Page 66 of One Hellish Passion

“We'll have privacy later,” he told his brother with a suggestive look at Maya that made her bristle.

As they walked to the car, Maya realized Ranveer's motive - using Dhruv as a buffer between them for the long drive, to avoid her rage. A cowardly but wise move, given her simmering resentment. Ranveer may have procured her a bodyguard and given her space, but those pacifications didn't lessen Maya's anger over his forceful, humiliating kiss.

Malik House

“Ranveer Malhotra is sharp. We should have known he would play us,” Dev Malik roared in anger, throwing the glass of liquor away.

Kunal enjoyed his pace of drinking.

“Stop getting hyper, Dad. His days are coming to an end.”

“We have always dreamt it, but none of our plans worked.”

“It will,” Kunal replied. “From now.”

“How can you be so sure?” Dev snapped.

“Because we have his Queen,” he exhaled. “Maya Bajaj. She is going to make us win this time.”

Dev nodded in denial.

“I don’t trust Maya. What if she double-crosses us?” he asked.

“If she does, then we will put the entire blame on her before Ranveer. Whatever happens, Dad, we won’t be caught. I have a full proof plan this time. Even if we get into the ditch, Ranveer will only be able to see Maya’s hands dirty, not ours.”

Dev sighed in frustration. He had no clue what Kunal had planned, but he hoped that it worked this time for them.

************

The drive back after dropping Dhruv was tense. Maya simmered, dying to slap Ranveer but restraining herself before his driver.

When the car halted at her apartment, Ranveer walked her to the elevator, maintaining the guise even now. The moment his hand touched her elbow, Maya snapped. Her palm cracked against his cheek in a resounding slap.

Ranveer's head jerked back, but he didn't retreat, taking the blow stoically.

“Don't ever do that again,” Maya hissed, referring to the punishing kiss. “I'm not one of your lovesick groupies.”

Rubbing his cheek, Ranveer had the gall to smirk. “A slap for a kiss?”

Maya bristled, still incensed over his public act of possession. She still couldn't believe he kissed her like that amidst so many people. There was media, his brother, a few known guests, the Crushers group, and even unknown people who witnessed it all. Though she returned the disgrace by slapping him in private now, he still had the audacity to ask her that?

While she was so busy analyzing the consequences of that kiss and hoping it wouldn’t get shared on social media, Ranveer pinned her back to the wall and his mouth covered hers as he kissed her again - gentle this time, but no less inappropriate. What the hell was he doing? He knew the consequences, yet he purposely got himself in more trouble. His body pressed intimately along the length of hers, trapping Maya effectively. At the first touch of his mouth, Maya stiffened, outrage burning through her veins. But Ranveer's lips were surprisingly gentle this time as they moved slowly over hers, almost tenderly. The taste and heat of his mouth sent unwanted tremors of desire through Maya's body. Ranveer made a low, hungry sound, his body pressing tighter to hers. When he finally lifted his head, they were both breathing hard, eyes dark with arousal.

“Go ahead, punch me if you want,” Ranveer taunted, unfazed. “But remember, you'll get a kiss back for every hit.”

Maya sagged back against the wall, shaken. She saw her own conflicted desire reflected in Ranveer's gaze. This complicated, maddening man had sparked a fire in her, as much as she hated to admit it. And from the triumphant look in his eyes, he knew it too. Maya trembled with rage at his audacity, her body betraying her as it yielded once again to his kiss.

“Badtameez” (Insolent), she snarled and got inside the elevator. Ranveer kept watching her until the doors shut. Yes, he was that- Badtameez!

************

The next Sunday morning when Maya emerged from her room, she found a bouquet again in the living room. Her father's continuous attempts to be a part of their lives were irritating her. She worried that if this continued, she wouldn't be able to keep her mother away from that man for long. She had to talk to her mother soon and let her know that she was aware of his attempts to sneak into their house.

“Lover boy knows how to make your Sunday beautiful,” Garima said as she came out of the kitchen.

Maya stood there, feeling clueless.

“Not even five hours have passed since you've seen each other, and he's already missing you,” her mother added.

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