Watch my darkness
"Who dares to bow your head?" I fix my gaze upon the man, his towering figure now seemingly diminished, shoulders slouched, head reluctantly bowed, eyes pinned to the ground. Rishabh's clenched fists betraying his agitation, trembling in the face of my authority.
His eyes lift, fury evident within them.
I casually extend my leg, resting my ankle on the knee of another, exuding dominance from the back seat of the throne.
"Who has the power and strength." I murmur, leaning further back.
"You possess it now, but in six months, it'll be mine," Rishabh jests, a note of confidence in his tone.
"That's where you're wrong, Malhotra. Your very birth was a mistake, but as a gesture of sympathy, I may offer my advice." I rise, hand in pocket, ascending the stairs deliberately. I draw closer, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Power comes within self. It can't be claimed, hold, lest snatched. It's an art. With or without throne, I still hold the neck. Either to bend or to snap."A veil of uncertainty clouds his eyes. Actions speak louder than words, after all.
"Raise your heads," I command, authoritatively. Every bowed head rises.
I turn to face Rishabh. "Learn to fear me. Power or not, I harbor demons within. My reputation as an evil is no secret." I raise my palm, and he blinks in surprise. A smile curves on my lips as my hand brushes his expensive coat.
"But if you ever find life boring and want adventure, I'll be waiting on the battlefield." I lock eyes with him, a menacing edge to my voice. "But if you dare to involve her, I'll paint my house with your blood. Red has always been my favorite." I chuckle, grinning at him.
"I won't leave you," he swears to himself. Irrelevant.
"I'd die of boredom if you did," I muse.
"And I've to still payback your filthy move which you did by sending your men in my warehouse. Be aware, be caution. Remember the words you told my wife. I shall repeat the same. Wait for me." I shot at him.
His jaw tightens, and my lips can't resist an alluring smile. He shoots me a glare that says 'I'll kill you, Rathore,' and strides away.
"My lord, it's time to announce your law." a man in his fifties rushes toward me. With a nod in his direction, he guides me to the conference table.
I hope I haven't wounded the bastard too deeply with my innocent words, requiring an hour to mend his shattered ego. After I announce the successor, all I care about is seeing him vanish to the hell he crawled from, carrying the remnants of his broken dreams. Finally, he might go into hibernation, once and for all.
A vast mahogany table stretches before us, awaiting the leaders of every criminal organization.
I assume the head chair, locking eyes with Rishabh diagonally across from me, his brother Arav sitting beside him. With a smirk on my lips, I take my seat, and the others follow suit.
After discussing criminal operations, territorial disputes, and alliances, the conversation turns to the focal point of this night.
"The next six months will be critical for every gang. They must prove themselves as before. The one who stands tallest becomes the next king. Now, it's time to hear the new laws."
I tune out the announcer. This tiresome ritual repeats every five years. After he exhausts his repertoire of praises, he descends. My patience is thoroughly tested by these hypocrites, wasting my precious time.
I nod to Vedansh, who understands my command.
With a slight adjustment of his black tuxedo blazer, he rises, the chair screeching in the tense atmosphere.
After five years of rule, a mafia king is granted the privilege of enacting a few laws to keep his enemies in check. I've never felt compelled to take this step, as I detest binding my enemies with the shackles of mere words on paper. I prefer to watch them struggle to satisfy their greed and think they can kill me.
I always gave them an open challenge, as years back I's just a living corpse.
"The recent law stipulates that no criminal syndicate..." He continues from where I left off.
Rule: In the event of a dispute between two criminal organizations, it is strictly forbidden for one syndicate to target an innocent family member of the other as a means of seeking revenge.
This rule was established for my benefit. For a brief moment, my gaze meets Rishabh's, who must have thoughts of my killing me but wisely refrained from commenting and doing the action, unlike some more reckless individuals.
"I strongly oppose this," Rajendra, the crime boss from Karnataka, declares emphatically, his voice resonating throughout the room.
"Watch your tone. And dare you to talk to him like that." Vedant warns him. I admire how protective my brothers become whenever someone even looks at me with ill intent. The three of us would go to great lengths to ensure the safety of the other two.
Rajendra, the older man, appears taken aback for a moment. It seems some potent drink he consumed has emboldened his junior. Nevertheless, it's acceptable. I do enjoy drama, and it provides a temporary distraction from the personal issues weighing on my mind.
I rest my elbow on the table, my chin resting on my intertwined fingers.
"May I inquire which aspect of this law you disagree with, Mr. Rajendra Krishnan?" I ask him, my gaze fixed on him, a humour hiding behind my sweet words.
He stands upright, pondering his choice of words. He lives up to his name, a newcomer in the world of criminal. According to my sources, he conspired to kill his sister's husband last year and took over the leadership of the Kampra criminal groups. With a political background, he quickly manipulated evidence to avoid charges for the murder.
"Forgive me, Lord, but this law contradicts our core principles," he tries to respond politely.
"Principles," I nod approvingly, then glance at the other leaders who are watching this drama unfold, eagerly awaiting a true mafia showdown.
"Rajendra, it would be appreciated if you could elaborate the principles to which you refer." I muse.
A sheen of sweat coats his face, with a trace of anxiety glistening in his eyes.
"Speak quickly; we all have families to return to, and I'm sure a delicious meal awaits each of us at home, correct?" A few snickers fill the air, but a single glance at my impassive face silences their mirth.
"Lord... I mean..." He halts.
"That we derive immense satisfaction from watching a person bleed in front of us. And with my new law, your lifelong pursuit is backfired."
"No, Lord."
I exhale in a way that sends Rajendra cowering in fear. What I did was merely a human reaction.
"What? No words? Perhaps a clear understanding of your principles would have been helpful from the start." I mock him.
"Now, be a good oldie and tell me which part of my law troubles you."
"That we can't use it against our enemies," he meekly articulates, as if playing with dolls in a house.
"Alright, I understand. You want to maintain control over your enemies. A clever move. However, you can use more sophisticated tactics than these crude methods, such as sending inexperienced henchmen who can't even survive a street fight, let alone kill a mafia boss."
"I didn't send them," he stammers.
"Is that so?" I raise an eyebrow at him. "You deny sending those intruders to my warehouse early this morning with the intention of ending my life?"
Fear fills Rajendra's eyes. He rushes toward me, kneeling and pleading.
"I apologize, my Lord. It was wrong of me to even have such thoughts."
I ignore him, reaching for the gun tucked in my waistband. My fingers wrap around the handle, hovering over the trigger.
"It's not your fault. Everyone here contemplates putting a bullet to each other's throats. So, stand tall and face a death with dignity. At least you tried. So what if you failed, and your destiny was to meet your end by my hand," I tell him without emotion.
"Lord, please," he cries out.
My finger is just an inch away from ending his life when an image of Kiraz flashes before my eyes. I blink away the haze, but her innocent smile remains.
Come on, Reyansh, this scoundrel deserves to die.
Still, my fingers remain immobile, even as my inner self screams to finish him off.
With a frustrated sigh, I pull the trigger. However, instead of his lifeless body, he stares at me with tear-filled eyes, a glimmer of hope in his face. Only then do I realize that my bullet missed him.
With another frustrated breath, I rise abruptly, sending the chair tumbling backward. Confusion registers on every face.
"Today is a special day. I've enacted a new law, and on this auspicious occasion, I don't want to stain my hands with the blood of a fucking trash like you." I say, masking my frustration with sarcasm. I nod to the guards lurking in the shadows, signaling them to escort Rajendra to the basement. As they lead him away, his cries echo in the air before the door slams shut.
I button up my blazer, glancing at Rishabh, whose knowing look infuriates me. That rascal knows I didn't intentionally miss the shot, but miss it I did.
"If anyone still has an issue with my law, if it contradicts your principles, feel free to join Rajendra in the basement. I'll gladly serve you tea while you face your fate."
I strid out of the hideout.
"Bahi, how did you know it was him?" Vedansh follows me.
I open the car, dismissing the bodyguard.
"It's simple." I shrug.
When the car starts, and both my brother seats I begin,"I asked Vishal to send me a list of people who are weak and growing. Then I found this Rajendra. He came into power just last year and had no experience of this life. I only had a doubt."
"You mean it's a bait." Vedant inquires.
I grint at him.
"I just throwed a guess and it hit the bull eye. That fucker really got some ball. Just within one year I topped the list of his priority enemy. And so driven by becoming the king, he just invite his doom."
The two laughs out.
I close my eyes and lean back, drowning out Vedant and Vehansh's bickering about Vishal's vacation plans.
When I close my eyes, only one pair stares back at me.
I always compared her eyes to mine. While mine are a deep shade of brown, so dark they appear almost black, hers are different. They're a rich chocolate hue, like the bark of a tree. Her hair shines with the same color as her eyes and the bark of a tree. When both are soaked in the rain, I'd risk my life that they resemble each other as closely as her eyes and hair do.
Mine resemble the deep, dark night sky, and hers the tree bark. Both the night and the tree will never cease gazing at each other until the earth stops rotating around the sun.
"Look, the fucker is online. I'll video call him. I won't allow him to have fun while I'm working on his behalf and deprived of any feminine pleasures." Vedant utters frolic, the screen glowing before him.
My eyes snap open when a particular word in his lewd comment grabs my attention.
"Online." I exclaim, sitting upright.
Both bickering brothers feign shock at my unexpected outburst, placing their hands over their chests and breathing heavily.
"What's wrong, brother?" Vedant reaches for his gun, peering out of the window. Vedansh accelerates the car.
I compose myself, clearing my throat.
"Oh, it's nothing. I just remembered something," I say with a hint of arrogance. Both blink at me, one from the passenger seat and the other from the driver's seat.
"What?" Irritation tinges my tone.
"You're acting strangely," Vedant points out.
Yes, I am. I admit, though confessing it means taking a rebirth.
I glare at them as their quick minds switch to investigation mode. Before they can probe further, I intervene, "Did you find a temporary secretary for me?"
"I've shortlisted five candidates. You can choose one from among them," Vedansh replies.
"Bhai, are you trying to change the topic?" Vedant questions.
For the remaining of the drive to Rathore Mansion, I silently pray for the utmost patience so that I don't end up strangling my rascal of brothers.
The journey to Rathore was brief, yet every moment seemed excruciatingly long.
After two days, I will talk with her and I must not lose my temper.
Advancements in science have been a true blessing for me. If she can't attend college in person, I'll arrange online education for her. This way, the sadness in her eyes will vanish.
As I reach our room, I search for her. She's curled up on the sofa, her hand resting on the cushioned arm, supporting her face. The book she had been reading lay forgotten, discarded haphazardly.
With cautious steps, I approach her. The closer I get, the more I find the true meaning of peace.
She's just a human, I know.
Yet, she feels like my heart, at peace.
I kneel in front of her. The serenity on her face nearly overwhelms me.
A stray strand of her hair brushes her cheek. I gently trace my finger along her glowing skin, moving the brown strand aside.
For some reason, brown has never seemed so pure and enchanting.
A smile spreads across my lips without any effort.
Her eyes flutter open. She blinks, a faint smile tugging at her lips, but as the realization dawns that we haven't spoken in two days, a grim look replaces it.
"What are you doing?" she asks, her tone serious.
"Watching you." I reply, my gaze lingering on her for a moment before shifting to her finger. The tip of it is red with a hint of blue.
Panic surges within me. I grab her hand and examine her injured finger.
"What happened?" I ask urgently, but instead of answering, she pulls her hand away.
"Why do you care?" Not looking at me.
"Kiraz," I say through gritted teeth.
She catches my stern gaze and mumbles, "I was preparing something, and I accidentally touched a hot pot."
"Who told you to go to the kitchen?" I move quickly, opening the cupboard and grabbing some ointment.
Taking her hand, I apply the ointment to her finger.
"Why did you even feel the need to go to the kitchen? We have maids. You could've asked one of them. Did dadi force you?" A frown creases my forehead.
"I wanted to cook, so I did. Why would anyone force me? If anyone has the right to force me, it's you, isn't it?" She taunts, and a dark anger wells up within me.
"Mind your words." I warn her.
"Oh, now I shouldn't even speak or seek permission before doing anything."
My jaw tightens. I need to control my anger, but it feels like it's slipping from my grasp.
"You act as if every time I've asked you to do something, you've not done the exact opposite " I snap.
"That's different," she whispers, her eyes on the verge of tears.
That only fuels my anger. "How is it different? I told you not to roam around the mansion, but you did and got into trouble. I told you to stay with the family in the village, but you disobeyed and went to help someone and you yourself needed one. I told you not to talk to strangers, but you did. Have you ever considered the consequences of your actions?" Even if I try hard to stay silent, but she needed it.
"What if I've never found you in that room, nobody would've even got your trace. The women with whom you went and defy my order, didn't she used you as a mean for fulfilling her demand." Her eye enlarged with realisation. Her cheeks coated with shame, making her lower her eyes.
"Even I told you not to talk with any people you don't know, yet you'd a chit chat with my enemy, who got twisted minds. What if they would've used you and used you against me."
"I'm sorry," she begins, but tears fill her eyes, and her words falter as she looks at me with a clouded gaze.
"But you also need to understand I'm a human. I can take care of myself."
"Of course, you can. If getting into trouble is your way of taking care of yourself, then forgive me for not being sympathetic."
She breaks eye contact, once again staring at the ground.
I rub my temples, swallowing hard.
"Choose between online education or staying in the mansion and doing nothing." Her gaze flickers to me.
"Online? I want to go to college and study," she requests.
"That can't happen. But don't worry; I'll arrange for the best tutor, better than any educational institution can provide. I promise that no problems will arise. The choice is yours."
"Why, Reyansh? Why are you doing this? It feels like I don't even know you anymore." Her voice quivers.
I lean down, kiss her forehead, and caress her hair. She involuntarily closes her eyes.
"It's better if you don't fully know me. My heart has a dark side, and you've only seen a fraction of it. Even if I'm torn to pieces, I'll bleed but ensure my darkness doesn't touch you."
Inhaling her sweet scent, I stand up and move away.
"Choose wisely. I'll do anything to fulfill your wishes, but I'll never let any harm come to you because of me."
I turn and head towards the door.
••~~~••
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Published: 2October, 2023.