Minutes ran away as the silence still prevailed... both analyzing the worst that could happen under such circumstances.
On a sudden motion both turned to each other asking the same question.
"Are you sure?"
Randhir looked at her in the eye as her orbs widened and contracted back to normal, she had those eyes speaking volumes he noticed.
"Look I know...it's not easy" Sanyukta spoke when he didn't, gesturing with her hands, "But at least we can give it a try"
Her eyes searched for his answer as he looked away, her anxiety took over, anticipating him not to leash on her. When he didn't say anything for a good couple a seconds, Sanyukta grew impatient...Say something damn it ! she mentally asked him...Usually it was the guy that made the first step not the girl...not that they were a couple...but if he rejected her idea, she would make sure he choke on his words...she had not taken the first step only to be rejected !
"I agree, we don't have much choice or time" was all he erupted.
Sanyukta smiled at his answer, ah that was like a good boy ! ...on the other hand, it seemed like she won't get a chance to choke him...
She got up moving towards the staircase, "Where are you going?" she heard him from behind.
"Ok ! Since you agreed... We need to establish some rules" she said, if he thought they will go on with this without establishing some basic rules, he was highly mistaken. ...She didn't allow anyone on her personal space... for her own sanity as well as for others' !
"Give me 15 minutes I'll be back" she assured him and went away.
"Rules...hmmm" randhir said to himself " ...as if... let's see what she comes up with...that will surely be fun !" he concluded getting up, he moved towards their meeting room, fetching the handcuffs from the nearest drawer.
***
As she descended the staircase her eyes were fixed on the notepad she carried along with the frown lines and her specs still settled on her nose. "Okay..." she spoke as she got off the last step looking for Randhir at his previous place.
"Here" he spoke from another couch, those shinny cold metal cuffs residing near him on the contrasting black couch. So Ironical.
"Okay...so" she said walking towards him her eyes still glued to her pad. She stood right in front of him as she started stating.
"First thing...Very important...Respect each other's personal space" she said, he noticed her antics sitting and quietly listening, " being handcuffed does not mean being glued to the other..." she added. She needed to make that point clear because some persons really lacked the notion of personal space, like those who stood really close to you in a waiting line...hey man gluing yourself to me won't make the line move faster...seriously ! ...Sanyukta just hoped he was not one of those !
She moved her pad aside to confirm if he was even paying attention or not.
"Agreed" came his words, a smirk playing on his lips...
Ignoring it, she continued.
"I won't handcuff my right hand...I need it..." she spoke sternly, wanting to sweep off his smirk which just widened. What was so funny ?! ...she wanted to laugh as well !
"Not open for negotiations" she eyed him. It's not that she absolutely wanted her right hand to be free...that didn't matter much to her... she was ambidextrous ! ...It was more the fact that if her left hand was handcuffed, it meant Randhir's right one will be sacrificed...and that will be funny to watch ! ...If he was right handed that is... Coming out of her thought, she looked back at him awaiting for his answer.
Randhir was enjoying this now, pissing her off was much easier that he thought. He was doing nothing beside looking at her and smirking and she was getting high. So easy !
"Whatever" he replied, fueling yet again her irritation.
"No handcuffs while in bathroom..." She spoke without throwing a glance at him, "I can't shower with a pervert like you" she added to annoy him.
"Because you think there is much to look at..." Randhir spoke waiting for her curse. Oh how he was enjoying it !
"...That you will never know..." she said intently looking at him. "This" she gestured at her body, "is off limit to a lowlife like you" it was now her turn to smirk.
"Mind your words woman" he raised his voice not liking the adjective she addressed him with.
"Don't yell... That's rule number 4" She spoke quieting him up, "I can't take your increasing decibels" she raised an hand on her temple, as if she was having a migraine.
Sanyukta didn't wait for him to reply and proceeded with the next rule, "No smoking or drinking..." she heard him chuckle, "And NO DRUGS" she stressed her words ignoring his smirk that came back. Even though he was not as bad as she first thought, even though his motives were supposedly noble, the fact remained the same he did illegal things... and he killed ! Which reminded her ..."and NO dead bodies" she added.
Randhir chuckled "I don't keep dead bodies in the house...unless there is an emergency !" he smirked.
Sanyukta rolled her eyes and proceeded with her rules, "No kissing or flirting with s**tS...or any other kind of PDA for that matter... none of that in front of me" she told him sternly, "You can do that later in the privacy of your room" she announced. She was absolutely not interesting in seeing eating the face of some bimbo !
Randhir shook his head at her non stopping rules. That was going too far, she was commanding him ! Not acceptable.
Sanyukta avoided glancing at him, she was about to read her next rule when Randhir held her forearm thus pulling her on his lap. Sanyukta almost yelled but stopped in her tracks as he softly pushed her hair behind the left side of her shoulder, leaning forward.
"Sanyukta my love you forgot again" he paused feeling her hiked breathing under his effect, "Why should I need another girl when I have my personal girlfriend" his words lingered over her ear. Sanyukta stilled, anticipating his next move. Sensing him move further she stood up swiftly. She glared at him and his widening smirk.
"Believe me darling... I won't need anyone" he said looking intently at her as if he was making a promise.
Sanyukta looked back on her pad as if nothing happened, she was too busy calming her accelerated heartbeat to think of a snarky comeback. Composing herself; she read the last rule while completely ignoring what happened seconds ago "And last but not least" she dared to look at him again, "I want proper table manners, no noise making or open-mouth chewing" she looked at him sternly. In all honesty she didn't care much about table manners... she just wanted to put as much restrictions on him as possible !
Her commands were surely not running proper in his system, Even though he had enjoyed irritating her Randhir was highly irritated by the audacity of her setting rules on him like an owner. He looked at her for one long minute debating his next moves.
"What do you think of yourself" She heard his stern voice and dared no to move her notepad away hindering his sight to reach hers, "You are not some Queen that you will give orders and am not your subject that will blindly follow and walk under your commands"
His anger rose as she still stood stoned not looking at him when he spoke, fueling his rage even more. "I will do whatever I wish to do...that too in your presence. Whether you like it or not" finishing his sentence he pulled her wrist to himself yanking it near his. She looked in horror as he slipped the shiny cold metal on her left wrist. Her eyes widened as he threw the keys outside in some bushes.
"Now do whatever you want, you are stuck with me" she heard him say looking at their locked hands in horror.
God help me !
***
The meeting room was silent as Vidhushi moved inside yanking some papers into the drawer. Parth presumed her next moves were surely going to be approaching him, talking to him and annoying him, same old same old... but as minutes passed by she completely ignored him and started working standing in the farthest corner of the room, leaving Parth confused. Isse kya hua hai aaj ? he wondered
"Any progress on the case?" Parth finally managed to ask, waiting for her to respond.
"Not much" was all he heard, that too without glancing a single look at him, Parth felt weird. Vidushi ignoring him was something he was definitely not used to.
"What is wrong with you?" came his shout, Vidhushi just turned softly ignoring the fact that he looked even more dangerous now with his anger peaking up.
"What is wrong...? Nothing is wrong with me" she told him with a smile pulling him more above his threshold, turning back to her task.
A vase shattered to pieces on the floor as Parth left in anger, Vidhushi knew his state. "Glad to know...my ignorance affected you"
***
Randhir leaned his neck over the wooden rest behind, closing his eyes feeling the silence. Sanyukta noticed him, calm yet ready to burn. Her eyes run from here to there as she thinks of ways to kill time. Even leaning over the couch looked uncomfortable to her while sitting next to him. The clock was constantly ticking breaking her concentration time and again. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into an hour. Tick tock, tick tock...
"Are we going to sit here all day?" Sanyukta asked frustrated and giving up on silence, to which he didn't mind replying. She was bored, and a bored woman was a dangerous woman... to be around !
"I want to go upstairs...to my room" she said.
"There are loads of thing on my "to do" list as well..." he spoke still his eyes closed facing the ceiling, "But I can't do them because I'm stuck with you"
Sanyukta gets frustrated and runs a hand through her hair calming herself up, cursing won't help, and strangling won't get her anywhere, so she resolved to civil words. " ok let's behave like the grown up adults and well behaved persons we are" she started as he rose his head to look at her. "Or at least as I'm" she mutters under her breath, "We can take turns to do whatever we wish to do" she told him.
"Great !" randhir said getting up, "come". Randhir spoke up.
Her hazel eyes widened and mouth shaped in a complete O
Sanyu didn't move "Excuse me ?... but where are you going might I ask ?"
"Yes you might" he said, Sanyu got more shocked at his answers... she had not dreamed it right ?...that was sarcasm she heard ?...ladies and gentlemen, the angry and broody Randhir just replied with sarcasm ! ...Wow ! She wanted to pull his cheek and say "The baby is growing aww sho shweet"... but she didn't think he will take it well !
"And am going to my room" he added, breaking her chain of thought.
"Pardon ?...and who said you were going first ?" she asked him raising her eyebrow. The nerve of this guy !!!
"Am not in the mood to listen to you antics, just get up" he tugged on the handcuff.
"No...it's my idea that means I will get the first turn..." She snapped
"And you talk about manners... What about offering first" Randhir took his dig.
"Excuse me ?!" she shouted, disbelief written on her face. She sighed and with all the patience she could muster she said" Ok I came to term with the fact that you are not very familiar with the concept of manners, but surely you have heard of 'Ladies first' " she quoted with her fingers and huffed, while Randhir looked no pleased with negotiations.
This was the last straw. She was huffing and looking the other way when he quickly grabbed her before she could notice and the next thing she knew she was in his arms being carried upstairs, heading for his room.
What the freezing hell ?!!!
...At least she was thankful she was not awkwardly hanging off his shoulder with her derrire facing the ceiling, that would be degrading !
***
Randhir threw her on his bed and started unbuttoning his shirt, Sanyukta's eyes widened on anticipating his next move while he kept on moving lower ignoring her completely.
"Excuse me!" she spoke when he was done unbuttoning ignoring her clearing-her-throat, "What do you think you are doing?"
"Stripping...What else?" Randhir still ignored her taking his shirt off, she gulped on viewing the very well built torso. Calming her raging thoughts away, she spoke yet again.
"I can see that..." she said irritated "... what for might I ask?"
He now turned to face her, looking her in the eyes, searching for her vulnerability. He leaned as he noticed her gulping, she quickly pulled her legs up to herself. He still went forward almost making her chew her lips in reconsidering if she asked the right thing.
"Don't you like what you see?" he asked her huskily as she faced away whispering on her ear. She didn't dare to answer...right now her mind was not in control !
She closed her eyes feeling him so near, as his cologne numbed her senses. "Enjoy the show darling..."
She was pulled suddenly as his wrist urged her to open her eyes, "Are you mad?" she asked him in disbelief as he pulled her to floor. On moment he was all sensual and the next he was acting as a brute...way to ruin a moment ! ...Couldn't he have let her finish licking his abs in her mind at least...she huffed !
"Don't get your pea brain to bother so much I'm just going to exercise while you sit next to me"
"...Or you were thinking of something else ?" he looked at her " some different kind of exercise perhaps..." he said smirking seeing her turn red. "I don't mind... exercise is exercise" he added.
Sanyukta's cheeks reddened, the nerve of this guy, not only he had manage to read her mind but he had also given her an open invitation... what did he think of himself...and above that what did he think he was ? ...she was that easy ?!!!
"Mind your words !" she said pointing a finger at him. "Don't forget who I am !" she said warning him.
Randhir scoffed, and went all serious, "I know very well... can't forget even if I wanted to !" and added internally " you are the queen...in my chess game!"
His words trailed in her ears as he moved away and began his regular exercise regime. The metal link between them kept jingling as he did push-ups while Sanyukta sat with her wrist near him, crossed legs, hand under chin.
She noticed the way his muscles moved in perfect sync with his breath intake as his torso relaxed and pumped all over. Now that was not fair, how was she to remain calm and composed in front of such a yummy looking chest. She was a woman for god sake, and as every normal woman she was bound to react in front of such a fine piece of art. His toned muscles were practically begging her to touch them...
Stop it sanyukta she scolded herself. She sighed. She couldn't help but stare at him.
20 min later
"Are you done yet ?" Sanyukta asked out of frustration, she was bored out of her mind. She had memorized every inch of his body by now, the way he breathed, the way he moved, the way his muscles contracted. There was nothing left...
"Did you know that going beyond your capacities could lead you to minor strain or dislocation..." she paused "or even worse...muscular tear ! ... just imagine" she said desperately trying to make him stop. But no response came from him.
"Seriously yaar, tumari body itni fit hai, why do need to do that much ? she complained without really processing what she said. Randhir stopped in the middle of his exercise, half down, and looked at her. Their eyes met. Sanyukta realized what she just said, she had admitted that he had a fit body...great ! she mentally face palmed herself...beast ki ego or boost karo...great sanyukta...
"So you think I have a fit body ?" he smirked at her. She blushed under his gaze. He knew she was uncomfortable, he liked it, it gave him the upper hand !
She couldn't deny what she just said... so instead she settled for keeping her grounds and showing impassiveness. Blushing and stammering will only make him more aware of the power he held on her.
"Han to ? Isme konsi bari baat hai ?" she said, like having a fit body was the most common thing in the world...If that was the case...women happiness would reach the sky...she laughed at her thought. Of course looks was not everything...but still some muscles could not hurt...LOL
Randhir just looked at her, he surely was not expecting this one. He thought she was going to blush, stammer even deny... but not admit it so openly... This girl was so full of surprise... he liked that about her... She would have done a wonderful member in his gang, with her confidence, intelligence and unpredictable nature. Yup definitely a gangster material !
"Are you finished now ?" Her voice made him come out of his thoughts.
"Yeah now time for weight lifting"
Sanyukta looked at him horrified "Excuse me ? weight lifting ?...NO ! "
"Yes" he countered her.
"NO" she held her grounds
"Yes"
"Uuurgh stop ! we are not children for god sake" sanyukta burst out, irritated with him.
"Look you can't do weight lifting, it can be dangerous !" She explained him.
"Don't worry love, trust me nothing will happen" he smirked at her. "...Even though i can't guarantee that an accident won't occure... a weight could inadvertently slip you see... but now that would be pure bad luck ! " he added in order to scare her.
So that is how it is thought Sanyu, if he thought he could scare her like that he had another thing coming his way !
"...Yeah just like I could inadvertently tug my handcuffed hand while 100kg would be lifted over your head" she retorted trapping him in his own words, you chose the wrong girl to mess with bad boy, she thought.
Randhir internally laughed, noone could win a battle of words against her... he sighed. "Ok fine no weight lifting"
"And obviously boxing is also not an option... so it seems like am finished here !"
"Finally ! " exclaimed Sanyukta.
They headed toward Sanyukta's room. Sanyukta spotted her laptop and went to retrieve it. She then moved to the bed, randhir following her in silence, she comfortably sat on it, putting her latop over her thigh.
Randhir disbelievingly stared at her. "You made all the fuss downstairs just because you wanted to use your laptop" he asked her rising his eyebrow. She did not reply. "You could have just brought it to my room while i was exercising" said randhir.
"First of all, reading news and broadening one's knowledge is not a waste of time. On the contrary...Knowledge open your eyes and helps you understands the world around you, it also helps your forge your own thinking and point of views... you never have enough knowledge" she told him in a scolding manner.
True.
"And second of all, it's not like you gave me much choice..." she scowled at him remembering how he lifted her without any prior warning.
And True. He sighed.
Sanyukta started reading news while Randhir just sat next to her.
"Hey look at that !" Said sanyu. "This experiement is unbeleivable..." Randhir came close to sanyukta and looked at the screen, an article entitled "First brain to brain communication between people 5000 miles apart" was displayed.
"Researchers have successfully carried out the first brain to brain communication, the emitter subject thought a word, the correspoding brain activity has been captured through sensor and has been injected to the receiver subject. The receiver successfully received the word."
"Is not it mind blowing ?"
"Yeah" was all Randhir said.
"Yeah, that's all you have to say ?" She quoted turning toward him.
Her breath hitched at how close he was to her. There were both sitting on the bed next to each other, randhir was resting on his elbow, making him one head smaller than her. He was staring up at her while she was lost looking down at him. His dark brown eye had kept her transfixed by their depth. Randhir raised his eye brow. It was enough to break the spell. Sanyukta quickly composed herself and proceeded as if nothing happened, praying that he would not hear the increase in her heartbeat.
"Come on Mr.Gangster that can almost be considered as telepathy !" She exclaimed. "Just imagine what you could do with it ! Communicating with a person without talking... that's ...that's magic" she said totally in awe.
"Yeah now that i think of it, it could definitely revolutionize robberies !" Said Randhir thinking of his own benefits.
Sanyukta rolled her eyes "Out of everthing, you thought about robberies ?... why am I not surprised" she said. Gangsters will stay gangsters...she shook her head.
Sanyukta kept on reading news was Randhir analyzed her. How her eyes darted from left to right, how they blinked every 5 seconds, how they twinkled after reading an exciting news. How she frowned upon reading an upsetting article. How her fingers danced on the keyboard. She had long delicate fingers, perfectly polished nails...he could not help but wondered how would they feel running up and down his chest... At this thought some part of his body awakened. He groaned... Seriously ?! Was this seriously the after effect of him staring at the hand of this annoying woman.
He groaned... stupid male anatomy !