Radhika's POV

I stood in front of the mirror, a painful reminder of what happened last night. I was wearing full sleeves to hide my bruises. My behind was sore from his brutal fucking. Only my face was devoid of any marks or bruises. He had left the bed before I got up. I saw red finger markings on my neck. Oh shit! I need to hide this too. I fished inside the drawers to find a necklace wide thought to cover all the blemishes on my neck. I found one which I did not wear till date. It was white metal with diamond studded in it adding to it's beauty. He had brought it for me the other day. Though I had sworn I wouldn't touch it here I am trying to hook it from behind.

I was busy staring at my pale face in the mirror when I saw his reflection in the same mirror.

He charged towards me and held me by my shoulders," You look beautiful."

I muttered in a small tone, "Thànk you."

"Are you still upset about last night?!"

He has guts to ask after what he did to me last night. Upset?! It will be an understatement of century if this word is used to describe the turmoil inside me.

"Look I am sorry I guess I went too far."

I turned towards him with a jerk and screeched," You're sorry?! You used your belt on me for how many times, I have no clue about. You wrote your name on my body as if I am some possession of yours. You had brutal sex with me which almost killed me. And you're here telling me you are sorry. You made me lose all my hopes last night. You know despite myself I was hoping you'll change....I was seeing a future with you in spite of what you did to me. I was trying to forgive you. Last night you killed all those hopes. You stamped on the pieces of my broken heart. I was trying Arjun, really trying to accept you but you ruined everything yesterday. What did you say! Upset?! You have no shame! You humiliated me in the worst way I could ever imagine and you are asking if I am still upset over last night. I hate you, Arjun!"

He laughed sadistically," You think I care what hopes you had woven in your heart. You are so delusional. I don't care what you feel for me, Radhika. You are my wife and your duty is to please me in bed not talk and think about this stupid fantasies. About last night, whatever happened was the outcome of your actions. It was your punishment. Get over it and find something better to do. Also if you breath even a word about yesterday to Sam, I'll whip you!"

My eyes widened in horror as I started trembling. I was about to fall when he held me in place. He turned me towards the mirror and hugged me from behind.

He said in a soft voice,"Radhika, look at yourself in the mirror. What is it that you don't have?! You are a queen stop thinking like a decrepit rape victim. You are lucky that you got a husband like me who showers with you with gifts every now and then. Look at the beautiful woman looking at you from the mirror. Do you recognize her?! Remember the day I brought you here . Your clothes were dirty and soiled by the mud. You had barely anything in name of jewellery on your body except a filthy bracelet that bastard gave you. Today you are standing here wearing the most ethnic jewellery which can buy you a house if you try to sell it in the market. You know something?! This is my mother's.....This is one and only piece in the whole world. You won't find it's twins anywhere because there aren't any. Look how beautiful you are. You are an enigma! You know I use to hate you a lot not because you are Rehan' s daughter but also because you have something I didn't....A heart! You got a privileged childhood and I had one hell of it because of your motherfucking father. Then I started caring for you. That feeling was something I had experienced for the first time in my life towards a woman who was not my mom and my sister. I hate to admit it but I do care for you. That is it. Nothing more, nothing less.

No you don't care about me! We never hurt the ones we care for. I am just an object for you to possess.

He started kissing the back of my neck and his hands sensously caressed my waist. He said between his kisses," You know Radhika, why you are so different from any other woman, I have been with?!"

"I love the alluring shyness that covers your face when I come closer to you. You know I must have slept with many woman. From your head to your toe, you were untouched and that made me want you even more. I had actually hit a jackpot by making you mine. This soft, plum lips unkissed by any other man except me. " His hand reached between my thighs as he cupped my vagina," This mine. Only mine. I was the first to be in here and I will be the last."

This is lust not love! He loves my body not me! I will not forgive you, Arjun.

As if he read my mind, he replied firmly," I am not even asking for your forgiveness. You should be the one saying sorry to me but I'll let go for this one time."

He kissed my temple, my cheeks and every so lightly pecked my lips as if he were a gentle lover which he was not.

"Radhika, if you obey, honour and respect me what happened yesterday will not happen again. You made me show you what an asshole I can be. I care for you though you don't believe it. I have never had any women sleep with me in my bed. I have never got possessive over any women in my past. You are dear to me. Take it as a warning if you try to run away from me and even if you succeed. You won't have the dream life you would want. If not me some other man who must have sworn revenge on me would get his hand on you. You know what they would want to do with you?! They'll do the same thing what your father did to my mom. You want that?!

I shook my head vehemently. Of course not! I would kill myself if I were to be raped by multiple men.

"Don't worry. Never will I ever let another man get near you. You'll always be protected by me. You are mine forever." His voice has a conviction which assures me.

Though I hate Arjun still I wouldn't want other men to make me their whore. If I were to be honest with myself, I do like Arjun and as it is I tied to him forever, I might as well try my best to change him.

I know he has made me suffer a lot. However he could have done worst. He could have raped me and passed me to his men to enjoy but he didn't. Also he could have kept me as a mistress in his house. Thanks heavens! He didn't do that. I am very upright and old school when it comes to sex without sacrament of marriage. Also my dad has done worst with his mother and other women too including my own mother. He is pure evil! I am not justifying Arjun but given to what he suffered because of Dad, he is bound to take revenge.

Even if I escape from here. Where will I possibly go?! My brother must have washed his hands off me because dad is here because of me. He would never take me back. Also if I am found by some other mafia troop, my life will be thousand times worst than what it is now. Being the only daughter of Rehan mishra, a man who has wronged and ruined so many lives, and being the wife of Arjun Mehra, the king of Mafia world wouldn't help my fate. I am better off staying with Arjun. I wish he finds it in himself to feel guilt and remorse for what he did to me. Some day I wish he changes. I can only hope.

When he kisses me I smile against his lips reminiscing how gentle he is right now. I love when he kisses me like he cares about me and it's just not about his pleasure.

"Kiss me back." He says before pushing his tongue in my mouth dominating it. Despite myself I find myself moving my lips against him. I kiss him not out of love but to convey I won't run.

His hand travels to my bottom and I wince in pain when he places his big hand over my sore ass. He asks me," How sore is your ass?!"

I look down at my feet blushing furiously and feeling embarrassed at the same time. It did hurt a lot in the beginning but the pleasure was also exhilarating. He pulls my chin up and makes me look in his fierce eyes," I am sorry."

I am shocked at his apology. His apology was something I never expected. I search for any treachery in his eyes but all I see his genuine guilt. I have come to realise if I rebel against him, He would hurt me to bring me in to line. I don't want a repeat of last night ever again.

"I never wanted to raise my hand on you, Radhika. You were provoking me so much and I was so mad at you..." He said, raking his hand in his hair.

I looked him in the eye," Promise me it won't happen again." I said placing his hand on my head asking him to swear by me.

He nodded as he returned my stare with a determined one. Arjun is at his worst behavior when he gets angry and I know it because I have been at the forefront of his anger way too many times.

He cupped my face," Why?!"

I asked him, clueless," What why?!"

"Why do still hope that I will change?! Why don't you see me for who I really am?!" He asked me.

I was quiet as his question numbed me! Why do I don't give up on you, Arjun?! You gave me so many reasons to hate you but still somewhere in my heart even after last night, I hope that you will change one day.

"You are tenacious." He told me.

"I have to be. Living with you is not easy." I replied.

I turned to the mirror to check if everything was in place and I had covered all the welts.

He hugged me from behind," You want to learn music?!"

Where did that come from?!

"Yes but...."

He cuts me off," I will arrange a tutor for you. Take it as my way of making upto you and you can even study further if you want. Whatever you want."

I turned to him, gauging him," Why the sudden change of heart?!"

"Heart?! I don't have one but I realized you must be getting bored sitting in the house whole day. We will look for a good tutor for you to teach you music."

"So if I want to complete my post graduation, I can go to college?!" I asked as my eyes lit up at the very thought of it.

He shook his head," No college, I will arrange you to have home tutors and you can appear for exams from the comfort of your house."

My face fell hearing him and he lifted my chin up," Anything you want but I can't let you compromise your safety plus I can't handle it if you attract too much male attention."

I nodded at his words," So anything I want?! So you won't have an issue if I go out...."

"You will have bodyguards with you." He said turned away from me.

He pulled out a shirt for himself from the wardrobe and started unbuttoned the one he was wearing. I looked at him as he stood shirtless in front of me, his strong and muscular shoulder blades, his eight pack abs, his broad chest affected me as reddish hue covered my cheeks. Was he trying to seduce me?!

"So you are giving me freedom?!" I asked him, confused.

"Well not exactly, I am just loosening my grip on you a bit. Don't and I mean it, don't ever take advantage of my trust!" He warned me.

I turned away from him as my mind went back to my meeting with Neil. Now it's easy to find him. I just have to play smart now. I wanted to know what is going on between him and Sam. Did he even know whose sister he was dating?! I don't have a good feeling about all these. I just hope Sam doesn't land up in some trouble. I feel there is more to the story than what meets the eye.

To be continued....