Author Pov:✨✨

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“MEERA!!”

His shout echoed through the empty road. Then he heard it.A muffled cry.

A sound so small… so terrified.He whipped his head toward the alley on his left. Dark, narrow… and at the end of it.He saw her.Meera.Pinned against a wall.

An old drunk man had one hand wrapped around her wrist and the other clamped over her mouth. She was shaking.her eyes wide, flooded with fear.Her muffled scream ripped the night

“Mmm–mm—!!”Her mouth was covered by the man’s filthy hand.

The man growled, breath reeking of alcohol.

“Shut up! Don’t shout! No one’s gonna help you here—”

Aarav’s roar filled the alley.“HEY!!”

The old drunk man froze and turned. Aarav’s eyes were bloodshot.His chest heaving. He didn’t walk.

“LEAVE. HER.”

He grabbed the man’s collar and ripped him away from Meera so hard the man’s back slammed against the opposite wall.

The old drunk man stumbled, “Who the hell—”

Aarav charged like an animal unleashed.“LEAVE. HER. NOW!”

The man stumble back,shocked.Aarav punched him.Aarav grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall.

“You touched her?”Aarav growled.

“You put your filthy hands on her!?”His fist slammed into the man’s jaw.Once.Twice.Thrice.

“How dare you touch her!?”

Aarav’s voice was animalistic.

“HOW… DARE… YOU!!”

He punched again until his knuckles burned.Until his eyes saw nothing but red.

Meera dropped to the ground, chest shaking, tears falling uncontrollably.

“A-Aarav…” her voice trembled.

He froze.Slowly… he turned around.

She was curled against the wall, crying.Like she was still feeling that man’s hand on her mouth.Aarav felt his throat close.He rushed toward her.

“Meera…”He knelt, cupping her face, wiping her tears with shaking thumbs.

“Hey… hey, look at me. You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m here. I’ve got you…”

She tried to speak, but her voice broke into sobs.

“A–Aarav… I—I couldn’t… he—he held—”

“Shh…”His voice softened, but his arms pulled her into his chest with a desperate force.She gasped as his warmth surrounded her, her face pressed against his shoulder.

He held her like she would disappear.

“I’m here…  nothing will ever touch you again.”His voice cracked.

“I was so scared…”Meera sobbed harder.

His shirt grew wet from her tears.

The sound of her shaking breath and his heart pounding violently against her cheek.

Then—

The man sat up slightly, holding his bleeding lip.He spat blood and muttered,

“Why… why you protecting her, huh? What is she to you? She is just a girl… Is she is your sister or what?”Aarav’s entire body stiffened.

“SISTER?”Aarav whispered, deadly calm.The word entered his ears like poison.

Behind him, Meera whispered weakly:“A-Aarav… d-don’t—”

He could handle insults.He could ignore disrespect.But this?Calling Meera his sister?Something inside him ripped open.Aarav stood up slowly.Too slowly.

The drunk laughed again.

“That girl—she’s your sis—”

Aarav LOST it.

“DON’T YOU EVER…”Aarav fist slammed into the man’s face.

“…CALL HER…”Another hit.

“…MY SISTER!”He grabbed the man’s collar and dragged him across the dirt road, punching him again and again.

Meera rushed forward, trembling.“Aarav! Stop! Please—you’ll kill him!”

He didn’t listen.He shoved her away  because he couldn’t control himself.

“Aarav… l–leave it. Please… it doesn’t matter—”He turned his head, furious.

“It DOES matter.”His voice thundered across the alley.

“Don’t EVER call her that. Don’t even THINK it.”Meera blinked through tears.

“Aarav… please… let’s go… let’s go home…”But he wasn’t listening anymore.He wasn’t even seeing her.

“Aarav! STOP!"Meera screamed, grabbing his arm.He didn’t stop.Aarav punched the man again.And again.

Until the man’s head hit the ground with a dull thud.Until he was completely unconscious.

“A–Aarav… s-stop… please…”Her voice cut through him

She grabbed his arm again.Then he turned to her Dangerously . Meera froze.Her breath hitched.She had never seen this Aarav before.

“TUMHARA DIMAG KAHAN THA, MEERA!?”("ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, MEERA")His voice shook the night.

He stormed toward her and grabbed her cheeks hard.“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING OUT HERE ALONE AT THIS TIME!?”

Her eyes widened, tears spilling instantly.“I-I was just— I couldn’t stay inside, I -”

“AND SO YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE At THIS HOUR?WITHOUT TELLING ME! MEERA, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?” his voice cracked, anger mixing with deadly fear.

She stared at him, trembling.

“I-I’m sorry… I just needed air, Aarav… I thought—”

“You thought WHAT!?That the roads are safe?That people are good?”That criminal don’t exist at night!?”he barked. He grabbed her wrist the same wrist that man had held.

“What if I DIDN’T COME?What if he dragged you somewhere?What if he hurt you?”his voice dropped, deep, dangerous, breaking.

“Aarav… I didn’t know… I didn’t think—”Meera’s lips trembled.

“YOU NEVER THINK!” he shouted, stepping closer.Close enough for her tears to touch his skin.

Her back brushed against the cold wall.He caged her between his arms.

“You don’t call me.You don’t tell me where you’re going. You leave the mansion at morning.You walk alone in midnight And then..”

He swallowed, jaw tightening.

“I just needed air… I was hurting… I didn’t want to—”

“DON’T give me excuses!”He shouted, gripping her chin tighter.

Her breath hitched at his words.“…you let someone touch you.”

“A-Aarav… I didn’t LET— he grabbed me—”

He slammed his hand on the wall beside her head.

“I KNOW!” he roared.“And do you know what that did to me!?”

She shook her head, crying harder.

Aarav’s voice dropped, raw and cracked.“I almost went insane, Meera.”

“Aarav… pl–please…”

“No!You don’t get to cry now! Not after what you did!”His fingers digging into her nick as he forced her to look at him.

Meera cried out softly, “A-Aarav… it hurts…”

“I WANT you to feel it.I want you to FEEL how terrified I was.”he growled.

His forehead touched hers, rough and shaking.

“AND ONE MORE THING—” he whispered, voice shaking with rage.

“DON’T. EVER. CALL YOURSELF MY SISTER.”

“Aarav—”Meera’s breath caught.

“I MEAN IT.YOU ARE NOT MY SISTER. Not today. Not ever. Don’t even THINK that.”His face was inches from hers.His eyes burning.

“You are…” He stopped suddenly, chest heaving. “I don’t even know what you are to me.”He pulled her closer by her waist—roughly, angrily—until her body pressed against his.

“But you sure as hell aren’t my sister.”

Meera’s knees weakened.

“A-Aarav… you’re hurting me—”

His grip loosened instantly. The pain inside him was too much.He cupped her face again—gentler this time—but still intense.

“Meera, when I saw him touching you…” He swallowed.

She looked down, whispering,

“Aarav… I didn’t mean to make you angry…”

He tilted her chin up sharply.

“Angry?I thought I was going to lose you.”“You have no idea what that did to me.”His forehead touched hers.

Meera’s tears rolled down again.

“Aarav…”

He pulled back slightly, staring at her with burning eyes."This is the last time, Meera. You will NOT leave the mansion alone.You will NOT walk outside at night.And you will NEVER put yourself in danger again.”His voice was low, dangerous, shaking.

She opened her mouth to protest.He grabbed her waist again, pulling her closer, silencing her.

“I don’t care what you were feeling.”

His fingers pressed into her hips.

“I’d rather be your enemy than lose you.”

A tear escaped his eye—he didn’t even notice.He grabbed her cheeks again, pulling her against him with all the panic and love he didn’t know how to control.

“You have no idea…NO idea…

how angry I am with you.”

Meera sobbed, “Aarav… please… I’m scared…”

“You SHOULD be.”His breath hitched.

His fingers slid behind her neck, gripping, pulling her even closer.

“I’m taking you home,” he said, voice still rough.We’re not staying here another second.”

Aarav’s grip tightened around Meera’s wrist as he pulled her from the alley.

“Let’s go,” he growled. His voice wasn’t loud now… it was low, dangerous.But Meera didn’t move.

“Meera,” he warned. “Don’t start now. Let’s go home.”But she shook her head, tears welling.“No… I don’t want to go… please…”

Aarav’s jaw locked.“What do you mean you don’t want to go!?”

“I—I can’t go to your mansion tonight…” she whispered, wiping her trembling lips. “Tomorrow… you’re leaving abroad. And I… I can’t watch you leave…”

He exhaled sharply — angry… annoyed… frustrated.

“So THAT is the reason?THIS is why you’re creating drama in the middle of the night!?”His voice rose. “

Meera flinched.Aarav stepped closer, the rain-scented wind brushing between them.

“You don’t want to come with me… because you can’t see me leave?” he snapped.

“Yes…”

“MEERA, I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!”His voice echoed through the empty street.

“I ALMOST LOST YOU TONIGHT—and now you’re telling me you don’t want to come home because you’ll ‘miss me’!?”He huffed a humorless laugh.

Meera’s breath broke. “A-Aarav… please understand—”

“I understand NOTHING right now!”

He grabbed her wrist again, harder this time. “Come. With. Me.”

“I don’t want to go!”She shook his hand off.Something snapped inside Aarav.

“Unbelievable… fucking unbelievable!”He kicked a stone from the road, chest rising and falling violently.

“MEERA, GET ON THE BIKE.”

Silence.

“MEERA. SIT. ON. THE. BIKE.”

He growled each word.

Her voice cracked, “I—I don’t want to go with you…”

He grabbed her waist, lifted her roughly, and forced her onto the side of his bike, his fingers digging into her skin.

“A-AARAV!” she gasped in pain.

“Sit,” he ordered, voice deadly.Meera immediately slid off the seat.

“No.”

He stepped closer, trapping her between the bike and his body.

“You want to test my patience, Meera?”His voice dropped into a dark whisper.

“Fine.”He leaned closer, lips inches from hers.

“If you don’t sit on that bike…”

He brushed his thumb against her lower lip.

“…I WILL kiss you. Right here. On this road. In front of anyone passing by.”

Meera’s eyes widened in horror.

“You’re bluffing…” she whispered.

Aarav smirked — a cold, merciless smirk.

“You think so?”He leaned closer, nose touching hers.

“You know how people around here talk. They’ll say you’re characterless… shameless… a girl with no dignity. Who has no perents .”

“Aarav, stop…” she whispered, voice cracking.

But he didn’t stop.“They will ruin your name, Meera. And I don’t care. But I know YOU do.”His breath hit her cheek.

“Now sit.”She still shook her head, crying.

“No… Aarav… I’m scared… but I… I don’t want to go…”

Aarav’s eyes flickered with disbelief.

“You still won’t listen?”She took a shaky breath.

“I want to go to my old house… my mother’s house…”Everything inside Aarav froze.

Then—

His expression changed instantly — disgust, anger, refusal remembering her home

“That place?”His voice dripped with contempt.

“That dirty, broken house where water leaks from the roof? Where insects crawl? Where ANYONE can walk in because the door barely works?”He stepped closer, grabbing her arm harshly.

“You want to go THERE after what just happened tonight!?”

Meera’s tears flowed faster.

“It’s the only place I can breathe, Aarav…”

“IT’S UNSAFE!” he roared.

“And I’m leaving tomorrow! I’m going abroad — and you want to stay in THAT disgusting place alone!?”He shook her lightly, panic and anger mixing.

“Meera, for God’s sake… THINK!”But Meera only cried harder.

“I want to my mother's place… I want that home… even if it’s small… even if it’s broken…”

“YOU’RE COMING WITH ME!”

“No!” she sobbed.

Aarav shut his eyes, inhaled sharply, then whispered."Fine. Then neither of us is going anywhere.”

She blinked.Aarav stepped forward, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper:

“And if you don’t get on this bike right now… I’ll kiss you. For real this time.”

Meera froze.

Because she knew —

Aarav wasn’t lying.

Her voice shook.

“A-Aarav… please…”

“Three…” he whispered.

She stepped back, terrified.

“Two…"

She finally climbed onto the bike .He swung his leg over and sat in front.But Meera did NOT touch him.Not his shirt.Not his shoulders.

Aarav turned his head slowly, dangerous annoyance in his eyes.

“Hold me.”Meera didn’t move.

“I said HUG me, Meera.”

“No… I…” her voice was barely audible.

Aarav’s jaw tensed.He revved the engine loudly.Then he sped off. Fast. Too fast.

“A–Aarav! Slow down!” she screamed, gripping the seat.

“Then hold me,” he snapped.

She shook her head, crying.

“Please… please slow—!”

He sped up more, the wind slapping her hair wildly.

“AARAV PLEASE!”

“It’s simple,” he growled.

“Hug me… or we go FASTER.”

“A-Aarav, stop—!!” she cried.

Then—

RAIN.Big droplets.Sudden .Meera gasped.The road blurred with rainwater. Thunder cracked the sky.

Terrified, she finally wrapped her arms around Aarav from behind — trembling, crying.Aarav immediately slowed the bike.

And then

A small, dark smile appeared on his lips.

He had her exactly where he wanted.

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Hopefully you enjoy the charpter.

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