Hell is on earth

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here"

-William Shakespeare

His brown eyes stared straight ahead into the calm darkness of the night as he raised a tumbler with his favorite bourbon to his lips and sipped slowly, the strong liquid burning down his throat as he swallowed.

The long-awaited moment had finally arrived; thirteen years had passed since he had seen the lifeless body of his little sister covered in blood in the backseat of his father's car, thirteen long years he had waited and planned and now he was finally going to avenge her murder. He was going to bring down the man who had brought so much pain into his life as well as his wife's.

He downed the rest of the liquid in his tumbler and placed the glass on the cart next to the window. Ronobir turned away from the window and looked around the office that used to be his father's, how frightening this place had been to him when he was a child and how much he had longed for it once he became a man.

Rudra had been the last one to leave just a few moments ago, they had been locked in this room the whole afternoon trying to plan out the best scenario and action plan to approach Salim's lair. Veer Kriplani had arrived guns blazing and Ronobir had seen the determination in his eyes ever since the minute he stepped foot into the room, there was no way Salim Kamali was coming alive from this encounter.

Ronobir knew that there was also a very good chance of him not making it out alive. Mishti had asked him earlier that day why he had to go on the mission of being the king meant he had subjects who could do the dirty work for him. That alone let him know how little his bride still knew about the world he lived in, and although he felt pride each time she wanted to learn things about his life, there was a part of him that wanted to keep her untarnished.

He was the Boss, the General; he was directing his soldiers into war knowing well he might not make it out alive. That's why he had spent the entire morning on the phone with Ishaan Singh; whether he lived or died, Mishti would be protected. The elder man had come through with his plan and Ronobir had to admit it was a good one, even though it pained him dearly because it meant in a matter of days, Mishti was going to be out of his life forever.

With a sigh, Ronobir exited his office and headed to the only place he wanted to be at the moment, in the arms of the wife he never knew he wanted to have and yet ended up needing the most.

She was sitting on the bed with her back pressed against the headboard and a couple of pillows stashed around her. She was wearing a light pink cross-dye lace baby doll he had bought for her a couple of weeks ago, her journal propped on top of her thighs as she wrote in it furiously.

His lips lifted at the corners in a heartfelt smile as he watched her do something that until a couple of months ago had seemed so juvenile in his eyes, "Good night babydoll," he said as he walked further into the room.

She lifted her eyes from her journal to look at him and the sadness he saw in them broke his heart into a million pieces, "Don't go," she whispered doing nothing to hide the catch in her throat.

"You know I have to," he said as he climbed into bed with her.

She closed her journal and placed it on the nightstand before getting on her hands and knees and crawling toward him. His brown eyes immediately moved to the generous swell of her lush breasts rising in the lingerie's deep cleavage. "Let's run away!" she told him and for the briefest of seconds the offer was more than appealing to his ears, "We don't have to be here anymore, let's go, just the two of us!"

He cradled her face which was now in front of him and dropped his forehead onto hers, "You know that no matter how much I want it, I can't run away from this."

Mishti sighed and moved her lower body so she could straddle him, his hands moving of their own accord to grasp her waist and pull her even closer to him, "I'm scared Ronobir, I don't want you to get hurt." The fear in her brown eyes almost broke him, besides his brother no one before she had ever worried for him with such intensity. "Just stay with me," her voice quivered, and looking at her innocent face he realized how truly young she was.

Young enough to rebuild her life without him.

"Nothing bad is going to happen," he lied to her as he leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth. "Don't mind your pretty head with worries about tomorrow sweety," his nose bumped against hers softly and he felt her tightening her hold on him.

"I never want to be without you, Ronobir," he closed his eyes in pain at the urgency in her voice. It was as if somehow Mishti was sensing the emotional upheaval in his soul and knew that something terrible was coming their way, even though she knew nothing about his plan.

"You won't!" he opened his eyes to look at the broken-hearted expression on her face, "Tu sei il mio raggio di sole Mishti(You are my sunshine, Mishti). How could I ever walk away from you?"

"Tu sei il mio tutto Ronobir(You are my everything Ronobir)," she said with a half-smile etched on her face.

"Ebbene mio bel tesoro,(Well, my beautiful darling)" his lips curved in a smile before he leaned down and captured her lips with his. "Sei il più grande amore della mia vita Mishti.(You are the greatest love of my life, Mishti)" The gasp she let out, let Ronobir know that she had understood what he wanted to say, "Voglio invecchiare con te... ma so... (I want to grow old with you... but I know..)" his voice caught in his throat and he had to take a breath to steady his emotions.

"I love you, Ronobir!" Mishti whispered simply.

He stroked her cheek with his fingers, "And I love you Mishti Chatterjee, ti amo con tutto il mio cuore. (I love you with all my heart)" Mishti closed the gap between them as her lips went to his.

He moaned into her mouth as he felt her lower body rubbing against him, awakening his desire instantly, his hands went to grip her waist once again as he moved closer to her body as if she wasn't close enough already.

Ronobir broke apart from their kiss and flipped her on her back and leaned down to worship her perfect body with his lips. He trailed down her neck peppering her skin with kisses and light bites until he reached his favorite destination; he lowered the straps of her nightwear and latched his mouth onto her rosy nipples taut with desire for him, Mishti threw her head back with a moan as he feasted upon her flesh.

He kissed, sucked, and touched her breasts for what seemed like ages, biting down on her nipples with just the right amount of pressure. Mishti was so turned on she knew she could come only with his mouth on her breasts but Ronobir had other ideas. He released her and laid her down on the bed as he hovered above her, "You are so fucking beautiful darling," his eyes were hungry as they trailed downwards from the swell of her breasts to her slender waist and down further to see her glistening sex clad in sexy pink thongs. He could see how much she desired him and that made him groan with the need to plunge into her warmth.

"Ronobir..." Mishti moaned not even knowing what she was asking of him. His hands started caressing the skin of her thighs as he inched the soft lace of her baby doll upwards, his mouth watering at the sight of her wet pussy clad in the small pink thong that hid nothing from his greedy eyes, "You are going to be the death of me," he said and she giggled remembering that it wasn't the first time he had said those same words to her. "Something funny Mrs. Chatterjee?"

She nodded as her lips stretched into a grin, "You!" He chuckled and dipped his head to kiss her lips again. Mishti helped him out of his shirt as she wanted to feel his naked skin against hers.

His pants and briefs followed and as she kRonobired between his open thighs, she looked up to see his completely naked form looking like Adonis, Mishti wondered how on earth had she gotten so lucky to have such a hunk of a man such as her husband, "Damn you're hot!" she whispered almost involuntarily and he chuckled at her.

"You like to stroke my ego don't you?" he asked.

"Amongst other things," she answered cheekily as her hands went to grasp his aching cock, a growl escaped her lips involuntarily when she felt how hard she was and she let her fingers slide up and down his steely length. He threw his head back eyes closed in bliss as he groaned and thrust his hips forward as she worked her hands around the length of him; every stroke making the coil in his gut tighten. His tip was glistening with pre-cum and she licked her lips almost instinctually, knowing if she didn't have him inside him right now she would probably combust, "I need you, Ronobir!" His eyes shot open at the neediness of her voice and a smile stretched on his face as he saw her below him, wanton and ready only for him.

His hand removed her night dress and lowered her underwear in an almost torturous way before he braced himself on his elbows above her, his member placed right at her entrance but not pushing yet, "Do you love me Mishti?" he asked his voice raspy with need.

"I do," she answered.

"I want to hear it," he said as he took his cock with one hand and dragged it along the aching flesh between her legs. Mishti hissed at the contact and dug her nails into his hips urging him to push into her. "Tell me, Mishti," he said gliding his swollen head over the wet hot skin of her folds but not pushing inside when she didn't tell him what he wanted to hear. She was going mad with need trying to push forward into him, writhing desperately.

"You're such a jerk" Mishti muttered as she raised her hips so he could sink into her.

"Tell me," he repeated as he teased her with his fully aroused cock once again.

"You already know I love you, Ronobir," she raised her hands to capture his lips with hers, "I love you, I love you," she whispered against his mouth before he plunged inside her. "Oh Damn!" she gasped into his mouth as he pushed into her slowly. She panted with pleasure as she felt him inside her stretching her, her whole body tingling with each thrust. Mishti thought she would combust with the assault of pleasure on so many different levels, his thick girth inside her, his talented fingers teasing her clit and playing with her nipples. The onslaught of sensations almost caused her to pass out, she was shaking and trembling with pleasure as her inner walls clenched him inside.

Her hands went to rest on his back as his forehead dropped onto hers, their tongues danced around each other and the wet sound of their tongues meeting filled their ears.

His hips slammed against hers and Mishti's eyes almost rolled out of her sockets at the feel of his bare skin inside her, "You feel so fucking perfect," he whispered into her mouth as if he had somehow read her mind, "You are perfect for me."

They stared at each other as he moved in and out of her, their breath mingling into one steamy hiss as they whimpered with intense pleasure, Mishti could feel the imminent orgasm building inside her but refused to look away, she was lost in his eyes as she gave her body to him. They both moaned at the feeling of their bodies fusing, she was so hot, wet, and tight for him and his cock felt so hard and thick inside her as he hit all the right spots making her scream in pleasure.

Ronobir slowed his moments as he let his fingers slide over her clit repeatedly, she began to writhe as he picked up speed, the slapping sound of their damp skin rubbing against each other as they moved together towards ecstasy resonated in the room.

Ronobir was making love to her and the emotions inside her body were so strong she wanted to weep; she wanted to stay like this with him for the rest of her days. Just the two of them in the safe cocoon of their room.

"Ronobir..."

"I love you," he whispered and her eyes couldn't stay open anymore, she threw her head back as her orgasm swept over her with more force than ever before, her body shook and her heart pounded violently into her chest as her vision burst into a kaleidoscope of colors. Her walls clenched around him sending him into his powerful climax as her nails raked down his back and forced him closer to her.

The waves subsided as they held each other, their bodies shaking with the force of their lovemaking and him still buried inside her as their mouths found each other again and they kissed until their lips were aching and raw.

He pulled out of her and rolled onto his back dragging her to rest on his chest. As the haze of pleasure subsided and reality came crashing back, Mishti burst into tears in his arms.

"I'm so afraid Ronobir," she cried against his naked chest. He held her tightly and kissed her forehead over and over as she unloaded everything inside her worried heart into the comfort his arms provided.

"It's going to be okay sweety, everything is going to be okay."

"You won't leave me?"

"Didn't I tell you once you could never get away from me? 'I will hunt you down until the ends of the earth my love'."

"I love you so much, Ronobir!"

"I love you too my darling, you won my heart without me knowing it. I will always love you, Mishti!"

And he held her as the night crept even darker around them and impending doom settled upon them. He held her as she cried till her tears had exhausted her small body. Her naked skin pressed against him as her eyelids drifted shut and her breathing evened out.

"Forgive me, my dear, please forgive me," he whispered into the quietness of the night as he stared at the peaceful form of his wife in his arms. The wife he never wanted to love but had fallen desperately in love with anyway.

The only woman in the world he had ever loved and the only one he would love. He wished for things to be different and for a chance to do it all over again but he knew that wishes and dreams weren't made for people like him, so he buried his face into her hair and let the comfort her arms provided lull him to sleep.

He was going to war tomorrow but tonight he wanted to sleep in the arms of the woman he loved without a single care in the world.

The next day they stood in the parlor holding each other as men in black climbed into the black SUV parked outside. Fear kept nagging at Mishti as she breathed in the coffee scent her husband always seemed to carry around.

"I feel like an army wife," she muttered against his chest and felt a chuckle vibrating through his body.

"You are... kind of," he answered before he placed a finger underneath her chin and forced her face up to meet his, "Everything is going to be okay."

"I hope so," she whispered. Although Mishti had wanted Salim dead ever since she had discovered that he was the one responsible for her brother's murder and had longed to see his body on the ground, she had an unexplainable feeling of trepidation about this mission as if something bad was going to happen and she didn't want to let go of Ronobir.

"I'll see you in a bit, sweetheart," he told her before leaning down and kissing her like it was the first time and as if it was the last. It was a slow sweet kiss, filled with a gentle passion as he pulled in her bottom lips between his teeth. His tongue slid inside to tangle with hers as they explored each other never wanting to let go. She clung to him as their lips met again and again, treasuring those moments with him in case they would be the last.

"I love you!" she whispered against his mouth before parting from him and placing the rudraksha she had been holding onto his neck.

"What is this?"

"It's been mine since forever," she told him. It had been a gift from her grandmother and it was the one Mishti used every time she needed comfort. Ronobir eyed the object around his neck with a dumbstruck expression.

"You know I'm way beyond saving right?" he said trying to joke as he eyed the object.

"Don't be a dick!"

He wasn't what you would call a religious man, yet he went to mass every Sunday like it was expected and followed every tradition of the catholic church because it was what his people expected of him, but he never really thought much about God and the whole hell or heaven conundrum.

Because if you thought about it? How could a man like him expect any blessings from God? But now as his wife placed the holy object around his neck he felt a strange sense of comfort and thanked her for being able to provide it to him.

"I love you!" he told her back. It was still too new and strange for him to hear himself uttering those words but with the imminent doom hovering over them, nothing was going to stop him from saying it to her. "Time to go," he placed a parting kiss on her forehead and with one last look walked out of the parlor.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Shruti clinging to both Rishabh and her mother, who had insisted that she would also accompany them on this mission, Mishti had nothing but admiration for that strong woman.

"Promise me you'll be careful," Shruti told her fiancé as her eyes filled with tears, tears she didn't allow herself to shed. "Be safe Rishabh" she caressed his face as he leaned into her.

"Don't worry, you can't get rid of me so soon," a half smile appeared on his lips before he leaned down to kiss his fiancée goodbye. And as she watched her say goodbye to her family she felt her throat clogging with emotion.

"I'm so sorry Mishtu," she heard Ananya whisper and felt her hand gripping hers, Mishti was greatly comforted by having her childhood friend next to her and remembered that this was for her brother because the man who murdered him had to pay.

Mishti wondered briefly at which moment had she let those vindictive thoughts into her head and when had she become so bloodthirsty for revenge.

"There's a big chance I die today," Mishti heard Sikander's voice and moved her eyes to the door to watch him walk in with a determined look in his eyes. "And I don't want to go without doing this at least once," he walked towards Ananya and took her in his arms, dipping her as his lips found hers.

Shruti's audible gasp and Rishabh's chuckle was the only thing that could be heard as Sikander kissed her before going away. "This does look like a war movie," Shruti muttered and even Mishti had to laugh at that.

"See you later love," Sikander whispered against her mouth before releasing her and walking out the door.

"You can't ask me not to comment on that," Shruti said making a very shocked Ananya raise her eyes toward her.

"I had no idea..." the girl said touching her lips.

Both Shruti and Mishti rolled their eyes at her, "Yeah right!"

"Well this has been very enlightening but now I must go," Rishabh announced before kissing his girlfriend goodbye one last time and giving a hug to Mishti, only to walk out the door after that.

The minute the door closed after him Ananya turned to Mishti and looked at her with something akin to fear in her eyes, "Mishti I swear to you I haven't done..."

"It's fine, Anu!" she reassured her friend, "I wouldn't expect you to be alone forever," she squeezed her hand and smiled at her, "It's okay!"

"Was it good?" Shruti asked somehow still managing to be cheerful in such a dark moment, "I bet it was good." The three girls laughed and walked together into the living room so that Ananya could start telling them everything that had been going on between her and Sikander, and for a few minutes, they could forget what was happening outside those doors.

Something wasn't right. Ronobir could feel it in his bones as they approached the warehouse where Salim was supposed to be. A couple of men dressed completely in black guarded the perimeter but not enough to be protecting the boss of the Russian mafia.

Ronobir made a sign with his hands commanding the people behind them to stop walking and for the remaining people in the SUVs to stay put. He closed his eyes and stretched his neck as he concentrated on the sounds from across the field, something was not right.

"He's not here," Rudra whispered close to his ear as he approached him from behind, "They fooled us." Ronobir's jaw clenched as the realization washed over him. Salim had orchestrated the whole thing to lure him in and like a damn fool he had walked straight into the trap.

How had he allowed the Russian mafia man to fool him? At what point had he let his defenses down for this farce to happen? His mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Mishti and her safety that he had allowed his biggest enemy to play him. She clouded his judgment and in a scenario as dangerous as the one he lived in he couldn't afford to be this sloppy.

"Ronobir watch out!" Sikander shouted as the first sound of guns was heard. The man threw himself onto the floor before firing the guns he was holding. They moved further into the property as bullets rained from everywhere, the Russians had set them up and now they had to find a way to make it out of that hellfire alive.

"That son of a bitch!" Ronobir heard Rishabh mutter but couldn't even look back at his brother since he had to put all his concentration on staying alive. He was flanked by Sikander on one side and Veer Kriplani on the other as they put bullets in Salim's people.

Ronobir didn't believe Salim was inside but since there weren't enough men to defend the place they walked closer to the entrance to kill the remaining men who were hiding inside. The Italian boss didn't even have time to blink before he felt the pull of his shirt backward and fell to the floor as his brother covered him with his body. An explosion went off destroying the warehouse and killing Salim's remaining men, they were close enough that he felt the heat brazing his body as the flames devoured everything in its wake.

"Damn it!" Ronobir murmured as Rishabh moved away from him and he looked around to see the fire licking everything in its path. A couple of his men were wounded but not severely enough to be incapacitated since they hadn't ventured further inside to be in the fire's path.

"Let's go!" Ronobir shouted as he signaled for his men to retreat. His body was buzzing with adrenaline and anger as he walked back into his van with Veer Kriplani and Sikander behind him.

"Don't worry Ronobir, I will kill him," said Veer Kriplani, referring to the man who had given them false information about Salim's location. They climbed into their vehicles and headed back to the house to regroup and come up with a new plan of action.

As they drove back an indeterminate sense of dread started crawling up Ronobir's skin, and with every mile, they came closer to the house an unbearable fear clenched his insides like a vine strangling him, the feeling of foreboding was making it difficult to even breathe. His heart was beating wildly against his chest as he stepped out of the vehicle and walked towards the pathway to the entrance.

"Let me be wrong," he muttered under his breath before he opened the door to find his greatest fear come true. His first mistake had been to take Sikander with him and not leave him behind to protect the remaining people in the house.

His shoe hit a gas bomb as he walked into the house and heard the crunching footsteps of his brother running towards him from behind "What happened?!" Rishabh shouted as they entered and saw the dead bodies of the men who had stayed behind.

"How did this happen?" Ronobir asked before he took off running towards the stairs, the fear was almost crippling, but he didn't allow himself to slow down.

When he walked inside his bedroom he found Ananya passed out on the floor but no trace of his wife or sister-in-law for that matter. They searched every nook and cranny of the house, Mamta and Ananya were the only two people remaining alive in the house, and Mishti and Shruti were nowhere to be found.

"Damn you, Salim," Ronobir muttered as he looked around and saw the devastation wreaked upon his house. He had taken her, Salim had taken his wife and he had no idea where to find them now.

"Ronobir! Ronobir...!" he heard Rishabh shouting at him but his mind wasn't able to acknowledge anything. He was stuck at the moment in which Mishti had asked him not to go, if only he had listened to her she would still be here. He shouldn't have been so foolish.

Once again, he had allowed Salim to take the one thing that mattered the most in the world to him.