He stared into the night sky as he stood against his car, his one shoe rested back on the wheel. He took a drag and then blew the smike into he night sky. 

Screw the deal, don't think about it. 

He took yet another drag, trying to focus on the smell of smoke or the cold breeze of the night. The winds carried the scent of rain. He wondered if it will rain tonight.

That bastard showed you the middle finger in front of everyone by snatching an almost done deal. And you are thinking about the weather?

Frustrated he dropped the cigarette and crushed it under his shoe. He hated feeling humiliated. Off late, everything was falling out of place. First the new laws passed by the government that had stopped one of his projects. Now his nemesis from college days had showed up at his probable client's office and snatched the deal under his very nose.

He needed to calm down first and then think of his next move. Retaliation and anger didn't bring profits.

Go to a club, drink and drown in some female attention and blow the steam off. 

That seemed like a better idea than standing at this deserted parking lot and debating in his head. But his legs just didn't seem to move. He sighed, he had fallen into the trap of life. Life had reduced to mere race of making money where the one who minted maximum money won. It had been a while since ehe had actually partied or treated himself to some food quality one night stand.

That's it!

He decided he would take the night off and give himself the reward he deserved for coming so far. He turned around with an air of finality. He had barely placed his hand on the handle when he felt someone touch his arm and then grab it. He was ready to swing his arm.

 This mugger was dead.

He however stopped midway when his eyes caught a girl.

"What do you think of yourself?" She said loudly.

He stared at her. Was she talking to him?

"Fine, we fought. But you were really going to let me walk home alone?"

"Excuse me!" He muttered bewildered. 

Surprising the lady moved closer and grabbed his collar. "I am your wife. Yoi can't just abandon me like that. My dad's going to kill you if he finds out about this."

"Woman, hold on-" he exclaimed, pulling her hands off from his collar. Oh, such soft hands. Maybe she bad runaway from some mental hospital? Or perhaps this was all a trap?

He was further appalled when the woman's face shifted to show distress. He looked closely at her lips as she mouthed something. 

What was it? Lease? 

"Fine, I am sorry." She said. And them she was mouthing something again. Her eyes had tears. "I will never again argue about your work hours being hectic and you not paying attention to me."

He looked on curiously as she quickly rubbed the tear that rolled down her cheek from one of her eyes. 

He was in a state of shock when she stepped closer, threw her arms around his neck, and rested her chin on his shoulder. She smelt good he noted as her body moved closer to his.

Screw yourself, pervert!

"Two scary looking guys were shadowing me. I am really scared. Please help me." She whispered in his ears. "Behind the black sedan." 

His gaze immediately looked in the direction, and he spotted the black sedan. He couldn't see anybody.

Was he being played? Gangs of robbers had started working on cleverer modus operandi. Trapping into the emotions of people, using damsel in distress as bait and then attacking.

He placed one hand on her back and leaned closer to her ear. "How do I know you're genuine and not playing me?"

"God! Are you serious?" She whispered.

"I don't see anybody." He added.

"I am not trapping you or something. My bike broke down and I ran out of my balance on my phone. I was just walking to the main road to catch a taxi but then those two freaked me out." She spoke in a single breath.

"I can show you my Id proof, if you'd want. I have my license."

"Fine, hand it over." He said in a low soft whisper, trying to ignore the fact that his body was lowkey basking in female proximity. It had been a while he had been so close to a woman, honestly.

She quickly reached out for the driving license in the pocket of her Jeans and stepped away. "Your credit card that I snatched. I am sorry."

He grinned amused and took it. 'Siri Shetty!' He read the name. 

"Let's go home, honey!" He smiled pocketing her license.

She looked at him with hesitation. 

"Let me," he said walking around the car to the door of the passenger seat. She followed him close behind. He opened the door for her and leaned and whispered. "I will drop you wherever you want."

She glanced up at him, their eyes met. He noticed she had ligh brown eyes. She looked scared. He didn't know how to convince her that she didn't need to be scared of him. He didn't blame her for the lack of trust either. Their society was becoming a nasty place for women. Stupid men who were envious of women, the weaker human as they were tagged, flourishing in the different walks of life. Bloody predators!

They heard the sound of soft few steps and her eyes widened. She quickly got in the car, whispering, "please hurry".

He got to the other end and was about to step in when he felt something hit his shoulder. "Fuck," he groaned, placing his right hand on his left shoulder. He turned to see a man giving him a devilish smile. He also caught another man walking with another stick. 

Dammit. Dodge and run!

He made an attempt to grab the stick but his motive was to distract the person so that he could kick him in the shin. He was successful and the man fell on the ground. He immediately got on the cat seeing the other man sprint. Not wasting time he inserted the key only after locking the door of the car. 

"Shit shit shit!" She muttered looking horrified. 

He let out a groan as he moved his left hand. That man had given him a powerful blow. His shoulder pained. The pain was rapidly radiating down to his full arm. He managed to pull the car away.

"Which way?" He asked, looking in the side mirror. The other man was busy helping his companion who had been hit. 

She stared at him. "Your shoulder, your sure it's not bleeding or something?"

"No, definitely not bleeding. I hope it's not a broken bone. But I am glad you found me." He glanced at her. 

She smiled at him gratefully, "you're very nice."

"No. Not really. But I hate when men ... never mind. Where am I driving to?"

"Left from here!" She instructed looking warily at his shoulder. "I think you should stop by at a hospital."

He looked at her. "Is that my wife speaking?" He couldn't hold back from making that remark. An effortless smile popped up on his face when he noticed her smile and blush.

"Don't worry, I will be okay. Which area do you stay in?"

"Rangbhag street" She answered.

"So, you okay?"

"My heart's still beating like I watched a real nasty horror film."

He smiled, "relax. Although I feel the same way. Didn't see that dude targeting me."

"It's because of me. I am really sorry."

"You don't have to be. It's not your fault." He said.

"But--"

"You are fighting again!" He said with a grin.

She let out a soft chuckle. 

"What about your bike?"

She started narrating how she was returning from work when her bike broke down. She parked the bike with bo other option left as her phone had ran out of currency balance to use internet or call. She had started walking from the parking to the main road to catch a taxi or bus when she had noticed shadows following her. She had cleverly hidden in the shadows and hidden behind parked cars and then made a run towards the parking lot where she had spotted him smoking.

"Wow! Not bad."

"I had my pepper spray but those dudes were too well built for me to fight alone. I was scared."

"It's fine." He said to wash her guilt. She didn't have to be guilty about anything. She was the one who was the victim. 

He noticed her go silent and look uncomfortable. Perhaps she was rewinding the happenings in her head.

"Why did you make me your husband?" He asked to initiate a light talk.

She looked at him. "I don't know, that's the first thing that came to my mind. Besides, husbands are more protective then boyfriends and at the same time can do something as foolish as leaving their wife in the middle of the road."

He let out a laugh. "Nonsense! What about brother?"

She stared at him. "Brothers are over protective about their sisters, especially if it's in the dark night."

He laughed yet again. "I am glad you made me your husband then!"

She blushed. 

Was that counted as flirting?

"By the way, I hope your dad won't kill me now."

She grinned and then broke into a laughter. "Definitely not. Uh, that reminds me can I make  a call from your cell phone?"

"Sure," he said, absentmindedly moving his left hand to retrieve his phone from the pocket. He let out a groan, putting his arm back on the side placing his palm on his thigh. 

"Looks like you'll have trouble for a few days at least." She said worried.

"It's fine," he muttered, slowing the car. He used his right hand to retrieve the phone from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Thanks!" She said before quickly dialing a number. 

"Hello, Appa, I am fine!" He heard her say.  " I am on the way back. My bike broke down so a friend is dropping me home." 

He smiled listening to her.

Husband to friend! Women!

"Yes, Vaidy only! Okay. I ran out of the balance on my phone."

Wonderful, she named him 'Vaidy', seemingly.

"Okay, bye!" She said ending the call.

"Vaidy?" 

"He's a colleague and friend. I don't want him to be worried."

"Understandable!" He muttered, reading the sign board.

After some six minutes, he was pulling down the Rangbhaag street of Shantinagar. "Let me know where to stop." He said.

"Three buildings from here."

He immediately slowed the car, leaning forward to look at the apartments. Steadily putting the breaks before the third building. 

"Thanks a lot. I have no clue what I would have done if you weren't at the parking lot today."

"You would have found another way. " he said.

She smiled handing him his phone which she had held onto throughout the drive after she had made the call. He understood she felt more safe that way. 

"Thanks and take care of your shoulder." She replied unlocking the door of the car.

"Sure, honey!" He winked and she immediately smiled with a cute blush on her cheeks.

"Thanks Vaidy!" She winked and shut the door getting off the car. 

With a smile glowing on his face he started the car and drove past her as she waved. He leaned back on his seat. After days he felt proud of himself. He felt he had achieved something. It was so much more satisfying than waking up in the morning with  a hangover next to a girl he didn't even know the name of.

Little did he know this was only fate's way of giving a teaser of what was to come.

This story just came so naturally to me. I only had the initial scene in mind when I began writing and then it just flowed from there.

Let me know your thoughts. 

-Anami!♡