Page 81 of One Hellish Love

“You hate being touched by a woman. I get it,” she added, trying to make sense of his fear.

“That has nothing to do with marriage,” he shot back, surprising her with his bluntness.

Kashish studied his face, her mind racing.

“Oh, I see. So,youdon’t mind touching a woman, but she can’t touch you. Is that it?”

What the hell were they even talking about? Rudra felt an immediate discomfort, his gaze shifting back to the window. He wasn’t ready to engage in this conversation, not with her. But Kashish, being Kashish, couldn’t leave it alone. She was oddly relieved, like a weight had been lifted. Maybe he wasn’t as broken as she thought. Maybe he could have a life partner, lead a somewhat normal life.

“Holy Lord. You won’t believe how relieved I am. It’s like someone lifted a boulder off my chest. I honestly thought you’d never be able to sleep with a woman,” she blurted out without thinking.

Rudra’s silence was louder than any response. He didn’t flinch or acknowledge her words, and she couldn’t help but stare at his face, searching for any reaction.

“Does your family know about... what happened?” she asked, her voice softening.

He took a moment before answering.

“No.”

Kashish swallowed hard.

“How did Lavina find out?”

“I confided in her. Clearly, that was a mistake. She told you,” he replied, his tone clipped.

“She didn’t mean to. She thought I already knew, and I did… part of it. The night you told me how horrifying your time was in that juvenile home, and about the molestation…” Kashish’s voicetrailed off, but before she could finish, Rudra’s jaw tightened, and he cut her off.

“Stop! I don’t want to go over that again,” he snapped.

She immediately backed off, respecting the boundary he’d drawn. It was obvious how much pain this caused him, and she had no right to dig deeper into his wounds.

“I got what I deserved,” he muttered, grief darkening his words.

Now her blood boiled at his self-condemnation.

“No. That’s wrong. No one deserves to be molested. That’s not punishment; it’s a crime. A crime committed by monsters who destroy lives. Those people deserve to rot in prison, not you,” she fired back with conviction.

Rudra didn’t respond, his silence even heavier than before. Realizing the topic was going nowhere productive, Kashish shifted gears.

“You should see a psychiatrist. It’ll help you heal,” she suggested.

“I don’t want to be healed,” he said coldly.

Kashish’s frustration bubbled over.

“Why are you so damn stubborn? Let people in, Rudra. Let them touch your heart before it’s too late.”

“I don’t have a heart,” he growled, clearly sick of her attempts to reach him.

“Oh, you do. It’s right here.” She reached out, trying to touch his chest, but before she could, his hand shot out, gripping her wrist like a vice.

The sudden contact jolted her, and she felt a sharp pang in her stomach. His grip was strong, his warning unmistakable.

“Don’t ever do that again,” he warned, his eyes dark and cold.

Kashish recoiled, her fingers pulling back instantly. His grip loosened. She hadn’t realized how close she was to crossing a line. As Mohan parked the car, she blinked in surprise. Theywere already at the office? The ride felt like it had passed in a blur of heavy conversation. Rudra wasted no time getting out and heading inside, his long strides carrying him away from the tension-filled car.

Kashish followed slowly, her mind spinning. This man was hollow inside, scarred so deeply that it would take years for him to feel whole again. What woman could have the patience to deal with his demons? She shut her eyes briefly, trying to clear her thoughts.Enough, Kashish. Stop thinking about him. He’s getting under your skin, and that’s the last thing you need,her rational mind scolded her.

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