[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

*Quiet Road by the Forest Patch | Late Night*

The ride was quiet. Warm. His back against me, the night air brushing my hair. My arms were around him, but my mind… well, it was spinning.

I’d wanted to ask for a while. And tonight felt perfect — he was soft, I had my ice cream, and he was still recovering from how adorably I kissed his cheek.

So I leaned closer, lips near his ear.

**Ishita:** **“Rudra…”**

**Rudra:** **“Hmm?”**

**Ishita:** **“I want to learn how to ride your bike. That matte-black beast.”**

His body tensed.

**Rudra:** **“No.”** Straight. Cold. Authoritative.

I rolled my eyes dramatically against his back.

**Ishita:** **“Pleaseee?”** I tugged his shirt like a child. **“Come on, I can handle it. I even handle *you*, the CEO of Dominance!”**

He let out a sharp breath.

**Rudra:** **“Exactly why I’m scared,”** he muttered, stopping the bike slowly at a quiet, dimly lit road by the forest patch.

It was late. No one around. Just us. And the streetlights throwing long shadows over the asphalt.

I got off first. He followed.

**Rudra:** **“Ishita,”** he turned to face me, folding his arms across his chest. **“This machine is not for playing. It’s heavy. It bites back. It’s not your little scooty.”**

I stepped up to him, full sass mode activated.

**Ishita:** **“And *you’re* not exactly a soft puppy either, but I handle you, don’t I? I’ve seen your wild side, Mr. Rathore. I can handle a metal machine.”**

He sighed. That sigh. The **“I’ve lost this battle”** sigh.

He handed me the helmet. **Rudra:** **“Fine. You ask for a war, you get a war. Let’s begin. But if you scratch my paint, I'm charging it to your soul.”**

I squealed. My excitement totally unmatched. And even as I wore the helmet, I could see his tiny hidden smirk.

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

She wanted to learn the bike. Of course she did. Because this woman doesn't stop at “no.” Not when she’s set her mind on something.

I stopped the bike. Quiet road. No traffic.

I handed her the helmet with a grumble. **Rudra:** **“Put it on properly. Adjust the straps. I’m not letting your pretty head get a scratch. This is a Rathore standard, not a safety recommendation.”**

She smiled and obeyed.

She climbed onto the seat, nervous but pretending to be confident. I stood beside her like a bodyguard, hands always ready to catch her.

**Rudra:** **“Okay,”** I said calmly. **“Right hand – throttle and brake. Left hand – clutch. Left foot – gear. Right foot – rear brake. Got it? Don’t confuse them.”**

**Ishita:** **“I have *no* idea what you just said, Ru. It sounds like accounting.”**

God help me.

I chuckled, moved behind her, and guided her hands. My arms caged her in, pulling her back against my chest. My voice was low and steady near her ear.

**Rudra:** **“Slow. Gentle. Hold the clutch… now twist the throttle — but only a little— Yes, *that* little, Ishita. Not the entire thing!”**

The bike roared and wobbled violently.

**Ishita:** **“Ahhhhhh!”** she squealed, clutching the handles. I grabbed the handles, stabilised it, and laughed, genuinely amused.

**Rudra:** **“You’ll kill us both before the wedding. You have too much enthusiasm for the throttle.”**

**Ishita:** **“Worth it,”** she grinned up at me, her hair flying as the helmet slipped. **“Your heart rate is up. I win.”*

She tried three more times.

She stalled twice, the engine making sad little *putt-putt* sounds. Almost hit a bush on the left. But on the fourth try, she actually moved five feet forward, sputtering but alive.

Five glorious feet. The entire length of a professional conference table.

Then she parked like a queen and threw her arms up.

**Ishita:** **“Did you see that? I *drove!* I beat the beast!”**

**Rudra:** **“You crawled, Ishi. Like a baby learning to walk, but with 1000cc of power. Same thing.”**

She jumped down, took the helmet off, her face glowing. I looked at her — wild, proud, stubborn, *mine*.

**Rudra:** **“Alright, my brave rider. Lesson one complete. Now, get back here.”**

I pulled her against my chest and kissed the top of her head.

**Rudra:** **“You are going to wear my jacket. It's too cold for that top. I’m not negotiating this time.”**

**Ishita:** (She looked up, already pulling his jacket on.) **“Yes, General. But thank you, Ru. That was… everything.”**

And I knew I'd teach her a hundred times more. Because if anyone deserved to ride like a queen and challenge a billionaire's rule… it was the woman who ruled even *me*.

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I looked at him after putting on his jacket and said one more time **"please."** He denied. I clung to him like a child and said, **"Just once, please, please, just once, please!"**

He finally gave in and agreed.

I quickly got on *his* beast — the matte black Ducati. But me? I was sitting *on it*, *riding it*, and *he* was behind me.

Rudra Singh Rathore — Mr. Ruthless Business Tycoon, Mr. Ice-Cold Intensity — was literally caging me in his warm, strong arms, guiding me like a whisper in the wind.

His chest was brushing my back, and his breath was warm near my ear as he spoke low and slow.

**Rudra:** **“Focus, jaana. Clutch… slow… now throttle. Easy. Don’t rush.”**

I bit my lip, eyes narrowed at the road. I could feel every breath he took. Every subtle move of his muscles.

**Ishita:** **“Am I doing it right?”** I whispered, nervous but thrilled.

He leaned even closer. **Rudra:** **“Perfect.”**

**Ishita:** **“You sure?”**

**Rudra:** **“If you weren’t, we’d be in a ditch by now. Relax your shoulders.”**

I elbowed him lightly, laughing. **Ishita:** **“You’re the worst coach.”**

**Rudra:** **“I’m the best rider,”** he replied, his voice thick with a smirk. **“You’re just a stubborn student.”**

**Ishita:** **“And you’re just a possessive teacher.”**

He didn’t argue. Instead, his arms gently guided mine, his hands moving over mine on the handles. Every time I messed up the gear, he corrected it without saying anything — like instinct.

**Rudra:** **“Don’t look down,”** he warned gently. **“Eyes on the road. Straight. Trust me.”**

**Ishita:** **“I already do.”**

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

There she was. Sitting on my bike. Ahead of me. Clutching the throttle like a fighter.

My arms were on both sides of her tiny frame, fingers on her hands. Her scent was driving me crazy.

**Rudra:** **“Easy, Ishi. Don’t panic. Let the clutch go smooth, now twist—good girl. That’s it.”**

She trembled a little but didn’t stop. My brave little warrior.

**Rudra** (Inner Monologue): *Stop enjoying this and focus, Rudra. But how can I? She looks like she belongs there. On my bike. In my arms. In control but also totally mine.*

She made a tiny sound when the bike jerked again.

**Rudra:** **“Don’t worry,”** I murmured, gripping the brake with her. **“I’ve got you.”**

**Ishita:** **“You always do,”** she whispered back.

We rode a few more feet. She got smoother with each second. I let her handle the clutch herself now, still caged around her, still whispering instructions like love notes.

The bike finally stopped after a smooth loop of the empty road.

I turned the key off. She pulled her helmet up. And looked behind toward me. Our eyes met.

She smiled wide, glowing.

**Ishita:** **“I *did it!* I actually drove your monster!”** she squealed, turning in the seat to face me.

I didn’t say anything. I just stared.

Then I leaned in, touched her forehead gently, and whispered:

**Rudra:** **“You made this man fall even harder, Ishita.”**

She blinked. **Ishita:** **“Who said you’re a monster?”**

**Rudra:** **“Everyone. But they don’t know I melt for one girl only.”**

She blushed crimson and rested her head on my chest, right there on the bike.

And I knew… There would never be a ride better than this.

I gently cupped her face with one hand, closing the small distance between us. **Rudra:** **“My champion.”**

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I rested my head on his chest, right there on the parked bike, basking in the warmth and the glow of my small victory.

He had called me his champion. He had admitted he *melts* for me. The cold, ruthless billionaire was reduced to a soft mess just because I learned to crawl five feet on his bike.

He gently cupped my small face, his thumb stroking my cheekbone. His **ocean-blue eyes** were dark, focused, and utterly consuming.

**Rudra:** **“My champion,”** he murmured, his voice thick with unspent emotion. **“I told you I’d lose control tonight.”**

I leaned into his touch, my hands instinctively reaching up to clutch the collar of his jacket. **Ishita:** **“Then lose it, Rudra. You deserve to.”**

He didn't need any more invitation.

He leaned in, capturing my lips. The kiss was immediate, deep, and desperate—a reflection of the entire day's frustration and pent-up longing. My world tilted, spinning with the heat and possessiveness of his mouth on mine. The metallic scent of the bike, the cool October air, the warmth of his jacket—everything blended into a singular, intense moment.

He shifted, twisting my body slightly on the narrow bike seat until I was leaning fully into his solid frame, his arms wrapping around me like powerful steel bands. He kissed me like he was reclaiming lost territory, like every touch was a vow.

I responded fiercely, matching his demand, pulling myself closer until there was no space left between us.

**Ishita** (Inner Monologue): *This is why he's worth the arguments, the stubbornness, the rules. He loves like a storm—terrifying and beautiful.*

He broke the kiss only to breathe, his forehead pressed against mine, his breath ragged.

**Rudra:** **“You make me forget everything, Ishita. The business, the world, the rules.”**

**Ishita:** **“Good,”** I whispered, tracing the sharp line of his jaw. **“Forget it all. There is only us. Right here. Right now.”**

**Rudra:** **“You own me, you stubborn little thing. Don’t ever forget that. You are the only person who can make me break my own damn principles over a chocolate cone and a bike ride.”**

He kissed me again, slower this time, a deep, powerful connection that went straight to my soul. It wasn't just passion; it was the silent sealing of a destiny that had collided and now refused to be separated.

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I looked at her, my heart hammering against my ribs. Her smile, her victory, her trust—it was all too much.

I gently cupped her face. **Rudra:** **“My champion. I told you I’d lose control tonight.”**

She challenged me instantly: **“Then lose it, Rudra. You deserve to.”**

And I did. I claimed her mouth, kissing her with the force of my devotion. The kiss was demanding, possessive, a stark contrast to the quiet intimacy of the parked bike. I needed to taste her, affirm her presence, mark her as mine after a day of frustrating distance.

I tightened my hold, twisting her small frame until she was molded against me, the cold metal of the bike serving as a strange backdrop for such fiery emotion.

I broke the kiss, breathing heavily against her forehead.

**Rudra:** **“You make me forget everything, Ishita. The business, the world, the rules. You are my beautiful distraction.”**

**Ishita:** **“Forget it all. There is only us. Right here. Right now.”**

**Rudra:** **“You own me, you stubborn little thing. Don’t ever forget that.”** I kissed her again, fiercely yet tenderly. **“You are the only person who can make me break my own damn principles over a chocolate cone and a bike ride. This is the truth of Rudra Singh Rathore. You are my only weakness.”**

I pulled back, running my hand through her loose hair. The sheer intensity of the kiss, right there under the faint moonlight, was a raw, primal declaration.

**Rudra:** **“We need to go, Ishita. Before I do something here that lands us both in trouble and makes me miss tomorrow’s *Sangeet*.”**

She smiled, her lips swollen and eyes bright with triumph. **Ishita:** **“And miss dancing with me? Never.”**

I leaned my forehead against hers one last time. **Rudra:** **“Never.”**

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I didn’t want to move. Still sitting on the bike, my legs dangling, heart racing. The empty road glowed under the streetlights. My hair was a mess from the wind. His scent still on my skin.

He got down from the bike — calm, slow, and towering like always — with those piercing **ocean-blue eyes** fixed only on me. His gaze wasn’t intense right now. It was… soft. So soft it made my chest ache.

He stood in front of me, placed his warm hands gently on my cheeks, and leaned in — kissing me. Soft. Slow. As if time didn’t exist, just the intimate brush of lips.

My eyes fluttered shut, savoring the peaceful tenderness after the storm of the day.

When he pulled back, I whispered against his lips: **“Thank you… for fulfilling every single wish I never even said out loud.”**

He smiled that rare smile — the one *only* I get to see. The one that cracked the cold surface of Rudra Singh Rathore.

And then he kissed me again.

This time, the kiss deepened quickly, becoming slower, fuller, demanding a response that I was eager to give. I wrapped my arms around his neck, melting into the kiss as he held me like I was the most delicate, precious thing on earth. His big arms wrapped around my waist like steel vines, warm and protective, pulling me flush against his hard body.

**Rudra:** **“You really love this body, don’t you?”** he murmured against my lips, pulling back slightly to smirk. The sound of his deep voice vibrating against my mouth was dizzying.

I laughed softly, brushing my nose against his. **Ishita:** **“Hmmm. Ocean-blue eyes. Monster body. Protective energy. Stupid rules. Soft heart. How am I *not* supposed to love it all, Mr. Rathore?”**

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his expression shifting from playful to purely adoring. I could tell… He was admiring me. Just like I was admiring him.

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

God. She was sitting on *my* bike like it was built for her. Hair wild. Eyes sparkling. Lips curved in that soft smile that weakens every brick in my damn walls.

I stepped forward, unable to resist anymore. I placed my hands gently on her cheeks. Her skin — always warm. Always mine.

I leaned down and kissed her — it was about *peace.* It was about *home.*

**Ishita:** **“Thank you… for fulfilling every single wish I never even said out loud.”** Her voice shook me.

I pulled her close again, lips brushing hers. **Rudra:** **“You don’t need to say them, jaan,”** I whispered. **“I already know. I’ll make sure every one of them comes true. Every single one.”**

I kissed her again. Slower this time, allowing the kiss to deepen with all the pent-up love and possessiveness I felt. She tasted like chocolate ice cream and rebellion.

When we parted, she looked into my eyes and whispered: **Ishita:** **“How am I not supposed to love it all?”**

**Rudra:** **“You shouldn’t,”** I said, smirking, running my thumb over her lower lip. **“But thank God you do. Now, come here.”**

I wrapped my arms tighter around her, crushing her against my chest. Her hands instinctively trailed over my jacket, over the broad shoulders she claimed as hers.

**Ishita:** **“Mine,”** she whispered against my neck.

**Rudra:** **“Always,”** I replied, wrapping my arms tighter around her, burying my face in her hair.

We stayed there under the night sky — two people built from different worlds, yet completely written for each other. Steel and silk. Fire and calm. Ruthless and stubborn.

But in each other’s arms? Only *soft*. Only *love.*

**Rudra:** **“Let’s go, Ishi. We have a long night of planning ahead, and you need to get some sleep. You have to be perfect for the *Sangeet* tomorrow.”**

I placed her helmet back on her head, securely fastening the strap, ending the moment with a final possessive gesture of care. **Rudra:** **“Hold on tight. Don’t let go.”**

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

*Heritage Hotel Suite | Late Night*

We reached the venue — the grand heritage hotel lit up like a festival. Laughter and chaos everywhere. Cousins running. Aunties planning *haldi* dances. I smiled, dragging my bags behind me, blending into the madness like I hadn’t just spent the most *melting*, heart-tugging hour of my life learning to ride a bike with *him*.

We’re here. Back to pretending we’re nothing. Back to secrets.

I was now in a shared hotel room with Aditi, who was currently dancing in her yellow pajama set and trying on *haldi* earrings on a video call with veer

I was pretending to scroll through Instagram, lying on the bed with wet hair after a shower, but my mind was elsewhere. Not on the *haldi*. Not on Aditi’s overly-decorated *mehendi* plans. But on **him.** In a room just down the hall. Alone.

I picked up my phone and quickly texted:

> 'Ishita:' *reached your room Or still sulking over the ice cream?*

Three dots. He was typing.

> 'Rudra:' *“I’m not the one who sulks, Miss IceCream Queen.”*

I smiled unconsciously.

> 'Ishita:' *“Shut up. Sleep.”*

> *“Goodnight, Mr. Heartless Hulk.”*

> 'Rudra:' *“Goodnight, my storm. My stubborn jaan.”*

I blushed, rolling to my side. He still had that effect. After all these years. My heart still raced like I was 20 again.

I put the phone down and lay on the bed. **Aditi came and jumped beside me.** She ended the call and started giving me **The Look** — slow, meaningful, and highly suspicious.

**Ishita:** **“What?”** I asked, raising an eyebrow. **“Did your veer approve of the danglers?”**

**Aditi:** **“Hmmm... danglers are fine. My friend is not.”** She propped herself up on her elbow, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes sharp. **“*Ishu, bike ride enjoy kari Rudra ke sath?*”**

I froze. My breath hitched. *Did she find out about us? Did Veer say something?*

**Ishita:** (I tried to sound casual, but my voice was too light.) **“What do you mean? It was just a ride. Everyone went on bikes. You and Veer, Prachi and Ansh, Muskan and Sameer…”**

**Aditi:** **“Oofoo, you’re missing the point! *Sab couple the sirf tum dono ko chodh ke.* You two looked like a cover photo for a Wattpad novel titled 'The Billionaire's Silent Promise'!”**

**Ishita:** (I laughed, maybe a little too loud.) **“That’s ridiculous, Adi! He’s Veer’s friend. He was just available, and I was the last single person standing. It was logistical pairing.”**

**Aditi:** **“Logistical? You had a whole separate conversation with him, he stopped the bike for half an hour under some random tree, and when you came back, you were glowing brighter than the sun, and he was giving you *my* chocolate ice cream. That’s not logistics, that’s *literature*, Ishita!”**

**Ishita:** (I grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly.) **“Fine! He was being annoying about me not eating because I’m a princess and he’s... a caveman. We had a fight. He made me eat. End of story. And the ice cream was an apology for almost dropping me off the bike.”**

**Aditi:** (She narrowed her eyes, still unconvinced.) **“An apology that requires half an hour alone in the dark? Riiight. Look, I don't care who it is. But seriously, *esa kr, setting sweet-sweet kar le usse*—then *maza ayega*.”**

**Ishita:** **“What?”**

**Aditi:** **“Duh! You and Rudra, me and Veer. We could be double dating forever! We could be **two bossy couples who fight everyone except their friends**! Imagine, *dono friends un dono friends ka khoon piyengi!* It would be hilarious! Think about the Goa trip planning!”**

I shook my head, smiling despite myself at her dramatic scenario. **Ishita:** **“You are seriously crazy, Aditi. Rudra is too intense for me. He’s not even dating material. He’s too cold. Stop trying to set me up with my fictional hero.”**

**Aditi:** **“I’m just saying, the chemistry is burning the hotel down. Think about it.”** She patted my cheek and finally turned off the light. **“Now sleep. We have to be awake by 6 AM for the *haldi* ritual. And you need to look your best... for your *fictional* billionaire.”**

I closed my eyes, a tiny, triumphant smile playing on my lips. *Fictional, huh? If only she knew the extent of my reality.*

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I walked to the balcony. The wind was cooler here in the hills. October night. I could see her room light still on across the block.

She’s close. But not close enough.

I wanted to barge into that room, kiss her until she forgot where she was, hold her until dawn.

But not yet. This was her best friend’s wedding. She deserved peace. Joy. Celebration.

I replayed her last text: *“Goodnight, my storm. My stubborn jaan.”*

I smiled, feeling the familiar tug of protectiveness and possessiveness. She was fighting a silly battle with her friends about my identity, using a fictional character to hide the *real* one.

*Let them talk.*

Tomorrow is *haldi*. Tomorrow is chaos. And maybe tomorrow night, when the world is asleep, I’ll find a way to steal her from it again. I need to claim more than just a bike seat. I need to claim her entire night.

I took one last look at her window before turning away. *Patience, Rudra. She is worth the wait.*

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

*Hotel Corridor | Haldi Morning*

The hotel suite was buzzing — hairdryers, *dhols*, laughter, the scent of *haldi* and fresh jasmine. I was focused. I was doing final touch-ups on Aditi’s face. **“Ugh, Ishu you’re such a perfectionist,”** she pouted. **“Of course I am. No one gets to call me India’s No. 1 for nothing,”** I smirked.

I hadn’t even gotten ready myself. Just a simple **off-white Indo-western dress**, minimal embroidery, no makeup except lip balm, and obviously no jewelry. I hadn’t had time. Not that I cared. It wasn’t my day.

Until I stepped out for water and for flowers.

I finally noticed the gaze. That piercing stare that burns the skin before you even meet it.

I turned. And *there he was.* **Leaning against the corridor wall**, looking like every girl’s dangerous daydream. That **beige kurta** did *not* deserve to cling to his muscular body like that.

I blinked, heart skipping, but held my clipboard tighter and walked past him, pretending not to look.

But I felt it — the way his eyes followed me.

He passed me the jug I didn’t ask for, his fingers brushing mine—a deliberate, soft touch that instantly created static.

**Rudra:** (He leaned closer and murmured, his voice low and intimate.) **“You didn’t even put on *kajal*. Still ruined my whole damn existence, jaana.”**

I paused for one heartbeat, fighting the blush heating my cheeks.

**Ishita:** **“Don’t flirt in *haldi*, Mr. Hulk. It's inappropriate.”**

RUDRA SINGH RATHORE’S PERSPECTIVE

**Rudra:** **“I’m not flirting. I’m suffering. The lack of sleep from thinking about last night isn't helping either.”**

She brushed past me, still pretending to be too busy.

I leaned down, whispering in her ear, close enough for the faint scent of jasmine and *haldi* to hit me.

**Rudra:** **“Tell your assistants to handle the rest. You need to breathe, Ishi. You’re shaking.”**

**Ishita:** **“I don’t have time. Aditi needs the fresh roses, and I need to check the lighting. This is my job.”**

**Rudra:** **“You never do. Until I take it. That’s the rule, isn’t it?”**

She turned slightly, her voice dropping to a panicked whisper. **Ishita:** **“And what if someone sees? Your eyes are literally shouting secrets right now, Rudra!”**

**Rudra:** (I shrugged, a slow, dangerous movement.) **“Let them. They wouldn't dare approach. Or let me steal you away for five minutes. I need a proper thank you for the ice cream.”**

**Ishita:** **“A thank you? I kissed your cheek! What more do you want, Mr. King?”**

**Rudra:** **“I want everything, Ishita. Starting with you stepping away from the chaos and letting me look at you without a thousand people watching.”** His voice held a hint of steel that brooked no argument. **“Five minutes. Basement corridor. Now.”**

ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE

He pushed off the wall, a dominant presence, and started walking in the opposite direction, forcing me to either obey or make a scene.

*He knew I would obey.*

I took a deep breath, handed the clipboard to a startled assistant, and told her to manage the flowers. I threw Rudra one last frantic, furious, yet undeniably excited look before turning to follow him.

*Full-time menace, part-time god.*