Touch Her And... (Completed)

Chapter 9

Manik:

It was totally uncalled for. I couldn’t believe that Dev bhai has actually entered the guest room without even knocking. He has always been a man of manners and principles. He is totally acting weird today. I looked at Triss and her discomfort would’ve been visible to anyone who knows her closely. “Dev bhai?” The only utterance that my mouth could have come out with. Triss was looking at him in a way as though he is not a human but a terrifying King Kong or something. She was not blinking and surprisingly neither was he. He was looking straight into her eyes. I couldn’t recognize what is it, is it anger or embarrassment that his eyes were holding. But his gaze could give chills to even the most horrible things. I uttered again,  “bhai..?” Probably this time he could hear me. He turned his eyes from her to me and then back to her. “Uhum.. How are you feeling Teressa?” His voice lacked the confidence that, according to me, he was born with. “F..fine I guess?” Triss was not looking at his eyes anymore. “You guess?” His voice made me uncomfortable. He was talking to her too gently for his usual rough tone and his eyes, they were betraying his tough demeanor. “I.. I mean, I feel totally fine.” She was still not looking at him. She was intentionally looking at her feet. “ Hmm..” Dev bhai turned his face to look at me. “Did you tell her?” He asked me." I was about to bhai.” I said when Triss looked up directly at me. " What is going on Manik?” She whispered to me. “Ummm, Triss first of all please don’t freak out." I took a deep breath. "I have called your aunt and told her that you are not well , you..  you will be staying here at my place tonight and..” I couldn’t finish my sentence as she shouted.  “What? How could you do that? You know she is sick. She can’t live alone. If anything happens to her I will never be able to forgive myself. You are taking me back, right now Manik!” I know that she loves shouting on me but in front of Dev bhai it was a little embarrassing. “Calm down kiddo, it is just because you..” And she cut me off again. “Okay.. If you can’t, I’ll leave by myself.” She stood up at once and was about to start walking out when her feet waver. I stood up immediately but before I could reach her somehow Dev bhai managed to get a hold of her. He wound his right arm around her back to her right arm and held her gently, while her left arm remained on his chest. The whole situation was turning into something awkward and I don’t know why but the way bhai was looking at her made me uncomfortable. This was not how he usually behaved. There was a weird tension growing inside me that I couldn’t recognize.

Triss:

It was too much. The whole situation was too much. This was my first visit to Manik’s place and I totally messed it up. I cannot blame myself totally though. Who knew this devil of a person would be his brother. The whole town holds him at the top of the victory stand  when it comes to his rudeness and his anger. He is frightening.. intimidating. As if this thought was not enough that I’m stuck between his arms right now. I closed my eyes shut to the extent that those could be mistaken to be glued for eternity. I could smell his cologne and also sense his piercing stare on me. But why can’t I breathe properly? Why the hell are my nerves heating up like this? And for God’s sake why am I feeling so weak. I should have told the doctor about my nervous problem. But is it my nervous problem only or something else? This man is so hot, like truly warm. It feels like as if I am wrapped in a cozy, comfortable blanket. I could feel his warm and rapid breathing on my shoulder. His arms, they are too strong as if made up of iron.

I was thinking about everything when he said, “you can look at me.” His voice was not grumpy anymore, it was gentle. As if I misjudged him. I turned my face slowly to look at Daivik’s face but instead my eyes got glued to his. My head was throbbing like hell but the chocolate brown hooded pair of eyes were like a deep ocean full of mysteries, looking at them was peaceful. There was a deep scar on his forehead that divided his left dark eyebrow into two separate parts and ended just before where his thick black eyelashes began. My eyes moved from his eyes to his scar and I felt curious. Then, all of a sudden… he threw me on the bed. A gasp came out of my mouth automatically. I lost my balance and miserably failed to pull myself back to the sitting position. “What is wrong with you bhai?” Manik got agitated for the first time in the whole day. He came up to help me. I held his hand and he pulled me to his chest, when my eyes met those wild chocolate brown pair again. They were on fire now. His jaw clenched. He ran his huge hand all over his face as if to wipe away the small sweat beads from every part of his face. There was an awkward silence prevailing the room until he broke it with his arrogance. “Tell your friend that we would’ve really liked to see her leaving but I cannot take these kind of risks because she fell sick at my place. Otherwise she could’ve fallen senseless anywhere and I would not have cared.” Manik closed his eyes as if to gain control over his nerves. I don’t know why I didn’t feel angry, rather his words hurt me and I felt ashamed of even coming to this place. Within a millisecond Daivik left the room.

“I am really sorry on behalf of my brother.” Manik was wiping away the tears from my cheeks. I didn’t even realize them coming out of my eyes. “See, I’ve spoken to Julian aunty, she will stay tonight with your aunt. So she is safe.” Manik kept on saying. But something was happening, I was feeling restless. Something was not right. I was about to say Manik about this when we heard a knock on the door. “Come in.” Manik said as the woman came inside with a tray full of food. “Pratima ji, you could’ve called me, why did you bother coming up?” Manik said, his concern for this woman was visible. “I will not dare to defy Dev's order, will I?” She said with a mischievous smile. “He is behaving like a total shit today, do you have any idea what’s wrong with him?” Manik took one plate from the tray while talking to her and placed that in front of me. “To be honest when did any of us get to understand the conceited mechanism of his mind. He is a loner, you know that so very well. He doesn’t like guests, he doesn’t like gatherings. His best friend is his stubbornness. So leave him the way he wants to be. The more we think, the more it seems impossible!” She said with a hidden despair, as if she has lost her hope on this case long back.  On the plate it seemed to be a bowl of chicken soup and the aroma of which made my tummy growl. As if instantly my cheeks turned red. “ Darling you should start eating, I am sorry that I made you wait. You seem to be hungry.” Pratima ji said, with a motherly smile pasted on her face. I was literally embarrassed but her affectionate look made it a little easier for me. I nodded in reply and without waiting another second I dived into it. But deep down something still kept me restless.