The harsh morning light filtered through the half-closed blinds, casting slanted stripes across the messy room where Rehan lay tangled beneath a rumpled blanket. His body ached in ways he hadn't felt before — every muscle stiff, every limb heavy as if bruised from an unseen battle. He groaned, cursing under his breath. What the hell happened last night? Panic gnawed at his chest as he tried to piece together the fragments of his memory, but the haze was thick, stubbornly refusing to clear.
He sat up slowly, wincing as pain radiated from deep inside his torso. His mind immediately jumped to Kiaan. Where is Kiaan? The thought clutched at him like a vice.
Before he could move further, Dev came rushing down the corridor, spotting Rehan immediately. "Rehan! What the hell are you doing here? Where have you been? You just disappeared last night!" Dev's voice was edged with concern but held a sharp urgency. "I was searching all over for you and Kiaan. Why didn't you answer your phone? The bartender said you two got drunk and then walked off with some men. Who the hell were they? What really happened, man?"
Rehan struggled to form words, his throat dry and voice raw. "I… I don't remember much, Dev. Just… pain and confusion."
Dev's eyes darkened. "We need to find Kiaan. He's missing and no one's seen him since."
---
Meanwhile, in another VIP room, Kiaan lay stiff and uneasy on a luxurious bed, sheets tangled around his trembling body. His muscles screamed in protest, but what hurt more was the gnawing chill in his mind. He dared not move too quickly; every shift sent sharp stabs of pain through his ribs.
His eyes caught sight of the harsh bruises and marks that decorated his skin — marks that told stories of violence and violation. His heart sank as he realized this was no nightmare. It was real.
A sudden chill ran down his spine as a horrifying memory floated back: the heavy presence over him, the breath close to his ear, the whispered threats in a voice he could never forget.
Reyaan Malhotra.
The name echoed like a curse.
He tried desperately to recall Reyaan's face — every detail, every expression — but his mind betrayed him, the vision blurred and hazy. All he could remember was the sound of Reyaan's voice, low and cruel, and the cold breath that mingled with his own.
Kiaan's fists clenched, the pain and humiliation fueling a growing fire inside him. He marked me again… The thought alone was poison. And he'll come for me again.
The room felt suffocating, the walls closing in as Kiaan forced himself to focus. He had to find a way to fight back — to protect himself and his team before Reyaan's darkness swallowed them whole.
---
The morning was far from gentle — it was the beginning of a war, and the scars it left were only the start.