Chapter 3

Vikram

The screaming of someone really pleasures me to my core as it’s doing now. Despite that his one will damage my eardrums but I am not done with my art, I am gonna need more blood to make the terrified face of his on my painting. My eyes trailed away from my paint board to him, sitting on his knees with nothing other than pants. I stuffed his mouth with a leather belt, full of spikes, I used the same to tied his wrists and ankles to keep him attached to the floor. If he dared to scream or move, the more it will slice his cheeks, hands, and legs he has more cuts on his body than the hair, in spite of this, he has the guts to beg for mercy.

Nevertheless, he had to think about the consequences before thinking of betraying me. No one can, even in their worst dreams could think of it as he did. He tried to sell the papers of my recent deals that were going to bring me tons of profit in return to S.N.A.K.E, an Italian gangster, and my long-time frenemy. Though, it’s impossible. I caught him before he could make any such move. 

“Something is missing,” I mumbled under my breath, my eyes were trailing up and down to find the missing thing. A sinister smile appeared on my lips when I found it and the pure terror came across his sweaty, bloody, all messed up face as he realized my intentions. “Slit a cut over his abdomen, I want his entrails to slowly come out so I could draw them,”

He shook his head, shedding alligator tears to stop me. Does he forget that I stopped feeling a long ago and his tears are bringing nothing but satisfaction to my heart? Poor thing. Yet, he’s going to be a prime example for those, whoever is out there, considering betraying me, will have to go through worse than this. When my man slit his intestine, his slow yelps satisfied my soul as he was dying of agony. The flood of blood came through his abdomen to my feet as I dipped my brush in it and used it to make his internal organs.

Out of a sudden, his phone rang in his pocket, one of my men brought it to me and held the phone near my face so I could see the caller id, it was a foreign number, belongs to Italians. So, he finally called, huh? I gestured to my man to swipe the green button, and a man, I was expecting was on the other side of the call.

“Satish, where are you? My men are waiting for the papers at the airport, why you still haven’t arrived yet?!” 

I eyed my man to take the phone to the almost dead corpse so Snake could hear it as well, there was a long silence lingering in the atmosphere when he heard his yelps. I could feel him, gritting his teeth in the realization that his plan failed.

“You son of a bitch!” He shouted, furiously.

“Sad but we aren’t brothers,” I replied to him, calmly.

“Bastard! How dared you to call my mother a bitch!”

“The exact way you dared to deal my papers with my man under my nose. What made you think you would succeed?”

“Sooner or later, I will take your place, and will give you death full of pain, weak ram,” 

“Your empty threats don’t even reach my ears, Snake. And it is Vikram. Vikram Shekhawat. Make sure to take my name right so you could tell your grandchildren about how you managed to escape from devil’s hands if you stayed alive,” I told him, viciously, continuing my statement, “Oh, and send another bunch of your fragile men to collect the corpses from the airport because Mumbai police refused to accept them, although they’re right why would they clean your mess?”

“My cousin was there too, did you?” He yelled.

“Not sure, but possibly he’s one of the corpses now,” I simply said, moving my brush on my paint board.

“I will kill you!”

“Waiting.” I hung up and concentrated on my painting, it was done. I should pat my back for being so creative, each detail is showing perfectly like it’s not a painting but a picture. One of my men handed me a towel. Cleaning my hands, I got up and walked over the blood towards the exit. 

“Is my jet arrived?” I asked my man.

“Yes, boss,” 

“Take this painting as well, I wanna keep it in my collection,” I ordered him. 

Freshening up, I slide into a black shirt and jeans. A driver pulled up a car in front of my mansion as I descended the stairs to it, he opened the door for me and I sat inside, comfortably. When I noticed fifteen missed calls from Meher. My manager cum sister cum a psycho woman. She’s good at what she does but sometimes she could be pain in ass.

“What is it?” I questioned, calling her back and within a single ring she answered it.

“It’s about Arjun,” She said. “He brought a girl home,”

“Is she his girlfriend?” 

“Nope. She had on a sexy skin-revealing dress like the ones that those girls who you fuck wears, although he seemed quite confused as if he doesn’t know what to do with her, so he didn't say much but he told me not to let you know about her, anyway, now she's working as a maid in our house on his demand.”

“What’s her name?”

“Radhika.” 

I hung up. Yes, she informs me about everything going on there, especially if it is related to Arjun, my only brother, I don’t take chances when it comes to him, wherever he goes, whoever he meets, what he eats, I make sure I am updated with his information on a daily basis, it’s for his safety purpose. But why did Arjun bring a girl home whom he doesn’t know? And for what reason exactly he doesn’t want me to know? Something seems fishy here. I have to meet his girl personally and tonight’s party is a perfect time. 

***

Radhika

At night, the mansion was decorated like a beautiful bride, ready for the party. I noticed that guests had already started to show up, and soon the whole place became overwhelmed by their presence. But where’s Arjun? I haven’t seen him since he left to pick up his brother from the airport. I wonder what is taking him so long to return? It’s his day and his absence isn’t making anything enjoyable.

I turned around to leave and abruptly bumped into someone, and it was Arjun, dressed up in a rose pink blazer with his hair neatly combed back as a single strand of hair hanging on his temple, giving him a pretty clean handsome look.  It’s not that I am complaining about meeting him again like this, especially, I was just thinking about him a minute ago.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you,” I apologized.

“It’s fine, I am just trying to escape from this urban jungle,” He joked, rippling sarcasm from his lips as I chuckled.

“Would you mind if I asked why?”

“I am not a fan of some party that is overly crowded,” He explains, “Forget it, wanna join me outside for a walk?”

There wasn't anything else I needed to do, so it wouldn't kill me to stay with him a little while, would it? “Sure,” He led me to his back lawn which was spread massively wide across the field, a wonderful eye-catching water fountain, and trees cut in designer shapes were like the ones I had just seen in Disney movies and cartoons.

The two of us were wandering aimlessly through the moonlight, and his hands were in his pockets. As he kicked the small pebbles, it was as if he didn't care about the party inside the house that was reserved for him exclusively. 

“Arjun, I wanted to ask you something,”

“Ask,” He simply replied in a short manner.

“You said I am present to you but I don’t understand why anyone would gift me to someone like you? There are pretty things and girls out there far better than me, then why?” I doubted, my eyes widening in a confused manner.

He stopped and looked at me with no emotions flashing in his orbs. An exhausted sigh escaped his lips. "To be honest, I have no idea why he gave me you and neither do I know what to do with you." While he was noticing my expression getting more puzzled, he instantly added to his statement. "I mean, everyone was celebrating, and I invited him as well as he arrived he told me, he got me a present that is in the parking lot, I followed him there, he called someone over his phone and a gray van appeared, a couple of Chinese men opened the back doors of that van. That’s when I saw you there for the first time. You were unconscious in a large gift-wrapped box. I asked him what’s this, he just tapped my shoulder and playfully said…..nevermind,” He inhaled a sharp as knife edges breath, getting uncomfortable to speak further.

“What he said?” I pushed it. I wanted to know what was going on.

“Just don’t feel cringe, okay?” I nodded my head, he continued, “He said, he doesn’t like the fact that his best friend, means me, is still a virgin, he believes I am either a gay or asexual because I stay away from girls and sex. He wanted me to have intercourse with you to prove him wrong. We had an argument there, I broke my ass long friendship with him too. He left without you and the thought of leaving you in that hotel alone doesn’t feel right, so I brought you along."

So that’s what happened…….

After finishing his last statement, he asked me, "Anyway, do you remember how you got into the box?" I caught the inquisitiveness in his voice. The last memory I have before I blanked out was how they brought me into a casino to sell me off. That man gave me a sleeping pill. And when I got my senses I was in his airplane. 

“No, I don’t remember,”

He merely hummed in response. “And your hands? What happened to them?”

“It’s n-nothing.”

A maid came calling for Arjun as we saw her approaching her. His face exhibited every emotion except happiness because he knew what she would say, “Sir, the boss wants you at the hall for the cake cutting ceremony,” 

“You leave, I am coming,” He told her, bowing respectfully to him, she took her leave. He turned to me, a sad smile appearing on his lips as he lets out a short chuckle, “Times up, I guess,”

“Nevermind. Enjoy your birthday!” I wished him with the utmost energy to make him happy.

“I will try,” He dryly said and walked away.

As I got busy serving the other guests on order of Meher, I didn’t get to see Arjun or his brother, nonetheless, I didn’t miss the rumors about them from other maids, they were simply gossiping that how hot, scary, and dangerous their both bosses were are and Devil is boss’s middle name. Dangerous and devil…I haven’t gotten a clue what do they mean by this. Are they strict as a boss that everyone here fears from them? Yet, Arjun is so nice to me, I can’t imagine him ruling strictly. Come to think of it, the guards outside are protecting the house with guns, in case something happens. Is this place not safe for them that they need this much protection? Who are they?

“Radhika?” Alisha called me out as she walked up to me through the crowd.

“Yes, Lisa.” 

“Can you do me a favor?” She asked, seeming utter worried.

“Of course, what happened?”

“Actually, our boss has invited VVIP guests too, tonight and they’ll be in another special lounge on the fifth floor and we are short on waitresses to serve them. I would have volunteered myself but I got another work to be done, so if you could…?” She explained to me. And a smile made its way over me. That’s all she needs me for? Easy peasy.

“It’s not a big deal, I will go,” I said and starts to walk when she held my arm, pulling me back to where I was stood earlier.

“No, you can’t show up there like this, looking all mess, come with me, we’ve another type of uniform for special parties to maintain our boss impression.” She instantly led me up to our room, making me wash my face and hands, she stood me in front of the mirror as she gave me a new uniform that rested on the bed and a palette of makeup sets. “Once you changed into them, go straight to the kitchen, take the tray of alcohol, and then lounge, got it?”

“I guess,” She left. I put on the new uniform which had a black shortest skirt barely covering my hips, a tight white shirt showing off my cleavages, with stockings. This is way too much uncomfortable to be in. As if I have any choice to make here. I did my make-up and left the room, on my way, I took the tray of alcohol which was expectedly heavy but this time I managed quite nicely and stood outside of the lounge. 

A maid went past me in after evacuating a sought. Debating in my mind whether I should go inside or not because I am feeling my legs already shaking and the tray in my hands trembling. Stop, just walk, serve and get back, as simple as that, I reminded myself. Back at that hell, I used to do all sorts of household work unlike this one, it’s different.

After hearing rumors of your boss being gravely dangerous that he requires heavy protection for himself, the last thing you would expect is welcoming trouble on your head by going under his skin. Advancing in, my eyes were treated marvelously by the interior, alone this place was enough to be addressed as king’s castles, massively large and extremely splendid. The music held high volume in the room as each wall had some disconcerting paintings hung on it. I didn’t look at them for long because I am here for another purpose.

Many men sit around the couch, having wine, joking, and laughing. Most of them appeared to be foreigners. When I met a pair of familiar eyes seated there among them. Arjun. Not to my surprise, he saw me as well. His face held an expression as he wasn’t expecting me to be here. In a short time, everyone’s eyes were penetrating through me. My inner self wasn’t entirely nervous yet totally shaken off too. I can do it!

Inhaling a deep breath, I stepped forward to serve them their drinks. It’s difficult to stand and do my job while all they are doing is looking at me. I slightly bent down to let the first man take his glass. I had to bend down till their heights as none of them lifted their hands up, definitely, they’re behaving upon their rich status. Many of them even strived to pull me over their laps, touching my inner thighs and hips. This made me anxious inwardly. Knowing, they’re purposely playing with me. I uneasily moved back and forth, praying to God to stop this.

Amazingly stupid of me to believe this won’t happen here as well. Everyone saw me as a meal, biting their lips as they’ll just devour every piece of me and that made the sweats form over me in twisting knots in my stomach.

I glanced over Arjun to get his help to get out of here but he was occupied in a conversation that he hardly gave me any look. Having no choice, I kept serving them their drinks, everything is pretty good till now. I am alive too, gladly *phew* until I walked to a man who was sitting in the middle, maybe most important amongst all of them. Serving him his glass, I looked over at him.

He had shining deep blackish eyes that spoke depth and darkness lik an ocean at night. His beautifully scary eyes caught me off guard. He was wearing a white shirt with his first few buttons undone, it was almost see-through as I could clearly see his entire hard-muscled body tattooed. All inked up till his neck. He had well-set raven black hair with each and every strand positioned backward, leaving a couple of them on his temple. Hot. He sat there as if he owned everything. With that aura of his screaming ‘fricking danger’, it was crystal clear he wasn’t one of these lusty old heads. Despite that, he was attractively handsome and seducingly hotter than any man I’ve ever seen.

Is he…? I quickly stepped back as he took his drink. His eyes haven’t left me since I looked up at him, he didn’t utter a word just silent stares piercing through me, I felt a chill running through my skin. I lowered my gazes before its too late. I stood there for a little more because another maid didn’t come up for my replacement so I have to ask them for their refills.

“Hey, Baby, I am waiting for a while now….for my refill?” A Chinese-looking man spoke, laughing his ass off as if he meant to be waiting for me, not for the drinks. In spite of that, there are other maids too, he just wants me. Just one last time, I said in my mind, walking up to him to pour him alcohol. He didn’t try to hide his dirty intentions as fear got me in, he spanked my hips a couple of times, making others laugh. I flinched hard at his touch, “Don’t be scared, little bunny, it’s my way of saying thanks,” All this is happening again. The past I thought I left behind has haunted me here as well now. Lusty men, alcohols, their dirty stares and touches on my body. 

“I gotta say, Vikram, you own mouthwatering things that I bet, must be good in taste too,” An old man said, flashing me a filthy wink. Did he use those words for me? I looked away, pretending like I never heard him. In my sight, I saw my boss' ice-cold face was now burning like fire hell.

“Get out!” He yelled at me loudly. I was startled. But I didn’t do or say anything wrong then why me? He’s so rude for no reason towards me! It is not the time or the person to reason out with, At the end of the day, that’s how God planned to turn things out. Brilliant!