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What? Is he serious? He wants me to give this marriage a chance? He wants me to stay back for him. No more pretense, no more games and no more revenge. But it’s scary. I don’t think after what I faced with Mohit and Aarav after returning to India, I have enough faith in any of them to start over my life again. It’s too soon. I am still bruised, hurt and overwhelmed for letting my guard down so badly and letting Aarav have his way with me at this moment. But not anymore. For now, I don’t need him around me, even if he has everything I ever craved for, to offer me.

Aarav opens his mouth to speak again but I don’t stay there anymore to listen. I run back to my room. This is not his fault, it’s mine too. I coaxed him … he melted .. things ignited, and I gave the most unimaginably intimate goodbye moment for both of us which I don’t think can ever wipe off from our minds.

CHAPTER 27

Aarav

12 Hours Later

I stare at the room which Jhanvi occupied when she stayed here in the AR Mansion. It’s vacant because she’s gone. Her flight will be in mid-air by now. It’s been 12 hours since she left this place. Since last week, I haven't stopped Jhanvi from taking any of her life’s decisions. She decided to fly to London, I didn’t rebuke. She met the other Raichands, I didn’t mind, but last night when she demanded to know the reason for my silence and how far I can go to convince her to stay, I couldn’t control myself. She was drunk and coaxing me and God knows how close I was to rip her clothes off and show her how much I wanted her in my life, to exhaust her with my passion and torture her with my touch in ways she would have never dreamt of.

I knew she was leaving and there was nothing I could do to stop her except confront Jhanvi that I was willing to give her what she dreamt of – a real marriage. All these weeks, I have used her as a pawn, but I always knew she was going to be the only woman in my life whom I will have to bow to someday. Didn’t know it would be so soon. Ever since I got to know she was leaving for London, my heart went for a toss. I knew I needed her with me, but admitting that was a problem. After whatever I made her go through here in the past few weeks, I knew she needed some seclusion from me and that’s what I gave her the last few days hoping she would miss me, become curious about my next moves and that’s exactly what happened. She kept checking with Aman, Jaya and my servants about my whereabouts. And last night barged into my study looking for sleeping pills. Last night!! It was everything I never expected to happen between us so soon. The kiss!! It wasn’t just a kiss!! It had a whole new meaning of its own – more than a kiss, less than a make out. What do I call it then? I don’t know. Our first mutual intimate moment, which we both desired, craved and never wanted to end. I had thrown a few hints when I kissed her, to show her what more I wanted from her, from us… as a couple. My fingers had grazed every inch of her navel, sliding in and out of her belly button, clearly projecting that raw need I desired her to fulfil.. which turned me on every time I thought about her. It had scared Jhanvi and though she tried running away, I didn’t let her go simply because I wasn’t finished. I don’t think I can ever finish with her without devouring her until my heart is satiated.

I didn’t watch her leave today, not even checked the live camera feeds, as I knew I would lose my control and wouldn’t let her go. It would take me a minute to stop Jhanvi from flying to London. I’d have used any tactic, any trick to keep her glued to me, but this is not how I want her in my life. This distance between us was necessary for Jhanvi to take the space she needs to think on my lines. To feel my need and to believe that no matter where she goes, she only belongs in my arms. I’m madly, irrevocably fallen for my pawn turned Queen and the good part is that she already knows.

CHAPTER 28

Jhanvi

2 MONTHS LATER

I don’t want to wake up. It’s a beautiful dream. I am laughing. My eyes have that spark again, and I look happy. It seems like a beautiful Sunday morning and I am in my kitchen making breakfast, when suddenly a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, drawing my back to his chest. It’s a man!! I can feel him behind me, rubbing his two-day-old stubble on my exposed neck and shoulder blade. God, it’s prickly but I love that feeling on my skin. I giggle when his fingers stroke every inch of my stomach over my navy-blue satin robe. It’s pure bliss. This is what I missed in my life. The need to be devoured and loved. There are bluish-red marks on my neck and though it’s just a dream, they scare me, but not for long when I analyze them closely. They are love bites. The man who has secured me in his arms have given me those and I proudly own them now. Bliss!! He whispers something in my ears. What did he say? I want to hear that. I really want to know what made me blush so hard. I snuggle closer to him. Wish I could see his face. I want this dream to continue for eternity. I press my eyes tight, not willing to wake up. His fingers dip in my belly button, sliding in and out over the satin robe, and my breath hitches. I might not see his face clearly but I know who he is. Only one man has done that to me.Aarav Raichand.

My eyes open wide while I sit on the bed, gasping for air. It’s morning and I’m flushed by the dream. What the hell was that? But nothing new, isn’t it? Ever since I have returned to London, Aarav Raichand has been haunting me daily in my sleep.

I turn off my alarm and step down from the bed. I have been sleeping well though and without the pills which is a significant change in itself. All thanks to the appointment Jaya took with one of the best psychologists in London. When she heard all my past and present, she started with the suitable therapy for me and ever since then I feel more positive and happier. I brew some coffee and check my emails. The Sikand Charity trust I am currently spearheading is pitching for some sponsors for our new upliftment initiative for single mothers both in London and India. We started working on this cause on priority since I returned here. There are people and companies already sponsoring the orphans and old-age homes. Not many of them established yet to fund single mothers, which is why I set this initiative as my priority over every other we had in line.Is that it?My subconscious mind pokes. Fine!! I also did this because now I realize how difficult it would have been for Aarav’s mother to raise him alone, without her husband’s money or support. I’d heard when Mahendra Raichand (Aarav’s father) was alive, he paid for their living, but after his death, Geeta Raichand got nothing, not even his name. It breaks my heart thinking how she might have done everything alone.

I break my thoughts on Raichands, finish the coffee, and head for a shower. But once again, my thoughts drift to Aarav as I see his bracelet hanging on my wrist. This is the only thing I have of him. When I left India, it slipped my mind to ask him to take it off. Suddenly, memories of the night before I flew flash before my eyes, freezing me under the hot shower. Our kiss. I initiated that kiss and I own it. I don’t think only a shot of drink was responsible for that behavior. It was so not me that moment, yet it was all me who felt streaks of attraction for Aarav’s motive of revenge, his obsession to marry me and keep me glued. Not sure about Aarav, but I definitely had no control over that kiss. He led it and when I tried to run away, he trapped me again, saying he wasn’t finished and claimed my mouth, ruining me for every other man on earth just by his kiss. The confession which followed thereafter felt like the final nail in the coffin. He confessed wanting our marriage to work and promised me a lifetime commitment and maddening chemistry which I don’t deny we had that moment. And most importantly, he claimed to choose me over everything and anything in this world, including his revenge. His exact words still echo in my head every moment I think about him.

“I know you wanted to be chosen for and by love and I promise to give you all that and in abundance.”

“I choose you, Jaan, over every pain, happiness and motives I have had so far. Don’t leave me.”

If any other man had said those things to me, I would be putty in his hands. But we were talking about Aarav Raichand and I knew nothing much about him except that he’s hated the other Raichands all his life and been passionate to avenge them. I couldn’t give a man like him my heart, whom I didn’t know beyond that. It felt scary. He felt scary.

After finishing my shower, I head to work. A few back-to-back meetings with my team and the day just flies. I’m still in my cabin, doing something on my laptop and so lost in it that I don’t realize when Jaya enters the cabin and even catches me red-handed.

“Googling about Aarav Raichand, huh?”

I jerk at her voice.

“Gosh. You scared me,” I shout while sipping the coffee which has turned cold. My secretary Darcy got this coffee for me an hour ago when I had just started exploring Aarav’s life on Google. Time really flies!!

“You are scaring me too, Jhanvi,” Jaya replies, drawing a chair closer to mine and snatching the wireless mouse from my hand. “Why are you even thinking about Aarav anymore? I thought he was a closed chapter.”

She keeps scrolling the page, focusing completely on the laptop now, not me. I wanted to close this chapter between me and Aarav, but I don’t think that’s easy. Ever since that heated kiss, my mind has urged me to know more about him, to think of what he was ready to offer me. Does that offer still stand? I don’t know. There’s literally been no contact between us ever since I am here.

“What exactly were you looking about him?” Jaya curiously asks, drawing my attention back to her.

“Nothing in particular.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying. Just trying to understand this man, actually. I mean, I found nothing suspicious about him, anything that can prove he is brutal and arrogant with everyone. There are so many articles which say good things about him too and of course apart from DG group he has destroyed no other company. Does that make him a good man?”

Jaya sighs rolling her eyes. Well!! Whom am I asking? Jaya hates him more than I do. She continues to scroll the webpage which has some cool pictures of Aarav in business suits, attending charities, conferences and business events.

“Is he on social media? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram?” she queries.

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