Chapter-4

I got to know that Prakash has someone working for him in my crew. I decided not to trust anyone but Shiva. He's the only one I trust apart from myself. He used to work for pedha anna(big brother) before I got into this business.

My father was involved in this business initially. Due to some gang wars, he and Amma are brutally murdered by framing their death as a car accident. 

I was around 15 when this happened. Since then Pedha Anna tried so hard to keep me out of this. But I ended up in this not more than 5 years after my parents' death. He also gained trust that I could handle things on my own. So he left the city to handle matters outside of the state with some friend of his. 

He assigned my care to his most trusted man, Shiva. I grew up having Shiva as my guide. Though he's just 5 years older than me, I feel like I have great support having him by my side. Ever since Shiva joined Anna, he used to take care of me. He dropped me at my college, took me wherever I asked to, and also got some punishments because of me. 

I stopped discussing further plans with everyone else in the crew. However, I do leave some traces which will help me catch the mole. 

We left for Charminar this morning.

I was asking about the recent happenings in the surroundings of Charminar.

I felt her.

My heart responds first before my eyes can. It escalates further. 

I can sense the presence of the poor angel. My poor angel. I wonder if she can see through my soul. Because every time I face her, I feel my soul burning out of her gaze. 

I found her. 

I wonder how punctual she is. I appreciate the mole for being so perfect in maintaining timings. Maybe I should make him train my gang to be punctual.

She started walking straight towards me. She strode towards me with grace. Her jhumkas are dancing, tickling her in the junction of her neck and shoulder. Her front hair starts to explore its freedom and falls onto her face. 

Just as I lock my eyes with hers, a ghost smile appears at the ends of her lips. 

"So who are you going to kill today?" her words pull me out of my train of thought. She stood with her hands folded and eyes confident.

But I can see the fear beneath it.

You are messing with the wrong one baby.

I walk to her. My breath is fanning her face. I can almost sense her tension beneath me. I'm not touching her. Yet I can sense the electricity passing through my nerves. She smells of jasmine perfume, lavender shampoo and something comforting. Home.  

My breath starts to betray me. I tried to cover it and I succeeded. Beads of sweat start to form on her forehead. 

It's not even been a week or so since I saw this girl. Yet I have realised that I fell for her. She made me fall for her.

From the next time, I'll tell Shiva to make my whiskey a bit dilute. This stuff is giving me a tough hangover.

I try hard to push away the thought of kissing her. 

"So who are you trying to record today?" I whisper. Keeping my tone in control.

She steps away. Good to know that I have the same effect on her as she does on me. 

She just turns and walks away. 

Her hair held in half pony, as usual, is struggling between the clip holding it together and the soft breeze around us made her hair touch my face.

I resisted the urge to close my eyes upon the touch of those locks of hair on my face. 

Her small red bindi in the junction of her brows adds extra detail to her face. It's one of the things that remind me of Amma. 

The lower edges of her long kurta are dancing at her feet from the wind due to the passing vehicles beside us. 

"Pradeep, Pedha Anna called just now, he's asking us to come back."

Shiva cuts in.

He surely does know how to disturb me when I'm in the dreamland of my poor angel.

"You're lucky enough today," I smirk before I can even realise it. Though I can't see her, I can tell she's definitely trying to process what just happened. The thought makes me smile even more.

No one has ever made me smile from my heart. She does something to me. This feels strange… like home.  

I left the place immediately. 

Pedha Anna never calls me until it's urgent. 

Just as I enter the living room, I find him sitting on the couch speaking on his phone. I go near him and wait for his response. He glances towards me and signals me to sit on the couch opposite him.

Restlessness was taking hold of me. I kept tapping on my bouncing knee till the end of his phone call. 

"How's everything Pradeep?" that's it. No 'How are you?'. No 'I missed you'. It's always about business for him. Though I know deep down he did care for me. I never bothered about someone expressing their love and care for me. But I do expect some from him.

"It's going well Anna." he signalled Shiva to leave the room. Within seconds, it was just me, him and the furniture in the room. 

He stood up and walked towards the glass wall, which offered a spectacular view of the garden in our backyard. 

He kept his back to me and started speaking. 

"I might not be here to know what's happening Pradeep. But remember, I have eyes and ears here."

He paused.

"It's not just me Pradeep, there are many who have their eyes and ears in here."

He looked at the table for enough time to make me realise there was a small bug under the glass table.

How could I miss this?

"It's not your fault that you've missed that Pradeep. It's just a diversion that has come your way. Make sure not to fall for everything." he looked into my eyes the whole time. That is when I realised he was talking about Kalyani. 

I couldn't face him after that. 

"Okay, Anna." 

"Take care Pradeep. You and our empire."

He said and left without any other word.

It felt like the air entered my lungs after a lifetime. I can't be myself whenever Anna is around. 

"What did Pedha Anna say, Pradeep?"

"Nothing." I signalled him towards the bug before he could speak any rubbish and before anyone else could enter the room. 

The realisation hit him hard when he saw that. 

"We'll be heading to Old City tomorrow," I said and left to my room.

Whatever I do, wherever I am, the only thing I can think about is what Pedha Anna said.

Make sure not to fall for everything.

They may feel this is some ordinary distraction. But she is the only girl who made me get her. For myself. Only myself. 

Soon, she'll learn the truth and be mine. 

"Shiva, let's go to the Charminar once again. I think I've left something there."

A look was all he needed to know I need to leave the house and go anywhere but where I just said.

We got into the jeep and he drove me to a hilltop nearby. Our secret location.

Pedha Anna is my biological brother. Shiva is my brother by heart.

He took me to this place for the first time after our parents' demise. I was not myself and he thought I might need some air.

"What's it again Pradeep?" He lit my cigar and handed it to me as I was sitting on the jeep. 

The view never amazes me. During the sunset, one might die for the view. 

"Anna thinks I'm distracted"

His sigh said it all. He felt it too.

"About the girl Pradeep…"

"I've had enough to- "

"She's with someone."

That's it. I paused. Everything paused. My angel? With another man?

As if you'll ever be loved.

"Well, that's none of our concern." I got off the jeep and went to the car door.

"If you're lying to yourself, don't Pradeep. Even Raju knows that."

"Raju must believe it because he's the mole."

He didn't reply. He just got into the jeep and drove back home.

Just before I could turn and leave. 

"I told you she's with someone because I don't think the guy is the right person Pradeep. She's good. But she's in the wrong hands."

I didn't understand what exactly he meant, but all I could think about was saving her and making her mine.

I'm here for you my poor angel.