Tangled Tale With a Love Twist

by Shailly Jain

  Karan turns his face, he feels rage and jealous of her affections for him.

  While hugging the words came out more emotional than intended, " take care of yourself, I will be waiting for you”. With a mist in his eyes, he moved back and looked at him " take good care of her “. Karan nodded and moved to the driver seat, she climbed in the car and door closed. As the car started she looked at him with those dove eyes. Rahul knows “Sia has his heart”.

  The one with the LakeHouse

  The biggest threat is to her heart, and her protector is the one she is threatened by……

  They have changed three cars during trip,none of them have any plates. They don’t have any electronic equipment, as they can be traced using technology. Karan is taking every possible precaution ,only getting out of cars at night for food and sleep.

  Sia has spent most of her time sleeping, he is not giving any adrenaline shots to her.She remembers only a few images like hotel signs, restaurant boarding, faces of some unknown people. She remembers seeing Julie at one point and living at her home for few hours. Julie helped her with change of clothes and food.

  She has no idea where they are going. There is no energy left in her to ask anything. After one and a half day Sia regained the consciousness fully.

  Seeing her sitting upright after so long he smiles, No more car switches. We are near to our destination. She smiles seeing him at ease, so where are we going.

  He has twinkle in his eyes - Lakehouse.

  The road ahead is dirt and bumps. She holds the side of her hand to avoid any contact with anything during bumps.

  ********

  It looks like an image on a postcard. Wooden structure gives it a masculine look, but the sheer curtains show a feminine touch. Lakehouse roofs, doors, windows, railings are, carved out of the dark brown shade of wood like the exterior of a tree. Walls held lighter tones of wood. The swing on the maple shade porch is perfect for a couple. Swing is attached with thick rose golden strings, the string shade matches the accessories and doorknobs. Swing shade matches the dark brown shade of doors, it all comes together as a breathtakingly beautiful. The roll on the dirt track is worth the view.

  Lake is behind the house a few feet away with a downward slope. She is looking at other houses, they are meters away from each other and look inhabited. She understands this place as a choice for a hideout. Whose place is this?.

  She looks at the full view of his flexed muscled hidden below a light-toned blue full sleeves shirt and a pair of dark blue denim. He is a treat to watch as he settles the bags inside the house and soon it will be her turn. She drifted her thoughts back to the house, the interior peek from the half-open door looks beautiful. What interested her most is the garden after the porch stairs and the way it is beautifully maintained.

  Her wide-opened eyes and curved smile. The pure fascination on her face made him realize how beautiful this house is in the eyes of women. He moved the wheelchair till the stairs of the porch and held out his hand to take her inside. Will you be able to walk?

  The moment she tried to stand up, he knows she is going to fall. In a quick move, he swooped her up in an embrace and started to move towards the door. He has not evaluated the impact will be this intense. He felt his pulse race elevated and sudden tension in his body looking for release.

  It took all his self-control not to take a feel of her slender waist while lowering her down on the sofa. Her wide eyes, elevated breath, slightly parted lips, hands around his neck, the lusty look is showing that she is affected in the same manner.

  He moved back with a little more force than required. It seems to her, he is trying to hold himself back from doing something stupid like kissing her. Does he feel something for her? Sia is intrigued by the thought.

  He slid hands in jean’s pockets to regain his control, eyes fixed on the floor. In a moment he realized a wet patch of blood on his t-shirt, his eyes reverted to her with concern. Sia’s wound is oozing with blood and stained the shrug sleeves. He quickly ripped the shrug, inside she is wearing a plain half sleeves tee with boat neck pattern.

  The wound is cleaned and completely on display, it seems like a few stitches came undone. She is losing blood fast, he grabbed the medical kit for looking for ways to fix it. She is already weak after the blood loss at the surgery, panic gripped him. He realized the time is of the essence, she is passing out.

  He has to start with the stitches without anesthesia. She is going to feel the pain of every stitch but losing time is not an option. As he stitched the wound with great precaution, the pain has passed her out on the couch.

  Her breathing is normal again, blood loss has stopped, the skin beside the stitches is of normal skin tone that means no internal bleeding. He checked her for any signs of discomfort when there is none, he is sure she will regain consciousness in a few hours.

  ********

  The anxiousness and nausea he is feeling in the pit of his stomach are not letting him concentrate on anything. A list of things is pending like checking the perimeter, make an escape plan for an emergency, setting the connection of telephone, settling their things, and arrange dinner. He has to check the list of supplies he has given to Ram are stocked or not. He unpacked a few things and decided to take a cold shower to calm his nerves. The shower helped his body but the mind is a different story.

  After making sure that all the pictures are removed from the house, he moved to the living area. She is still out, so he picked her up and settled her in the bedroom. Seeing her from so close makes his heart swell with unfamiliar emotions.

  She is looking so peaceful in sleep, who will believe she is such a chatterbox while awake. She is right here but he misses her soft laugh, stories, quirkiness, stupid chit chat, little fights, the habit of annoying him.

  He realizes how creepy it feels to be so close to her without her permission, but he can’t get himself to walk away or stop looking. As he is admiring her face and delicate body, his eyes caught the glimpse of bloodstains. Dipping the towel in warm water he slowly cleaned with great precaution towards bandage. Removing her shoes it struck him it might be his fault the stitches are undone.

  While picking her outside the house in his lust, he applied more than necessary pressure. She is in a fragile state that requires care not lust. He has to be careful with her in the future. She excites him beyond limits so effortlessly.

  He should feel anger, hate, spite. But what he feels is caring, protectiveness, lust. He has to keep a watch on his emotions or he will get hurt, the same as the last time. She has power over him in ways he can’t understand himself.

  ********

  Coming here he bought back all the good memories of his mother. This home is her heaven. She used to say cooking is the best way to distract yourself. To pass the time he is going to cook khichdi and raita. The whistle of the cooker bought him back from his childhood memories. She stirred a little on listening to a whistle, flavorsome aroma is in the air. She blinked a few times for adjusting her view to the dim light in the room. Karan loves to cook a good meal with his experiments and today’s dish has turned out looking yummy. Satisfied with his work, its time to check up on the patient.

  You cannot pretend to be asleep love. Sia pushed herself up to sit properly and looked at him. He can see she is feeling better, You can find all the supplies for a bath below the sink, towels are in the drawer. Sia, you require any help with unpacking?. She will love to unpack him if he allows. He has changed into a gray jogger and a full sleeves black tee. He seems at ease in this place, it shows as he belongs here. She has never seen him like this before, he is carefree here and blends with the surrounding.

  Karan is relieved but she has to stop smiling and looking at him like he is some kind of meal. He pitched at a higher tone Do you want any help?. She sheepishly smiled and replied No, just help me to the bathroom door. Love, keep it slightly open. He started setting the plates. She came back wearing a big hoodie with a loose lower. Her hair all wet and small drops are drip
ping as she moves slowly towards him.

  She has been taking the support of the wall to walk, he came to her side. Taking her hand in his he helps her to the chair. Serving her a small quantity he says, Next time call me. She smiles softly, thank you for everything. She is lacking the energy to talk much but she appreciated his efforts. Giving her meds late at night, he settled himself on the sofa to sleep.

  With each passing day, she is gaining her strength back. Still, she is weak to do much around. She is mostly sleeping or reading a book in bed. Her leg swelling has receded by regular meds and massages. She can move around now, without any support.

  If she is missing everyone, nothing much he can do about it. Its a witness protection program. He sent the signal to Rahul and Gaurav that they are safe. It’s a daily process to keep everyone updated. His routines only highlight is the small chit-chat with her during meals.

  After checking on their safety measures, he looked if Sia is awake.

  Days are monotonous, there is nothing much to do around. It’s good he has carried a bunch of files to keep him busy. The house is divided into two parts- the bedroom is Sia’s, and the drawing-room is Karan’s. They share the kitchen and washroom. He sees her every time she uses either of them as they are in between the hall and bedroom.

  She has started to talk to him about her friends, as there is no one else. Giving him an angry look, she starts folding papers. Come on, eat now, these papers are not going anywhere. She is feeling a bit guilty too.

  Karan has to do all the work around here and take care of her too. They are in this situation because of her. She feels frustrated about not knowing the answers.

  Sia are we going to eat, or you need more time to think of your life decisions. She smiles, Don’t we already have enough time to think? Come, let’s eat. He is listening to her high school story, loving the way her eyes displays every emotion. Finishing up the meal, she picks her book again. I am going to read on the porch swing, call me if you want anything. Karan doesn’t know what’s wrong with her. Sia, don’t go outside, someone wants you dead.

  She pleads -Karan, I am away from everything that makes me happy, I find peace sitting on that spot. Plz, don’t ruin it. He slowly nods. The look in her eyes is so compelling that he is not able to say no. But he is keeping a watch from the terrace for anyone’s presence.

  Karan thought he has considered everything. But as per the radio, a big storm is coming their way. According to his estimate, they lack supplies to deal with the situation. More blankets cant be arranged at such short notice. Because Ram comes at an interval of 15 days and there is no way to contact him. Market is 5 km away and in this situation, it’s challenging to drive. He decided to opt for another way, something that will make her happy.

  ********

  Sia is starting to like the songs on the morning radio show. Karan has asked Ram to bring it a few days back. Wood chopping sound at a distance made her anxious she needs to find Karan. Other than birds chirping, there is no sound of human existence in the past days. Seeing the back door half-open, she picked a knife and slowly moving to check.

  She freezes in her tracks, seeing the size of his biceps. Ogling him is not right, but she is not able to move her eyes away. She has been standing at the doorway now for some time. He shouted - Seeing anything that you like love? She musters some saliva in her dry mouth before replying - Why are you chopping woods?. Love stop pointing the weapon at me, I am willing to give answers. She chuckled, looking at the knife in her hand. I will not use it if you let me try the ax once.

  Fine, but you have to do as I say. Smiling like a kid, she ran to him. Sia, hand injury is still not fully healed. So I will be behind you to grab the ax with you. She slowly picked it, realizing he is too close. Sia can feel his warmth, hard chest, heavy breathing, flexing muscles. His breath on her neck is making it impossible to concentrate on words. Moving the ax upwards, they hit the log with such a force is split into two.

  Kudos girl, you are natural at it. Seeing her childlike excitement, he continued it for a few more logs. Sia excused herself for making tea. He took a deep breath to calm down. This woman excites him in ways he never known before. Her scent, touch, laughter, big hazel eyes, everything urges him to lose control. If he is not careful in the future, he will be the next victim to her charms.

  Settling the woods in the kitchen, he can see Sia has prepared the dinner.

  The one with the Axe and Snow

  Light has been out for hours now, the backup generator is running all security appliances. But there is no energy left for home. Karan is igniting the woods for, setting the mattress near it for direct exposure. He is moving for the hall when he bumps into Sia.

  She is so excited to see the fireplace working, she hugged him. Where are you going, mister?.

  Love, I am retiring to my territory. She holds him softly, Are you mad? It is freezing, Go grab your blanket. It’s better in here, She mischievously added - I will not lay a finger on your reputation.

  He felt a sting at her words, wearing s crooked smile he speaks in a monotone - I will pass on the offer, sometime in future love.

  She lit the candles in the hall to keep him warm. It’s not going to be enough he knows, but the gesture touched him.

  Karan woke up at night its chilly, he pours some brandy to warm himself. Dim firelight in the bedroom suggests log replenishment.

  When he enters the room, she is trembling. The girl has has foolishly reduced her blankets to keep him warm. He doesn’t know how to react, grateful, or angry.

  Covering her with all the blankets available, he slides next to her. Slowly starts to rub her back. Tugging at the shirt button, she moves closer to gain more warmth.

  The nestling of her head, the scent of her hair is driving him crazy. The slow touch of her fingers, through the shirt button, is burning a hole in his chest. She is sleeping like a baby without a hint of his arousal.

  Kissing her forehead, he closes eyes to get some sleep. He can’t sleep thinking if he squeezed her in sleep, stitches can come undone like last time.

  Sia adjusts in her blanket only to realize the source of warmth is the man sleeping next to her. Moving back she gave him an angry look, What, are you doing here?

  Karan cynically replies, Taking up on your offer Love. Grabbing her in a tight embrace, he softly spoke - No sudden moves, you are very close to the fire.

  Slowly pulling himself away, he slid his hands from her sides. Don’t freak out. Its the perfect solution to get rid of cold.

  The thought of sharing space with him is unsettling. He is being rational about the situation. She had offered the same with the same thought. Slowly calming her breathing she says okay. Just keep yourself on your side.

  He smiles listening the commanding tone.

  What’s the time, khadoos? Cinderella half past 12. Sia couldn’t believe her ears We slept half of the day. Karan chuckles, You did, I labored for us. The meal is ready, go clean up fast.

  Karan slept most of the day giving Sia, her space to read.

  ********

  Karan remained the gentlemen throughout the days of storm. He never tried anything in such proximities, which made her feel annoyed sometimes.

  She knows he feels something, his eyes shows the intense desire. His actions displays care and tenderness. Infact he cares so much, that he gave up everything to protect her. So why don’t he make a move.

  Throwing a book in frustation, she gets ready to build a snowman near the lake.

  She is taking the flight of stairs, when he pulled her hard and fast. She almost collided with the pillar. Pinning her against the wall, he covers her with his body.

  Trying to move away she shouts - Are you crazy. Let me go. What are you trying to do here?

  Karan’s voice holds a chillness- Trying to save you fool. See this line if you cross this the guns around the house will shoot you at sight. Now come in, I will show you how to operate everything around in case of emergency. Slowly releasing her, he thou
ght what could have happened.

  The thought of losing her hit him hard. He is telling her everything, so she will not kill herself on his watch.

  ********

  In the past few days, Karan has learned that Sia is terrible at cooking. She serves as the best helper in the kitchen, cutting vegetables, cleaning utensils, arranging shelves, telling him stories about everyone. Her favorite place in the house is the porch swing to enjoy her evenings.

  Sia is driving him crazy. Cant, she takes a hint that he is not interested in all the jibber-jabber. If there is silence, either she is asleep or reading a book. The woman can’t take a break from household chores. She has cleaned every nook and corner of this house again and again.

  He smiles thinking about what will happen when she will come to know about the attic. A house with only two adults don’t require continuous cleaning. Who is making a mess to clean every day?.

  Her cleaning doesn’t stop at the house, she takes a bath for hours. She tends to move throughout the day. He misses the days when she is too weak to talk or walk. Karan has grown tired of explaining that she can’t be seen in open. But she finds one or the other excuse to use the swing.

  He smiles, seeing her arranging the Almira again. Sia plz take some rest, there is nothing new in there. I disagree, see what I found. She is holding a small guitar. The moment she tries to play it, Karan realizes it’s going to be one of her torture techniques.

  A few days later:-

  Sia is a little more upset today, he can tell now. Over time they have become accustomed to each other’s habits, bathroom schedules, mood swings. Dividing the chores has reduced their continuous bickering. Sia has stopped peeking into his work. Respecting his boundaries of privacy, she stopped asking unwanted questions.