DID-2

2

He looked out at the city form his cabin...

Sitting in Delhi he was literally ruling the world! True there were bigger companies than his empire! But his word was the last in textiles and fashion Industry! Period. Thats what he achieved by his unrelenting hard work and ofcourse very shrewd smart work! 
He was known to be calculative, arrogant, egoistic, insensitive and absolutely cut throat in his circles! But he was successful!That outweighed everything else.

That,... he smiled and thought summed up the rest! As success and money were the watch words! They got you what everyone was after-fame and power! He had the world at his feet! And he decided that he would be so when he was 17! Now after 12 years, he was there and now he was at ease as now figuring out the world was a past thing! He had it at its finger tips!

His only driving force was his drive to always be in a position where he would never be shown lacking in anything as he was told 12 years back by his chacha, who turned him and his Di on to the roads after his parents passed away!

He closed his eyes and without any reason the dark shilhoutte of the woman he met last night swam before his eyes! She was so... so... he searched for words to describe her! Arnav Singh Raizada and struggling for words? He smiled again to himself!

She was so upright! Too good to be true kind of a woman! But he was sure that was an act! Coz these days they all tried to be very upright and modest! The chic he picked up was also very very upright before her father in the board room but once off it she was panting all over him and he thought why not make use of her! After all she was willing and he was in need of that project which will mark his entry into Fashion capital Paris! He would just be doing a favour on to her by putting her out of her misery!

Not his words! They were sent by the lady written on a card with a bottle of champaigne!

But the woman in the dark! She .... was... different! How...he did not know! But different! Her voice had the ring of honesty! Honesty... which he failed to find in people for a long time now! 
It was money all the way! Pour it and buy whatever you pleased! He clucked with his tongue! Everything was priced these days!

Hmmm!!!! Was she beautiful? Pretty?

The jerk was hinting at many men for her! That meant she was pretty!

Skinny he had said... interesting! He had his share of silicon implants and natural beauty was non existent! It was all creams and creations at his level! Even bloody hell nails were artificial! God help Women!

Something in her struck him as very very familiar! What was that?

Her spirit! Came a reply from inside!

Oh! He was awed! Its been ages since his inner voice spoke to him! Else everything was put-on these days!

She had that same passsion in her which he exercised when he was 17 and took the world head on! She stood up against the pimp defending herself and ... wait a minute but why did she suffer him!

Again came the answer! Same reason!

"Awe!" Arnav Singh Raizada exclaimed aloud! Same story! She wanted money or fame so she picked a wealthy suitor, pushed him into marriage! He recalled the fellow saying that he wanted to check her out coz he was paying! Thats it!End of story Raizada! She is no different! Just a very good actress!

He turned and saw his secretary Aman coming in with his ipad... which meant an impending meeting!

A dialogue in the dark

Khushi did not realise that the printer was asking for a verification of her command... she was thinking about the man she met the day before!

Hey Devi Mayya! Who was he? What was he... was a more apt question !He treated one woman so badly and helped the other which such applomb! What should she make out of that! But she had other problems to deal with first! Preetam! Oh Hell!!!!

He neither called nor pinged! Her first instinct was to tell Amma everything after going home! But she refrained !
Grow up Khushi She thought! First see his reaction and then you can reveal in the morning! Amma struggled with Babuji all day and if she told her this, she would not sleep through the night! What difference would it make if she informed them in the morning? Atleast her mom would get a good night's rest! She however could not sleep...

Strangely it was because of thoughts of the dark stranger rather than Preetam! She was surprised she did not have any remorse about loosing him! she was infact ecstatic! The only glitch was will he make the parting dirty!

The dark stranger was so cut and dried in every thing! He was so with the woman he was with and also with Preetam! He meant business! He seemed like one who got what he wanted always! How would he be with a woman when he was like that! The woman with him sure knew the score! But how could they bear him! If she were in the place of the woman.... correction! she would never be panting after him! Even if he were the king of a nowhere land! Never! Her man had to be after her! And if she was with him he would have to earn his keep! Not just demand it as if it was a burger ordered at a fast food joint!

The phone rang and she said ,"Hello!"

"Khushi?", Meera's voice came in concerned!

"Haan bol!" She said relaxing! For just a second she thought it was Preetam who called her!

"Thu theek tho hain?"( Are you all right?) Meera asked.

"Haan kyun?" ( yeah why?) Khushi said setting the print command right this time!

"Yaar you didn't even ping once since morning!" There was a pause and Meera asked ,"uss... idiot say tera jhagdaa hua kya?"

( Did you fight with that Idiot?)

Khushi took a deep breath and said," Haan!"

"Bathaana hain?" ( Want to tell me?)Meera asked!

Khushi liked this about Meera! She never probed more than necessary as a well wisher! She accepted her as she was! 

Khushi smiled and said "Kehneko kya hain tujhey patha haina? Same story yaar!"

( Whats there to tell! You know! Same story)

"Haan per tu maa say bath kyun nahi karthi?" Meera demanded!

( why don't you speak to mom?)

"Karungi abtho karna hi padega"( Yeah! Now I need to) and Khushi told her everything except the dark stranger's part! She was somehow not willing to share that!

She never kept anything from Meera! But this one incident she did not know why she wanted to keep to herself! Till she was sure! 

Of what? 

An inner voice asked her and answered again on its own! 

Of what she did not know! 

May be it was that part of her life which she did not want to share! Dark and mysterious! She shivered!

"Accha tu rakh my karthi hun" She cut the call! Another two days and she would be joining Meera at the head quarters! That was the only bright thing right now for her in her gloomy complicated life and she added a new word courteousy the dark stranger... mysterious life! She sighed and started to work!

A dialogue in the dark

She was at the bunglow of the Nandas,where they had arranged for the reception in their huge lawns and it was well lit and decorated with lights and flowers! Khushi was busy helping the bride Shwetha who was her childhood buddy with the make up and said," You rock" to her hugging her!

"Khushi kaheen chali math jaana ok? We shall have dinner together! You know that there are only a few invited guests here!" Shwetha said hugging her.

"Haan patha hain yaar! Just 1500 families only!" Khushi said rolling her eyes!

"Papa is a business man and planning to step into politics so... "Shwetha said defending her dad.

"Accha baba! Ab hum thoda jaakey kuch thanda peethey hain aur aap aayiye apnay priyatam kay sath" Khushi got up and walked into the lawns.

The choice of her words made her go numb with fear from inside as she was reminded of Preetam! Hey Devi Mayya!

Kya karien! He did not ping or call! She didn't either! Frankly she just wanted him off her back but just one more day and a week and she would be free to do that without any guilt attached to it! She walked to the stall where they were serving sherbeth and as she opted for the gulab and khus one she thought she saw a shilhoute that was very familiar- of that of the stranger on the other side of the garden but chided herself saying it was all in the past!

Roz roz thodina milega! She took her glass and walked the lawns which were now slowly becoming crowded with the crowds building on in the party!

As she walked to a gazebo sort of a place probably built for a yoga class in the morning or a morning breakfast, as it was covered from three sides with a light.... not inside it but just on the outer pole, she stepped in to find there was someone seated there with their back to her and she panicked and turned to quietly retreat when all of a sudden there was a huge noise like something bursting and the entire place was plunged into darkness!

It was pitch dark and Khsuhi gasped loudly!Hey Devi Mayya Raksha karna!

People panicked and the organisers were announcing loudly to hold on as the power grid tripped and they should all return to the bunglow...

She did not have her bag even for her mobile to switch on for light!

She moved and hit something with her foot and howled in pain!

"Who is there?" A man's voice came in strong and shrewd! It was the same voice.

Was she imaging it or was it the same man! The voice was much the same!

She simply squared her shoulders and said," Ap kaun?"( Who are you)

"Were you following me from yesterday?", A surprised voice asked her from somewhere nearer?

IT WAS HIM ALRIGHT! THE STRANGER ...with whom she had a DIALOGUE IN THE DARK.

"Kya? Aap koi chor uchakkay hain ki hum aapko doondhthey phiray?" She spat at him!

( Are you a suspicious character that I need to look for you?)

How dared he thought so!

"This is not coincidence that you happen to be where I happen to be !" He said with such flourish that Khushi for a moment went guessing if he was some celebrity like a film star!

"Aap... aap koi film star ho?" she asked hesitantly!

( Are you a celebrity?)

There was a breath that was sucked in as he was surprised and said" No!"

"Tho itna kya hain ki koi aapko follow karien! Waisey batha dethay hain ki hum picture zyaada nah dekhthey hain! Utnaa showk nahi! So forget it!" she said very stand offishly!

( So whats there to follow you! By the way I am not that crazy about movies or film stars!)

"Nahi? I was beginning to feel you will surely follow me! If your what is his name? Preet or Preetish?" He paused...

"Preetam"She corrected him inadvertantly

"Haan !Preetam can pay... so can I isn't it!After what you heard crouching behind the bush and that too... after you found out about the money involved...  So you must have thought I am a bigger and better catch!" His voice exuded sarcasm!

Khushi lashed out in the darkness blindly and struck him on his chin instead of his cheek and said in rage! 
"You must be used to women like that but remember there are women like your mother and sister too! I am sure they have brought you up in good stead and you owe them this much that you respect their species you swine!Although I do not approve of their expertise in teaching you some basic manners!"

The stranger sucked in his breath and said coldly,
"Don't you dare talk about my mom or sister!

"Ye lo! Duniya bhar ki aurathein buri hain unko chod kay! Aaya ek aur mard! 

( Another typical male who feels his mom and sister are the only women worth any respect!)

You must be ashamed of yourself!" She spat at him and walked out only to bump into a familiar figure who she could make out in even pitch dark!

PREETAM!!!!

"Tho tum yahaan chipi baithi ho!" Preetam sneered at her as an opening shot!

( so you are hiding out here)

"Do you want to apologise? I am giving you ten minutes time"he said smugly!

Khushi who was already enraged hissed,"  Ek bath nahi! Preetamji humaara dimaag kharaab hain! aap yahaan kaisay!"

( Not one word! I am in the worst of my moods! How come you are here?)

"Hum sab khabar rakhthey hain!" Came his reply!

( i keep a note of everything)

Khushi sucked in her breath and asked a trifle hurt," You had me followed?"

"Ofcourse! What do you think I would do with a straying @#$%^ like you?" he said smugly!

Khushi was at loss of words! How could he? What gave these men a right to treat women this way! She shook with rage!

"I have booked a hotel today and told your people I am taking you out so lets go!"Preetam caught her arm and dragged her towrds the exit gate!

"Kya?" Khushi was beyond herself with rage.

"I will see you who will protect you today? Where is that jerk? Is he hanging around or are you done with him that day itself?" He asked her!

Khushi closed her eyes and struggled for balance!

"Hmmm! You can apologise all you want tonight! Tomorrow I shall tell you whether I like u or not... as I want to check you out today... Preetam went on taking her silence for approval...!

"Hum aap kay sath kaheen nahi jaa rahay hain" Khushi said firmly!

( I am not going anywhere with you)

"Accha? How do you know?" he laughed at his own joke.

Khushi just stared at the man and she took pity on him at his low level of thinking and said,

"Preetamji! Humay kaheen nahi jaana hain aur aap please chaley jaayiye yahaan say!"

( I am not going anywhere and you please leave)

The entire place was almost deserted as the crowd went in as generators were pressed to service in the reception hall!

Preetam pulled at her taking advantage and said," I will! But with you! Today you will know not to mess with any man!" And he dragged her towards the exit gate!

"Nahi hum nahi jaayengay!" Khushi stood her ground!

( I am not going)

"Kyun nahi ! Mynay tumhaare maa baap ko bola hain my tumhay bahar ley jaa raha hun!" Preetam declared.

( I informed your mom and dad I am taking you out)

When Khushi did not budge he pulled her with a jerk and she winced as he tried to touch her clumsily and then when she warded off his hands, he tried to kiss her making her cry out in angusih "chodiye humay! Nahi!!!!"

( Please let go off me! No!)

There was a tearing sound as her kurta's long sleeve tore by his pulling at it and she cried in pain as his nails left a trail of blood on her shoulder making her whimper in pain!

"I told you to lay off!" The stranger's voice boomed from the darkness behind Khushi!

Preetam left her hand and jerked back!

"Just leave!" the voice said.

"Tum?.....Tum yahaan uskay sath aayi ho?"Preetam was absolutely stunned!

( You came here with him?)

"Nahi Aap,..." Khushi never got to finish as the stranger spoke...

"Haan! Yaheen nahi har jagah jahaan woh hain tho wahaan my bhi hun!"

( Not only here!where ever she goes I am there with her) 

The stranger quipped very matter of factly making Khushi go absolutely stunned! What ever was he trying to do!

"Acch kya karlogey?" Preetam challeneged the stranger!

( Oh! What will you do?)

"Kaheen bhi!!!! Yaad rakho ki my uskay sath hi rahunga aur if you so much as lay a finger on her I will break your bones" Came the hissing retort from the stranger!

The man caught Khushi's arm and pulled at her and snarled,"Tera aashiq har samay sath rehthaa hain kya?"

( Your suitor always hangs around you or what?)

"Yeh kya keh rahey hain aap?" Khushi was stunned.

( What are you saying?)

"Ab kya poochthi ho! Isliye itni bholi bani phir thi ho" he snarled again and said "You #$%^ you..."

( What? You are asking now while you act very naive otherwise?)

There was a  sudden shuffle and Preetam went flying away!

"The lady is not interested in you! Did you get that! Now out! Just leave!" The strangers voice boomed once again cutting and final!

Khushi realised the stranger had actually trown Preetam out bodily!

"Thu hotha kaun hain? "Preetam could not stop himself from asking.

( Who are you to her... to say that?)

"Jo bhi hun, none of your business! One more word I will kill you ^%$$ !"The stranger said very coldly!

"Himmat hain tho saamnay aa andherey mein chup kay..." Preetam could not finish his words...

"You won't be able to bear to see me in light! Believe it buster! Just get lost" The dark stranger caught him by his collar and threw him on to the near by bush! He shuffled to stand up and then left cursing Khushi who was shaking at the assault on her and she just stood shivering all over!

"Are you ok?"The stranger asked her!

She just whimpered!

The man came to her and hovered around her uncertain about how to go about it! Then he testily put an arm round her and she shivered and stepped back sobbing!

"Its all right he is gone!" He said and she awkwardly caught his arm and clung to him sideways as he stood taking her weight on his left arm as she silently cried literally on his shoulder!

"Money is not the only thing you know! There is more to life and relationships..." His words cut into Khushi's thoughts!

Wait a minute.... she thought... Hey Devi Mayya! He thought she was afer Preetam for money?

How dare he thinks that way! She wanted to say something but the tilt of his chin brought his face nearer to her and she noticed the outline of his jaw! It was so very set and so very well shaped that it took her breath away! She moved away as if she was scorched and he said...

"Try getting someone who can set fire on to your soul not add weight to your purse"

Khushi sucked in her breath realising what it implied! But she simply said," Na humey kisika paisa chaahiye aur na hi kisi ka pyar!"

( Neither I want someone's money nor his love)

"Tho phir?"( Then what?) the stranger asked!

Khushi's hackle rose! How dared he type cast her and then enquire coolly!

"Kyun bathaayein aapko?" she asked.

( why need I tell you?)

"Kya? Kyun bathaugi? Kyunki jo bakrey ko tumnay phaansa hain mynay ussey tumhay chudaaya isliye" he said!

( Coz I happened to free you from the man you trapped)

"Ji...er Sukriya per aap galath hain! Aur humay aapsay yun bath karneka koi showk nahi hain!" She said and turned to leave!

( Thanks but you are all wrong! And I... don't have any inclination to talk to you)

A hand came and pulled her close to a hard body and the voice asked her," Phir kiska showk hain?"

( Then what do you fancy?)

He pulled her to him and she smelt musk on him further! 

Khushi was mesmerised by his deep drawn voice that made her body tingle and his body warm and very welcoming enveloped her and her senses working magic on her! She simply blinked hard to make something of his features! No luck! It was dark! Nothing at all! All she knew was a set jaw and a deep sexy voice that could mean business suddenly and can be sarcastic sometimes but mostly cold calculating and cutting when it spoke!That was it !!!

"Kiss ka showk hain phir?" He asked her again... his voice purring low and very very enticing!

"Ji...ki...sii... ka ... bhi ... nahi!" Khushi stammered and desperately tried to see his face!

The stranger caught her upper arm and pulled her to him very slowly! Khushi could do nothing as there was no force in what he did! He simply drew her to him and she just could not resist the pull in him! It did not occur to her that he was a total stranger and she was slowly moving into the circle of his arms...

And then he touched her quiet unexpectedly on her nose! Khushi was surprised as he touched her nostril with the pad of his thumb and rubbed it on her nose stud and said," There should be a tiny diamond there!"

"Ji?" She did not understand what he was saying!

He turned her face away as if he was trying to figure her and suddenly asked her," Whats your name?"

"Ji?" Khsuhi was lost in the onslaught and repeated after him...."My name?"

"Name?" he said "As in yours!"

Khushi was only aware of his fingers on her face especially his thumb on her nostril and the rest of his fingers on her throat and chin holding her face sideways and his breath fanning her cheek warm and very very arousing! 

Khushi came out of her dream land to reality! Name? her name? Why would he want that! Who was he?"

"Your name... tell me your name!" His hand dropped down on to her neck!...

End Of Chapter-2