The Knife Gang.

The Knife Gang.

Before Rudra could answer Aurora, an angry voice cut through the noise of the bar, sharp and direct. "Who the hell are you?"

Sarswati turned, her usual teasing expression faltering as she saw a woman with long black hair and piercing green eyes striding toward them with purpose. The woman's protective glare made Aurora feel like she'd just been caught doing something wrong, though she wasn't sure why. This wasn't some random woman – it was Pepper, Rudra big sister., Pepper walked up to them, her eyes never leaving Aurora as she placed herself between Rudra and the newcomer. "Stay away from him," Pepper said firmly, her protective nature coming out I full force.

She had come out of the boss's office to find her brother standing with a girl who look very beautiful and too much comfortable next to him. Her instinct kicked in immediately. Pepper knew the kind of woman who frequented the bar, and she had no intention of letting her recently- recovered brother fall into the wrong crowd. After everything Rudra had been through the last thing Pepper wanted was for him to get caught up in something shady and vile. Sarswati raised an eyebrow with a teasing smile. "Oh! Rudra, it this your girlfriend? She's beautiful."

Pepper's face flushed in embarrassment her words stumbling out in soft, stuttering voice. "No… h-he's my little brother, not my boyfriend."

Sarswati eye's widened in surprise but her smile only grew wider. "Oh! I see. Then that solve it, can I call the big sis too, like Rudra?"

Pepper looked at Aurora, confused. "Why would you want to call me that?" Aurora grinned. "Well, I'm friends with Rudar Now, so it makes sense, doesn't it?"

Rudra, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, was baffled. Friends? He thought to himself again. All I did was share a drink with her because I bored. He wanted to say something, but before he could, Aurora looked at him with hopeful eyes and asked, "Rudra, we are friends now, right?"

Her tone was playful, her eyes shining with an innocent excitement that almost made Rudra sigh. He gave her a reluctant nod. "Yeah, I guess." Pepper, now visibly more relaxed, let out a small chuckle. "Sorry, I thought you were like the other girl here, trying to seduce my brother for some benefits or money."

Aurora shook her head vigorously with hand in cutely pose, with nervous smile. "No, I'm not and no worries, big sis. It's all cleared up now."

Rudra saw her cute expression look her some time then he turned toward Pepper aske, "so, what happened? What did the boss say?" Pepper sigh heavily, recounter her conversation with the boss, detailing how he had refused to let her quit unless she spoke with the knife Gang's leader, one of the bar's most powerful a dangerous patron.

Rudra expression darkened. "How dare he? I'll go talk to the boss myself and settle this."

Pepper quickly grabbed his arms before he could storm off. "No, Rudra. Don't course a scene. The knife Gang is dangerous. Let me handle it. I'll talk to the boss myself, and we'll leave quietly."

Sarswati had been listening silently, her playful demeanour fading into something more serious she didn't say anything, but Rudra could tell she was absorbing every word.

Pepper looked at her brother and then at Aurora. "You two stay here. I'll meet you after I talk to the gang leader."

As Pepper was about to leave, Aurora suddenly spoke up. "Big sis, can I have you phone number?"

Pepper looked at her in puzzled. "Why do you need my number?"

Sarswati smiled mischievously. "Actually, I want his number," she said nodding toward Rudra,

"But I have a feeling he wouldn't give it to me. So, I thought I'd ask you instead."

Pepper glanced at her brother, which looked increasingly irritate by the situation. She could tell he wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea, but seeing Aurora eager eyes, she finally sighed and said, "Alright," before exchanging number with her.

As Pepper walked off toward the back of the bar to deal with the knife gang boss, Aurora leaned against the counter again and quickly order around of drinks. She handed one to Rudra, who took it, though he remained silent.

Sarswati tried to engage Rudra in conversation, asking him about where he lived and what he did. However, Rudra gave her minimal Reponses, his mind clearly elsewhere. Still, through her persistence, Aurora managed to get a bit of information from him. She learned that he and his family were living near the slums, something that surprised her given his calm and confident demeanour.

Their conversation was cut short when a sudden commotion broke out near the entrance. A group of men, loud and rowdy, entered the bar, their presence commanding attention. They were led by a handsome young man with a sharp feature an air of authority about him.

Whispers spread through the bar like wildfire, and Rudra heard the name being passed from one mouth to another.

"That's him… that's the knife gang leader."

Rudra's eyes narrowed as he watched the young man make his way deeper into the bar, heading toward the back where Pepper had gone.

So, this is the man I have to deal with if things to south, Rudra thought to himself. The air grew tense, and the night was far from the over.