I had been avoiding him, trying to maintain a distance ever since his confession that he loved me. But here I'm in his room at 4 am , holding him in my arms. His face buried in my chest, his arms wrapped around me like a shield he tried to protect himself with. Seeing him so vulnerable something twisted inside me painfully. It was like a part of me wanted to erase all his pain away forgetting my own confusion and fears. So for now, I chose to follow my heart- offering him the shelter he seemed to be searching for in me.
I slowly caressed his back, trying to soothe him. As I did, memories from that night in London flashed before my eyes.
(Flashback)
"Damn! you don't understand hungarian...." he let out a frustrated breath before continuing, his voice resolute, raw, "I'm fucking in Love with you, my Édesem"
I blinked, stunned by his confession. The raw intensity in his dark brown eyes sent my heart racing, betraying my attempt to remain composed.
But my mind screamed 'Do not fall for it..he is gonna leave you today or tomorrow'. And I chose not to respond to my heart which seemed to become weirder day by day.
"I don't know what I feel about you..." I managed to say averting his close proximity. "I need time and space to think" I said.
His intense, lingering gaze fell on me, and I couldn't dare to meet it. A minute passed before he finally spoke. "Okay. You don't have to give me an answer right now. But don't forget-whether you love me or not...You are mine"
The raw possessiveness in his voice sent a wave of shivers down my spine.
He paused, his gaze never wavering, before stepping back, "Finish your eating, you need to rest. We have a flight to catch in the morning".
As he went away I sighed in relief. My hunger had already disappeared after that strawberry-eating session. I just gulped down 1 glass of water and said, "Let's go back" . . (Flashback End)
As we got back from London I shifted to my room as per my 'I need space' agreement. But everything except this remained the same: Every morning before going to college, I whispered that Örökké a tiéd to him, cooking for him. And every evening, he would return home, pulling me into his arms, breathing in my scent as if it was the air he needed to survive.
My heart was slowly going to a direction before I could stop. And that was definitely not good for me I was telling myself.
And again when he screamed tonight I could not stop myself from getting closer to him.
I'd woken up early and decided to check on Muneeb before heading back to my room, but as I passed by his door, a faint, muffled sound pierced the quiet. Even with the heavy door, I could hear the anguish in his voice.
It unsettled me and I rushed to me and pulled him into a hug. He looked too helpless, broken and it somehow broke me too.
Many people might say I was going mad and yeah I also now thought so.
And now he was finally asleep, his breathing steadied against my chest. The light tickling sensation making me acutely aware of him. I ran my fingers through his zet black hair.
"It must be too painful for you to react like this.....Sleep now I'll keep your night terror away" I whispered to his ear.
As time went by, I leaned my head against the headboard of the bed and slowly closed my eyes tightening my hands around him like a silent vow to be his anchor even if for tonight.
________________________________
As the morning light seeped through the cutains and into the room , I stirred awake, feeling something soft and delicate beneath me. Blinking my eyes open, I realized I was sleeping on Tania's lap. My face was pressed against her chest, and my arms were wrapped tightly around her as though she was my lifeline.
Though my chest was still heavy with the remnants of the nightmare, seeing her gave me some kind of peace which can't be expressed in words.
"So, you returned, Hazel?" I murmured groggily, my voice heavy with sleep. She must have witnessed my night terrors, my struggle.
She was leaning against the headboard, fast asleep, her features serene and untouched by the chaos she had witnessed
Carefully, I untangled myself from her, not wanting to wake her. I gently tucked her into bed, placing a soft kiss on her temple. "Sorry to bother you, Édesem," I whispered, the words slipping out naturally. Then, I got up and headed to the shower.
After dressing in a black turtleneck sweater and off-white pants, I returned to her side. I couldn't help but smile as I saw her beginning to stir. Her lashes fluttered as she slowly woke up.
"Hey. Morning," I said with a dry smile.
"Are you okay?..Aahh" she winched touching her shoulder.
"What happened?" I said, closing the distance between us.
"Nothing... just because of a bad sleeping position I guess." she said rubbing her shoulder.
"Because you slept uncomfortably for me. Let me see" he said sitting behind her.
Before she could protest, I brushed her silky hair aside and unzipped her dress slightly to make her shoulder visible.
Her body shivered as the cold air touched her skin, and the sudden proximity made her tense.
Gently touching her shoulder, I said, "It looks like it's swollen a bit. Let me give you a massage."
"No... It's okay. I can do it myself," she said, trying to cover her bare shoulder, but I caught her hand.
"Hazel. It's just a massage. You got this pain for me. Let me help you" I said in a soft yet firm tone.
She looked into my eyes for a moment before sighing and nodding. "Okay."
I reached for the pain-relief cream in the side table drawer. As I focused on her shoulder, I told her, "I'm pulling it down."
With that, I gently pulled her bra strap from her shoulder to her arm. I could feel her tension, her body stiffening under my touch.
Damn, she wasn't this tense around me before my love confession. We've already passed this level. I've kissed her and finger-fucked her. Then why is she acting like this?
"Relax, Hazel. I'm not gonna eat you" I reassured her. Though my mind screamed at me to kiss her bare back where I could see a red mole.. So inviting.
Sarfaraaz she already distancing herself from you! Stop this...
I dabbed some cream onto my fingertips and placed it on her swollen shoulder. Slowly, I massaged it in circular motions.
Her skin was unbelievably soft, like a feather melting under my touch. I got so lost in my thoughts that I pressed too firmly, making her hiss.
"Are you trying to fix it or break it?" she snapped.
"Sorry, Hazel," I said quickly. Unable to help myself, I leaned down and kissed the spot where I had hurt her. My lips lingered there longer than I anticipated.
"Sarfaraaz..." she mumbled, her tone more of a complaint than anything else.
"Okay, Édesem, I won't," I said with a soft chuckle, pulling away. I resumed the massage, gentler this time. Her eyes fluttered closed, and I could see the pleasure relaxing her features.
"Feels good, right?" I asked.
She hummed in response, the sound more like a soft moan.
That little wife of mine...
"See? My fingers have magic, don't they? You already know that, right? More than anyone else" I teased, my voice slow and smooth, like silk.
"Yeah... No, I mean... thanks for the massage," she stammered hurriedly. She pushed my hands away, quickly zipped her dress, and turned to face away from me.
I couldn't help but smirk. I love to tease my hazel-eyed beauty.
__________________________________
As Sarfaraaz was about to get up from the bed, she asked softly, "Rayan, How are you feeling now?"
"Better," he replied, though the weight on his heart still lingered.
She hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Rayan..." she began cautiously.
He turned to look at her. "Hmm?"
"I... I know I'm asking something inappropriate," she admitted, her fingers fidgeting. "But can you share the events from twenty years ago? I feel like I'm still in the dark about so much."
Sarfaraaz didn't respond immediately, his jaw tightening.
Tania pressed on, her tone gentle but firm. "I need to know why all of this happened. Maybe... maybe your heart would feel a little lighter if you shared it."
Still, he said nothing.
She reached out, her fingers brushing over his tense shoulders. "You said you love me, right? Then... can't you trust me enough to tell me?"
Her words hung in the air, soft yet powerful. After a long, heavy silence, Sarfaraaz let out a sigh. "Fine," he said, his voice low. "I'll tell you everything."
And he did. Piece by piece, he unraveled the nightmare of his childhood. The sudden shift from joy to devastation on his ninth birthday. The sight of his parents lying lifeless on the floor. The helplessness he felt, how he had to console his five-year-old sister despite his own sorrow. The taunts he endured as people mocked him using his father's name. The suffocating weight of a world that had turned against him. And, most painfully, how Tania's father ignored his father's desperate request to reinvestigate the case, denying him the chance to prove his innocence.
Tania's eyes glistened with tears as she listened, her chest aching with every word he spoke. When he finally stopped, the silence was suffocating. She climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms tightly around him forgetting the 'I need space agreement'. Her tiny frame molded against his, as if trying to shield him from the pain of his past.
"I'm sorry for your loss," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I know I can't mend it, but... please accept my apology."
"It's... not your fault," Sarfaraaz replied, his voice barely audible. He rested his forehead against her shoulder, his arms tightening around her.
Tania pulled back slightly, her hazel eyes searching his face. "Isn't it hard to love me, Rayan?" she asked, her voice filled with guilt. "When you believe my father was the one who led them to their deathbed?"
He looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he shook his head. "It did... at first," he admitted quietly. "But not anymore."
"I would rather carry the pain of loving you...than live without you" he said locking his eyes with hers, cupping her face.
"Rayan..." she whispered touching his hands. Overwhelmed with emotion, she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace.
And this it was Tania who held him Tightly.
They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, finding solace in the shared silence.
Finally, Tania spoke again, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Isn't it strange, though?"
"What?" Sarfaraaz asked, his brows furrowing.
"They wanted to arrange your party. Everything seemed fine. But why would they die on the day of their son's birthday? And... leaving two small kids like that? They love you so much, right? I don't think parents can't do this to their child"
Her words struck something deep within him, a tremor that rippled through his soul. Questions he had buried long ago began to resurface, clawing their way into the light.
For the first time in years, Sarfaraaz felt the faint stirrings of doubt in the case of his parents.
________________________________
Something twisted inside me as my mind spun through the fragments of the past: the road accident from nine months ago, the Scorpion Gang, the mysterious Javier, and now Tania's haunting words. Somehow, all these pieces seemed to be connecting in ways I hadn't seen before.
The Scorpion Gang had been interfering with the development projects my father once managed. Yes, it was... it was somewhere in Delhi, if I remembered correctly. Not long after that interference, the scandal had erupted.
A thought struck me. Perhaps it was time to reopen the case of my parents' deaths, even though it had been closed for so long. Maybe there was something- a tiniest detail, a clue that I had overlooked.
And Tania's words kept echoing in my head. What if she was right? Why had they taken their life on the day of my birthday?
What if it hadn't been suicide? What if there was more to that night than I had ever allowed myself to question? What really happened after I fell asleep?
I was still in Hazel's embrace, her presence soothing even as a storm raged within me.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the buzz of my phone. The sound cuts through the silence like a blade. Reluctantly, I pulled back from the hug and gently shifted Tania off my lap.
"I need to take this," I murmured. She nodded silently.
I got out of the room and went to the balcony to answer the call.
Checking the screen, I saw Rahat's name flashing.
"Haan, bol,( Yes, Speak)" I answered, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
"Bro... listen carefully. I found something. It's about the Scorpion Gang," Rahat said, his tone tense.
My stomach sank. It couldn't be what I was thinking... right?
Taking a deep breath, I asked, "Spill."
"There was a powerful, mysterious man who led the Scorpion Gang in the Delhi area years ago," Rahat began. "It was around the time your dad was the transportation minister, during the area development projects. The code name of that man was..."
"Javier, right?" I finished his sentence, my voice steady but my heart racing.
There was a pause on the other end. "How...?" Rahat asked, clearly surprised.
"I've been thinking about the case," I admitted, wiping my palm against my pants, which had begun to sweat. "It just... fits."
"I see," Rahat muttered, his tone thoughtful.
"Listen carefully," I said, leaning against the desk for support as the storm of emotions brewed inside me. "Dig into every single detail about my parents' case. No, scratch that-find all the files and send them to me. And don't stop looking into the Scorpion Gang. I'm certain they still exist. They're also tied to the car accident ... no, to the murder of my princess, Safina, as well as the case of my parents"
"Okay boss. And bro take care" Rahat said.
"Okay."
As I ended the call, I returned to our room to find Hazel stepping out of the bathroom, freshly washed. The droplets on her skin shimmered in the soft light, making her glow in a way that stole my breath.
Because of her, my mind was set on uncovering the truth rather than what was told to 9 years old me. She was the light I never knew I needed, and right now, I couldn't resist her pull.
I closed the distance between us, cupping her damp face before crashing my lips onto hers.
Fuck that 'I need space' term. She was the breath I needed right now. Those past days felt like hell without her. And her lips felt like my salvation .
She gasped in surprise, her hands pushing against my chest in protest. As if I'd let her escape. My fingers found her waist, pinching lightly to earn a gasp from her, and I used the moment to deepen the kiss, my tongue claiming its home in her warm mouth.
She fought back, biting my lip with a defiance that only fueled my desire. The pain only made me crave her more. I devoured her mouth with relentless intensity until, to my satisfaction, she began to respond, her tongue meeting mine in a passionate dance.
That's the fire I liked about her.
And slowly it becomes something else and I let her win. I slowed the pace and let her savour the kiss- savour me. When she was out of breath, she pulled back. Her chest was rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath.
"W..what was that Rayan? I wanted space..have you forgotten?" she stammered, her voice flustered. Her nose and cheeks were had a natural shade of pink, and her lips swollen from our act.
"I needed to breathe, Hazel. And you had that air I needed." I said with a serious, unwavering tone.
"You are..." she began, frustration visible on her face.
"And thank you for putting me into doubt, Édesem. When I said you're the light of my dark world I meant it. Please don't get angry with me. Not today" I said caressing her head.
She looked at me, her expression a little surprised but she muttered, "I hate you."
Her tone lacked its usual bite, though, and I couldn't stop the smirk that curved my lips.
"But I love you," I replied effortlessly. "So I don't mind."
"Manipulative jerk," she whispered, though her lips quirked upward ever so slightly.
"Yes, I'll agree to that," I said smirking. ___________________________________
The next day
Tania was deeply absorbed in her studies, her attention completely fixed on the skeletal structure before her. Her exams were nearby so she had been stuck to her books and study materials all day.
Sarfaraaz just went home and he was a little surprised not to see her in the living room as usual, waiting for him. He needed to hug her, taking her scent into his system to calm himself down from the chaos he dealt with all day.
Looking for her, he entered the study and found her there. She was sitting on the floor and studying the ribcage of a damn skeleton, lost in her own world.
He cleared his throat to get her attention but she was too engrossed in her study to look at him.
His sharp gaze fixated on her, growing more impatient by the second.
Finally, unable to bear her indifference, he drawled lazily, "Tell me, Hazel, how long are you going to play with that bag of bones? You do realize there's a living, breathing, dangerously sexy man here, ready for all your... experiments, don't you?"
Tania paused, arching a brow without turning to face him. "Hmm, fascinating," she muttered, continuing to examine the skeleton's ribcage. "This one seems far less talkative and much easier to handle."
Sarfaraaz leaned forward, a smirk curling his lips. "Talkative, maybe. But let's see if it can kiss you breathless or leave you begging for more."
Tania's face heated, and she shot him a glare. "Sarfaraaz, you're impossible!"
"Impossible, maybe," he said, leaning closer with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Irresistible? No doubt."
She groaned and turned back to the skeleton, muttering under her breath, "Why couldn't you have been mute and handsome?"
"And why couldn't you have chosen a skeleton that isn't my competition?" he quipped, making her choke on her laughter despite herself.
Tania glanced at him, frustrated. "You're getting jealous of a skeleton. Seriously, Sarfaraaz, you need therapy."
He smirked, unfazed. "You are my therapy, Hazel. Now, stop torturing me and come here." He extended his arms, looking every bit like a spoiled child demanding attention. "I need my regular dose of hugs."
Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "I can't deal with you sometimes..." But despite her words, she allowed herself to step into his embrace.
His arms closed around her instantly, strong and possessive. "See? I'm not that hard to deal with, Édesem," he murmured, his deep voice laced with affection. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent like it was his only remedy.
"Just bear with me like this," Sarfaraaz murmured, his voice thick with possessiveness. "After all, I'm not letting you go in this lifetime."
Tania froze at his words, her heart thundering in her chest. She tried to speak but faltered before managing a quiet, "Don't say things like that so easily... it feels... too real."
"I mean every word, Édesem," he said as he pulled back and cupped her chin, his tone low but firm. "You just have to trust me. I know it's not easy for you, but can't you give your monster a chance?" His grip softened vulnerability flickering in his expression.
Tania swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll... I'll try. But there's something you have to do for me." She hesitated, then dropped the bomb. "Take me to my father. Tell him the truth."
The shift in his demeanor was instant, visible. His jaw clenched, muscles tensed as his fist curled tightly at his side. The room grew heavy with unspoken tension, her words striking him like a blow.
After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice calm but edged with restraint. "It's more than a request, Hazel. It's a test." He exhaled deeply, his gaze locking onto hers with a fierce determination. "But for you... I'll try to pass it." _____________________
Spoiler:"They don't deserve any explanation. Take me home, Rayan" she said averting her gaze from the people she thought loved her once. --------- "It was from my prince charming for whom I waited for years before you abducted me and married me" she said caressing the thing she cherished for years. --------------- " I booked you for me the moment my eyes laid on you. Call it a fate or my own doing I don't fucking care. You were mine from the very start"
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