Italics=Nightmare

Avni's POV

I had just picked my spoon when a white paper ball came rolling towards me, but this time besides me, Mr Khanna also noticed and he picked it before I could.

And then all hell broke loose.

Curse that psycho to the seventh circle of hell, the intensity with which Mr Khanna gazed at me made me froze. There was a murderous look in his eyes, a look that screamed blood and fierce anger. 

"James.", one word and everyone in the food court went silent as if it belonged to him. Mr Khanna's voice was deadly cold, his jaw was clenched and fists were balled so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Trust me when I say that he looked like a lion on the hunt.

"Yes sir.", James went on high alert mode.

"I want the CCTV camera's footage of this entire goddamned mall within 20 minutes.", Mr Khanna's voice was threateningly low, so low, so cold that it made everyone on our table shiver.

Liza cautiously took the paper from Mr Khanna's hand, I was afraid that Mr Khanna would snap at her but his sole attention was on his hand which had tightly gripped mine. His grip was so tight as if his life depended on my hand. 

"Bloody hell.", Liza cursed loudly and my anxiety and worry grew to the next level. What exactly was written in the paper?

I snatched the paper from her hand and was about to read it when Mr Khanna's grip on my hand became firmer.

'Four days love, only four days and then you yourself will come to me.

P.S. You looked absolutely gorgeous in the gown you wore today. Keep it.'

I dared to look at Mr Khanna and his eyes were still glued to my hand, tentatively I brought my other hand and placed it over his and as if I was the spell breaker of whatever trance he was in, he broke out of it but still, he didn't speak anything.

I hadn't expected I would ever use this cliché sentence but sure enough today his silence was killing me.

"Mr Khanna?", I said softly and then what happened next was something I could never imagine. I had always known from the day I met Mr Khanna that his words were calculative and he only spoke when there was a sheer requirement, that he was a man of few words. His actions screamed his thoughts but as if he had bottled this anger for a long time.

A string of curses left his mouth and they were so explicit that they would put the worst sailors to shame. I looked at the other people whose faces had gone pale due to fear. Thank Goodness! there were no children in the food court today.

"Mr Khanna it's okay.", I said gently holding his other hand.

"It's not okay Miss Mehta.", his grip on my hand tightened." Charles.", Mr Khanna yelled making everyone flinch including me.

He looked into my eyes and his gaze softened.

"Let's go home.", I said softly and pulled him with me."You guys manage here, will you?", I said to the three and they nodded.

The ride to NK villa was filled with deafening silence. He didn't say a single word, he was bottling his anger and I was afraid of what will be his next action.

As soon as we reached home, Mr Khanna stormed inside his room and I followed him hot on my heels. The door to his room was locked from inside and loud noises of things breaking were echoing in the hallway.

'Go to him.'

I knocked, once, twice and thrice. 

"Mr Khanna I'm not going without seeing you so you better open this damned door.", I exclaimed.

A few minutes later the door opened, I peeked inside and sure enough, the room looked as if a tycoon struck it. Cautiously, I stepped inside the room, Mr Khanna was facing the french windows, his cold eyes were glaring at the lawn.

"Mr Khanna."I approached him with careful steps.

Silence.

"Mr Khanna.", I tentatively placed my hand on his shoulder.

Silence.

I felt desperate, as if I didn't hear his cold voice, I'd lose my mind at that moment.

"Talk to me.", I whispered."Please."

 All of a sudden I was pulled into a warm embrace, Mr Khanna had his arms wrapped around me, his face was buried in my hair.

"I'll not let you go Miss Mehta.", he responded and a smile crawled to my face, finally he spoke something.

"I wasn't planning to go anywhere."

"Hmm?"

"Hmm.", I mumbled and wrapped my arms around him, his shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Ms Mehta.", I hummed and he continued," You are very precious to me you know that."

"Why?", I whispered.

"You just are."

"Mr Khanna you confuse me a lot you know that."

"Why?"

"You just do."

A soft chuckle escaped him and his chest reverberated. He murmured something but I couldn't understand what.

He pulled back and brought his hands to my face."You aren't afraid of him, are you?"

"No.", I answered genuinely."I'm not afraid of him because I know you won't let anything happen to me."

A smile graced his face and it was so contagious it made me smile, he was close to me and I was glad about it.

"I won't."

~

"James I'll f-kill you if anyone even touched her.", Mr Khanna yelled at the poor bodyguard but it didn't seem he was affected by it. He had a determined and emotionless face just like his boss.

"I had never seen Neil yelling and cursing so much.", Reece whispered to Ivan and Liza.

"I know right.", Liza whispered back."He loves you a lot Avni."

A strange feeling settled in my chest, Mr Khanna and love and that too me?

I knew that Mr Khanna was helping me and he was protective over me but love?

Does he really love me?

 "Ms Mehta?", Mr Khanna who had magically appeared in front of me took my hand and paced to his room.

"You are staying in here with me.", he finalized.

"Mr Khanna I-uh.", I looked at him and the icy glare he threw at me made me silent, "Fine."

"Tell me if you want anything, I'll tell Rosayline." I shook my head silently making him sigh.

Mr Khanna brought his hand to my cheek and stroked my chin lightly," You should take a nap, Ms Mehta, I'll wake you after some time."

I wanted to deny him but as if even the universe agrees with this man, a small yawn escaped me and before I could say anything, Mr Khanna had lifted me in his arms.

"Mr Khanna I'm a feminist, put me down...now."

"What if I don't want to.", he said cocking his head.

'What a stubborn man.'

"Mr Khanna."

"Relax Miss Feminist Mehta, I know it's against your ethics but just let it be for today."

He carried me to the bed and placed me on it gently and as if my eyes were waiting for this, they closed involuntarily and I breathed a soft sigh of relief.

A few moments later I felt a soft feather touch my temple making me smile.

"Sweetheart, come out don't trouble me.", I peeked from behind the sofa and he was there, he had a wicked smile on his face. A smile that makes you tremble with fear. A fear that knows no control.

"You know sweetheart, I love this tom and jerry game but it's getting late now, ain't it?"  His voice echoed in the room and then with one swift moment he was in front of me, I jumped back in complete terror and before I could run he had pulled me by my ankle, a sadistic victorious smile plastered on his face.

"Caught you."

"Please leave me Arlan.", I pleaded. My 10-year old self couldn't budge the 37-year old madman.

"Let's play with a new toy today, come on sweetheart.", he dragged me, a scream escaped me.

"Oh sweetheart why are you screaming, the fun has just begun. Now hush and enjoy.", he cooed sadistically.

A shining object caught my eye, the man was a complete maniac." You know sweetheart, this is called a knife. What is it?", he asked, a sinister smirk on his face.

"Tell me, sweetie, what is it?"

"K-Kni-Knife."

"Good, now let's play with it, shall we?"

"Let's not.", suddenly finding some courage I retorted, and as a reply, he laughed. He laughed maniacally.

"For a 10-yr old, you sure have a good sense of humour, but tsk I am in a mood to play and we'll play.", he tsked and brought the sharp glinting object in front of me.

"DADA.", I screamed.

"Ms Mehta...everything's fine, no one is here... It's me." Opening my eyes I was met with a worried Mr Khanna."It was a nightmare, no one is here. You are fine."

I shuddered and wrapped my trembling arms around him. I stopped myself, trust me I did, I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I couldn't help, these traitorous tears didn't seem to stop.

Mr Khanna didn't utter a single word, he just sat there supporting my weak, trembling, pathetic self all the time.

"Close your eyes, Miss Mehta.", he whispered, it wasn't a command, it was something more gentle, more tender.

He laid me back gently and pulled back the covers up. He turned and immediately my hand reached out to hold him back.

"Please don't go.", I murmured.

"I'm not going anywhere, not now, not ever.", he muttered and kissed my forehead, it was the same feather touch I felt before.

He softly laid my hand beside me and moved towards the door just to close it. He came back to my side and softly caressed my hair.

"Sleep Miss Mehta, I'm not going anywhere.", he said and closed my sleepy teary eyes. Moments later I felt arms being wrapped around me and I was pulled in a warm embrace. I peeked through my lashes only to witness Mr Khanna staring at me."Relax."

 A soft sigh escaped my mouth, his arms were a safe haven.

My personal safe haven.

_______________________

A small, cute and tender chapter for y'all. Tho I wasn't going to give it anytime soon but your all comments made me melt.

Damn my soft heart!

Just kidding! 

I'm happy that you love this story so much. Thank you so much, 2K votes milestone has been achieved. Wohooo!!

Conscience- Ah! 50% credits go to readers then 50% goes to me too. It's because they are obsessed with me, they read your boring excuse of a book, o/w you won't have 20 votes.

Me looks away nervously- Anyways let's move ahead.

How was today's chapter?

Good?

Bad?

Meh~

The last chapter only has only 73 votes, come on yr last to the last one has more than 85, that's unfair. This one deserves 80 at least, Mr Khanna is so gentle with this love, ain't he ;)

Anyways please don't forget to vote, these votes are the only encouragement :)

Love love

Take care and stay safe.

Aapki seva mein sadev tatpar