RUTHLESSLY MINE

The Night He Burned the City for Me

HELLO LOVELIES!!! ✨🤗 Happy new week🥹🌹

Thank you so much for the votes and comments on the last chapter 💖

You all are amazing… and today’s chapter? Let’s just say things finally explode.

(Some dialogues may have small language mixups and few errors. I’ll edit later.)

Phase – I

★★★

AARA

Arjun’s Mansion

Moments After The Lights Went Out

My blood froze because that voice didn’t belong to Arjun, it belonged to Raghav.

For a split second I couldn’t move. Darkness had swallowed the entire hall, the chandelier lights were gone. The corridor lights were gone. Everything was pitch black except for the faint moonlight leaking through the tall windows.

Somewhere nearby someone screamed. A gunshot echoed then another followed, Chaos erupted instantly.

“Sir!” one of the guards shouted somewhere in the darkness with running footsteps approaching.

Furniture being knocked over. My heart started racing wildly.

Raghav was here inside the mansion.

Inside Arjun Rathore’s fortress? That realization alone was terrifying but what terrified me even more was the fact that his voice had come from right behind me.

I turned sharply. “Who’s there?”

No answer.

Only the sound of something moving behind me. My pulse spiked.

“Arjun?” I called.

But before I could take another step a hand suddenly grabbed my arm from behind so hard.

A cloth was pressed against my mouth and sharp chemical smell filled my nose.

“What the!”

I tried to scream but the sound barely came out. My elbow shot backward, hitting someone in the ribs.

The person grunted. “Careful,” a low male voice whispered near my ear and that wasn't Raghav. It was one of his men.

“Boss said don’t hurt her.”

My heart slammed violently against my chest.

Boss.

Raghav.

I tried to fight harder, kicked backward, and twisted my wrist.

Years of self-defense classes weren’t completely useless. And then suddenly My heel slammed into someone’s shin.

“Damn it!” another man hissed. But there were too many of them.

Three.

Maybe four.

Strong arms pinned mine behind my back. The cloth pressed tighter over my mouth. The chemical smell grew stronger and my head started spinning slightly.

No.!!!! No.!!!! No.!!!!!

I refused to pass out. Not here. Not with them.

Through the darkness I tried to focus on the hallway ahead. Maybe Arjun was nearby.

Maybe...

Another gunshot exploded somewhere in the mansion then a roar. A roar I recognized instantly.

“RAGHAV!”

It was Arjun.

His voice echoed through the hall like a thunderclap. The grip on my arms tightened.

“Move,” one of the men muttered.

They started dragging me backward my heels scraped against the marble floor. I tried screaming again but the cloth muffled everything as my vision blurred slightly. The drug was starting to work.

No.!! No.!!!

Stay awake. I really have to stay awake.

But the darkness slowly swallowed everything. The last thing I heard before losing consciousness was Arjun shouting my name.

“AARA!”

And then…

Nothing.

★★★

ARJUN

The moment the lights went out I knew this wasn’t a coincidence, this was war.

The gunshot near the entrance confirmed it.

“Secure the exits!” I barked.

My men moved instantly.

But then a scream echoed down the hallway. My head snapped toward the sound.

“Aara?” No answer. My chest tightened.

“AARA!”

Still nothing. Cold anger spread through my veins.

I turned toward Vikram, one of my closest guards.

“Backup generator.”

“Already activating, sir.”

Good. But something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

The hallway ahead looked empty.

Too empty.

Then I saw it.

A piece of fabric lying on the floor.

Black.

Aara’s shawl my jaw clenched so hard it hurt knowing they already took her. Raghav took her.

The lights flickered back on and the moment they did my men froze because standing near the staircase…

Was Raghav.

Tall.

Lean.

Dark coat.

That same infuriating smirk on his face slowly he clapped his hands. “Impressive security, Arjun.”

My vision went red. “You’re dead.”

Raghav chuckled. “Relax.”

He tilted his head slightly. “I only borrowed something that belongs to you.”

My gun was already in my hand as I clicked the safety off.

“Where is she.” Not a question it was a command.

Raghav looked almost amused. “You always did have anger issues.”

Three of his men suddenly appeared behind him. All armed but none of that mattered.

My entire focus was on him. “Where is she,” I repeated.

Raghav leaned casually against the staircase railing.

“You know something funny?”

I didn’t respond.

He smiled wider. “You spent six years looking for her.”

My grip tightened on the gun.

“And now that you finally found her…”

His eyes glinted with something dark. “…I’m taking her away.”

My patience snapped and the first shot rang through the hall.

Raghav moved fast, too fast that the bullet hit the railing instead.

His men fired back instantly. The mansion exploded into gunfire. My guards joined the fight.

Bullets slammed into walls. Glass shattered.

One of Raghav’s men dropped to the floor.

Another screamed as Vikram tackled him.

But Raghav?

He was already running toward the back exit.

Coward. QI chased him.

Two guards followed behind me.

The hallway blurred as we sprinted.

But by the time we reached the back gate…

He was gone.

Only a black SUV disappearing down the long driveway.

My chest burned with fury with the realisation that they had Aara. Raghav had her and that meant only one thing.

He had finally started the game he’d been planning for years. I pulled my phone out immediately.

“Track the mansion cameras,” I ordered Vikram.

“They disabled most of them sir.”

“Not all of them.”

Five minutes later we had something.

A short clip from one of the outside cameras.

The screen showed three men dragging Aara toward a van parked behind the gardens her arms were restrained her head also slumped slightly. She was unconscious.

My jaw clenched. “Find that van.”

“Already tracing license numbers.”

Vikram’s fingers flew across the tablet screen.

Then

“There.”

He pointed at the map.

“Old warehouse district.”

Of course.

Raghav loved abandoned places. I grabbed my jacket.

“Prepare the cars.”

Vikram looked at me carefully.

“Sir… should we call the council?”

“No.”

My voice came out colder than ice.

“This is personal.”

★★★

AARA

When I woke up… the first thing I felt was pain.

A dull throbbing behind my head, my eyelids felt heavy but slowly… slowly… my vision cleared.

Dark ceiling. Rusty metal beams. The smell of dust and rope cutting into my wrists.

I blinked fully awake. I was sitting on a chair. Tied inside what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

A slow clap echoed somewhere behind me. “Well look who’s awake.”

My stomach dropped as I turned my head slowly.

Raghav stood a few feet away exactly how I remembered him from the video.

Tall.

Sharp features.

Eyes that looked almost… fascinated.

Not angry.

Not cruel.

Just fascinated which somehow made him even scarier.

“Good evening, Aara,” he said casually.

I glared at him.

“You know kidnapping is illegal, right?”

He laughed softly.

“Still bold.” He walked closer, and my pulse quickened slightly.

“Do you know how long I’ve wanted to meet you?” he asked.

“Never.”

“Six years.”

My brows furrowed.

That number again.

“What is it with you people and six years?”

Raghav crouched down in front of me studying my face.

“Because six years ago,” he said quietly, “you became very important.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“Oh you know my brother.”

My chest tightened slightly.

Brother?

Wait.

My brain connected the pieces instantly.

“You’re…”

“Raghav Rathore.”

He smiled.

“Arjun’s older brother.”

The words hit me like a brick.

Older brother?

But Arjun said his brother died.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

Raghav chuckled.

“Surprise.”

My heart pounded.

“Then the accident”

“Yes.”

His expression changed slightly.

“Your car.”

My throat felt dry. “You survived?”

“Barely.” He leaned closer.

“So did you." A strange tension filled the air.

“But if you survived… why did Arjun think you died?”

Raghav’s smile darkened. “Because I told him.”

My eyes widened. “You lied?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

He tilted his head slightly.

His eyes studying me in a way that made my skin crawl.

“Because the moment I saw you that night…”

He paused.

“…I became curious.”

Curious?

“That’s insane.”

“Maybe.”

He stood again.

“And then you disappeared.”

His gaze sharpened.

“So I started looking for you.”

My heart skipped.

“You were watching me too?”

“Oh yes.”

Great.

Fantastic. Apparently my life had been a reality show for two psychopath brothers.

“Why?” I demanded.

Raghav smiled slowly. “Because you fascinated me.”

My stomach twisted. “You almost killed me.”

“Exactly.”

Before I could reply a loud explosion shook the warehouse doors.

Everyone froze. Raghav’s men grabbed their guns.

Another explosion. The metal door burst open violently.

Smoke filled the room.

Then a single figure walked through the dust.

Black coat. Gun in his hand with his eyes burning with rage.

Arjun.

My heart jumped, and relief flooded through me.

He was here he actually came.

Raghav sighed dramatically.

“Ah.”

He looked almost pleased.

“Right on time.”

Arjun’s gaze locked onto me first.

Checking.

Scanning.

Making sure I was alive.

Something dark flashed across his face when he saw the ropes on my wrists.

Then his eyes moved slowly to Raghav.

“You made a mistake.”

Raghav smirked.

“Did I?”

The room went silent.

Even the guards stopped moving.

Because something heavy hung in the air between the two brothers.

Years of hatred. Betrayal. Blood.

“You should’ve stayed dead,” Arjun said coldly.

Raghav laughed.

“You really believed that story?”

Arjun raised his gun. “Last chance.”

“Relax.” Raghav raised his hands slightly.

“But before we start shooting again…”

He glanced toward me.

“…don’t you want to know why she matters so much?”

Arjun didn’t respond.

Raghav’s smile widened.

“Six years ago… the accident didn’t just ruin your life.”

He paused.

“It saved mine.”

My brows furrowed. “What?”

Raghav’s eyes gleamed strangely. “Because the moment I saw her…”

He pointed toward me. “…I realized something interesting.”

The tension in the room thickened.

“What?” Arjun asked coldly.

Raghav’s voice dropped slightly. “She’s the only person in the world who can destroy you.”

My heart skipped. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Oh?”

He smiled.

“Then why did you come alone tonight?”

Silence.

Raghav chuckled softly.

“That’s what I thought.”

Then suddenly gunfire exploded again and chaos returned instantly.

Arjun moved faster than I expected.

Two shots.

Two of Raghav’s men dropped.

Raghav cursed and fired back but Arjun was already crossing the room.

Straight toward me.

A bullet grazed his shoulder.

He didn’t even flinch.

“Aara,” he said sharply.

I looked up at him.

“You came.”

He cut the ropes quickly with a knife.

“Of course I came.”

My wrists burned as the pressure disappeared.

Before I could stand properly Arjun suddenly pulled me against him strong arms around my waist.

Protective and very possessive. His heartbeat thundered against my ear.

For a moment the entire world seemed to fade Just us. Just that strange electric tension between us.

“You’re safe,” he muttered.

The words were rough.

Almost like he didn’t say them often, something warm stirred in my chest but the moment didn’t last long because Raghav’s voice echoed again.

“You should take her and run, brother.”

We both turned.

He stood near the back door now.

Blood on his sleeve.

But still smiling.

“Next time,” he said softly, “I won’t give her back so easily.”

Then he disappeared into the night Arjun’s arms tightened slightly around me and for the first time since all this madness started…

I realized something terrifying. This war between the brothers?

It had only just begun.