A/N : Dear readers, welcome to another chapter :D 

Hope you read the last chapter too! It's published today only :)

This Chapter subjects explicitly matured content in terms of nudity; I would advise all minors to avoid this one, and for everyone else to use their own discretion. I usually do not add nudity to my stories unless they are an absolute necessity to my plot - in this case it is, and hence this caution!

Happy Reading! :)

P.S. : Inline comments are lovely to read <3

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Precap:

"What?" he spoke out loud throwing his hand up in exasperation before he could stop himself, he was losing it now.

"Sssh" came her reply as she held him by the shoulder, pulled his hand down, and gently cupped his face, her warm hands met the taut cold skin of his cheeks, he shut his eyes in benediction, and just like that he felt like he was melting in her palms, the warmth, the softness, even the smell of some moisturizer.

Nandini looked at his face, eyes shut tightly, reveling at her slightest warmth, that was when she had finally recognized him, he wasn't an unfamiliar man anymore, he was damaged just like her, as damaged as her, that was their connect, and she knew what he needed right then, a vent – and she was willing to let him, just to ease his pain; she wasn't doing it out of some misplaced sense of love, attraction or even affection, she was doing it out of compassion – she was doing it because, she knew how it felt to be in his place, how it felt to be damaged beyond repair, and how one gesture can save a person.

[Matured content ahead; kindly skip this chapter, if you are uncomfortable]

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She pulled his face closer to her, his entire frame hunched towards her, wanting to be accepted, to be acknowledged, she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead as he let out a soft sigh, she pecked him softly on each eyes, and gently caressed her palms from his cheeks to his broad shoulders to his arms and finally to his wrist, slowly guiding them to hold onto her petite waist – when his broad palm touched the skin on back of her waist, right under her tee, he instinctively grabbed onto it, while she slowly placed her arms on his shoulder and pulled him closer to her as she softly landed a kiss on his now slightly parted lips. She softly touched his dry parched lip with her warm and soft ones, and a moan escaped from him; his lips were still, he hadn't reacted to her warm invitation yet, he wanted some more affection, some more acceptance; she understood his need and kissed him again, this time a little stronger, sucking on his lower lip while their noses nuzzled onto each other, he reacted with a firmer grip around her waist, she could feel his manhood coming to life, they were so close; this time she softly bit on his lips, Manik gasped in response and slightly opened his mouth a little more, and Nandini gently entered the cavern of his mouth with her patient yet alluring tongue – with each assault she made with her tongue, Manik slowly came out of his stillness and slowly started responding to her. He gently sucked in her tongue and his hands were busy tracing her back, under her tee. As they broke free for a breather, Manik finally opened his eyes, to see something he hadn't ever seen in any woman – a silent and wilful submission before him.

This time, he took charge, he kissed her back with all the energy that was left in him, he softly took in her lower lips, then her upper lips; he nuzzled his nose with hers and placed gentle kisses across her face, her jawline and then her ears; as his hand was tugging to open the hook of her bra. Nandini's hands were also caressing all his body, his broad shoulders, his tough muscular back, his slender waist and his firm rear, she grabbed him and in response he unhooked her bra, all the time leaving trails of kisses from her lips to the nape of her neck.

"Let's hit the bed" he spoke in between kissing and sucking her protruding collarbone.

"Yes, let's" she replied, whilst biting his ear. She then gently broke free and held his hand and led him to her bedroom, where she jumped onto the bed and lay down on her back and held out her hand for him join, as he took off his shirt and was about to dive in bed, he felt better, he was finally back in control of his life, it was how tonight was supposed to be, if there weren't any distractions - it was a sly way the universe found, to deliver him the news of his mother's demise. No, no, he wasn't going to think of that, he wouldn't lose focus again he thought to himself, but it was coming back again, he cursed himself for not keeping his brain shut and thinking again; his face was clouded and memories were at the door wayt, waiting to break free again, as he stood there helpless not knowing how to stop all of it.

"Manik, come here" he felt a pair of hand tug at him and he lost balance and fell on the bed with her.

"Sorry, I..I" he began, but Nandini knew better.

"Stop thinking Manik, let your mind rest, let it calm down" she kept repeating softly, as she pulled his body close to hers and kept leaving trails of soft kisses with mild pressure on his now stiffened shoulder blades, it seemed to work, but Manik had lost the rhythm, he was closing out again, eyes tightly shut, and clutching onto her, but still; he was drowning again, those wretched memories, the laughter, the banter, and that voice, "Manik, my baby"

"Relax Manik, look at me" Nandini tried to wake him out of his reveries, he opened his eyes with much effort and Nandini tried to divert his attention, she quickly removed her own tee and pulled him towards her, it seemed to work, his male biology seemed to overpower him for a moment as he gazed at the expanse of soft creamy skin before him, on the woman lying almost under him, her bra was unhooked, but still in place and he slowly caged in on her to place a soft kiss right below her throat, as he kissed further down, he was at the brink of her cleavage, just when he was successfully switching off again, Nandini's alarm rang, it was 5:15am, they both jerked up in response, and Nandini was swift in shutting it out in a flash, but Manik was wide awake again – it was morning now, the newspaper will be rolled out and delivered to the whole city now, the world will wake up to the death news of one Nyonica Zaveri; owner of Zaveri Jewelleries, and just like that he started to hyperventilate. Why was he stressing, what did she ever have to do with him, all her affection in the early days was an elaborate charade of course, why was it affecting him? Why was he thinking so much about it; what would Dad and Mukti think if he acted all bothered about it; wouldn't he let them down, was it worth it? No, no he had to try, he had to focus; he had to digest this like it never happened, like even if it did, he couldn't care less.

"Manik, Manik, are you all right?" he snapped back to the present, he was still on top of Nandini and he was grabbing her shoulder with such brute force that it could easily crush her delicate bones.

"Shit, I am so sorry, I am..actually.." he began explaining, but nothing was coming out, what was he going to say?

"Manik, listen to me. Manik, look at me, Manik?"

"Yes, Yes, I am here"

"Manik you have to stop thinking about whatever that has you so bothered, your mind can't process it right now; it needs rest. Give in to the moment, okay?" she said it so softly, and her eyes were so understanding that he unconsciously let out a sob.

"I can't Nandini, I am trying to" there was a deep inflicted pain in his voice a sound of resignation, the one that she had heard from herself, ages back – she knew what that could lead to, no she wasn't going to let it go that far, whatever was bothering Manik.

"Okay, it's okay. I get it, you're overwhelmed; if you can't block it, channelize it; what is it that you feel right now, upset, sad, fearful, frustrated, whatever you feel, hold onto that one emotion, latch onto it and channel all that you feel through that, okay? Can you do that Manik?" Nandini asked gently, cupping his face again. Manik had shut his eyes and was concentrating on it, she brought his face close to hers and kept kissing him on the lips, to hold onto his mind while he focused.

Amongst her urgent kisses and the pitch blackness that his shut eyes provided, the only feeling he could latch onto was not the ones she had suggested, he was getting there, it was slowly but steadily blinding him again; the only emotion he was used to feeling over the years when pushed too hard – blinding anger.

He knew not when in his rage, he started to reciprocate to her kisses, no more was he the gentle person looking for acceptance he was demanding ownership now. Nandini could feel the force increasing on her lips, first it was pleasant, then uncomfortable and finally painful, when he was hungrily biting her lips like a hungry person, ravishing on food; his grip on her shoulders were ironclad and as he tried to kiss her over her shoulders, neck, throat and breast, he left a trail of angry bite marks on her. Nandini was hurting, but she wasn't going to say anything, she smiled, despite her not uttering, Manik had chosen the same emotion to fight the battle with, that she had chosen when she was in her darkest phase– anger and denial; although it hurt her, she didn't stop him, she knew he had finally switched off and it had to be that way; she'd not break the flow, she'd handle his heat.

Manik in the meanwhile couldn't feel a thing, the more he kissed her, the more he bit her, the more his anger found validation; he threw away her bra and roughly kneaded her mounds, sucking them, biting them to the point of contentment; he could feel his manhood growing in girth with his every assault, he quickly moved up to her body and claimed her mouth again, he pushed his tongue through her mouth and fought fiercely with her tongue, while at the same time using his hands to remove the last piece of her clothing, her shorts and inner wear at one go.

Nandini's eyes popped open at the first shock of his long finger pushing through her most intimate walls, she let out an involuntary moan and grabbed Manik's shoulder as she pulled him from her navel where he was biting, up to her face so that he could kiss her senseless; as hurt as she physically felt, his fingers at her core was driving her senseless and she needed to clutch on to something; even though in rage, he understood her need and began to kiss her mouth ravenously as she dug her nails onto his shoulder. She was slick, if his first finger wasn't any proof, he stuck in a second one to be sure; the more she moaned the more his anger found validation, the more he wanted to pierce through her.

"Manik, please enter now" she said in between ragged breaths, as Manik looked at her face, her submission was the victory of his new found rage.

"You want me to? Are you sure?" he asked her roughly, delaying her satisfaction.

"Yes, yes, please do. Do it now" she replied in haste.

Manik slowly pulled his body away from her and she cried out in frustration, never had victory felt sweeter to Manik as he removed his lowers and popped open his condom to wear it; he then went back to her and pushed through to enter her as aggressively as he possibly could, with each push he felt a rush, a high, a release of heat and energy, a release of something deeply pent up inside his heart, release of all the choking he felt in the last couple of hours; as he kept pumping inside her with his brute strength, Nandini hit notes of ecstasy, an ecstasy she hadn't felt in a long time, not in any of her flings, not since..no she wasn't going to her dark space tonight. As Manik kept pushing into her, awaiting his release, Nandini was physically wearing out, she was too petite for his frame and strength, but she held on, she was going to hold on till he vented it all out of his system; after all who knew it better than her that, unless it wasn't all out of your system, you can't begin to heal and after seeing Manik's state that morning, only she understood how much he needed to heal.

As Manik finally came onto her, he felt much lighter, tired yes, but so much light; as he slowly collapsed on her for a breather, he noticed she has almost passing out too; after the longest time he smiled, she must be tired, taking him today couldn't have been easy; as he slowly slid down next to her, he felt better; the hollow pit inside him was gone, there was confusion, disbelief and maybe even a little bit of misplaced hurt from the news of Nyonica Zaveri, but it wasn't eating at him anymore; he slowly got up from bed and tip-toed to clean up, he didn't want to wake Nandini up; then he came back and quietly joined her in bed, spooning over her and pulled the duvet on them; he wanted to sleep now, he would deal with the rest of the things later.

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A/N: Well, how'd this one go? Do let me know what you feel! Any suggestions/feedback?

Looking forward to some interaction!

Much love,

A.