climbing the stairs to the verandah. 

He knocked on the door and heard a muffled, 'Coming!' in a female voice. 

The door swung open and Khushi stood there, one hand on the knob, the other holding an apple to her mouth, which she'd just bitten into. She wore her usual blue jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt this time, with a sleeveless leather jacket, her hat was perched on her head, and her hair tied into her usual long braid. For some reason, Arnav found that braid highly offensive. 

Khushi wasn't expecting to see him and her eyes widened in surprise. His chiseled jaw was clean and his honeyed eyes under the low brim of his hat, were looking right into her. Inexplicably, she felt her cheeks getting warmer and knew she'd turned red, as his lip tilted in a faint smile. His glance flicked past her. 

Garima stood in the room and said, 'Arnav, come in,' with a pleased smile. 

He smiled at Garima. 'Good mornin', ma'am,' he said, taking off his hat. 

'Khushi!' Garima exclaimed. 'Are you going to let him stand there all day, girl? Let him in.'

Khushi swallowed, her gaze dropping from his, looking over her shoulder at her mother, and moving aside. Which brought his attention back to the mole on her cheek. He looked away, stepping into the house. 

'Ma, I'm off,' she quavered. She cleared her throat, and swung the door shut behind her. 

'What brings you here, Arnav?' asked Garima. 

He drew a deep breath. 'I'd like to talk to Mr. Gupta,' he said softly. 

Garima started. 'If it's about the ranch ...' she began nervously. 

'It is, ma'am,' his voice was gentle.

'We can't sell,' she said, firmly, although her eyes were wide, distressed. 

'I know. But this is something that I would need to talk to your husband about,' he was firm. 

She nodded, recognizing authority when she heard it. 'Come with me,' she whispered, leading him to the study. She knocked, and opened the door. 

Shashi stood at the window. He'd seen Arnav arrive. Shashi Gupta didn't like being pressured. He took his time about making up his mind, weighing the odds and coming to conclusions. 

'Mornin', ASR,' he said, holding out his hand.

Arnav shook it. 'Mornin' to you, sir,' he said, respectfully. 

Shashi gestured him to a seat. 'What brings you here this early?' he asked, when Garima had left the room. 

'Have you thought about my offer?' Arnav got straight to the point. He didn't know what he wanted Shashi to say.

Shashi regarded him steadily for a while. 'I can't sell,' he said. 

Arnav nodded. It was as he'd expected. Strangely, in a way, it made him ... glad? 'I understand. Pardon my speaking out, sir, but I'd like to ask you something.'

Shashi was surprised at the ease with which Arnav backed off. He'd expected the man to protest or pressurize. He was caught off-guard by his ready acceptance. He nodded. 

'The income in a ranch lies in the cattle sale. If you don't intend to sell this year, how do you plan on earning money?'

Shashi looked away. 'I'm workin' on it,' he said.

Arnav's eyes narrowed. The man didn't have a clue. He'd seen how the hands were, the state of the buildings around them, the state of the animals on the ranch. Rudi had let it all go. Shashi wasn't doing anything to make it better - he didn't know how! 

'I understand you don't want to sell. But you also need the money,' knowing he was being cruelly honest, yet not knowing how else to get his point across. 'Make me a partner in Box-Lightning. I'll put in half of what I'd offered you. The Box-Lightning will still remain a separate outfit, but the Circle-R will run it. I'll hire the men I want to run the place. The foreman will report to my foreman, NK. This year's muster will be a joint one, and I'll be overseeing it. You keep the homestead, because you'll need to understand how to run this place. Once I'm satisfied you can run it, and it's making a profit, I'll still remain a partner, but the Circle-R will pull out of runnin' it. You take control of it.'

Shashi stared at him, shocked, as Arnav continued. 'If at any time, you want to sell, you would give me the first option to buy.'

Shashi shook his head. 'Why would you do this? We're complete strangers and yet ..' He was baffled. Whatever he'd expected, it certainly wasn't this! Obviously, Arnav had put a lot of thought into it. His respect for this young man in front of him grew by leaps and bounds. 

Arnav looked him straight in the eye and said, 'water is the most valuable thing around here, Mr. Gupta. The Circle-R has most of the water rights hereabouts. But the dry season makes it hard on the cattle. With the water that the Box-Lightning has, the Circle-R and the Box-Lightning would be able to weather the dry seasons, easily.'

A faint smile lit his lips as he preempted what Shashi would say. 'I'm a business man as well as a cowhand, Mr. Gupta. I don't make an offer if there's nothin' in it for me. Think about it.' He got up, dusting his hat against his thigh. 

Shashi got up, too, dazed at the sudden turn of events. This was ... an option, no doubt. He nodded, slowly. 'I'd like to talk it over with the family. See what they have to say.'

Arnav nodded. 'I'll be taking your leave now, sir,' he stepped to the door and let himself out. He'd given Gupta food for thought. Let him chew on it. He was hoping this offer would be a more palatable one.

He walked out of the house, and noticed Red was gone. He'd planned on going to Yerba today, too, to check up on the Wild Bull. Ela had told him she'd hired someone new. Time to take a look and see how the rookie was doing, he thought. 

****

Chapter 7 - ... and Demons?

Arnav pushed open the door to the Wild Bull, taking his time to adjust to the dimness inside. A quick look around and he saw the place was fuller than usual. Aman stood near the bar, waiting on a drink. He saw Arnav and raised a hand. Arnav nodded at him, greeting some of the men he recognized, as he made his way towards him.

He stood next to Aman, and Ela came out of the back room, wiping her hands on her apron. 

'ASR!' she dimpled excitedly. 

'Ela,' he said, taking off his hat and placing it next to him on the bar. 

'Where's my coffee?' asked Aman.

'Coming,' sang a voice from behind Arnav. 

He spun around on the stool, to see Khushi coming through from the back, a pot off coffee in her hand. She was in a dress! 

A pretty paisley printed dress with full sleeves, and a little tuck of lace at the neckline. A Mexican cross hung at her throat from a gold chain, and her hair was in that braid! But no one could take away the picture of shining innocence that she made, her eyes opening wide as she saw Arnav sitting next to Aman. Swallowing, she dropped her gaze and walked over to Aman, pouring him his coffee. 

Arnav looked on in astonishment as Aman smiled at her, and she grimaced back at him. Then she stood in front of him, wiping her hands nervously down her side. 'Did you want something, sir?' she said. 

He turned to Ela, 'Ela!' he called her over. 

Leaning over the bar, he bussed her on the cheek while Khushi stared open-mouthed, and the room erupted in cat-calls. 'We need to talk,' he murmured in Ela's ear. 

She smiled at him, and then said, 'follow me,' turning away with Arnav following her towards the back, his hand resting on the back of her waist. Someone called, 'way to do it, ASR.' He turned and winked at the voice. 

Khushi stood still where she was, turning when she heard a bang. Aman had just slammed his coffee cup down, and walked out. She watched him go, completely bewildered. What the?! What happened here?

ASR's face turned grim as soon as Ela closed the door and turned to him. 'What's she doing here?' he growled, arms folded across his chest.

'Who? Khushi?' Ela smiled at him, moving to sit behind her desk. 'She's the new girl I hired.'

'She can't work here,' he stated, dragging back the chair in front of her, and dropping into it. 

'What? But why?' she was puzzled. What was wrong with ASR? He hadn't even spoken to the girl and he wanted her out?

'Have you taken a look at her?' he asked instead. 

'Of course I have, ASR. And since she's been here, we've had more customers,' she said. 'She's great with them and they all love her.'

'Of course they will,' he drew a frustrated hand through his hair, trying to calm down the unreasonable anger he felt. 'She's a child, Ela. These men'll eat her up.' He tried to be a bit logical now. 

Ela burst into laughter. 'ASR! She's quite capable of handling herself. The men know that now, and they respect her for it. I even had Aman test her out.'

'Test her out?' Arnav's eyes narrowed, wondering what kind of 'testing' the sheriff had done. 

'Yeah. He flirted with her. She twisted his finger. He'd had to put it in cold water later,' she grinned. 

Good girl! he thought, although he'd have to settle that 'testing' with Aman sometime. 'She still needs to go, Ela. She's too young to be working here.'

Ela sobered up. 'ASR. She's twenty.' Not that that made him feel any better. 'So she's old enough. But you've always trusted my judgement about this place, and you've never interfered before. So why now? What's special about her?'

He drew a deep breath. 'They're new to this town,' he said reluctantly. 

'So you know her?' she raised her eyebrows at that. 

He nodded, lips compressed. 'They're the new owners of Box-Lightning,' he explained and then shook his head. 'I just think she's not suitable for here.'

'She's a hard worker, ASR. Does everything with a smile, no matter what job I give her. I'm keepin' her,' Ela was dead serious. She softened a bit and then said, 'I make sure she goes home before sunset, Arnav. If she's working late, she stays here. With me. I take care of my people. You know that.' 

He wasn't appeased and neither did his anger abate. He shook his head. 

'It's my call, ASR,' she was firm. 'When we bought this place, this was something we'd agreed upon. That I would run it my way, with people I hired.'

He shoved the chair and stood up. He knew Ela was right. That was the arrangement. 'I still don't have to like it,' his voice was low, angry. 'Excuse me,' he jerked open the door and walked out. Khushi stood behind the bar laughing with a couple of cowboys trying to flirt with her. 

He glared at her, and her laughter died. Picking up his hat without breaking a stride, he loped out the door. 

Khushi let out a breath of relief. She should've been prepared to see him here. After all this was the local watering hole. But she hadn't been. Prepared, that is. She didn't understand why he was so mad at her, especially since she's the one who should've been mad at him after yesterday. Probably he and Ela had a ... lover's tiff? Somehow, that didn't sit right with her.

It was a little later than usual by the time Khushi left. She walked out of the back door, the street empty of all signs of life. The dipping sun threw long shadows on the street. Breathing in the fresh air, she sauntered along the sidewalk, taking the long route to the shed where she'd left Red. 

Suddenly, she heard it. Footsteps. Following her. She stopped. The footsteps stopped. She slowly turned around. There was nobody behind her. All of a sudden, the street seemed much too deserted for her liking. Taking a deep breath, she began walking again, this time a little faster, her heels thudding into the wooden sidewalk. The footsteps followed her. Memories of that long ago night when she'd been followed darkened her eyes. Had he found her again? She broke into a run, her heart pounding in her chest, sweat breaking out on her forehead. The footsteps followed, keeping pace. She turned a corner and ran down an alley. Turning into another one, she skidded to a halt. Gasping.

Arnav stood there, his thumbs hooked into his pockets, leaning against the side of a building. One leg was raised, the heel resting against the wall, the silver spurs on his feet, and the mother-of-pearl inlay of his gun, catching a glint of the fading sun. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing the sculpted muscles of his forearms. His head was turned towards her, his eyes red-gold in the setting sun.

'Going home, Khushi?' he asked huskily, his head slightly bent as he looked at her from under the brim. 

'Arnav!' she was panting from her run. 'There's someone following me.' She looked over her shoulder. 

He raised his left eyebrow, looking even more rakish in the light and shadow, his chiseled jaws darker with the gold from the dipping sun. He looked her over, slowly, his gaze lingering on her heaving chest and the long lines of her legs. She felt her cheeks growing warmer, but steeled herself and came closer to him. 

'So what d'you want me to do?' he asked casually, lazily.

'I ...' she stopped, at a loss for words. 

'Save you?' sarcasm dripped from his voice. 

The fright she'd had and then the relief of seeing a familiar face, made her snap. The rush was still pounding through her rapid pulse. She saw red. Just a red haze in front of her eyes. The gall of the man. 'I don't need saving,' she hissed stalking towards him. 

'I'm aware of that. That's why you're runnin',' he nodded, the smirk fixed on his face. 

'I thought,' she stopped, a sudden high color in her cheeks as she looked away. She wasn't going to share those memories with him.

His eyes narrowed. She was holding something back. 

'Khushi, you don't need to work in a saloon. Anything could happen to you there,' he said instead.

'I can handle myself,' she said, tossing her head. 'Ask Ela.'

She really tossed her head! he thought amazed, watching the braid swing from one shoulder to the other, as she moved towards him, intending to pass him by as she headed to the stable. 

'She told me. But Khushi, what about when you're out on the street, what then?'

'I told you, I can manage,' she repeated, as she came closer. 'Besides, what d'you care? You want us out of our home, right?' she asked sarcastically.

It was funny, but her heart still hadn't stopped pumping as fast, though she'd stopped running a while ago. In fact, it hadn't even slowed down!

He didn't move an inch, only his eyes followed her as she came closer to him. She'd have to go right past him, as he lounged there, relaxed, not stirring a muscle to get out of her way. She stepped over his extended foot and had taken three steps, when she found herself being spun around, dragged into the barn, one large hand covering her mouth, her hands pinned easily above her head with the flat of another big hand. Eyes wide, she looked at him in the dim light. Let me go! she tried to scream, but the only sounds coming from her throat were muffled squeaks.

'It's that easy, Khushi,' he said softly, his brown eyes no longer molten, just hard chips of ice. His body leaned into hers, effectively making her immobile. 'You told Ela that you can do what a man can do. Well? Free yourself,' he invited, his lips parted in wolfish grin. 

She tried to move something, anything. She looked at his hand on her mouth, then raised her rounded eyes to his. Something like fear flickered in those beautiful gray-green eyes, and he dropped the hand covering her mouth. 

'Let me go!' she hissed, spitting fire, trying to squirm against him.

Slowly, he let her hands go, his eyes going to her wrists, making sure he didn't mark her again. He'd been careful. He'd just wanted to scare her. His body still blocked hers. She couldn't get away as two hands slammed down on the boards on either side of her, although he didn't touch her now.

'A man could do that to you, and you wouldn't be able to do nothin',' his husky voice vibrated in her ear, his lips almost brushing the little mole on her right cheek. She was breathing faster now. Her ears and cheeks and her little nose had turned red, he saw. ''Nother man might not be so ... kind ... to a pretty woman.'

She stilled. Her eyes were cast down. They flicked up, met his, and he felt it. The slightest shift of her body. He twisted his torso, just as her knee connected with his thigh instead of some place more tender. He staggered back a step.

She was free! She made for the door, and looked back for a second. He stood there, jaws clenched, eyes closed, hands fisted. Not a grunt had left his throat. His eyes flew open as if he knew she was looking at him. The fury in them scared her more than all that he'd done to her! Running to Red, she leapt on the already saddled horse, and thundered out of the stable as if the very hounds of hell were after her. 

He watched her go, breathing deeply to ease the pain. He'd been bruised he knew. But she was still going to be here tomorrow. Dammit! Why was she so naive? And stubborn? And did she have to use so much force? he thought, wincing as he took a step.

*****

Lavanya sat at her dresser, gazing at herself, combing out her long tresses. She was tired. It had been a good night at the wild Bull, she thought. ASR ought to be pleased. At that, a frown creased the smooth lines of her forehead. Why didn't ASR want Khushi working at the Wild Bull? Was he soft on the girl? she wondered. The girl was country, through and through. She didn't have a lick of city in her. 

A soft knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. The door opened and she got up, turning around to see who it was, although she already knew who it was. 

He strode across the bedroom, his fingers hooking into her hair at the nape of her neck. 'I hate it when you flirt with ASR,' he growled. 

She shoved him back, 'I wasn't flirting, Aman,' she said. He didn't let go, both his hands now cupping her cheeks. 

'Then what the hell was he doing pawin' you all over, and you letting him?' he ground out, his lips hovering over hers. 

'He's my friend, Aman, he doesn't paw me,' she refused to give in to him., her eyes flashing like black coal into his, her fingers clinging to his steel-hard forearms. 

'You know what it does to me, Ela,' he groaned, lightly brushing his lips over hers. 

'When will you trust me?' she sighed, her deep red lips parting, her tongue lightly tracing across his lips. 

'I trust you,' his arms dropped to her waist, slowly pulling apart the ties at the back, as his lips glided over her jaw, teeth grazing, nipping. 

'Then why?' she worked the buttons of his shirt, running her hands over the hard contours that she unveiled. 

'I don't trust him,' his hands pulled the sleeves of her dress down, revealing the full, proud beauty of her breasts. 

He drew back, looking at them, worshipping them with his eyes, before taking one chocolate bud in his mouth. 

She moaned huskily. Enough words, she thought fuzzily. She needed him now, as his hands lifted her up and her legs wound around his waist. 

'Enough words,' he agreed, carrying her to the bed. 

Much, much later, they lay cuddled together. He pulled her close, his hand on one soft breast as if he couldn't get enough of it. She sighed happily with her head on his shoulder, as they murmured sweet nothings to each other.

'ASR wanted me to let Khushi go,' she murmured, rubbing one silky leg along his rough one. 

He looked down puzzled. 'Why?'

'He gave me a cock-and-bull story about how she's too young and innocent,' she giggled. 'I think he's sweet on her.'

Aman chuckled. 'Poor ASR,' he said, feeling pity for the man, that he'd been hating an hour ago. 'She's a handful.'

Ela nodded. 

'Why're we talking about ASR again?' he asked. 'I got better things to discuss.' His powerful arms, pulled her on top of him. 

'Get to work, woman,' he growled as he pulled her close for a deep kiss. 

'Yes, master,' she breathed, glad that their little spat was over. They could go back to being whatever it was they were to each other. 

*****

She ran across the meadow, her hair flying in the wind. Pretty yellow flowers dotted the dark green of the tall grass around her. That she was almost lost in. 

'Papa,' she cried in her little girl's voice, laughing happily, throwing her arms to the winds and spinning and spinning quickly.

'You'll get dizzy, child. Slow down,' her Papa called from far away. She raised her face to the sun, still spinning around, eyes closed. Yes, she was dizzy. She should have listened to Papa. She opened her eyes and staggered for a bit. She was panting, out of breath. She walked to the edge of the meadow, and saw the brook gurgling by. Sunlight sparkled on the surface, like a hazy mirror, flashing light into her eyes. She closed her eyes at the brilliance of the rays. 

Slowly she opened them again and saw it. 

It was white and it glowed with a light like the sunlight came from within it. A light that shone on everything around it. It's antlers stood tall, as high as the deer itself, 

'Why did he do that to me?' she asked the deer. 

'Because he has yet to find his answer,' the deer said. 

'What must I do?' she asked.

'You must not fear your heart. For to fear the heart is to refuse to live,' the deer said. It moved away slowly, daintily picking its way through the stones on the stream.

'Wait,' she called. The deer stopped. 'Will I see you again?'

'You have but to call,' the deer replied. Tossing its antlers, it pranced away. 

She watched the deer vanish into the meadows.

'Arnav?' the little girl called.

Khushi opened her eyes, blinking slowly as she emerged from sleep. 'What a strange dream,' she thought. With a smile on her lips, her eyes drifted shut again. This time, she dreamt of liquid honey eyes and a husky voice that called her a 'pretty lady.' The smile stayed on her lips.

***