Nina slowly stirred awake. She opened her eyes and lay still when she realized Gaurav was still asleep next to her.

She liked being the first one to wake up. Because she could listen to the soft, steady rhythm of his breathing and also watch him to her heart’s content..

Slowly, without disturbing him, she tried to turn around. But his arm tightened around her waist to stop any movement. Even in sleep, he held her close in a possessive way.

She smiled, staring out the window instead, where the first morning light was beginning to come in. She badly wished she could freeze this moment. She didn’t want to return to her world where she would be stepping into Nina Bhupati’s role even if it is for a brief while.

Her thoughts scattered when she felt him stir. She felt his warm breath before he kissed her on the sensitive spot where her neck met with her ear. A large palm cupped her breast possessively.

“Awake already?” his deep voice asked, causing her to shiver.

The shiver was her body’s response to his early morning voice which was even deeper and huskier than his usual tone. Each time she heard it, she associated it with the times she woke up to his kisses and deep murmurs as he made love to her.

“Not that early,” she responded. “We slept early last night.”

Last night she didn’t talk for long. Because she had reached the part of her life which she knew Gaurav wouldn’t like hearing—the part about how she met Suraj and married him.

So far, even though she had made a conscious effort to not mention Suraj, she knew she couldn’t shy away from telling Gaurav about that part of her life. She wanted to share everything with him.

And once Gaurav heard everything, he would know what type of person Suraj was. And then, they would find the truth about who was responsible for Gaurav’s sister’s murder and also the false allegations against Suraj.

Nina’s thoughts scattered once again when Gaurav rolled on top of her.

“You are thinking,” he said with a wicked smile. “That means I’m not doing a good job.”

She laughed softly, and then moaned, holding on to his shoulders as he ran his tongue on her breasts in a slow lazy way. He sucked hard on her nipples, making her gasp and making her core clench in need.

Meantime, his fingers began doing delicious things to her body. She knew he could sense her intense need for him.

“Gaurav,” she protested, when he kept her waiting deliberately, even though her body was screaming for him.

With a predatory smile, he slid up her body and kissed her. When he pushed her legs wide and settled his powerful body between them, she grabbed on to his shoulders once again. She raised her legs higher, and wrapped them around his hips, preparing for their joining. Her body thrummed in anticipation when she felt the tip of his arousal teasing her entrance.

He continued to kiss her deeply, his tongue showing her what he would soon do to her body.

Suddenly, he froze.

Even in the midst of a sexual haze, Nina could feel the palpable tension radiating from his body.

And then, she knew why. Her heart leaped inside her chest when she heard the sound of the bedroom door opening.

She whipped her head to the side, but Gaurav’s arm blocked her view of the door. All she could see were the legs of a man. But before she could panic completely, the man retreated and shut the bedroom door. She heard footsteps walking away and going up the stairs.

Nina’s heart was thundering in her chest. This time, it was with fear.

“Was that Vikram?” she asked in a panic.

Instead of a comforting answer, there was silence.

When she turned and look up at Gaurav’s face, everything in her froze. There was a rapid shift of expression in Gaurav’s face.

He no longer looked like the man she had spent the last six weeks with. There was no gentleness of a caring lover or the fierceness of a passionate lover. Right now, he looked like what he had been before.

Her captor.

He looked cold and emotionless. And alert.

“How do you know his name?” he asked, watching her face closely.

She tried to think of a way to turn the situation, but she couldn’t. There was no escape from answering him.

“I-I heard Khan calling his name when Vikram was choking me.”

Nina realized it too late that she had revealed she knew Khan’s name. Her breath sped up even more in panic.

Gaurav continued to watch her. She knew he could feel her heart thumping hard against his bare chest.

“It’s okay,” he said in a deep, soothing tone.

Unlike other times, his voice didn’t calm her panic

“I know Khan must have given his name to you,” he said.

Nina didn’t reply.

“What else did Khan say to you about me?” he asked in the same awfully quiet tone.

Along with panic Nina felt torn. She didn’t want Khan to get in trouble. How could she have a slip of her tongue?

“Please, it was my fault. I insisted and badgered Khan while he was sick and medicated. He didn’t want to—”

“Nina,” Gaurav cut her off. “Doesn’t matter how or under what circumstances he gave you the information. I just want to know what he told you. That’s all.”

He called you, Nina. Not Mrs. Bhupati. Which must be good.

“H-he didn’t tell me anything more.”

“Nina. Don’t lie to me.”

She knew Gaurav could read her. He knew her intimately in every way possible. Body and mind. She knew she couldn’t escape from the truth.

“H-he told me why you wanted to kill Suraj. And he told me you were an investigative reporter. He also told me the circumstances of your sister’s and mother’s deaths.”

He was watching her face closely. “Why do I want to kill your husband?” he asked.

“B-because you think he ordered your sister’s murder.”

Nina thought he would get upset with her choice of wording which hinted that Suraj might not have been responsible. But he didn’t seem upset. “Why? Why did your husband order that kill?” he asked instead.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Khan wouldn’t tell me anything beyond that. Whatever he told me was to make me feel secure while I’m kept captive. H-he just wanted to say you won’t harm me because you weren’t a criminal.”

Her heart sped up when his body shifted subtly. They both were still naked and he was lying on top of her in between her legs. She could still feel the tip of his hard arousal against her entrance. One little thrust, he would be inside her. But unlike the last few weeks, when his body made her feel secure or aroused, the same body she had kissed every inch and made love to in every possible way, only intimidated her now.

Her breath came out in panicked gasps.

He continued to watch her, and she felt him brush the back of his fingers on her cheek. “Am I scaring you?” he asked softly.

She stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar face. She had rained kisses on that face and traced her tongue on his laugh lines. But now, it only reminded her of the time he threatened to rape and torture her to send those videos to Suraj.

“Yes,” she whispered truthfully.

He didn’t say anything. He bent his head and kissed her on her lips gently. She tried to control her flinch, but couldn’t. He must have felt it, too, because he raised his head immediately.

He slowly rolled away from her, but she lay frozen on the bed, watching him.

He sighed. “Nina, I was honest with you,” he said. “You know I’m a wanted man. I’ve told you I’ve done things which might lead to my death or my arrest.”

Some of her fear melted and she was about to say that wasn’t why he scared her, but his next sentence killed her words instantly.

“I changed my decision on what has to be done next, Nina. It’s not how I wanted it until this morning, but under no circumstances can I risk Khan’s or Vikram’s safety for my personal revenge.” He looked at her in regret. “I can’t risk you trying to stop me from killing your husband.”

Her throat froze in fear and she watched him as he pulled up his shorts before stepping out of the room.