Part
17
The predicament in which she was stuck was such that
the more she struggled to escape the harder he clutched. Nevertheless, Priya
refused to give up in her attempts and Ram in his quest to assert his
dominance. The glares they exchanged were cold as ice in contrast to the heated
emotions arising amongst them. The sinister, crooked smile on Ram’s thin lips
infuriated Priya further. It boiled her blood to think that this man could
channel such amusement from her suffering. The burn in her eyes began blurring
her vision.
“No!” Priya’s ego scolded, sensing defeat. “You
can’t cry. It’s a sign of weakness. Do you want him to win?”
But it was too late. Priya’s heart had managed to
lodge itself in her throat and no matter how much she gulped, it was impossible
for her to swallow her emotions. She could no longer pretend that his
pretentious conduct had no impact on her conscience. Much to Priya’s surprise,
as the first few drops of tears dripped from her glistening red eyes Ram jerked
his hand back abruptly, setting her loose. Priya observed his expression suddenly
morph from sinister to petrified, as though he had seen a reflection of a ghost
in her eyes. But for Priya, the risk of
sitting and analyzing the alarmed look on Ram’s face far outweighed the
pleasure she gained from doing the same. Kicking the blankets aside, Priya
jumped out of bed fisting a pillow and chucking it roughly at his head.
“Asshole!” She cursed, as Ram dodged her fluffy bullet with surprising finesse.
With the backs of her hands Priya hastily dried her moist cheeks. The warrior
within her had resurfaced from the shadow of surrender and Ram wisely assumed
given the threatening glare in her eyes, it would serve him better if he kept
his mouth shut. Angry men are but puppets to their masculine egos. However,
angry women are like lethal serpents, calm in their approach yet venomous in
their attack. Seeing her cry, Ram had assumed that perhaps he might have
overstepped his boundaries. But the ease with which her tears had vanished left
him feeling manipulated as though he was the targeted prey all along. Priya eyed
Ram with a frown on her face. Her glare screamed frustration and hate but her
silence was most unbearable.
“What?” Ram piped up, failing to tolerate her
unwavering look of contempt. “It’s not like I was actually going to do
anything. It was just a joke and besides you started it.”
“A joke...” Priya screeched throwing another pillow
his way to dodge. “I didn’t expect this from you of all people, Mr. Kapoor.”
Ram watched on quietly, puzzled by her bizarre
behaviour. Prior to her statement he had no idea that she held any expectations
of him. “What the hell are you talking about Priya? And for god sake stop
throwing pillows at me dammit.” Ram got up and out of bed, chucking the pillow
he had caught not too long ago, to the side of the covers.
With the bed being the oversized barrier Priya spoke
her mind boldly. “You know what Mr. Kapoor, I was so mad at you when I first
found out what you had done. Getting me to sign those papers, you could have
just asked. Honestly, I was nervous coming here and living here with you
because let’s face it, we aren’t exactly compatible. But then I thought a man
who has such immense love for his mother, who defended his sister-in-laws
honour above his own brother, would at least, if anything, have some respect
for me as a woman. However, today you proved me wrong yet again.”
Ram looked on with a drizzle of guilt in his glare.
Priya’s little spiel was powerful, like a shot of tequila, her words burned as
he was forced to take it all in. Although
Ram knew in his inner heart that Priya was right, he could never confess his
realization to her face. Mostly due to the impact it would have on both their
egos. However, there was a strange numbing tingle in his heart, a sensation of
remorse which was foreign to him. Fortunately, Ram’s ego had silently devised a
comeback of its own, attempting to shatter the building blocks of guilt in
which his heart was held captive. “Oh please Priya, you’re the last woman on
earth who I would ever try anything of that sort with, so don’t flatter
yourself. I have standards...” Even as he spoke, Ram was well aware that the
critic of his action wasn’t a question of taste but rather a critical
reflection of his now lessened morals. However, Ram had hoped to elicit an
irrational outburst from Priya thinking it would somehow even the scores.
Priya’s composure was uncanny it drove him insane. Her silence had a way of
elevating his level of guilt. And what bothered him the most was the bit about
expectations. With that clause intact, Ram was well aware that he had failed in
Priya’s eyes yet he couldn’t justify a reason as to why he would care.
Ram could feel Priya’s gaze sear through his soul as
he waited for her to respond. But Priya silently shook her head, projecting
sheer disappointment before leaving the room.
Ram
carried Priya in his tender embrace, down the stairs, his lustful gaze not
leaving hers for a minute. She felt like a queen, every inch of her body he
cherished beyond her wildest dreams. Reaching the bedroom, to her surprise he
marched past their bed and into the luxurious bathroom suite. Eyebrows raised
she silently questioned his intentions. He merely smiled, placing her pampered
feet gently on the cold tiles. Without a word of notice he stepped forward and
kissed her softly, tugging at her warm lips teasing them with unquenched lust.
She matched his passion, no coaxing necessary. He fisted her nightgown at her
waist pulling it upwards. She allowed him, raising both her arms in the air as
she was stripped bare. Goosebumps scaled her skin as he traced his hands along
her waist, exploring his playground. His kiss was all consuming and his
experienced touch was such that she couldn’t help but teeter between both
sensations. The air was cold yet her body ached with a burn, a yearning flame
set ablaze within her. Ram hovered over her lips, gasping, his hands relentless
in their quest, grasping and tugging over the grooves of her body. He whispered
softly, “I figured we’d multitask” placing a line of kisses along the side of
her neck. Running her fingers up the length of his back, she responded, “Why
not just focus on the task at hand?” His torturous lips shaped into a grin
momentarily before stamping light kisses along the base of her neck. Her hands
travelled under his shirt and up his chest, she felt a weak shiver course
through him as she did so. It was apparent what she wanted and without an ounce
of protest, he took his shirt off, throwing it to the floor, not for a second
taking his eyes off her. His gaze was
razor sharp travelling with precision up the length of her bare body while he
unzipped his pants and kicked it off to the side. Reading the need in his eyes
was a pleasure in and of itself, no touch necessary. Licking his delicious lips
Ram pulled Priya towards him, their bare bodies fitting perfectly into one
another like two pieces of an otherwise incomplete puzzle. Bending his knees,
he wrapped his arms around her buttocks lifting her up and against his body.
She could feel his need stabbing her stomach gently through his boxers. With
her arms wrapped loosely around his neck, she looked down into his eyes. There
it was that familiar naughty smile on his lips as he whispered, “Darling, I
will have no trouble focusing on the task at hand. Especially when that task is
so damn sexy...” His subtle wink was more dangerous than he would ever dare to
think. If only he knew... Perhaps its better he didn’t. Just imagine the kind
of advantage he would have over her if he knew. She thought deeply to herself
for a moment as he walked towards the tall glass shower doors. “But then again,
maybe sometimes it’s not such a bad thing to surrender complete control”, she
finally concluded, setting at ease, her mind,
as the initial burst of cold water splashed over them. Her lips quivered
as an instant shiver coursed through her body, nothing his touch couldn’t fix.
Tilting her chin up, he placed a series of kisses along her lips. He started
soft and safe just brushes of their lips, like it was their first time; mingled
with a few tugs of her lips, a little bit of roughness in each kiss, as if it
was promised to be their last. “I guess it’s true what they say,” Priya began
thinking, turning her back to him, shying away. “Variety is the spice of life.”
Beads of warm water raced down her bare back as he hovered behind her. Bracing
herself, she placed her hands on the foggy glass doors, the anticipation
creating a whirl of sensations at the pit of her stomach. He tidied her hair to
one side, she moaned as he smothered her back with kisses. Placing his hands
over hers on the glass door, he closed the gap of agonizing distance between
them. And immediately she felt everything but the soft fabric of his boxers.
Ram lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to
sleep. Punching his pillow, he tried to fluff it as if that was the reason he
was up. Kicking the blanket off his body, he turned on his side and shut his
eyes tightly. But it was another failed attempt. “This doesn’t make sense,” Ram
spoke aloud in the darkness of his room, “Why the hell can’t I sleep?” Turning
on his back, Ram grabbed the AC remote, which lay on the night table, nearly
knocking down his framed picture. Shutting the AC off Ram lay in silence, not
budging at all. He was always a fan of the solitude but now even that felt suffocating.
His room was his safe haven, a place away from the commotions of his daily
life. But tonight that same room felt like a prison cell despite its size.
“It’s all Priya’s fault.” He immediately concluded sitting upright in bed at
once as though he had struck gold. “I’m pretty sure,” Flicking the light on,
Ram began postulating a viable explanation to support his thesis. “I’m pretty
sure she has gone to my mom to complain about what I have done. Of course, leaving
out the part about how she started it.” Sliding his feet into his slippers, Ram
began marching back and forth in front of his bed, stroking his chin. “All of
this must be part of her plan to make me look bad. First, it was Vikram and now
she wants to turn mom against me. Well Mrs. Priya, you’ve met your match. Just
wait and watch how I turn the tables on your plan.” With that thought in mind, Ram followed Priya’s
footsteps, hoping to catch her off guard.
Priya walked briskly down the dim hallway of the
mansion. Although she was scared of the dark, she was far too angry to care.
“Who the hell does he think he is?” She mumbled to herself, marching in the
direction of Krishna and Amarnath’s room. “Just because his name is Ram doesn’t
make him god.” Arriving at her destination she inhaled deeply, placing her fist
parallel to the door. But before she could knock, she felt a cold hand on her
shoulder that yanked her to the side.
“Aap yahan?” Priya stuttered making out the face of
cold handed person in the dimly lit hallway. “Sorry, I mean Papa-ji.” She quickly corrected
herself, remembering Krishna’s earlier lecture of an Oscar worthy performance.
Amarnath chuckled, “Where else would I be? I mean
this is my room.” He pointed to the door in front of which Priya stood.
“Oh...” She hastily stepped to the side clearing the path to his room. “I am so sorry, sir.” Priya cursed herself quietly,
feeling rather dumb.
“It’s okay.” He chuckled once more apparently
amused. “And just for the record, Papa-ji sounds better than sir coming from my daughter in law.” Amarnath smiled
warmly, showing a different side of himself that Priya had never seen or expected
after how he had reacted earlier in the day.
Finally catching up to Priya, Ram watched quietly
from a corner. He was furious that Priya would complain to his father, especially since
she was aware of the bitter relationship that they shared. “How could she after
all that I told her about him? I trusted her...” He clenched his fist on
either side of his body and continued to eavesdrop.
“Krishna told me everything.” Amarnath began,
addressing the confusion in Priya’s eyes.
“By the way, what brings you here at this hour? Did Ram do anything?”
Ram ears perked up, awaiting Priya’s response, he
was certain that she would seize the opportunity. After all, her betrayal would
serve as the perfect revenge.
“No Papa-ji, Mr. Kapoor hasn’t done anything.”Priya
blurted out quickly. She hadn’t lied for Ram’s sake but for the trust with
which he had shared his past with her. That bond of trust was sacred; it
existed despite the fact that Ram and Priya despised each other. Due to that trust, her morals prevented her
from betraying him. She would never be able to forgive herself if she was the
cause of a quarrel between a father and his son.
“In fact, he has made me feel very comfortable and at
home. I mean, it must be hard for him to share his room with someone let alone
his life but I must say he has...” She paused before adding... “He has exceeded my expectations.” Priya
fabricated an excuse in Ram’s defense, leaving him just as stunned as her ego
was, sensing victory but tasting defeat.
Amarnath knew that Priya was lying but he decided that it was best not to explore the issue further. “Than what is it Priya? What brings you here?”
“Good question...” Ram thought, “Why is she here, if
it wasn’t to complain?”
“Woh actually, I thought if Kush was awake, I could
take him with me... I mean I don’t want him to disturb you guys. He usually
wakes up cranky and hungry around 3am. ” Priya explained nervously, hoping she
didn’t sound too needy. The last thing she wanted to do was impose on Kush’s
right to be with his grandparents. But she missed Kush; there wasn’t a single
night since he had been in her life that she had spent without him. And tonight
she needed him the most being in an unfamiliar place in the company of an egotistic
maniac.
“Okay beta, let's check
if he’s still sleeping...”
Ram
whistled his favourite tune, weaving his fingers through his red tie, which
matched his mood perfectly. “Priya, hurry up,” He hollered, as he completed the
final tuck of his tie adjusting the Windsor knot snuggly against his neck.
“Coming baba,” She yelled back at him, he could hear the slight hiss as she
kissed her teeth irritated that he was rushing her. Ram chuckled to himself,
“God she’s so cute.”
Squirting
a dime of gel in his palm Ram rubbed his hands together before combing his
fingers through his partly dry hair.
Storming out of the bathroom, Priya walked to the dresser, finishing the
last twist of her French braid, she rested her well woven hair on her right
shoulder. Strumming her fingers through her collection of ear-rings, Priya
finally decided to go with the diamond studs. Slipping on a few gold bangles,
she decorated her bare wrists. The sight of Ram tilting his head from side to
side in the mirror in order to ensure his hair was uniformly styled brought a
blushing smile to her face. Crossing her arms, she watched him, amused by his
level of focus. “So much for multitasking,” She grinned shyly, recalling the
steamy shower as she turned to leave. He caught hold of her arm suddenly, his
hand slightly cold from being drenched in the wet strands of his hair. “Mrs.
Kapoor, am I amusing to you?” He tugged her towards him, her palms resting on
his chest as he snaked his arms around her waist. She tugged her bottom lip shyly averting his
alluring gaze. Tilting her chin up, he smiled as he placed a soft, innocent
kiss on her forehead. “Darling, shall we go?” Ram stepped back slightly,
placing his left hand forward, an invitation, which she was more than willing
to accept. Resting her hand in his, their fingers snuggly entwined and with the
exchange of peaceful smiles, Ram and Priya began walking towards the open
bedroom doors.
Ram stood on the terrace with his arms crossed,
drowning in thoughts that scared him. Normally his mind was in charge but for
the first time in his life, it seemed to have reached an impasse with his heart
and for that reason he couldn’t rely on either for an answer. The question that
kept resurfacing in his conscience was, “Why did Priya lie in my defense?” It was clear to any overseer, Priya had the
upper hand. Ram had made a mockery of
her dignity. Heck he hadn’t even spoken a sentence to her without shouting and
projecting hate. Moreover, the very basis of his plan started with him scamming
her signature. And when she was handed a golden opportunity to defame him, she
decided instead to sing his false praises. Suddenly the numbing tingle in his
chest returned. It felt like hot lava spreading on the icy surface of his
heart. This time the guilt was apparently greater, even his ego failed to pitch
a snappy retort. Assuming that Priya was predictable was Ram’s first mistake;
her one curveball struck his judgement out, changing his otherwise fixed
perspective on life. Although he was undecided as to whether or not he could
trust her, one thing was certain, he was definitely wrong about her as person.
“Ram,” sighing deeply, he thought to himself “Yeh
tune sahi nahi kiya. Priya didn’t do anything and you...” Realizing the cause
of his sudden insomnia, Ram finally acknowledged his guilt. “Khair... What’s
done is done... Now how do I make this right?” Ram stroked his chin and
contemplated, “Maybe I should apologize?” Entertaining the idea briefly in his
mind, Ram couldn’t help but recall his most recent request for forgiveness. The
kiss and the taste of her lips still fresh in his memory. “No Ram, apologizing
is too risky...” Ruling out the possibility of an apology, Ram searched the
depths of his hazy mind hoping to find an optimal option.
“But then how do I say that I’m sorry without
actually saying the words, I’m sorry?”
