𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

Alisha's POV

As Vedansh Shergill took another slow drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling lazily toward the mirrored ceiling like a lover's sigh, his voice cut through the pulsing silence dark, deep, and so fucking sexy it felt like rough velvet dragged straight across my skin.

"ACP Alisha Khanna."

The sound of my name in that beast-like rumble snapped me out of every filthy daydream I'd been drowning in. My pulse exploded. The cool, professional mask I wore like armor slammed back into place even as liquid heat flooded between my thighs.

My hand flew under the hem of my tiny black dress, fingers closing around the hidden gun strapped to my thigh holster. In one smooth, trained motion I drew it and aimed the barrel right at the back of his head.

He didn't even twitch. Just exhaled another slow plume of smoke, the muscles along his tattooed back rippling like they were mocking me.

"You can't do anything," he said, voice still low and dripping with command. "Look up, darling."

I risked one furious glance toward the shadowed balcony corridor above the main floor. My blood turned to ice. My entire team three agents who had been perfectly blended into the crowd now stood with their hands raised, faces pale.

Vedansh's gunmen, the same silent bastards who had cleared the club minutes ago, had rifles trained on them from every angle. One wrong breath and it would be a massacre.

"Leave them alone," I snarled, swinging the gun back toward his head, voice sharp enough to cut glass. "Right now, Shergill, or I swear on my badge I'll blow your brains across this couch."

He chuckled, low and filthy, pinching the cigarette between two thick fingers. The veins on his forearm bulged obscenely as he did it.

"Calm down, darling," he drawled, that deep, sexy voice wrapping around the pet name like he was already tongue-fucking me with it. "No one needs to die tonight... unless you keep pointing that pretty little gun at me."

Oh god... his voice. It was pure sin gravel and smoke and raw dominance that made my knees weak and my core throb so hard I had to clench my thighs together. I hated how it melted me from the inside out.

"How dare you call me that?" I snapped, stepping closer despite the gun still raised, attitude pouring off me like ice water even while my nipples peaked painfully against the thin dress.

I was the nonchalant ACP, the one who never broke, the one who felt nothing yet inside I was screaming for him to growl it again while he pinned me down and wrecked me.

He finally turned his head just enough for me to catch the edge of that arrogant smirk.

"Because I'm fucking daring, baby, he said. Now come in front of me. No gun. Or my men won't take a millisecond to put bullets in every single one of your little team. And they won't be quick about it."

A flicker of real fear twisted in my gut. I couldn't lose them. Not like this.

"Fine," I bit out, voice tight with forced calm. "I'm coming."

I slowly holstered the gun, the click loud in the empty club. My heels clicked across the mirrored floor as I walked toward the couch, the revealing dress riding higher on my thighs with every step.

From behind, his back was still a masterpiece broad shoulders gleaming with sweat, muscles shifting like liquid steel, that bold tattoo screaming Vedansh Fucking Shergill across his traps. Fuck... I want to sink my teeth into that back while he fucks me from behind.

I stepped around the couch and turned to face him fully.

DAMN..

The world narrowed to nothing but him.

His front was pure godly destruction. Sharp, Greek-god face framed by a light trim of dark beard that screamed danger and sex, full sexy lips curved in that cocky, knowing smirk, and eyes dark, intense, godly eyes that burned straight through my dress like he could already see how soaked my panties were.

His neck was thick and corded, the silver chain resting against the hollow of his throat like an open invitation to lick and bite.

Then lower broad, powerful chest leading down to eight rock-hard, sculpted abs glistening with sweat under the red lights, each deep ridge defined and perfect, droplets sliding slowly down the valleys like they were begging my tongue to follow.

The sharp V-lines at his hips disappeared teasingly into the low waistband of his black pants, and his biceps... fuck, those arms were obscene thick, veined, bulging with raw power, the same forearm veins I'd obsessed over earlier now on full display as he rested one elbow lazily on the back of the couch.

I froze completely, breath caught, core clenching so hard it hurt. Fuck... he's not a man. He's a weapon built to ruin me.

My mind didn't just imagine it it detonated.

I imagined us right there on that velvet couch, no clothes, no witnesses, no badge between us. I'd climb onto his lap, dress shoved up to my waist, straddling those powerful hips while his thick, veined hands gripped my ass hard enough to bruise.

Our mouths would crash together. He'd growl against my lips, "That's it, baby", and I'd moan like a whore, nails raking down those glistening abs, feeling every hard ridge flex under my palms as shamelessly.

He'd flip me onto my back, that tattooed back hovering above me like a predator, sweat dripping from his chest onto my tits while he ripped my panties aside and I'd scream his name.

Those godly eyes would lock on mine, lips brushing my ear as I'd claw at his back, legs locked around his waist, begging louder with every snap of his hips, and while he choking me lightly with one veined hand, spanking my ass red with the other.

The fantasy hit so vivid and filthy that my thighs trembled, fresh slick coating my lace thong. I was one breath away from actually moaning out loud.

He snapped his fingers once sharp, amused, dominant yanking me violently back to reality.

"Seems the ACP wants to moan and scream my name all night long," he said, laughing low and filthy, eyes raking over my body like he already owned every inch.

"Shut up, you bastard criminal,"

I spat, voice dripping with attitude even as my cheeks burned and my pussy betrayed me with another needy throb.

I kept my chin high, the ice-cold cop mask welded in place, refusing to let him see how badly I wanted to drop to my knees and worship those abs with my tongue.

Vedansh rose slowly from the couch, towering over me at 6'1", close enough that the heat from his bare chest brushed my skin. His voice dropped to a dark, dominating growl.

"Make me shut up, then. Kiss me, ACP. Or better yet-get on your knees".

You made a mistake, darling, thinking I'm just another low-life criminal you arrest and release. I'm not them. I own this city. I own the men who own the judges. And now I own the information that you and your pathetic little team flew halfway across the world to collect evidence on me."

He laughed again, darker, stepping even closer until his glistening abs were inches from my boobs.

"As soon as I got word you were coming to collect evidence against me, I decided I 'd present myself here so that You can see me fully right here, baby every hard inch.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I tried to hide the way my breathing had turned shallow, the way my body leaned toward him like a traitor.

"Big words for a man who knows I could still end you," I shot back, attitude sharp but my voice cracking just enough to reveal the tiny surrender underneath.

"I came for evidence, not your cocky bedroom tour. Keep dreaming, Shergill. The only thing you'll be seeing fully is the inside of a cell when I drag your ass back to Mumbai in cuffs."

He said "Dreaming? I don't dream, baby,I take. .

"Delusional as always," I replied, forcing every ounce of nonchalant ice into my tone even while my body screamed yes.

"I'm not joining your twisted world, and I'm not running. But if you think you can capture me... try it. I might just let you for five filthy seconds before I put you down like the criminal you are."

Vedansh's eyes darkened with raw hunger. He leaned in until his lips brushed my ear, breath hot.

"As you came here to see our deal, let's make one of our own. Join us, ACP... or never try to capture us again. Because once I capture you and I will I won't leave you easily. I'll keep you dripping wet, chained to my bed, and fucked so thoroughly you'll never wear that badge without remembering who owns"

I lifted my chin, eyes locked on his, lust and defiance burning together. "Deal declined, criminal. I'll see you in hell first... and I'll make sure you're the one begging."

He chuckled, the sound pure sex and danger. He reached for his discarded black shirt, slinging it casually over one broad shoulder instead of putting it on, giving me one last devastating view of that sweat-slicked, god-like torso.

"Best of luck, ACP... for the future."

He winked slow, filthy, promising then turned his back on me, those perfect muscles and the tattoo mocking me one final time, and strode toward the exit with his men falling in like shadows.

The gunmen on the balcony lowered their rifles and followed.

I stood there in stunned, lust-drunk silence, body still humming, watching him leave.

My mind was a storm of those glistening abs, those bulging veins, that dominating voice, and the way my core still ached for him.

My team rushed down, faces pale, weapons gone. Agent Rao stopped beside me, breathing hard. "The strippers were his gunmen in disguise. We didn't recognize them in time they snatched our pistols the second the lights changed. We're sorry, ma'am."

I exhaled slowly, forcing the professional mask back into place even as my thighs still trembled with need.

"It's okay. We'll catch him one day. He's too cocky-he'll slip." I turned to the last contact, voice steady but my blood still on fire. "Where is he headed now?"

"Mumbai, ma'am. Private jet. Leaves in the hour."

A dark, dangerous smile curved my lips lust and duty twisting into something addictive.

"Get ready. We're leaving

for India right now."

The war had followed me across the ocean.

And I was already soaked for the man I was sworn to destroy.