Suleiman Khan had been the boss of the Vipers for the last eight years and had completely changed the face of the syndicate. Vipers had been barely surviving under his father. He was rumored to be a soft man. His death and the accession of Suleiman Khan (Venom ) as the boss had changed everything for the Viperids (made men within the vipers).
Now my sister was telling me, that a man like that would be kind towards me? She should have known better, though her husband was not a mafia he still was a monster. There was not much difference between the mafia and politicians these days. Dee's husband, my brother in law was a son of a bitch. He slept with innumerable women. Abused my sister sexually and physically. He used to humiliate her in front of his family and she was expecting a boss of the mafia to be kind and loving? There was no limit to the optimism of my sister.
She had always been the obedient child from among the two of us. She had married a man of my father's wish and had stuck to him for the last eight years. I had always tried to manipulate her into leaving her husband but she had never agreed to it. She was from the old school, which believed that a woman should enter her husband's house in a palanquin and leave as a funeral procession.
Dread was taking over all over my body as time passed. Mom had sent my dress and jewelry to my room at the hands of a maid. This was an indication that my fiance and his family had arrived for the celebration tonight. It was a ritual that the bride should wear the dress and jewelry provided by her in-laws on her engagement and wedding functions.
I was still not able to come to terms with the fact that I was getting engaged to Suleiman Khan. There had been a rivalry of decades between the Viper and Shahs. I couldn't understand how had Dad arranged this betrothal? I know Dad and Suleiman Khan had come to some agreement and I was being bartered to the Vipers in exchange for something.
"What has Dad asked in exchange for me?" I asked Dee.
Dee didn't reply immediately, she helped me with my bangles and the heavy diamond necklace. My dress was a silver-colored Indo western gown by Sabyasachi with matching diamond necklace, bangles, mang tika (It is a beautiful piece of jewelry worn in the middle of the parting of the hair & is meant for adorning the forehead) and an anklet.
"Suleiman Khan will be helping dad, to strengthen his hold over Surat. You know the past two years, have been difficult for the Shahs. To tackle the threat from other gangs dad needs powerful allies. Shahnawaz had proposed dad to make peace with the Vipers and ask for their help. Your marriage to Suleiman is for a guarantee that both parties will stick to their word, " Dee answered me referring to her husband.
Seema aunty had left after applying henna on my hands and feet and completing my makeup and hairstyle. Dee had told me only a few families close to us will be attending the engagement ceremony tonight. From the Vipers, only Suleiman his brother Osman aka Fury, and Suleiman's right-hand man Salahuddin aka Flame had come along with a few guards.
They hadn't brought any female with them, because they didn't trust my father. It was a huge risk to come to enemy territory. If my father had planned a trap for them using me as bait he was about to succeed in it. I don't think fate would be so kind towards me as to eliminate Suleiman Khan this easily.
The celebration had been arranged on the front lawn of the Shah mansion. The ladies and men gathering had been arranged together because there were only close relatives. I was directed to the lawn by Dee after the arrival of all the guests. As I was descending stairs of the lawn from the porch I saw Suleiman Khan sitting on a cream-colored Mahogany French chaise lounge on the other end of the lawn. The seat beside him was left empty for me to sit.
I had seen Suleiman in photographs, but they didn't even come close to reality. Suleiman was a giant of a man his whole appearances screamed power. His black Pathani ( A Pathani suit is an outfit which has a kurta with a stand collar, and pockets. It is worn with a salwar) shirt was stretched on his broad shoulders and chest. The black tuft of hairs on his head matched with the color of his pathani. It was not possible to see his eyes properly from this much distance but I knew he had cold grey eyes, even in photographs they looked like they were stripping you bare to the soul.
He had a scar on the left side of his face from his brow to his cheeks. It was probably from a knife and the knife had barely missed his eye. The scar made him look all the more intimidating.
His brother Osman was sitting on another sofa on his right. Osman still had a boyish charm to his personality. I had heard rumors of him being a player. The man seated beside Osman must have been Salahuddin, he was Suleiman's right hand. It was clear from Salahuddin's body language that Salahuddin had a volatile nature. Which was in sheer contrast to Suleiman's icy composure. They both balanced, each other.
My hands had started sweating just by the mere presence of Suleiman Khan. I had heard horrifying stories of his cruelty from wives and daughters of the made men in the Shahs. Everyone said that he had earned his name, Venom. It was rumored that he used to dip his knives in a type of poison while torturing men. If a man was to be cut with that knife it would increase his agony a hundred folds.
Goosebumps rose on my skin just from thinking about his ways of torture. How can I expect mercy from such a monster who enjoyed killing and torturing people? I hated my father at this moment, for selling me to such a cold-hearted monster for his own gain. I lowered my gaze as we reach closer to the assembled party.
Dee guided me to the seat beside Suleiman. I looked at him through my peripheral vision while getting seated to find him busy in a conversation with his brother. He had not even bothered to look at me once. I was just another business agreement for him and my parents had agreed to marry me to such a man who didn't even find me worthy of his single gaze.
Rings were exchanged in silence. I couldn't help the trembling of my hand all throughout the event of the ring ceremony. I had looked at Suleiman while he slid the ring in my finger his hold was firm on my hand. His expression was cold and his face was stone hard, the cold grey eyes were fixed on my hand. I had avoided looking at him while I slid the ring in his finger, but I could feel that he was still avoiding looking at me.
A little hope that this cold man could get attracted to my beauty and young age had died a painful death. I was not bound to marry, I was sentenced to a slow painful death at the hands of this cold-hearted monster.
Osman and Salahuddin had introduced themselves to me after the ring ceremony. They both at least smiled for my sake, Suleiman had not even bothered to look at me, smile was too far from it.
" Our sister Aminah couldn't be here, but she had sent her regards, " Osman told me after the initial greetings.
I hadn't missed the cold way in which Suleiman was responding to everyone who was congratulating us on our engagement. I passed a glance at my dad who was looking ecstatic as if it was a routine for him that his daughter was being engaged to a killer.
I had always hoped he would marry me to some industrialist or politician. At least those men were better than killers and didn't take joy in torturing people. I never had imagined that my father will choose to marry me to his greatest enemy.
My father was far from a good man, he had tortured and murdered innumerable men in his youth. Now he only gave the order and the killing was taken care of by his subordinates. At least he never brought his monstrous side home. He was an average husband to my mom and a good father for us sisters, but this was a great low from his standards.
I hated my brother in law Shahnawaz for suggesting a truce with the Vipers to my father. It was because of that truce I was being hoarded off as a broodmare.
I had barely eaten during dinner. My appetite was lost the moment I had heard the news about my engagement. The fact of Suleiman sitting beside me during dinner had wiped off all the remaining desire for food from my mind.
He had maintained the detached silence all through dinner and after it, till they took their leave. They had flown here to Surat, in their private aircraft and were returning back to Mumbai in a few hours.
Dee had informed me the next day that my wedding was to be held a month from the day of my engagement. Shahnawaz Bhai ( brother) had given Dee permission to stay in Surat and help with the wedding preparations. I was thankful to him for the kindness he had displayed towards our family. I knew he must have his own personal agenda behind this. The alliance between the Shahs and Vipers was going to benefit a lot in the politics of these two states. Still, I was grateful that I would have Dee by my side all through the ordeals.
Michal