A soft notification chime buzzed in Chahat's pocket, but the loud music of the party drowned it out. Feeling the slight vibration, she instinctively reached for her phone, switching it to vibrate mode. As she pulled it out to check, her gaze landed on the screen, and immediately, her expression shifted. Something about the message unsettled her. Without wasting a second, she turned on her heels and began walking toward a quieter corner to make a call.
However, before she could take more than a few steps, a strong grip seized her wrist.
She gasped, but no sound escaped her lips. The hold was firm—unyielding. A rush of heat traveled up her arm at the unexpected touch. Her heartbeat spiked, her muscles tensing instinctively. In one swift motion, she was pulled into the shadows, her back pressing against the cold wall of a secluded corner. The sudden contrast of warmth and chill sent a shudder through her.
Her breath hitched as her captor leaned in close, the scent of his cologne—deep and familiar—mixing with the faint traces of color powder from the Holi celebrations. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating, yet familiar.
Then came the whisper.
"Happy Holi."
The words sent an eerie chill down her spine. A warm breath ghosted over her ear, making her flinch. Her skin prickled with an involuntary awareness, a deep-rooted reaction she despised.
"My love, you smell so divine… so intoxicating that I wish to embrace you like this forever."
Chahat's body stiffened. That voice—she knew it too well. It was a voice that had once been a constant in her life, a voice she had grown up hearing. The realization hit her like a jolt of electricity.
Her fists clenched at her sides. He was doing this on purpose.
Without hesitation, she swung her leg up, aiming to strike him, but he anticipated it. Even as he stumbled back, his grip on her wrist remained firm. His fingers pressed against her pulse point, feeling the rapid beat beneath her skin. He smirked as if the erratic rhythm amused him.
With a smooth motion, he twisted her around, forcing her to face him.
Now, face to face, her eyes burned with fury as she pointed a trembling finger at him. But her body betrayed her—her breath came faster, her chest rising and falling with the adrenaline that surged through her veins. She hated this. Hated how close he was. How easily he could manipulate the air around them, making her feel cornered.
"You… you satan!" she hissed, her voice laced with anger.
His smirk deepened, his dark eyes gleaming under the dim lights. There was something dangerous in them, something that sent a warning through her nerves.
"Yes, I am," he admitted shamelessly, his tone teasing yet possessive. His fingers lingered over her wrist before he let go, but not before pressing his thumb against her skin once more, as if claiming that fleeting touch.
"Looks like you've forgotten who you are," he continued, tilting his head slightly. "Ever since you came here, no calls, no messages… not even a single word to me."
Chahat's jaw tightened.
"I am not your subordinate to inform you about my every move!" she snapped, taking a step back, needing space—desperate for it.
But he was a predator. And like all predators, he eliminated the distance just as swiftly as she created it.
"You are not my subordinate, my dear," he murmured, his voice dipping into something darker, silkier. "You are my darling. And don't you think it's only fair that you tell me where you are and what you're doing?"
Chahat scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to shield herself from the intensity of his gaze. But she couldn't stop the way her body reacted—her skin burned where his fingers had touched, her breaths shallowed despite her efforts to appear unfazed.
"First of all, I am NOT your darling. And second, I don't owe you any explanations."
A flicker of amusement flashed in his eyes, but there was something else lurking beneath it—something that sent another wave of unease through her.
"I'll ignore that… for now," he murmured.
Then, with deliberate slowness, he leaned in.
His fingers brushed against her cheek, featherlight yet commanding. Chahat's stomach clenched, a mix of fear and frustration coiling inside her. The proximity, the way his warmth seeped into her—it was suffocating. She could hear her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.
"And that punishment," he added, voice dropping to a near whisper, "will be very… different."
His breath ghosted over her skin, and every nerve in her body screamed at her to move.
She would never let him control her. Not again.
With a sharp glare, she pushed past him, breaking the momentary hold he had on her.