If you all vote fast, I'll definitely give you a double update today.
God built me in hurry, so I lack patience!
Any problem
The sounds of cheerful glees echoed in the conference room.
Every man of Devour raised a glass of champagne flute, high in the air, drinking in the joy of our achievement.
The motto for which we were working since the past one month, has been fulfilled. The achievement was small, but when heartless men like us celebrated something it must hold a deep reason.
The auction of enslaved individuals, conducted by the Malhotra family, was utterly dismantled. A wry smile crossed my face as I recalled how we managed to liberate those unfortunate souls from right under their noses. Prostitution itself remains the most sinister blot in the underworld's ledger. Devour holds a grip of such business, giving shelters to those who required it, who went inside willingly.
Yes, I'm a bad man, a sinner, a dark soul, but I better know to not stoop so low, that my soul degraded to that of the worms in gutter. Like that of Rishabh's. I got no pleasure in kidnapping young child and people from the street. For all I care is, I just want to eradicate this chain of sex-trafficking, this is something done against an individual wish. I can be little humble where it's needed.
For the rest time like dealing with other part of my business, drug, arms, killing, I don't give shit. Since that's what they wanted. Destroy themselves for few pleasures. I get what I want, and I know the heaven is keeping accounts of that, and I'm going to burn in the fire of hell.
However, I fear that the devils in the hell, will also be forced to kick me out, cause, they would be afraid to burn a dark-dirty soul like mine, I might go to bite their ass. Shit! I've no remorse for that.
I keep the glass of flute away, fishing out my phone from my pocket. The screen flashes to a warning of five percent battery. An exhausted sigh left my lips.
"Vishal."
On being called, the man saunters towards me, "Yess Boss."
I hand him my phone asking him to charge it. With a nod he goes away.
Again, a sigh leaves my mouth. I throw my head back, my fingers massaging the middle of my brows.
Even this victory, which I'd aimed for is suddenly becoming a smog of dullness. For a minute, I try closing my eyes, still the darkness engulfing before me, couldn't hide the gruesome feeling my chest has hanged itself upon. Each second, the feeling instead of lessening, making it painful to spend the upcoming minutes transforming themselves in hour.
I never felt this before. Not atleast since the time she has entered my life, with a lantern of light. Today, becomes an exception. Feel as if something is going to happen, something of mine is losing from my hand. I get up form the chair, with a force to send it back flying.
Silence prevailed in the air, as the solider saw their head, whose face is always painted in white, without an eye, nose, or lips, has suddenly let a deranged feeling get on his black dark orbs. I need to call her, need to listen to her voice and know she is safe in the walls of my empire, before I go insane with worry. Neglecting the mafia election happening in the next week.
Before I could move my feet and go to my cabin, Vedant rushes inside in panic. When my eyes pins to him, he stands straight with a posture of blankness.
"What happened?" I try keeping my voice firm, unlike my inside crumbling like that of bead from a necklace, scattering on the floor.
"We just got to know that someone was trying to attack our house. Few bullets but no one was injured. Our men were able to tackle them, Dadu and Tauji handled the case."
A lump in my throat stubbornly resisted descent.
"Track the motherfucker existence, make them regret birthing." I declared through clenched fists, my knuckles paling.
Can't this enemies of mine, for a minute rest down? Atleast give me a minute to think of whether or not scratching the matchstick and burn their shitty existence to ashes.
"Who's it?" Vedansh questions.
"I think its Malhotra." One of them answers.
I shake my head.
Naah! It can't be him. He needs atleast few days to stand and hit me with the same force I kicked on his ass. He must be busy cursing me.
"Search the fucker." I bellow.
With my hands stuffed in my pockets, I move my feet to exist for a blow of smoke, before facing my fate. I dread calling her.
"Boss." Again, the door slammed open. I knew it, my gut never failed in warning me. But this better be not about her. I'll not look who stands before me. I know I'm going to hell, so let me just give them a chance to secure the throne exclusively for me.
"Boss, Ma'am is not in mansion, we just got a call." He breaths stammering.
I tug my gun out, firing a bullet, just an inch away from his waist. He flinches, I bet everyone did.
"Don't fuck with me, just tell me where she is." I breath out.
He composes before uttering, "Niza Road."
"Everyone, get in your car, and just know, protect her at any cost. Even if it's me, choose her." I roam my eyes on every ducked head and sealed lips.
"Answer me." I bark.
"Yess Boss."
Exiting the room, a siren blaring within the covert warehouse, every man scrambling to arm themselves, securing weapons against their backs and piling into the sleek, tinted windowed cars.
Snatching my gun and phone from Vishal, I yanked open the door of my Mustang, revving it out of the driveway. With one hand steadying the car, I unlocked the phone, noticing her numerous missed calls. An unprecedented intensity surged within me, a desire to kill myself. My trembling fingers found her contact icon, dialing her number.
As I blared the horn, navigating at inhuman speed and narrowly avoiding collisions, her phone rang, unanswered.
"Kiraz, pick up the call." My gaze fixed ahead, but my mind pacing with an urge to just go to her. When I find her, I'm fucking not letting her stand for a month. I'll chain her to our bed, and fuck every hole of her.
Just be safe. Just be.
I dial once again, overtaking a rascal snail-like filthy excuse of four wheelers. I muster enough patience and self-control to not stop the car, and cut his balls out.
"Reyansh." My heart stops thudding, hearing her cry.
"Hello, Kiraz." My own voice foreign breaking apart. I could imagine her, wiping her snort, with tear filled eyes, crouching beneath something to protect herself from the bullet shower happening in the background, which is so loud that I can hear them.
"Reyansh, I'm going to die." She screams hearing another sound of bullet.
"I'm on my way, my darling. Just hang in there for a few more moments, I'm almost there," I declared with my grip tightened on the accelerator, racing down the highway, which I'd hastily cleared.
"You'll be late. The gunfire has erupted in the nursery." she sobbed, her voice quivering. "Reyansh, the windows are shattered." Her words were almost unclear amidst the chaos.
"Kiraz take a deep breath, I'm just there." I fleet a glance on the navigator, seeing the location which was away for ten minutes.
"Stop giving me false hope." Panic was evident in her voice, "Reyansh, I had so many dreams to fulfill, so many wishes. I want to stay with you. Please come fast, save me, please..."
The call disconnects.
"Hello, hello Kiraz." I shout on the blank screen, still her voice remained mute. I clench the phone, throwing it away.
What must she be going through. Whenever I raise my voice beyond a decibel, she flinches, gripping her chest. Then, how would she be dealing now. I hit the steering wheel, the desperate urge to fly to her remain intact in my heart.
I halt the car under a tree, a little away from the scene, just the sound of bullets resonated in the air.
"Half of you, go to that side, and other to this." I hear Vedansh ordering the men. I take my tab, which showed her current location. The tracker on her ring, gave me the exact location which in needed. Securing the gun in my hand, I analyze the fastest paths which would lead me to her.
"Bhai, I'll come with you." I turn to look at Vedant, securing his gun in his hands.
I shake my head, "Stay here with Vedansh, I'll handle." I walk away, but he stands before me.
"You've always handled, this time let me help you."
"I said stay here. This is not a time to babysit you." I growled at him.
"Bhai, he's right, let us come with you..." I interrupted Vedansh's protests, my patience wearing thin as I dealt with both my brothers.
"Don't push me into a situation I'd come to regret. Both of you, head to the other side or stay here, it doesn't matter to me. Just don't follow me. I refuse to be in a position where I must choose between her and you. I dread that I'd choose her. I'm already burdened with enough guilt, let's not add more to it."
I don't look back, I fucking force myself to not. I know I'd see their pitiful glances. Reyansh has been self-centred, nothing new in it.
I sprinted away from the group, sticking to the shadows of the shops and houses. Beads of sweat trickled down my hairline to my neck. There was no need for a mask; the surveillance cameras had been taken care of. I hunched my head and body, evading the gunfire from an assailant on the top floor of a house. Seeking refuge behind a barren wall, I adjusted the gun's nozzle, aiming directly at his head. One shot, and it was over.
Entering the nursery through the back door, with Nitin securing the front, the sounds had intensified by the time I arrived, announcing the arrival of my men.
I moved cautiously, arms outstretched, my footsteps treading on the shattered glass scattered across the floor. The room, adorned with flowers, now reeked of searing metal. Petals lay crumpled beneath the shards of glass, remnants of the bullets piercing reflective surfaces.
Another gunshot echoed, accompanied by the shattering of glass, mingling with her chilling scream. I turned my head in that direction. There she was, huddled under a wooden desk, her hands clamped over her ears, lips gnawing on her teeth, attempting to stifle her cry
I dash towards her, crouching before her shivering figure.
"Kiraz." She shakes violently, the pieces of glass lacerated her hands and some even bruises her face.
"Kiraz." I again call her, hauling her in my arms. She opens her eyes, peeking from her wet eyelids.
"Reyansh," she breaks in sob, clutching my neck, her hands fisting the collar of my shirt.
I remove the wet strands from her sweat glistening face, wiping the tears and patting her back to calm her down. "Relax. I'm here. Just relax."
She nuzzles her face in my neck. The sound of bullet at outside, lingered in the air, making her flinch in my arms. Her cold body and grasping for breath made me aware of her panic attack. If she stays here any more second, it could lead to more serious consequences. I need to take her away from here.
"Reyansh I'm so scared.." her voice trails in her tears.
"I know, but you're brave, right?" She shakes her head. This is going to be difficult.
I remove her face from my neck, looking at her, "I know you're afraid, but we need to go away from here. This place is not safe for us to hide. The police is outside, taking action against the thugs. But if we stay here, our life will be in danger." I said to her. Her breath was turning shallow.
"The guns are firing..how can we.."
I wipe her tears, "We will. Do you believe in me." I look at her, "I'll keep you safe." I kiss the crown of her head.
She nodded, and I helped her stand, but her unsteady legs threatened to buckle. I gripped her waist firmly, ensuring she didn't fall. I can't lift her in my arms, as I need to fire the gun, and God knows how the fuck I'm going to do in front of her.
I swear if any fuckers come before us, I'll haunt his soul to end. She clutched my arms, hiding in my arms.
"Just a little Kiraz. We'll be safe." I kept chanting in her ears. We came out, the harsh rays of sun showering us. We walk the same path, I came from.
When we were few meters away from the shop, a gun shot past us. Kiraz screams in my arms. I turn back, to see an asshole, firing from a few distance.
"Kiraz, we need to run." I usher her, clutching her hands, and dashing away.
"Duck your head."
She followed my instructions, running on her numb feet, heads ducked as we raced forward.
Taking a quick glance at her, we huddled behind a wall, seeking refuge. The fucker continued to fire bullets in our direction. A rusted gate loomed before us, dividing the narrow lane from the connecting street.
I removed my blazer and draped it over her trembling, fragile frame. "We need to climb that gate."
The handle we needed to scale it was just out of her reach. "Climb onto my shoulders," I urged her.
She clutched the rusted railing, slipping off her heels. "Reyansh," she whispered, and began to climb on my back.
"Yess." I affirmed, hoisting her up.
"I've been chased by dogs," she climbs, with her lips quivers, "But never by a man with gun, running behind my life." her bare sole touching the hot ground.
I take her heels throwing it to the other side. I swiftly flung my hands against, supporting my feet by the walls, and hiking myself.
Dogs have always run behind, I'll be not discriminating, between animals and humans. Everyone is equal.
I bend down, making her wear her heel, "We'll be safe." I assure her, she nods in daze.
We run from there, as fast as we can, not stopping until we see our car.
"Reyansh, I can't breath." I turn to her, watching her face turning pale, her eyes drowsy.
"Just there." I hoist her in my arms, sauntering to the area where my man stood.
"Reyansh, my chest is paining." I look down, her eyes almost closed.
"We're just there."
"I can't hear anything." Her voice slurpy.
"You don't have to, just feel me."
"Reyansh, don't leave me." With those words on her lips, she faints in my arms, giving out every ounce of her.
Never.
I settled her inside the car, and Vedansh took the driver's seat, speeding off to the hospital.
As soon as we arrived, the doctors rushed to take her on a stretcher, wheeling her into the Intensive Care room. I slouched in a nearby seat, waiting for their examination, running my palm over my face to calm the adrenaline rush.
"Who were they?" I asked as Vedansh sat beside me.
"We've catched a few of the attackers. Vedant is taking out information." he replied, and I nodded absently.
"Who do you think is behind this?"
"Someone, but not from India. With the new laws and the upcoming mafia election, nobody would play such a foul game. It's unlikely to be Rishabh; he needs financial support to stand in the Mafia." I exhaled heavily
"Go and call Vedant, I need that fucker." He goes away, handing my phone.
I take the device, a notification waiting on the feed. I open the message.
My lips curved up. I grace my thumb around the screen.
After few minutes, the lady doctor comes out, standing before me, with his head hanged down.
"Boss.."
"Straight to the point." I wave the gun in my finger.
She gulps, stammering, "She is physically fine, no internal fatal injury. But I can't say about her mental unless she wakes up. Patients suffering from such incidents, have their own rate of recovering. As per her records, in her case it's going to be difficult. She already had the panic attack. Her mental health is in damage, and her brain can't bear any more pressure. She needs rest. I would advice you to keep her away from any noise, and try avoiding anything which'll hamper with her mental peace. Her body needed adequate rest. If she gets another attack, I fear something..."
"Get lost." My gaze fixed on the floor. She bows and leaves. I stay seated in the same position, not even lifting my head when, Vedansh stands before me.
"Bhai, you're right. It's from Italy. Don Clare, was behind it."
I get up, licking my wet lips, my feet taking me the ICU door, where she laid, wrapped in bandage.
"Track him down, I'll kill him by myself."
••~~~••
Reyansh, is no nonsense man.
I don't know, but really hope you like it.
Do vote and comment. Even if it's a small heart, I'll love it, your messages makes my day.
Published: 17October, 2023.