Author's pov

The night had settled quietly over the city. The mansion, which had been overflowing with voices only a few hours ago, now rested in complete silence.

Sleep refused to come.

That impossible man had barged into her life like a storm. He annoyed her, challenged her, declared himself her future husband before the entire country... and yet, not once had he crossed the line of respect.

She let out a slow breath.

Everything about him was confusing.

Her phone buzzed beside her.Without much interest, she unlocked it. The first thing that greeted her was a breaking news notification.

Sources close to both families have confirmed that the wedding of Raghav Singh Rathore and advocate-to-be Jaanki Shekhawat will take place next week.

Her eyes widened.

"What..."

She immediately closed the application and threw the phone beside her. As if the universe had been waiting for that exact moment, the phone started ringing.

She glanced at the screen.

Chamgadar Calling...🦇

She stared at it for three rings before answering.

"What?"

"Can't sleep, Tempesta?" His voice sounded unusually relaxed.

"What do you want?"

"Come downstairs."

Her brows pulled together. "What?"

"I'm outside."

She sat upright. "What do you mean you're outside?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like."

Without another word she rushed toward the balcony. The moment she looked down...

She regretted it.

A sleek black car stood outside the Shekhawat mansion beneath the moonlight. Raghav leaned casually against the driver's door, bantering with the guards.

"Idiot." She murmured.

He looked up and winked which made Jaanki narrow her eyes at him.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here to see you."

Her heart forgot how to function for half a second then she replied,

" I'll not come."

"Alright." He said leaning back.

She smiled in victory.

"I'll come up instead."

She looked over the balcony. "You wouldn't dare."

He looked toward the guards.

"They seem helpful."

"Fine I'm coming. The Manipulator chamgadar."

Fifteen minutes later...She quietly slipped out through the back entrance. The cool night breeze brushed against her face. Raghav looked up the moment she appeared.

He didn't wave. He didn't smile. He simply watched her walk toward him.

As though the sight alone had been worth waiting for.

When she finally stopped before him, he held out a bouquet of deep red roses.

She looked from the flowers to him.

"What is this?"

He glanced at the bouquet. "I guess this is called flowers."

She folded her arms. "You're enjoying this far too much."

She accepted the bouquet reluctantly. Fresh roses surrounded her instantly.

"What was so important that you dragged me out here?"

"Nothing."

"...Excuse me?"

"I just wanted to see whether you'd actually come."

She stared at him. For a full five seconds. Then lightly hit his arm with the bouquet.

"You are impossible."

"I believe you've mentioned that already."

She shook her head in disbelief.

"I should go back."

Neither of them moved. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable.

It simply... existed. The moonlight softened everything around them.

Then his phone vibrated. Raghav glanced at the screen. His expression changed immediately.

Jaanki frowned immediately.

"What happened?"

He locked the phone.

"Go inside."

His voice remained calm.Too calm.

There was something in his eyes she had never seen before. Not anger. Not annoyance.Urgency.

Before she could ask another question, he opened the car door.

The engine came alive. The black car disappeared into the night within seconds.

Leaving her standing there with nothing except a bouquet of roses and far too many unanswered questions.

__________

Jaanki walked back inside quietly. She placed the bouquet on the bedside table before lying down again. Sleep still refused to come. She stared at the ceiling.

Half the time she wanted to throw a brick at his head.

The other half...

She wasn't entirely sure anymore.

Most men became offended when challenged.

Raghav looked entertained.

Most men demanded obedience.

He demanded arguments.

Most men mistook silence for weakness.

He somehow noticed every emotion she tried to hide.

That realization unsettled her more than the wedding itself. She buried her face inside the pillow.

"The man is a walking disaster." A pause. "An unbearably attractive disaster."

"Kanha ji..." She stared toward the ceiling. "...jo bhi ho raha hai na..please undo it."

(Lord krishna, whatever is happening, please undo it.)

__________

R.S.R villa

Raghav sat alone inside his study. The message still glowed across his phone.

The ritual has started. The girl won't survive much longer.

For years, Raghav had never let his emotions control his decisions. Every move he made was planned carefully, and every step had a purpose.

Then Jaanki Shekhawat entered his life.

Slowly, he tightened his grip around the crystal glass in his hand. The glass cracked. He held it even tighter until it shattered completely. Small pieces of glass cut into his palm, and blood slowly ran down his fingers.

He didn't react.

He didn't even look at his injured hand.

His eyes remained on the message.

The only thing running through his mind was Jaanki. Someone had dared to target her again and that person had just made the biggest mistake of their life.

___________

Raghav's pov

I was going through a file when the soft sound of anklets broke the silence.

Chan... chan...

My brows drew together as I looked up. And forgot what I had been reading.

Jaanki stood at the entrance of my study, wrapped in a blush-pink saree. Both her hands were hidden behind her back, and there was an unmistakably mischievous smile playing on her lips.

For a moment, I simply stared. She looked like the answer to every prayer I had forgotten making.

I leaned back in my chair and folded the file shut.

"What are you doing here, Tempesta?"

Instead of answering, she walked toward me. Every step announced by the delicate music of her anklets.

She stopped just inches away, close enough for the fragrance of fresh roses to wrap around me.

Tilting her head, she looked straight into my eyes.

"You think you're the only one allowed to come and see me?"

A smile tugged at my lips.

"And you're here to prove me wrong?"

She nodded innocently.

"I came to see my husband."

Those words did something to me that years of discipline couldn't control. I rested my elbows on the armrests and looked at her lazily.

"So..." I drawled, "you dressed like a goddess... just to visit me?"

Her smile deepened.

"Maybe."

I sighed dramatically. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is for my heart?"

She pretended to think about it. "Not really."

"That's unfortunate."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because if you keep looking at me like this, people will blame you when I stop functioning."

She laughed. God...Even her laughter felt like sukoon. Before I could say anything else, she stepped even closer.

Then, to my complete surprise, she settled herself on my lap as naturally as if that was where she had always belonged.

My breath caught. For four years...I dreamed of her. Imagined a thousand different versions of meeting her again. Not one of them had prepared me for this.

She looped her arms loosely around my neck and looked at me with those impossible eyes.

"What happened?"

I shook my head slowly.

"I'm just trying to decide whether this is a dream."

"And if it is?" She asked

"I don't want to wake up."

Her expression softened. She reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from my forehead.

"You work too much."

"I have responsibilities."

"You also have me."

My heart forgot how to beat properly.

"What I was supposed to do with you?"

She smiled "Just... look at me."

So I did. Minutes passed. Or maybe hours. Time had stopped mattering.

I lifted my hand carefully, almost afraid she would disappear if I touched her. My fingers rested lightly against her cheek.

"Ye aankhon ka kajal, ye gulabi saari, aur ye payal ki chan-chan... dil toh pehle hi chura liya tha. Ab kya katal karne ke intezaam hain?"

(These kajal-filled eyes, this pink saree, and the soft chime of your anklets... you had already stolen my heart. Now, what is all this preparation for? To kill me?)

She blushed slightly.

"You always exaggerate."

"I don't. I've seen every beautiful thing this world has to offer."

She raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And somehow..." I smiled faintly, "...none of them learned how to argue with me the way you do."

She laughed again before resting her forehead against mine.

I closed my eyes.

"I've been waiting for this moment for four years, Tempesta."

She smiled softly.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her just a little closer.

She gently kissed my forehead then my eyes then my cheeks then she looks down at my lips before she could lean towards him my hold on her waist tighten.

"Don't start something you can't handle, Jaana. I'm already starving for you and if you provoke me then I wouldn't be able to stop me."

She laughed softly and cupped my face between her hands.

"Starving?" she whispered, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Mr. Rathore, you make it sound as if you've been deprived for years."

"I have."

The answer slipped out before I could dress it in sarcasm. Her smile faltered for the briefest moment. Then she traced her thumb lightly across my jaw.

I held her gaze without blinking.

"I've wanted you for so long that even my dreams have started feeling impatient."

A blush spread across her cheeks. "You say impossible things."

"And yet you never tell me to stop."

She tilted her head, pretending to think.

"Maybe because watching you struggle is entertaining."

I let out a quiet laugh. "There she is."

"Who?"

"My Tempesta. The one who argues with me every chance she gets."

She smiled proudly and absentmindedly straightened the collar of my shirt, smoothing a crease that didn't exist.

"I should leave."

"No." I tightened my hold around her waist just enough to stop her from moving. "Five more minutes."

She looked at me with mock suspicion.

"You bargain like a businessman."

"I bargain like a man who's finally found what he spent years searching for."

Her expression softened. She rested her forehead against mine again.

"Don't look at me like that, Jaana," I murmured, my voice lower than before.

She tilted her head innocently.

"Like what, Rathore ji?"

Before I could answer, her fingers curled into the collar of my shirt. She gave it a sharp tug, pulling me closer until barely a breath remained between us.

My heart thudded against my ribs.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

I could feel the warmth of her body against mine, and for a fleeting second I shut my eyes, willing myself to stay in control.

"Tempesta..." I warned softly.

Instead of answering, she leaned toward my neck.

A second later, I felt a sudden sting.

She had bitten me. Not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to leave her mark.

A quiet groan escaped me before I could stop it.

I felt the brush of her lips against my skin, and that tiny, innocent gesture unraveled every ounce of restraint I possessed.

I slid one hand behind her neck and gently eased her back just enough to look at her.

She was staring proudly at the faint mark she'd left on my neck. The corners of her lips curved upward. I laughed under my breath.

"You little vixen."

My fingers found her waist and gave her a playful pinch.

She let out a sharp hiss.

"Ah! You'll pay for that."

"I'm terrified."

"You should be."

She folded her arms and glared at me with all the fury her beautiful face could manage. It only made her look cuter.

I leaned forward again, unable to resist.

"If we're keeping score..." My voice dropped into a whisper. "...it's only fair I return the favor."

She raised an eyebrow.

"And how exactly are you planning to do that?"

I smiled.

"Like this."

I leaned toward her, intending to leave a playful kiss on her cheek.

Before I could reach her...

THWACK!

A heavy slap landed squarely on my chest.

"Sala! Kutte! Pagal ho gaya hai kya?"

My eyes flew open. The office ceiling.

Morning sunlight. Reality crashed into me like a truck.

I jerked upright.

Cold water splashed across my face.

"What the..."

Blinking furiously, I stared at the man standing over me with an empty water bottle in one hand and absolute murder in his eyes.

Reyansh.

My brows knitted together.

I looked around in confusion before running a hand through my hair.

"...It was a dream."

"Dream?" Reyansh exploded. "You call that a dream?"

I frowned.

"What happened?"

"What happened?" He pointed an accusing finger at me. "You grabbed me by the collar!"

I blinked. ".oh..I did?"

"Oh?" Reyansh barked. "Then you kept mumbling..." He cleared his throat dramatically. "'Jaana... don't provoke me... Tempesta...'"

My soul quietly left my body.

"...I said that?"

He pulled down the collar of his T-shirt.

"There."

A perfect bite mark decorated the side of his neck.

"You BIT me!"

I stared. "...That's not possible."

Reyansh folded his arms. "I'd also like to believe it isn't."

For three long seconds neither of us spoke. Then I buried my face in my hands.

"...I'm never drinking again."

Reyansh snorted.

"No." He picked up the empty bottle and threw it at me. "You're never dreaming again."

The bottle bounced harmlessly off my shoulder.

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Lot's of love and puchiisss ❤️ 💋