Author's POV-

Next morning, Varun woke up from the stretcher, he remembers he passed out last night. He remembered the fragrance that engulfed his very soul, last night. Looking out of the window, the sky was now dimly blue suggesting it was still very early in the morning.

He looked around, and then his eyes fell on a figure sitting on the chair beside his bed, her head, down on the stretcher as she took slow, rhythmic breathes. She was asleep. Varun noticed all his wounds were bandaged and he smelled of antiseptic cream.

Unwantedly, his gaze wandered, no sign of blood all around as if everything had been deliberately cleaned up. His eyes then noticed the girl sleeping on the chair beside him, she seemed as if she would snuggle in the smallest burrows possible, just to have a moment of calm.

Not a care in this world. Sleeping so calmly beside a man who just some hours ago threatened her, risked her life and blackmailed her using his own knife. The man who screamed danger. This contrast intrigued him.

She didn't seem stupid to have done that. To have helped him even though she had all the reasons not to. This kindness was commendable but not appreciated by someone as brutal as Varun Mahajan. But, oh wasn't she stupid? Why would she let a man so ruthless enter into her god damn peace. Have a step in her lighted world, the one who thrives in shadows.

His face was expressionless, the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of clock signifying the moments that he passed unknwingly admiring the unknown woman sleeping so peacefully under his gaze.

She stirred and groaned, as if she could feel the heat of his gaze piercing into her. He was very soon out of his trance at her initiating movements, he looked anywhere but her.

She woke up and stretched her arms as if embracing the new morning to be the same as all her mornings. But the change....was inevitable. It lingered, looked and observed. As soon as she saw him, she remembered all the last night incidents. The sleep was now melting away from her eyes.

He smirked, watching the effect he had on her, how the light of her face fell as she went through the past moments.

"Good Morning, doll"

She jerked up from the chair, moving towards the desk where his knife was kept. He was surprised to realise, she had unarmed him before sleeping. And very soon, the knife was on his throat. He was intrigued. The boldness dripping with innocence, oh so sweet!

He chuckled.

"Hasna band karo or chup chap nikal jao yahan se. Mera kaam ab khatam hua."

He chuckled again!

"Yeh toh kal raat hi kar dena chahiye tha. What was the need for this kindness?"

"Sawaal jawab karne ki halat mein nahi hain aap. Or aapko dekh ke lagta hai paise bhi honge nahi toh jaiye, free treatment for you."

"Thanks, udhaar bohot jaldi vapis kar dunga."

"Koi zarurat nahi, nikal jaiye yahaan se nahi toh police mein complaint ki na toh agli baar surgery karni pad jayegi"

He looked in her eyes. And she felt it, the confidence trembling, at just his one look.

And he could see it, the false bravery and the shivering hands. He grabbed her wrist that had the knife pressed against his neck.

He wasn't even trying to protect himself, that's how much unafraid he was from the stunt she pulled. He just stabled her shivering hand and swiftly pulled the knife from her grip.

Her eyes widened in horror, and she took a step back. He wasn't only stronger than her physically but he also had a weapon. Extra advantage!

"Kaanp kyun rahi ho, doll?"

He asked in his deep voice taking a step further towards her.

"K...kyunki aap aage aa r..rahe hain."

"Toh?"

"P..please m..mujhe dar lag raha hai."

"Chhaku se?"

She shook her head nervously. "Nahi, aapse"

He laughed and stepped back and went to the desk to gather up his belongings, leaving her in her messed up, trembling state.

He wore the leather jacket he had removed last night, and went to the door, whistling in his lazy confidence. She wasn't moving, she was just staring, at him, at how calm and unaffected he was. He looked back at her,

"Thanks Jaan, phir milenge abhi late ho raha hai" He winked at her before waving and stepping out through the glass door.

She was in a messy state right now. She couldn't understand what had just happened. Why was her heartbeat so fast, why was her heart racing and she was breathing so fast?

She turned around to stabilise herself , inhaling and exhaling, once, twice, thrice BEFORE!

She was breathless again.

Someone's arm wrapped around her waist and she was swiftly pulled to a hard, rigid chest. She knew who it was, his one palm rested against the wall infront of her, his chest pressed tightly against her back.

He emptied her lungs of all the oxygen she had breathed. She struggled in his grip only got him to tighten his grip around her waist. His fingers splayed on that area. Her eyes closed.

"Chhodiye mujhe" she said weakly before continuing, "aap mere saath aisa nahi kar sakte, Mr. Varun"

"Kya nahi kar sakta, doll?"

He said in his usual calm voice. His nose and face once again dropping in the curve of her neck, just like he did last night. Taking a long sniff of her natural fragrance like a werewolf. The sweet smell, the same smell he embraced yesterday before passing out. It gave him peace, it gave him power.

"Aap mujhe maar nahi sakte, maine aapki jaan bachayi hai"

He chuckled in his deep voice.

"Main tumhe maarne nahi aaya hoon, jaan"

"Toh phir kyun aaye hain? Dekhiye main koi aisi vaisi ladki nahi hoon!"

He smirked against her neck, his eyes closed as he tried to delve deeper forcing her neck be tilted to get more space. They both were breathing hard.

"I know and I'm not here to fuck you, doll. Bas tumhara naam janna hai."

Her eyes widened at his shameless words.

"Mujhe nahi batana apna naam, aapko janne ki koi zarurat nahi hai"

"Nahi bataogi?"

"Nahi!"

"Pakka?" He confirmed.

But before she could say 'no' again, she felt his fingers gradually moving upwards from her waist. His grip still not loosening.

She lost her breath, as she understood what he is going to do and a gasp came out from her mouth before she hastily told him,

"Saanvi! Saanvi Gupta."

"Good girl. So, Dr. Saanvi Gupta, would you want to be my personal nurse?."

His nurse!!!

"Never!"

"We'll see about that"

He said and once again he left her free from his grip and walked back to the door and left finally.

Saanvi took a sigh of relief.

Saanvi didn't notice, but she had stirred something in Varun. Something, he thought, was locked away.

Her kindness, her behaviour, her innocence and her false bravery did something to him. And god knows, what this would lead to.