After having dinner, Sanjana was more than eager to return home. Her fingers were tangled with mine as we decided to walk home together. It wasn't that far anyway, so I agreed to my wife's wishes.

We took the winding road beside fruit plantations. Her cheeks looked quite flushed because of the cold. I was holding a lantern for us as well, and she pointed at the orchards.

"Waha kaunse phal hote hai?"

(What kind of fruits are those?)

"Shayad... Aadu. Agar pahad ke aur upar jaoge toh seb bhi milenge," I replied.

(Maybe... Peach. If we go up the hill, we can find apple groves as well.)

She nodded in fascination. I squeezed her face in my hand. "Thand lag rahi hai? Naak bhi laal ho gayi hai..."

(Are you feeling cold? Even your nose has turned red...)

Before she could protest, I took off my coat and made her wear it. "Iski kya zaroorat thi... Mai theek hu-" she whispered, feeling shy suddenly.

(What's the need for this... I'm fine-)

"Bimar pad gayi tho?" I glared.

(What if you fall sick?)

"Aap mere khayal rakhenge na," my wife giggled. Of course she was being a brat now. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked ahead. "Acha naraz mat bano! Rukiye!" She ran after me and clung to my arm again.

(You'll take care of me right?)

(Okay, don't be mad! Wait!)

"Pata hai yaha sher bhi ho sakte hai?" I told her, pointing at the bushes.

(You know there could even be a lion here?)

"Mujhe kya darna? Sher se bhi bhayankar praani se shaadi ki hai," she grinned.

(Why would I be scared? I married someone scarier than a lion.)

I gave her a look. "Bahut khush ho aaj raat, hai na?"

(You're really happy tonight, aren't you?)

Sanjana giggled as she cupped my face in her hands. Her soft fingers were cold, and I was really worried that she'd fall sick. My wife twisted the ends of my moustache and leaned on her tiptoes to peck my lips.

It was a full moon night, and her face looked divine under the warm glow of my lantern. Especially her dark eyes. They were twinkling so innocently, so full of love. All my life I believed nobody would look at me with so much love. But she proved me wrong. Hell, I wondered if I even deserved it.

"Kabhi aapse juda nahi hona chahti... Kabhi nahi... Aapse badhkar koi nahi hai mere liye," Sanjana bit her lip while blushing.

(I don't ever want to be apart from you... Never again... Nobody means as much to me as you do.)

I took a deep breath, clearly lost in her eyes. The two years that I had been away, I wondered if Sanjana had moved on from me... Or if she even wanted me anymore.

But now the same woman could give me butterflies.

"Ah-!" She squealed when I scooped her into my arms. "Koi dekh lega! Aap kya kar rahe ho!" She gasped, but smiled, unable to mask her excitement. Sanjana was already quite aroused.

(Ah-! Someone might see us! What are you doing!)

"Main tumhara apharan kar raha hoon," I rasped and bit her ear. Sanjana squealed even more and kicked her legs, "Phir toh main madad keliye chillana shuru karungi!" She challenged me.

(I'm kidnapping you.)

(Then I'll start screaming for help!)

"Bachao-!" I pressed her face against my shoulder, "Pagal ho gayi ho kya?"

(Help-!)

(Have you gone mad?)

Sanjana's sweet laughter filled the air, and even I couldn't help but smile at her antics. I'd always keep her this happy.

But in the distance, I spotted a stranger smoking. A man was sitting on the railing of a bridge with a cigarette between his lips. He was watching us in the dark. Sanjana grew silent when she noticed him and got down from my arms. As we walked past him, he said aloud, "Kaha ghoom rahe ho jangal mein?"

(Why are you roaming around in the forest?)

We paid no attention to him, and Sanjana hugged my arm in fear.

"Baba ko itni jaldi bhul gayi, Sanjana beta?"

(You forgot your father so soon, Sanjana dear?)

That vicious voice. It became clearer now, and the man jumped down from the fence. I flashed the lantern in his face, and  Sanjana gasped. It was none other than her stepfather.

My wife's eyes widened. She squeezed my arm and almost stayed hidden behind me in fear. The man had lost almost all his hair now, and even his teeth were decaying. He had grown thin and scrawny, but his eyes and grin were still the same.

"Aur Thakur Ji... Namaste..." His grin widened.

"Aap police se bachkar yaha tak aa gaye?" I asked. Nainital was quite a popular tourist destination, and it wouldn't be so hard to live here with a fake identity. Even the police wouldn't be able to catch him.

(You escaped the police and came this far?)

"Sahi samjha aapne..." He replied, "Maine aapki bhi bahut khabar suni thi. Do saal pehle aapka mrityu ho gaya tha... Sach kahu toh us samay ladki ko lene aana chahiye tha. Aise bartaav karti hai... Toh randikhaane mein aur istemaal ho payegi."

(Exactly right... I heard quite a lot about you as well. You died two years ago... And if I'm being honest, I wanted to come back and get the girl. If she's behaving like this... then she'll be quite profitable at a brothel.)

Sanjana clutched the back of my shirt. She was panting and trembling because of the man. It almost felt like she was having a panic attack. Her pregnancy hormones were only making it worse.

"Aur woh ladka ab bhi zinda hai?" He asked.

(And is that boy still alive?)

"Kaun, Saarang?"

"Haan... Wahi nalayak jo Maa ke pallu se chipakkar rehta tha. Agar zinda hai toh usko mujhe wapas chahiye. Mera khoon hai, mera pura haq banta hai us par."

(Yes... That useless boy who used to hide behind his Mother. If he's alive, then I want him back. He's my blood, I have every right over him.)

"Aap S-Saarang ko kahi nahi le jaa sakte!" Sanjana replied in a terrified voice. I knew she loved that kid like her own. Even I didn't want anything bad happening to him.

(You can't take S-Saarang!)

"Bache baap ke kisi toh kaam aane chahiye," the man replied. I didn't like the way he was eyeing Sanjana as well. "Aap hume peecha kar rahe the?" I asked, because it didn't seem like a coincidence that he was here.

(Kids should be useful to their father in some way.0

(Were you following us?)

He hummed, "Maine khabar suna tha ki ek Thakur ki parivar aaye hai. Kuch dino se dekh raha hu... Soch lijiye, Thakur Ji... Aapke haatho se us shaitan ko main le jaunga. Uske haveli mei rehne se aapko kya faida hoga?"

(I had heard the news that a Thakur's family was in town. I've been watching you for a few days... Think about it, Thakur Ji... You can wipe your hands off that little devil. What will you even get by letting him stay in your haveli?)

Sanjana squeezed me tighter at that time. Her eyes were desperate, "Saarang ko le jaane mat dijiye! Mai use apne bete ki tarah maanta hu. Mujhe pata hai aap bhi-"

(Don't let him take Saarang! He's like my own son. I know that even for you-)

"Rona band karo," I muttered. It was always annoying when she whined in that desperate voice.

(Stop crying.)

The offer that her stepfather put forward wasn't bad. That boy was quite the headache. He didn't belong in our haveli. Growing up without parents was going to be difficult, but growing up with a shitty father would be worse. Even though I treated the boy indifferently, he was still a child. I wasn't entirely a monster to see children get hurt. I'd protect Saarang because he meant the world to Sanjana.

"Saarang ke baare mei bhul jaiye. Woh humare bacho se alag nahi hai. Ab hamara aapse koi lena dena nahi hai. Isliye jahan se aaye ho, wahin wapas chale jao... aur phir shayad main police ko bulane ka khayal chhod doon."

(You can forget about Saarang. He's not that different from our kids. We have nothing to do with you anymore. So you can leave the way you came from... And then maybe I'll consider not calling the police.)

I could see the man's ugly lips twitch in the moonlight. He pulled a knife out of his sweater. "Itni jaldi bhi kya hai? Agar ladke ko nahi de sakte toh saare gehne isi waqt utar do! Warna dono ka gala kaat dunga!"

(What's the hurry? If I can't have the boy, then take off all your jewellery right now! Or I'll slit your throats!)

"Bh-bhairav Ji..." Sanjana gulped, hiding behind me, looking even more terrified.

The fuck was wrong with the man? He was already on the run from the police, and he wanted to add to his charges? Fuckers like this truly pissed me off. And he wanted my wife's jewellery? Was the bastard robbing his family now?

I pushed Sanjana away and cracked my knuckles. Did he think I was sitting idle for two years? I kept in good shape because I was excited to fuck up Gulzar and his men. Hell, I had gotten into so many fist fights while I lived in the slums. Did he really think that I'd lose?

Sanjana gasped when I dodged the criminal's first slash. He was definitely a crazy old man. I grabbed his wrist and twisted it sharply. The man screamed in agony. His old bones were so weak. If I were to apply a little more pressure, I could easily crush his wrist.

"Sabhi kehte hain ki mujhe paiso se mohabbat hai... Aise logo se kabhi chori nahi karni chahiye," I warned him before shoving my knee against his groin. If I wasn't wearing the fucking stupid suit, I could move around more easily.

(Everyone says that I love money... You should never rob from people like that?)

He fell to his knees, cupping his only assets and crying in pain. "Aapki himmat toh maanna padega..." I smirked before lifting him by the collar, "Apne damaad ko dhamki de rahe ho. Aur upar se abhi tak mujhe pura dahej nahi diya hai aapne."

(I must commend your courage though... You're threatening your son-in-law. And till now you haven't even paid me the entire dowry.)

"N-nahi...! Nahi!" He grew panicked as I pushed him against the railing of the bridge. The river was quite fast flowing as I glanced down. How lovely.

(N-no...! No!)

"Jab tak baaki dahej lekar nahi aate, tab tak apni shakal mat dikhana. Samjhe?"

(Until you have the rest of the dowry, don't show your face before me. Got it?)

He grabbed my hand as I pushed him over the edge even more. "Th-thakur Ji! Thakur Ji! Sanjana! Bachao beti!" He even yelled for his daughter to save him. The same child he had sold off without a second thought. What a shitty bastard.

(Th-Thakur Ji! Thakur Ji! Sanjana! Save me, child!)

I didn't hesitate any more as I pushed him off the bridge. Sanjana's stepfather landed in the river with a crash. He got taken away with the currents as he struggled to swim and free himself. Sanjana was lost, staring at the water. Her breathing was labored, and I watched her quietly for a while.

"Woh... Woh bach payenge na...?" My wife whispered, "Woh mar nahi jayenge na?"

(He... He's going to escape, right...? He won't die, right?)

"Paani ka bahav kaafi tez hai," I shrugged. It would be a miracle if he made it out alive.

(The currents are quite strong.)

Sanjana hugged herself. There was fear in her eyes as she stared at me, "Aapne... Unhe bhi maar diya?"

(Did you... Kill him as well?)

I stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Bahut se logon ki khun ki hai... Bhavishya mei bhi shayad karna padega. Ek kaatil ke saath rehne mei tumhe dikkat hai?" I squeezed her face with a smile, "Agar tumhe isse aitraaz bhi ho... tab bhi tum hamesha mere saath hi rahogi."

(I've killed a lot of people... Even in the future I might have to. Does it bother you to live with a murderer? Even if it does... You're always going to stay with me.)

She gulped, staring only into my eyes. There was a bullock cart coming our way, and I realised it would be more comfortable to return home in it. I stopped the cart driver and asked him whether he could drop my wife and me off at our cottage. He readily agreed.

"Sambhal kar," I helped Sanjana into the hay bale on his cart. I climbed up right behind her, and we lay down on the warm hay. The night sky was starry and beautiful like always. Sanjana lay her head on my bicep and curled her body against my chest.

(Be careful.)

"Mujhe kabhi kabhi pata nahi ki agar aap ache aadmi ho ya bure... Pyaar mein kuch bhi dikhayi nahi deta," she told me.

(I'll never know if you're a good or evil... I can't see anything in love.)

"Rakshas bula rahi thi na?" I smiled and pulled her closer. Sanjana's breath hitched as she stared into my eyes. I leaned into her neck and sucked her skin greedily.

(You were calling me a monster, right?)

"Aah!" She hissed softly.

I was already frustrated seeing her look so gorgeous, and after the ordeal with her stepfather, I really needed to let off some steam. And what better solution than to make love to the woman I owned? It was going to be a fun night.