"seene se tere sar ko laga ke,

sunti rahun main naam apna."

Tears welled up in my own eyes when I felt Nirwan ji's mom sobbing against me, hugging me tightly.

I hugged her back, wanting to ask her what happened, but I couldn't. I just knew something really bad had happened to him.

"M-mom..." I whispered, while she broke the hug and looked at me. Her eyes were red, her face stained with tears.

"Is he okay?" I asked, a tear slipping from my eye.

She shook her head, "I don't know, beta. They didn't let us see him."

I closed my eyes and let out a sharp exhale, "When did this happen, mom? And why didn't any of you tell me before leaving?"

"We got a call in the morning that he had met with an accident, beta. He left home early in the morning before anyone woke up. And when we reached the hospital...they said he was in a-"

She broke into sobs before finishing her sentence. I pressed my lips together, trying to suppress my own sobs.

I looked around at the other family members. A few of his cousins were standing outside, and some of them were rushing around the hospital for unknown reasons.

His entire mom's side family was here, and even his dad's side family, but not his bua.

"Where is bua?" I asked dad, who was consoling mom as she cried in his arms.

"I don't know, she said she had something important to do," he replied slowly.

Important?

Is there anything else even more important for her?

A nurse stepped out of the ICU just then, and everyone stood up alarmingly.

She looked at each of us, before her gaze stopped right on me.

"Ma'am, you can go and meet sir after a few minutes. We expect him to gain consciousness soon," the nurse informed.

I nodded slowly, but then looked at his mom. She was looking at the nurse with her eyes full of hope.

She is his mother, and it's even more important for her to go and check him.

I'll send her anyway.

The nurse excused us and left, and one of Nirwan ji's cousin brothers gave me a seat in the waiting area outside the ICU.

I settled down slowly, unlocking my phone, my hands shaking slightly.

I began looking at the pictures we clicked just yesterday during my birthday party.

And then I swiped, and a picture of Nirwan ji feeding me the cake popped up.

I gulped the lump forming in my throat. I can't cry. It won't help me in any way.

I just hope that he safely gains consciousness.

I sighed, looking around at the nurses roaming around the hospital, some people walking in and out of the wards, and some other people who were also waiting outside the ICU for their loved ones.

But the chaos in my brain didn't let me think of anything. I just wanted to go to Nirwan ji and see his condition. Where he got hurt, if he's really okay, how long does he need to be in the ICU.

Tears welled up in my eyes again and I wiped them, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

I wish this was only a nightmare.

A nightmare.

I shot my eyes open, sweat dripping down my forehead and the sides of my face.

I sat up straight, tears welling up in my eyes on their own. I gulped a lump in my throat and looked around.

I was in our bedroom.

And Nirwan ji was sleeping right beside me.

It took longer than a minute for me to process what was happening. Was it all a dream?

Whatever I saw was not real?

I let out a soft sob. My head was aching really badly and I was feeling dizzy. 

Nirwan ji moved a little and shot his eyes open, staring at me. He sat up straight as a tear rolled down my cheek when I looked into his eyes.

He was safe.

He didn't meet in an accident.

He is fine.

Nothing happened to him.

But I eventually couldn't control my tears. He shifted closer to me and wrapped his arms around my waist protectively, his other hand cupping my face from the side.

"Baby, why are you crying?" He asked, looking immensely concerned, and as much as I wanted to go back to sleep, convincing myself that it was only a nightmare, I still feared that something had happened to him.

I looked down, while he enveloped me in his arms, caressing my back slowly.

"I don't know what you saw in your dream, but it was only a nightmare, baby. I'll always be here to protect you from now."

I know.

I know he will always be there to protect me if he knows I'm right, but this nightmare only forced me to fear the fact that something worse can also happen to my protector.

He pulled back from the hug slightly and leaned his face closer to look into my eyes, cupping my face from one hand again, "What did you see, jaan?"

I looked into his eyes again, unable to find the proper words to explain, "Y-you met with an accident and y-your situation was..."

I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence, my head spinning at the thought again. It was only a nightmare and nothing more, and I knew that I was overreacting about it.

But it felt so real that I would have probably passed out if it ever happened in real life.

"I'm safe, sweetheart. I'm sitting right in front of you. And accident? It's almost impossible for me to meet with accidents, jaan. And even if I do, I'll never leave you. No matter how worse it gets," he whispered, planting a soft kiss on my forehead.

I have a hundred reasons to hate him currently, but the thought of something happening to him and me regretting it all my life just planted a new fear inside me.

It's bitter but a fact that he is the only one in charge to keep me safe from Aryan bhaiya.

I tried to sit up straight, massaging my temples with my fingers. My head was still spinning. 

"Go back to sleep, jaan. You don't look beautiful when you're stressed," he muttered slowly, pulling me closer to himself and forcing my head to rest on his lap.

I did it without complaints, and closed my eyes slowly. He gently ruffled my hair with his fingers, caressing my forehead.

I didn't want to be like this in front of him. I was being a total idiot fearing over a nightmare like a kid. But my past traumas were still healing and I can't help it.

☆

I slowly opened my eyes, getting flashbacks from last night. I sat up straight, but found a pillow placed at the spot where Nirwan ji sat last night when I fell asleep with my head on his lap.

I was still dizzy, and I could just make out that I was about to fall ill. I could just feel it in my gut.

I slowly stood up, the muscles in my thighs aching badly. I walked towards the bathroom and freshened up, brushed my teeth and washed my face with cold water.

I then went outside the bedroom, looking around to spot Nirwan ji, but he wasn't there.

He is a politician, and still he leaves for work like an office employee in the morning.

I spotted his mom, who was coming out of the gym. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled, "Good morning, beta."

"Good morning, mom. Is Nirwan ji inside the gym?"

She nodded, "Yes. He is working out. He told me to check if you were awake. Are you okay?"

I frowned. Why was she asking about my health?

"Yeah, I'm okay, mom," I replied.

She nodded and then excused me to go downstairs. I made my way to the gym and went inside slowly.

Nirwan ji stood with his back facing me, doing a deadlift. He lifted the heavy dumbbell slowly, the contraction of his muscles visible hotly on his back.

I waited for him to keep the dumbbell back down, and once he did, I slowly walked towards him. He turned around and then smiled at me, "Good morning, jaan."

I gave a short smile back. I had recovered from the nightmare and realised that I still have to act cold around him, "Good morning."

"You came at the right time," he said with a hint of amusement, a little smirk playing on his lips.

I frowned slightly in confusion, "Why?"

"I still need to do a hundred push-ups, glad that you came."

He bent down on the floor in the push-up position, looking at me with a smirk, "Sit on my back."

My eyes widened, "What? N-no!"

He chuckled, "Sit fast, jaan. I can't hold this position forever."

"But it will hurt you-"

"Please do what I said."

I felt conflicted but then decided to give in. I didn't really want him to feel that I'm worried about him.

I slowly walked towards him, bending down, "Should I?"

He nodded, and I slowly touched my ass against his back. I then put my entire weight on him, then stood up hastily.

"No, this will be so damn painful," I said, shaking my head multiple times.

He let out a soft laugh, sitting up straight and looking at me, "So let's do one thing. Lie down on me. That way, I wouldn't have a chance to get hurt, and it won't be painful."

"It doesn't make sense-"

"It does, jaan. My body isn't so weak and fragile that my bones will crack if you sit on my back," he replied, before taking up the position again.

"Lay down."

I slowly hovered over his body, lying down slowly on top of him. My front body was now pressed against his bare back, and I internally cursed myself for talking to him.

I could have just walked out of the gym but I didn't.

I shouldn't have walked in here in the first place.

He started doing push-ups, not slow, but at a rather normal pace, as if I weighed nothing on his back.

Either I was too light weighted, or his muscle power was a lot. But I can remember myself to be around forty eight kilograms, so it must not be easy for everyone to do this.

I began counting his push-ups and realised he had crossed over ninety push-ups.

I finally got off him, "Enough."

He stood up immediately, "I wasn't done yet, baby."

"But I am done. I can't stay lying on your sweaty back anymore!"

He smirked at my outburst, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me towards himself, making my body slam against his.

I hated him for being like this, for pretending that everything between us is alright.

He's acting as if he'd made it up all to me and as if I had forgiven him.

I tried to push him, "Let me go! You're covered in sweat!"

He laughed softly, "Did you have a shower before coming here?"

I shook my head, and his hold around my waist tightened, "So that concludes that I'm covered in sweat. And now you too. So we both need a shower, don't we?"

I gulped at the intensity of his words, shaking my head, "I'll shower la-"

He cut me off, "Come with me."

He grabbed my wrist softly, before walking towards the attached bathroom in his gym. I had never been there ever, but when he opened the door, all I saw was a big and slightly deep bath tub with a big shower above and nothing else.

The bath tub was full of water, and before I could process anything, he pushed me slightly, causing me to stumble and fall in the tub, the water splashing around me.

He jumped in too, and I flipped my wet hair back, which covered my face, "What did you do?"

He laughed, his laugh echoing across the bathroom, "I knew you wouldn't come if I already told you."

"Nirwan ji, you-"

"Shh," he cuts me off by placing his finger on my lips. I froze in my spot, staring back into his eyes.

I could feel his arm tightly wrapped around my hips under the water.

Not my waist but my freaking hips.

A shiver ran down my spine while I gulped. The water was slightly colder than the weather and it was enough to send more chills through my body.

He broke the eye contact and his gaze travelled down to my chest, and he stared at it for almost five seconds, before looking up at the ceiling with his eyes closed, exhaling a sigh.

I frowned and looked down at my chest, my mouth falling open. I was wearing a white kurti, which of course due to water had become translucent.

And I wasn't wearing a bra underneath, because I always took it off before sleeping.

And I came out of the room so hurriedly that I forgot to take my dupatta. 

Fuck.

My nipples were so clearly visible, and they were visibly hard. I bit my lower lip, looking up at Nirwan ji, and he was already staring at me with a small smirk. 

I pushed myself away from him, the only sound in the bathroom being that of the water as I moved.

I crossed both my arms over my chest, "I'm going."

Before I could go to the edge of the bath tub and push myself out, he wrapped a strong arm around my waist and pulled me back to my place.

"Are you sure you'll go outside like this?" He asked, his smirk vanished from his lips.

"Of course! You pushed me forcefully!" I replied, trying to cover my chest again.

He sighed, "There are multiple servants working outside, jaan. And what if..."

He stopped, then leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, "Some family member sees you? Even my cousins are here, and you know how far they can think if they see you like this."

I gulped, "It's happening all because of you! I'm feeling cold, and...and now I can't even go outside!"

He laughed softly, "I'll take you out without letting anyone see them, don't worry."

My cheeks flushed with pink when he said 'them' with the smirk never leaving his lips. He knew really well what he was saying, and yet, he was talking without boundaries.

I looked away from him, and he leaned against the bath tub, spreading his arms wide. He stared at me, and though I wasn't looking at him, I could feel his gaze lingering on my chest.

"Nevermind, I'll go somehow," I said, trying to stand up from the bottom of the bath tub, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me on top of him.

"Not yet, jaan."

Mature 18+ content coming up in the next part!!

Ik y'all are excited, but here's an advance warning: ik most of you aren't 18+, so nevermind lol 😭

But the content is mature, so please read at your own risk.

Love,

Ayra.