Strings Attached

~Chapter 16~ (Contd.)

"Let the girl go," I order with finality in my tone. And the bloke quirks up a brow. "And what if I don't?" he quips back in answer. Instead of answering him, I indicate Hidayah to get moving and she takes the hint. Obeying what I say for once, she begins backing off at a quick pace.

At the same moment, the brown guy turns his head and jerks forward to pull the girl back by her hand. But I decide not to remain a passive onlooker this time. And taking matters into my own hands, I act quickly. So before he can manage to get a hold of her, I pull him away from his reach.

 

Holding him by his collar, I push him roughly against the wall and pin him there. "I said, let her go!" I snap, snarling at him. "Apparently, you're hard of hearing." The bloke only snickers arrogantly at the jibe.

"I only choose to hear what benefits me. But I can connect things quick enough, I tell you."

His self-assured tone grates on my ears. But then his face contorts into a scowl. "Poor deprived boy, aren't you? Following her around like a stalker. Hungering for a glance of her. I saw your gaze. It was curious. Split second intercourse and I caught it. Aren't I smart?" The f**ker finishes with a one-sided smirk and his eyes narrow in diabolical mirth.

"I don't give a f**k about what you caught or didn't. But if I see you troubling her ever again, you'd find your slick brown ass flying back to where you came from." I push his now slackened figure forcefully against the wall for added effect. The f**ker isn't so strong as he makes out to be.

"I've seen how she looks. Pity you never got the chance," he begins again with a sneer, taking another route. The bloody ba*tard is trying to provoke me, and I know it's even working when I feel myself boiling at his words. But he isn't finished. "I've even seen her without her burqa. Have you?" he whispers to me, an eyebrow raised and a triumphant look in his eyes.

And I push him further into the wall with a crazed force that knocks the very breath out of him.

"A word more and I'll send you straight to the gutter!" I'm raging like a bull by now and he looks like he's enjoying it. So I gift him a sock on the jaw. He winces in pain, cradling his now bruised cheek.

"Hit me all you like, man. But I can sense that girl threatens your reputation, doesn't she? She could prove to be your Achilles heel and that's somehow a huge balm to my ego. Because when I tell people I've slept with her, there's a fat chance they'd believe me. Since we come from the same place and she knows me. A fact she can hardly fail to hide.

"Besides, there's one other person who can vouch for me. A girl named Poulomi. You heard of her?"

My raging mind halts at the name. Poulomi. She knows him too? If Hidayah does, she surely would. So he's apparently telling the truth.

I weigh my options. If he tells everyone what he threatens he would, my reputation, along with Hidayah's could go down the drain. Because people know I've gone berserk due to her unrelenting ways before. And the girl wouldn't be able to bear such a bad stain on her character, either.

But the f**ker wouldn't shut his mouth too. He's only flinched once in the whole ordeal. He could take a good deal more. Might even report me some time, out of spite. Using force won't work with him.

"What do want?" I finally relent to ask, releasing him, cringing at the way I sound. I don't want the girl to suffer. The things he could say about her make my hands tingle to do something to him. Maybe strangle the very life out of him. End of story.

But I know better than that.

"Now you're talking. I'm glad you learned to blow the same whistle, you know. Between ourselves, we could have a really nice time playing catch with her, no?" He's sitting on the floor as I stand above him. And I jab my foot at his side at his words as he hisses in pain.

"Be careful or the repercussions could--," he's in the middle of spouting another threat when I cut him off. "What do you want from me?" I repeat my words, not in the mood to waste any more of my time on this f**ked up bloke.

"Well, how about you prove to me that you can woo her in two months, and I'll worship the very earth you walk on. That includes having proof that you've seen her face and the rest of her. I'll leave her alone, only then."

"And if I don't?" "Then you give me cash to not let the cat out of the bag... and trample on your reputation in the process." He grins at his own ingenuity but then sobers up. "Also, it would mean trouble for her too. 'Coz I won't back down until I've damaged her in some way or other. I've given her far too many hints but the bi*ch refuses to budge."

I let out a breathy chuckle at his proposition. "You take my reputation lightly. I can do all of that in less time. Giving me two months could put you on the losing end."

"Believe me, you'll need a lot more time than that. Don't injure your own foot with the ax you hold. Would you take it or leave it?" he asks me rigidly, holding out a hand from his place on the ground. I take the proffered hand and heave him up.

"It's a deal," I answer decidedly.

____

Initially, I didn't want Siddhartha Goyal to be this bad of a threat. I'd only thought to make him a spineless guy and use him as a party to the bet between him and Daniyal. But he turned out to be far more diabolical than I imagined. 

Our girl's character is in danger of getting smeared, and only Daniyal can save her from it. What a twist! I feel like patting myself on the back. I'm evil, ain't I? 

This turned out to be a more sinister bet than some others I've read in books. But it just happened somehow, I swear. I did not intend it to be like this.

Anyway, do tell your thoughts on it and I'd be grateful. 

Here's a tip: That star-shaped button needs to be pressed too, to earn my gratefulness. ;D 

Ciao,

~Amenah.