Page 122 of One Hellish Love

“Upgraded? There must be a mistake.”

“No mistake at all, ma’am. We’ve already confirmed it. Let me show you to your seat.”

Still perplexed, Kashish followed the flight attendant to the spacious Business Class cabin, where she was guided to a plush window seat. She hesitated for a moment before putting her luggage in the overhead compartment and taking her seat. There was only one person she could think of who would arrange something like this. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and typed a message to him.

‘Stop pampering me with luxury and comfort.’

She sent the message to Rudra, waiting for a response, but none came. She had come to know from her team today that he too was flying to Jaipur for a few days, but when he was arriving was still a mystery. And she really hoped his travel was only for a couple of days and he didn’t plan to stay for the entire duration of two months in Jaipur with the team. Turning her phone into flight mode she stared out the window. Passengers were still boarding, and the seat beside her was empty. With a sigh, she decided to close her eyes and try to get some rest during the flight.

But moments later, she felt the seat next to her being occupied. Feeling a sudden shift in the air, she opened her eyes, only to be shocked by the man sitting beside her.

“You?” she gasped, her voice louder than she intended. Rudra instantly pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her.

“Behave. We’re in public,” he whispered, smirking at her reaction.

She pushed his hand away, her eyes blazing with irritation.

“What happened to your private jet? Why are you flying with us?” she demanded, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

Rudra leaned back, fastening his seatbelt with a calm grin.

“I gave my pilot the day off. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Yes, I do. You upgraded my seat.”

He chuckled. “Not for your comfort, Miss Bedi. For mine.”

His grin widened, fueling her irritation further. Kashish, now thoroughly exasperated, tried to stand up, but Rudra grabbed her hand, pulling her back into her seat.

“We’re on a business trip,” he said coolly. “I wanted to discuss work with you, hence the upgrade.”

She glared at him, knowing full well that ‘work’ had nothing to do with it. As the plane began to taxi to the runway, Kashish was stuck, unable to escape.

“Seatbelt,” Rudra reminded her with a knowing smirk.

Frustrated, she leaned forward, fighting with her seatbelt. It was stuck, and she was getting more frustrated by the second.

“What an upgrade,” she muttered under her breath.

Rudra almost laughed, then reached over to help. As soon as his hands touched the belt, Kashish froze. Their eyes met, and she saw he was already watching her with a soft look in his eyes.

While he worked on fixing the belt, his fingers accidentally brushed against her waist. Kashish felt her skin tingle wherehe’d touched her. She wished she hadn’t worn a crop top with her palazzo pants.

She closed her eyes tight, only opening them when Rudra finally moved away, the seatbelt properly fastened.

The plane began its ascent, and Kashish resolutely turned her head toward the window, determined not to engage with him.

“I didn’t know you had owl eyes… peering into the darkness like that,” Rudra teased her yet again.

Kashish realized the sky outside was pitch black—there was nothing to see. Biting her lip in frustration, she fought the urge to respond. His gaze lingered on her as she unconsciously bit the corner of her lip, a gesture that stirred something within him that he couldn’t quite control. She noticed the shift in his expression and immediately looked away to soothe her racing heart. How would she survive this trip with him?

Minutes later the cabin crew came by, offering meals. Kashish sipped her drink, silently fuming, while Rudra finished his in silence. Kashish realized she had forgotten to pack her shawl as the cabin grew colder as they continued their journey. Shivering, she rubbed her arms for warmth, but the chill persisted. Rudra noticed her discomfort.

“Take this,” he offered, holding out his coat.

“No, thanks,” she snapped, determined to endure the cold rather than accept his help.

Rudra knew better. Stubbornness was one of their shared traits, but she wouldn’t last long in this temperature. Without saying another word, he placed the coat on his lap and waited. Soon, as predicted, Kashish fell asleep, her lips trembling from the cold. Gently, without waking her, Rudra draped his coat over her. Her lips stopped quivering, and he watched her for a few moments, satisfied that she was warm now. He shut his eyes too, grateful for this rare moment of peace with her so close by.

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