Mythili's POV -
"Mr. Malhotra, if you don't leave in the next minute, I am going to call the police and get you arrested for trespassing." Shivaay said again, his voice raising by a notch as as he took a step closer to him.
"Shivaay----" I tried to calm him down in front of the guests around but all he did was hold his hand up, stopping me from saying anything further.
"I don't want you or any woman in this house to as much as stay in the presence of this filthy man right here. The function will happen and it will happen better than how it was supposed to be at a place which is not tainted with his presence. Mythili, take Maa, Anamika and Nupur inside." He asked me and the three of them did not hesitate for a second on listening to him while the other guests made their way out, the cars waiting for them to take them back to the hotel.
I, on the other hand had no intention of leaving him alone with that man.
"Anamika, go on. I am going to stay here with him." I said, looking at her brother. She have my upper arm a reassuring squeeze before going inside while I went to stand by him.
"Mythili...." He was just about to say something, 200 percent asking me to go but all I did was entwine hold his little finger with my entire hand without looking at him.
"I think you fail to understand sir, Shivaay asked you to leave. You have no business here at my home." I spoke up, looking at that demon in the eye.
"Your home? Listen, child...." He pointed his finger towards me, his eyes burning a hole on my face when Shivaay's almost lazy and somehow yet still affirmed, rang through the hall.
"The clock is ticking Mr. Malhotra. You heard her." He did not mince his words at all.
"So she is the one who gives orders around here, son? You have no stand of your own? Does this girl bosses you around? Sad, isn't it?" His voice, all too condescending cut right through me.
"Yes she does, she bosses me around and I will not have it any other way. Besides, haven't we already established that your opinion and words mean nothing to anyone from my family? It's either that you are hard on hearing or plain retard. 30 more seconds." Shivaay said which made me look at him with a very, very small smile curving my lip while he was glaring at him.
As Mr. Malhotra stood there, a mix of shock and indignation crossed his face. Clearly unused to being spoken to in such a manner, especially in his own presumptuous confidence.
"You think you can talk to me like this? You little upstart!" Mr. Malhotra's voice trembled with anger, his face flushed red with fury.
Shivaay remained unfazed, his stance unwavering as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not the one trespassing in someone else's home and insulting their guests."
"I demand respect! Do you know who I am?" Mr. Malhotra spluttered, his entitlement on full display.
Shivaay scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "I know exactly who you are and how far you are capable of going to try and destroy everything my mother has created after we were finally free from your clutches but unfortunately for you, this time, I won't as much as let you touch a hair on he head." Shivaay warned him, his eyes spitting fire towards the man.
"Sir, leave if you want to stay away from a jail and if you as much as think of coming back to trouble Maa and my sister-in-laws, you will face consequences which you may not like." I held onto Shivaay's little fingers by my hand, shifting a tad bit closer to him.
"If this wedding takes place, I will show you all what it is exactly to mess with me. Keep my words into your heads and decide what to do." He said, all baffled and started walking towards the door. I kept quiet but I had a feeling that Shivaay won't so I just held onto him tighter.
This was enough of a scene today. Besides, there were other rituals that were supposed to take place too and we couldn't let them be affected because of this.
"Shivaay....." I started but he turned by his side to look at me and with his free hand, pulled my face into his chest and then kissed my hair.
"He will not be able to do anything Mythili. You and everyone else have nothing to worry about. I promise." His words spoken were as firm as they always are but that little tremor in his voice at the end failed to hide that bit of worry, the childhood trauma.
''I know Shivaay. I know you will not let anything happen to any of us but for that, you need to let me stand by your side and try not to resist my help? Why do you do that anyway? Are we all not in this together?" I asked, raising my head from his chest to look at his face, only to find his eyes closed and a muscle in his jaw, twitching.
He was angry, angry as hell.
"Shivaay...." I had no idea what to tell him so all I could do was tip-toe closer, the space between us shrinking until I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin and wrapped my arms around his neck, gently tugging the back of his hair with my fingers, my lips hovering just a breath away from his closed eyes. The sensation of his lashes fluttering against my skin sent a jolt through me as I brushed a kiss against each of his eyelid before cupping his face and joining our foreheads together, closing my eyes, in an attempt to bring him comfort.
As we stood there for a while, his hands snaked around my waist once again and he pulled me closer before running his thumb on my cheekbone.
Silence bloomed between us and then a slow slide of his hands around my waist, a possessive inch closer. His touch lingered on my cheekbone, "Are you mine to hold a little longer?"
"As long as you want." I whispered, a small smile making it's way to my lips.
"Forever then." He replied, invoking a giggle within me but I held onto him tighter.
"When I say as long as you want, I mean one minute Shivaay! I have to go and get on with the preparations for the next function. Now!!" I said, wiggling in his arms to free myself but all he did was hold me tighter in the softest manner possible but eventually let go of me.
"I need to get to the hotel to make sure that the mehendi arrangements are done." He said and I nodded.
"Is...is he gone?" I heard Maa's voice, breaking me out of my Shivaay trance and I turned around, only to find her scared, standing beside the staircase.
"Maa. It's okay. He is gone. He will never, and I promise this. He will never be in the same room as you ever again. You have nothing to worry about." Shivaay rushed to her, taking her hands in his while I made my way to Anamika's room to check on her.
"Mythili....has he left?" She asked, seeing me at the door.
"Yes Anu. You have nothing to worry about. Your brother will always take care of you and Maa." I said, walking to her and she gave me an understanding nod.
"That man is full of crap." Nupur announced and we agreed.
"But we cannot ruin such a special day on account of someone like him so let's get the brides dressed again and get those hands decorated!" I exclaimed and turn-by-turn, helped them get ready.
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The function was beautiful and fun. Of course some people were still talking about what had happened back at home but they won't be people if they didn't gossip.
Both the brides were getting fed. One by her brother, other by her almost mother-in-law, since Maa had henna allergy while I was chilling with Amrita, Hritik and Viraj. Baba was talking to some guests his age and laughing about something. Snowflake and Cooper both were curled around by my husband's side.
"M, are you done with the project?" Viraj asked with his puppy eyes and I rolled my eyes at him.
"I am. I have also mailed it to you so that you can paraphrase it." I replied and he grinned.
"Aren't you the best?" He said offering me one of sprill rolls but before he I could eat it, he took that away from my reach.
"I really really wish there was a feature to unsend mails!" I groaned in irritation and he laughed harder.
"As if you would do that to us." Hritik joined in and Amrita nodded in silent support.
"What would have happened had I not been your friend?" I asked to the three of them sternly.
"We would never have graduated." Viraj said and shrugged so casually that for a second I almost thought that I had lost it.
"Impossible, guys." I said and was just about to hit his chest when he whisper shouted a stop.
"It's a 3000 rupees kurta woman, don't ruin it with all that henna." He shrieked dramatically and I rolled my eyes at him again.
"I'm so hungry!!! Hritik, give me that starter's plate." I said, looking at the plate food mountain in his hands.
"No, thank you. You know I don't share food." He replied and continued to eat.
"Yeah so much so that even his girlfriend doesn't get a bite." Amrita spat, looking at him angrily and referring to herself.
Then trembling with fear, he started to feed her. Viraj on the other hand is a shameless creature.
"Stop staring at me, ask your husband for help." He shrugged, unaffected.
"I wish you get a girlfriend super soon." I said with the most fake smile ever.
"Same!" He replied but both our contexts were really different and I made a face at him.
But as I said, shameless creature.
I turned around to see if Anamika had eaten or not, neither had Nupur.
"I will feed my granddaughter." It was Baba who grabbed my attention as he tapped on my shoulder with his spare hand while the other one had a plate full of food.
"Yes Baba!" I gave him my biggest smile and we sat together, right next to Shivaay and Anamika, who now was almost done.
"Baba, let me help her. You shouldn't be...." Shivaay, concerned, started to speak but Baba cut him off.
"No young man, she is my granddaughter before she is your wife and if I want to help her eat, you cannot stop me." He said, making all of us laugh.
"Can't argue with that now, can I Baba?" He replied, smiling and gave up.
"Baba, do you remember how I never ate unless you were back home?" I asked as he fed me a morsel and nodded his head in a yes.
"You would only eat sitting next to me, with that ridiculous looking dog soft toy staring into my soul." He replied and I laughed.
"Baba! He was so cute, that's not fairrr." I whined.
"I said what I said." He didn't budge from his point and I pouted.
Soon, the function was all over and we were on our way back home. Maa, Nupur, Anamika and Baba with the driver while I was sitting next to Shivaay in the passenger's seat, Snowflake curled on my lap and Cooper happily sitting at the back, looking out the window.
"Are you okay?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.
"More than okay. Stop worrying about me, Love." He replied and my cheeks reddened, they always do when he calls me that.
Thankfully, he didn't notice because he was focusing on the road and it was dark outside!
That's when, all of a sudden, it started to rain and Cooper gave out a loud, happy bark which grabbed Snowflake's attention as she made her way to the back seat from my lap to probably annoy Cooper.
Silly Snowflake.
"Shivaaayyy, do you like the rain?" I asked, tapping his bicep.
"We're not getting out of the car in the rain." He sighed, picking on my tone.
"Not even if I say please?" I ask, turning towards his seat while he looked out at the road.
No reaction.
"Please, Shivaay? Pretty please?" I pushed, resorting to puppy-dog eyes, even though he didn't glance my way, his grip tightened on the steering wheel, and he signaled before pulling over to the side of the road, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"What about your mehendi?" He asked, looking at my henna covered hands and then towards me.
"It's been a while since I've applied it. If you love me, the colour will be bright but if you don't....." I tried to tease him but he silenced me with his index finger on my lips.
"Come on." Was all he said as he got opened the car door and jogged towards the passenger's seat door to pull it open before extending his hand towards mine.
"You're really doing this for me?" I asked, laughing as I took his hand and got out of the car.
"You shouldn't be surprised anymore, Mythili. You should now be surprised if I, for some forsaken reason, say no to you." He smiled before pushing all my hair to my right shoulder and placed feather kisses on my jaw as my hold tightened onto his hand, shutting my eyes.
"Shivaay...." I tried to distance myself from him because we were practically on a road but looking at him, I forgot what on earth was I going to speak.
The rain lashed against my face, a thousand tiny needles pricking my skin. But I barely felt it. All I was aware of was Shivaay, standing a breath away, the water cascading down his face.
His kurta, plastered to his torso, strained against his broad frame. His dark hair, usually so perfectly styled, dripped down his forehead.
His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb tracing a path down my jawline and a shiver shot down my spine, melting under his touch.
His gaze met mine as he leaned in. Our lips met, and it was like a lightning strike, so quick and so explosive.
His lips, hot and firm, pressed against mine, stealing my breath, stealing my very thoughts. He tasted of rain and something more primal, something that sent shivers down my spine and ignited a fire in my core.
His tongue danced against mine as we devoured each other. My hands tangled in his damp hair, urging him closer, closer still.
When we finally tore apart, gasping for breath, our foreheads pressed together, our chests heaving and my hands moved from his hair to snaking around his neck while his firmly placed on my waist.
His eyes, smoky with desire, held mine captive. In that moment, I saw everything – the possessiveness, the tenderness and this time, I pressed my lips against his, those butterflies creating havoc in my stomach and the raindrops singing their own tunes.
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