Paradoxes are never appealing. They leave a void most often especially when your mind is already clouded with so much more that every ounce of her potent rationale begins to evaporate into thin air.

It was already over five minutes that he had been sitting silently, not giving her any answer to whatever she asked.

He was also well aware of the fact that she knew what exactly had gotten him to this quandary an hour back, when he had received sporadic direct messages from random fan pages with that one picture and caption that her ex-boyfriend had put up on his Instagram story two hours ago, something that had left a venomous, sour taste in his palette and he was somehow still reeling in the effect of it.

''Zain?''He heard her call his name again and it was the first time in the last eight minutes that he finally lifted his gaze to look her directly in the eye, and he knew that her condition wasn't something congenial either.

She was worried for him because somewhere even she was suffocated with everything that had drastically and unceremoniously changed in her life and such cemented was the cobwebs of her past that it wasn't easy for her to break free right away.

He knew all of it very well, from the very moment he had signed up for this. For her. For this relationship. Exactly from the time he had realised that he had fallen for her.Yet there was this deep dark pit somewhere floating in his stomach that always left a tinge of apprehension in his mind, in his heart, with the question.. what if?

What if she was to leave him?

What if he were to lose her?

Before that thought could even induce further tension in his mind and muscles, he decided to walk out of the room, not sparing a glance at Aditi, who looked like she would herself end up breaking down any minute...

The moon was only at its zenith an hour later and Aditi tried her best to let herself slip into the oblivion's curse, because didn't some experts say, that sleep is the only way at times to avoid the difficulties of reality that envelop you in its clutches?

But unlucky was she, for sleep was the last thing to greet her this night as she saw at the empty side beside her, conveying it well to her that he was going to avoid her today like he had during many other days whenever they had an argument.

And the saddest part for her was that she dreaded sleeping alone.

She was not just scared but felt vulnerable to infinity and beyond every time she was devoid of the warmth that she had gotten too used to, ever since they started seeing each other five months back.

To her, not having him around when the day began and the night ended were as good as being devoid of the fundamental right to breathe..As she let out a deep breath in melancholy, she rubbed off the sheen of tears that were constantly forming in her eyes and tried to turn the other way when she saw him standing at the doorstep to her bedroom, in his night clothes.

For a moment a small hope shone inside her, almost ready to reflect in the form of a smile on her lips, but none of that happened as she saw him say nothing to her, instead, he royally avoided her gaze and slipped into his side of the bed, with his back facing her..

'At least he didn't let you sleep alone.'

Her conscience whispered to her and she could only feel a sudden feeling of loss at that.Yes, she was not going to feel scared due to sleeping alone, but was it wrong on her part to wish for and ask for more?

She knew it already that he was someone who had extreme control over what he let out when perhaps his insides would be churning due to a hailstorm. But she only wished he would care to share at times, what he truly felt even if it were things against her.

"Good night Zain. I am sorry if I have hurt you in any way today. I hope you know I had no idea Shreedhan would put up a picture of mine from so long ago. But I am still sorry if it's what's hurt you. I only wish you could share with me what you truly feel instead of pretending like I don't practically exist for you despite being beside you. Even right now.''

Saying that in the most sincere voice, Aditi tried to get hold of the blanket by tugging the corner but in a fraction of second she was halted at her tracks as she felt Zain's hand hold her wrist in a vice-like grip and before she even knew it, she was lying on the bed flat on her back and he was on top of her.

So sudden was this that she felt like the room was rotating for a second before she could see his penetrating gaze towards her, their faces only inches away from each other.

Yes, it was palpable.The situation, the air, the feeling.

All of it.

She didn't know the reason for this but all she did know was for once she wanted him to open up.

"Do you really mean it?"

She heard his husky voice ask her.

She was lost in the realm of the honey-brown orbs that were his eyes, feeling like they could read her naked soul, that she took a long time to reply and ask him,

"Mean what?"

"Your wish to know what I am truly feeling right now?"

His words made her heart skip a beat.

Yes, that's what she wanted.That's exactly what she wanted.

But she also felt this sudden dryness in her throat when he was suddenly ready to point blank grant her wish.

Should she be scared?

A part of her proposed that, but she chose to ignore it as all her inhibitions to her felt like background noise and the only subject that truly mattered was the one person she loved the most was ready to share what he truly felt.

"Yes"She affirmed with what she thought was cent percent conviction but little did she know that what was to come next was never her thought even in her wildest dream.With one swift move, he hindered her agility of hands by tying them to the headboard with a pair of handcuffs taking her aback as her eyes went wide in shock, not able to fathom what was going on.

"Zain, what are yo—"

"Sssshhh."

He kept his index finger on her lips, barring her from saying anything further and she only gulped in return, in fear or nervousness, she didn't know.She tried to squirm a bit, making some effort to free her hands, but failed miserably at it, as she saw his gaze become only more intense at her, second by second, moment by moment...He lowered himself on her, his face too close, his lips barely away from hers, yet he didn't kiss her.

It was getting way too difficult for her to comprehend any of it but all she knew right now was she wanted to feel him, to touch him, and the irony was despite the close proximity she shared with him currently, her hands were tied, she couldn't touch him. And he deliberately chose to refrain her from feeling him.

But she was too stubborn.

With all her might, she tried to lift herself up, her brows furrowed in helplessness, as she tried to bring herself closer to him, but he deliberately increased the gap between their lips instead of bridging it so that she couldn't reach him.

She sighed in frustration and that only earned her the sight of his signature smirk showing up on his lips as watched her helplessness and restlessness, knowing very well that she craved for him and how, as much as he did.

It was only after a minute when he lifted his hands and in a speed as slow as a time stuck, let his fingers graze her lower lip, and all Aditi could do was close her eyes, rendered defenceless under his ministrations, something that she was already used to, yet every time they came so close, it felt like the first time all over again.

Her breaths became labored as his fingers slowly began to trail down from her lips towards her throat and before she could even realize it, his fingers were playing with the buttons of her nightdress.

Her chest heaved as she knew already what was coming and in that one second, all she wished for was to hold him, ruffling his hair with her own fingers, and kiss him deeply, closely, so that she could feel that divine feeling she felt every time they had been intimate in the past.

But today wasn't her lucky day as he was in no mood to free her hands, and what shocked her more was when she found him opening her buttons one by one, making her eyes go wide in shock.

"Zain-"

"You are not allowed to talk now Adi."

He shushed her once more as like a pro, he undid her nightdress, leaving her almost bare, making her feel like she was the most vulnerable soul on the planet at this very moment.She tried to free herself once again but her efforts remained futile as she saw him undo his own shirt as he lowered himself on her and before she could even assess what was coming, he smacked his lips against hers, claiming her like a man long-starved, making a hush of adrenaline pump through her veins.

He was rough.

And for a change, she didn't mind it at all.

He bit her lower lip as he kissed her wildly, making her gasp in surprise and she opened her mouth, giving him the consent to explore her further, as he let his tongue do a different sort of talking, conveying it to her in all ways that he was the only one to have all rights on her, as he tasted the nectar that was the sweet corners of her mouth.

It was only after a while that he parted from the kiss, albeit with some reluctance but he didn't let it show on his face, and Aditi looked every bit of the word disappointed as she felt like she was starving and the answer to her starvation wasn't ready to reward her with salvation.

Both their breaths were hitched as the heat in the air began to rise, and all Aditi could utter was a barely audible "Please.." which sounded like more of a beg instead of a respect.

"Please, what Adi?"

Zain said as he pretended like he didn't understand what she wanted but deep down he knew he wanted it as much as she did.

When he got closer to her once again, she thought she would get to taste his lips once again, but she was in for another shock as she felt his lips on her throat this time, tasting her pale skin, marking her wherever possible, before he shifted to one of her breasts, taking his own sweet time to devour her, making her gasp, moan, and twist in return as she tried her level best to break free from the shackles that were these handcuffs so that she could touch him, feel him, hold him, and believe that he was indeed real and not a figment of her imagination and she could be rest assured that she won't ever lose him, that he would never leave her.

"Zain.."

She moaned taking his name once again before he lifted his face and this time looked into her eyes directly, knowing very well that it was a torture for her every second not able to touch him, not able to feel him in all ways possible.

He planted a kiss on her nose followed by a peck on her lips as he whispered close to her ears, "I love you. You know that right?"

Aditi didn't know why but she felt a chill run down her spine as she heard him say that, though up until now every time he had professed his love to her, she had only felt every bit like a girl deep in love, with butterflies fluttering inside her torso.

Holding her breath, she only nodded her head in acknowledgment and the very next moment another surprise greeted her as he entered her in one smooth move, making her wince in pain for a second, but her scream could never resonate as he swallowed it through his kiss, holding her tightly from the waist, as he kissed her deeper, and his pace got faster.

In. Out. In. Out.

They were in sync, but the tug that wasn't a war was still being won by him as her hands were tied.

He was dominant.He was powerful.

She didn't mind.

But she wanted her share of authority too.

And before she could even verbally convey that, he kissed her deeply once more as they both climaxed together and she heard him whisper to her, 

"That's how I feel Adi. Every time I know you are mine, that you love me and.. I love you, but I can't feel you wholeheartedly, because my hands are tied. Because you won't let me bring it out to the world that you belong to me.

Because despite me telling you that I will never let your past, your ex, meddle with your present and future, you still let your fears overshadow the beautiful present that we share. Because despite you belonging to me, being solely mine, that leech of your ex, who ruined so much for you, gets to share pictures of you. So, that's how I feel. Despite knowing that you love me, I fear you will leave, and I want to be able to do anything to stop you because my hands are tied, and the noose is held by you."

And with that, he finally unlocked the handcuffs, making her hands come free as he held them delicately in his own, kissing the marks that adorned her pale wrists due to being clutched in the cuffs for all this time.

He could see the tears trickle down her eyes, but before they could come in abundance, he kissed them too, making her wrap her arms him tightly and this time he hugged her back even tighter.

Hurting her was the last thing could ever think of, and today he knew that though it wasn't his intention, he had hurt her in some way, by making her face the reality of what he truly felt, as her boyfriend...Aditi knew that it would have taken him a lot of thought and contemplation to actually bare his heart out to her and she didn't want to belittle it by uttering a simple "sorry."

She was in love with this man. A little too much, and there was no way she was letting him feel this way.

It was the last thing she ever wanted and she was sanguine she would do everything in her power, humanly possible, to undo his feeling of feeling hands-tied because of her past.She knew she had to deal with Shreedhan and forgo the darkness that he and his family had embarked on her life.

And now she was more than ready to understand that with Zain by her side, nothing else mattered.

He planted a kiss on her forehead and let his lips linger there for a little too long as he pulled the quilt over them, pulling her bare body closer to his, giving her all the warmth that she needed.The angst, the anger, the passion, the gym, soon started showing its impact on him as he slipped into a silent slumber and she only adored his sleeping face...She closed her eyes, feeling satiated. Not just literally but also in her heart, for not only was her warmth back to her but also now she knew what exactly she had to do, to give Zain the feeling of everything he deserved. The feeling that would tell him as a saying carved on a stone, that she was never going to leave him, she was not going anywhere away from him. Not today. Not tomorrow. 

Never.

"This birthday will be the best birthday of yours Zain. I promise. I will let the whole world know that you belong to me, and I.. I belong only and only to you."

She murmured to herself, and with that, she let her eyes close, the tiredness taking over her body as she slipped into the oblivion, not realising at all that Zain had heard her silent vow to herself, and with a small smile on his face all he could do was plant a soft peck on her lips, before drawing her closer to himself, as he finally slipped into a slumber.

**