After taking a relaxing bath, Sanyukta came back to Randhir's room, wearing her royal blue shirt over black skinny pants looking absolutely stunning and refreshed. She noticed him getting out of the bathroom doing his buttons, looking sexy as always in his black shirt over stone washed denims. As he finished she forwarded her wrist before him.
Randhir noticed her and took another set of handcuffs latching them around their wrists...Again ! Getting back to square one. Trapped. Suddenly she felt like that unfortunate little mouse... trapped during one of his quest of the holy cheese... she so desperately wanted to get out of this trap that she was ready to trade the much coveted prize : keep the cheese, but PLEASE get me out of here ! ...Unfortunately for her, her cry of help went unnoticed.
They reached the breakfast table in silence and ate up the same way without arguing, raising everybody's brows. Now that was definitely a first.
Something had changed yesterday... Randhir's actions had opened Sanyukta's eyes... And she had questioned herself... true he always coaxed her into physical intimacy... but had she ever firmly rejected him ?...no... true his proximity did things to her she had not felt before... but had she ever thought about the consequences of such closeness ?...no... but yesterday she thought about it... she thought about his actions, her own actions, their consequences... and she came to the following conclusion : such combination could be deadly ! ...and so she had decided, ...no more free flirting, no more open mouth drooling and no more shameless check out...nothing, no, not now, not ever ! She was done ! From now on everything will be business related, business related talks and business like behavior ...just pure and plain business ! No more getting into the other's personal space... well as far as being handcuffed permitted... !
Once finished with their breakfast, the pair moved towards the lounge. The atmosphere was tense between them.
"So... do you have any ideas on how to take down Raghav?" asked Randhir striking the conversation. He had noticed Sanyukta's unusual quietness. Usually she would be constantly blabbering her nonsense, irritating him in every possible way. But today, she was calm... way too calm... and it intrigued him somewhere. He suspected it had something to do with the previous night's events. Ok more than suspected...he was sure of it, he had kind of humiliated her...but come on she had asked for it. He just wanted to show her, she was not above anyone, they were all equal with their own qualities and flaws...
"Well I haven't thought much about it...I guess I am just going to trace his links and then decide on it" she remarked adjusting her specs, directly answering his question, yup pure business related !
"Riiight...and maybe you will also wait for him to die all naturally in some years by the time you trail down his links and all..." He taunted her back, trying to stir a reaction from her.
"Riiight !" she mimicked him " and it looks like that someone is ever so eager to pull the trigger...You have your say then..." she retaliated, she might have decided to behave business like, but it did not mean she was going to take sh*t from him. ...I may have lost a battle but I have no intention of surrendering, thought Sanyukta, mentally picturing herself into a war attire, helmet adjusted on her head, shield held on a firm grip and weapon pointed out. ...Attaaack !!!!
"Well we can plan an attack..." Randhir spoke hesitantly, cutting short Sanyukta's war fantasies.
At his words Sanyukta nearly gasped, wow what a synchronization ! She had just mentally finished equipping herself for an attack when Randhir suggested the exact same thing !...they were starting to think alike...that was definitely not a good sign concluded Sanyukta in her mind.
...But wait a second, there was something very wrong in that picture...to go on a war, there had to be an army ! ...but all she could see she was poor little them like 5 little rabbits against a whole army !...okey may be not 5 little rabbits, may be 4 horses and 1 little rabbit...Okey Okey ! Fine ! ...More like 1 lion, 3 horses and 1 little rabbit , she corrected herself, assigning to each of them the animals that best corresponded to their personality. She decided to expos the little problem to Randhir.
"Yeah why not ? just the 5 of us against a hundred man... a fair battle, indeed !" Sanyukta countered with sarcasm, pointing out the absurdity in his plan.
"Oh...then maybe you can cook up something better in that Falcon brain of yours..." he responded back.
"Well...if not that, I would surely make him fall into police's radar by unveiling his illegal deeds..." Sanyukta said after thinking a bit.
"Genius...that was" came his sarcastic smile, "I hope you aren't forgetting he's a politician with a lot of influence, little evidences won't reach him" it was now his turn to smirk.
They were taking pleasure in refuting each other's ideas.
"So... you think of more then...you must have a Plan 'b'" she quoted with her fingers, "every gangster has a plan B" she added as if remembering something. ...what ? that how it goes in movies !
"Oh hello, this is not a movie here, this is real life we are talking about, a plan does not just appear out of a snap of fingers... it takes time to build up." He explained , if she thought that was easy, she had another thing coming her way. He recalled nights and nights of works, planning, gathering, calculating, checking, double checking, finalizing every little detail before acting. It was not a video game with a set of lives, ek gayi to dusri istemal karli ...Their life depended on it, one small mistake could cost them dearly !
"Well... We can try out something like trapping him..." tired Sanyukta.
"Hmmm...trapping him into confession..." Randhir added to which he nodded... "Yeah that sounds like a plan..."
They looked at each other, finally something they both descended on equally. After the heavy debate they finally ended on a common note. Agreeing on this solution both fell silence.
After a few minutes, Sanyukta's curiosity won and she broke the silence
"That reminds me...Why are you behind him?" Sanyukta asked softly removing her specs and keeping them away. ...So much for remaining business like...she sighed. ...She remembered the night when he came to her, drunk. He had said something about children traffic... was Raghav involved in this ? was it why he was after him, or there was another reason ? He had let slip some information in a moment of weakness, but she could not build up her opinion just on the basis of a half complete, half munched confession pronounced by a drunk man in a fit of anger... no the puzzle was not complete, some pieces were still missing. ...What were Vidushi, parth and Sahil doing with him when they had a pretty good profile ? ...and even when they seemed like decent people and supposedly had a noble cause, they still did weapon dealings and killed people. She sighed... there were so many mysteries around them ! ...and the biggest of them all : the living corpse ! Yeah the devil who was supposed to be dead !
"I could return the same question to you..." said Randhir, breaking Sanyukta chain of endless questions. "Why are you chasing him?" he returned her the question. He had wanted to know the reason for a long time now... Why would she be after him ?
"As far as I know, he does not meet the criteria of your circle of acquaintances ?" he added looking intently in her eyes, observing that tinge of something passed in them. She gazed back into his brown dark ones, for those unknown depths they held. Randhir didn't know about her other activities... sure he knew she was Falcon...but he didn't know that she used her skill to help in legal matters... Could she tell him about her case ? ...No, she couldn't, it was not her place to tell. It was confidential information about her client, she couldn't just give it away, that was not right, besides it was a rape case, she just couldn't disclose it, Monica trusted her... her every clients trusted her with discretion... and she could not break their trust !
Sanyu decided to break the silence "Ok I guess it was already settled down, no questions, no complications" she said recalling the cords she said she came offered the deal.
***
Sahil called Randhir and Sanyukta at the dining table, the table looked no less than a 5-star hotel buffet. Every type of delicacies were laddered upon it, making one mouth drool from anticipation of tasting those amazing looking dishes. Near the table stood Sahil like a butler who's just got 500 rupee tip.
"What's the occasion?" Sanyukta asked in her puzzled state while Randhir just pulled the chair about to sit down.
"Well...this is for you... my love...So that I know more about your choice..." Sahil winked flirting with Sanyukta, while Randhir just rolled his eyes at his cheesy line.
"What's the catch Sahil ? " Randhir's harsh voice broke his smile...
"It's lesson number 2..." Sahil announced "You guys are starting to understand the basics of each other's behavior..." he started looking from Sanyukta to Randhir and back. ...As if, thought Sanyukta, if only he knew how well they were getting along... !
"As you know we don't have much time...Raghav should be dealt with as soon as possible... So it's time to speed up the process !" he informed them.
"It is now time that you understand each other without words..."
Randhir and Sanyukta look at him like he has grown a second head. ...They already had a HUGE problem communicating with clearly spoken words... what did he expected ?
"Let me explain guys, before killing me with you glares" he told them eyeing them cautiously, as if they were ready to pounce at him...which they certainly were...
"You will sit in front of each other." Sahil started. "Randhir you will just look at all the dishes on table without a word" Randhir shrugged. What was difficult about that ?
"Now Sanyukta you will sit in front of him and observe Randhir... you will have to guess the dish he wants to eat". Okey...Sanyukta thought it will be easy.
"Then we will switch the roles" he finished setting the rules.
They take their places and Randhir looked at all the dishes one by one. He started mopping his eyes from bowl to plate to bowl, with a poker face. Sanyukta closely looked at him, trying to locate any movements.
It had been one minute he was looking at all the dishes, Sanyukta couldn't figure out which he wants. He didn't react...at all! ...no shining eyes, no drooling, no twitch of lips...nothing ! She muttered her breath "Bloody gangster !...It's like asking a stone to move" She got frustrated. It had been 3 minutes and still no sign, no clue.
She got fed up and shouted at him "Theek se dekho na ! " Randhir only glared at her.
After a moment she caught a slight almost inexistent movement in his eyes while eyeing the pizza, she rechecked her theory to make sure. She had it !
"PIZZA !" she said.
"Finally !" said Randhir, " Took you long enough !"
"Not my fault you are as static as a robot" she retorted back, putting all the blame on him.
"OK ok guys, now Sanyukta you have to feed him and stop when you feel like he is full" said Sahil, announcing the second part of the task.
Sanyukta looked at him, is he seriously serious ? when he blankly looked back at her, as if saying "you-are-doing-it-no-matter-what-so-just-deal-with-it" she sighed resigned.
Sanyukta took a slice of pizza and forwarded it to his mouth, they looked in each other eyes while Sanyukta fed him. It felt weird. Just when Sanyukta was about to take another slice, Randhir detached his eyes from hers and looked at her hands and then back to her eyes. Sanyukta took it as her clue and stopped feeding him.
"At least you managed this task" Randhir taunted her, but confirming that she had indeed understood his unspoken words.
"Ok guys switch the roles" arbitrated Sahil.
Sanyukta was now looking at the dishes. Randhir instantly caught her smiling at the remaining pizza. He took it.
Sanyukta pouted and said "How so fast ?" It had taken her so much time to decipher him while he did it in less than 10 seconds...so not fair !
"Not everyone is as slow as you" said Randhir
"Besides it's not my fault you were almost drooling over the pizza" he rolled he eyes.
They moved to the feeding part. Randhir forwarded his hand toward her mouth, he had never ever fed anyone in his life... he felt weird doing so... his fingers caressed her soft lips, lingering on them a little longer than needed...the gesture didn't went unnoticed by Sanyukta...had he done that on purpose ?...may be not ?...she was about to make a comment when she settled for silence... making a comment will only make him aware of her noticing the details about him... and she didn't wanted that, not after what happened last night. So settled for indifference...as if none of this affected her...Big fat lie !
After sometime she sighed. Not taking the hint, Randhir kept on feeding her. She sighed again.
"How much are you going to eat ?" Randhir said tired. It had been the 4th slice and she was still sighing in contentment... even his hand was tired from feeding her !
She sighed again as he take another slice in his hand. He looked at her for any sign... Randhir intently looked at her face, then moved down, he gawked at her slender neckline that joined to the prominent collar bone, which stood out from her translucent fabric. She noticed his eyes dangerously nearing the area of her chest. Bang on, the next moment she knew he was shamelessly staring at her chest... she scowled at him. "Eyes up here" she snapped her finger in front of him.
Randhir smirked and said "Only checking for signs"...Oh this annoying smirk !!
Sanyukta angrily pushed his hand away saying "I am done for the past 5 minutes but you keep on feeding me" she glared at him "Because of you I ate too much...! ...Urghh you distorted all my calculations ! I am supposed to take 2150 calories per day to maintain my weight..."
"Look what you did... you made me exceeded my quota... and it is only lunch time... what am going to do now ?... starve till tomorrow ?! " she mumbled huffing and puffing.
"Agar mere weight bara na, believe me me tume chorungi nahi" she announced pointing a finger at him.
"You kept on sighing... I thought you were enjoying it." Randhir defended himself, not wanting to go into the details of her calories calculations.
"I don't sigh when I enjoy something, I sigh when I am upset or tired" she informed him.
"Now now guys, it was not that bad was it ?" interjected Sahil. Randhir and Sanyukta glared at each other.
"Ok whatever, go on your way, we will see later for another exercise" sighed Sahil. At least they had played the game.
***
Parth was lost in his thought when the sound of giggles reached his ears. He followed the noise to find its source.
"Yeah that was fun" he heard her say. Vidushi was talking to someone over the phone... and from the glow on her face she was enjoying it. Who could that be, he wondered. They had known each other from the past 2 years... and from what he knew she had not close friend with whom she talked so freely. Not that had paid much attention...
"Yeah I would love to do that again, that was amazing" she added. What was she talking about ?
"Yeah one of the craziest night I have to admit" she kept one, oblivious to the person listening to her conversation. Parth was now very curious, and hearing only one side of the conversation without any clue on the gender of the person on the other end of the line was seriously getting on his nerves.
"Yeah see ya" she hung up. Turning toward Parth, taking him by surprise. But he quickly composed himself, and came straight to the point.
"Who was that ?" he asked.
"It's rude to listen to someone else conversation." said Vidushi.
"I asked who was that" he repeated his question louder.
"A friend" replied Vidushi. Parth desperately wanted to add " the gender ?" but he had no right...and why he was bothering anyway...it was no one of his business after all. And why did he listen to her conversation in the first place ?... without any explanation he left...leaving a confused staring at his retreating figure.
***
Both were sitting on the sofa. Randhir was checking something on his phone while Sanyukta was lost in her thoughts.
She was missing her daughter, feeling home sick, she wanted to call her daughter, but obviously didn't want to do it in front of Randhir, she wanted privacy. Besides she needed to talk to Karan. She sighed. Since yesterday, she was feeling a little bit low, yeah she was a fighter but even fighters had the right to feel low at times, hadn't they ?...and now was one of those times, she just wanted to go home, hugged her baby, hug Karan and hide out under the comfort of her duvet with a box of chocolates...Ferroro Rocher preferably ! She sighed again !
Randhir noticed the dilemma and worry on her face.
"Does this sigh means that you are upset" he inquired referring to what she said earlier at the table.
Sanyukta looked at him and snapped "None of your business". She was simply not in the mood. There were times when you just wanted to leash out your frustration on the first person in front of you, no matter he was at fault or not. Now was one of those times. And it just happened Randhir was in front of her. ...And her mind screamed at her to proceed with it as Randhir was not some random victim, he was partially the cause of her distress...after what he had put her through yesterday... he deserved it !
Randhir who just spoke out of curiosity, was taken aback by her aggressiveness.
"You are weird" he stated after pause.
"Funny coming from a short tempered, deranged barbarian..." she retorted back... To her surprise Randhir started to laugh.
"Even if you are an egoistic little brat, I have to admit you are entertaining !"
Now that was not the result Sanyukta was looking for, she wanted him to get mad, to yell, to loose control...not coolly respond to her. It only soured her mood. She was about to say something mean but change totally her words.
"You know what ?... I don't even want to argue with you, you disgust me" She didn't not know what possessed her but she just wanted to hurt him... It was a weird feeling. Sometime you don't have an explanation, it's just the stress of the day, the tiredness, the sadness... and you just want to take it out. So you take it out on the first person in front of you. And that was exactly what she was doing. Leashing out on him was appeasing her !
Randhir got angry hearing this, if he remember well it was the same kind of lines that made him do what he did yesterday...So miss high and mighty still thought she was better than him... Seems like he had no other choice that to remind her what happened yesterday.
"That's not the feeling I got when we kissed" he reminded her, he knew that was a weak point. "...You seemed quite smitten, if I may add" he said marking his point.
Sanyukta glared and him and said "Responding to a kiss does not necessarily mean you are smitten" she started. "I often kiss Tommy...my dog, it does not mean I am infatuated with him !" she taunted him.
Now that didn't settled well with Randhir, not only she had insulted him, comparing him to a dog, but she also insinuated that the kisses didn't affect her. The latter surely wounded his ego...well the first one too, being compared to a dog was not very ego boosting... but the second fact was the one that made him the most angry, It enraged him to know that the kissed had not affected her the way they affected him. In anger, he tightly grabbed her jaw and moved her closer to his face, her lips just inches away from his own.
Sanyukta was always nervous being this close to him, an contrary to what she said, the kiss deeply affected her... but she was not going to show that, not now when she had so positively stated that the kissed didn't not affected her. ...Now the only way to stop him and save her ego was to say something mean so that he stopped advancing.
"You only take what you want by force... you know you can't have it otherwise... therefore you use force !" she said venom coating her words, in a desperate attempt to make him retreat.
These words only fueled his anger, she basically said that he wanted her but couldn't have her... that he was forcing her ?!!!! SERIOUSLY...she thought he was a monster, right ? she said he took without asking, right ?... then he will show her just how much of a monster he really was. Blinded by rage, he decreased the distance between them crashing his lips on her parted ones.
He assaulted her lips kissing her angrily, pouring all the anger, all the frustration in it. His right hand snaked her waist and crushed her to him. Her hands rested on his chest, she could feel the defined line of his muscles under her palms. She shuddered. Her softness were slightly touching his hard chest, making her all the more conscious of their dangerous proximity. He continued to kiss her satisfying his hunger and calming down his nerves. Sanyukta made no attempt to move, her mind numb, completely surrendering to this devil kiss that shut all her other senses. They were both getting out of breath, Randhir harshly pushed her making her stumble back, breaking the spell that had fallen upon them.
That made Sanyukta come out of her trance, reality of what happened dawning on her... The way he had pushed her only proving how wrong this kiss was... but damn why did it felt so good ?!
"You got it right, I only take by force, expecting anything else would be your own foolishness" he said glaring at her.
His words were like a slap on her face. Again ! She didn't know how things got so far...
"As for wanting you... well let's put it that way you are just a time pass, a number in a list" he smirked. If she could stay indifferent, then he could too. "How they say ?...hump and dump..." he sneered evilly.
it was sanyukta's turn to be furious. She was a number in a list ?! A BLOODY NUMBER ?
"Never ever again lay your disgusting hands on me" she yelled at him.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
Both had gone too far in their rage.
Challenging her, Randhir did the exact opposite, he grab her by the waist and crashed her against himself again.
Seeing that, Sanyukta did the only thing that came to her mind...she slapped him ! The sound of the slap resonated in the room, the impact made Randhir head turn, his jaw clenched not believing what had happened. The woman had dared to lay a hand on him...no one, no one slapped him !!! He was in a murderous mood now. He removed his hand from her waist and grabbed her neck, applying pressure on it.
Sanyukta stared at him, she looked from his eyes to the hand on her neck and smirked "Exactly my point... asserting your dominance using your strength" confirming that he indeed always used his strength to come to his ends.
Randhir painfully grabbed her hair and once again crushed her lips with his own. He nibbled them, sucked them trying to hurt her as much as possible. His grip on her tightening, as he pressed her more to himself, leaving no space between them. Sanyukta didn't not move...but a lone tear escaped her eye. She may have been a strong person, but she was still a human being, a human being with emotion... and right now her emotions were a wreck. Anger, pleasure, sadness, lust, humiliation everything was clashing with one another...
Randhir felt her stop wriggling, he sensed her resignation through her actions, she was not struggling any more... when he opened his eyes he saw the tear running down her cheek. He immediately pulled away.
Sanyukta looked at him and whispered "You always force me to kiss you".
That angered Randhir again, it was like any words that came out of her mouth had the only same purpose : enraging him. Again and again ! ...He never heard her complain... he was not one to force himself on girls for god sake. He knew she enjoyed it as much as he did, he had seen his effect on her... and still she was blaming all on him ! Wow ! This girl was messing up with him ! He could not take it anymore. He had to get away or it will not end well. He was in murderous mood, she had said too much, on more wrong word and god knows he was just seconds away from shooting her.
He grabbed his gun, and quickly shot he handcuff, releasing them both.
"Leave !... Leave before I pull a bullet through your head" he said in a cold and threatening voice.
Without a word, Sanyukta left.