Chapter 14

Anshuman sat on the nearest chair with a thud. His head was reeling and suddenly he realized what had been off with Simrat last night. She had a little limp in contrast to her regular taut spine whenever she walked and she had been holding her left hand as if it was paining her. Oh God, she was the one who was shooting last evening and he had ruined it for her. Rewa had to know that, hence she must have hinted. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. Nirvi and Keshav sat next to him. Amandeep had gone to drop Rewa till her vehicle.

“…Are you all right Anshuman…?” Nirvi asked in her soft soothing voice.

He rubbed his face. “…I don’t know how to feel Nirvika… I just… I just want this to get over…I… I want to know what happened to Meera… what exactly happened that she had to be killed and she was goddamn… pregnant… why…?” He also remembered Zulfikar Chacha’s doubts which irked him…but at the moment he kept silent. Those were just postulations after all and Rewa had proof…

“…Anshuman…” Keshav spoke. “…We can’t run from our destinies…it always catches up… if I have learned anything in my life… it’s that we have to face whatever is thrown at us… you know about Avanti and me…don’t you…?” Anshuman nodded. Avanti was Keshav’s wife. Her father had been like a father figure to young Keshav and had been working on a wonderdrug in this very place Vedshastra. He was a farsighted man and arranged for his older daughter, Avanti’s sister to marry Keshav as a means of cementing a business relationship. Fate had other plans and the old man had been killed in an airplane crash. Just on the morning of the wedding, Avanti’s sister had taken off and Avanti had married Keshav instead. What was initially a friendship between the two had soon blossomed into love and Avanti and Keshav were each other’s strength and support systems. Keshav had hereditary Huntington’s disease and the miracle drug was to help him contain the symptoms and it did. He didn’t have any symptoms to date. Anshuman had seen the camaraderie between Keshav and Avanti and also between Amandeep and Nirvika. Whenever the men were in the same room as their partners the sparks always flew. Anshuman had felt it many times. He often remembered Angie…alais Simrat those times but now… he lost all hope. Simrat had probably been playing a role that night four years ago… probably trying to pry information out of him. Didn’t she feel an iota of attraction that he felt for her…?  Was it just a casual lay for her…?

He knew he couldn’t openly confront Simrat, she couldn’t blow her cover. Even as he boarded the return flight that evening he couldn’t help getting annoyed at the woman. Why on earth did she drag her son into the mess. The boy was suffering because of his mother’s need to keep secrets about her job and cover. The little fellow was forced to live with an old temperamental lady just so his mother could keep up the farce of her work. Later in Goa, as he got into the cab to get to his condo, he suddenly realized the danger involved in her job. Last evening was an example. He chided himself for hurting her, though it wasn’t intentional. Simrat was exposed to danger constantly. He now knew that the hotel job was a front. That’s why the hotel looked shabby… it wasn’t a real hotel at all. He remembered Manpreet crying on nights when his mother didn’t get back home from work. The little boy missed her and she was trotting around in dangerous waters. How could she do this job now that she had Manpreet. How could she put his well-being at stake…?

As he neared his condo he checked the time it was almost 1 AM…. It was pretty dark since the street lights weren’t functional for a while outside his condominium and he reminded himself to put up a letter to the local authority soon. It was dangerous for the scarce residents who lived there. As he navigated the dark pathway towards his condo, he thought he saw a shadow at the entrance and he was alert. He shone his mobile light in the direction but there was no one. He was sure he had seen someone. He shut the light and walked slowly in the direction. He wasn’t a trained operative but knew how to walk without making a sound. He could feel the presence of another human being. But he also knew that if they had to kill him, they would have done by now. Heart thudding he walked towards his house and just as he opened the door someone pushed him inside and shut the door. Before he could get up the lights came on and he saw Simrat standing with fire in her eyes and hands on her hips. She had the same outfit from outside Passion last evening and her sleeve had a bulge at the arm which indicated a bandage.

“…What the fuck do you think you are doing…?” she spoke. Her voice dripping in anger.

“….Simrat…I…”

“…Do you know… how you ruined our mission yesterday… just to satisfy some stupid curiosity…?”

“…Stupid curiosity…? Do you even realize what you are talking about…?” He stood up to his full height towering over her.

“…huh… you ruined months of hard work and alerted the enemy… you idiot… you have been messing around ever since you arrived here…”  She spewed the words staring daggers at him.

“…Cut the crap… Simrat or should I call you Angie…?” At her stunned look, he chuckled. “…you think I wouldn’t find out…? How on earth would I know about some goddamn mission of yours… my sister didn’t know either…she was fooled and got caught in between… just like me and …now… you have the nerve to accuse me…?”

Simrat recovered quickly “…Why the hell do you civilians interfere in such things when you have no business to poke your noses…? Why the fuck did you ask around in Baga about your deceased sister…” she spoke accusingly pointing her finger at him.

“…I came here to find out the truth about my sister… her last days… I didn’t even get to see her ashes… do you even know what that means…? Had you all done your jobs well… my sister would probably have been alive or I would have known the truth… I wouldn’t have led a life of desperation for the last decade… like a vagabond in quest of the truth…” he was panting and he walked close to her. She moved back till her back hit the wall and right then under the glowing brown light her face looked flushed and now sans all that make-up she looked beautiful. The nose stud that had been his Achillies heel shone brightly illuminating the darkness in his heart. Her eyes softened and filled and a tiny drop of tear tried to slide its way down her shining cheek. He held the errant tear on his fingertip and she sucked in a quick breath. She was as affected as he was… he could see that.

He palmed her cheek and she leaned into it shutting her eyes. At that moment she wasn’t a hardcore operative but a vulnerable woman who had been fighting a battle. Despite everything, his heart went out to her. The hibernating attraction rose with full force and in the next moment, he slammed into her lips. She circled his neck holding him by the death grip as if her life depended on him. They kissed like there was no tomorrow. In the solitude of the night, the only sound they heard was their lips slurping at each other amidst heavy breathing. He feasted on her as if she could take away the hunger pangs from his stomach deprived of food. But at that moment nothing mattered… he felt the same arousal and his boner was penetrating his boxers painfully for the first time since that night four years ago.

She suddenly moved back and looked into his eyes. She wet her lips and he thought he would explode right there. “…Anshuman…please…”

“…What is it..Simrat…?” his heart fell at the thought that she would want to leave.

“…please… make love to me…” She pleaded softly and he didn’t know what got over him, he lifted her in a fireman’s carry and took her to his bedroom.

They undressed each other in record speed and his eyes fell on her bandaged arm. “…I…I am so sorry Simrat… I didn’t know…”

“…Shut up Anshuman… don’t talk about that… please I just want to forget it……just…”

She didn’t have to say anything more. He had recently purchased a fresh pack of condoms… his heart soared at the trust she put in him as he sheathed himself and he stared at her lying eagle spread on his bed with passion-filled eyes gripping the bed on either of her sides… though the room was dark except for the soft glow of the corner night lamp, he saw those indents on her stomach. He bent forward and kissed her on her belly and she gripped his hair. He kissed her torso all over upwards till he reached her beautiful and full bosom. He loved the way they felt in his palms and took in a soft nub into his mouth and sucked at it even as he gently fondled the other globe. She was writhing holding his head close to her chest and he gave her a tiny bite on the nub. In the next moment, she shattered shuddering to his arousal. He couldn’t hold it any longer. He moved to position himself at her apex and plunged into her wetness. Finally, he was home…

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