Deadly Defiance

“I want to meet Viper.”

All heads turn in my direction.

I gulp softly and wait for one of them to respond. Or move. It seemed like they weren’t breathing either, frozen to their spots.

Before I arrived, the whole place was lively with loud retro Bollywood music, lights hanging from ropes, tables lined with juicy meat, and bottles of liquor. The men were enjoying a hearty night under the stars, probably laughing about how they chopped a poor bloke’s limbs or got a thrill while watching life leave his eyes.

These are predators, gaping at me as if I were insane for seeking their boss.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I guess. Maybe.

Only Viper can help me now.

“Who are you?” A rough, masculine voice finally asks after what seems like an eternity. I tiptoe to see him standing on the porch of the wooden cabin, dressed more formally than the other men.

He wore a stiff black formal shirt tucked into grey pants, and shiny oxfords covered his feet. He held a glass of ‘whiskey on the rocks’, swirling it absentmindedly while he assessed me.

“I would like to speak to Viper. Only him.” I say daringly, folding my hands to my chest, acutely aware of the truth safely hidden in my tote bag.

Some man from the gathered assembly scoffs loudly, “What makes this bitch think we will let her see our boss?”

Snickers follow.

The man in formal clothing doesn’t take his dark eyes off me, still trying to break me with his hostile gaze. I don’t waver. I had spent days trying to find a way around this, to solve my problem without involving a notorious thug.

When Indrajeet Pratap humiliated his cook—a man who had loyally served him for twenty years—he unknowingly set himself on the path to ruin. Ganesh ji knew the truth about his master. That’s why he whispered those final words to me before he left.

′Find Viper’

“It is about Indrajeet Pratap...” I admit loudly.

Pin. Drop. Silence.

“Fucking...” The same guy who insulted me earlier—built like a boulder—lunges at me. His fist is raised, adrenaline propelling him straight in my direction.

I don’t move. I’d rather die here than face my impending wreckage. At least, these brutes will bury me where Indrajeet will never find my body.

“Farhan,” The huge man’s voice travels from the porch to the clearing. The over-enthusiastic dude skids to a halt, his nostrils flaring.

“It is upto Viper,” The black-shirt man, clearly the one in charge here, declares to his subordinate. He gestures with a pointed finger to step away.

Not just him but everyone else moves to clear a direct path between me and the black shirt. I watch silently as each man looks at me warily, ready to smash my head to the ground like a coconut if the in-charge waves a green flag.

“Come here, stupid woman,” Black Shirt says to me, and I quickly move forward, walking with my head held high. He may have referred to me in a very condescending way, but beggars cannot be choosers.

“Continue,” The huge man tells his subordinates, and the music blasts out of the speakers again.

I climb up the porch of the wooden cabin, knowing very well that this man and the door behind him are the only things stopping me from reaching Viper.

“Boss is in the middle of something important,” The huge man takes a slow sip and looks at me over the rim of his glass.

If it were any other ‘stupid woman,’ that solid dude would have landed his punch and sent me straight to my death. However, the mention of Indrajeet Pratap did the trick. And I plan on using him again.

“Indrajeet Pratap is a mutual enemy,” I tell the man, “Trust me, I can help you put an end to him.”

The man raises a mocking eyebrow, “Do you think we need your help?”

I nod confidently, “Yes. It will be so much fun. Can I meet your boss, or will you give me more petty reasons and turn me away?”

The boss is in the middle of something. Like, I’d believe that.

The man gestures to his ear, and for the first time, I notice a black earpiece there.

“I told him,” He empties his glass and holds it in his hand, “He knows you are here. He is busy.”

They are going to send me away!

Viper’s been listening the whole time, completely uninterested in some random girl showing up at his place with a bullshit story about the man he hates. Is that it? Is that what he thinks?

No, this is my chance to get what I want, and Viper will listen to me!

“Good,” I smile at the in charge, “I will wait here then.”

I expect him to shoo me away, but he shrugs and lingers, “Want a drink?”

“No,” I tell him.

I don’t really drink—well, except that one time in the past. I just don’t have much tolerance for it.

What’s with the sweet hospitality anyway? It’s the last thing I’d expect from a mob with intentions as clear as the water of the Mithi River.

He doesn’t plan on sending me to meet Viper. I can see as much from his hard face, rigid stance, and hyperactive gaze. This man plans to stall me, exhaust me, and eventually make up reasons, and send me back.

He can kill me, of course.

But I knew that wouldn’t happen because of their plan to stay incognito at the moment. I did not come here without doing some homework.

I discreetly toy with the tiny weapon in the palm of my hand, ready to implement my plan. Incognito or not, this will definitely infuriate everyone. But I’d die anyway if I didn’t get to meet Viper now.

“Fine, I will take that drink. A beer if you have one,” I can feel my heart galloping against my chest, chastising me for being a freaking idiot.

“Carlsberg works?” He asks as he narrows his eyes slightly, probably wondering why I changed my mind so abruptly.

“Yes,” I smile warmly.

“Get me one, Carlsberg,” In-charge says loudly to his cronies, and one of them quickly fetches a pint and hands it to his chota boss.

I dare to take my chance. I adjust my weapon between my index and middle fingers.

He offers the drink to me, and I extend my hand to take it. Instead of going for the bottle, I slam my hand over his bare skin, right below his thumb finger. He winces and releases the bottle, which crashes to the ground, spilling its contents everywhere as foam splatters across the floor.

I am a quick runner—always have been. Before the man can react, I turn and aim straight for the door, throwing it open with the force of my body and heading straight into the room.

My legs are shaking, my chest is heaving, and I blink to adjust my eyes to the sudden darkness. The room is shrouded in black, except for the silver moonlight spilling over a huge king-size bed.

Okay.

Viper is indeed busy with something.

Alright.

The woman’s sounds fill the air, and Viper doesn’t stop despite the huge commotion. Her moans only grow louder when the black-shirted man storms into the room and grabs me by my hair.

“Fucking bitch!” He seethes.

“Manjeet,” Viper’s voice is deep and masculine, bassy and strong. It’s a little laboured, considering what he is doing there, on top of a woman whose face I cannot see. I don’t see Viper’s face either.

The moonlight illuminates his chiselled back, the muscles grinding as he pounds her. The in-charge man yanks me so hard that I sense some hair strands detaching from their roots.

Viper grunts, and I understand he is finally done with his ‘important work.’

“Let her be,” He orders Manjeet, “I want to know what she wishes to tell me.”

The woman eases herself out from beneath Viper, snatching the maxi dress from the floor. She slips it over her head in one swift motion and strides out the door without a glance at anyone, least of all the man she was with moments ago.

She’s very pretty. Nice boobs too.

“I will pay her,” Manjeet says and releases me so suddenly that I stumble forward.

Oh, she was a sex worker then. That explains the silent exit.

Viper shifts, pulling the comforter higher over his lower body. All I can see are his sweat-slicked, well-defined abs. His face remains hidden in the shadows.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy.” I apologise sincerely, “I had no other choice.”

Viper leans towards the bedside table, but I don’t see what he is doing. For all I know, he could be fetching a gun to shoot me in the head. I wait for him to say something. He doesn’t. After a few seconds, I hear the sound of gulping and realise that he reached for the water bottle.

“You’ve got dirt on the businessman?” Viper asks, swallowing hard. “And you’re just handing it over out of the goodness of your heart?”

I snort, flicking my hand like I’m swatting a fly, “I wouldn’t hand you a glass of water if you were choking on a cactus.”

Too late, I realise the weight of my words, just as he slams the water bottle back onto the bedside table.

“Sorry,” I murmur, then continue, “I mean, why would a woman in her twenties trek two kilometres through a remote forest in these ridiculous flats,” I gesture at my footwear, “and face a pack of drunk men just to give a stranger information about her boss?”

“You work for him,” Viper remarks.

“Accounts department. He mostly keeps me around to announce when we’re out of A4 sheets, the printer’s jammed, or there’s no water in the washrooms.”

Viper stays silent. It’s impossible to gauge his reaction when I can barely see his face in the dim lighting.

“Your qualification?”

“Bachelor’s in Commerce,” I say it without pride. I never wanted the degree in the first place, but that’s a story for another day.

Without hesitation, I reach into my tote bag. “Relax, I’m not pulling out a weapon. I wanted to give you this.”

By the time I extend the folder toward him, he’s already drawn his gun, aiming it right at me. My heart skips. I should have assured him I meant no harm before I reached for my bag, not while I was at it.

“This...” I shift my weight from one foot to the other.

He lowers the gun slowly when he sees that I am holding a folder in my hand.

“Throw the file.”

I toss it immediately, reacting as if I’m hardwired to obey. I can’t tell if he caught it or if it smacked him in the face. Part of me hopes for the latter. He’s scaring me far too much when I’m just trying to help.

I hear the rustling of papers. He must be reading the sheets. And when he gets to the interesting part, the man twitches under the comforter and his abs tighten when he sits up.

All I manage to see is the stubble on his chin before he leans back into the shadows.

“How did you find this?” More rustling of the papers, as if he cannot believe his eyes and needs to reread.

“I told Tarzan outside that you’ll like it,” I wince at my choice of words, “Manjeet. I told Manjeet.”

He did resemble Tarzan with his big, buffed body, long hair and ape hands. Only this one was dressed in sophisticated clothing, while the other one had a flimsy loincloth for underwear.

“You did not answer me.” His voice is harsh, but I hear the tone of exhilaration. This is what he needs to destroy his enemy. I served it to him on a silver plate.

“They are mine. The file is about me,” I admit to him.

He freezes, and the rustling stops. When he doesn’t speak, I go ahead and tell him what I want in return for this favour. I have no time. If IP finds out that I am not where I should be, things will get out of hand. I must leave as soon as I can.

“Indrajeet Pratap’s closest friend lusts over me. He is an old man with a barren head and a hanging belly. He happens to be a member of the parliament. IP is going to sell me to him, a fucking pimp that he is!” I don’t try to filter my words, “I would rather die than be an old man’s fuck toy. In return for this information, all I want is my freedom. Can you kill that MP for me?”

That is why I did not run when I saw at least a dozen drunken men staring at me. The worst they could have done was have their way with me, slit my throat, and bury me in these woods—no one would ever know. It would be a quicker end than serving an old man, enduring daily abuse, and spreading my legs for anyone he chooses. I already know a few who have booked their spot beside me in bed.

“No,” Viper’s response is immediate, and my face falls.

“I cannot kill an MP right now, Aaradhana,” He says after seeing my name on the papers, “Elections are around the corner. It will attract unwanted attention to the ruling party.”

I blink, “The ruling party is your client. I should have known...”

This is why they are trying to be incognito. The elections.

He doesn’t say anything.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

I repeat to myself in my head.

You can chop that fucking MP’s dick if needed, but don’t show your insecurities to a thug.

Aaradhana, get a grip.

“Indrajeet’s daughter is getting married tomorrow,” I state mechanically. I am glad he let me speak after I assaulted his guy outside, even though it was with a saree pin. It still counts.

If he cannot help, that’s fine. I will do my part. I’ll hand him everything he needs to bring IP down. That would be a partial win.

“She will marry Gaurav Virmani’s son.” One of the most influential men in the country, “The marriage is happening in a private set-up. The address is on the file. All IP’s important guests will be there. It is the best time for you to expose him.”

Right after the wedding, he will send me away with the MP. But if Viper strikes against Indrajeet, there is a chance that my grim fate could be delayed.

“Why the long face? I promise you your freedom,” Viper declares, “I won’t kill the MP for it, that’s all.”

“Huh?” I step forward, excitement lighting up my face, but Viper clears his throat, a warning to keep my distance. I raise my hands in surrender and step back. “Really? You’ll help me?”

“Yes.”

Before I can drop to my knees and thank him, maybe even sing his praises, Viper startles me with a sharp call.

“Manjeet!”

"Veere!”

Did Manjeet just call Viper his brother?

He appears in the room in a heartbeat, gun drawn. His glare pins me in place as if he’s dead certain I did something to his brother or boss, whatever Viper is to him.

“Take Aaradhana home. Watch for tails,” Viper commands, voice cold as steel. “After all, we must protect Indrajeet Pratap’s daughter.”

Manjeet flinches. “What?”

A slow, sly smile curls my lips as Manjeet stares, wide-eyed.

“Illegitimate,” I murmur to the Tarzan man. “I’m his illegitimate daughter. Viper has the DNA reports.”

That’s the file I gave him. They can verify its authenticity after I leave—and I’m sure they will, to be absolutely certain.

I’ve exposed the darkest secret Indrajeet Pratap kept hidden for 23 years so that I can see him crumble beneath the weight of his sins.

To destroy one evil man, I end up shaking hands with another.