Kissing A Devil (Complete and Continuing In The Sequel)

Chapter 62

Sidharth turns towards his car and finds Shehnaaz standing a little away from it, talking to a few children who are selling flowers. He goes towards the car and his eyes fall on an eight year old kid. He stands there staring at his car.
"What are you looking at?"
The kid answers, "Car se tick tick ki awaaz aa rahi thi. Ek Uncle bola ghadi hai. Gadi mein kya ghadi hoti hai?"
Sidharth's face turns serious. He pulls the kid away and immediately rushes towards Shehnaaz.

He screams, "Move away from the car."
He pushes the kids away and covers Shehnaaz. With a deafening loud noise the car burst into flames. Sidharth and Shehnaaz are thrown off a few feet away from the impact.

Shehnaaz opens her eyes to a ringing in her ears. She blinks her eyes and tries to sit up. But she is unable to move and she looks below. Sidharth lies over her and his weight makes it difficult for her to move. She somehow turns him over and sits up. She bends at him, patting on his face to wake him up.

Sidharth slowly opens his eyes and finds her staring at her. She is saying something but he can't hear her. There's a ringing in his ear from the noise of the explosion. A little later he could hear her calling his name.
"Sidharth, are you alright?"
Sidharth sits up and stares at her. He cups her face and looks at her face. There are a few scratches on her face and neck. He wipes the blood from the corner of her lips.
"Are you.. alright?"
"Yes. Try to get up. What happened here?"
He touches her abdomen, "Are you hurt? There's blood?"

Shehnaaz looks at her shirt that is covered with blood.
"No. I am not hurt."
She gets into his arms and hugs him.
"Thank God, you're alright."
Sidharth winces and Shehnaaz immediately breaks the hug. She checks her hands that have blood.
"You are hurt. This was your blood on my shirt."
"Yes, I am hurt. But I am not losing that kind of blood. The blood on your shirt is not mine."

He looks around and Shehnaaz screams.
There's a body of a man lying beside them. It is burnt and beyond recognizable. Sidharth pulls her closer, turning her face away from the dead body.
"Sidharth.. that kid.."
He breaks the hug and turns to see a little boy on the ground, lying unconscious. He goes near him and checks his pulse.
"He is alive. He is.."
Just then a few cars and Police SUVs arrive. Kabir and Peter get down from one of them

Sidharth sits as the doctor dresses minor cuts on his back. He wears another shirt and buttons it up. Coming out of the examination room, he finds her sitting on one of the steel chairs. She has changed out of the blood stained shirt but she is still shaken up. He sits beside him and she turns to face him.
Her eyes have tears and she says in almost inaudible voice, "I was going to sit in the car but that kid asked me to meet his friends. His name is Bitu. He must be 6 years or 7. They all wanted me to buy flowers and earrings from them. Because of that kid, I am still alive, we are still alive. Please Sidharth, usse kuch nahi hona chahiye."
Sidharth nods his head, "Kuch nahi hoga."
She gets into his arms and he rubs his back to calm her down.

The doctor arrives and Sidharth walks up to him.
"The child has some minor injuries. He is basically alright. He hurt his head and he fainted, so we are going to keep him here for 24 hours observation."
Shehnaaz asks, "Can I see him?"
"Of course."
Sidharth nods at her as she goes inside the room. He turns to his men.
"Peter, who was that man who died?"
"Boss, he was a beggar. Perhaps he was coming to ask for alms."
"Find the family of this child. And make sure the cremation for that man is done properly."

Kabir says, "Baba, DCP wants to talk to you about the blast."
"He wanted her dead. Ashmit wanted to.. and he claimed to love.. I am going to fu***** kill that ba****!"
"How are you so sure?"
"He called me right before we left the restaurant. His intention was to stall me, stopping me from going into the car."
"Men are looking for him. All I can say is that he is probably not in Mumbai right now. What are you going to say to the DCP?"
"Nothing. I want to punish these people myself. I need the one who planted the bomb.. I want him kneeling in front of me. That child, he had seen the man who planted the bomb. Find that boy and he will lead us to him. And Kabir chacha, I want Ashmit."
Kabir nods his head.