"What the f**k man!" The guy said as he stumbled back, tripping over his own feet and landing on his back.
Khushi stared at Arnav's back, the tears continuing to cloud her vision, briefly closing her eyes, knowing she was safe. He tilted his head over his shoulder, his eyes connecting with hers, and Khushi almost flinched at the anger that was reflected in them. She clutched the cool brick wall behind her, trying to support her shaking legs, one hand raising to rest itself against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.
Fear and desperation gripped her when she saw Arnav advance towards the man. She immediately moved forwards to stop him, but she was too late as Arnav had pulled back his arm and a sickening crunch was heard when his fist connected with the man's nose.
The man screamed in agony as he fell back to the ground, his hands cupping his nose, the blood rushing out, and Khushi immediately held the back of Arnav's coat to stop him. But Arnav shrugged off his coat jacket, oblivious to Khushi's attempts at trying to stop him, rolled up his shirtsleeves, the muscles bulging from underneath and once again advanced towards the whimpering man.
"Arnavji!" Khushi gasped, rushing behind him, "Please, forget it! Please, please, let's just go!"
She grabbed onto his arm and tried pulling him back, but she was not strong enough, and it seemed that all her pleas were falling on deaf ears as he continued to storm towards the man.
"Arnavji" Khushi said, struggling to hold him back her hand clutching onto his arm, feeling his biceps flex beneath her hands as he geared himself to throw another punch. Khushi quickly jumped in between them and firmly placed her hands on his chest, putting all her strength to hold him back. Arnav continued to glare at the man over her shoulder and Khushi ground her feet into the ground, her hand plastered on his chest, keeping him away all the while whispering at him to leave it and begging him to go.
He struggled against her hold, but Khushi kept her hands on her chest, her breaths coming out in short gasps as Arnav growled deep in his throat,
"Let me go, Khushi" He hissed and Khushi's swallowed hard, almost relenting.
She was scared out of her mind.
She had only seen such things on television, but she had never experienced it in real life, and now as she saw the manic anger in Arnav's eyes, the way his hands were fisted up so his knuckles were white, the way she could feel a slight tremble in his body beneath her fingertips, from trying to contain some anger, she knew she had to do something to stop him. She had never seen him this angry, and it terrified her.
"Don't f**king look at her" Arnav snarled, and suddenly pushed against Khushi's hands again in order to storm towards the drunken man, but Khushi surprisingly managed to hold him back.
He suddenly looked down at her, his eyes completely devoid of any warmth, any emotion, causing a shiver to race down Khushi's spine,
"Leave. Me" He punctuated each word and Khushi almost relented, feeling the fear clutching at her insides, but she stubbornly shook her head and said in an equally firm voice,
"Arnavji let's go"
His lips thinned into a line, and she saw as his jaw tightened, his eyes once again wandering up to the man struggling to stand behind her. The anger had not left him, and she found herself desperate to get them away from this situation. A foreign country with Arnav; client sitting upstairs, the meeting not yet finished, reporters in the club, and Arnav ready to fight the man…she was afraid for her own safety, but she found herself more worried for his. She wasn't sure what the outcome of the fight would be, and she wasn't willing to take a risk to find out.
"Please" Khushi begged, her hand automatically lifting to cup his cheek and his attention immediately shifted to her again, "please, please, please" She said again, her voice trembling with emotion.
Something shifted in his eyes and Khushi held her breath as she waited for his response. His body had turned completely rigid against hers, his breathing was still harsh, and his hands were still curled into tight fists.
She held his gaze, silently continuing to plead him to listen to her, and then finally he closed his eyes, his shoulders drooping only slightly, his head thrown back as he bit his lip in frustration, and he finally took a small step back.
Khushi closed her eyes in relief and breathed out heavily, just as she felt his hand grab a tight hold of hers, the other picking up his coat jacket, and her stole that was lying on the ground. She wasn't sure where Arnav had found the shawl, but she was glad that he had found it and she started following Arnav, her hand still clasped in his large one, the grip of his hand tightening as he tried controlling his rage.
"That's righ'" Came the voice from behind and Khushi felt dread fill her, "Listen to yo' bitch before I kill ya'"
Khushi had no time to react as Arnav had dropped her hand, turned around, and in a quick move, pulled back his arm and landed another punch on the guy's face, and a kick to his stomach
"Arnavji!" Khushi screamed out, too frightened by the turn of events. Arnav turned back around, took Khushi's hand, threw open the door, stepped inside the club, and pulled hard on the door so it closed with a loud bang behind them, leaving the man outside.
********
"Tum theek ho?" Arnav said, and Khushi nodded, staring at the floor, her arms wrapped around herself, trying to keep herself from shaking. Why couldn't she stop trembling? She was safe now!
But the fear and adrenalin were still pumping through her and the possibility of what could have happened if Arnav hadn't shown up suddenly dawned on her. She leaned against the wall of the club, not paying attention to the loud music, as her slow breaths turned into gasps.
She suddenly felt hands on her arms, rubbing up and down, bringing the warmth back into her, and she closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall, the tears leaking free, and her hands suddenly grabbed hold of his shirt as she threw herself against him, burrowing her face in his chest, her body shaking with sobs.
He steered them into a more secluded section of the club, and his arms wrapped around her, remaining quiet, not saying anything, but giving her a shoulder to cry upon.
"Shukriya" She hiccupped, the tears soaking his shirt, but he remained quiet, and Khushi slowly loosened her grip and looked up at him to see him shaking his head as his eyes unfocusedly staring at the wall, his face once again tightening with suppressed rage.
"Don't thank me, Khushi. You shouldn't have stopped me" He said softly, "That bas***d hurt -"
"I know' Khushi cut him off, "I was scared"
Arnav's eyes snapped down to her, his eyes hardening around the edges as he said, "I wouldn't have let him hurt-"
"I know" She said again, "I know"
He looked back up, closing his eyes shut, before opening them and looking back down at her. He nodded stiffly, his arms still wrapped around her and it was then that Khushi noticed that his hands were on her bare back, his thumb gently rubbing down her spine, and she suddenly felt a tightening of her belly as her body suddenly became aware of their proximity. Her hands suddenly let go of his shirt, and he hesitated to remove his hands from her back, his grip tightening for the briefest of seconds, bringing her attention back up at him.
He stared down at her, his eyes dropping to her lips, his eyes unreadable, before he closed his eyes and stepped away. His hands dropped to his sides, and Khushi automatically took a step away, swallowing hard,
He bent down and picked up the shawl and suit jacket that he had discarded while comforting her and held it up for Khushi.
She took it from him, and wrapped it securely around her, her body still tingling.
********
The number you have dialled-
"f**k" Arnav swore under his breath as he disconnected and then rang the number again.
"I am sure there must be a misunderstanding" Khushi muttered as she wrapped the shawl tightly around her body, "Arn-"
"There is no misunderstanding Khushi" Arnav said through gritted teeth, "Aman failed to do his job, and I am going to…"
The number you have dialled-
"You should go to Mr. Bruzzi" Khushi said softly, but Arnav ignored her, dialling the number again, "Amanji must have…he…probably didn't know about the articles"
Arnav however remained quiet as he concentrated on the call, only to swear loudly as the call could not connect again.
"Arnavji, this deal is very important to you, you should be up there! Not down here!" Khushi said, but Arnav shook his head.
"The deal won't happen, Khushi" Arnav said in a strained voice, dialling Aman again, but disconnecting the call as the same machined voice came through, "the articles…everything…we won't get it. I won't get it" Arnav said, dialling once again, "pick up, Aman" He said harshly, but disconnected the call again as the same recorded message told him that he couldn't get through.
"Yes you will! Just go up there and talk to him!" Khushi said, nudging him towards the stairs, however Arnav remained rooted to the spot, angrily running a hand through his hair.
"Raizada!" Came the booming voice from upstairs. Arnav and Khushi looked up to see Mr. Bruzzi walking down with the briefcase in his hand.
"Mr. Bruzzi-" Arnav started to explain why he had to leave mid-way, but Mr. Bruzzi shook his head.
"I have another meeting now. Sorry Raizada, but we'll have to decline your offer"
"Mr. Bruzzi, trust me, my designers will be able to-"
"Sorry Raizada" He said, and walked away from there, leaving Arnav staring dejectedly at the floor, his mind going completely blank as one of the most important clients of his career walking out the door.
He was sinking.
Bigg Boss 19
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
3