Hello everyone!
Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a very, very happy new year.
Okay so I was supposed to post this as a Christmas gift, but got delayed so here is a belated Christmas gift.
Thank you all for all your comments and likes for the previous update. I have thanked all of you for the previous update, so sorry for the delay.
Okay here it goes, hope you like it.
Part 42
Previous night..
Harish Shukla looked around the dark, empty room yet again as he waited to meet the person who ordered his men to bring him to the dark, dungy place. In theory joining hands with Sikandar had seemed like a good idea but now that he was about to face the devil he was having apprehension.
He pushed aside his worry and waited for the man himself. He turned, when he heard the door open, to see a man dressed in black enter the room along with few of his commandos.
Shukla couldn't see the man as the he remained in the shadows but he was sure that the man in front of him was Sikandar. "Mr. Harish Shukla, what can I do for you?" The man asked in a coldest voice that Shukla had ever heard.
Shukla folded his hands and leaned forward to place his hands on the desk in front of him. He squinted his eyes and tried to get a glimpse of the man standing behind the leather chair behind the desk. "I believe I have some useful information on our mutual friends."
"Which mutual friends are you referring to Mr. Shukla? As far as I know, you and I have never met before."
Shukla knew better than to mess with a man like Sikandar and immediately came to a point. "Arjun Rawate and Priya Banerjee."
Siknadar's hand clenched on the leather chair, "Come to the point Shukla."
Shukla rejoiced silently as he told Sikandar all he knew about Arjun and Priya and their relationship. The room went silent after Shukla finished giving all the information and waited for the man in front of him to react to it.
"Interesting, so you are saying there is more than friendship between Arjun and Priya." Shukla didn't reply as he was sure Sikandar didn't need him to confirm it again. "Okay Shukla let's test out your theory. You may leave now. I will contact you when and if I need you." He signaled to his men and walked out of the room.
Shukla had no choice but to let Sikandar's men to lead him out and wait for Sikandar to contact him.
Next day at the crime scene..
Arjun and Priya stepped out of the SUV and immediately looked around the area for anything suspicious. Priya joined Shree next to the body and took the pair of gloves that Chotu offered. "Shree?"
"Death was instant, as you can see." He pointed to the bloody hole in middle of victim's forehead. "I have to confirm what caliber the gun is but if I have to take a guess, I think it would be a .45 caliber pistol." Priya nodded as she looked around the body for other clues.
Arjun looked around the warehouse and searched the large crates and drums in there for anything suspicious but nothing was found. His gut instincts were telling him the victim was killed in this specific place for a reason.
Chotu approached Arjun, "Sir, this warehouse belonged to a paint making company but the owners are in the process of selling it off. The victim had no connection to the current owner."
"I don't think we will find a connection Chotu," Arjun took another look around the warehouse and piles and piles of empty crates and drums. He scanned each area carefully. At first he didn't notice anything out of place until his eyes returned to the back corner of the warehouse. He took a closer look when he noticed a light reflect on a shiny object.
His eyes widened in shock when he realized someone was behind a large crate, pointing a gun at Priya. He ran towards Priya just as the shooter pulled the trigger. Arjun felt a sharp pain in his right arm just as he reached Priya.
"Sameer check the back corner of the warehouse, near the back exit, shooter is hiding behind a large crate." Arjun shouted then turned to Priya, "Are you okay?"
Priya was too shocked to reply. She saw the blood running down Arjun's right arm, "You have been shot," She whispered. Arjun glanced at his arm, "It's only a scratch," He looked her over, "Were you hit?" He had heard another shot but wasn't sure if the shooter had aimed the gun at Priya again.
Priya glared at him, "Stop worrying about me. And this is not just a scratch." She said as she took his arm and looked at the wound closely. "You are bleeding," She said in a panicked voice. Arjun was startled by the panic in Priya's voice. Before he could reassure her she called out to Shree to bring her something to bandage his arm.
Shree came running to them and handed her a roll of gauze. Sameer and Chotu joined them just as Priya finished wrapping Arjun's arm. "The shooter got away," Sameer said breathlessly, "there was a car waiting for him just outside the back door."
Sameer glanced at Arjun's arm and frowned, "Arjun, are you okay?"
Arjun nodded angrily, "I am fine Sam. We need to search the warehouse again."
"You are not fine Arjun!" Priya shouted, "You need to go to the hospital." She scowled when he opened his mouth to argue. She turned to Sameer, "We are going to the hospital Sam." She held out her hand for Arjun so he can hand over the car keys to her.
Arjun gave her the keys without saying anything, not because he really thought he needed to be at the hospital right away but because it was the best way to get her to leave the warehouse and to get her out of harms way. He didn't think the shooter would come back but he decided to take the added precaution and get her out of the place. Besides he liked that she fussed over him.
Priya looked at Arjun in astonishment when he gave her the keys without disputing her claim further. "Did you expect me to fight?" He smirked, "Unlike some people I know when I need to be seen by a doctor." He said with a deadpan look on his face.
Shree suppressed a grin while Chotu smiled openly when Priya's eyes narrowed on Arjun. To their amusement Priya walked away in a huff and Arjun followed her without saying anything more."
"Canvass the area and see if anyone has heard or seen anything related to the case of the victim." Shree and Chotu snapped to attention at Sameer's command and got to work.
As Priya drove towards the hospital, Arjun was glad he hadn't made a fuss about going to the hospital. Now that the adrenaline rush is wearing off the sharp, throbbing pain in his arm was getting worse.
He was starting to feel weak and dizzy from the blood loss. The bandage that Priya had applied to his arm was soaking wet in blood, which told him the bullet might have nicked an artery in his arm.
Priya alternated between driving and throwing Arjun worried glances. Her whole world had stopped spinning the moment she had seen Arjun running towards her and realized his intentions.
All her doubts and fears about her feelings for him had taken a back seat the moment she had seen the bullet pierce his arm and the blood started flowing out of the wound.
Her logical mind told her the injury was minor but the thought of any harm coming to him sent her in a panic mode. Once again she had been forced to face the fact that her world was incomplete without him being in it in any capacity.
She could survive leaving away from him but she wouldn't survive if he ceased to exist in the world.
Priya slammed the stirring wheel when the traffic came to stand still at a red signal. "Damn it!" she exclaimed in frustration at the delay and gave Arjun another anxious glance. Unshed tears swam in her eyes when she saw him wince in pain.
Arjun glanced towards Priya and was stumped to see her wet eyes. He reached over and placed his hand on her arm and squeezed gently, "I am okay Priya." He tried to give her a reassuring smile but the pain was becoming unbearable and he failed at his attempt.
Once at the hospital, Priya breathed a sigh of relief but anxiety didn't diminish much. While Priya was worried for Arjun he was starting to realize that him being shot has impacted Priya deeply. He was sure if he didn't handle this carefully then she is going to end up blaming herself.
Arjun's mouth turned up in a smirk when Swati entered the examining room, "What's up Doc?"
Swati frowned at him then started removing the bandage on his arm. Arjun narrowed his eyes, "Waise, are you sad because I got shot or because the bullet missed?"
Swati decided to play along with Arjun after glancing at Priya's worried face. She raised an eyebrow, "What do you think?"
"Awe..I didn't know you cared doc, I am touched," Arjun said with a smug.
Swati was tempted to wipe the smug off of his face but her and Arjun's bickering hadn't distracted Priya at all. She glanced at Arjun who looked at Swati with pleading eyes then gestured towards Priya.
"Priya, why don't you go complete the hospital formalities while I stitch Arjun's wound." Priya hesitated, "Don't worry, I will take good care of your Arjun while you are gone." Swati said as she cleaned the wound. Priya left after getting an assuring smile from Arjun.
Arjun waited until Priya left, "Her Arjun?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Swati didn't glance up from her task, "Unfortunately, Yes, her Arjun." She numbed the area around his wound, "Now don't try to distract me, why didn't you want Priya to stay here while I tended to your wound?"
Arjun winced when she started stitching his arm, "I wanted her attention away from me. You saw her reaction. I didn't want her to blame herself. Besides there was something else I wanted to discuss with you." He said as he glanced at the other bandage on his arm.
On the way to Priya's apartment, Arjun made several attempts to distract Priya with conversation but she only gave monosyllabic answers and he gave up after a while. He followed her into the apartment quietly and waited for her to speak.
Priya blew out a breath then turned towards Arjun. Her eyes softened when she took in his tired form. "Why don't you go freshen up while I make us something to eat." Arjun stepped up to her then cupped her face. "Don't go through lot of trouble." He kissed her forehead then walked towards her room to freshen up.
Priya watched him go then made her way to the kitchen. As she gathered things for dinner her thoughts went back to that morning and how Arjun had jumped in to save her. Try as she might she couldn't get the image of the bullet piercing Arjun's arm out of her head. It had happened so fast there hadn't been much time to think at the time but now as she thought back on it she realized anything could have happened in that moment.
Her logical mind told her that he wasn't shot because of her but she couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened. The fact is, whoever it was, he had been aiming for her. She wondered if Sikandar is behind the recent events as she chopped vegetable for dinner.
Arjun let all the worries and the tension drain away as he stood under the shower with one hand braced on the wall and other away from the water. He needed to regroup and find a way to distract Priya or else she is going to drown in her own guilt.
With that in mind he turned off the water and grabbed a towel to wrap it around his hips and another to dry his hair. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't realize when his right arm grazed the bathroom door until he felt a sharp pain shoot up his arm. He yelped in pain automatically then cursed under his breath for not watching where he was going.
Priya placed the cup of tea on the table and was about to go back to the kitchen when she hard Arjun yell out in pain. She ran to her door without thinking and froze in her track when she saw Arjun.
He had one towel wrapped around his slim waist and another draped around his neck. His hair was wet from the shower. Her eyes followed a droplet of water as it dripped from his wet hair and ran down his handsome face down his throat to his bare chest. Priya was so fascinated with this view of Arjun that she didn't notice he was staring at her with amusement.
Priya was dumbstruck by the sight in front of her. Her brain commanded her eyes to look away but they refused to obey. She came to her senses suddenly and turned away. "S-sorry Arjun I heard you yell out in pain. Are you okay?"
She closed her eyes as she heard a rustling sound behind her letting her know Arjun was getting dressed. "Err..I made some tea for you. I will go get it." She ran out before he could stop her.
Priya gripped the table and took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Once she was sure she had herself under control she took the teacup and went back to the room.
When she walked back into the room Arjun was struggling to put on his shirt. She immediately put the tea down and went to help him with his shirt. No words were exchanged between them as she took over the task of helping him dress.
Arjun didn't protest when Priya helped him with his shirt, he was too lost in her to say anything. She was soft and warm and sweet. He looked at her mouth and ached to catch it under his. The accidental touch of her hand, on his bare chest, as she buttoned his shirt was very arousing.
He bent and took her lips softly under his. "You taste sweet," He whispered. Priya's hands froze on Arjun's shirt. She clutches his shirt in his hand. She lifted her eyes to his, "Arjun..."
Arjun drew her head down against his shoulder and looked long and deep into her eyes until she flushed from the intensity in his eyes. He didn't smile. Neither did she.
He looked at her mouth, pretty and slightly red from the pressure of his lips. He had kept his desire and passion for her under control for a long time but today he couldn't help but unleash some of those emotions.
His mouth pressed down on hers, gently parting her lips, moving under them with a slow, steady pressure that grew harder and hungrier by the second.
He lifted her closer, feeling her soft hand tangling in the hair on his chest while the kiss became so passionate that she moaned. He was causing sensations within her that she had never felt before.
Too soon Arjun pulled back and she wanted to protest but she was glad he had enough sense to pull back in time. She loved him but she was not ready for the type of commitment required if things went too far between them.
Arjun drew back, smoothing his hand over Priya's dark hair, "Everything is going to work out on its own Priya. Stop worrying about the future, we are going to be very good together." He whispered.
Priya shook her head, "Listen Arjun, I'm very..I mean I..I can't.."
He hugged her tight, "Shh..trust me Priya everything is going to be fine."
Priya stopped protesting and let Arjun hold her. When she is in his arms all the fears and anxiety seize to exist and the future doesn't looks scary as she imagines it.
*~+~*
There it is, hope all of you liked it. Unlike some I am nice and sweet, I don't do cliffhangers when it counts, unlike some people (You know who you are BBs.😈)😆
Hope the wait was worth it.
Edited by ll-Shilpa-ll - 11 years ago
193