A/N : Contains explicit sexual content. Kindly skip the part if you're underage or uncomfortable.

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Now that Isha was comfortable with Avni, the day had been going on quite well & fun. They had learned alphabets and numbers. Avni had told her a story in between and Isha was visibly excited to listen to more of them. However, the excitement was shadowed by exhaustion around five in the evening when she became a bit cranky and sleepy. 

Avni put her to sleep for a quick nap and just when she was done with putting her down, a maid brought her coffee. 

A - Uh, listen! - she said when the maid was about to leave. 

M - Yes, Ma'am?

A - Could you make me an espresso please? - she asked while hiding a smile.

M - Sure. - the maid said as she started preparing the drink. 

Handing the mug over to her, the maid left and Avni smiled to herself as she grabbed the mugs of latte & espresso in her hands and walked out of the room after taking a one last glance at Isha. 

She bit the corner of her lower lip to hide a smile when she knocked at the door. However, the smile turned to a frown when there was no response. Stubbornly, she knocked again. 

She heard him grumbling at the same time she heard footsteps approaching the other end of the door.

Neil opened the door slightly as he stood at the door frame, blocking the inside view for Avni. 

A - Hi. - she grinned. 

N - What is it? - he spoke in his monotonous cold tone. However, Avni was a bit busy to acknowledge his rude question.

And what kept her busy was his skin fitting, chest hugging and muscle flexing black shirt that he was wearing. It was the first time that Avni was seeing Neil in something other than those sweaters or pullovers that he always wore as a uniform. Don't get her wrong, she did drool over him in them too, but him wearing a casual black shirt and loose blue denim was some another level of a thirst trap. 

N - Miss. Mehta? - he called and that made Avni jerk in her place. 

A - Uh, oh, I, actually, uh! The coffee! I..I brought you coffee - she finished, blinking her eyes rapidly to clear the haze she was in. 

N - I don't drink coffee. You may go now! - he was about to shut the door close but Avni slipped her leg in between to stop him from doing so.

A - May be you should start drinking then. Will help your grumpy mood! - she said. 

N - What do you want, Buttercup? - he asked while being visibly annoyed. 

A - Coffee. With you. I'll leave then, promise! - she said before she gave him her best smile. 

N - Fine. - he sighed. But you won't talk. - he warned. 

Smiling, Avni nodded as she entered the room when Neil opened the door fully for her to enter. 

Her eyes widened when she looked around while Neil just walked ahead towards the canvas that was placed at the corner of the room. 

A - What in the double cheese hamburgers! - she whispered as she turned her head around to look at the various paintings that were placed in the room. 

N - Excuse me? The deal was just for a coffee, I don't eat hamburgers! - he grumbled and Avni almost laughed. 

A - Oh my god, Mr. Khanna! Are these yours? - she asked, pointing towards the paintings. 

N - Oh, no! No. no! All yours! - he said with a sarcastic smile making her roll her eyes. 

A - I didn't know the CEO of world's top five real state investment companies is such a great artist. - she appreciated. 

N - Drink. The coffee will get cold. - he said as he grabbed the mug of espresso. 

A - Who is she, Mr. Khanna? - she asked while pointing to the portrait of an old lady wearing an Indian attire.

 N - My grandmother. - he sighed, knowing well that she was not going to shut up until & unless he gave her the answers she demanded. 

A - Tell me about her. - she asked as she sipped on her latte, taking the seat next to him. 

Neil turned his head around to look at her and so did Avni. She smiled up at him when their eyes met while Neil just blinked. 

N - Miss. Mehta, you-

A - Please. - she blinked and he looked away. 

N - We used to call her Bebe. She was a renowned artist back in India. Growing up, she used to teach me & my sister how to sketch and paint. It was our favorite activity to do. - a small smile grazed his mouth and Avni found herself smiling.

A - You miss her? - she asked softly. 

N - All the time! - he looked at her. I wish she was here to teach Isha. - a sigh left his mouth.

A - You can teach Isha! - she spoke. Their arms grazed against each others' as they sat next to each other. Neil's eyes went to their touching shoulders before he looked back at her. 

N - I am not as good as Bebe! - he cleared his throat as he scooted a little away from her.

A - That's okay. - she shrugged. You are you! And, all these painting are masterpieces, Mr. Khanna. - she looked around the numerous landscapes that he had painted, and the abstract paintings, the various portraits, they were all so heartwarming.

N - Do you know how to paint? - he asked, clearly trying to change the topic. However, in all honesty, he did want to know her too. He nodded in understanding when Avni shook her head in negative.

A - Will you teach me? - she perked up. 

N - I can't! - he sipped his espresso.

A - C'mon! Please. - she held his hand as she stood up from the chair that was placed adjacent to the wall.

N - Buttercup, I can't. - he said, still sitting while she tugged on his hand.

A - You can try. C'mon! - she tried to convince, finally when he stood up from the chair and she led him towards the blank canvas that he had placed at the corner of the room.

Avni grabbed a random brush and a small glass bottle that contained orange paint. Opening the lid of the bottle, she dipped the brush in it and then made a purposeless stroke on the canvas.

N - What are you doing? - he asked as he stood behind her while watching what she was doing.

A - I am painting! - she grinned while turning her neck to look at him.

All Neil could do was just shake his head as he watched her paint! Avni splashed a few strokes of orange before moving to red and then to ochre. When he thought that she could do with some inputs from him, he held the brush in her hand as he wrapped his fingers around her palm around the brush while he made her paint a wave of ochre through the patches of orange & red that she had painted. 

Avni bit on the corner of her lip as she let him lead her hands on the canvas and go with whatever he was doing. Her heart picked up speed when his chest brushed against her back as he swirled the brush around the canvas and then took some yellow to mix with the shade of red. She could smell his perfume of rich spices and countryside air, as she felt herself getting heady. Her body tingled when his breathe fell on her shoulders.

A - Mr. Khanna? - she uttered in a heavy voice.

N - Hm? - he was too involved in the painting now.

A - Why do you paint? - she turned her neck a little to look at him.

Avni swallowed at the fact how close their faces were, if she moved just an inch, their noses would touch. She bit on the corner of her lip as her eyes blinked under the scrutiny of his whiskey brown orbs. Neil's hand around her palm slipped down to her wrist as he looked at her. His eyes moved to her lips when she kept biting on them and he had to force himself to look up at her eyes. 

N - When it becomes too heavy to handle, I take it out on paper. These colours are my expressions. - he answered in a husky voice.

A - Why does it become heavy? - she whispered. 

N - You won't understand. - he whispered back. And it was lie. He knew that probably she was the only one who would understand, and he was too much of a mess to accept that. 

A - I'll try. - she assured as she blinked her eyes.

His hand slipped down her wrist to her hand and travelled up till her elbow. He then placed it at her abdomen as she leaned the side of her back to his arm while their eyes refused to leave each others'. Avni's lips parted on their own and her vision became foggy as her glasses fogged due to their hot breathes. Neil closed his eyes as he leaned in towards her mouth and just when he was about to get a taste, his phone rang. 

They jolted apart at the sudden noise and Avni's hand flew to her chest as she tried to calm her racing heart down, while Neil shut his eyes close when he cursed under his breathe. Taking in a deep breathe, he picked the call up and Avni could tell that whoever was on the other end of the call, wasn't speaking about something pleasant as Neil's expressions hardened in a minute while his palm curled into a fist. 

N - I'm on my way! - she heard him say before he disconnected the call and her brows furrowed in worry.

A - What-

N - Stay with Isha till I'm back. Okay? - he spoke before she could complete herself.

Avni bit on her lower lip out of nervousness as she nodded at him. He nodded at her back and then turned around to leave but she stopped him as she held his wrist. Neil frowned as he turned to look back at her. He raised his eyebrows at her in question.

A - Will you be okay? - she asked, eyes reflecting fear.

N - I want you to take care of yourself, Buttercup! - he held her cheek in his palm as he looked straight into her eyes. Can you do that? I'll try to come back soon! - he said in whisper and Avni nodded. 

Assuring her with a blink of his eye, he turned around and left while Avni exhaled a deep breathe. Her heart thundered against her chest as she watched him leave but she quickly fixed herself before making her way to Isha. 

The whole day had passed but there was no sign of Neil. No call, no text, no update and Avni could feel her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach. She had spent the rest of the day with Isha as she taught her numbers and some poems, but there was a constant thought lurking behind every moment. And it was Neil. If he was okay or not! What had happened that he looked so infuriated the time he left. 

It was eleven in the night when Avni finally made her way to the drawing room after putting Isha to sleep. She tried to scroll through her social media in order to distract herself and that was when she heard footsteps in the room. Instantly, she looked up and to her relief , it was him, but to her concern, he was bleeding and blood dripped through the deep cut wounds on his body. 

A - Are you okay? What is all this? Where had you been? Is everything alright? Why don't you say something? - she rumbled the words out as she walked up to him with shaky feet. For the first time, he looked scary. 

N - Ask the driver to drop you home. - he said in a cool distant voice.

A - Excuse me? - she was appalled at his audacity at that point.

N - Miss Mehta, its late. Go home! - he gave her one last glance before walking away.

She gritted her teeth in frustration when he did not let her reply and moved towards his bedroom. Fisting her palms, she followed him behind but before she could reach him, he had shut his door. 

She kept knocking at his door and it was only after good fifteen minutes that he opened. 

N - Why are you-

A - You asked me to stay here till you were back. So, I stayed. Now, you come back home with so much of blood dripping from your body and scaring the absolute wit out of me and then have the audacity to tell me to leave? I need an explanation, Mr. Khanna! - she exclaimed. 

N - There is nothing to explain. I just had a fist fight! - he brushed back his damp hair with his fingers. Avni noticed that he had taken a shower. She gritted her teeth at how easily he was lying to her, cause she wasn't stupid enough to think that it was because of some stupid fight. But knowing that she wouldn't get anything out of him at that moment, she dropped the topic as she tried to calm herself down by taking in a deep breathe.

A - Let me aid your wounds. - she said with a tone of finality and without giving him any notice, she pushed the door open as she entered the room.

Sighing, Neil walked to the drawer near his cupboard as he took the first aid box out and handed it over to her. He sat the edge of the bed while she stood in front of him.

She dabbed the cotton in the antiseptic liquid before starting to clean his wounds. Putting her warm palm on his cold shoulder, she slowly put the cotton on the cut that he had at the side of his chest. Digging her nails in his skin out of fright, she slid the cotton up to clean the skin however, Neil didn't even flinch. He kept watching her as she scrunched her nose up and then pulled her hand back time and again to adjust her glass frames.

Finished with the cleaning, Avni then took out the ointment tube from the first aid box before squeezing out the cream to apply on his wounds. She placed her left hand on his stomach as her other hand applied the ointment on his upper abdomen. She then shifted to the back and cleaned all his wounds before applying the medicine.

It was only when she was done with the task that she noticed he had a tattoo on his neck. Her fingers inadvertently reached out to touch his neck as she slowly moved her fingertips along Isha's name that he had inscribed there in a heartwarming design.

Neil took in a sharp breathe while she kept touching his back as he turned his head to look at her and their eyes met. Avni's eyes wandered down his face, settling on his mouth before she forced them back to his eyes. Neil's gaze dropped down to her lips before his hand stretched out and his thumb rested on her lower lip. His eyes travelled between her eyes and then back to her lips before he leaned forward and kissed her.

Avni's back bent back as she was taken aback by his sudden move. Her eyes closed shut as she kissed him back, slowly pressing her lips against his mouth while he did the same. Her hands wrung around his neck when he bent forward to grab her by her waist and shift her to his lap. Avni gasped as he pulled her closer to him before scooting a little back on the bed to sit comfortably. Neil slid his hand up her thigh while she descended her hand down his arm, feeling each & every muscle as her other arm enveloped his shoulder around itself. His cheek pressed into Avni's arm as she kissed his upper lip while his lower lip opened to suck on her chin.

Neil wrapped her thighs around his stomach before resting his hands at the sides of her waist as he slowly started to move her against his firmness. Avni had to break the kiss to catch some breathe as she pulled back and her thumb massaged his lower lip. Her eyes met Neil's and she could very clearly identify the longing that he held in his, cause it was the same she had in hers. She didn't know when it became so strong that it could tear apart the cold facade that he always covered himself in. But it didn't matter. Cause it just felt so good that she was wanted by someone whom she wanted back. So much. So desperately.

Her hips started to match his rhythm as he rolled his own hips to thrust into her. Their lips again found each others as their abdomens moved in perfect synchronisation. He nibbled on her lower lip as his hands snacked up her back before finally settling in her dense hair. Neil groaned into her mouth before putting his hands upon hers, moving them back to his neck as they had wandered down to his abdomen. And it was then that Avni realised that she had accidently pressed on one of his wounds.

Pulling back, she looked down to see if he was bleeding again, but much to her relief he was not.

A - Are you okay? - she whispered with concern audible in her voice.

Neil did not answer. He was taken aback at her innocence. Or stupidity was it? A humourless chuckle left his mouth as he shook his head while Avni just watched him in confusion.

A - What's wrong? - she asked.

N - Are you not afraid of me? - he found himself asking as he tilted his head to the side.

A - Should I be? - she frowned.

N - It's in your better interest to be, Buttercup! You should stay away from me. - he whispered as he tightened his hold on her waist.

A - What if I don't? - she moved against him as she held her head up.

N - It's late. You should leave. - he said in a tone with an underlying threat.

A - Why do you always try to run away whenever conversations start turning difficult? - she mumbled being utterly frustrated now.

N - Miss Mehta, I said leave. - he gritted his teeth.

A - Not until you finish what you started. Both the conversation and this thing down here! - she was adamant as she refused to leave, aggravating him even more. 

N - Fuck it! - he dug his fingers into the skin of her waist. You like making things difficult for me, don't you? - he rhetorically asked.

And he turned them around as Avni's back landed on the soft bed with a thud. Her chest pressed against Neil as he put her hands at the sides of her head, wrapping them with his long hands. He rolled his hips against her core with strong & powerful thrusts and Avni bit on her lower lip to stop the moan that were at the back of her throat. Her stomach clenched as she could feel him edging her, every move driving her insane.

N - Buttercup, neither is my life the fairytale that you think it is, nor am I the brooding hero you've mistaken me to be. So, the next time you see me, run away from me. - he gritted out every word every time he plunged into her. Do you understand? - his palm wrapping around her throat as his thumb pressed her pulse, not to choke her but just to make her slightly breathless.

A - No. - was her simple answer. Her small fist enveloped his wrist as she met each of his thrust with equal fervour and Neil frowned at her stubbornness.

N - Stop being stupid, Buttercup. And escape before I decide to cage you here with me, to me! - he whispered in her ear with one last thrust and she came undone as did he.

Neil slumped down next to her as both of them tried to catch their breathes. When he was sure that she had came back from the high of her orgasm, he sat up and then stood in front of her. Tugging on her hand, he made her stand and led her to the doorstep. Opening the door, he gently moved her out and left her hand while all Avni could do was to watch him. Hurt at his behaviour and disappointed upon herself to keep her hopes so high.

N - Now that I've finished what I started, kindly leave. Miss. Mehta! - he gritted out before slamming the door in front of her face but didn't miss the lone tear that escaped her eye.