Chapter 25: chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-FiveMaya pulled her damp hair off her sweaty neck and bundled it into a messy bun. Fine, short tendrils of hair sprang out of the scrunchie to curl around her face and neck. She tried to fan herself with the menu but only ended up feeling vaguely nauseous. On the dance floor of the hot, crowded nightclub, Kanak and Karam were salsaing up a storm. People had cleared the area around them and were clapping and hooting as they spun and dipped like sexy, toned professional dancers. A smile tugged at her lips as she took a sip of her now tepid Bloody Mary. Grimacing now, she put the glass down and turned as Ved leaned in to whisper in her ear. “How’s the new business doing?” he shouted. Maya winced and pulled back. “Dude, you yelled right into my ear.” “Sorry,” he said, pulling a face. She shook her head in reproof, still smiling. “Should you even be out so soon after the accident?” he whisper shouted now. Maya sighed. It was her first night out after the whole fiasco and truth be told, she did feel tired, achy and out of sorts. Maybe this hadn’t been her brightest idea. “Actually-“ she started to say she thought she should be heading home when a sudden wall of fury stepped into view and cut her off.“What the fuck are you doing here?” She looked up from her corner perch near the bar and met Yash’s furious gaze. Behind him, Aakash gave her a disgusted look before storming off to get the bartender’s attention. Hold on a second…what was he disgusted with her for? Maya stared at his retreating back, puzzled. Beside her, Ved stiffened and tried to position himself between her and Yash.“I asked you a fucking question!” Yash shouted. Maya raised her eyebrows and stared him down. “I don’t feel like answering your fucking question,” she answered calmly, even as her head started to pound in earnest to the tune of the music pounding through the place. “You should be resting,” he gritted out, stepping closer to her making her tilt her head up to look at him.“Hey –“ Ved began but Maya cut in, “I don’t believe I asked for your opinion.” “Maya.” Yash glowered down at her.“Yash.” She held his gaze, chin tilted and arms folded. Their standoff lasted far too long for any claim of maturity to be made. Ved kept looking from one to the other, waiting to see who would break first.Until finally, Yash cursed, “Fuck it.” He looped his hands behind Maya’s back and under the backs of her knees and scooped her up. “What the hell are you doing?” she shrieked.“Taking you home,” he told her. “You look exhausted and in pain. You shouldn’t be here.” A small glow of warmth lit in the region of her traitorous heart at the sign of his concern but Maya stomped it out with all the force she could muster. “Yash,” she said, calmly. “Put me down. Right now.”“No.” He started to shoulder people aside in a bid to make it to the door. Maya reached up to grab his ear and twisted it savagely. Yash yelped and dropped her. She landed with a hard thud on the grimy floor, almost getting trampled by the crowd milling around.“WHAT THE FUCK?” They both yelled at the same time. One rubbing his ear and the other rubbing her butt as she slowly got to her feet. “I was trying to help you, you little –“ Whatever he’d been about to say was drowned out in the roar of fury that echoed from across the crowded hall. Maya peered through the dim, smoky interior and saw Karam and Aakash facing off, an irritated Kanak trying to keep them at arm’s length from each other. Yash left her to rush back to where the guys were saying something to each other. Whatever it was, it was going to lead to nothing good.  As she watched, Aakash hauled back and slammed his fist into Karam’s face and Karam, the guy she’d watched brawl his way through college, kept his hands to his side, stayed in place and took it. Maya blinked as Karam fell back against the tables behind him, Kanak scrambling to help him to his feet. A second later, Ved and she were at their side, facing Aakash who was being held back by Yash.Security was making their way through the crowded room towards them. It was a matter of time before they got thrown out. “You lot are despicable,” Aakash spat at them. “No respect for people or for relationships.” Anger like she’d never known before rushed through her as she looked at the two know-it-all, entitled assholes. “No respect for you two, that’s for sure,” Maya drawled. Kanak snickered, her arm around Karam who strangely still wasn’t saying anything. Ved snorted. Aakash glared at her, shrugging his arm out of Yash’s grasp. “I don’t need to take shit from good for nothing, immoral losers like you creeps. You killed my brother and now destroyed my relationship. Is there anything you won’t stoop to? No level you won’t sink to?”  “What the hell are you talking about?” Ved asked, stepping forward to get in Aakash’s face. Security had finally managed to reach us but a single note slipped into their hands by Yash had them waddling away quietly. “Your friend didn’t tell you?” Aakash jerked his head towards where Karam and Kanak were standing. “Go ahead,” he said. “Tell them how you played kissy face with my fiancée.”“I hate to break it to you darling,” Kanak drawled. “But I prefer men. And even if I did dabble with women, Ms. Goody Two Shoes isn’t my type.” But Maya was watching Karam and she saw the dull flush hit his cheeks and suddenly she understood why the guy who stepped into cages and fought for money when he needed it and always walked away victorious had let the other guy landed a punch. Shit. What a mess. Â