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Pihu had everything ready the food was packed the water bottle sat in her bag fresh bandages antiseptic and pain medicine were carefully laid out she had even hidden a small flashlight at the bottom of her tote bag.

Everything was ready except her courage.

Pihu paced across her room her hands icy cold despite the warmth of the house her mind wouldn't stop racing.

"What if Dad comes back early? what if the guards see me? what if dev is bleeding out?

she stopped by the window and took a shaky breath."

Suddenly a loud car engine roared to life in the driveway.

Pihu froze she rushed out onto her balcony

Below her father was walking toward his black SUV surrounded by armed guards her heart hammered against her ribs.

"He's leaving."

She watched him reach for the door handle. But right before stepping inside vikram(her father) stopped he turned and looked straight up at her balcony.

Pihu's breath caught in her throat their eyes locked.

For one terrifying second she thought he knew she thought he could see the betrayal written across her face.

Then her father smiled a gentle fatherly smile. "Take care, Pihu."

Pihu forced her lips to move waving down at him. "You too dad."

She acted like nothing was wrong like she hadn't overheard him ordering dev's murder minutes ago like her heart wasn't screaming at her to hurry.

Her got inside and the heavy iron gates swung open pihu stood frozen watching the SUV shrink until it vanished down the road.

Only then did she exhale the breath trapped in her chest. "Please..." she whispered she spun around grabbed her bag and unlocked her door.

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DOWNSTAIRS

Pihu carefully checked the hallway empty she tiptoed down the grand stairs no staff in sight she glanced toward the main entrance the heavy guards were posted outside near the gates just as vikram(her father)had promised. None were inside.

She swallowed hard. "Please let this work."

She sprinted silently down the back corridor and pulled open the heavy basement door

"Dev?" she whispered into the cold dark.

No answer.

Pihu hurried down the creaking wooden stairs. "Dev?"

Dev was sitting against the concrete rod tied to the rod his head was slumped forward his eyes were closed he wasn't moving.

Pihu's bag slipped off her shoulder crashing to the floor. "Dev!"

Panic flooded her veins she dropped to her knees in front of him reaching out with shaking hands. "Dev!"

She touched his cheek cold.

"No, no, no... dev please!" She pressed her fingers against his neck desperately searching for a pulse. "Dev!"

Suddenly dev's eyes snapped open pihu gasped her whole body sagging with relief. "Oh my God..."

Tears of pure relief spilled over her lashes

Before she could stop herself she threw her arms around his neck hugging him tight.

Dev went completely still startled by the warmth of her wrap. "Pihu..."

Pihu pulled back and smacked his uninjured shoulder. "Don't ever do that again!"

Dev winced slightly looking bewildered. "Do what?"

"Scare me like that! I thought you were dead!"

"I was sleeping" Dev said his voice scratchy and low.

"I know that now!"she snap

Dev stared at her flushed tear stained face a faint almost invisible smile touched the corner of his lips. "You came back btw."

Pihu looked at him like he had asked the dumbest question in the world. "Of course I came back."

She grabbed the food container. "You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry." He replied

"Dev."

"I'm serious."dev said

"So am I." She popped open the container, holding a spoonful in front of him. "Eat."

Dev raised an eyebrow. "Do you always boss people around?"

"When someone is being stubborn and bleeding, yes."she said softly

Dev looked at the food then at her fierce expression and finally gave in.

Pihu fed him gave him water and carefully rebandaged his wounded side with fresh bandage..

________________________

**THE TRUTH**

When she finished pihu sat on the cold floor beside him her energy vanished replaced by a dark shadow.

"Dev..."

He looked down at her. "What is it?"

"My dad has a plan." Pihu looked down at her hands. "I heard him talking to his men before he left they're going after your business today they're cutting off your supply routes and targeting your friends."

Dev's dark eyes hardened into ice but he didn't look shocked.

"And then..." Pihu's voice broke into a whisper.

"They want to finish you he ordered them to make sure you don't leave this basement alive."

A heavy silence filled the freezing room dev looked at the floor giving a slow tight nod. "That sounds like Vikram."

Pihu stared at him her eyes wide. "You're not surprised?!"

"I knew he wouldn't let me walk out of here," Dev said calmly.

"Then you have to leave!" Pihu gripped his forearm. "Now! Before dad comes back!"

"Pihu but "He stopped while saying

"You aren't safe here dev!"She spoke nervously.

"I know." Dev gritted his teeth and tried to push himself up lil.

His knees buckled immediately his face draining of color as a sharp gasp of pain escaped his lips he hit the wall hard.

Pihu caught him instantly holding his torso up. "Dev!"

"I'm fine," he growled through clenched teeth, leaning heavily against her.

"No, you're not! you lost too much blood!"

Dev breathed heavily realizing his body was failing him. "I can't walk out of here on my own."

Pihu's heart sank. "What do we do?"

Dev closed his eyes, thinking fast. "Kabir."

"Who?"she asked in confusion

"My second in command my best friend." Dev nodded toward his discarded jacket on the floor. "There's a folded paper in the inner pocket a safe number paper i carried always."

Pihu reached into the blood stained coat and pulled out the slip of paper. "Kabir Malhotra..."

"Call him," Dev said. "Tell him where I am he'll bring the team and pull us out."

Pihu looked at the slip, then looked up with fear in her eyes. "I can't go outside to make a call right now."

"Why?"he asked

"Dad left extra guards at the gates," Pihu explained her voice trembling. "He told me to stay in my room if I walk out to the gates or try to leave the estate grounds the guards will alert him immediately."

Dev frowned realizing the trap they were in.

"If he suspects you're helping me he won't hesitate to lock you up too."

He looked at her for a long second then nodded softly. "You're right we wait."

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CLOSER IN THE DARK

Pihu sat right next to him against the damp wall. "I'll stay here with you until we figure a way out."

Dev looked at her softly. "You shouldn't be down here with me."

"I know."she said softly

"Then why are you doing this?"he asked looking into her eyes

Pihu didn't answer right away she looked into his dark tired eyes for the first time in two days the storm in her mind completely stopped.

No fear of her father no terror of the gunshots just one clear ringing truth that He needs me I feel some connections with Him

Without overthinking it pihu leaned up and gently pressed her lips to his temple.

Dev froze completely his breath caught in his throat.

Pihu pulled back instantly her cheeks turning bright crimson neither of them said a word.

The basement suddenly felt quiet.

Dev stared at her shock clearly written across his sharp features.

Pihu quickly looked away at the concrete floor. "I... I don't know why I did that."

Dev's voice dropped to a low quiet murmur. "Neither do I."

A small nervous smile touched Pihu's lips she shifted a bit closer resting her side against his arm. "We're stuck here until Dad comes back."

"Not stuck," Dev corrected softly a tiny smirk flickering on his face. "Waiting."

"That's a very dangerous way to describe being trapped in a cellar."she said

"Maybe."he replied

As the minutes passed dev's eyelids grew heavy the sheer exhaustion and blood loss were pulling him under he slowly leaned over letting his dark head rest gently in pihu's lap.

Pihu went stiff for a fraction of a second.

Dev looked up at her through half lidded eyes. "Is this okay?"

Pihu swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah. It's okay."

He closed his eyes settling against her pihu raised her hand her fingers trembling slightly before she softly ran them through his thick dark hair careful not to jostle his injured shoulder.

Dev let out a long quiet sigh. "You're really doing this."

"Doing what?"she asked

"Rescuing the devil."he replied

Pihu looked down at his face her voice dropping to a gentle whisper. "I don't know what's going to happen when my father gets back but I know I can't let him kill you."

Dev's jaw tightened slightly. "He's your father, Pihu."

A tear slipped silently down Pihu's cheek. "I love him but I don't know who he is anymore."

Dev stayed silent letting her words echo in the dark room.

"You shouldn't have to choose between your family and doing what's right," Dev said quietly.

Pihu closed her eyes, letting another tear fall into his dark hair. "I think I already made my choice."

Dev didn't reply h simply reached up with his hand finding her cold fingers and held them tight.

Outside the storm

raged on and Vikram was setting his trap to destroy everything Dev owned but inside the dark basement the line between enemies had vanished maybe and neither of them was going back.

TO BE CONTINUED... 🖤

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