“May I introduce you to as he is known in Saudi Arabia, King of Oil, Mr. Arjun Khanna," Mr Mathur pointed at the man.
Radhika froze, she couldn't breathe. Her mind seemed to have shut off as feelings of pain and longing erupted as quick sensations throughout her body. He had always been handsome but now he took her breath away.
It seemed he had lost his sugary boyish body. The man who stood near her was deliciously well built, over six feet tall and devilishly handsome. The black suit he was wearing fitted him like a second skin and made him stand out. His broad shoulders fanned over his vast chest, he seemed a man of reckoning, a man who was comfortable outdoors and would not shy away from sweat and toil.
Radhika felt as if someone had trampled her body, it felt hot and weary. She knew she was being stupid; he had no power over her now. She had moved on. Arjun Khanna was no one for her, just a name without a known identity.
She was shocked to find him here; no one had prepared her for this. She felt a sinking sensation in her stomach as she filled her heart with those painful memories and solidified the walls around her. She would not give him a reason to smile; she would never show herself as weak.
"Radhika Verma," she introduced herself looking at him, meeting his gaze head on as she held her hand out for him.
Those eyes that had once looked at her; tenderly drenched in love, making her toes curl, now stared at her empty and cold.
Radhika shivered involuntarily.
Arjun smiled as he took her offered hand in his and lifted it to his lips, gripping it firmly in his hand before giving her the opportunity to snatch it away," Pleasure to meet you, Radhika."
Her eyes widened as she wished he hadn't brushed his sinuous, erotic lips on her hand. The touch had left a fire burning deep in her stomach and she wanted nothing more than to douse it, only with him.
Arjun couldn't remember the last time his body had reacted so disgracefully to a female's presence.
Oh! How he had remembered her.
Then at the mere age of eighteen, she was a girl with a body not yet developed fully but still attracted him to her without any reason. Now, she was a tempting woman, who aroused every little pore in his body.
As he saw her, he found he had been lost. No woman had ever compared to her. She was the only one able to get under his skin, and he had loved her sweet intrusion.
Arjun smiled, he was pleased to see, she had done well, he liked the fact that she was ambitious, it spoke of her. She had always been hard driven.
Always focused, his Radhika.
As he shook hands with Mr. Mathur, he gazed at her; she was pretty then filled with her girlish charms now she looked utterly beautiful. With her glossy, silky long black hair that spilled marvelously over her shoulders and back hiding away those perky breasts to her red, rosy lips; she was incredibly alluring, almost bewitching.
"Shall we?" Mr. Mathur asked indicating their seats.
"After you, Radhika," Arjun spoke as he towered over her and pulled a seat for her.
"So, Mr. Khanna I would like to know the reason for this meeting?" Mr. Mathur said as he looked at him straight in the eye.
Arjun sat up straight and linked his fingers together, the movement too familiar to Radhika.
He still does that; she thought and suppressed the urge to smile.
"As you're aware of the fact, that I am heading for the Oil producers forum in the coming week, I am hereby fielding a proposal and need an academic with profound knowledge and reasoning to back me up," his voice spoke with power, it made Radhika's heart beat faster.
Why did he have such a hold on her even after so many years of pure abandonment? She shook her head as she focused on the current assignment.
"Hmmm. So why not hire from some university? Why us?" Radhika quipped as she narrowed her eyes; her eyes spoke of suspicion and mistrust.
He looked at her with an intensity that shook her very core, “Because, I need proper expertise and experience. This is not just some normal ordinance making."
"Then, what is it?" Mr. Mathur urged.
"I am a busy man and I am sure so are you, first lets deal with the nitty grittys. Are you onboard?" Arjun raised his eyebrows arrogantly as he waited for them to speak.
Mr. Mathur looked at Radhika and she nodded her head," Yes, we are. Meet your academic partner- Miss Radhika Verma."
Arjun smiled as he said," Very well, Mr. Mathur. May we use your facility for the ensuing one-on-one conversation? “He waved his hand implying he wasn’t really giving him an option.
Mr. Mathur knew this was a condition usually placed by most of their clientele. They wanted privacy and seclusion. He looked at Radhika and raised his eyebrows; she nodded with a little tilt of her head.
Arjun stood up and assisted her out of her chair as Mr. Mathur discerning the implications of refusing his demand stood and guided them to a small conference room.
“Thank you, Mr. Mathur that would be it,” with that Arjun ushered him outside and turned to face Radhika, a small smile playing on his lips.
He watched her standing haughtily near the desk, his eyes roved appreciatively over the enticing vision she created. Her skim gleamed and her hair tumbled over her shoulders delicately. He suppressed the urge to glide his fingers softly through her hair.
“So,” he said as he took a step towards, “my cute, little girl turned into a goddess….”
Radhika rolled her eyes,” Mr. Khanna, I am not here to hear empty compliments.”
“And she has teeth that don’t chew but bite, feisty,” he complete his sentence as if she had not spoken.
“So?”Radhika said ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat listening to his flattery.
“Why don’t you take a seat,” he replied titling his head towards the chair.
That tilt of his head shook her very emotions. She remembered when he did that, those moments that she had harbored hard to forget. Once she had been enamored by his action, his presence brought too many memories; buried deep but certainly not forgotten.
She sat down choosing a chair opposite his.
No! She would not allow herself to be dragged into that dark agony of those memories again. It was the present that was important not the past. He with his antics that made her heart beat faster was her past.
He was nothing to her.
Mere, a client and she should not forget that.
Summoning her strength, she demanded,” So, Why don’t you tell me the reason you need my services?”
She was stunning, Arjun thought.
He frowned and felt disgusted at his attraction towards her. He angrily looked away from her.
Her presence was unwelcomed by him in his life. She had ruined his love, never appreciated his love for her. He would never forgive her for her apparent discretion; it had broken his heart and made him immune to anything remotely affiliated with that feeling of love. A sword seemed to have plunged into his heart, as he remembered those pictures of her being sent to him by an anonymous mail. Her sensuality filled him with revulsion, nothing but distaste.
“I need you to study these files,” he threw some files at her; “it contains all that you need to know.”
She straightened her spine and lifted her thick hair away from her neck.
Her grace, her elegance; as she sat there studying his files caused his heart to flutter.
Radhika lifted her eyes and met his gaze. She could never forget those eyes, they haunted her like nightmares. She still remembered the look of pure hatred and anguish in them, that day when he left her all alone, in complete desertion.
“And when shall I report to you?” She asked closing the file.
She was not going to allow him to see how his presence affected her; she wasn’t going to shrink away in fear beneath his penetrating focus.
She was a hardened woman now, who no longer had either the time for those feelings nor the inclination. She was no longer that innocent, bubbly Radhika. She wasn’t going to let her be intimidated by him.
Only to herself she was willing to admit, she was shaken to see him here, in her presence. Her hand wanted to reach out and caress his cheek but she wouldn’t dare to voice those feelings.
He had left her without demanding any explanations. She remembered she had called him countless times, barged in his house to find it locked and suddenly he had left the town, the country to a location undisclosed to even his parents. Her nights had been spent crying and the despair had torn her to depression.
Radhika would not ever forget the allegation he flung on her. Her ego and the sense of self-worth let her tide over it all and begin a new life sans her best friend, her boyfriend, her love.
She did not need Arjun Khanna in her life. She managed then, she will manage now.
But, he was just too handsome for her senses to ignore his over-bearing presence. They always had this burning chemistry which was impossible to overlook.
His stupor screamed male. Masculinity oozed out of him, his actions spoke of immense power. He was a man driven by accomplishment.
Looking at his smirking face she realized this man could overturn her, ruin her well-kept composure.
“Tomorrow, nine sharp in my office,” Arjun smiled as he gave her his card.
Radhika took his card making sure not to touch his hand, “Well, I guess this will tell me, if you’re the hero or the villain,” she said as she picked up the file and tapped it.
He chuckled; that unsuspecting voice sent bits of pleasure to erupt in her body, how she missed his laugh, that twinkle in his eye.
Arjun folded his hands, “If I am the villain, I hope you would still work efficiently and not try to take revenge.”
“I don’t need to seek revenge,” Radhika told him, fiercely repudiating his accusation, it brought all the memories back tumbling in her mind, making her lose her self-control, “You know what, it is said about karma. You will bring your revenge on your own head one day. You may think you were the person who was wronged but did you once stop by and think about seeking an explanation from me. “
Arjun seethed in pure anger. He knew what he had seen; those pictures had been his proof. He could not even fathom the heart break he had to go through due to this woman.
Now, to hear her say such things, the gall of this woman, made him want to erupt in rage and shake his shoulders till she realized what they had lost.
There was a time when he couldn’t even think beyond her. She was his everything but now, it pained him to think of their current status- strangers with separate present and future. Then, they had mingled their dreams together, everything had been planned out but this woman wanted more.
Was he not able to satisfy her? Was it because he wanted to wait?
He remembered those days ruefully when she had forced him to drown himself in self-pity and he had nearly lost his passion for his dreams. He had to leave everyone behind, his parents, his home and his past. It had been his parents who had been his support, he could not forget his mother who had tried to cajole him in to talking to her but it was too much for him.
He knew in order to succeed and throw her out of his every cell he would have to leave the country, be as far as possible. And he did that. Arjun moved to Saudi Arabia, without informing anyone and worked hard, he had one motto- to achieve what he wanted to and not ever let her existence affect him in any way.
“Mr. Khanna, you know what will be my revenge knowing that you will never have a woman to cherish, love and be loved in return. I will feel happy knowing that you won’t ever know what you have missed out courtesy your magnificent ego.”
His very silence was unnerving on its own. But, she was not the fearing, gentle girl of eighteen whose heart he could simply trample and go.
“Has no one told you how dangerous it can be voicing your precariously balanced opinions?” He raised his eyebrows, haughtiness streaming from his very stance.
Radhika laughed as she stood and looked at him, “Maybe not. After all, why be scared when I know I speak the truth.”
She had to tread carefully; she couldn’t risk saying more without showing him her unhealed wounds. They had deprived her of the right to be loved- as a woman. His rejection had changed her completely. No longer did she believe in silly sentiments, her heart was permanently scared of allowing anyone to enter.
He laughed. His tone filled with coldness shook Radhika’s pride.
“Let me tell you one thing,” he stood close to her, his chest nearly touching hers, her peaks hardened at his closeness, he roamed his gaze over them and he smiled, “no man would ever want a woman someone who is…”
Radhika felt the blow before he delivered it to her, she did not let his proximity affect her, she was ashamed at her thoughts, as all she wanted to do was touch him, and she wanted him to touch her, while here he stood in front of her insulting her very roots.
She felt as if someone had punched her in her stomach. The pain of being labeled as a wanton woman spread through her body and invaded her mind. After all these years, this woman of steel wanted to curl up and cry.
”Someone like me,” she supplied.
He nodded his head and narrowed his eyes, “no man wants a wife whose morals are so enriching that they would put a sinner to shame. If you count yourself as one of them, who am I to stop you. When I get my woman she will be thoroughly committed to me as I will be to her,” he said and took two steps back releasing her from his contact.
He was angry and Radhika could feel it but instead of disgust it aroused her sensuality, awakening those dormant feelings that only he had ever been able to rouse in her.
It exhilarated her, excited her. Made her breathe easily.
After so many years, she could feel.
Feel that hurt, feel those emotions, feel pinching sensations deep in her heart.
It made her sense freedom from the suffocation she had caged her soul in. But, she knew she shouldn’t play with his self-control that could lead to disastrous consequences for their professional relationship.
Tears! She wanted them to fall after eight years. All the bottled up frustrations, she wanted to let it all out.
She smiled, “Good luck, Mr. Khanna. Hope you find her and soon. Now if you will excuse me,” she quickly turned away from him, only to give a startled gasp as her foot slipped on the floor causing her to lose her balance.
Immediately her logic, her brain shut down as she found herself in the arms of Arjun as he steadied her and held her upright.
Passion flared inside him, as he held her tightly in his arms. His body’s reaction to her in his arms was going through the roof, as his heart thumped sending vibrations all over. She was breath-taking; her body felt so soft beneath his hands, her supple breasts were made to be worshipped. Arjun wanted to forget their past and devour her right then and there on the office floor. His eyes glazed with lust as he moved his lips closer to hers.
Radhika felt her pulse quicken, warmth, security that she had always felt being so close to him captivated her. She didn’t know what to do; her rationality was thrown out of the window.
Arjun shook his head as he quickly released her, gave her an insulting look and growled,” Over-used goods never had an appeal for me.”
Trembling with rage, Radhika clenched her fists, her nails digging in her palm leaving marks, “Great to know, but some just love them.”
She smiled satisfactorily at the look of anger in his eyes and quipped, “I will see you tomorrow at nine,” and walked out of the door with her head held high.