Touch Her And... (Completed)

Chapter 50

Manik

I regretted, I regretted ever deciding to bring her to my place. She was better off there. What have I thrown her into? Everything was clouded. I failed to understand every single thing happening around me. Why was every male of my family obsessing over Triss? I knew she was brilliant, she was everything at least a man like me would ask for but it seemed as if my brothers and also Arjun fell into her spell.

There was only one thing I was very sure about. It was her immense and limitless affection towards Dev bhai. She was deeply in love with him whether she admitted it or not.

That thought pissed me off, because I had been with her since she was a teenager. I used to be the only friend she had back at Kurseong. But I was late, late enough to lose her. Although she was equally affectionate towards me but there was this fine line that showed me where I was different from Dev bhai.

Yes, I've seen that for more than a thousand times by then, I've seen how he acted around her. How he was not the same intimidating dangerous being when it came to Triss. How she had him wrapped around her fingers. The man whose one word could bring down nemesis into anyone's peaceful life acted like a lost puppy around her.

No, I not only lost her because I was late but mostly I lost her because even after knowing her for such a long period I seemed to have lacked the intensity my brother had for her.  His every gesture screamed that he was ready to go to the extremes for her anytime and I witnessed and felt that myself when he totally forgot that he was beating me, his most treasured and loved younger brother.

I saw him breaking down and heard him utter the most impossible words ever, when he claimed to love Triss. Something that he had never done in his entire life before.

So I knew I lost her to my brother. He was sickeningly in love with her.

That was why the whole scenario infront of me was making me regret my decision even more. I was standing a little away from both of them. Beside me stood Rik bhai with both of his fists clenched in a manner as if he was just about to pounce on Dev bhai for forcefully wrapping his arms around her. It was raining profusely and all I could see was that Triss was trying hard to get out of Dev bhai's arms and he was trying even harder to pull her into his chest.

What the hell was happening?!

We walked closer from where we could at least hear them a little clear. By now he turned her around and they were looking at each other now.

"I am tired Dev, please l-let me go." I heard her say with whatever strength left in her body.

"What gave you this idea that I'll ever leave you Teressa? Don't you know I am selfish, haven't you heard of my inhumanity? The whole country knows and it's time for you to believe the rumors too. They have to kill me, you have to kill me before taking yourself away from me." He said and placed his forehead on her bleeding one. His eyes were red and even in between the rain one could easily understand that he had tears in his eyes, he was devastated and it was hurting me more than anything.

"I didn't believe them. I never believed them. I-I still can't believe you did that.. you.. you.. I loved you with my everything and you never trusted me. You don't trust me even today. I s-saw you yesterday. You are the same. You are the same monster." She said while sobbing and panting at the same time.

"I trust you. I've always trusted you sweetheart. It's my anger, I have no control over it. Whenever I see you or even imagine you with someone else all I see is red. And if I see you with someone.. anyone again.. I swear I will.." He growled at the end like a wild animal. She flinched and finally broke out of his forceful embrace.

"You will.. you will what Dev?! You'll kill them. I know that. I've seen that." She said panic rising slowly in her voice.

"No! no! I didn't mean that. Fuck! What is happening to me. See, calm down and look at me baby, I'll change. I'll do whatever you want me to do. I'll hurt no one, I promise. Just stay with me. Please." He pleaded.

And then shocking me to the core my other brother shouted out loud.

"Enough Dev!" His voice echoed through the woods. Both Dev bhai and Teressa turned their heads to look at him.

"She asked you to leave her." He added through gritted teeth.

"And who do you think you are to tell me what I should be doing with my girl?!" Dev bhai said menacingly. By then he was fuming with anger.

And before Rik bhai started shouting back at him my eyes fell on her. She started moving towards Rik bhai slowly. Which somehow made Dev bhai real uneasy. He kept exhaling and biting his lower lip. I had never seen him that vulnerable ever in my whole life.

But my eyes were fixed on her. Her white hoodie was partially filled with red droplets. Certainly the blood dripping from her forehead made it's way till that point. She was totally wet. Then my eyes fell on her beautiful eyes which started tearing up. Her lips started trembling. As if she was shocked.

Rik bhai slowly started moving towards her too.

"You're safe. You're safe.." She kept on whispering. Presumably she was referring to the previous night's incident. Dev bhai hurt him pretty bad though. Even I was concerned.

But then she placed her right hand on his left cheek as delicately as possible, to which he immediately closed his eyes as if someone had just given him an electric shock. He inclined his face a little more to feel her touch.

"Yes I am." He whispered looking directly at her.

"Good then.." She said slowly pulling her hand back. She was seemingly very tired. Even then when her eyes fell on me she strived to smile. I was hurt. It hurt me to see her in that state.

"I want to go back to my aunt's place Manik. Will you please take me there." She said, fatigued, defeated and hopeless. Everything that one could never relate to Teressa Brown a few months back. I held her hand and nodded.

"She will go nowhere!" I heard Dev bhai's voice from right behind me and she raised her head to look at him. Her expression unreadable.

"I am leaving, I'll leave for Delhi within two days." He said more to her than anyone else. Now her lips started trembling again. She was hurting herself deliberately. What I didn't understand was why on earth was she doing that.

"Seems like I've hurt you enough to last for a lifetime and also you have so many people who cares for you, probably much more than I do. You have your aunt here. She's still under treatment Teressa. Stay. Stay here. Help her get well soon. I'll be leaving for good. You can stay surrounded by people who are not as monstrous as me."  He added. His eyes reflected the pain he was enduring, as if he was already dead. For the first time I felt like going against Triss. However I remained silent and was about to leave when we heard Arjun's voice.

"I think she should go to her aunt's place for tonight. A little change might help her feel good. Manik can ask Pihu to stay with her." He said.

He looked at me in a manner which certainly meant he was cooking something else inside his head. I felt compelled to do as he asked. I totally wanted to know why he wanted to send her away. If it was for bringing them together, I was all in.

"Whatever you find good for her Arjun." Whispered Dev bhai surprising me and probably Arjun too.