2. Kidnapped

Hooriya took a long shower to relax. She looked dull and worn out, if Maalik saw dark circles under her eyes, he would go mad. She didn't have breakfast because she wasn't hungry. She did her makeup and hair for today's mehfil (gathering). Changing into a heavy ghagra choli (long skirt with blouse) she was ready for the day.

She quietly trekked out of her room. With her head bowed down, she immediately passed through the dimly lit corridors, taking the stairs until she reached the main hall where Maalik was waiting for her.

Other girls were also there with whom she had to perform. Today she had to dance at three gatherings. Maalik stood up and strode past her to the front door when there was a loud bang and the big doors burst open.

Everyone gasped and a few of the girls shrieked as everyone stepped back, their eyes wide as they goggled at the number of men dressed in black; crowding in the place.

"What is happening here?" Maalik asked in anger as one of those guys walked further. He was dressed in a black crisp shirt and dress pants. He had piercing blue eyes as he surveyed the whole place.

"I'm looking for a girl," the man said calmly but in no way did this look normal. It didn't seem like he was here just to get a girl with that army of men.

"You can give me your address sir, I'll send one at your place," Maalik said calmly. The man shook his head.

"I need the girl who was with Zeeshan Saifi last night," the man said.

All the blood drained out of Hooriya's body as she stumbled a step back. All eyes instantly fell on her and her heart dropped. 

Maalik arched his brow at the blue-eyed man. "She is expensive," Maalik mused, ready to earn wads of cash at the moment. 

"I'm not paying," the man snickered and the next thing he motioned at one of his men who immediately stalked towards Hooriya.

Her eyes widened and she stepped back, she shook her head at the man but when he didn't stop, she opted to make a run to her room but before she could even reach the first step of stairs, the man grabbed her, earning a shrill cry from her. She tried to struggle wildly as that goon dragged her to that blue-eyed man.

"You cannot take her without money," Maalik hissed as he came forward to get Hooriya back but the blue-eyed man thwarted his way.

"Do you know who has sent me here? Do you know who the f*ck I am?" The man sniggered, causing Maalik to flinch back. Maalik froze as he saw a tribal tattoo of a scorpion on that man's wrist. 

Maalik stumbled a step back, his face blanched as he didn't breathe. The blue-eyed man smirked and turned to leave. 

"No! Stop! Let me go!" Hooriya screamed wildly as she struggled but to no avail. She stared at Maalik pleadingly who came back to his senses and ran after her.

"W...what does he want from her?" Maalik asked scared, now knowing fully well, that the man he was talking to wasn't an ordinary guy. He was right in command of the most ruthless mafia boss in the nation.

"None of your business," The guy snickered.

"Stop! M...Maalik please! Save me please! Please!!!!" Hooriya screamed and struggled wildly not caring that she was hurting her wrist.

Her struggle halted when she felt a needle piercing her neck and within seconds her body became heavy, just like that, she lost her consciousness as darkness consumed her and she wished from the bottom of her heart not to wake up again.

Hooriya groaned in pain. Her head was hurting painfully. She groggily opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was the cold hard floor under her. She was in unfamiliar surroundings. Her eyes shot open wide as she recalled what had happened before her blackout. 

She gazed around with terror, she was in an empty huge room. There was no window and just walls all around her, her eyes darted towards the only door in the whole place. 

She hastily looked down at her form and her heart hushed down a little when she found herself fully clothed. She thanked God in her heart and ambled towards the door on her wobbly legs. She tried to open it but it was locked.

Tears brimmed her eyes as she banged on the door. "Open the door! Let me out," She screamed and banged the door but there was no response.

Her palms were stinging and her throat was all parched when she heard footsteps approaching and the door was pushed open. That same guy with blue eyes walked inside and her heart dropped. 

"Why are you screaming?" He asked coldly and her heart stammered in fear.

"L...let me go. P...please... Why are you keeping me here?" She asked in a croaky voice. The man glared at her.

"You don't know why you are here?" The guy asked with a cocked brow as he couldn't believe her.

She innocently bobbed her head in negative and the guy sighed, shaking his head as he pivoted and walked to the door.

Her heart dropped knowing he was going to lock her again. "Please, let me go..."

He glanced at her over his shoulder. "You shouldn't have done that. Boss will torment you for sure, all I suggest; is to stay quiet because the more you'll retaliate, the crueler he will be," the blue-eyed guy said.

Her heart shook in utmost trepidation at his words and her brain was ready to demolish in anxiety. Why would his boss want to torment her?

"Why? I didn't even do anything, please... please let me go," she said and tried to run after him but he had already closed the door shut, locking it.

She banged on the door multiple times. Pleading to be let free but it was of no use. No one opened the door. Her palms hurt and her head throbbed. She slumped down on the floor and brought her knees to her chest as she cried like a baby.

Why was this happening to her?

Why was she here and why did that boss guy want to torment her? There were so many questions raking her head that she had no answer.

The time passed agonizingly and with each passing second, the terror in her grew even more. Deep down she had a feeling that Zeeshan Saifi had kidnapped her, he was the boss that blue-eyed guy talked about and now this man will hurt her because she had hurt him last night and ran away.

This was the only logical explanation she could come up with.

She heard heavy footsteps and she immediately scurried to the corner of the room away from the door. With her heart pounding in her ears, she waited with fearful breaths.

The door creaked open and a man walked in. Even though the room was barely lit but she could easily see the man, his stature was huge as he blocked the whole doorway. As soon as he was fully in, the door slammed shut along with her heart as she tried not to breathe, hoping that man won't see her.

His face was still hidden in the shadows but his body was big and muscular. Just with his presence, the room seemed smaller. Now he will kill her for hitting him with the lamp last night.

Her breath hitched and she stumbled a step back when that man stepped into the light. The sound of her anklets had his obsidian eyes whipping in her direction.

The man in front of her whom her captor called his boss wasn't Zeeshan Saifi, this man was someone else whom she had never seen in her whole life.

He lurked towards her in slow threatening steps. He was tall, probably 6'1. His broad shoulders and bulging biceps made her throat dry. He has pitch black hair, and tan skin; she couldn't notice anything else when her eyes met his dark obsidian ones which looked enraged.

She involuntarily stepped back until her back touched the wall and his massive frame was in front of her in seconds.

"Whom are you working for?" His voice was thick, almost gravely, his tone powerful and intimidating. He was standing close but still, there was a two feet distance between them.

She didn't know this man but the power exudes out of him in volumes. Why would someone she had never met kidnap her and want to torment her?

Her mind was a jumbled mess. Her throat was all clogged up and it took her some time to form a single word but her delay only angered him as he grabbed her chin in his calloused hand rather roughly causing her lips to pucker out. 

Tears brimmed her eyes as she tried to pry his hand off of her jaw but his hold was firm and hurting. "M...maalik (master)," She stuttered.

His jaw clenched at her answer and he jerked her closer. She winced and shut her eyes in pure fear. Her small hands grasped his large one trying to remove it from her jaw, his fingers were digging in her fluffy cheeks.

"Don't f*ck with me!" He growled and she jolted in his hold.

Tears started to pour out of her eyes as she tried to stay strong. "L...let me go... p..please..." She struggled,  trying to free her face but he only tightened his hold.

He had an earthy woodsy scent mixed with some rich cologne.

"Tell me who are you working for and I'll let you go," The man said calmly as he jerked her face away. She immediately cupped her jaw, trying to ease the sting away, and stepped to her left to create some distance between them.

She contemplated whether to answer or not because her first answer had only angered him. She didn't even know this man in the first place.

"I...I... w...work for m...malik as a d..dancer..." She whispered with mustered-up courage.

Her answer seemed to piss him off as he shook his head. She didn't dare to look at his face, afraid she might not be able to form any words because of the apprehension that coursed through her veins.

"Ahhh," A cry tore through her lips when he grabbed a fist full of her hair and jerked her closer, causing her small hands to land on his hard muscular chest. His hold was so painful that her face was towards the ceiling.

"How much did you get for killing Zeeshan Saifi?" The man hissed with venom causing her heart to stop then and there as his words registered in her brain.

Her eyes shot open wide as she shook her head wildly, her big greenish-brown eyes were pools of tears.

"N...no... I... didn't..." She stuttered badly. Her heart rattled recalling how she hit him with the lamp but he was still fully alive. That blow wasn't strong enough to kill him.

She winced when he pulled her hair more but she didn't open her eyes to meet his evil ones, "listen here," He snickered. "Either you tell me the name and I'll give you an easy death or you play all strong and loyal and die a brutal death," He growled in low menace. His deep voice sent chills of dread down her body as he roughly jerked her away.

"Either way, you'll tell the truth, now it's up to you to decide." He hissed dangerously and stalked out of the room leaving a frightened and shaken girl behind.