Rajveer stared up at the ceiling, his mind running in circles. He couldn't decide whether to laugh at the absurdity of it all or just accept that this was his life now waking up to being half-chewed on by the daughter of Pakistan's most notorious cartel boss.
He sighed, rubbing his neck where the bite still tingled. What is with her and biting? he thought, his eyes rolling slightly. Mahnoor remained sprawled on top of him, completely at ease, as if she hadn't just marked him with her teeth... again.
Rajveer closed his eyes briefly, exhaling slowly. He couldn't quite make sense of any of this—her biting, her strange attachment to him, the whirlwind of emotions between them. But one thing was clear: Mahnoor was unlike anyone he had ever known, and somehow, despite the insanity of it all, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to run away.
He let his hand rest on her back, gently, as if giving up the idea of trying to move her. He would let her sleep. Even if it meant enduring the occasional bite, it seemed like that was the price of being close to Mahnoor.
And, for reasons he couldn't fully explain, he was okay with that.
Rajveer lay there, still as stone, trying to process the surreal situation he found himself in. The weight of Mahnoor on top of him was both comforting and perplexing. Her body molded against his, her head tucked into the crook of his neck, her breath warm and steady. He could feel every slight movement she made in her sleep—the soft rise and fall of her chest, the occasional twitch of her fingers still loosely tangled in his hair.
He wasn't sure how long he had been lying there, just waiting, wondering when she would finally wake up and realize the position they were in. Part of him felt like he should push her off, get up, and try to regain some semblance of normalcy. But another part—the part that had slowly been growing more accustomed to this unpredictable girl—didn't want to move at all. He didn't want to break whatever strange, fragile moment this was.
As he sighed and let his eyes drift toward the ceiling, Mahnoor shifted slightly in her sleep, her hand curling tighter into his hair for a brief second. Then, in a voice so soft it almost melted into the silence of the room, she murmured, "You are cute, don't leave me."
Rajveer's entire body stiffened.
His heart skipped a beat, his mind reeling. Did she really just say that? He wasn't sure if he had imagined it, but her voice, so vulnerable and unguarded, echoed in his mind. The words were quiet, almost like they had slipped out by accident, without her even realizing it.
His heart pounded, and he could feel the warmth of her breath against his neck, where she had bitten him earlier. The intimacy of the moment was overwhelming, and he felt a strange sense of protectiveness swell in his chest. He didn't know what was more surprising—that she had said he was cute, or that she had asked him not to leave her.
Rajveer swallowed hard, trying to make sense of what he had just heard. This was Mahnoor—strong, fierce, unpredictable Mahnoor—who seemed to carry the weight of her past and her family's dark underworld on her shoulders. She wasn't the type to let her guard down, especially not with him. Yet here she was, nestled against him, speaking words that revealed a softer side, one she rarely, if ever, let anyone see.
A part of him wanted to respond, to say something reassuring, even though he knew she was still asleep. But the words stuck in his throat, and all he could do was remain still, feeling the weight of her confession settle into the quiet of the room.
His mind flashed back to all their interactions—their rivalry, the biting sarcasm, the way they had pushed and pulled against each other since the first day of law school. It was always a game of defense, of trying to maintain distance while their families' legacies hung over them like a dark cloud. But this? This was different. This was raw, unguarded.
Rajveer found himself relaxing, his muscles softening as he let the moment wash over him. He wasn't sure what this meant or where it was leading, but he knew one thing for sure: Mahnoor had cracked the door open, just a little, and he wasn't about to slam it shut.
He felt her stir again, her body moving slightly as if she were about to wake up. His breath caught in his throat, unsure of how she'd react when she realized she had said something so personal in her sleep. Would she remember? Would she push him away, embarrassed? Or would she brush it off like everything else?
But before he could contemplate further, she sighed softly and settled back into a more comfortable position, her hand releasing its grip on his hair. Her body still lay against his, but now the tension between them seemed different—less charged, more... familiar.
Rajveer closed his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. Maybe, just maybe, this was a turning point. Whether she'd ever admit to it when awake or not, she had revealed something real, something that neither of them could ignore. And for now, that was enough.
He wasn't going anywhere.
Rajveer lay still, half-expecting Mahnoor to wake up and react awkwardly to the intimate position they were in. The room was quiet, the morning light casting a soft glow over the scene. He could feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing against him and the weight of her body resting comfortably atop his.
A few minutes later, he felt a shift—a gentle stir that gradually woke Mahnoor from her deep slumber. Her body moved slowly, and Rajveer held his breath, preparing for whatever reaction might come.
Mahnoor's eyes fluttered open, blinking sleepily as she took in her surroundings. For a moment, she seemed disoriented, but then her gaze settled on Rajveer. Her expression was almost innocent, a stark contrast to the earlier moments of their shared sleep.
Without any sign of embarrassment or hesitation, she looked directly at him and offered a soft, almost shy smile. Rajveer's heart skipped a beat at the tenderness in her eyes. It was a side of her he hadn't seen before—a side that felt disarmingly genuine.
Then, before Rajveer could react, Mahnoor leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. The touch was light, a brief brush of her lips against his skin, but it sent a shiver down his spine. The kiss quickly turned into something more—soft, teasing nibbling, as if she were testing the waters of this new, unfamiliar morning.
Rajveer's eyes widened in surprise, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of her actions. Was this a continuation of the intimacy from their sleep, or was it something different? He couldn't quite process the shift from her previous vulnerability to this new, playful demeanor.
Mahnoor then moved, stretching her limbs and shifting fully onto the bed, her body sprawling out as if she were claiming the entire space. She stretched with a languid grace, her arms reaching overhead, her back arching in a way that revealed a fleeting glimpse of her curves.