"Do you want me to stop Maya?" His voice is gruff when he speaks.

"No" i whisper.

My heart bursts out of my chest when he cups my face in his hands and crashes his lips on mine. I immediately give in to his eager and familiar lips. He kisses me with this fervent need that could drive any girl insane.

This time is different.

This time, hes not holding back.

Hes hungry. No, hes starving. I said this could never happen again just a few hours ago. I should want him to stop. So why

Why is it the last thing I want?

Our bodies collide as his hands travel from my hair, to my neck, to my waist, unable to stay in the same place for too long.

My brain isnt strong enough to go up against my desires. My hand tugs at his hair as he backs me up against the wall roughly. I cant stop a moan from escaping my mouth when he bites my lower lip, his fingers creating a trail from my arm to my collarbone.

They stop on my top strap and slide the light fabric down my shoulder. He leans forward, his mouth grazing my clavicle and sending a wave of shivers throughout my entire body.

My fingers fall to his shirt. I cant want him. I cant want this. But I do. I really, really do.

Just as Im about to pull the fabric down.....

My phone started vibrating in my jeans pocket. We jump and pull away like we've been caught committing a crime.

I pull out the phone out and the name MOTHER HEN flashes across. Adhi spares a glance at my phone and backed away. I immediately missed his warmth. I took a deep breath and hit the answer button.

"What is it Vivek?"

I heard a chuckle from Adhi before the yelling from the other side of the phone started "WHAT IS IT? YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO ASK ME THAT?" my dad's voice boomed.

I froze. Every ounce of desire pounding through my blood boiled and turned to ash. I started shivering. Adhi came up behind me "What's wrong?" he whispered. I put the phone In speaker.

"IS THAT THE BASTARD YOURE WITH? MAYA COME BACK HERE IN 10 MINUTES OR I SWEAR TO GOD-" his voice cut off and mom took the phone "maya do not rush just come here. okay do not overspeed In the motorcycle, ask that boy to bring you home safe" she didnt bother for my reply and disconnected.

Fear took over like wildfire. my dad has barely talked to me in five years. he has barely even noticed me, now when I want him to not notice me, he noticed my absence. I started panicking. my breath started coming out in pants. it was like my throat is about to close up. Adhi came up to me and shook my shoulders. He was asking me something.

His mouth moved but I couldn't hear a single thing over the ringing in my ears. He shook me violently and patted my face. The ringing stopped and the world came back. Tears blurred my vision.

"Talk to me maya." he whispered.

"He.. he " I sobbed "He's going to kill me". I covered my face with my hands and sobbed. He actually might kill me. I still have the scars on my back to prove it.

Adhi recoiled. A mix of disgust and horrification passed through his face. He pulled me into his arms and I cried my heart out in his chest. After I calmed down we immediately left for the house. There was still a light rain but we didnt care.

When the bike stopped in front of the old brick arch infront of my tharavadu. Adhi stopped the bike and asked me to walk in. Possibly half the family will be waiting for us in the porch by now, they might not want to see us together. I got down and walked up the stone pathway and sure enough there was Ammuma, Jeevan uncle and vivek pacing there. I had expected a bigger crowd but thank god there weren't any.

When he saw me walking down the pathway Vivek ran to my side and hugged me. He immediately pulled me towards the porch and briefed me the situation. Apparently one of Arjun's relatives had arrived yesterday.

In a HELICOPTER!. And my dad had been there. When the mystery visitor asked for dad's family he asked someone to get me and I wasn't available. So he confronted Ammuma and she had to spill.

That's why he searched for me, not because he missed his daughter, Because an apparent stranger reminded him he had a daughter. Wow! and he has the audacity to shout at me. Some of my fear reduced but not gone.

Adhi parked the bike and came to stand next to me. He took in my confused look and mouthed "all okay?". I shook my head.

I prepared myself for the abuse which was about to happen. I trusted my instincts. Growing up with an abusive alcoholic dad made me learn to read the subtle signs of impending danger. A tense phone call, a heavy footstep, a raised voice. I knew all the triggers and I knew how to make myself scarce.

Amumma looked at me with apologetic eyes and I nodded in assurance. Vivek led to me towards my mom and dads room and I knew it was going to go to hell. Adhi was right behind me. I could feel his hand brushing against mine when we walked.

Just as the door to hell opened I felt the heat of my father's hand against my face. I was thrown back into adhi's arms with the impact. My dad pulled me from his hands and prepared to slap me again and I flinched but mom and vivek dragged him away and Adhi pushed me behind him and stood face to face with dad. Varun suddenly came up behind me and pulled me into a hug. The hug of my big brother was always my comfort spot and I cried. More than the pain blazing my cheek, more than the humiliation, I cried because I felt safe in varun's arms. And it is a feeling I don't experience often.

"What is wrong with you? why are you torturing your own daughter like that?" Adhi yelled. Tara and arjun burst into the room and pulled Adhi with them.

My dad was fuming with anger and he scoffed at adhi's question. "my daughter" he mumbled and my mom immediately silenced him with a plead.

"If she is my daughter, she must do as I say, obey my words and respect me. This thing is not my daughter" he screeched.

Thing.

Im a thing for him.

I suddenly went slack in varun's arms but he held me tighter and whispered soothing words in my ears. Pooja started patting my back. When did she get here?

"Those who deserve respect are given it freely, they don't need to demand it, they never truly command it. She's your daughter not your dog, sir" Adhi said. his voice stern and steady. It reverberated through entire room. My dad's face suddenly went pale and stormed off from the room.

My mom rushed towards me and hugged me. I went to her arms, transferred by varun was more like it. I cried in her arms.

"Why did you go without telling any of us? And with a boy?" she whispered the last part.

I fumed "Is that why dad is so furious? because I went with a boy? I was sent on an errand by his own mother in law. And for the boy part tell daddy dearest that his daughter's virtue is still intact." Mom gasped. Varun called my name in warning.

"Tell him his daughter is not a girl who would sleep around with a guy she barely knows" I looked at Adhi "No offence"

"None taken" he smirked. Mom glared at him.

"and tell him the guy is not like that too" I added.

Adhi's eyebrows rose, a small smile played on his lips. Vivek frowned and squinted his eyes at me. He rushed to my side and pulled me away from my mom. "That's enough lecture for now"

"Adhi we need to talk to you" I heard Tara say while vivek pulled me away.

I was still fuming, I was muttering curses at my dad which made vivek call for god many times. He led to the kitchen and immediately pulled out a packet of frozen peas to put on my cheek. AH! the cold felt nice.

Vivek was still frowning at me. "what?" I barked

"The guy is not like that?" he imitated me.

"He stood up for me against that monster. I had to at least defend him" I said dismissively.

"sure" he scoffed.

"are you sure you're okay bud? you didnt even ask if Bella is okay" He was one of those guys who named his cars and bikes. He named his precious bike because he was obsessed with Kristen Stewart when twilight came out and was heartbroken when she came out as queer. hence the name bella.

"Bella's fine. I checked if she was okay the minute 'what's his face' stopped it on the porch. I wanted to do a detailed examination but I had to take you to the devil" he blanched.

The anger which was subdued a minute ago returned. "Can we talk about something else? I wanna take my mind off that" I flipped the packet to the colder side and patted it on my face. Vivek started peeling an orange and offered a slice to me. I declined and he put 3 pieces into his mouth simultaneously.

"What's the deal with the helicopter? you said arjun's relatives came in that? Are they that rich?" my eyes bulged, I thought Adhi was really poor. But apparently his family is not.

"Technically not Arjun's family. More like his stepdads family" he said through the chewing.

"What?" I froze.

"yeah his step dads son, I mean Arjun's step brother. He was in Canada. He apparently arrived in india in a private jet despite all the restrictions and came here in his chopper. Can you imagine the kind of money they have?" Vivek continued popping orange slices to his mouth.

Dread filled through me. Please let me be wrong. I prayed to all the gods I was aware of.

"Vivek, What the chopper guy's name?" I tried to hide the shiver in my voice.

"Jeeth. Jeeth Malhotra. Why? you know- MAYA!!!" vivek shrieked.

Darkness filled my vision and Vivek's scream played in the background.

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