Part 40 Who is he?

"I'm not targeting you but the girl," the man said, making Arnav confused.

"Nannav, he should be Ishan's man. They were the ones who searched for Khushi. We knew that" NK said.

"Who is Ishan?" the guy asked frowning.

Arnav and NK spared a glance at each other.

That was when Arnav man came there, hearing their talks. He was Prathap, the technical hand of Arnav.

"No sir, he is not Ishan's man. I have checked his mobile thoroughly. There is no single message or call from Ishan on his mobile. In fact, he does not belong to Mumbai but, Rajasthan"

Arnav and NK looked at the guy getting confused more.

"His name is Vihan. Studied at the same University of Khushi"

Arnav raised his eyebrows.

"So, you studied with Khushi in the same college..." Arnav asked.

The guy was silent. Arnav gestured for NK to come with him and walked out of the room. NK followed him without question.

"NK, get Khushi's friend Hrithik here. Send our men to his place..."

"Why not we ask Khushi about him?"

"No, as of now she doesn't have to know about him. We don't know what the real issue is. I don't want to make her tense"

"We can get everything from Vihan himself if we treat him in our way. Then why should we wait for Htithik?" NK asked.

"He tried to kill Khushi. How could we know what he is telling us whether the truth or not? If he belonged to the same University of Khushi, then definitely Hrithik would have known about him"

"Yes... but as per his mobile, he is not belonging to Mumbai"

"We can't trust his mobile. He may steal it from someone called Vihan... only Hrithik can clear it"

"You are right"

"Don't go to Hrithik's place right away. Hrithik will panic seeing our men at his place in the nighttime. Do it tomorrow morning"

"Okay" NK walked off.

Arnav came to Khushi's room. He found her not sleeping.

"Have not you slept yet?"

"No... How could I sleep, when you said you are coming here?"

"Why? Are you scared, I may do something to you?" He teased.

"Shut up... Have not you changed your dress?"

"Yeah... Have to..."

"Go and do it... Come fast"

"Fast? For what?"

"To sleep... What else?"

"Ok, wait, I will bring a cot for me"

"Cot? But why?"

"To sleep... What else?"

"Then, what is this?" She pointed at the bed in which she was lying.

"Whaaaat? On your bed?" He was shocked.

"Haan..."

"No no, Khushi... You sleep freely" he felt awkward.

"I will sleep freely even though you sleep on it"

"You are wounded... You must sleep without disturbance"

"Will you disturb me?"

"No, not at all"

"Then what? Come... We will share the bed"

"It won't be the right idea, Khushi"

"Won't you sleep with me after our marriage?"

Arnav controlled his smile.

"Of course, after our marriage, I will sleep with you"

"Then, why not now?"

"It's different, Khushi"

"How?"

Arnav sighed.

"Khushi... Are you talking with sense?"

"Do I seem senseless?'

"Obviously, yes..."

"Why?"

"Khushi, you are talking about us sleeping in the same bed..."

"So what?"

"Only married couples sleep together... Right?"

"Who said? We can sleep with our loved ones also"

Arnav rolled his eyes. He understood talking about it with Khushi would lead him into trouble. So, he changed the topic.

"By the way, how is your friend Hrithik?"

Khushi got stuck.

"Oh God, it's been a long, I talked to him..."

"Then, talk to him and say you are fine. Doesn't he be worried about you?"

"Yeah... You are right. He knew I'm with you..." she said taking her mobile from under her pillow.

Cutting her,

"Then, he would definitely be worried" he laughed and left the room.

Khushi dialed Hrithik's number. Hrithik attended it in the second ring.

"Khushi... How are you? Are you alright? Why didn't you call me? Do you know how worried I'm...?" He asked in a go.

"I'm sorry, Hrithik. I went to Lucknow regarding our property issue."

"Lucknow? Did you escape from ASR?"

"No... He is the one who took me to Lucknow"

"You went to Lucknow with ASR? I didn't get you, Khushi... Please tell me clearly"

Khushi told him, from how Arnav took her to his place, to, how he solved her property problem.

"I can't believe this" Hrithik said unbelievably.

"I too can't believe, Hrithik. He is not what people talk about. I can't tell you everything. There are many more things he is doing for this society. It's all unbelievable"

"Then, why do people think he is Don?"

"It was framed by his rivals... He is treating my sister, bringing the world's best doctors. I was a fool to thought, he ruined her life"

Hrithik sighed in relief.

"I'm glad you are safe with him. That's enough for me"

"Yeah, I just came from Lucknow this evening. Thought to tell you about him. That's why I called you"

"Can't I meet you?"

"I too want to meet you, Hrithik. Let me talk to Arnav regarding this. I'm sure he will bring you here"

"I also want to meet such a wonderful person"

"Sure... But, you have to pass many tests before entering his premises"

"Is it?"

"Then what? He is ASR after all"

Arnav who heard her talks with Hrithik went to his room with satisfaction. This was what he wanted. This was how he wanted Khushi to talk to Hrithik. Arnav didn't want Hrithik to hesitate to come with his men when they asked Hrithik to come to Arnav's place. As Khushi told Hrithik about him, he would come to his place without hesitation and tell him about Vihan.

Arnav didn't want Khushi to know about Vihan as she was already stressed. He didn't want to make her more stressed. Though she didn't show it openly, she would have been. He knew that.

By the way, why did she ask him to sleep in the same bed? No matter how hard he tried, he could not conclude.

Getting fresh, Arnav changed his clothes and headed to Khushi's room. Would she ask him to sleep with him in the same bed? What would he do if she asked him to do that? Should he sleep with her? Could he sleep, if he shared the bed with her?

Arnav came to her room. Khushi smiled at him.

"I talked with Htithik" she smiled.

"That's nice to hear. How was he?" He sat on the couch.

"He is good..." She stopped with hesitation.

"Anything, do you want to say?"

"Shall I meet him?"

Arnav thought... No, pretended like thinking.

"Mmm... You know how secure this place is. We can't let anyone in without examining. He is your friend... He may feel bad when we test him and when we keep him under our radar"

"He will understand... He was the one who helped me, sheltering me in Mumbai. I want him to know I'm in safer hands"

"Are you in a safer hand?" Arnav smirked.

"Am I not?"

"How do I know?"

He lay on the couch smiling.

"Hey, why are you lying on the sofa? See, I have adjusted a sufficient space on the bed for you"

"You believe you are in a safer hand... I don't want you to change your conclusion..."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing... I will be comfortable on this couch. You sleep on the bed"

"Won't you be comfortable on the bed?"

"I will... Surely, I will... But, I don't want to get comfortable on the bed..."

Cutting him,

"On the bed? Or, with me?"

Arnav smiled at her.

"You are a big DON... The whole city is shivering to see you... But, you? Frightening to share a bed with a girl..." She mocked.

"I'm frightened, it's because the girl is not just a girl but my going to be wife..."

"So?"

"So, sharing a bed with a rightful person will lead me into trouble"

"Oh... Even if your would-be wife is injured?"

"Yes, that's why the trouble would be severe... Because my mind won't let me do anything" he laughed.

Khushi dropped her jaw.

"Oh... So, will you do anything if I'm not injured?"

"Of course, how won't I be doing nothing when my would-be wife herself offering me her bed?"

"She may offer you her bed because she may think you are a gem of a person"

"I'm sorry, dear. No man in the world is a gem in this matter" He laughed.

"Shall I take it as fun?"

"Khushi, don't be in so much of hope on me. I'm not so good... Understand that"

Khushi smiled at him.

"Why are you smiling? Don't you trust my words?"

"I trust you"

Arnav rolled his eyes smiling. His smile faded when he saw Khushi spreading her hands, asking him to come to her. He got down from the couch and went to her. He made her put her hands down.

"Whatever I said is true. I don't want to put myself on fire. If you dare pull me into the fire, you will burn in it" He warned her.

His voice sounded baritone which made Khushi admire him. Her lips curved into a cute smile that surprised Arnav.

"I understood... Let's sleep together" she said that shaking Arnav to the core.

To be continued...