chapter : 09
peck me

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k a b i r
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(let's just say: this is where it all starts)

"I think you should wear a shirt."

This is not the comment I have ever intended to hear from my employee, one who strictly should have stuck to my office and not felt free to play around the murky water of our shared neighbourhood.

"It's my house." The retort leaves a bad taste in my mouth as I realise how silly it is. My assistant stands at the door of my house, dressed in a shimmering top that is enough to blind a person and plain black jeans.

"My eyes don't agree with your public display of nudity." She pushes me back and saunters in my house acting like a regular in a coffee shop. As she walks inside, I glance at the bling pair of heels that add to her already good height. By the looks of it, she is on her way out, and I am certainly not sure how her maps misguided her to my home.

"My eyes don't agree with your idea of shimmer until you wrinkle, but you don't see me complaining," I scoff at her. She takes a seat on my sofa, the very one I had just typed and then erased her termination letter.

Before this, Noor and I have always maintained a professional decorum despite not being each other's number one fan but today seems to be breaking a lot more boundaries than I ever thought of.

"You can sit, sir. Please treat it like your own home."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny. Why are you here, Noor?"

"I am going to a club."

"I don't remember asking for your daily itinerary."

"Can you not be sarcastic for a moment?"

I attempt to reply when she stops me and stands up, ambling towards me. Her demeanour goes icy and I can feel the ambience changing.

"So, there's a reason why I am here."

"Trust me, I figured."

"Sir!"

"Noor."

"As you remember my parents summoned me today. They asked some very interesting questions and threw in some very riveting choices and I made some very compelling choices."

"I appreciate the Duolingo classes, but you just said interesting with its two other synonyms and all in just one sentence."

"You are going off track."

"I am standing still."

"If this conversation wouldn't be as important as it is, I would have stormed right out of here."

"The door's—" She shuts my mouth with her hand before I can complete my words. Pushing her right palm against my lips, she moves closer, tightening her grip.

Teakwood and bourbon, her scent is strong as her body presses against mine. She might be tall for a woman but she is still shorter than me, her eyes and mine clash in a battle that we always seem to be waging.

"This is so much better. Now, you'll just listen to me. I am headed out to a club with my sister and you are going to follow me there. My parents believe that you and I are dating, and will get married soon. That. Cannot. Happen. I can't refuse them for obvious reasons so we are going to make them think that you cheated on me, therefore ending the alliance even before it can formalise. The proposal hasn't gone out so you have nothing to lose. My sister is waiting downstairs, we are going to leave and then you have to be there as soon as you can."

Her rambling goes on until she is short of breath but the pause doesn't relieve me from the assault she is posing on me. I shake my head, attempt to speak and tell her my side of the story but to no avail.

"Got it?"

I shake my head violently this time, hoping she can get the message.

"Very good. I am sending you a photo, she will be there in the club near the bar zone. My sister and I would be there up in the VIP section. Go to her directly, just engage in a conversation and rest she'll handle." With that, she bobs her head, lets her hand fall and dashes towards the door.

The door shuts behind her loudly, leaving me with an extremely weird feeling.

I think someone is going to be in for a great disappointment.

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True to her words, she had dropped a text message stating all the details of the club and the girl whom I had to flirt with. The club seems to be doing extremely well on a Monday night, the line's long and the crowd is loud.

I could have checked in directly to the VIP section but knowing that Noor was there with her sister stopped me from making my dramatic entrance there. I knew what I was going to do once I entered the place but I needed to frame my stance properly.

The murky humid air sticks to my skin, the hazy lights and the alcoholic spicy scent hit my nostrils and I am certainly too eager to gulp anything and everything down to calm my brain.

The scents of other's arousal mixing with the already murky, sweaty air have my head turning towards the young couples, snorkelling and groping and stroking at the darkened dim corners, heated couches and red lights fluttering over their throbbing souls.

I close my eyes as I realise how prudish I sound. I have been in the same position once upon a time and today, all of it seems erroneous.

Gosh, I am turning old.

I make a beeline straight to the bar area, my eyes scanning the space for a petite woman in yellow.

'She'll be wearing yellow, as bright as a headlight and completely out of place.'

That's how Noor had described the poor girl, my assistant lacks her filter. I suppress my urge to order a strong LIIT, gulping it down in a single toss. I need to be sober for this shit.

I halt near the bar table, a section separating the crowd from the servers. The glass lying over the wood is cold and muggy from all the alcohol glasses kept over it. The force on my shoulders tends to get heavier, and my senses tingle.

I am positive that Noor has already spotted me, watching my actions carefully. A buzz from my phone that resides in my pocket confirms my theory. I know her text would be ordering me to accomplish the plan.

Can't do it.

"You must be Kabir?" A woman comes to stand next to me, her dress bright yellow, her eyes shining as if it's daytime.

"I am."

"You and I have to—" I take a step back, ceasing her advances.

"Have to leave. Thank you and sorry for tonight. My fiancé's a little too childish."

As a parting statement, I turn around to lock my eyes with my assistant who is not happy with my action. I show her a small smile and aim for the stairs that would take me to her.

As much as she will hate me for this, I can't be the bad person here. I can't let her tarnish my image that would free her from this bond but throw me in the fire of damnation. My oath to my parents stands bigger than anything and not even marrying Noor can prevent me from achieving my goal.

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thank you!

i'll start with the schedule from the next week as i start college then. till then you have an update today & tomorrow! :)

do vote & comment, please. :)

royally yours,
meethi.