Raghav's black Mercedes came to a grinding halt as the bike came to a freezing stop right in front of it. The woman seated on top of it climbed down and opened her helmet and held it to the side for the SI who took it immediately. She had her signature brown aviators on and the three stars on her shoulder straps shone brilliantly in the sweltering afternoon sun.

She leaned against her bike keeping one long leg over the other and crossed her arms laconically across her chest. 

Anyone in Hyderabad city knew not to mess with ACP Pallavi. She was notorious for her no nonsense attitude and for rampaging through some of the biggest criminals in media light of recent years. So be it politicians, business sharks or celebrities, everyone wanted to be in her good books and steer clear of her path. 

But Raghav Rao was no small fish. He was unanimously accepted as the most dangerous man in this part of the world. One of the richest man in the country and the world, he was alleged to have contacts deep inside both Raisina Hill and the Mumbai underworld. He had come out of nowhere and flipped the entire mafia world on his finger. 

People also knew to part like the sea when he comes. 

Pallavi and Raghav could be seen clashing often and the ensuing fireworks left everyone blinded with their sheer glare or disoriented in the chaotic catastrophe which came out consequently. 

A clash of titans. He flew like a mighty river of boiling fire dashed against her who was an equally formidable mountain

It was like an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object. 

As expected Raghav Rao came out fluidly, his black shades doing nothing to hide the inferno swirling in his obsidian eyes. Pallavi's pink lips stretched to a side in a sarcastic smirk which did nothing to hide the pulsating pulchritudinous that she was. If she hadn't been a police officer she could have been a model for sure. And Raghav Rao was the finest specimen of his gender.. at least looks wise. 

He stormed towards her, her subordinates stumbling apart in bewildered fear as he pushed past them and came to a stop right in front of her. 

"Be grateful, I didn't run you over... ACP sahiba.."

His voice was low and gravelly, more apt for the bedroom than for threatening. 

"Be grateful I didn't shoot your tires out...Rao sahab."

She replied unfazed yet smirking still, her voice equally sultry. A nice power play. Raghav gave her a full fledged grin, bending his towering frame almost over her, his disorienting musky fragrance made her slightly lightheaded. She put her gun on his chest and pushed him with it firmly. 

"What is my crime?"

"Is there one?"

"Ah haan.... who tipped you off? Rathore? I'll place my bets on that slimy snake Sharma though. Good for nothing greedy lout. Must have wanted more money."

"I don't disclose my informers Mr. Rao. You must know that by now. Anyways, my men are done searching your car, looks like they found nothing. But don't worry, I'm onto you... I get my man sooner or later."

Raghav whipped his head back to see two police inspectors coming out from searching his car and mentally cursed himself. She might have planned this out, knowing she can't get a warrant and this was the only way out. He was slipping... this wasn't good. He straightened and tucked his hands back in his pockets and gave her a predatory smirk. The movement made his inner shirt stretch delectably over the ripped muscles of his exposed chest. 

"Al khaena ikhqvar zakir shaitaan... yedruquashar wazak yedrukhuak. (He is the embodiment of evil, let the Devil alone and he may return the favour) Ret ko pakadne nikla hain madam... chaliye aap bhi karlijiye koshish."

The surrounding policemen felt the shiver run down their spines and their throats constricted in terror. His voice was low enough to get lost in the wind yet petrifying enough for anyone's blood to get frozen. The Arabic saying he had quoted was the one everyone hushed in secret circles while warning anyone to stay away from Raghav Rao and his Empire. 

Pallavi only smiled at him and mirrored his position coming close to him chest to chest, nonchalant, her grey eyes piercing him like that of a hunter. 

"Singapore walaa consignment toh nhi rok paayi, thanks to our hon'able Chief Minister but Kuala Lumpur mein aapka aadmi pakda jaa chuka hain. Once the extradition papers get approved, phir karenge uski khatirdaari mere style mein. Woh kya hain na Parinde ko darinde ka shikar sabse aacha bhaata hain."

There wasn't any hint of apprehension on his face only the air around them crackled electrifyingly. He huffed a laugh and bend closer to her face, resting his stubbled cheek against her soft one and whispered in her ear. 

"Kuala Lumpur ka toh pata nhi but Rawalpindi mein jo RAW ne blast karwaya tha, ISI ka naam fasakar, uska phone conversation taped hain mera paas.. apne Doval sahab se baat karlijiye ga ACPji.. kahi Pakistan ko iss baat ka talub ho gaya toh world war three na shuru ho jae... waisa kalko Pakistan ka defence minster aa raha hain na Delhi ko? Paper mein padah tha.. khair."

Pallavi swallowed in the fury which threatened to explode into her as his silken words weaved a subtle threat. He had outwitted her. Again. If she didn't let his man go, he will expose the tapes. Bloody hell! Bastard! 

She clutched his shirt and ripped him away from her face and held his jaw tight to stare into him. He ripped her hand away and twisted her arm and brought her to clash against his chest. Pallavi stopped her men from advancing and instead brought her feet to stamp on his which made him leave her immediately and slammed her elbow mercilessly on his jaw. 

Raghav's face whipped to the side and he spat a glob of blood which had split from his shapely lips and grinned back at her fuming face unapologetically. 

"BP badh jaega ACP sahiba.. control kijiye. Innocent public ke upar authority ka abuse karengi woh bhi just elections se pehle.. kahi seedha Hyderabad se Chattarpura mein transfer na mil jae.."

"Mera transfer ka toh pata nhi, but aap apni harkaton se baaz nhi aayenge toh kahi kabhi akele mein ice cream khane nikhle or goli na khani padeh."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Encounter?"

"Direct."

She spat unabashed and he laughed.

"Aapki issi ada pe toh hum marte hain.. Begum jaan."

He stroked her cheek and she gripped his fingers and threw his hand away. 

"Contract hain... bhuliyega nhi."

"Mohabbat bhi hain... kahi aap na bhul jaae."

She glared at him for some seconds and then came towards him and raised herself on her tiptoes to slot her lips wrathfully along his. He almost smiled as she kissed him hard, sucking all the air away from his lungs and then licked the blood away from his lips. Their faces were flushed crimson. 

"I will destroy you husband."

She left his collars and stormed back towards her bike to ride it again, strapping her helmet on and drove away in a furic dust leaving him to stand there on the empty road with his car and completely aroused. 

"Game set match... wife."

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