Saving You

20.

Shradha was tired and lifeless after her little chat with Mrinal. She thought talking to someone would help her but she realised that it only made things worse. Escaping her lonely bubble felt like work and it was stressful. To clear things off, she tried making herself busy by cooking.

When she was called down for dinner, she rejected kindly as she wanted to eat something she made at their part of the kitchen. It was just an excuse to avoid anymore faces in the family. She wasn't ready to face them yet again. She was kidnapped and that kidnapping had caused a lot of damage to the house. She was in a way a reason for it and she didn't want anymore judgemental stares or reality checks like she got from Mrinal that morning.

Her mother-in-law must have got the memo as she didn't press further or force her downstairs for dinner like she did most of the time. They all simply left her alone.

"They all must have realised that I'm no use to this family." She said to herself while laughing at herself with pity.

"Who said that?" The voice of her husband from behind her made her drop the spatula with which she was stirring the soup. Shradha turned around startled.

Aditya stepped into the kitchen and scanned her from top to bottom while passing a look to the dishes that were in the making behind her on the stove.

He was dressed in a simple black shirt and pants, with combat boots. Gun holsters were strapped to his chest and there was a knife peaking up from his belt. She could see a smear of red by his wrist, like he had tried to rub it off but failed.
Has he killed tonight?

Anxiety twisted in her stomach.

'Lay down and pray that you get pregnant!'

Aditya began striding forward, tearing her attention back to him. He paused by the kitchen counter and once again eyed the food she was cooking. "Who said that?"

He asked the same question again and for a moment Shradha forgot the context. "Huh?"

"Who said that you are no use to this family?"

Shradha stared at him for a brief second and then sighed turning around to focus back on her dishes. They were done so she switched the stove off and began stirring one last time.

"No one did. I was just saying it to myself." Shradha did not realise that he was right behind her, until she felt his hot breath against her neck. She stiffened almost immediately at the contact of his hands on her bare stomach. She cursed herself for wearing a saree then but it was a Monday and she had thought her mother in law would call her for yet another meeting but she didn't.

"What makes you think so, my wife?" Shradha shuddered as his hands moved up to explore the curve of her breasts.

"Please. . .please stop." She managed to whisper out while wriggling out of his hold. He was holding her with the same hands that had the blood of another man.

He took a step back.

"Have you eaten?"

"No but I'm starving." He said with a glint of mischievnous that Shradha chose to ignore for her own good. Mrinal's words were fucking up her mind.

"Would you like some now or are you going to wash up first?" She asked eyeing once again at the smear of blood on his white shirt. He noticed her looking at it and raised his hands up and let out a laugh.

"Are you scared?" Tonight he was interacting too much that Shradha got suspicious. What had happened to him?

"Yes." She replied with no hesitation while taking out the plates to serve. She expected him to say something to mock her or laugh at her, but instead he walked to the room probably to freshen up.