She looked at him lovingly... then lifted her heels, kept her hands on his shoulders... and covered his cheek with kisses.

He closed his eyes... inhaling deeply... her fragrance filled his senses while her touch eased all the tension that was coiled in him since morning. He was amazed at her ability to pull him out of any depth of darkness in an instant... her mere presence around him made everything appear brighter... her words healed his soul... her touch was the remedy for his every wound... her kisses were the elixir for his parched skin...

"Ab theek lag raha hai?" She asked innocently, tilting her head to one side.

"Ahaan... abhi thodi mehnat aur karni padegi... thoda dard baaki hai." He gave a lopsided smile.

"Bohot besharam ho gaye ho tum." She turned her face as he leaned.

That is when he saw... the clear, red prints of fingers on her white cheeks.

"Naina... yeh... kisne... tumhe..." He was at loss of words.

She looked up at him, confused at what he meant... and her hand flew up to the cheek when she saw his gaze resting on it.

"Kisne kiya... taiji?" He hissed, gritting his teeth.

She shook her head... and he knew... the only person who could resort to such brutality was her father.

"Rakesh sir."

She could see the movement of his jaw as it clenched in anger.

"Koi baat nahi, Sameer... yeh sab chodo... main tumhe jo sunane aayi hun woh..." She tried to curb his resentment.

Her words did not register in his mind.

"Tum pe haath kaise uthaya, Naina... main... main... bohot dard hua hoga na?" His eyes welled up as he delicately traced the marks.

She held the wrist of his hand that was close to her cheek, "Nahi hua... yeh pyar ki chot hai... ismein koi takleef nahi hui... tumhe kya lagta hai, tumhi majnu ban sakte ho... Mr Majnu, tumhari laila bhi kam nahi hai... apne majnu ke liye aise kai thappad aur kha lungi."

He crushed her against himself, "Haath toh laga ke dekhe koi tumhe... aaj ke baad agar kisi ne koshish bhi ki tumhe dard dene ki toh main bhool jaunga tumhara unse kya rishta hai... meri Naina koi dard nahi sahegi... kabhi nahi."

She tightened her arms around him, overwhelmed, "Ab tumhari Naina tumhare paas hi aa rahi hai... toh dard ki jagah hi nahi bachegi."

He smiled... yes... she would be coming soon... to him... forever...

"Oh Naina, main bata nahi sakta main kitna khush hun... chachaji aaj iss khushi ke badle mujhse jo maange main de sakta hun." The contentment made him forget the pain that they both had to endure to reach here.

Suddenly, he scooped her up, filled with exuberance, "Naina, Naina, Naina... dil toh kar raha hai abhi le jaun tumhe ghar... ab toh yeh paanch din bhi zyada lag rahe hain mujhe... kal ka koi muhurat nahi tha kya?"

She laughed at his euphoria, "Buddhu, kal ka muhurat hota toh saari rasmein kab hoti? Sabko bulate kaise? Yehi chahte the na hum... ki shaadi mein sab log shaamil hon... haldi, mehendi, sangeet, baraat, phere... sab kuch ho... sab log humein dulha dulhan bane hue dekhein."

He imagined them dressed up for the wedding... lots of people around them, happy and cheerful... blessing them, congratulating them.

"Wapas aa jao... tum toh sapno ke chakkar mein mujhe hi bhool gaye." She smirked, smacking his chest lightly.

He let out a deep exhale, "Tumhe kaise bhool sakta hun, jaan... har sapne mein tum hi mere saath rehti ho... aur jin sapno mein sirf tum hoti ho unmein kya hota hai, sunogi?"

His mischievous smile made her cheeks red, covering up the marks that her father gave her.

"Mujhe neeche utaro." She clutched his shirt, lowering her eyes.

He gazed at the flushed face... and was filled with longing. Bringing her head closer to himself, he pecked her lips... then put her down gently. She held onto him... feeling a little unsteady.

He hooked one finger under her chin and lifted her face up.

Looking into the deep, brown eyes, he whispered hoarsely, "Biwi toh ban chuki ho... ab tum meri dulhan banogi."

Her heart filled up with exhilaration, "Aakhir woh din aa hi gaya, Sameer."

He leaned and claimed her lips, hungry for her taste... after all that had happened in the morning, he was sitting at home and wondering when he would be able to meet her next... and just a few hours later, she was here in his arms... with the best news of his life.

He wanted to devour her... fill himself up completely with her... so that the remaining five days could be easier...

But he could never have enough... the way her mouth moulded under his, the way her tongue teased him first, and then pleasured him... his blood heated up... demanding more. He swirled her, never leaving her mouth, and pinned her against the same wall where she had pushed him.

She was crushed between the wall and his body... but it did not bother her... it was no discomfort... rather it eased the pain that his heated kiss had brought... the tightness deep inside her stomach loosened a bit as he pressed heavily on her. Her hands moved up to his hair, fisting them hard... his hands grasped her waist hard. When he left her mouth, she gasped for breath, but his lips trailed over her cheek, dropping kisses on her jaw, moving down to her throat. She turned her face to the side, not able to throw the head back due to the hinderance... he accepted the invitation greedily, kissing every inch of her exposed skin. When he reached the neckline, letting out a long exhale, he pressed his face against her neck.

"Naina, mujhse roz milogi na? Agle chaar din?" He whispered against her skin.

His hot breath on her skin made it tingle...

"Pata nahi... lekin mandir aane ki poori koshish karungi." She also couldn't stay without meeting him.

He lifted his head, "Aa jaana, nahi toh raat ko tumhare ghar aane se tum bhi nahi rok paogi."

It was more of declaration than a threat... she was more delighted by it than scared.

"Tumhara sasural hai... jab chahe aa jaana." Her eyes sparkled with new mischief.

He was taken aback for a moment... then grinned, "Fir toh abhi chalta hun... aur paanch din baad hi niklunga wahan se... tumhe saath leke."

"Hato." She moved out of his hold, pushing him back with all her strength.

He stepped back, not by her force, but by choice... this momentary shyness on her face always made him yearn for her even more... if that was possible.

Walking up to her he held her shoulders from behind, "Achha yeh batao, shaadi ke kapde kahan se leke dun tumhe?"

She turned, surprised, "Woh toh chachiji leke dengi na... tum kyon?"

"Kyonki tum biwi ho meri... tumhe jo chahiye woh main hi dilwaunga... mera haq hai... aur tum mana nahi karogi." He smiled.

She thought about what he said, then looked back at him, "Nahi Sameer, tum sirf shaadi ka joda leke do... chachaji meri shaadi Pooja didi ke jaise karna chahte hain... chachiji apni beti ki tarah mere upar pyar lutana chahti hain... main unse yeh haq nahi cheen sakti... agar hum iss tarah ki shaadi ke liye itne din se intezar kar rahe the toh iski saari rasmein dil se karenge... tum mere liye jo lena chahte ho le lo... lekin main chachiji ko bhi mana nahi karungi."

He was proud of her yet again, dipping his head in agreement.

"Ab chalein? Warna ghar pe sab pareshan honge." She looked at her watch.

"Naina, suno." He held her arm as she turned.

"Ahh." A painful groan escaped her lips.

He quickly removed his hand, remembering how hard taiji had pinched her.

"Aaj bhi pichhli baar ki tarah unhone nishan choda hoga... dikhao." He tried to keep his voice in control, not showing the anger boiling inside him.

She trembled, she was wearing a top today... with front buttons... she couldn't show him the mark on her upper arm.

"Sameer... yeh... yeh baaju tight hai... upar nahi hogi." She mumbled, fingering the hem of her narrow sleeve.

His eyes moved to the sleeve... then to her top... and he understood.

"Theek hai, par dawa zaroor laga lena." He said in a low voice.

She nodded in relief.

"Lekin sun toh lo kya keh raha tha main." He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her to himself.

She raised her brows.

"Hamari shaadi ki hone wali har rasm hum saath karenge." He tucked one strand behind her ear.

Her brows went up even more, "Yeh kaise hoga? Shaadi se pehle toh dulha dulhan ko milne hi nahi dete... fir saath mein rasmein karne ka koi sawaal hi nahi hai... tumhari haldi, mehendi tumhare ghar hogi aur meri chachaji ke ghar."

"Uski tum fikar mat karo... main tumhe haldi bhi lagaunga aur mehendi bhi... apne haathon se.".His voice turned hoarse.

"Rehne do... pakde gaye toh itni hansi udegi tumhari... sab chedenge... aur daant padegi woh alag." It was more of a challenge than a threat.

He pulled her closer with a jerk, his lips brushing against her cheek, "Apni dulhan ko apne rang mein na rangaa toh mera naam badal dena."

"Tumhari dulhan ko tumhara intezar rahega... har uss rang ka jo tum usse doge." She kissed his jaw.

When Sameer reached home, he found two suitcases kept near the door.

Ramdhari was coming out of the kitchen with some packed food.

"Yeh kiska hai?" He asked.

"Bhaiya, malkin aur sahab wapas jaa rahe hain... unke liye hai." Ramdhari informed him.

"Aur woh... ek aur aaye the mere liye sochne wale?" He asked sarcastically about Kamlesh.

Ramdhari told him how angry Kamlesh was when he came to know that Sameer was already taking keen interest in the business... and how he criticised his sister for not letting him know earlier that he was already 21 in age.

"Vishakha didi, mujhe koi laalach nahi hai... woh toh aap logo ki madad ho jaati... main sambhal leta toh aapke saath bant ke khata... isko thoda bohot de dete jo iske liye kaafi hota... lekin aap ko khud hi yaad nahi ki aapke bete ki umar kya hai... arre, kakusa ke jaate hi kyon nahi bulaya mujhe? Abhi tak apan dono ka bank bhar diya hota maine." He had said after munshiji and Sameer had left.

Somani was also annoyed with Vishakha. Kamlesh had left soon after, telling her that he would not come here again.

Somani had gone angrily to the guest room... Vishakha following him.

The rest of the story was narrated by Pandit when Sameer went back to his room. He had gone to get some snacks from the kitchen when the loud noise from upstairs made him sneak up to the floor above.

He hid behind some extra furniture, curious to know why Vishakha and her husband were fighting over Sameer when he did not even matter to them.

"Tumhe pehle se usse samjhana chahiye tha." Somani curtly told his wife.

"Maine socha woh aise toh manega nahi, seedhe yahan aake hi bata denge... aur usse saath hi le jayenge... sagai, shaadi sab ek saath karwane ka plan toh aapka hi tha na." She defended herself.

"Haan, lekin pata thodi tha ki tum uss se haan hi nahi karwa paogi." He grimaced.

"Main kya karti? Kahan pata tha ki woh middle class ladki itni tez niklegi... usne aisa jadoo karke rakha hai Sameer pe ki woh sunta hi nahi kisi ki... waise bhi ab toh usne shaadi hi kar li hai... ab koi faayda nahi hai." She tried to calm him.

"Faayda toh mera hote hote reh gaya, Vishakha... ab Mr Mehra ko kya kahunga... unse jab pachaas lakh liye the toh Shaila se Sameer ki shaadi karwane ka waada kiya tha... ab agar shaadi nahi hui toh paise kahan se launga wapas karne ke liye?" He glared at her.

"Mr Mehra kaunsa Sameer ko jaante hain... hum Rohan ki baat kar lenge Shaila ke liye." She suggested.

He growled at her, "Vishakha, bolne se pehle soch toh liya karo... Shaila jaisi bigdi hui, badtameez aur ghamandi ladki se mere Rohan ka rishta kabhi nahi ho sakta."

Vishakha was shocked at his statement, "Agar Shaila itni hi buri hai toh aapne Sameer ke liye uski baat kyon ki... Sameer ke baare mein ek baar bhi nahi socha... aapka apna beta nahi hai, isliye?"

He shrugged, "Tumhara toh apna beta hai... tumne kabhi socha? Main hamesha se tumhe uski taraf se beparwah hi dekh raha hun... main toh soutela baap hun par tumne bhi kabhi usse soutele se aage kuch nahi samjha... fir mujhe kya zaroorat hai uske baare mein sochne ki."

She was stunned... sitting down with a thud.

Somani had moved towards the door when Pandit ran away from there.

Sameer was, however, not surprised to hear all this. His mother had never shown any affection or concern for him... how did it matter now that she was getting him married for her husband's benefit... even if she was unaware, it did not lessen the hurt she had caused by years of neglect and disdain towards her own flesh and blood.