EPISODE 4: A STORMY NIGHT, A f*******n DESIRE
2065 Words
Anika wrapped her arms around herself as the cold wind hit her. She hadn’t expected to stay this late at Rudra’s mansion. The rain poured down heavily, making it impossible to leave.
Rudra stood by the window, his sharp eyes watching her. She looked small, delicate, vulnerable. His grip tightened around the glass in his hand. He had spent his life controlling everything—his business, his emotions, and even the people around him.
But this woman?
She was slipping past his control.
"You're shivering." His deep voice sent a shudder through her.
"I-I'll manage," she replied stubbornly.
"Stop being stubborn, Anika." He walked toward her, his presence intimidating, consuming. Before she could protest, he draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. His scent surrounded her—expensive cologne, power, and something dangerously addictive.
She clutched the fabric, her heart pounding. "T-Thank you."
He didn’t reply. Instead, he tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Do you always run away from me?"
Her breath hitched. "I—I don't run away."
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Really?" He stepped closer, his hand sliding around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Her soft gasp was music to his ears.
"You get under my skin, Anika," he murmured, his voice husky. "And I don’t like things I can't control."
Anika's mind screamed at her to push him away, but her body betrayed her. She had never been this close to a man before. Not like this.
The air between them grew thick with tension, charged with something f*******n.
She tried to step back, but his hold tightened. His fingers traced the curve of her waist, sending a jolt of electricity through her.
"You don’t know what you're doing to me, do you?" His voice was a whisper, but it carried raw intensity.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
And then—
Lightning flashed.
A loud c***k of thunder made her jump. Without thinking, she clutched onto Rudra’s shirt.
He stilled.
She looked up at him, eyes wide, lips trembling.
And Rudra lost the last shred of his control.
His hand moved to her cheek, his thumb grazing her soft skin. His other hand pressed against her lower back, bringing her closer.
"Tell me to stop," he whispered, his lips hovering just inches from hers.
She could.
She should.
But she didn’t.
She just stared at him, breathless, heart racing.
And that was all the permission he needed.
His lips crashed onto hers.
It was not a gentle kiss. It was a claiming—possessive, deep, hungry.
Her hands gripped his shirt, overwhelmed by the heat between them.
She had never been kissed like this before.
He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, his tongue teasing hers, making her knees weak. If not for his strong arms, she would have melted to the floor.
The storm outside raged on, but inside, the real storm was between them.
And neither of them wanted it to end.
Rudra’s grip tightened around Anika’s waist as he deepened the kiss, claiming her in a way that left her breathless. She was drowning in him—his scent, his touch, his sheer dominance.
She didn’t even realize when her hands found their way to his chest, fisting his shirt as if it were the only thing keeping her standing.
What was happening to her?
She had always imagined her first kiss to be gentle, slow—something out of a fairytale. But this… this was raw, unrestrained, uncontrollable.
Just like him.
And it scared her.
With a sudden push, she broke free, gasping for air.
Rudra’s eyes were dark, dangerous. His chest rose and fell heavily, as if he was fighting himself.
“I—I need to go,” Anika stammered, stepping back.
His gaze flickered to the storm outside. Rain poured relentlessly, the sky roaring with thunder.
“You’re not going anywhere.” His voice was calm, but it held a command she couldn’t ignore.
“I—I can’t stay here.”
“You will.”
Anika swallowed hard. Why was he doing this? He had kissed her like he wanted to consume her whole, but now he was back to being the cold, unreadable CEO.
“I’ll have a guest room prepared,” he finally said, his jaw clenched. “You’re staying the night.”
And just like that, he walked away, leaving Anika standing there—confused, shaken, and completely out of breath.
---
Later that night…
Anika sat on the large bed, wrapped in a soft robe the maid had given her.
She should have felt relieved that Rudra hadn’t pursued her after that kiss.
Instead, she felt restless.
Her mind kept replaying the moment—the way his lips had moved against hers, the way his hands had held her as if she were something precious yet f*******n.
A knock on the door made her jump.
Before she could respond, the door opened.
And there he was.
Rudra Malhotra stood in the doorway, shirt unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up, hair slightly tousled.
He looked dangerous.
Her breath caught in her throat. “Y-You shouldn’t be here.”
He took slow, deliberate steps toward her. “We need to talk.”
She shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. That—that kiss—”
“Was real,” he interrupted, his voice deep.
Her heart skipped a beat. “It was a mistake.”
He smirked. “Then why are you shaking?”
Anika stiffened. She hated how easily he saw through her.
Rudra reached out, tilting her chin up. “You can lie to yourself, Anika. But not to me.”
She tried to step back, but his hand slid to her waist.
That one touch ignited something inside her—a fire she wasn’t sure she could control.
“Stop playing with me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
His gaze darkened. “You think I’m playing?”
And then—
He pulled her closer, his lips hovering just above hers.
“This is the first time I’ve wanted something I can’t have,” he murmured against her lips.
Anika trembled. “Then don’t want me.”
His grip tightened. “Too late.”
And just like that, she knew—
She was in trouble.
Anika’s heart pounded in her chest as she felt Rudra’s piercing gaze on her. The storm outside continued to rage, but it was nothing compared to the storm brewing between them.
She had just come out of the bathroom, her saree still slightly damp from the rain earlier. The thin fabric clung to her curves, making her feel exposed under Rudra’s intense stare.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, hugging herself, trying to shield herself from his burning gaze.
Rudra smirked and took a slow, deliberate step forward. “Like what, Anika?”
“Like… like you’re about to eat me alive,” she whispered, stepping back until she hit the edge of the sofa.
His smirk deepened. “Maybe because I am tempted to.”
Her breath hitched. “You—you’re impossible,” she stammered, looking away.
But Rudra wasn’t going to let her escape so easily. He leaned in, one hand resting on the sofa’s backrest, trapping her in place. “Why are you running, hmm? Are you afraid of me?”
“No.” She swallowed hard, meeting his eyes. “I just… I don’t understand you.”
Rudra’s fingers traced a stray lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “Then try to.”
Anika’s mind was spinning. The tension between them was thick, suffocating. She could feel his breath fanning over her lips, his closeness sending shivers down her spine.
“I—”
Just then, the lights flickered, and in the next moment, the entire room was plunged into darkness.
Anika gasped. “Oh no… the power’s out.”
Rudra chuckled softly. “Scared of the dark, Miss Florist?”
“N-No. I just… don’t like it,” she admitted.
Rudra sighed. “Come here.”
Before she could protest, he pulled her against his chest. Her hands instinctively landed on his rock-hard chest, feeling the warmth of his body through the fabric of his shirt.
“Better?” he murmured, his lips dangerously close to her ear.
Anika couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Every fiber of her being was hyper-aware of him—his scent, his touch, his warmth.
“I… I should go to my room,” she managed to say, trying to push away.
But Rudra’s grip only tightened around her waist. “Stay.”
Her eyes widened. “Rudra…”
“Just for a while,” he said, his voice softer this time. “Just stay.”
Anika felt her resistance crumbling. Maybe… just for a while.
She rested her head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. And for the first time, Rudra Malhotra, the ruthless billionaire, closed his eyes and held her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
The room remained engulfed in darkness, the only sounds being the rhythmic pitter-patter of the rain against the windows and the occasional rumble of thunder. But inside the dimly lit space, Anika was trapped in a storm far more dangerous—one that had nothing to do with the weather.
Her body was pressed against Rudra’s chest, his strong arms securely wrapped around her waist, refusing to let her go. The warmth of his embrace made her skin tingle, her heart racing wildly against her ribcage.
She needed to step back. She needed to put distance between them. But Rudra wasn’t letting her go, and worse… a part of her didn’t want him to.
“Rudra…,” she whispered, barely able to hear her own voice over the roaring storm outside.
His grip didn’t loosen. Instead, his hand moved up, fingers gently grazing her bare back, sending an electric jolt through her body. “Shh… Just for a while, Anika. Let me hold you.”
Anika closed her eyes, swallowing hard. How could a man as ruthless as him be so gentle right now?
She stayed in his arms, feeling his steady heartbeat, the slow rise and fall of his chest, and the warmth of his breath brushing against her hair. It was dangerous—this closeness, this intimacy.
The storm outside raged on, but inside, it was a different kind of chaos.
After what felt like an eternity, the power flickered back on, casting a dim glow in the room. Anika immediately took a step back, realizing just how dangerously close they had been.
Her face burned. “I—I should go to my room.”
Rudra studied her, his expression unreadable. “Running away again?”
“I’m not running. I just…” She fumbled for words, but Rudra’s sharp gaze pinned her in place.
“You’re scared,” he murmured, stepping closer again.
Anika stiffened. “I am not.”
His smirk deepened, a dark, knowing glint in his eyes. “Then look at me and say it.”
Her lips parted, but no words came out. Because she knew she couldn’t lie to him—not when his intense gaze stripped away all her defenses.
Rudra lifted a hand, his fingers grazing her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
Anika’s breath hitched.
“This pull… this tension between us,” he continued, his voice low, husky.
She wanted to deny it. She wanted to push him away. But her traitorous heart betrayed her, beating wildly against her chest.
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied, turning away.
Rudra let out a soft chuckle, stepping back. “Keep lying to yourself, Anika. But sooner or later, you won’t be able to run anymore.”
Anika clenched her fists, feeling flustered, frustrated, and undeniably drawn to the man who was slowly breaking down her defenses.
She hurried out of the room, her heart pounding in her ears.
But even as she left, she couldn’t ignore the way her skin still tingled from his touch.
And Rudra? He watched her retreating form with a smirk, knowing that this game between them was far from over.
To be continued…
- Writer
