Page 7 of Chasing Hope

Mahika elbowed her in the ribs and Hope hissed like a venomous snake. ‘I swear to God. You are testing my limits. Is every damn thing a joke to you guys—’

‘Sir we were unable to find the camera.’ A blurry man barged into the room just as the massive golden clock on the wall struck 2am. Were the hands of the clock naked women? Hope squinted to get a better look. And boy did she regret it. That’s it, Hope had seen it all!

Himesh lifted the cigar with his thumb and finger. He forked his fingers through his slicked-back hair and lumbered towards Hope.

‘Well played, girls.’

Hope’s heart vibrated like the speakers in a rock concert. Anjana and Mahika stuck to her like they were glued to each other at the hip. Gathering courage from her partners in crime – pun intended – Hope eyed the despicable man boldly.

‘Do I need to elaborate on the power I hold? With a snap of my fingers, I can blow your channel’s reputation to bits.’ Himesh’s filthy gaze roamed over them. Hope’s stomach bottomed. A ball of rage laced with fear lodged in her throat, choking her. Anjana tightened her hand on Hope’s arm and Mahika grasped her palm. Hope gained courage from their undying support. ‘But I love a challenge. Especially if it comes in such a pretty packaging. Life is too mundane these days. And I’m always seeking some thrill,’ Himesh chuckled.

‘Be careful what you wish for,’ Hope said, her voice endowedwith fortitude.‘Wallow in these luxuries while they last. The inside of a cell ain’t this pretty.’

Chapter Five

‘Oh, how I love the texture of your skin. Smooth… buttery smooth.’ Ethan leaned closer and inhaled deeply. His eyes drifted shut and he let out a contented sigh. ‘Ahh I can breathe you in all day. You’re glowing with good health. I—’

‘We need to get you laid man,’ Aarav said, taking a sip of his chilled beer. Phoenix woofed in agreement. Ethan skimmed his finger over the feathery smooth rose petal and took a satisfying sniff. He cast them a glance and his mouth tugged up in a grin. Both Aarav and Phoenix were chilling like villains in the tropical corner, basking in the warmth of the morning sun. While Ethan tended to his plants, they both lazed on the patio swing. Lush green climbers formed an asymmetrical design along the walls in the Zen garden behind them. ‘You know a man is in deep trouble if he treats his plants like his lovers.’ Ignoring Aarav’s jab, Ethan’s fingers caressed the blooming red roses.

Plants of varied heights and colours disguised the walls giving it a vibe of a forest setting than a regular concrete balcony. The bright rays of the sun reflected off the antique mirror next to the bar bathing the garden in a pool of amber light. Ethan got to his feet and sauntered towards his vertical garden holding his herbs and home-grown vegetables. This was Ethan’s heaven. And his plants were his prized possessions.

‘Studies have proven that plants grow better if they are spoken to. It aids in their nourishment.’

‘It would be nice if you could put in this kind of effort to find a date for yourself.’

Ethan shrugged and let Aarav’s insults roll off his broad shoulders. It was a lovely Sunday morning. Ethan had had a crazy week in and out of the office. He intended to make the most of the pleasant weather. Nothing gave him more solace than tending to his plants. Ethan picked up a pair of pruning shears from the tools rack and clipped the weeds from the basil plant. Satisfied that he had tended to his plants, Ethan turned around and wiped the soil from his hands on the front of his black vest tee. Tanned and muscular arms gleamed with sweat as he heaved Phoenix in his arms and nuzzled his neck. Ethan grunted and looked at his mate with a frown.

‘Damn Phoenix, we need to watch your diet. Since Grandma’s in town you’ve been fed a lot of sweet treats.’ Phoenix hid his face in Ethan’s neck but not before Ethan caught his sly grin. ‘I will ask Ravi to add one more round around the park in the evenings.’ Ravi Mandal was Phoenix’s walker. Once Ethan left for the office, Ravi took charge of Phoenix.

Aarav crossed his ankles, enjoying the swinging motion. ‘If you continue to be a glutton, Phoenix, you will lose your female fan following. You are in demand, man. Haze, my newest Husky, has an eye out for you,’ Aarav said, grinning like a fool.

‘For fuck’s sake man. Think with your brains for a change. I don’t want Phoenix taking after you.’

‘Says the man whose idea of entertainment is hunting criminals at night. At least my life is exciting. And I have a greater chance to live to tell the tale the next day.’ Aarav raised his bottle in a salute and downed the rest of his beer.

Apparently, Phoenix knew which side of the bread to butter. He jumped off Ethan, sauntered back to Aarav and let out a loud bark, indicating he was in total agreement with Aarav’s analysis. Ethan pressed his lips in a thin line. He did not expect anyone to understand this need he had. Risking his life was not something he looked forward to. Unfortunately, it came with the territory of being a vigilante. Strong vibes of disapproval came from both Aarav and Phoenix. And Ethan felt compelled to defend his honour.

‘I caught two criminals last night. They were the ones creating havoc in Andheri and were responsible for the murder of an aged couple. It was today’s front page news,’ Ethan said and jammed his hands in the pockets of his blue faded jeans.

‘And you were rewarded with that slash on your arm.’ Aarav’s eyes, dark and angry, traced the deep slash on Ethan’s forearm. Last night was brutal. Aggressive and skilled, the thieves put up a tough fight. By the time Ethan managed to overthrow the criminals, his body had taken a good beating. He woke up this morning, groaning with discomfort. Once you get used to that kind of thrashing, after a point of time you learn to live with it. ‘Luck is not going to favour you all the time. You better stop testing her limits.’ Aarav's warning penetrated his thoughts. Ethan clenched his jaw.

‘If you aren’t going to be supportive, the least you can do is not belittle my efforts.’

‘Ha. That’s rich.’ Aarav pounced off the swing and burst towards Ethan. He shoved Ethan’s chest with enough force to dislodge a boulder. But the beast stood his ground. ‘Fuck you. And fuck your efforts. I would rather have my brother alive than be the one to choose a photo for his obituary.’ Aarav’s words were like a sharp stab to Ethan’s gut. Phoenix growled and covered his ears with his paws. He wanted no part of this argument.

Ethan was spared from answering as he withdrew his buzzing phone from his back pocket. Aarav cut him a furious glance, flipped him off and burst into the house. Phoenix leapt out of the swing and rubbed the side of his face against Ethan’s leg. His way of pacifying Ethan.

‘It’s alright buddy. Aarav just needs to cool his jets. He’ll be back to his dumbass self in no time.’ Ethan crouched and swept his hand over Phoenix's still damp coat. Phoenix whimpered and wrapped him in a warm hug. Ethan’s heart hummed in consolation at this selfless display of love.

‘Good morning, Brian.’ Feeling much calmer, Ethan answered his boss’s call.

‘There’s nothing good about this morning, Ethan,’ Brian’s gruff voice flowed through the speaker. Ethan threaded a hand through his hair and heaved a sigh. So much for him wanting to enjoy his Sunday.

Ethan picked up the furious clicks of the keyboard. By that, he gathered that this call wasn’t made to exchange pleasantries. ‘Did you see your Inshots today?’ Ethan’s brows knitted as he put the call on speaker and scrolled through his phone. Not knowing what to expect, Ethan burst out laughing as images of Himesh lip-locked with a woman – who definitely wasn’t his wife – emerged on his screen. The photographs were a ridiculous display of Himesh’s infidelity. The article was from a notorious gossip columnist who had taken over the internet by storm.

‘I like the caption – “Meet the newest Sugar Daddy in town”.’ Ethan chuckled. ‘Whoever took the pictures has some serious photography skills. I’m amazed at the clarity. How did they manage—’

‘By climbing up a tree,’ Brian interrupted him.

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