Page 68 of The Checkmate

A moan escapes my lips as he grinds harder this time. He’s all ready for me just like I’m for him.

“You’ll need to be quiet tonight,” he says, swiftly undressing me as I unbutton his shirt. “Krish and Trisha are just a door away, and I don’t want them hearing your sexy voices. Those are reserved only for me.”

He is still overdressed, and I see his beautiful eyes flash with something akin to desire. He gives me a onceover before pushing me to the bed. I fall over the plush mattress with a bounce, and within a fraction of a second, his lips are exactly where I’m aching for him. Everything else zones out from my head as Ayaan uses his mouth and experienced fingers to pleasure me and bring me to the brink of losing every ounce of control. His earlier remark to be quiet tonight still rings in my head, and all I do is clutch the sheets and bite my lip to keep my moans from escaping my lips. Yet, Ayaan doesn’t slow down. He plays me like a man on a mission, waiting for me to defy his command and scream aloud. But I won’t. This time, the queen will show that she has total control over her body. But with Ayaan pleasuring me like that, my body never works the way I want it to. Every fibre in my body becomes putty in his hands… or rather, his experienced mouth. My toes curl as I try to hold myself back. Knowing I might need more control over this act, Ayaan grabs my hand, which has been fisting the sheets so far, and makes me hold his head instead for a better grip. My breathing quickens in relief, but anxiety develops again as I get close to giving it all to my King. And that’s it. Within seconds, my body jolts violently as I writhe on the bed. A strangled cry leaves my lips as I shudder beneath him. The sound of my voice, full of pleasure, forces Ayaan to move up and kiss my mouth, curbing that sound and ensuring it doesn’t ever leave the room. Our tongues tangle in heated need as Ayaan discards his pants, leaving his unbuttoned shirt on. He kisses my neck before his fingers are inside me, working me up again. And the night continues with us making love, lots of love.

AYAAN

I wake up to the cheerful chirping of birds outside the window. That’s new! In Shergill Mansion, my mornings are typically accompanied by the cawing of crows. Mumbai does have a significant population of crows, and they are a common sight in the city. However, in this secluded safe house, situated far away from the city’s commotion, the mornings are refreshingly peaceful and serene. I watch Meher stir on the bed beside me, now devoid of my touch, and realise that I can’t remember when we drifted off to sleep last night, but it was well into the early hours of the morning. After all that transpired yesterday, Meher’s touch and love provided me with ultimate solace. Leaning towards her, I plant a feathery kiss on her lips. She mumbles my name in her sleep, accompanied by a tender smile, making my body taut with desire...again. But I have to let her rest as she couldn’t get much sleep last night. Brushing her hair away from her angelic face, I admire my wife for a bit longer. The serenity reflected in her expressions is what I aspire to have in our lives permanently. Achieving that calm, however, depends on addressing our current circumstances. I carefully get out of bed, mindful not to disturb her. Moreover, I enjoy the ritual of waking up before my wife and surprising her with freshly brewed coffee. It’s the least I can do to demonstrate to Meher that I not only begin my morning thinking about her but also take special care of my queen.

I freshen up and emerge from the bedroom, only to be pleasantly surprised by the sight before me. Krish and Trisha are still sound asleep on the two-seater couch, covered by a quilt. Krish had his arm affectionately draped around Trisha’s form, and her head found support on his shoulder. They looked incredibly endearing together. I was aware of Krish’s special fondness for Trisha, and I was eager to witness their relationship progressing in that direction. Despite Krish’s busy life, he deserves someone like Trisha to love and build a life with.

Not wanting to disturb their peaceful slumber, I quietly tiptoe toward the kitchenette. However, my footsteps inadvertently wake them up. Krish stretches his arms, attempting to relieve the stiffness in his neck and back, unaware that Trisha’s head is still on his shoulder. His movement also awakens her, and she quickly gets up, realising their sleeping position. The embarrassment of being caught in such a state is evident on their faces. Trisha heads to the washroom while Krish rubs his face and heads to the kitchenette, where I am an unintentional witness to their reactions.

“Good morning,” I greet him as he enters, simultaneously brewing some coffee for him too.

“Morning, did you sleep well?” he inquires.

“I did, and you?” I respond, turning to face him up close, only to notice a lipstick mark on his right cheek.

Trisha kissed him? Whoa! Maybe she didn’t even notice it when she woke up since she had been sleeping on his left.

“What?” Krish frowns upon seeing me grinning. I turn him around to see the mark for himself in the mirror nearby.

The moment Krish spots the mark, he hastily tries to wipe it away.

“That’s quite a development,” I tease. “Since when did this start? Or was last night your first kiss?”

“Shut up, she didn’t kiss me. I mean... yeah, it looks like she did. But I don’t know. Maybe in her sleep, her lips touched my cheek.”

I guffaw at his words. “Stop with the excuses, buddy. You and I both know that this kind of kiss can’t be just a gentle brush of a woman’s lips. She has literally marked you with her lips. It’s that kind of kiss. So, spill the beans before I kick your arse and force you to confess.”

Krish rolls his eyes.

“Don’t talk about arse; it’s already aching from sitting all night.”

I burst into laughter as he rubs his butt to ease the pain.

“Anyway, I’ll go check if we can return to Shergill Mansion again.”

With that, he leaves, and I turn my attention back to the coffee when my phone rings. I check the caller ID, and it reignites my fury. It’s Raghav!! This time, he isn’t messaging me but making a direct call. I take a deep breath to compose myself before answering it.

“I hope you enjoyed my surprise last night, brother?” he inquires the moment I answer the phone.

Brother?I don’t consider him as one. I never would.

“Imagine the kind of power and influence I possess that, despite all the security arrangements at both Shergill Mansion and Walia House, I managed to burn down two crucial areas of your homes. Pratap Walia’s home office, where he makes political decisions, and the monitoring room at your mansion where your spy friend Krish had compiled information about the Bat Syndicate. I destroyed them both, and you were powerless to stop it.”

I clench my fists as he boasts about his power.

“The way you behaved last night with Dad, he wanted me to blast your entire mansions. But I convinced him, what’s the fun in that? Revenge is a dish best served cold. I hope you had a good night’s sleep in your so-called safe houses,” he mocks.

He knows about our safe houses, too? That means this location is compromised. We can’t stay here for long. As much as it unsettles me, I continue to listen to him.

“The idea of going to the safe houses was brilliant, by the way. But you can’t keep your families hidden from us forever. There’s no place we can’t find them. I have many faces, and you’ll never know which one is watching you, Ayaan. It’s the twin connection between us. Now that we’re so close to each other, I know your every thought and move. We share the same blood, after all. Every move you make in this game, I’ve already anticipated. The Checkmate is inevitable, brother,” he continues bragging.

I grin at the prospect of this call.

“If you believe you can provoke or intimidate me with your threats, then you have no idea who Ayaan Shergill is and what I am capable of!” I finally speak up. “You may be my twin brother. You may even foresee what I think, how I think, and what I would do next. But I possess something you don’t—my intuition. No matter how many checkmates you or your father attempt to give me, no matter how you manipulate and manoeuvre all the chess pieces, at the end, when the game concludes, the only piece left standing undefeated on the board will be the King!”

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