WARNING! VIOLENCE AHEAD. SKIP THIS CHAPTER IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH VIOLENCE.

Dev froze. He could not feel any pain. He saw people quickly rushing out of the rooms. The guards of his mafia had entered inside the hall and were rescuing people out of the room.

Dev wondered how being hit by a bullet was as though nothing had happened.

Not even a sting.

He saw Sonakshi's eyes widen in pain. As soon as she had heard the sound of the bullet, she twirled Dev around so as to take the bullet on herself. The bullet hit her in the back.

Dev looked at her appalled. Her eyes were bloodshot showing she was in immense pain. There were tears in her eyes. He looked at her losing balance. He gripped her safely. He felt her blood in his hands.

He wanted to murder whoever had shot her. She was not a target.

It was supposed to be him.

He picked her up in bridal style. Her eyes were closing slowly.

"Don't close your eyes, Mia Bella," He commanded her. His eyes were glued to Sonakshi's face. Arjun rushed to Dev.

"Dev, I called the ambulance, it will reach here in a few seconds. Take her to the door," Arjun said, "I will handle the situation here."

"I want that man alive," Dev said menacingly. He moved towards the door with Sonakshi when a couple blocked him.

"Give her to me," The man said, his eyes spitting fire. The woman just stood next to him.

The man was giving him a death glare. This was not his priority as to who the man was and what he wanted. His priority was Sonakshi who was collapsing in his arms.

"Excuse me, whoever you are. Please move out of the way. I need to save my girlfriend," Dev said trying to move out of the doorway.

"Cut the crap Devrath Dixit and give my sister to me," The masked man said in an angry tone.

"Who the hell are you?" Dev asked, getting impatient. Sonakshi's condition was panicking him. She was his priority.

"Suraj Sharma," The man said removing his mask. Dev stood rooted at his place.

Thankfully, they were near the door and most of the people in the hall had been rescued from the back doors. No one was there to witness Suraj Sharma remove his mask and take his sister from her lover's arms and rush to the ambulance that had just arrived.

Suraj had not allowed Dev inside the ambulance. Now, Dev had no other option except to follow the ambulance to the hospital. He took one of the black cars that had been parked outside. His car was exactly behind the ambulance. His phone was ringing continuously. Dev did not pick up his parents' calls even once out of the hundred calls they made.

His concentration was only on the fact that SONAKSHI HAD TO BE FINE!

She can't leave me! He thought.

The ambulance reached AIIMS Delhi. The sight in front of Dev broke him into pieces. Sonakshi was on a stretcher. She was unconscious. They had put on an oxygen mask for her to breathe. Her body had turned pale. She was not moving.

She was rushed into the hospital with Suraj and his girlfriend with her. Dev was going to follow them into the hospital when his phone started ringing again.

It was his parents. He picked up the call this time.

"Dev?" His mother's voice came out full of panic and worry.

"Maa..." Dev's voice cracked, "I am at AIIMS Delhi. Please I need you."

"What happened Dev? Are you hurt?" Ishwari asked, horrified that Dev was at the hospital.

He just said one word before ending the call, 

"Sonakshi."

Suraj was standing outside the Operation Theatre. He had filled up all the forms and completed all the formalities. Sonakshi was being treated inside.

When he had seen Sonakshi getting hit, he felt like someone had hurt him instead of her.

He was Sonakshi's elder brother but for him, she was like his child. His first child to whom he had taught how to walk, talk, run, play pranks and so much more. Whenever she smiled, it warmed him up, and whenever she cried, it pained him in his heart.

She was the part of him that he loved the most. He loved it when she called him 'Bhai'. He did not care that she played pranks on him or was stupid at times. She was his sister.

Looking at her being hit and going limp was a horrible nightmare that Suraj wanted to get up from. But it was not a nightmare, it was reality.

His sister had been shot!

She was fighting for her life inside that Operation Theatre.

He got his mother's call. He picked it up. He had to inform their parents. They would have come to know what had happened at the party and would have anyway seen it in the media. He regretted not stopping Sonakshi from coming here. He regretted listening to Aahana.

Flashback

SURAJ'S POV

We all were having dinner. Suddenly Sonakshi spoke.

"Dad! I want to ask you something," She started.

We all turned to look at her. Dad just nodded.

"Umm Dad, as you already know Dixit Industries is hosting a fashion show, I am a part of the event management team so I would have to be there the whole Sunday," She said, looking at our father's face.

I was enraged. She wanted to enter a cave of wolves. Those Dixits could not be trusted.

How could she trust that Devrath?

I was going to shout at her but then I controlled myself as she had asked Dad's permission. Not me. Dad was thinking deeply.

I just hope he will think like a father rather than a businessman.

"You want to attend that?" Dad asked her.

"Yes," She affirmed.

Dad's dam of anger just burst. He threw the glass of water in his hand on the floor. A good reaction for once in his life.

Thank God! At least once he showed his concern for Sona.

"First and foremost Sona, Dixits and Sharmas are rivals. The only reason you are working in that company is to spy for us, Sona. Moreover, Devrath Dixit is a two-faced man. I don't trust him, dear. I don't want to lose you," Dad spoke.

Wow, Dad! Just Wow! I thought you cared about Sona for once in my life but then you spit out that she is nothing but a pawn in your game that you don't want to lose.

She then turned to look at me. I was going to open my mouth to say something but the ring on her right-hand finger caught my attention.

No, it is not an engagement ring. I need to speak to Sona about this. This issue of Devrath Dixit must be handled soon. First, he kisses my sister, then takes her to the hospital when she gets a panic attack, and called me up when Sona needed me. Now, she has a ring on her finger. I need to know what the heck is going on.

She then looked at my mom. I too turned to see my mother's reaction. She was looking different. I had never seen her lose her temper. Looking at her red face, I knew she would yell at Sona very badly.

Get ready to be yelled at, Angel.

But, something unexpected happened.

Mom started yelling at Dad!

"How dare you! How dare you put restrictions on my daughter Shekhar Sharma! All these years, I stayed by you as a perfect wife sometimes even neglecting the wants of my children. Today I am not going to stay quiet. You cannot control the lives of my children. They are not your pawns. They are your flesh and blood. They have feelings. They are not rocks not to feel anything when their father is toying around with them," Mom yelled at him.

This looks more interesting than a movie.

Where is the damn popcorn?

Much better than those Indian daily soaps that have the mother always being an obedient wife of the father.

"Madhuri..." Dad started.

You are screwed, Dad!

You deserve this!

"No one interrupts me. It is high time I become the strong woman Madhu Dixit that I was, rather than the soft-spoken Madhuri Sharma." Mom said

Wait a minute!

My Mother is Madhu Dixit!

So, this means that Devrath is our cousin brother!

What the hell!

I can't even kill him now that he will be blood-related!

"You are Madhu Dixit, Mom?" I asked her just to be sure, "Raghunath Dixit's sister?"

"I am his adopted cousin," Mom said.

YAYYY! I can kill Dev Dixit for eyeing my sister!

This calls for a celebration!

"Listen up Shekhar. My children are not your puppets. They have their own desires, dreams, and goals. If my daughter wants to go to the fashion show and my brother's anniversary party after that, you will not stop her. You have restricted her enough. Now onwards, I make the rules and everyone else listen," Mom yelled, her eyes furiously turned at my father.

I wanted to say something about Sona not going to that event but then mom glared at me signing me to not open my mouth. I swear, my mom looked like Lady Hitler, completely badass. If looks could kill, we would be having our funerals this instant.

Thankfully looks don't kill!

I went into my room after dinner. I planned to speak to Sona after dinner.

My phone rang. It was Aahana calling.

"Hi Cherry," I greeted her.

"What's up Mr Boyfriend?" She asked me.

"The sky," I replied.

Poor Joke. I know.

I could hear her huffing in anger at my PJ.

"OK Fine. Sonakshi wants to go to the Dixits' event tomorrow. I don't trust that Devrath at all. I don't want Sona to go there but mom has said no one can stop Sona from going to the event," I said in one breath.

"I think your mother is right Suraj," She said.

What the Hell! Why was Aahana supporting mom on the statement that Sonakshi should go to the event?

"Why Aahana?" I said, losing my temper now, "Why do you think I should allow my sister to go to the events hosted by our biggest rivals? Why should I let my sister walk into the lion's den? To get killed?"

I yelled at her releasing my frustration. She didn't say a word as long as I was yelling. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke.

"It is good you have released all your frustration. Now listen to what I have to say. I think your sister is old enough for deciding her life Suraj. You should not get paranoid. You know that Sona has gone through terrible things that no one has ever faced among all of us. She is strong Suraj," she said.

"I do not want her to face anything like what had happened seven years ago. She has had enough trouble for a lifetime, Aahana. I want her safe," I said.

I still remember that day seven years ago. It changed our lives.

It was the first time I had failed to protect Sona.

I wanted her happy.

I WANTED HER TO BE SAFE!

"Suraj, give a chance to Devrath. I think he will protect her," Aahana said.

I decided for once in my life after that incident to allow Sonakshi to do as she wished.

Flashback Ends

Suraj glared at Aahana. He then saw Devrath walking in their direction. Suraj walked in front of him to stop him.

Dev felt relieved to look at Suraj. At least Suraj would be able to tell him whether Sonakshi would be fine.

"How is she?" Dev asked his voice full of worry.

Suraj gave Dev nothing but a cold stare. Suraj was appalled at what he had witnessed in the day.

Devrath Dixit loved his sister.

His sister had worn a ring gifted to her by Devrath Dixit.

He was going to accept them as a couple after seeing his sister's happiness throughout the event but what happened in the end, made him furious. He could see genuine love and worry for his sister in Devrath's eyes just the way he had love for Aahana, but Devrath was unable to protect his sister.

"Suraj Sharma, I asked how is Sonakshi?" Dev said, a bit louder.

"It should not matter to you what happens to my daughter as you planned it, Dixit," The cold voice of Shekhar Sharma entered the air of the hospital.

"I did not sir," Dev said, "I LOVE HER!"

"Then why did you try killing her?" Shekhar asked, "Like father, like son."

"Don't accuse my son of things he has not done, Shekhar," The powerful voice of Raghunath Dixit resounded in the corridor.

"Oh, so you planned to kill her?" Shekhar asked mockingly.

"No. I did not. She is my niece," Raghunath said.

"She is not blood-related. So, please stay away from my family," Shekhar said.

"I am afraid we can't," Ishwari said, "Dev and Sonakshi like each other."

"Then why was your family not able to protect my daughter, Bhabhi?" Madhuri asked Ishwari while sobbing, "My Sona has faced enough for a lifetime."

"Madhu," Raghunath called out, extending his arms out for his sister.

Madhuri glanced at Shekhar who was asking her not to go to her brother. Madhuri disobeyed him. She ran into Raghunath's arms who comforted her with his brotherly warmth.

"Dev dear, sit down," Ishwari said to her son.

Dev had been standing near the door of the operation theatre as soon as he had got a chance.

Dev just walked to Ishwari and sat down on the ground and put his head on her lap. She stroked his heading trying to soothe him. Dev started crying.

"It is my fault Maa," He sobbed, "I should have been the one to get hit by the bullet. Not her."

"Shh... She will be fine," Ishwari said.

"I ... I love her Maa. I don't want to lose her," He said.

After a few minutes, Dev got a call from Arjun. He picked it up.

"Dev, we have caught the shooter. Should we punish him?" Arjun asked him.

"No. Don't touch him. Only I will deal with him. Where are you?" Dev asked, his voice cold.

"We are in the parking of the hospital," Arjun replied.

"Get all the cameras there to stop recording. No one should get any proof. I am coming," Dev said.

Dev just walked out as fast as he could, leaving all the people in the corridor outside the operating theatre in shock. Dev walked to the parking area. Arjun was waiting with some of their men there. There on his knees was the shooter.

Dev walked towards him. He looked all around. No one was witnessing what was happening in the parking area.

"We have sealed the area. No one can hear outside this area for an hour." Arjun said.

Arjun could see Dev was in a broken state. His eyes were bloodshot. His hair was messed up. His dress had some blood on him, and his hands still had Sonakshi's blood. Arjun knew Dev would turn into Devil to take his revenge. No one could stop him from becoming cold and ruthless at this instant.

Dev's face was raging, and he was shaking in anger. Sonakshi's helpless state flashed in front of his eyes.

He walked to the shooter and gave him a powerful blow to his face. He then gripped the jaw of the shooter digging his nails into the skin on his face and drawing blood.

"What's your name?" Dev gritted.

"Aaa... Akarsh," The shooter whimpered in pain.

"Who sent you?" Dev growled.

The shooter kept his mouth shut. This made Dev even more furious.

"Get a bucket of burning hot water this instant!" He commanded. One of his men ran to fetch what Dev had asked for.

The shooter's eyes widened in fear. The bucket of water was brought and kept next to Dev. Dev put the shooter's head into the hot water. The shooter screamed in agony as the hot water was hurting him. After a few minutes, Dev pulled him out by the hair.

"Now tell me Akarsh, who sent you?" Dev asked again.

"I...I can't t...te...tell you," the shooter whimpered.

Dev put his head into another bucket of hot water. Akarsh's screams filled the parking lot. The Sonos, devices that blocked the sound, did not allow even a decibel of his screams to escape the parking lot.

After a few minutes, Dev pulled Akarsh's head out of the water.

"I am asking you one last time, who sent you?" Dev yelled at him

"R...R...Ra...Rav...Ravit Raheja," Akarsh stuttered.

Dev lost control. He kicked Akarsh with his leg.

"Why did he send you?" Dev roared.

Akarsh was quiet again. Dev picked up a knife from the weapons that Arjun had brought with him.

"I asked why did he send you?" Dev yelled, putting the knife at his throat.

"To kill...kill you," Akarsh blurted out.

"Then why did you miss your aim?" Dev shouted, slashing the knife on the shooter's shoulder, "Why did your bullet hit the girl I was dancing with?"

The gunman clutched his shoulder trying to control the pain. Dev took out his gun and shot him in the shoulder. The shooter yelled out in pain, but not one of the men standing in that parking lot felt any pity for him.

"Your bullet hit my love, My Mia Bella!" Dev said coldly, "You will not survive out of this place."

The man was frightened, and he fell at Dev's feet, "Please spare me. I did it on Raven's saying."

"But you did not kill me, did you? You hurt my love. My love," Dev yelled, grabbing him by the hair.

"Please forgive me, sir. I have a family," Akarsh pleaded.

Dev gave out a humourless chuckle. His voice was devoid of any emotion.

"The family you killed. Am I right Akarsh Jatar?" Dev said, giving a cold glare.

The look that Dev was giving sent shivers down the spine of the man begging for mercy at his feet. Dev's cold eyes boreholes into his soul.

"You killed your own wife and unborn child. Am I right?" Dev asked him.

The shooter just nodded. He had been caught. There was no escape from death now.

"You have no family. You dared to shoot me. You shot my girlfriend. You then finally lie to me. What do you deserve, Akarsh?" Dev asked him

"Sir, please show me some mercy," The hitman pleaded.

"Did you show my girlfriend any mercy? You could have tried shooting me when I would be alone," Dev snarled, "Did you show mercy to your own wife? No right? Tell me, why I should show any mercy to you?"

The gunman stayed mum. His game was up.

"YOU DON'T DESERVE ANY MERCY!" Dev yelled and kicked him.

Dev put his gun near the hitman's head.

"Get ready to rot in Hell," Dev smirked coldly.

It was a look that his men easily identified. The look signified that their boss was not going to show any mercy.

He was going to kill like a DEVIL!

Dev removed the gun from the shooter's head. He walked towards the weapons Arjun had brought for him. He picked up a large knife along with a hammer and walked towards the shooter.

Sonakshi's panicked scream of his name resounded in his mind.

He stabbed the man in his gut. He hit the man with the hammer on his back. The man shrieked in pain. Dev showed no mercy.

"Which hand did you shoot the bullet?" Dev roared at the gunman.

The man said whimpering with pain, "Right Hand."

"Put it forward," Dev yelled.

The man did so.

Dev remembered Sonakshi's eyes widening in pain after getting shot.

Dev cut off the man's index finger in fury. The man yelled in pain. Blood was rushing out of the place where his finger was at a fast pace.

Dev started laughing as though he was mad, "That is your punishment for leaving the bullet at the wrong target."

Sonakshi's bloodshot eyes flashed in his mind.

Dev cut off the remaining fingers on the right hand of the hitman. The shriek of the man resounded in the parking lot.

"This is for holding the gun that shot my love," Dev growled.

The man was losing a lot of blood. He was becoming frail.

Dev recalled the tears of pain that flowed from Sonakshi's eyes.

He slashed off the right hand of the shooter.

"This is the hand that shot my love," Dev screamed, and his knees gave up.

He fell to the ground on his knees. His eyes were filled with agony. They had a fire that could scare even the meanest of men.

Dev was in a very emotionally unstable condition. He feared losing Sonakshi. For the first time, he felt empty. He felt he was the culprit too.

Sonakshi had come in front of the bullet to save ME! A DEVIL LIKE ME!
She was fighting between life and death because of ME!
She was in danger because she was close to ME!

Arjun was watching Dev. Arjun felt as though he was stabbed in the heart when he saw his best friend's condition. Not once had Dev fallen weak. Dev was his best friend. Arjun had felt a choking feeling in his throat when he saw the dead look in his eyes in the beginning. He could see that Dev was in a condition where he would self-blame.

Arjun walked forward. He gulped as he saw the fire in Dev's eyes. He shuddered to look at the agonized condition of his friend.

His sane mind was asking him to get back to the place where he was standing earlier and stay mum and not mess with a furious Dev.

But Arjun was insane. He walked ahead till he reached Dev. Dev looked at Arjun with his fierce look. Arjun knelt down next to Dev. Dev flinched at his touch.

Ouch!

Arjun was hurt that Dev was giving a cold shoulder to him. The gunman in the distance was whimpering in pain.

"Dev! Complete your revenge. Kill him, Dev," Arjun said to him.

"Sona," only one word came out of Dev's mouth.

"She will be fine Dev. She is a strong woman," Arjun said, comforting him, "Now, finish him off. One hour is almost ending. Ten minutes are left."

Dev nodded. He was back into his cold mode.

Dev reminisced the feeling of Sonakshi's blood on his hands.

Dev walked to the whimpering man who was losing a lot of blood already and cut off the gunman's left arm. The man did not have too much energy to even shout now.

Dev reminisced Sonakshi saying I LOVE YOU, DEV! The scene of Sonakshi lying lifeless on the stretcher flashed in front of him.

He picked up an axe and walked towards the already dying man. His memories of the beautiful moments spent with Sona were flashing in his mind building up his anger. 

He slashed off the heat of the shooter with the axe in his hand. The head of the man rolled down on the floor.

Dev stood rooted at the spot. All his men were scared looking at him. His clothes had more blood on them. His face had blood spots. His eyes were bloodshot. His mouth still twitched with rage. The axe in his hand had a stream of blood flowing from it.

"Dispose off his body," Dev said to Arjun.

Arjun signalled to the men standing around them. The men nodded and got to work. Arjun walked to Dev slowly. He could hear Dev saying something.

"Ravit. You tried to get rid of me. Now, wait and watch. No tie of blood can save you from Devil's wrath. I will myself come after you to finish the bloody game you have started," Dev murmured.

Arjun gave Dev a fresh set of clothes. Anyone who would look at Dev in this condition would become afraid of him.

"How many more minutes till the cameras start functioning again?" Dev asked Arjun after calming down.

"Four minutes exactly," Dev nodded and went into his car which had tinted glasses and wore the fresh set of clothes that Arjun had brought for him.

He walked out of the car with clothes that were soaked with blood. He put them in a plastic bag.

"How much more time?" Dev asked

"153 seconds," Arjun said.

"Everyone moves out of here this instant," Dev commanded his men.

In a few seconds, everyone was out. The body had been disposed of. His men got back into their cars to leave. Dev was going back to the hospital. He was hoping the operation would be done soon. He saw Arjun standing outside. Arjun had not left the place.

"Arjun, come with me," Dev said suddenly.

"Where?" Arjun asked confused.

"Inside the hospital," Dev said.

"But why?" Arjun asked trying to hide his happiness that Dev had read his mind that he too wanted to see if Sonakshi was fine.

"I need you. You are my friend and, YOU ARE SONAKSHI'S FRIEND," Dev said to him.

Arjun's eyes got a bit misty when he remembered how Sonakshi had called him her friend. He nodded and walked up to Dev. Both of them entered the hospital and walked towards the Operation theatre. They were greeted by faces that were worried even more than they were before he left.

"What happened?" Dev asked.

"Sonakshi needs blood urgently. Her group of blood is not available. Nor is the O blood group available in any blood banks," Ishwari said.

"My blood group is O+ve," Arjun said.

Dev felt relieved. He joined his hands in front of Arjun.

"Thanks a lot, Arjun," He said.

"Cut the crap, Dev. I am Sonakshi's friend too. Now move. I need to go and donate my blood," Arjun said.

After donating his blood Arjun was back. It was a painful wait outside the Operation theatre. No one spoke even a word. All were praying for Sonakshi to be fine.

The doctor walked out of the Operation theatre with a grim face.

There was only one thought running through Dev's mind,

I CAN'T LOSE YOU!

WORD COUNT: 4300 Words

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