Chapter 2

In the darkness, muffled moans pierced the silence of the room. Samar looked at the body that writhed beneath him without a trace of emotion on his taut face. He got no satisfaction from this, but he couldn't possibly avoid it too. As a bead of sweat trickled down his face, to his neck, into his undervest, he increased the pressure. The resulting scream, and a rush of uninhibited words, however, were pleasurable to his ears. Slowly he pulled off his booted foot from windpipe he was choking in the strong room under his club. The man who lay bound and bloodied on the floor lost consciousness. "Make sure he does not die," picking a small towel draped on the back of the lone wooden chair in the room he instructed his two men who were standing in the shadows before leaving. 

Outside, in a bare ante-room with a small table and chair, laid his shirt, cotton blazer, mobile, wallet and gun holster. Wiping the sweat off his face and blood off his hands, he picked up the mobile first and foremost and pressed the number that was on top of his speed dial list.

"Yes, bhai?" Jayant picked on the other side on the first ring.

"Did you know that this item from Central Narcotics is the son-in-law of Faridabad's police commissioner?"

"WHAT?" Jayant shrieked like a small girl in a candy store. "Bhai, please tell me you didn't kill him. Golden goose, golden eggs, bhai," his voice reeked with desperation.

"Of course not. He had been here for less than two weeks before getting caught," Samar gruffed. "The moron knows less about us than what we know about him."

"Now?"

"Call Commissioner Suresh Chabra of Faridabad and let him know that his daughter and grandchild's happiness is safe with us. If he wants it to stay that way, he should be prepared to dispense some small favors."

"Small?"

"I never ask for much."

Jayant giggled. "What a day bhai, direct line to Delhi Police Force and that too to a commissioner!!"

"I just hope this Chabra is not those troublesome moralistic-honest types."

"That type is found only in the museum these days, bhai, don't worry."

"Hmm... contact him then. Where are you right now?" he asked while donning his shirt and buttoning it up.

"I am on my way to Vaghela House with Jayesh, as you had instructed."

"Good. I'll be there in next half an hour," he started to disconnect the line.

"Bhai"

"Yes"

"Thank you for keeping Jayesh out of the club."

Samar grunted uncomfortably, then ordered, "Half an hour," and disconnected.

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In Vaghela Mansion, post-lunch chit-chat session was in progress amid gaiety. Wedding details were getting finalized with congenial smiles.

Maahi grinned when she caught her brother stealing glances at her to be bhabhi. Does he think no one is noticing? How cute! 

This was the first time she has met her would be sister-in-law Natasha in person. The alliance had been fixed while she was away in Los Angeles, therefore she had been able to just see her pictures and talk to her on phone a handful of times. This was an arranged match. Natasha bhabhi's father was the new corporator of their block to whom dadu had gone to wish Diwali with some gifts. That was where he had seen his very beautiful and homely daughter and selected her for his grandson. Bhaiya too had given his consent after meeting her. Her parents looked happy with the match, and except for the nature of their family business, they had every reason to be. But looked like they have accepted that part of their future son-in-law's life without much fuss. Good, good for everyone involved.

Is that a twinkle in bhabhi's eyes that were seeking bhaiya every two minutes? Awww!!

Maahi has seen a lot of females come and go out of her brother's life. There were broadly of two kinds, one who didn't care about his mafia link, only his money; and the other who thought they could tame him and make him quit. Neither's agenda worked. Kunal bhaiya was too smart to get trapped by a gold digger and he was not very inclined to leave his powerful family business for anyone. But Natasha bhabhi, in a very short time everyone in the family has conceded to the fact that she was a gem. Dadu had chosen well. 

Her honesty and optimism shone through her eyes. Soft spoken and soft-natured, she was a perfect foil for bhaiya's rather temperamental nature. And the most important thing, she looked at bhaiya as if he has hung moon and stars in the sky. Such unquestioning faith, that it thoroughly warmed Maahi's heart. Her dear brother deserves all the happiness in this world, and most of all, a loyal accepting life partner. She herself was lucky to get a sister like her.

"Bhabhi, you look more interested in looking at bhaiya than at the gifts I got you," she said out loud for everyone to hear, and pretended to pout.

The room erupted in the laughter of the elders. Kunal smirked and Natasha blushed hard.

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Half an hour later, Samar entered the imposing building of Vaghela House like a gray cloud in his bullet-proof white SUV. Just at the sight of this place, bitter memories flooded his mind uninvited, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. To him, this place was full of bad memories, and each visit made the inferno inside his heart blaze some more. He was fourteen when Ranjan uncle had brought him to this hell hole, despite glaring displeasure of its occupants. And what an assortment of occupants it had - his father was a calculative manipulative old fox, his wife a certified crazy, his son a raging psychopath in making and there was a waif-like scardy daughter who spent her majority time looking for corners in the house to hide. A poster example of a dysfunctional family, the Vaghelas.

But on one thing they stood united with the exception of baffled little Maahi; they hated him. Made no bones about it. And since that was not enough, he lived next six years of his life getting humiliated and abused for the crime of breathing in the same air by the beloved heir of the family. It ate into Samar's soul, Kunal's insulting words, not the punches. Everyone turned a blind eye to his behavior, except for Ranjan uncle. Still, he would have forgiven them all because if nothing else, they had kept him fed and sheltered for six long years, had he not stumbled on their ultimate cruelty. For that, they will pay, with their souls. 

Alighting from the car, he spotted Jayant and Jayesh standing with away with some other men. He motioned them to stay where they were and walked inside the palatial bungalow.

"Arre, come beta Samar, come," Samar heard Lalaji say as soon as he entered the rich living room of the house. 

"Lalaji," Samar murmured with his palm on his heart. Looking around at the gathering in the room, he barely concealed a grimace. God, this circus is going on here today? Had he known, he would have come another day. Or maybe not. His eyes found Maahi, who was sitting beside the sacrificial lamb they'd selected for the psycho.

"You already know Mr. Desai. This is his wife. And his daughter Natasha, your new sister-in-law," Lalaji introduced.

My sister-in-law? Seriously? Samar gave the females, whom he knew because of his intel, a curt nod. Ignoring Kunal, who was having a hard time hiding his own grimace, he addressed Maahi. "Hello Maahi, how are you?"

Lifting her gaze that had dropped to the floor, she replied, "Hi Samar, I am fine. How are you doing?"

"Never been better," he gave her a lopsided smile.

"Come sit, Samar," Lalaji beckoned. 

Samar obeyed.

"It is good to see you. You should come often, beta."

Before Samar could say anything, he continued. "If you had come a little earlier, you could have had lunch with us."

Samar groaned silently. It seems Lalaji had decided to kill him with excessive sweetness today. Thankfully, the conversation in the room resumed, and Samar fished out his cell phone and started fiddling with it, nodding here and there at appropriate places. And while doing so, he surreptitiously watched Maahi from under his lashes with years of practiced skill.

"Maahi beta, why don't you go get the gift you got for Samar," Lalaji looked at his granddaughter.

At that, Samar raised his head and openly followed the suit.

"Ji dadu". Maahi dutifully hopped up to her room on the first floor. I got it? She mused as she opened her yet unpacked bag. Dadu had all but ordered her to get something for Samar too. 

A while later she returned with a corrugated brown-gold box of very expensive Cuban cigars. When she walked to Samar and extended it with a smile, Lalaji's lips thinned into a hard line and Kunal beamed like a proud brother he was feeling in that moment.

Samar looked at the box wryly, then at Maahi's face. He accepted the gift, but not before telling her exactly what he thought  of it in a voice low enough for just her to hear, "Nice try but you gotta try harder, Maahi."

Her hands dropped as if the cigar-coffer singed her. Her face, it was like he had personally taken a rag cloth and wiped the smile off it. But like unpredictable weather, a few heartbeats later she beamed widely at him for her brother's benefit who was looking at them and pivoted away and settled as far away from him as the length and breadth of the sitting area allowed.

"Samar is like my other grandson," Lalaji was telling Desai family meanwhile.

Hearing that, Samar almost choked on air. He decided to get the work he had come here for done and high-tail out before he developed diabetes.

Kunal didn't look happy at the proclamation either but skillfully diverted his attention to his fiancée.

At the first lull in conversation a few seconds later, Samar cut in. "Lalaji, I have made a few changes in Maahi's security detail and I would like to brief her."

Before Lalaji could reply, Kunal jumped at his throat "What changes? You can't decide these things before running them by me?"

Samar stood up too, nose to nose. "I can. And I did."

"What changes Samar?" Kunal insisted.

"Though I am not answerable to you, I'll be nice and tell you that I am assigning her a new bodyguard."

Kunal's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I have my reasons."

Kunal did not like his tone one bit. "Who is this new bodyguard?"

"Jayant's brother, Jayesh. JK."

"Samar," Kunal hissed, "Gudiya's security is no joke. I will not allow you to leave her in the hands of any tom dick or harry."

"Of course, it's not a joke. You, of all people, would know it," Samar taunted.

Kunal's face turned red with anger. Samar though calm, was obviously spoiling for a fight. But before either could explode, Lalaji intervened.

"Both of you, in my study. NOW."

Desai couple looked awkward, and Natasha looked scared. Maahi blinked worriedly at the three retreating figures. By her own definition, there were bad men in the underworld, and then there were madmen; a cut above the rest in the Kingdom of Hades. With their ruthless intentions hidden behind smooth facades, they appeared harmless until you dare to cross their path. Then, they were nothing less than demons personified. Maahi was fair enough to accept that not only Samar, but her brother too belonged to that category. And she was afraid to even think of the kind of catastrophe that will befall all of them if these two keep piling on such trivial issues on their already sky-high stack of problems.

Maahi had never been an active participant in the world where the male members of her acquaintance operated. Kunal bhaiya had tried to keep her in a bubble. Protected and happy. But he forgot that may be a tad bit colorful, the bubble was after all transparent. And thus, she knew stuff she was not meant to know. She saw stuff she wasn't meant to see. She wasn't as naive as Kunal bhaiya had wanted her to remain. Having said that, the bubble did keep her away from the actual heat and gory stench of their business. She saw everything like an onlooker, never getting caught in the whirlpool. Well, except for that one time. And wasn't that one time the root of the whole tussle right now?

She fervently prayed for an amicable solution to her security situation.

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"Is this the way to behave in front of guests?" Amarnath chided the two men as soon as he closed the study door behind himself, after ushering the two of them inside.

Seventy-two years of age, Lala Amarnath was still a strong man. Tall, fair, with more gray than black on a head still full of hair and a little pot-bellied, he looked like a loving grandfather to the boot. It was his hard eyes and the dark intimidating pathani suits he favored, that gave him away. He was yet to step down from the active running of the business, though his sphere of work now was quite selective. After losing his young son, he had to work longer and harder in this business than he had ever anticipated. And now before he could peacefully hand over the reins to Kunal and retire, Samar came in the way.

"Why do you want to change Maahi's guard?" he questioned Samar, without waiting for an answer to his previous question.

"Satya Shetty. I can't spare Jayant this time, considering Maahi is here for good. I want him on Shetty's trail," Samar replied.

Amarnath pinched the bridge of his nose. Satya Shetty was a small fish from Hyderabad, who had started dealing with them on a very small level. He was a middle-aged man with a mean ambitious streak and surprisingly loyal members of his family doubling up as his gang members. And now he wanted a piece of pie in Mumbai operations. Amarnath knew he was much powerful than Satya Shetty and even if he exerts all his resources, it will take Shetty a decade to become a danger to his empire. But then, the rift that was deepening every day between Kunal and Samar, was a gaping weakness that was not hidden from anyone. Especially not their enemies. Sometimes Amarnath cursed his dead son for bringing Samar into their lives. God, what his one bad decision has brought them to. Vulnerable from inside and out! 

Left to him, Samar would have been dead long back. Much before he rose so high in the business. But Ranjan had tied Amarnath's hand. His son had asked only one thing before closing his eyes forever, that Samar should never be harmed. His single dying wish! He did not even once think of his own children when he breathed his last, all his thoughts concentrated on Samar's well-being, a fact that still pinches Amarnath. But a deathbed promise made to his son was a promise he intended to keep. This was the least he could do for his son, whom he'd pushed to his untimely death with his own two hands. A son who had made sacrifices all his life for this business and this family. 

It wasn't easy though. It has been a task in itself to keep Kunal in check all these years. But it worried him immensely that his family has no such protection from now very powerful Samar. He had long ago given up the hope that Kunal and Samar will get along. Though, sometimes he does wish that he could turn back time and make sure that Samar gets treated better during the time he stayed here. That ship, however, sailed years back. Now Amarnath just tried to keep up the pretenses of cordiality because he wasn't a fool to not admit that if not an ally, Samar had all the makings of a lethal adversary.

Ranjan had probably seen that from the very beginning, but instead of stopping him, he had inducted him into their business. He even went a step ahead and had appointed young Samar as Maahi's bodyguard despite wrath he faced from his son that time. Needless to say, after Ranjan had died, Kunal took the ropes of his sister's security in his own hands with Amarnath's absolute approval. But how it turned out! Amarnath still shivers remembering the mishap that could have claimed both his grandchildren's lives in one sweep, his only family left in this world, his beloved Ranjan's kids, had Samar not stepped in at the right moment. And for that Amarnath would always be grateful to him. The boy proved why Ranjan trusted him so much. 

In fact, now Amarnath preferred that the security details of brother and sister remain in two different factions of the organization so that if there is a breach in one arrangement, at least the other kid is in no danger. At this age, he cannot bear another loss. Going against all of Kunal's protests, he keeps faith in Samar that he won't harm Ranjan's daughter at least. Ranjan had favored him above his own son and Maahi has never been anything else but nice to Samar. And till date, Samar too hasn't given a single reason to complain in Maahi's security context. But the business matters are, well, an altogether a different case. Nothing changes the fact that Ranjan had knowingly created a Frankenstein-isque monster for them before dying.

"He has a point Kunal," Lalaji finally said.

Kunal opened his mouth to speak, but Lalaji stopped him with a gesture of his palm.

"And he has never given any point to complain about Maahi's security. You'll have to trust him on this."

Kunal scoffed, making his sentiments clear on that, but did not refute his dadu's decision. Satya Shetty was really becoming a nuisance and the swiftly he is dealt with, the better. Even for Gudiya's security. He himself was hot on his trail, looking for opportunities to eliminate him.

"Is this Jayesh any good?"

"Wouldn't have chosen him otherwise," Samar replied.

"It's settled then," Lalaji said in a tone that left no room for argument. "And I'll appreciate it if you two do not make a public spectacle of your mutual dislike in future."

No promise, or even a token assurance, was offered by either party.

Amarnath sighed. "Come, let's go. It's bad manners to keep the guests waiting."

Trailing behind the grandfather-grandson duo on the way out, Samar 's eyes spewed hatred. The days of bossing him were going to be over for the old man soon. And the days of his grandson were coming to an end too. Aware of the immunity Ranjan uncle has bought him before dying, yet not completely relying on it, he has meticulously planned their downfall to the last detail. Almost till the last detail. There are still two things that were standing between Kunal and his last breath. 

First, the kindness Ranjan uncle had bestowed upon a grief-stricken orphaned fourteen-year-old Samar. His eyes had looked at him beseechingly before they closed forever, silently pleading that Samar does not harm his son either. Though even in his final moments, that nice man did not voice that grave wish. Leaving it to Samar to decide for himself. Why? And why did he think that Samar might want to kill Kunal off someday? It took Samar a few years to figure that one out. 

Second, Maahi.

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Unable to endure another moment of sham affection, Samar sauntered outside directly from the study. Lalaji told him that he will send Maahi out right away. He hadn't realized but he was clutching Maahi's gift in his hands all this while. He studied it with a scowl.

When Jayant walked to him, he tossed the blasted cigar box towards him, "Keep it."

Jayant caught the ridiculously expensive box mid-air and looked at it quizzically.

"Maahi got it for me. I am giving it to you."

Jayant frowned. Maahiji got this for bhai? The same thoughtful Maahiji who remembered an unnecessary detail that he likes perfumes, did not remember that Samar bhai does not smoke? Or drink. Or wh**e around for that matter. And that was saying something in this line of business. That's the reason it was a common knowledge. He wasn't called the Monk around here for nothing. And Maahiji was bonafide from around here. More than any one of them.

Just then the object of both their thoughts appeared at the doorstep. She waved happily at Jayant and smiled at Samar, her previous uneasiness missing. She came and stood beside him. 

"So, where is my new bodyguard, Samar?" she asked, hoping she sounded perfectly friendly. Like he did not make her even a little bit nervous. Even if dadu had not asked of her, she would have behaved cheerfully with Samar to diffuse the tension that had brewed inside.

Samar did not reply. And to her misery, inspected her with shrewd predatory eyes, as if dissecting her.

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Jayant promptly announced that he is going to get Jayesh in a moment and ran away. 

Samar didn't take his eyes off Maahi, and neither did he make any effort to talk. Under the weight of his stare, Maahi nervously started fingering the loop of her watch. She had always felt disconcerted by Samar's cinnamon-colored eyes. Searching, knowing, probing; they reflected weariness far beyond his thirty years. They seem to have seen far too much, they were far too old for that face.

Finally, unable to take the suffocating silence anymore, she tried to engage him in small talk. "So, how is everything, Samar? Health? How is your club doing?"

And just like that, Samar's face darkened. What her thoughtless gift, her asshole brother, and her overbearing dadu couldn't do, her polite inquiry did. Blazed his good mood at seeing her after one whole year. 

She was going to behave all bland and formal with him, wasn't she? Exactly for how long is she planning to play the ignorance card? Pretending that she does not understand his intentions? He grit his teeth in frustration. He was at the end of his patience. If he has to make her acknowledge him the way he wants now, then so be it. Enough of waiting for her to come to her senses. Left to her, she will keep living in her pretend world with eyes closed to everything around her, hiding in some goddamned closet, like he had seen her do masterfully as a child.  

But she is not a child anymore, is she?

And her days of hiding away from him are definitely over.

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Hope you guys liked it. Please do let me know what you think through your comments.  And don't forget to vote!!