It was when her hand finally rested in his that his fingers span around her wrist, tugging her and dipping her at once so his other arm was around her neck and he was pushing on a pressure point he knew would knock her out, his hand dropped to wind around her waist when she fell against him. In the heat of emotion, he had released her many years ago, allowed her to keep running even though the mark of deceit had tainted both him and his career, it was a burn that scarred his skin, yet nothing burnt more than the bloody betrayal that broke his heart and left him empty and desolate, craving for the sensation of her lips against his and her small hand in his hair. Upon coming across her again he had told himself to leave well enough alone, but the second his boss had been made aware of his findings he was placed beneath strict orders to take her away until he could work out how much she really remembered about her life before, it was of vast importance that he didn’t inadvertently remind her of a past he would rather forget himself, but until he could work out with complete assurance that she was as innocent as she seemed, she would be his captive. Rishabh wanted to believe more than ever that this new innocence was the truth and not another round of lies that would cut him in two, but with a woman like Prerna, no one could ever really know.

A few hours later, Prerna drummed her cuffed hands on her legs to the beat of the music playing on the stereo “Usually when someone is kidnapped they’re thrown in the boot, I’m taking you placing me in the passenger seat as a kind of exclusive abduction, does this rare form of kidnapping librarians include getting them doughnuts? Because I am hungry and when I’m hungry I get really angry, hangry I think is the correct terminology” she turned her head, soft, doe brown eyes surveying the way his hands clenched around the steering wheel and his jaw ticked.

“Usually” he mimicked, “Kidnapped librarians don’t ask for doughnuts when they’ve just been kidnapped, the only reason you’re not in the boot is because I have weapons there, you’re not some sort of special package” he kept his eyes on the road, knowing even one glance her way would leave him sucked into her spell again.

She released a very loud and over-exaggerated gasp “Of course I’m special, there’s no one quite like me like there is no one quite like you, I’m rare and so are you, that means I am unique and therefore special, I would say I’m surprised you don’t know that but good looks don’t equal a smart brain, so I’ll let you off” she shrugged, “Hey, at least you’re pretty” she leant toward him and squeezed his cheek between her finger and thumb, then settled back into her seat.

“Don’t touch me” he growled, hand rubbing his cheek, “You’re like an older, desi aunty, what’s next, asking me,” he made his voice girlish, “When are you marrying, beta?”

Prerna giggled into her hand “There’s nothing more lethal than a desi aunty with an unwed son” her eyes dropped to the silver cuffs adorning her wrists “Stick some gems on these and you’ll make some nice bracelets” she shook them for extra effect.

Rishabh allowed his eyes to shut for a second, hand massaging his forehead “Do you ever shut up?”

“Nope” she made a popping sound, “You should know that by now”. Prerna squealed loudly when he jammed his foot on the brake causing her to nearly hit the front “Ouch, are you crazy?”

“What did you mean by that?” Had she been playing him? Faking memory loss to weaken him? His fist tightened around her hand, “Answer me” he ordered, voice thick with emotion, slightly hoarse from the shock of the car nearly crashing.

“Crazy as in mental, delirious, you know” she pulled a face, “La la” her index finger tapped the side of his head.

“Not that” his teeth gnashed together, “The other thing” his patience was thinning, he wasn’t sure how long he could continue to be around her without actually turning la la himself.

“Oh, well you’ve met me when you fell into my library, if shutting up was something I did, I would have been quiet by now, did you lock up by the way?” Her brain really did run a hundred miles a minute, imagination land was home and this was an adventure she’d only ever dreamt about, so of course, she was excited, the whole experience was exhilarating.

“Right” Rishabh nodded as he restarted the car. “It’s not like anyone would steal your books, calm down”.

“Hey” she waggled a finger at him, “Books are information and information is intelligence, never underestimate the quality of a good book, some are rare copies that cost thousands”. Prerna turned toward the window, finger tracing the rain as it slid down beside her “What did you think I meant about you knowing me?” She didn’t expect an answer, he didn’t exactly seem like the type for a heart to heart.

~~~

Awaking to Mr Bajaji-Baji pulling open her door, a small smile crept to her lips when he began to uncuff her “Oh, finally, these things have been so-“ her jaw dropped when he only undid one and cuffed it to his own wrist. Scrunching her nose up, she followed him to the boot, blatantly admiring the way his muscular arms tightened against his shirt as he stuffed two revolvers into the inner pockets of his suede blazer and shoved a penknife into his sock.

Turning toward her “Not one comment when we get inside, no snarky or sarcastic jokes and do not speak to anyone or I’ll lock you back in the car, are we understood?”

“You know it’s illegal to lock someone in a car” she pointed out, moving her hair from her necklace.

“It’s illegal to leave a minor in a locked car, it’s also illegal to leave a dog in a locked car, act like a child or a dog and get treated like a child or a dog and if breaking the law was something I worried about, do you think I’d be doing the job I do?”

“And what job is it you do?” Prerna eyed him carefully “You ruin my library, kill two men in front of me, give me a concussion, knock me out, cuff me and kidnap me, don’t I deserve an answer?”

“You deserve nothing, Prerna” he whispered under his breath, hating himself for once upon a time wanting to give her the world.

Prerna threw her head back, ombre hair whipping his cheek as he spun her around “You did all of this for me?”

Allowing her to slide down his body, he cupped her cheek “And I would do it all again” then he was dropping to one knee, eyes watery as he looked up at the young woman he had come to adore. “Marry me, Prerna? Up until I met you my life was nothing, every night was the same, my bed cold and my heart even colder, you brought warmth to my life, you made my heart beat again and now the only thing I want when I wake up every morning is you, when I sleep it’s you I want beside me, I don’t want to be separated from you, I don’t want to think of a life without you, now I have you, living without you will be impossible, so please” he almost begged, “Marry me?” His voice cracked.

Shaking himself from the memory, he thumbed the plain silver ring on his finger, he had wanted to remove it, throw it deep into an ocean that would drown it away, but he’d never had the heart to rid himself of the one thing that reminded him of better times. The rough engraving of her name still scratched at his skin, an everlasting reminder that roses have thorns. Even now his heart still beat for the crazy woman who had invaded his dreams and made herself the best reality he’d ever had, it hurt him to admit that he’d go through it all again, all the pain, all the torture just to have her once more, but he was stronger now, no longer that weak individual who had lost it all just to fall at her feet