RANI'S MANSION

‘Mr. Nihaal, how could you do that? How?’ Suhasini said, her eyes filled with anger, nostrils flaring as she looked straight at Nihaal. Receiving no response only raised her temper like mercury and she stepped towards Nihaal when a sudden, small piece of wood came flying at her. Surprised she ducked managing herself from getting hit and looked at Nihaal shocked. Nihaal glimpsed at her, fully aware of the wood piece that would have hurt Suhasini in the head but clearly wasn’t bothered either by her anger or the possibility of her getting hurt. He raised his muscular arms up, the axe tight in his grip, the sharpened blade gleaming under the moon light and brought it down with full vengeance on the log in front of him. Suhasini flinched as the log fell to the ground, split in half. ‘I am asking something, Mr. Nihaal, and you better answer me,’ she said as Nihaal angrily continued to swing his axe and chop the wood, unaware of the heat rising on his face. He looked like a wounded tiger, eyes intense, thin handle bar moustache stern and his broad chest heaved under the woolen shirt every time he raised the axe overhead. Suhasini was getting frustrated at not getting an answer, said, ‘fine, you don’t want to answer, then don’t. Just listen, the way you yelled at the poor child was horrible. Poor Madhavi is inconsolable and what was her fault anyway? All she did was wear the frock her dead mother had sewed for her!’ Nihaal’s anger rose, the axe fell on the logs much more brutally than before but Suhasini didn’t realize it and continued, ‘Mr. Nihaal, I may not have taken care of many children but I know about parenting and I can assure you that you are a misfit…you are simply a bad father! A father who yells at his daughter for no reason at all!! Suhasini irked and angry turned around to leave when Nihaal’s strong grip held her arm tightly and turned her around. His eyes were ablaze, lips tight and Suhasini could see his temples throbbing with anger. The two stood so close that Suhasini could sense Nihaal’s breath on her face. He gazed at her, his eyes narrowed as if looking inside Suhasini’s soul, the intensity of his stare had a rather calming effect on Suhasini’s anger and she seemed to relax under his grip. Nihaal could sense her muscles going limp under his fingers, he in a deep voice said, ‘Miss. Suhasini, you are my daughter’s governess, do your job and don’t try to teach me how to be a father.’ Suhasini’s irritation returned and her body became taut which Nihaal felt too as she stared at him. Nihaal had never backed down ever and he wouldn’t give in now so he stared back at Suhasini. Both looked angry and the space between the two was so thin that even the crisp winter night breeze could not pass through. Suhasini was awkwardly aware of the closeness between their bodies and only to make sure that the thin space doesn’t shrink further, Suhasini raised her left hand a little as to be a barrier between the two. But she didn’t realize when her left hand reached Nihaal’s broad chest, the tight muscles under his shirt, stylish suspenders leading up to his solid and ripped waist and those fine lips – it suddenly became difficult for Suhasini to breath. She had never before noticed Nihaal Choudhary as a man, he was always Mr. Nihaal – her employer and Madhavi’s father. Suhasini physically unable to move away somehow parted her thin lips and let out a heaving sigh. Nihaal was still staring at her but something was different, his anger had dissolved as he looked at her kohl laden eyes, her lashes that shakily moved as if aware that he was staring at her. He looked at her bronze skin, smooth, flawless and shining under the moon light. His grip on Suhasini’s arm loosened and slowly his hand slipped around her slender waist and their eyes met. Gone was the anger and irritation! Suhasini couldn’t hold back any longer and let out a gasp, her thin lips trembled as Nihaal saw them. His hand slipped lower on Suhasini’s back as he gently pulled her closer, Suhasini’s hand pressed against his chest only to feel the hard muscles underneath as Nihaal leaned in and put his lips on hers. In the winter night when everything around Suhasini was freezing, her whole body was on fire as Nihaal ravishingly explored her mouth.