Chapter - 23

                                    

                                          
Something snapped inside her. She didn't care about the danger anymore; she didn't care about the armed men or the deadly game they were all trapped in. She couldn't stay still any longer, couldn't let the silence stretch between them.
All she wanted was to reach him, to make him look at her, to hear him tell her it wasn't all a lie. With trembling legs, she got up from the floor, desperate to reach him to make him look at her, to say something-anything-that would make sense of this nightmare.
But before she could reach him, a strong hand wrapped around her arm, yanking her back painfully. Devraj's fingers dug into her skin, and she gasped in pain, turning to face him with wide, terrified eyes. His grip was unrelenting, possessive.
"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing as he pulled her closer, forcing her to meet his cold gaze. "You really think you can just run to him after everything? He's not your savior."
"We need to move," Devraj said, his voice low but urgent, leaning close enough that she could feel his breath against her cheek. "The police will be here any moment."
She tried to pull away, but he yanked her closer, pulling her roughly against him. "Let go of me!" she demanded, struggling against his iron grip, panic setting in as she felt her freedom slipping away with every second
Abhi's head snapped up, his eyes dark with anger. The helplessness that had pinned him down was suddenly replaced by something sharper, more dangerous. His gaze locked onto Devraj, the anger simmering beneath his exterior bubbling to the surface. "Leave her devraj," he growled, his voice low, dangerous. "Let her go, and Surrender. It's over."
Devraj laughed, a cold, bitter sound. He shifted his gaze to Abhi, his smirk widening as if savoring his power over both of them. "Surrender?" he spoke mockingly, leaning in closer to her, his voice a sickening whisper. "Why would I? You're the one with a gun pressed to your skull, Officer. Shouldn't you be worried about that?"
Abhi's jaw clenched, his muscles tensing as he took a step forward. "Let her go," he repeated, his voice deadly. "You've lost, Devraj. You can't get out of this."
But Devraj only smirked, his grip on her arm tightening painfully. "Oh, you think I've lost? You really don't get it, do you?" His gaze flickered to Abhi, the amusement never leaving his eyes. His voice dripped with arrogance, his smirk widening as he looked down at her. "You see, I'm not going to sell her anymore. I've changed my mind."
Abhi's glare deepened, the threat clear in his eyes. "You're not taking her anywhere," he spat, taking a step forward, his muscles tensing as though ready to pounce.
But Devraj's smirk only grew more sinister. He pulled her closer, his lips almost brushing her ear as he spoke, his voice oozing malice. "Maybe I'll keep her for myself," he said, his voice dripping with cruelty. "Make her my wife. That's not illegal, after all. There's no record on me, and no one can stop me from doing what I want. "
"After all, there's no legal record against me. No one will stop me."
Her body went cold at his words. She stopped struggling, the shock of his threat running through her like ice. The room seemed to close in around her, Devraj's sick smile. She felt bile rise in her throat at his words, a chilling wave of fear coursing through her. "You're insane!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "You can't do this!"
"Oh, but I can," Devraj replied, his tone mocking. "And I will. What's stopping me? Your hero?" He turned to Abhi, "Besides, isn't it fitting that the officer's lover becomes the trophy of the villain?"
"Devraj," Abhi growled, his voice low, shaking with rage. "If you touch her, I swear to God, I will kill you."
Devraj's cold laughter echoed through the room. "Then I suggest you don't miss, Officer" he sneered, tightening his hold on her, "because if you do, you'll never see her again."