“Am I overdoing it? But he also overreacted. My inner Goddess this time comes forward in my support. But I think it’s a bit cheesy to demand pampering and very weird for him to agree. Mr Mercurial…Monster Oberoi. I smile at my thought. To be honest, I still can’t believe that Aditya apologized to me. I know he reacted very harshly to a trivial matter. But when he was apologizing to me there was a pang of real guilt and fear in his eyes. Fear for what? Maybe he is worried about your health. My Inner Goddess again suggests. I wobble in denial. No, this fear is not a worry but a panic about losing someone. Then maybe he is afraid of losing you. She again opines. I can’t totally agree. I am an orphan. Living with him. Totally dependent on him too. I don’t even know my past. I only know him. In this condition, how can I leave him and why should he be afraid of this conjectural notion? Right now, my mind is stuffed with so many questions. Being flummoxed, I come to the balcony. Aditya’s bungalow is not exactly amidst the city, though it is not very far. This balcony is my favourite place because from here I can see the skyline and the starry sky. I gaze up. It is a full moon. And I am a selenophile. I gradually gaze down. The garden is partially lit. Perhaps the watchman hasn’t switched on all the lights. My eyes get fixed on the fountain pond. The moonglade is beautifully visible. For a moment, I forget the surrounding. But all of a sudden, the entire bungalow sinks into pitch-black darkness. And my heart into an unknown fear. I don’t know why I fear this darkness. It suffocates me. I close my eyes while gripping the balcony railing with extreme force. I am feeling giddy. Again, some flashes are coming in front of my eyes. A car…sooty surrounding…a throttling pressure on my neck. I gape to breathe. I had probably fallen down from the balcony if someone wouldn’t have encircled me in the arms. I know this touch. I know this smell. He is Aditya. Again, my saviour. I rest my head on his chest…placidly.”

.........................

Aditya garages the car and comes out. His both hands are full with the newly adopted bunnies. He brings them near his eyes. An affectionate smile touches his lips but the next moment his eyes become petrous. He has to go to the farmhouse but after giving this surprise to Nandana. He heads to the main door. As he steps on the staircase the whole bungalow sinks into darkness.

“What the fuck?”

He curses and is about to call the servant but before that, one of them comes with a candle. Aditya yells at him,

“Where is the watchman? Tell him to start the generator…immediately…these people….”

Suddenly something strikes his consciousness. He hands over the bunnies to the servant and rushes upstairs. He switches on the mobile flashlight and enters Nandana’s room. As expected, the room is pitch-dark and more of that Nandana is not in the room. Aditya moves the light everywhere when a silhouette on the balcony grabs his eyes. He nears it and is about to call Nandana; he observes her swaying body. It seems that she has no control over it. Before her body leans on the railing, Aditya yanks her and encircles her loose body into his protective arms. Nandana takes a deep sign and rests her head on his chest. Just then the bungalow again glows with light.

“Nandita, what are you doing here?”

Aditya’s tone is worried. Nandana slowly lifts her head and meets his eyes with a heart-melting smile.

“I was watching the moon.”

Her voice is worn out. Aditya furrows his brows and casually says,

“Whatever…your moon couldn’t catch you from the balcony.”

His tone is sarcastic. He brings her inside the room and makes her sit on the bed corner. He observes Nandana minutely. Her face is fatigued but her eyes are nitid. Is she happy to see him? Was she waiting for him? A fleeting thought crosses his mind but he waves it away.

“I have got something for you.”

Aditya expresses with zeal. Nandana amuses to see the juvenility in his eyes. She arches her brows in a query.

“Ummmm…something that can pamper you as your demand.”

Aditya cocks his head to a side and says in an aflutter tone.

“So soon? I thought it will be a tough task for you.”

Nandana says in a mischievous tone that doesn’t get unnoticed by Aditya. With a smirk he retorts,

“The task was tough but our consanguinity is strong. I know about your happiness as you know my weakness.”

Aditya’s voice turns from nonchalant to the grave. Nandana looks into his eyes, tries to fathom his words but Aditya immediately breaks the contact and hastily says,

“Close your eyes until I come back.”

Nandana thinks for a while and without any further query, shuts her eyes. 2 to 3 minutes pass without any movement or sound. Suddenly she hears Aditya’s excited voice.

“Open your eyes.”

Nandana unfurls her eyes just to see Aditya, standing in front of her, hiding both hands behind his back. Nandana’s eyes dance with jest. Slowly Aditya takes his hands in front of his body. Nandana’s surprised eyes fall on the bunnies which are now comfortably nibbling Aditya’s fingertips.

“Awwwww…so cute! Where have got them from?

Nandana’s instant and obvious reaction comes while she delicately takes the tiny figures in her hands.

“They were loitering on the road or think that I went for hunting like a monster that you call me some time and I found them in the dense forest.”

Aditya says dramatically and Nandana pouts with a slight frown.

“Obviously I got them from a pet shop. What kind of a question is this? But tell me now…are you happy? Have I succeeded to pamper you?”

Aditya scoots forward and asks in a curious tone. He doesn’t even realise that he is behaving very opposite of his obvious characteristic. Nandana keeps the bunnies on the bed and encircles them with some cushions. Aditya is still waiting for her answer with a longing heart. Nandana slowly nears him and replies in a grave tone.

“Nothing could be more perfect to pamper me. But now, when you have passed the task, you deserve some reward.”

Before Aditya can grok her words, Nandana raises her heels and tiptoes to reach his cheek. She pecks it in a blink of an eye and steps back. On the other hand, Aditya’s condition is worth watching. He touches his cheek with wide eyes. It seems that this reward was much unexpected to him. But within a minute, he sheds his bewildered state and replies in a teasing tone.

“No…not accepted. As compared to the happiness I gave you this reward is too small. I want a bigger reward.”

He inches at her. Nandana gazes up with surprise.

“Didn’t get? Okay, then let me demonstrate.”

He decreases the distance a bit more when rubs his lower lip. His eyes are dancing with mischief. Suddenly Nandana realises the hint and widens her eyes in shock.

“Come..”

Aditya demands and tries to grab her when Nandana somehow manages to dodge his reach and in a blink of an eye, takes the bunnies in her hands and rushes towards the door. Before dissipating, she turns and halts for a second.

“For a bigger reward, you have to do some bigger thing. All the best.”

She says with a giggle and vanishes leaving behind a mesmerized Aditya.

“I will. To win you completely, I will do anything. Good or bad.”

His jaws tighten and his eyes beam with the same sinful smile.

......................

Aditya is sitting on a chair. His one leg is placed on the other. He is shaking it to the tune which is coming from the speaker in the roof corner of this small room. This is his torture room. Keeping the similarity with the purpose, this room is painted in a dark red colour. In this farmhouse, only Aditya and Ayan know about this place. Aditya gets a glimpse of his wristwatch. It’s 2 am. When he came out of his bungalow it was around 1:30 am. He wanted to come earlier but he wanted Nandana to go to the bed before that. Nowadays she can’t sleep without talking to him. After dinner, they talked for a couple of hours. Most of it was about her newly found happiness. Her bunnies. She even named them in such a short span of time. The white one is Snowy and the chestnut one is Moose. She also wanted to make them sleep on the bed with her but after Aditya’s strong objection she had to agree with the rabbit cage which Aditya bought for them. Aditya again glances at his watch. With every passing minute, his irritation and anger are rising bit by bit.

“Bring them soon Ayan or else even you won’t be able to see their suffering.”

Aditya mumbles. All of a sudden. The door of the room opens and two people are thrown inside. Their legs and hands are tied but their mouths are open. Along with this, Ayan enters and closes the door. The men who are now lying on the floor in front of Aditya’s legs try to sit but in the next moment are kicked in the opposite direction by Aditya.

“Don’t dare to move you bastards. This is your place. Below my feet.”

Aditya grinds out. His eyes are spitting venom. He gets up from the chair and nears Ayan still keeping his eyes on the men who are wriggling on the floor in pain and helplessness.

“Where is the other manwhore? I want all of them here. The more mice the more fun to play with them.”

His words can chill to anyone’s bone. Ayan straights his body and replies in an obedient manner,

“Pappu is searching for him. I hope he will be here tomorrow.”

“Good…you may go now. Otherwise, your goodnight sleep can be disturbed by nightmares. Let me welcome these guests.”

Aditya lifts the chair and sits near the goons lying on the floor. Ayan nods and leaves silently. Aditya observes them and asks in a spine-chilling tone.

“Can we start?”