The Promise

Chapter 8

"All right. Even if our company is currently up in flames because of your absence, keep your voice low. I'm pretty sure an accountant constantly barking orders on the phone will raise red flags." Vishal picked up his bag. "Catch you later, bro."

Whistling softly, Vishal went out of the house and towards the back of the house where he had seen a barn-like structure. He saw a few men and women working outside the house. It was a warm day and most of the men were working shirtless. Beads of sweat ran down Vishal's temple and on his back. He wanted to change out of his clothes and take a long, cold shower.

With a sigh, hoping his stay wouldn't demand he remain long in this hot weather, he continued to the barn.

The barn had no animals in it. Just a few puppies playing inside. There were several bags possibly with grain inside stored against the wall. The rest of the space was filled with a few heaps of hay. The pleasant smell of fresh hay was quite nice. He had seen a couple of cows tied on the other side of the house, and he had even heard the sound of chickens.

The last time he had been to a farm was during one of the family vacations. At that time, he was ten, so he was thrilled seeing and spending time with the farm animals. He hoped that his stay here, sans the fast life he was accustomed to, would be equally interesting.

He went towards the back of the barn where a rickety door was present. Luckily it was unlocked. He threw the bag over his shoulder and pushed the door open and stepped in.

He saw a young boy removing his t-shirt. Vishal put his bag to a corner and looked around the room. It was small and slightly dusty with a single cot with a thin mattress on top.

Vishal sighed. At least there was good ventilation.

His attention fell on the boy who was grunting softly while still desperately trying to wiggle out of a t-shirt. With a frown, Vishal went to help. He wanted the kid out so he could relax in peace and also make the phone calls to catch up with his pending work.

Holding the ends of the boy's t-shirt, Vishal tugged it hard. There was a loud rip, and the boy was freed.

Vishal stared at the boy who was actually a girl.

His eyes met with a pair of dark brown eyes on a pretty face. Those eyes were at first blank, then shocked, and then finally furious.

"How dare you!" She hissed before slapping him hard. For a small woman who barely came up to his shoulders, she packed quite a punch. She didn't stop with the slap, she came at him with her fingers bent like claws.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy there, woman." He caught her hand as she tried to scratch his eyes out.

"I'm going to kill you, you dirty bastard!"

"Hey..." He tried protesting while trying to control the furious woman without using undue force. But the woman's anger gave her enough strength.

"Let me go, you sick asshole. You..." She continued using words that would put a swearing sailor to shame. And most of the words he had no clue what they meant, but he could get the underlying gist.

"All right, enough. I thought you were a—" He broke off and hissed due to pain. The woman had bitten him.

"Stop it!" he ordered. But the woman was too enraged to listen to reason.

When she bent down to bite him again, he had no choice but to turn her around and wrap his arms around her torso to stop her. "I'll let you go, but promise me you won't come at me," he said.

The woman didn't agree. They continued to struggle while she continued to hurl abuses at him.

Through her swearing, he heard another woman's voice that sounded familiar. It was the maid named Lakshmi.

"Bhanu," said Lakshmi. "Why did you ask me to come here with your clothes? Where did you—" The other woman's voice broke off in a gasp when she stepped into the room. "Oh my!"

Vishal realized right then that one of his arms was wrapped right around the heaving chest of the struggling half-naked woman and his other arm was wrapped around her bare stomach.

"Get him!" the woman in his arms ordered Lakshmi. "I'm going to kill this worm! Slit his throat and stomp him to death and feed him to our dogs."

Lakshmi appeared calm listening to the younger woman's murderous threats.

"I was told that this is my room," Vishal told Lakshmi while trying to control the struggling woman. "Isn't it?"

"It is," Lakshmi replied. "I have no idea what Bhanu is doing here."

For a moment, the struggles stopped. "You know this worm?" the woman asked Lakshmi.

"He's the new driver."

The woman he held looked shocked. "The driver?"

"Yes."

Taking a deep breath, the woman in his arms hissed out the next words. "Let me go."

Vishal noticed the plump breasts underneath his arm and the softness of the skin on her stomach. Her hair which must have been tied earlier was let loose due to the struggle. Her long hair brushed his hand on her stomach. He wondered how he had ever mistaken her for a boy.

Slowly, he dropped his hands and stepped away from the woman. The woman swung around and glared at him as though she still intended to murder him or at least punch him in his eye. He watched her with an equal amount of wariness and amusement while his eyes couldn't help but wander over her body which was only covered in a bra and jeans.

"Look away, you ass!" she snapped while reaching for the clothes Lakshmi had brought along. "And get out of here and come back much later."

He raised an eyebrow at her rude order but turned to leave the room. Meantime, he heard her frantic voice as she conversed with Lakshmi.

"I went too far this time, Lakshmi. Dinesh and his men are going to come looking for me. If Grandpa asks, tell him I came home on time and was working in the garden with you."

Wondering what the woman had done, Vishal stepped out. He couldn't change out of his travel clothes anywhere, so he headed to Vikram's room to change.

"Didn't like your room?" Vikram asked when he saw Vishal.

"Room is okay. But right now it's occupied by something wild that bites." Vishal grinned, looking down at the back of his hand where there were visible bite marks.

Vikram raised his eyebrow but didn't ask for explanations. "I'm about to step out to grab a meal and meet with Suryaprakash. Want to join?"

"No. I'll skip the meal. I'll just catch some shut-eye in your room." He had barely slept the previous night because of the clubbing.