Chapter 5

Ranvijay's desperate prayers took longer to reach heaven, but when they did, he felt his soul being sucked out of his body. He'd never felt so vulnerable and incapable before. His heart drummed loudly in his ribcage and his blood pumped in his veins as if he couldn't believe his eyes. 

The girl was drop-dead gorgeous. 

Busy with her camera, she was still not aware of his looming presence. Ranvijay took the opportunity to study her distinctiveness with each intended step towards her; wavy hair down her back, voluptuous chest squeezed into a black liner and endless legs encased in black slacks. She had thrown over a floral shrug which did nothing to hide the perfect outline of her body. 

She was standing sideways, humming a tune in a hushed voice but the chiming in her tone was luring his senses. In the periphery of his vision, she was a deer unknown to the prowling. Ranvijay felt uncharacteristically drawn to her. The man who never glanced at a girl twice was dying to look at her full face, and nature was teasing him. 

He frowned when a strong wind blew and the curtain of her hair covered her face. She made a sound at the back of her throat, removing those unruly curls behind and focusing back on the lenses. And, then she stilled. Like she had sensed the danger. But, that he was. 

A lethal but alluring danger! 

She spun on her heels so fast that her hair swung along with her and she missed him being so close to her. She dashed into his chest, stepped back and was about to mutter an apology when she slipped and landed straight into the pool behind her. 

A loud splash of water drenched the lower of his pants as she wrestled to gulp a lungful of air, trying to stay afloat. For a couple of seconds, Ranvijay did nothing and merely stared at her before his mind successfully managed to send signals to his paralyzed reflexes. 

"Damn!" He cursed under his breath when he realized what just happened. Mentally palming himself, he sat on a knee and extended a hand towards her, "I'm sorry. Are you okay? Come on, give me your hand!" 

The girl raised her head out of water and her deep brown eyes clashed with his blue ones, knocking his breath out of his lungs. The loud thump of his heart was back as if it could burst out of his chest. He didn't realize but his jaw had slackened and his hand was literally dropped to his sides. 

He was shamelessly gawking at her, even if he could feel the burn of her glare. She had managed to stand on her feet, still in the pool, water lapping around her and was drawing daggers at him, and at his dropped hand. Ranvijay didn't care for it though, he had already submitted to her beauty. 

No wonder he was on his knees for her!

"So you're just going to stare at me?" The goddess in front of him spoke and her mouth grabbed his attention. An undeniable, unconscious pull stormed in his stomach as he swallowed a breath and tried his best to not focus on the temporary water drops hanging from the curve of her lower lip. 

He rather focused on other things — things that couldn't attract him — and did the stupidity to trail his gaze down her face to her neck. That spot was a whole different park of seduction. 

Her curls stuck to the sides of her neck like waves and waves of melted bronze poured around her porcelain face and glistening water veins made him follow the drops, until they teased their way into the sleak valley of her cleavage. He quickly palmed a hand over his face, closing his eyes and groaning into his palm. 

What the hell was happening to him?

He didn't look at her again and swallowed at the amazing physical reaction he showed to her. He was already hard. So much that it was getting uncomfortable and every look of hers was making the situation worse. He had never reacted in such a way before and her effect on his body was unconvincing. 

He peeked through his fingers and cursed the timing as she brushed both hands down her face, wiping the wetness and swam to him, glaring at him incessantly. He didn't even give a hand to her because his skin was burning hot. He feared if he touched her, he'd definitely burn her too. 

"I'm sorry. Let me help you," Veer offered when he saw her struggling to get out of the pool due to her shoes. Before she could take his hand, Ranvijay immediately clasped her soft hand into his firm reach and realized his mistake.

A tornado of frustrating sparks smacked him with a powerful stroke. Her feather touch transformed his semi inflated length into a raging boner and he left her hand with a jerk. Due to that, the girl fell back into the pool with a squeal. Veer eyed Ranvijay with a strange, dumbfounded look. 

"What the hell are you doing, man?" The girl snarled at him, balancing herself quicker than the first time. Veer stepped back from them as Ranvijay stood up and muttered an apology, giving her a hand again. "I'm sorry. Here!" 

"No way! I'll get out of my own." She refused him and he insisted, "I don't think so. Your shoes are heavier due to the water. Give me your hand. I promise I won't leave you!"

She sighed and wrapped fingers around his palm. Ranvijay pulled her with enough strength and she climbed out of the pool. The force of her body made him backpedal a little with her latched onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her steady and inhaling the strong scent of her grape body wash. 

He looked down at her. Her forehead was in the reach of his lips and her shallow breaths were heating the column of his neck. Her body was flushing against him and he wondered if she could feel his warmth. His eyes refused to look at his brother and his guards who were watching the scenario with their jaws touching the ground. 

Ranvijay rolled his eyes and cleared his throat. The girl tensed and looked up at his face. Up close, her eyes were beautiful and they locked on his face. He didn't know what she was thinking but if she didn't move back within a blink of an eye, he was definitely going to do something very stupid and highly unethical. 

"I'm sorry!" And, he regretted that she really moved back before he could blink. But it was satisfying to see the tint of pink on her cheeks, only he didn't know that it wasn't the blush but extreme anger. She frowned at him and raised an eyebrow up, "Are you blind or something? How hard is it to walk carefully without knocking people on your way?”

Ranvijay blinked twice. Of course, it was his fault. "I…" He cleared his throat, tried to force something out, weaving excuses in the back of his mind but he came up blank. She was right. He had blindly crashed into her when she was minding her own business, and he was no way going to tell her exactly why that happened. 

"I'm sorry," He sincerely apologized but she wasn't in the mood to accept it. She threw her hands in the air, her voice aiming higher pitch. "I could've been dead. What if I didn't know how to swim? You pushed me into the pool. Twice!" 

Although there was nothing funny about it, Ranvijay found the whole situation hilarious. He snuck a sideways glance at his team and they were still standing with their jaws open whereas Veer looked like he didn't believe it was actually happening. The moment was gone. Ranvijay was actually feeling on the wrong foot. 

No one ever raised voice at him. Never. He never tolerated anyone speaking to him like that. No one even dared to, and for the first time, he didn't know whether he was enjoying the way she was shouting at him or finding it oddly comforting. Was there anything about her tone that could possibly make him feel like she was claiming her rights on him? 

No, absolutely not. 

And, yet he wanted her to go on and on, shouting at him while he had her sitting on his lap and his head resting upon her chest. The thought was so scandalous that he thought he was going mad. To give vision to his imagination, she folded her arms over her chest and the outline of her breasts became more prominent to his sight. 

He quickly looked away and removed his suit jacket. "Come here!" He commanded as he did to everyone, but she flashed her eyebrows at him. "Excuse me?" 

Ranvijay scratched the tip of his nose and stepped forward. She tensed her forehead and was about to move back but he grabbed her forearm and stalled her, "Stop." 

"Hey, what are you…" Her words halted when he wrapped the jacket around her shoulders and adjusted the lapels over her chest, making sure she was hidden from the states. "You'll fall sick if you are going to lash on me without changing your dress." He looked into her eyes and said, "I'm sorry. I should have been careful." 

"It's okay!" She muttered and looked away from him, as if she was scared to look into his eyes. Ranvijay thought the things were sorted but frowned when the look in her eyes changed. He followed her gaze and found a tote floating in the pool. He winced internally. 

"My camera!" She gasped and pushed him away from her way to peek into the pool. She stuck her hair behind her ear and whined at the Nikon resting on the floor of the pool. The forgotten anger bounced back and she pointed a finger at him, "It's all your fault, you idiot!" 

"Hey! Mind your tongue, girl. Do you know who you're talking to? What are you doing here anyway? It's a private area." Veer scowled at her and Matsyaa retorted, "Oh, I know it's a private area. And I might ask you as well about what are you doing here?" 

Veer clenched his jaw at her attitude and took a threatening step ahead, "Listen, you…"

"Veer!" Ranvijay stopped him with a shake of his hand. He slanted his gaze on Matsyaa, "I'm sorry about that. I'll get your bag and camera. Just a minute!" 

"No, you don't have to…" Before she could finish, someone strode to them and called her name in an inquisitive voice, "Matsyaa, what's happening here?" 

Matsyaa looked over Ranvijay's shoulder and relief washed over her. Frowning, Ranvijay turned to see a guy standing there with a blank look on his face, looking at everyone, but specifically at the girl he just called Matsyaa. 

"Nothing. Let's go back home. I don't think we can meet the dean like this." Matsyaa answered, walking over to him and showing her state. Upon being asked what happened, she began to narrate everything. Ranvijay took the chance to read them. 

He put the guy somewhere in his mid twenties, and the way he was caressing Matsyaa's head and calming her down, he wasn't a random man. He was either from her family or her boyfriend. Ranvijay didn't like the second guess. It surprised him but he wanted her to be close to him only. 

He couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with their intimacy. It should be only his right to comfort her and make her smile. Not some random man who just showed up and she ran into his arms. Unknowingly, he was staring at them for so long that they both frowned slightly. 

"Prem Rathore!" The guy extended an arm with a casual smile and Ranvijay nodded, shaking hands but his eyes were on Matsyaa. "Ranvijay Singh Raghuvanshi!” 

Prem widened his eyes as if he recognised him and Ranvijay could feel his hand turning slack. He opened and closed his mouth many times before clearing his throat, "Sorry, Sir! She doesn't know you." 

"It's alright. I'm sorry about hurting your …?" Ranvijay looked at Prem for an answer who smiled, "My sister!" 

Ranvijay's internal world lightened up again and he continued, "Right. It was my fault, actually. Her camera is broken. I'll pay you for it." 

"No need for that, sir. We're fine! Right?" Prem rubbed Matsyaa's arm who nodded at Ranvijay and acted really sophisticated. She removed the coat and handed it to him, "Um, I overreacted I guess, but thanks for this and I'm sorry too. I was too occupied with myself. I should've been alert." 

"And I should've been watching!" Ranvijay attempted a joke. It worked as the corners of her lips crinkled. She shrugged, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Maybe! Have a good day!"

"I'm having one, Matsyaa." He said and saw her leaving with Prem without turning back once. If her anger allured him, her politeness made him surrender instantly and the moment she scuttled away with another man without glancing back at him, Ranvijay knew what he wanted in his empty and arid life.

It was her.

His mermaid.

His little kitten.

"Get me all on this girl." He said to no one in particular but the men knew. He didn't look away from her until she disappeared at the end of the lobby and his heart swelled in delight, finding a reason to hope, to love and to fight.

'Welcome to my world, Sweetheart!'