Madhu woke up & walked out of the bedroom & found her husband sipping coffee & reading newspaper as he stood near the balcony.

"How is your hand?" She asked him as she stood behind him.

"Good morning." Rk greeted her turning to her side & judicially ignoring to reply to her question.

"You know you look lovely... all mussed up." He said dryly. She didnt know whether it was a compliment or he was teasing her appearance. 

"No one will look beautiful the moment they wake up in the morning... Well, you do... But then you are an exception."

"I just said you look lovely. You should learn to take compliment."

"Then you should learn the art of being romantic. The way you said 'you look lovely' sounded to me as 'you look ugly'..."

"You want coffee?" 

"Yes." She said & snatched his coffee mug thinking he was offering his coffee. She took a sip without looking at him while he smirked at her, then he went back to read the newspaper. 

"What you want for breakfast?" Rk asked.

"I will cook?"

"No, I will cook. Last night you cooked..."

"But you didn't eat."

"I came late."

"So what? You could have tasted it? For the first time I made something for you but you didn't even touch it." 

"What's the big deal in that? Anyway I will be eating your food from now on."

"Now I will cook breakfast as it's easy & you cook lunch."

"I don't mind cooking three times meal." 

"Oh good. Then do breakfast, lunch & dinner for us."

"Okay!" Rk shrugged as it wasn't a big deal. 

"Why are you so ratty?" Rk asked after a beat.

Madhu sighed. 

"I am sorry." She asked realizing she was very snappy.

"Are you bleeding?" Rk asked.

"How do you know?" Madhu asked with a frown, mortified. How the hell he could possibly guess she got her monthly?

"Hunch! You were too sensitive, & ready to snap me at every chance you get plus this little pimple on your cheek. Shall I pus it out for you?"

"No!" She shrieked & jumped a step back. "It will pain me." She covered her pimple with her palm. Rk shook his head at her. 

"So how many days? Three?"

"Yes!" She snapped getting embarrassed. "Why do you ask?"

"Such a good start nah?" Rk smirked. Madhu realized what he was meaning to say & that made her blush & to hide her blush she looked down. Suddenly looking down from such a height made her dizzy & she dropped the coffee mug from that height.

"Omg!" Madhu stepped back & held her husband's arm to steady herself from falling down. 

"Hey!" Rk gripped her by her waist & enveloped her in his arms.

"Rishab, please... Can we... Can we put a grill? This glass railing scares me. What if it breaks & I fall down from this height?"

"You are imagining too much, Madhu."

"Please." She breathed. 

"Okay fine. I will make the necessary arrangements." 

"Thanks." She hugged him in relief. 

"You are too weak, biwi, both physically & mentally." Rk muttered in disapproval.

"Sorry, I couldn't be the wife as you expected."

"I actually didn't have any expectations. After being ditched thrice I was ready to marry any girl my mom picks for me" 

"Ouch! You hurt me." Madhu said with a pout. "I thought you would say 'No, darling, you are beyond my expectation. You are just perfect for me' and something like that."

Rk gave her a look & shook his head in disbelief.

"You know what, Madhu? We are like the jigsaw puzzle. Two different pieces but we will fit together perfectly." He said & pecked her lips. 

"I guess I like this line better. It's somewhat close to a romantic line." Madhu said with a shy smile making him kiss her lips soundly.

"Eggs good for you for breakfast?" Rk asked as walked into the kitchen island

"I don't eat egg."

"Strange"

"I don't eat non veg"

"What? You serious?"

"Yes, I am pure vegetarian."

"Oh. I'm pure non vegetarian"

"Oh. Well, I don't mind you eating."

"Of course, I am gonna have. Why should I stop eating non veg just because you don't eat?" He asked her.

"I'm trying to be polite."

Rk shrugged in reply. "So what you will have?"

"Whatever you can make"

"Whole wheat bread toast & orange juice for you"

"I was hoping you will make aloo parathas" Madhu said cheekily.

"Why can't you tell that when I asked you what you want to eat?" He asked her irately.

"You don't have to cook anything for me. I will have bread-butter-jam. Thank you." She said & walked to the dining table.

After few minutes he joined her to the dining table with his breakfast plate. Without uttering a word, he ate his egg white omelet & she ate her bread.

"We should have interacted before marriage... we know nothing about each other." Madhu started as she couldn't keep her mouth shut for a while.

"Even now you can start knowing me."

"But nothing could change now. If I had got the opportunity to know your nature before then I wouldn't have married you."

"Am I that bad of a husband?" Rk asked in dry tone.

"Um... No... but I don't think we are best match. We are poles apart..."

"You don't have to regret marrying me. You still can get out of this tie... I am used to girls ditching me" Rk said emotionlessly.

"It's so easy for you to say!" She asked hurtfully.

"I'm just giving you a choice to choose your life."

"You are my choice! I am not going to leave you." Madhu vowed. He looked at Madhu for few good seconds to sink in what she said.

"Just three days we have been married so give us some time, Madhu."

"Just three days... but I have grown deep feelings for you." Madhu confessed looking down at her fingers.

"I know." Rk agreed. Then they went silent again.

"Last night..." Rk slowly started gauging Madhu's expression. She went completely pale. "You want to know?" He asked her doubtfully. He wasn't sure whether she will be able to handle all the shit he was facing.

"Only if you want to tell me"

"You know, Dutta?" Rk asked.

"The underworld don?" Madhu asked. Rk nodded his head in yes.

"He is dangerous" Madhu whispered. She had read a lot about him & his illegal business. He was the most wanted criminal but he was evading from the hands of police. getting into his fort was no less than getting into hell. She was glad her husband was back in one piece.

"We had an undercover operation. We went to encounter him last night but he escaped. We caught hold of two of his men." he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Madhu didn't know what to tell him, she just stood up from her chair & went around to his side & sat on his lap throwing her arms around his neck hugging him tight. He was surprised with her sudden action but then he hugged her back & kissed her head.

"Don't worry, you will catch him" she said to appease him.

"I didn't tell you I was worried! Of course I know I will kill him." Rk said tipping her chin up & looking at her eyes. She pouted her lips for his rude answer. He kissed her pouting lips.

"Will you be going to work?" Madhu asked.

"Nope. You?"

"I thought to go... but you are going to stay at home so I will also stay with you..."

"If you have important work you can go, I don't mind."

"No! I would like to stay with you."

"Okay. If you could get up, I will go take my shower."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Madhu stood up holding his injured hand.

"Iss..." he winced.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry" she repeated her apology as she gently caressed his hand. "You didn't get hurt anywhere else right?"

"Nope" he released her & headed straight to the bathroom.

--0--

"You okay?" Rk asked in concern seeing Madhu again on the bed curled up like a kitten

"Yeah..."

"Then go take your shower" Rk told as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Five minutes. My back is aching." She moaned.

"I guess you don't eat healthy. That's why you are too weak."

"You don't feed me healthy. You just gave me bread" she complained. Rk rolled his eyes.

"Okay, tell me clearly what you wanna eat for lunch?"

"Anything" She shrugged.

"Then once I cook something of my choice don't tell me I was hoping to eat shit!"

"You are so rude"

Rk closed his eyes & rubbed it with his fingers.

"I'll take you out for dinner." Rk said in a way of apology.

"Really?" Madhu asked hopefully. Rk nodded.

"A candle light dinner?"

"No, dinner at street side dhaba"

"Then I won't come with you." She said petulantly

"I was just teasing you. I will take you to a decent restaurant, okay?"

"Okay!" She grinned. He rolled his eyes again. Then she adjusted the throw pillow underneath her back & sighed in discomfort.

"Turn over. I will press your back." Rk offered.

"ACP Kundra will do that?" Madhu asked faking a shock though her eyes dance with mischief.

"Your husband will do. Roll up your shirt & lie on your front."

"Why roll up? I will just remove my shirt." She grinned & started to open her shirt button but he stopped her by holding her hands.

"Don't do that. Just show your back."

"Why?" Madhu asked confused.

"I don't want to get turned on, dammit" He barked at her making her roll to the edge of the bed.

Sighing, Rk gestures her to come nearer to him. Madhu slowly scoots close to him. "Madhu, I haven't had you yet... it feels... there is a limit to keep check on my pooling desire... so, don't test me okay?" He cooed softly to her.

"Okay!" Madhu smiled & he gave her a chaste kiss.

"Now turn around" he released her from his embrace & she flipped over & he rolled up her shirt exposing a little bit of her back. Then he gripped her waist with his hands on either side & with his thumbs he rubbed her back along the spine line.

"Aww... Gosh!" Madhu moaned in relief. "There... There... keep pressing... Gawddd! You are amazing, husband"

"Come on, move a little up."

"Here?"

"No, move little to the left side."

"Here?"

"Yeah, okay. Fix!" then he put little pressure on his thumb & massaged her back.

"Enough! Thank you" Madhu buried her head down on her pillow.

"You are so soft" Rk whispered as he adjusted her shirt covering her body.

"Well, your hands are so hard but you have some magic in it, my pain has gone with the wind." Madhu turned to her front, pulled him closer & kissed his cheek. Then stretching her hands & legs, she jumped out of the bed, energetically & walked to the bathroom.

--0--

"You ready?" Rk asked entering into their bedroom & stopped on track seeing Madhu in saree. She was wearing a black net saree & brushing her hair, standing in front of the mirror. He was in his trade mark white lenin shirt & blue jeans, looking dapper.

"Two minutes." She said looking at him through the mirror.

"Take all the time you need, biwi" He whispered not taking his eyes off her.

"Madhu, let your hair flow. Don't plait it"

"Okay" she blushed seeing his burning gaze on her.

"How do I look? And please don't give me your snarky comment."

"I won't say you have an hourglass figure... but you do look sexy in saree." He said in an impassioned tone.

"Come" he held his hand out for her. Overjoyed with his comment, she came dancing graciously to him & took his hand & to her surprise he swirled her & hugged her from behind & started swaying with her, burying his nose in her hair.

"You know to dance, ACP Sir?" Madhu asked in surprise & happily tightened his hold around her.

"It would appear so"

"Can't you ever give me a simple answer?" Madhu asked annoyed.

"Let's not start again. Come" He kissed her shoulder before releasing her from his hold. Smiling, Madhu hooked her hand in his arm & they walked out.

To be continued...

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