Page 43 of One Hellish Love

Seeing her redden her own skin sparked something in him—an anger, a need to protect, and something else he couldn’t name.

“Here,” he thrust the handkerchief towards her again, and this time, she took it without protest. He moved away momentarily, only to return with a bottle of water, holding it out to her.

“Drink,” he demanded.

Still glaring at him, she hesitated but eventually drank. Her stomach churned, empty from barely eating all day. She gripped a nearby brick wall for support as Rudra dialed his phone. His attempt to make a call was met with frustration when the other end didn’t pick up.

“I’ll take you home,” he offered, extending his arm.

“No!” she shouted. “I’m not going with you!”

“You don’t have a choice,” he growled. “We’re at the client’s party, and I won’t let you make a scene. You’re coming with me. Now.”

Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her arm and began dragging her toward the parking lot.

“You’re walking too fast! My sandals—ouch!” she cried, just as one of her heels snapped. She stumbled.

“That was my favorite sandal,” she mumbled, her voice quivering.

The alcohol was making her babble, but Rudra was far beyond reason now. Without another word, he scooped her up over his shoulder. She kicked and struggled, furious.

“This is ridiculous! You can’t just—” she pounded his back with her fists.

“You left me no choice,” he growled, holding her tighter as he strode to the car. His driver immediately opened the door, and Rudra set her down in the backseat, sliding in beside her. When she made a move to exit from the other side, he grabbed her hand, forcing her to stay.

“Stop misbehaving,” he scolded.

“Stop intimidating me!” she fired back.

“Take us home,” Rudra ordered the driver, ignoring her protests as the car sped away from the venue.

Kashish’s head started to spin, and she leaned back in her seat, eyes closing. At first, Rudra watched her with anger, but as she fell asleep, his anger melted into something softer. Her hair kept falling in her face, and before he could stop himself, he gently tucked it behind her ear. His heart felt a little lighter, knowing that despite her risky behavior that day, he had been able to keep her safe. He knew she’d never thank him for it, but that didn’t matter to him.

The car took a sharp turn, and suddenly her head fell onto his shoulder. Rudra froze. He noticed how pale her cheeks were and fought the urge to touch them, wondering if his touch would bring color back to her face. But he stopped himself - it wouldn’t have been right. Still, he couldn’t help thinking that someday, when she was awake, he’d get to touch her face.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Raheja Mansion. Seeing how deeply asleep Kashish was, Rudra knew he’d have to carry her inside. Thankfully, no one saw them as he carefully took her to her room. He gently placed her on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her with a blanket. As she snuggled into her pillow, she started mumbling in her sleep.

“I hate you,” she said, suddenly clearer. “I hate you, Rudra Raheja.”

The words hit him like a physical blow, leaving an ache in his throat but there was nothing he could do. With a heavy heart, he turned off the lamp and left, heading to his own room.

******************

Kashish woke up with a start, her heart racing as the coldness of the room sank in. She instinctively rubbed her arms, trying to shake off the chill. It was only then that she realized she was still wearing the same black dress from the party last night. Panic surged through her. How had she gotten home? Her memory, clouded by the haze of last night, slowly started piecing together fragments—she had been sick, Rudra had come to her aid, offered her his handkerchief, then water, and later carried her to the car. She remembered it all, but not how she ended up in her bed.

Did he put her to bed? Her pulse quickened with indignation.How dare he touch me!

Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already 8:00 a.m. She had to get ready for work. As she leaned over to grab her phone from the side table, her eyes caught something—a pill. A hangover pill. He must have left it for her. Irritation bubbled up inside her. Who asked him to do all this? She had no intention of accepting his help, not now, not ever. But as soon as she swung her legs off the bed and stood up, a sharp wave of dizziness hit her. Her head throbbed painfully, and she realized there was no way she could survive the day like this. Begrudgingly, she swallowed the pill and headed for the shower.

By the time she joined Shekhar and Anjali at the breakfast table, she had composed herself, at least outwardly.

“Good morning,” she greeted them both, giving Anjali a quick hug.

“Morning. When did you come home last night?” Anjali asked, her tone full of concern.

“And who dropped you off?” Shekhar added, his curiosity piqued.

Kashish wasn’t sure how to explain last night. How could she admit she had been drunk on cocktails and needed rescuing? Before she could respond, Rudra’s voice cut through the air. He was coming downstairs, speaking on his Bluetooth, his presence instantly making her feel trapped. Her breath caught in her throat.Did he really carry me to my room? This man, who I despise, protected me?

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