"I never knew, that the first time I saw you will take away the little bit sanity I had.
Only to make me insane in your love!"

-Azrail

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

Manik calmed his anger... For now, with the help of Nandini, I mean her picture which he was still caressing.

"There is some type of excitement is bubbling up in my system Nandini... Excitement to see you again. I can't wait for the clock to strike 7." Manik grumbled

"Azrail!" Manik heard the voice outside of his cabin. He straightened himself and let the person in.

"Yes, Mark."

"Sir! The armaments have reached safely, guys are checking them out."

Manik nodded his head in affirmation "Casualties?"

"2 Sir"

"How are they?"

"Hospitalized and stable right now!"

"Hmm! Give the compensation price and supply the needed things to their family members."

"Will be done, sir!" Mark nodded

"And once all the ammunitions are thoroughly checked send the remaining payment to the dealer."

"okay, sir!"

"What about Abhimanyu, where is he?"

"Sir! Abhimanyu sir is with Mukti Ma'am."

'Majnu sala, aane ke saath biwi ke pass gya hai.' Manik mumbled under his breath.

Manik looked at Mark who was waiting for his next orders

"Dismissed."

Mark bowed and left Manik's cabin.

Manik leaned back in his chair closing his eyes a sigh escaped from his lips.

"Huh! The thing love makes you do!" He said thinking about Abhimanyu

'Maybe you'll be there someday too, Malhotra' he's conscience mocked at him.

"But that girl would be worth it." And as soon as he completed his sentence Nandini's image flashed in his mind and a small smile adorned his face.

May be his heart knew who she was.

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

"Azrail it's time." Curse came in after seeking permission from Manik, but to his surprise but was all ready to leave.

The ever so busy with work #workholicboss ditched his work and got ready before time. It's not just surprising but shocking too.

"If you have done gaping at me curse, then ask my driver to bring my car near the entrance." Manik's stern voice brought him out of his thinking world.

He composed himself and said, "Umm... sorry Azrail and yes, I'll tell the driver." Bowing he left his cabin and Manik once again looked at the camera of his mobile, setting his hairs umpteenth time.

'Nandini ke sath date pe nahi jaa raha hain tu Malhotra, usse milne jaa raha hai. Stop behaving like a lovesick teenager.' His conscience joked.

If his conscience would have been a human, he would be buried right now, not 6ft but 10ft down. But as a sensible person, he chose to ignore his conscience.

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

Manik entered his suite and saw Nandini sitting in lingerie on the bed staring at the floor like their first meet. She didn't even look at him when he entered though he knew that she knew he was present in the room. Looking at her sitting in her glory, Manik looked at her amused.

"Ahem... Ahem" Manik cleared his throat to bring Nandini out of her trance, but it did not affect her.

"Great Mr. Manik Malhotra aka Azrail is getting ignored" Manik muttered under his breath.

'Aww, baby ko bura laga!' his mind mocked again.

He ignored the comment and again called her out but this time with her name

"Miss. Nandini Murthy."

Nandini's head snapped towards the source of the voice. She looked towards the direction to see there standing Mr.Malhotra with a poker face. She was stunned to see the man who acquired her thoughts day and night standing there but what shocked her more was, 'How in the bloody hell did he get to know her name?'

Looking at her confused, shocked face with so many questions he understood what she wanted to ask, but the problem her attire which was highly distracting him.

"Mr. Malhotra how do you..."

"Nandini kindly change." Manik's commanding voice boomed in the room.

"Huh?" Nandini was confused with the happenings going on right now.

"Nandini kindly change your dress, another outfit is already kept in the bathroom for you." Manik repeated and something in his voice asked Nandini to obey his order.

Nandini got up and moved towards the washroom. She got inside and saw the same handbag as the previous one lying on the slab, she picked up and wore the dress which was Here outside Manik was standing near the windowpane looking at the shining stars.

A click of the washroom door bought manic out of his thinking. He turned around and Nandini was standing in front of him wearing a simple indo western dress, fidgeting with her fingers and looking down at the post marble title.

"Its Ceramic tiles exported exclusively from France." Manik said sliding his hands into his pant pockets.

"Huh?" Nandini was confused, why was he giving her information about floor tiles suddenly?

"Nothing, you seemed curious and fascinated with the flooring lately, because whenever I see you, your eyes are always on the floor. So I thought to give you some information about the tiles to kill your curiosity." Note the sarcasm

Nandini looked up to see a smug smile on his face, which made him look more handsome but that irritated her at the same time.

"If your Wikipedia session is over, then can we discuss something important." Manik was taken back, this was the first time he heard her voice clearly, no whispering, no mumbling under breath but her loud and clear voice which felt pure music to his ears.

"Sure miss Murthy. Will discuss in the balcony." Manik said and Nandini nodded her head.

"After you." Manik showed her way towards the balcony and she moved towards the balcony area.

As soon as they both took the seat, Nandini asked the question which was eating her since he came.

"How do you know my name?" Manik raised his perfectly arched eyebrow

"Impatient much?" his comment irritated Nandini further more, she was gritting her teeth and cursing him from inside.

Manik looked at her expression and a small smile appeared on his lips, looking at her cute expressions, her nose scrunched in annoyance, making her look more cute, pink tainted cheeks due to anger, but his smile soon changed into smirk when he guessed Nandini must be cursing him right now.

As much as observed her right now, he got to know that she is not a patient person at all. But boy was he enjoying irritating her?

"Will you stop starring at me and answer?" Nandini's annoyed voice bought him out of his trance.

"What is the hurry, we have a whole lot of time, Miss Murthy. But first, have this juice." Nandini looked at him while narrowing her eyes and then at the juice and again at him with suspicion in hi her eyes. Manik might have read her eyes because of what he said next

"Don't worry, I didn't add anything to it, it's safe." Nandini looked into his eyes, which reflected honesty and again at the glass. Sighing she took the glass room his hands and huffed while leaning back on the back balcony chair.

"I know everything about you Nandini." Nandini who was leaning on the chair jerked at sat up straight listening to what Manik said.

"Eve..rything, matlab?"

"Matlab, you being Nishant's prey to you entering in the prostitution business. Everything."

"How... and wh..why would you do that."

"Mishti aka Asmita Dhawan, she is my niece and her mom is my bhabhi, she asked me to find you. Mishti was missing you a lot and she contacted all of your orphanages but they had no information about and you and your manager was lying so she came to me for help and rest is the history." Manik said not for once breaking the eye contact, holding Nandini captive in his brown orbs.

Nandini broke the eye lock after she soaked all the information Manik gave.

"Nandini" Manik called her gently seeing no response from her he caught hold of her both the hands and started caressing and drawing circles in short intervals. Nandini looked at her hands in Manik's hold and then looked at his face.

"Don't tell anyone please!" Nandini said with pleading eyes and vulnerable whisper voice

"Please don't tell them that I'm a prostitute, they will be disgusted with me. Please." Nandini pleaded once again

Something tugged at Manik's heartstrings, hearing her pleading voice and her vulnerable state. "Hey, Shh no one will be disgusted with you" Manik got up from his chair and kneeled in front of her.

"I won't okay. I won't tell them anything! Relax." Manik wiped her tears which were now flowing freely.

"I'm leaving!" Nandini stood up in haste and moved out of the balcony but tug stopped her.

"That's not the only thing I want to talk about Nandini!"

Nandini turned around to see Manik still holding her hands, she took her hand out of his hold "Huh? What more you wanna talk about? Listen, Mr. Malhotra, I'm really not in a mood righ..

"I want to help you." Manik interrupted her

"Sorry?"

"You heard me right Nandini, I want to help you to come out of this prostitution business and....."

"And do what" this time she interrupted him.

"Make me your whore, thank you but no thank you, Mr. Malhotra. I will find my way to come out of this. I don't need anyone's help for that." Nandini said with anger building up in her

"You're taking it wrong Nandini. Believe me, I have no such intention." Manik's voice was unusually calm.

"Believe" a sad chuckle escaped from her mouth."I'm here in this position just because of trusting the wrong person Mr. Malhotra. I won't repeat the same mistake again." She wiped the lone tear escaped from her eyes and looked into his brown orbs, which had emotions floating in, which she can't decipher.

"And as I said I DO NOT need your help. And why do you want to help me? If the reason your niece or your Bhabhi then tell them I'm well and good in my life and if they want to meet me, arrange a meeting whenever they want like you did today." Saying she turned around again to leave.

"My driver will leave you." Nandini stood near the door, listening to his voice.

"I can go by myself, Mr. Malhotra. Thank you for your chivalry."

Now Manik lost his patience, he swiftly moved towards her and caught hold of her forearm and turned her around. They were just inches away from each other, their breath mingling with each other.

Manik looked into her jet black eyes and then at her lips which were pleading him to kiss, to savor it till eternity. He gulped visibly his tongue weeting his chapped lips.

While Nandini was looking at look at his serene, handsome face. That was the first time she observed him carefully and instantly the mole above his lips attracted her. She had a feeling to keep it caressing all her life.

They both were feeling different yet connect in each other's arms. Not able to handle the passion any more Manik closed his eyes to control himself causing Nandini also to come out of her admiring trance.

"You.Are.going.with.my.driver." Manik said stressing on each and every word and something in his voice asked her not to disobey him. Nandini meekly nodded her head and came out of his hold.

She turned around and unlocked the door and moved out, she looked back for the last time in his eyes and closed the door behind moving towards the elevator.

Manik took a sharp breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He moved towards the windowpane and looked at Nandini who was now going to sit in the car. As soon as Nandini sat in the car zoomed out of the hotel premises and out of Manik's eyes too.

"You have become Manik Malhotra's peace Nandini, the peace I was searching for my whole life and now when I have got you, you won't be leaving me ever."

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇　

"Sajmhta kya hai Apne aapko. You will go with my driver" Nandini mimicked Manik while making faces.

"Arrogant jerk! Attitude toh unka apne height se milta hai. 'I want to help you!'" She again mimicked him. "Help my ass!"

"Kanna! What are you blabbering since then." Shikha asked caressing her hair.

"Kuch nahi, ek pagal aadmi se mulakat hogyi thi ajj, aur kuch nahi app tension mat lo." Nandini shook her head and gave small smile to Shikha.

Shikha shook her head in disbelief on her daughter's behavior. She was still caressing her hair when her eyes landed on Nandini's left hand, it had a mark with was now turning bluish-black.

"Nandu, baccha yeh kese hua and kab hua?" Shikha panicked seeing the mark and Nandini mentally cursed herself.

'Shit yeh mark chupna toh bhul hi gyi, ab Maa ko kya bolungi.'

"Maa... Maa Chill, you know na how clumsy your daughter is, kahi pe lagya hoga ese hi. Aap ese hi tension le rahe ho"

"Par betaji, yeh.... Yeh mark toh esa lag raha hai jese kisne koi cheez se maara ho! Dekh tu mujhse kuch chupa toh nahi rahi hai na, sach bol Nandini kya hua hai?" Shikha demanded but in a requesting tone.

"Maa Mom aap ese hi tension le rahe ho, mene kaha na, lagya hoga ese hi." Namdini attempted to convince her mother but she knew it would not be easy so she decided to distract her.

"Accha, leave all this now and please bring something for me to eat. Please, I'm starving." Nandini requested cutely and who could deny her cute request.

"Accha okay I'll bring something for you, but first let me apply some ointment to it," Shikha said moving towards the washroom where first aid kit was kept.

Nandini was looking at her mother who had a more pained expression on her (Shikha) face than her (Nandini)

Chal ab tu fresh hoja tab tak mei khana laati hoo.

Nandini nodded her head and kissed her mother's forehead thinking

'Sorry Mumma for hiding things from you, but I'm doing this for you. Hope you'll forgive me when you get to know the truth.'

****