Chapter 16

Chapter 16
The elevator moved for a minute before halting abruptly and jerking them both from their position. The light flickered before the darkness completely engulfed the small space.

First, she was claustrophobic and, second, the darkness was like icing on the cake. The thing which she was dreading the most came true. Her heart throbbing loudly in her chest that she felt it would come out of her throat while she shivered like a dry leaf.

"W… what happened?" She asked and he heard the trembling in her voice. "The lights went out, don't worry I will get someone checked," he said and fished out his phone and immediately dialled his assistant.

She crawled to the corner clutching the fabric of her gown. 'Don't panic, it will be alright' she was chanting in her mind but nothing seemed to work for her. She was trying not to panic and closed her eyes for a moment to divert her mind.

After he was done with the phone call, her small whimpers diverted his attention towards her. As he glanced at her and something occurred to him "shit! She is claustrophobic" he cursed under his breath before turning on the flashlight and looking at her.

His eyes widened when he witnessed her worse state. Her face glistened with sweat and tears while her tresses were sticking on her cheeks. She had her eyes closed and tried to inhale from her parted lips but she felt like her air supply was blocked and she was choking on her breath.

"Fuck! Shanaya are you okay?" He asked, stepping towards her. "Open… it, please open it. I… I can't… can't breathe, I…I can't take it any longer" her pained voice was just above a mere whisper that alerted him.

"Hey! Here, look at me and listen to me okay, I am here" he said, cupping her both cheeks. She clutched his hand on her cheeks and gaped at him with her terrified eyes. Suddenly he pulled her to him and she collided with his chest. Her head was against his heart. She shut her eyes and fisted her palm on his shirt.

"Don't panic, nothing will happen to you, I am here okay" his voice was soft as he whispered soothing words in her ears as she slouched down on the floor with him. His strong cologne was a mere distraction for her to keep her sanity in check from getting a panic attack. She tried to inhale his cologne deeply.

Minutes passed but the elevator didn't open and it frightened her most. "I… I can't breathe" her voice barely audible but enough for him to hear. He put the phone on the floor with the flashlight on so he could see her face.

Her body was shivering and drenched in sweat while her breathing was coming in short pants. "Breathe with me okay," he said as he stroked her back guiding her. She inhaled a shaky breath and exhaled as he said.

His phone rang as he picked up the call. "Boss, it will take a few more minutes. They are trying to fix the generator" Tarun explained from the other side of the call. "Do it fast dammit" he yelled on the phone call and at that moment he felt her whole body weight on him and realised she collapsed.

"Fuck" he cursed as he cut the call and hold her firmly waking her up. "Shanaya open your eyes, listen, wake up," he said, patting her cheeks but she was far from hearing him. She was partially lying in his arms as he held her close. He checked her breathing and realised she was not even breathing.

"Fuck! Wake up Shanaya" he gritted, holding her against his chest. At that moment an idea popped up in his head.

CPR.

"Yes,"

"I have to give her CPR," he contemplated. He didn't have any option other than giving her CPR or worse she would suffer from major panic attacks.

Cupping her cheeks he held her face near him and closing the gap between them he sucked in a deep breath, contemplating whether to act as per circumstance or not before he descended his lips on her soft petals.

A strange emotion took over his heart when his lips greeted hers. The softness and the sweetness of her lips melted him as he gave her mouth-to-mouth breathing.

She didn't respond for a while so he attempted once again and gave her CPR. Her eyes flickered a few seconds later and she inhaled his breath and went into a fit of cough fastening his shirt more tightly.

She inhaled his breath and calmed a bit but still, her eyes were closed and she was still in a daze. He kept providing her mouth-to-mouth breath until her breathing was normal and every time his lips brushed with hers, he felt his heartbeat quicken. At that exact moment, the light was back and the elevator commenced.

He pulled back and peered at her face. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her face flustered. Messy hair, smudge lips and sweat beads formed all over her face while her eyes were closed and she was breathing with her lips parted.

She opened her eyes and gazed at him with her hooded eyes. His eyes wandered to the pounding veins on her neck. An invisible pull he felt towards her looking at her dishevelled state yet tempting, as if he was possessed and instead of stopping himself, he leaned over her.

His hand slipped into her soft curls and he encircled his arm around her elegant form securely. His gaze fluttered between her eyes and her lips before he seized her lips with his. He sucked her lower lips gradually causing the butterfly to erupt in her stomach while her hand which was on his shirt fisted more. Her lips felt heaven on his and his heart began beating unevenly against his chest.

She was still not in her right senses and felt numb under his hold. But he pulled back immediately when his morality hit his gut. It's wrong in his place to do what he was doing with her.

The elevator halted at the destination and with a ding sound it opened and he came out of his reverie. He sighed in relief when he checked her breathing was normal but what bothered him more was she fell into unconsciousness. He stepped out of the elevator carrying her in a bridal style.

Swiping the card he unlocked the door of his suite and entering inside he closed the door with his leg. Walking towards the bed he laid her down carefully and sat near her. Looking at her dishevelled state he closed his eyes momentarily before looking away.

His jaw clenched and his palm curled into a rigid fist. He was furious at himself for losing control and drowning in lust. He was not supposed to do that but at that moment he just fell in lust and kissed her was what he was trying to reassure himself. But deep down he knew this was not only lust whenever he looked at her.

"It's just because I haven't been involved with women for a while" he found reassuring himself when a murmur grabbed his attention. "Mom" her pained voice hit his ears. He scowled looking at her when she clasped his palm tightly as if afraid to let go.

"Please, don't… leave" her voice was just above a mere whisper but evident for him. He brushed her hair away from her face "I won't, you are safe" he whispered making his voice as soft as he could before grabbing the tissue box from the side table and wiping her face gently.

His phone vibrated inside his pocket and he halted, wiping her face. Walking towards the couch still facing her he answered the call.

"Boss, it's done,'' the person said from another side. A wicked smirk emerged on his face but his eyes were still on her.

"Good, your reward is already sent to your account. Leave the city and don't come back for the time being" he declared and cut the call. Sauntering towards her he tucked her carefully with the comforter before going out and closing the door.

When he reached the hall everything was normal as it was before when he found Natasha coming from behind him. "Where were you?" He asked, looking around. "I was here, are you done with your plan?" She inquired, walking with him inside the hall.

"I couldn't, the elevator stopped unexpectedly and she's claustrophobic and fainted," he told her in short. He was smart enough not to lift her suspicion by notifying her about what happened inside the elevator. She already had a whiff about him being soft with her. He doesn't want to add more.

"Did you bring what I asked?" He asked and she gave a nod in affirmation. "Here" she passed him Shanaya's phone which she left on the table and Natasha got a hold of it. "Dad, I am leaving for home" he typed a message on her phone and sent it to Rajeev. Her phone password was not a difficult task for him to know.

"What are you up to?" she asked without glancing at him.

"Just wait for a moment. The surprise is already on its way" he answered, looking at Rajeev.

Rajeev who was occupied in conversing with other business delegates got a message and frowned. "Why did she leave without telling me? She even didn't take the bodyguard with her '' he murmured and was about to call her when he got a call from his secretary David.

His facial expressions shifted from confusion to shock and then anger after hearing David. His face lost all the colours. He clutched the phone tightly in his hand and trekked to the exit.

"Sir, where are you going? The party has just started" Avyaansh spoke from behind, walking up to him and standing in front of him.

"I need to go. It's kind of urgent" and he left without waiting for his reply. He dropped the idea to check on Shanaya as he received a message from her phone a few minutes ago. He has more pressing matters to look after for now so he decided to call her once she reaches home.

Avyaansh smirked, poking his tongue inside his cheek before turning to Natasha. "Take a look at this," he said, passing his phone to her and playing a video.

After watching the video clip she looked at him in surprise. "The surprise I said. Now he will run to his factory like a madman but by the time he will reach there the whole factory would
already burn down in ashes" Avyaansh said smirking in victory.

"Congrats on our first victory partner. We have got a long way to go" Natasha let out, giving a knowing smirk. "Congrats to you too, partner," he said, shaking hands with her.