And then-oh god-they start clapping.
"Amazing punch, dadda!" Avi grins, his little hands coming together in rapid applause.
"Again, uncle! Hit him again!" Rey chimes in, eyes sparkling.
I mentally slap my forehead. They are unbelievable!
Abhi, still seething, barely registers the kids' excitement. His fingers tighten around Mark's collar.
"How dare you look at my wife?" he hisses. His voice is so low, so dangerous, that even I shiver. Mark's entire body shakes in fear.
"Abhi, let it be. He didn't know about it" I say softly, stepping forward.
Abhi's furious eyes, still locked on the man, flicker toward me. The rage in them doesn't disappear instantly but I see the moment they soften just a little.
With a sharp exhale, he shoves the man away with a hard jerk. Mark stumbles before scrambling to his feet, his face pale with terror. Without a second glance, he turns and runs-literally disappearing into the crowd.
But I know Abhi. This isn't over for him.
Abhi straightens, his broad shoulders tense as he turns toward the crowd. The moment his cold gaze sweeps over them, the entire venue shifts. People quickly start talking amongst themselves, pretending like nothing happened. Laughter rises, conversations resume-like they weren't just watching my husband beat a man to a pulp.
I sigh and step closer to Abhi. His fists are still clenched, his breathing heavy.
Gently, I reach for his hand. There's a small cut on his knuckle, barely bleeding but it still makes my heart ache. I take a tissue and softly wipe it away.
"I'm yours only" I whisper, my voice firm.
His sharp jaw tightens and his possessive gaze locks onto mine. His large, warm hand cups my cheek, his thumb grazing my skin. His grip isn't forceful but it's firm-like he's grounding himself in me.
"Only mine" he murmurs, his deep voice dripping with raw possessiveness.
A slow smile tugs at my lips. My crazy, overprotective man.
Before I can say anything else, I hear a small shuffle. I turn-and see our kids. They're still grinning.
I mentally shake my head. These little devils enjoyed the show way too much.
Then I feel a gentle tug on my dress. Looking down, I meet a pair of big, worried eyes.
My baby.
I sit down on the couch and in an instant, Zar jumps beside me, his little tail wagging in urgency.
My heart melts.
"I'm fine, baby. Nothing happened" I assure him softly, stroking his head.
Zar blinks at me, his gaze searching mine before he nods seriously-like he's making sure I'm telling the truth.
I smile, hugging him close.
But even as I hold him, I can still feel Abhi's eyes on me. Watching. Protecting. Claiming.
"Let's have dinner and then we'll leave" Jiya says.
We gather our kids and walk towards the beautifully arranged buffet. The aroma of delicious food fills the air, making our little ones excited.
Once we find a table, we all settle down and the waiters begin serving us.
Under the table, I quietly slip my hand into Abhi's. His grip is still tense, his anger not completely gone. I squeeze his fingers gently, offering him a small smile when his eyes meet mine.
His jaw relaxes slightly. Good.
Just then, Arya munches on her fries and grins at Abhi.
"Dadda, I really like thish shide of you when you beat shumone (someone) up" she says innocently.
Abhi chuckles, finally breaking out of his lingering anger.
"My baby girl likes it?" he asks, raising a brow with a playful smirk. Arya nods enthusiastically, stuffing another fry into her mouth.
I smile, watching Abhi's mood shift in an instant-just because his daughter is happy.
After finishing dinner, we head towards the car ready to leave. Suddenly, Avya speaks up, her voice filled with excitement.
"Let's go eat ice cream, please!"
I glance at Abhi, about to say something but before I can, Dev immediately responds.
"If my princess wants something, she'll get it" he declares, smoothly turning the car towards an ice cream parlor.
I shake my head with a fond smile. These two powerful men-acting like servants when it comes to their daughters.
I glance at Abhi. His mood still isn't completely better. His fingers tap against his knee, his jaw slightly clenched.
Ahh, this jealous baby.
When we reach the ice cream parlor-a huge, open-area spot with twinkling lights-Dev parks the car. One by one, everyone steps out excitedly.
Abhi is about to get down too but I stop him by tugging on his hand. He turns towards me, confused.
Without a word, I cup his face in my hands, my thumbs brushing over his sharp jawline. His dark eyes flicker with surprise.
Then I lean in and press my lips softly against his. I feel his entire body melt instantly. His tension, his jealousy, his lingering anger-all of it disappears in that moment.
His hands move to my waist as he responds, deepening the kiss with a slow, claiming intensity. His grip tightens slightly, as if reminding me-I'm his. Only his.
A soft chuckle escapes me as I gently rub my fingers over his cheek.
When I finally pull back, his eyes are dark, softer now but still filled with something intense. I smile.
And this time-he smiles back.
"I love you, Abhi" I whisper softly.
The moment the words leave my lips, his eyes light up with excitement. A beautiful, unguarded smile spreads across his face before he leans in and presses a tender kiss on my forehead.
"Love you too, my girl" he murmurs, his voice filled with warmth.
We stay like that for a second, just looking at each other, smiling, lost in our own world. Then, hand in hand, we step out of the car.
Everyone else is already seated at the tables, chatting and laughing. As we walk towards them, I can feel the comforting weight of Abhi's fingers intertwined with mine. We take our seats and soon, a waiter arrives to take our order.
Just as we settle in to wait, Rey suddenly turns to Abhi, his small face serious and determined.
"Uncle, I also want to learn how to fight" he says with confidence.
Abhi raises an eyebrow, impressed by the little boy's determination. But before he can respond, Jiya jumps in, shaking her head with a dramatic sigh.
"You already don't know how to fight, yet you managed to knock a man down a few days ago" Jiya points out. "What will happen once you actually learn how to fight?"
