Chapter 108: chapter 108

SRUTHII wait in anticipation for Madhav's response. I don’t have the faintest idea how he’ll react to my words. After thinking it through, I realized both my brother and Madhav were right to believe that if I ever learned my brother was infertile, I’d try to have a child myself to secure his position. I don’t want anything to threaten my brother’s place. The ministers would create a huge fuss if they found out about his condition. They’d push him for an heir, and if he couldn’t provide one, they’d make him resign. I can’t let that happen. So, my plan is to have my brother name my child—if I give birth to one and if Madhav agrees—as his heir. That would silence the ministers, who are obsessed with bloodlines and legacy.“That would be an honor for me,” Madhav says in a sincere tone. My mouth drops open in shock, then closes again. I didn't expected him to agree so easily.“Honor? There’s no honor in that position. Only horror.” I scrunch up my face in disgust, thinking about the lengths my brother went through to become the man he is now. The training for the defense minister position is brutal—physically and mentally exhausting. I wouldn’t wish it on my child, but I also know that only an Ariyan could endure that kind of pressure.“I beg to differ, Sruthi,” Madhav says, guiding me to the couch. He sits down and pulls me onto his lap, his hands resting on my waist, while mine settle around his neck. “For me, a mere commoner, having my child grow up to become an important leader of this country is the greatest privilege I could ever hope for, second only to the privilege of marrying you. I know it will be hard for our child. Though Vikram never told me directly, I know how rigorous the training is. But with our support, I believe our child could survive it.”Sometimes I forget how differently people outside politics view leaders. To them, people like my brother are almost mythic figures, worthy of worship. Madhav, too, had no connection to this world before he met Vikram.“Have you ever felt awed,” I ask, “by the fact that you’re friends with the country’s defense minister?”“I have,” he admits. “Most of the time, I still see Vikram as the boy I met in juvenile. But every now and then, when his authority shows through, I’m reminded of who he really is.”I search for another question to ask, but he guesses my thoughts and says, “Don’t change the subject. We’ve had an elaborate discussion about our unborn kids, but why don’t we talk about the process?”Heat rushes to my face, and I look everywhere but at him. “Don’t misunderstand me. I want our child to be the heir, but that doesn’t mean I want to have a kid right now. Let things happen naturally.”“That’s too bad,” Madhav says, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I was expecting a hot and steamy night with you.”“You…” I can feel my skin turning the shade of a tomato. He opens his mouth again, but I press my hand over it to stop him from talking. The glint in his eyes only brightens, and then, playfully, he parts his lips a little and sticks out his tongue to lick my palm.My whole body tingles and I gasp in shock before I  pull my hand away. He only grins at me. “Is this payback for what I did to you in the self-defense session?”“Hmm, nope. Whatever happens in self-defense stays there and shouldn’t impact our daily lives. Talking about revenge, I still haven’t paid you back for what you did to me,” he says, a wicked smile on his lips.I frown. “What did I—?”Before I can finish, Madhav pulls me closer, and I realize he’s talking about the fierce kiss I gave him before he left the house. His smile is downright sinister, making him look more dangerous—and more attractive. He leans forward, closing the distance between us. His kiss is slow and certain, unhurried and gentle. His fingers trace small circles against my back, their warmth seeping through my shirt. I feel myself getting lost in the kiss, barely noticing as he shifts our position from sitting to lying down. Somehow, I’m on the couch with him above me, still kissing me, and my mind is too clouded to figure out how it happened.A soft sigh escapes me, and I blush at the sound. Madhav pulls back to look at me, his eyes dark and heated, mirroring my emotions. He begins to trail kisses down my neck.“Lavender,” he murmurs, his voice thick with desire. “It’s my favorite scent.” He leans in, pressing a soft kiss just below my ear. Another sigh escapes me, and I struggle to stay rational, but his kisses make it impossible to focus on anything but him.“Madhav,” I say, my tone a gentle warning. He goes still, pulling back with a suddenly serious expression. I sit up, realizing he’s misunderstood.He rakes a hand through his hair making it messy before turning to me with a concerned expression, “Was I too fast? Are you uncomfortable? Did I hurt you? I am—” He looks so adorably worried that I pull him closer and press a gentle, reassuring kiss to his lips. Slowly, he relaxes and kisses me back.“No, you weren’t too fast. I don’t feel uncomfortable with you. And you didn’t hurt me. I just wanted to tell you it’s past midnight, and we both have work tomorrow. Isn’t it time we went to bed?”“Oh.” Madhav glances at his watch, looking sheepish. “Sorry, I got so caught up in kissing you, I didn’t realize how late it was.”I pick up my phone and Bluetooth earbuds, glancing at him. He meets my eyes, and we hold each other’s gaze for a few seconds. His silver eyes shine with affection and longing. I lean down and press a soft kiss on his forehead. “Good night.”“Night,” he murmurs. It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him to share a bed with me, but I know what his default answer would be, so I swallow the words and give him a soft smile before walking to my room.He needs time, Sruthi. Wait, patiently.I’m two steps from my room when his warm hands wrap around me from behind. I relax into Madhav’s touch. We just had an intense make-out session, but there’s something deeply comforting about being in his arms. I just like being with him.“Thank you for waiting up for me,” Madhav whispers, his voice rough. He doesn’t have to say more for me to understand how much it means to him.“Don’t thank me for something I did for selfish reasons,” I answer. “I was waiting for you so I could see your handsome face before going to bed.”“You think I’m handsome?”“Come on, it’s not like you don’t know that. Ask the actress Anandhi. She’d write a fifty-page poem about your beauty.”“I don’t care about her opinion. I want to know yours,” he whines. Huffing out a breath, I turn around, his arms still wrapped around me.“You’re handsome,” I say softly, letting my fingers trace along his jaw.Madhav raises an eyebrow, his eyes playful. “More handsome than that neat, smart-looking Praveen?”I smirk, hearing the hint of jealousy in his voice. “Are you actually jealous of him?” I ask, already knowing the answer. Suddenly, all those scowls he threw at Praveen make perfect sense.He pulls me closer, his voice dropping to a low growl. “Maybe. So… who’s more handsome? Me, or him?”I laugh, drawing it out just to tease him. “Well… Praveen is smart and good-looking.” I pause, watching his frown deepen, then let my fingers tangle in his hair. “But I like your bad boy looks and messy hair more. I find you .ore attractive than him. Satisfied?”His frown melts into a slow, satisfied smile. “Very.”“Now, can I go to sleep? I need at least seven hours sleep to handle those little devils at school tomorrow.”Madhav nods but doesn’t let go of me. Instead, he surprises me with a question. “Can I share the bed with you?”❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥