The golden haze of morning filtered through the tall glass windows, scattering soft sunlight across the silk sheets that lay tangled on the king-sized bed. Outside, birds chirped faintly while the city far below remained wrapped in its usual hum. But inside that room — there was stillness… until Rehan stirred.
He blinked slowly, his lashes fluttering open. The ceiling above him looked unfamiliar. So did the scent — warm, expensive, masculine. That's when it hit him: where he was… and who he was with.
> "Damn it…" he whispered hoarsely as he tried to sit up — only for his body to protest with a sharp ache that shot down his hips and thighs.
His face twisted.
> "Shit… what the hell did that man do to me last night?"
Just then, a deep voice chuckled from the doorway.
> "Still alive, Agent?"
Rehan's head snapped toward the sound.
There stood Vihaan Roy, in a loose white shirt with the first few buttons open, sleeves rolled up, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a black coffee mug. His hair was slightly damp, pushed back from a fresh shower, and that lazy smirk played on his lips as he leaned against the frame like he owned more than just the room — like he owned Rehan's world.
> "You…" Rehan growled under his breath, pulling the sheets up to his chest instinctively.
Vihaan walked in casually, placed the mug on the side table, and sat at the edge of the bed. His fingers trailed over Rehan's thigh under the covers with no shame whatsoever.
> "I told you it would ache. I even massaged those pretty legs of yours after you passed out," he said with a hint of mock-innocence. "A little gratitude wouldn't kill you."
Rehan shoved his hand off. "You're impossible."
> "Mmm. But unforgettable."
Their eyes locked. The air thickened.
> "You could've at least warned me last night," Rehan muttered, gritting his teeth as he tried to stand up, only to wince and fall back on the bed.
Vihaan immediately caught him.
> "Rehan…" he said, serious for a second, "you could've stopped me anytime. But you didn't."
Rehan didn't answer — because it was true.
Vihaan tilted his head. "So... are you going to stop me now?"
Before Rehan could reply, his phone buzzed.
He reached over, flinching slightly, and checked it.
HQ: We need you both at the main base in an hour. New intel. Urgent.
Vihaan leaned over, reading it.
> "So much for a lazy morning," he sighed, brushing a strand of hair from Rehan's forehead. "I had plans to keep you in bed till noon."
Rehan narrowed his eyes. "You have no shame, do you?"
Vihaan grinned. "No. But I do have taste. And unfortunately for you, my taste is very specific."
He stood, grabbing a robe from the chair and tossing one at Rehan.
> "Get dressed. The world needs you. And I'm afraid... so do I."
Rehan stared at him, half-exasperated, half… something else.
And maybe, just maybe — that something was dangerous.
As they moved to get ready, Rehan couldn't shake the feeling that something else was about to unravel… something far beyond seduction and secrets.The engine of the sleek black BMW Z4 purred like a satisfied predator as it pulled up near HQ's main gates, the morning sunlight catching its metallic sheen. The roof was still down, letting the soft wind curl through their hair as Vihaan brought the car to a smooth stop.
Rehan reached for the seatbelt, fingers fumbling at the buckle. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath when it didn't budge.
Vihaan leaned over — too close, so close that Rehan could feel the warm brush of his breath on his cheek.
> "Let me," Vihaan said in that impossibly deep voice.
With a slow, almost teasing motion, Vihaan's fingers slipped over the buckle and released it effortlessly. But he didn't pull away just yet. His lips hovered near Rehan's ear as he whispered,
> "Though honestly, I'd much rather be unbuckling a different belt on you right now…"
Rehan's eyes narrowed, and his cheeks flushed a sharp shade of red. "Vihaan…"
But before he could scold him further, Vihaan gently pressed a kiss to Rehan's forehead. Soft. Quick. Dangerous in its tenderness.
> "Go, Agent. I'll pick you up later — unless your teammates stage an intervention by then."
Rehan opened the door wordlessly, stepped out, and as soon as his feet hit the ground, the engine behind him roared softly as Vihaan drove off — leaving the scent of leather, musk, and trouble in the air.
But the real storm awaited him at the HQ's entrance.
There, standing with crossed arms and matching expressions of you-got-some-explaining-to-do were Tara, Dev, and Kiaan. And their eyes — God, their eyes — were practically screaming.
Dev broke the silence first, tilting his head with a grin that was equal parts amused and accusing.
> "Was that… was that a BMW Z4?! Dude, that thing costs like £65,710—nearly ₹97.90 Lakh in Indian money! And he dropped you off like you're some luxury delivery."
Rehan cleared his throat. "It's just a car."
Tara narrowed her eyes. "Right. And I'm the Queen of England."
Kiaan leaned slightly closer, arms folded, tone dry. "Did he just kiss your forehead too? I saw that from all the way across the street. Romantic much?"
Rehan rolled his eyes, walking past them. "Can we not do this in the hallway?"
But Tara wasn't letting him off.
> "You didn't come back to HQ last night. And now you arrive in that car, looking like you didn't sleep but somehow still glowing like someone who did a lot more than that."
Rehan stopped mid-step and turned. "We were talking about operations. That's it."
Dev made a choking sound. "Sure. And I talk about weapons trade analysis when I'm wrapped in silk sheets."
Kiaan said nothing. But his sharp gaze lingered a second longer — not on Rehan, but toward the street where the BMW had vanished. His jaw ticked slightly.
> "You do know," he said quietly, "that Vihaan Roy isn't just some rich businessman, right? He's connected. Deep. And the moment you fall too far, you won't even realize it until your freedom is gone."
Rehan met his eyes. And though he didn't say it aloud, something in him already knew that.
> But it was too late.
The echo of their footsteps trailed through the marbled halls of the HQ as the team moved with purpose. Once inside their private operations chamber, the automatic doors slid shut behind them, cloaking them in strategic silence. The transparent LED screen on the wall flickered to life, data streams glowing as Kiaan took the lead — eyes sharp, voice tighter than usual.
He tapped on the projected map, zooming in on key red-flagged districts where their informants had marked suspicious activity.
> "They're getting smarter," he said. "The drug trail we were following? It's deeper than we thought. They're using it not just for local distribution but in human trafficking routes now. Injecting victims, controlling them like livestock. And worse… some of them aren't even adults."
The air shifted.
Tara's brows furrowed. Dev clenched his fists on the table.
Kiaan's voice sharpened.
> "Tonight, we move in. Covert. Silent. We've pinpointed a potential underground network node — a warehouse posing as a shipping company on the east dock. That's where we'll strike. But there's one condition—"
He turned to Rehan, whose face had already started to harden with focus.
> "You. Turn your phone off."
Rehan blinked. "What?"
> "I'm serious," Kiaan said, gaze unwavering. "If Vihaan Roy finds out, or worse — if Zid does, we're done for. This op has to stay outside their radar. I don't care how close you've gotten to Roy, but tonight, this is our mission. No shadows watching us. No backup with hidden motives."
Rehan looked conflicted — not because of the order, but because somewhere deep in his chest, he knew Vihaan would sense something was off.
> "He's not… watching me that closely," Rehan muttered.
Tara gave him a side-eye. "Honey, you were delivered here in his open-roof BMW. You really think he's not tracking your every breath?"
Dev added, "We've already seen how Reyaan Malhotra operates from the shadows. If Vihaan's connected to that guy, and you're sleeping in his arms, then don't doubt it — you're being watched. Carefully."
Rehan gave in with a sigh and pulled his phone out. With one press, the screen went dark.
> "Fine. Phone's off. Let's go break some bones."
Kiaan gave a small nod, but Rehan caught the flicker of something else in his expression. Gratitude. Or maybe just relief.
Kiaan turned back to the map, clicking a few buttons that expanded encrypted feeds from drones circling the dock area.
> "Tonight's not about arrests. It's about infiltration. Extraction. And exposure. We're going into the heart of this hell. And we're going in as ghosts."
Everyone stood straight.
Tara smirked. "Guess I'll have to skip dinner again."
Dev cracked his knuckles. "Let's ruin some nightmares."
Rehan stepped closer. "Let's burn their empire."
And Kiaan, already focused on the next screen, muttered darkly under his breath—
> "Let's see how they like being hunted."