Page 152 of The Redemption
But I don’t move. I simply observe. Because I already know something about my wife that the poor fool doesn’t.Siya doesn’t need saving.Not from men like him. The idiot takes another step towards her as the music continues to blast through the speakers. And then his hand lifts and moves straight towards her waist.
A big f*cking mistake.
The second his fingers come within touching distance of her, Siya moves so fast that he doesn’t even realise what has happened. One moment, he’s reaching for her. The next, she has twisted his wrist behind his back so brutally that his face drains of colour. A howl tears from his throat, but before the sound can fully escape, her knee slams into his stomach.
He collapses instantly before crashing onto the dance floor. Gasps ripple through the crowd around them as Siya stands over him like the fierce princess she is.Furious and deadly.
“How dare you touch me?” she snarls, the threat evident in her voice.
The man immediately raises both his hands. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“Didn’t mean what?” she snaps. “Didn’t mean to grab me without asking? Didn’t mean to put your hands on me because you thought you could get away with it?”
The man visibly shrinks under her glare, but Siya isn’t done. Her chest rises and falls with anger as she continues to stare him down. The entire dance floor has gone silent now.
“You men always think you’re entitled. You assume that if a woman is polite, she’s interested. If she’s smiling, she’s inviting you. If she’s standing alone, she’s available.”
The man looks ready to disappear into the floor.
“But let me make this very clear.” She takes a step closer. “If a woman doesn’t give you permission, you don’t touch her. Ever.If a woman says no, it means no. You can’t force her or threaten her to change her mind. Get that in your head.”
The man nods frantically.
I know exactly what this is. That fool only made a mistake. The rest of this isn’t just for him. It’s for every man who has ever tried to control her. Every man who has ever made decisions on her behalf. Every man who ever thought her consent wasn’t necessary.
Including me.
I lean back in the chair, a slow smirk pulling at the corner of my mouth. She can fight me, defy me, or challenge me, but I know one thing for sure. She would never use another man to provoke me or make me jealous. And she would never allow another man’s hands on her.
And whether she admits it or not... that right belongs only to me. I finish the rest of my drink and rise from the sofa.
The show is over.
As I stride across the dance floor, people automatically move aside. The man is still on the floor, clutching his stomach, while Siya glares at him as if she’s considering kicking him again.
I stop in front of her.
For several seconds, neither of us says a word. I don’t need to. The message is clear:You’ve made your point, wife. Now we’re leaving.
Her jaw tightens, but surprisingly, she doesn’t argue or tell me to go to hell. When I reach for her wrist, she allows me to hold it for just a few seconds before shoving my hand away, as if to remind me not to touch her.
My gaze lingers on her face before I step back.If that’s what she wants, fine.
I let her walk ahead while I follow a few steps behind, like a predator shadowing another predator, ensuring that no one comes near her again. The walk through the lounge, across thehotel lobby, and out to the parking area passes in complete silence. She walks with her shoulders straight and her head held high, while I trail behind her, keeping a watchful eye on everyone around us.
The valet spots us immediately and rushes forward with the keys. When he extends them towards Siya, I take them first. She shoots me an annoyed look, but I ignore it. Then I walk to the passenger side of the SUV and pull the door open for her.
For a moment, I think she’ll refuse just to spite me. But after a long pause, she slides into the vehicle without a word, like a princess accepting what is already hers. Only after she’s settled do I shut the door, and make my way around to the driver’s side.We are going home.
Behind us, Haider gets into the car we arrived in, while the rest of the security detail moves towards their respective vehicles. Within moments, the engines roar to life, and our small convoy begins the drive back towards RK Estate.
SIYA
The entire drive back to RK Estate passes in complete silence. I sit staring out of the window as the darkness of Shivtara Valley rushes by. Beside me, Raghav drives without saying a word.
The aftermath of everything that happened tonight has left me all the more confused. Especially the way Raghav watched me the entire time without intervening. The way he trusted me to handle that man on my own and simply stood back, watching.
I’m not sure how to process that. It would have been easier for me if he had acted like the controlling mafia prince that he is. If he had stormed onto that dance floor, thrown me over hisshoulder, and dragged me out, his actions would have at least matched the image I had of him in my mind.
