Page 59 of ARIDHI: His Never-Ending Desire

The night air smelled like gasoline and adrenaline and the neon streetlights blurred into streaks of white and gold.

I leaned against Ruvit's car, arms crossed, pretending like I wasn't affected by what just happened.

"You drive like a maniac." I muttered, tilting my head at him.

Ruvit grinned, the corner of his mouth quirking up in that infuriating way that made me want to either kiss him or shove him off a cliff.

Preferably both.

"Correction, sweetheart, I drive like a winner." He leaned against the hood, his leather jacket crinkling as he folded his arms.

"And you're still here, so what does that say about you?" He added.

I huffed, rolling my eyes, "That I have a terrible judgment?"

"Or that you like the thrill." His voice dropped a little lower, teasing but with an edge of something more.

Something that sent a shiver down my spine.

After exposing grandma, Ruvit initially planned to take me on a long drive to lift up my mood.

But when he came out of the garage with his sports car for our long drive, I suggested him to make it a car racing date instead.

And it was a good idea until he decided to beat me in the round one of our car racing and decided to be cocky about it.

But I refused to let him win this conversation, "Or maybe I just enjoy watching your ego trip over itself."

Ruvit laughed, the sound rich and careless.

His fingers tapped against the car hood as if he was itching to get behind the wheel again.

The challenge in his eyes was unmistakable.

"You know what I think?" He took a step closer, heat radiating from him despite the cool night breeze, "I think you're scared."

I scoffed, "Of what? Your questionable driving skills?"

He shook his head slowly, a smirk tugging at his lips, "Of losing to me once again."

Oh, he was acting like an insufferable person at this moment.

I narrowed my eyes, "You think I can't beat you just because you won this time?"

"I think you won't." His voice was velvet, teasing, wrapping around me like the night itself.

That was it.

I straightened up, pushing off the car, "You take my car. And give me yours."

His brows lifted in a mock surprise, "Oh? You actually know what to do with them?"

As if I didn't just give him a tough competition.

I snatched the keys from his hand before he could react, twirling them around my finger.

His jaw ticked as he shrugged, "Sweetheart, take care of my car."

I grinned, reveling in the moment, while passing him the keys of my car.

"Game on, fiance." I said, walking to the driver's side, "Let's see if you can beat me this time."

?

The engine roared to life beneath my hands, a beast awakening under my fingertips.

The steering wheel was smooth, the gear shift familiar, and as I glanced at Ruvit whose car was right beside my car.

His recent arrogance was mixed with something else-anticipation.

I pressed my foot on the gas, just enough to tease him, "I won't be easy on you this time."

Our phones were connected to the car's bluetooth, allowing us to communicate with each other.

"You sure you can handle me, princess?" I could actually feel him smirking.

I shot his car a look before replying, "I can handle a lot of things, Ruvit."

The sound of his chuckle carried its way in the car, "I don't doubt that, Ardhangini."

Despite the fluttering in my heart, I tried to focus on the car as I shifted gears and gunned it.

The city lights turned into a blur, the wind whipping through the open windows as the car shot forward, hugging the asphalt with the kind of precision that sent chills through me.

Ruvit let out a sharp laugh over the bluetooth when I surpassed his car effortlessly, "Damn, princess. Didn't know you had this in you."

I grinned, my heart hammering in my chest, exhilaration surging through my veins.

The road stretched out ahead, an endless ribbon of possibility.

"What's wrong, Ruvit ji ?" I taunted, eyes flicking toward his car which was left behind, "Not used to losing to a woman?"

He chuckled, the sound intense, "Not used to being this turned on by it, Aridhi ji."

My breath hitched as the tension in the car shifted, thickened.

The engine purred beneath me, but it wasn't the only thing vibrating with energy.

"You flirt with a girl while she is driving 120 mph?" I shot back, my grip tightening on the wheel.

"I can't help it when she is making my pulse race more than the speedometer." His voice was low and teasing.

God, this man.

I swallowed, pulse hammering as I forced my focus back on the road, "You're like a dangerous addiction."

"And you're dangerously addicted to it."

?

After what felt like an eternity of high-speed turns, near misses, and whispered challenges, I pulled over at an abandoned overlook.

The car hummed as I put it in park, my chest rising and falling in sync with the rhythm of the night as I stepped out of the car.

I saw Ruvit walking towards me as he exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair, "Amazing, sweetheart."

I smirked, "Still think I can't win?"

His lips parted, like he was about to say something cocky, but then he just shook his head with a smile.

"Remind me to never underestimate you again." He flirted out.

"You'll forget by tomorrow."

"Yeah, probably. Because I like to rile you up."

I gritted, "I am letting this slide just because I won."

"As you want, sweetie." He winked, earning a giggle from me.

Silence settled between us then, thick with something unsaid as the tension hung in the air.

Suddenly, Ruvit turned towards me leaning against the car hood, his fingers drumming lightly against his knee.

As I stood beside him, I raised my eyebrows at him, waiting for him to say what he was about to.

"You ever wonder wae I love your voice so much?"

That made me pause. I considered it before saying, "Maybe you find it noixe (nice)?"

He hummed, tilting his head, "Or maybe because it's your voice."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

"I'm just saying," He drawled, "Do you think if your voice belonged to someone else, I had found it noixe?"

I leaned in slightly, just enough to brush our foreheads with each other.

His eyes flicked to my lips which made me bite them as he cursed under his breath.

"Probably." I whispered, despite the sudden rise of jealousy on my skin.

He shook his head, "Because your voice belongs exclusively to you. And you were meant to be mine."

The blush crept to my cheeks as I registered his words.

The moonlight dawned upon us, his black eyes shining brighter than any diamonds.

I let my left hand hold his shoulder from the one side while resting the other hand on his chest.

I felt his breath hitched when I seductively whisper, "And you are mine."

His eyes travelled down to my lips and then back at my eyes as he laughed softly, shaking his head, "Little fucking tease."

My forehead touched his chin when he snaked his arm around my waist to pull me closer.

He watched me for a long moment, then exhaled gradually, a slow, knowing smile spreading across his lips.

"You're gonna be the death of me, Ardhangini. But at the same time, I wanna live for you."

I bit my inner cheek, blocking the smile forming on my lips. But the mission went unsuccessful when he smashed his lips on me.

?

And if you like midnight driving

with the windows down,

And if you like going places we

can't even pronounce,

If you like to do whatever you've

been dreaming about,

Then, baby, you're perfect.

Baby, you're perfect.

My heart beat with an erratic rhythm against my ribs, contrast with the song playing on the music system.

The adrenaline hadn't worn off, not even close.

If anything, it surged hotter, feeding the reckless thrill as I sped ahead when Ruvit decided to challenge me again.

But this time it's different.

Beside me, Ruvit sat unfazed, one arm lazily resting on the window frame, his fingers dancing on my thighs.

His gaze flicked towards me, amusement glinting in his dark eyes.

"Even my distractions skills are better than your drifting skills, sweetheart." His voice was silk laced with teasing.

That's the game. This time, we aren't competing against each other. This time, we chose a drifting challenge.

Since it's my turn, he sat beside me to judge my drifting skills.

I scoffed, pressing my foot harder against the gas pedal. The car roared in response.

"You should rather be worried if I did something wrong because of your damn distractions."

His chuckle was low, indulgent, "I don't sit beside a reckless woman unless I trust her to keep me alive."

My lips curled, "Funny. I wasn't planning on keeping you alive."

Before I could react, his fingers squeezed my thighs firmly, a punishing and fleeting touch that sent an involuntary jolt through me.

"Eyes on the road, sweetie." He murmured.

I huffed, but my fingers twitched on the wheel.

The freeway stretched ahead, wide and empty at this hour, the city slowly shrinking in the rearview mirror.

The hum of the engine was a purr beneath us, matching the charged energy filling the car.

I shifted gears and when I was sure enough to drift my car, another pair of headlights gleamed in my mirror.

The distant roar of an approaching car cut through the night.

My heartbeat quickened as I adjusted my car back on the normal mode, giving up the idea of drifting.

The matte black beast with the neon red underglow paused right behind us instead of passing through the way I gave it.

"We have got company." Ruvit said, voice still maddeningly calm.

I tilted my head, catching the silhouette of a man behind the wheel, "But who is he?"

Ruvit shrugged beside me, "By looking at his actions it seems that he wants a match."

"Then bring it on." The determination in my voice hit the car.

And without warning, I downshifted, the engine snarling as the car lunged forward.

The world blurred past in a rush of flickering glow of the highway.

"Kanhaji, what type of woman have you raised?" Ruvit let out a sharp laugh, gripping the overhead handle, "Baby, warn me before you give me whiplash."

I shot him a wicked grin, "Where's the fun in that, darling? And besides, your woman needs to win this race."

Ruvit just passed me one of his charming smiles.

The matte black car behind us roared, surging closer, its driver weaving through the lanes like a shadow, chasing me down.

The race was on with a person I don't know but surely, it's going to be a long night.

In a second, the black car closed the gap between us, its headlights flashing like a silent threat.

My grip on the wheel tightened, my pulse hammering with the familiar mix of excitement and danger.

"He's pushing you," Ruvit murmured beside me, eyes flicking to the mirror, "What's the plan, sweetheart?"

Plan? I didn't need a plan. I needed speed. I needed to win.

Instead of answering, I yanked the wheel sharply to the right, cutting across two lanes.

The tires screeched in protest, but the car held steady. The black car followed, sticking to my tail like a shadow.

"Smooth," Ruvit mused, "But he's not backing off."

I smirked, "He won't. Not until I make him by winning the race."

Then without warning, the black car swerved, cutting to my left.

My rival was pulling up beside me now, his tinted window rolling down just enough for me to see the faint glow of a cigarette before he flicked it out.

A message.

Game on then.

My jaw clenched.

The freeway stretched ahead, a long strip of asphalt leading to the city's outskirts, just a few miles until the next sharp turn.

That was my chance.

"He's gonna try to cut you off." Ruvit noted, far too amused for someone sitting in a car going over 120 mph. But that's my man after all.

I rolled my shoulders, anticipation crackling through me, "Let him try."

Then, in a split-second move, my rival jerked his wheel, forcing his car into my lane.

"Shit," I hissed, swerving right to avoid him. The tires skidded, the car was fishtailing before I yanked it back under control.

A playful whistle came from beside me, "Damn. I almost thought you'd lose it there."

I shot him a glare, "Are you on my side or his?" Ruvit leaned closer, his voice a low hum against the roar of the engine, "Definitely yours, Ardhangini."

And just as the words left his lips, the black car suddenly braked and confusion flashed through me.

Then realization hit like a punch. He wasn't trying to overtake me. He was forcing me forward.

My heart slammed against my ribs. The sharp turn was coming up fast. Too fast.

If I don't act now, I will lose control.

I had two options, slam the brakes and risk getting overtaken, or trust my instincts, my skill, and the reckless fire burning inside me. I chose the latter.

"Hold on." I declared, shifting gears.

His fingers brushed against my thigh, brief, grounding, "Always."

And then I turned the wheel. Hard.

The car shuddered as I forced it into the curve, tires screaming against the asphalt.

The world spun for a breathless second but soon, the car stabilized, the city lights returning to focus.

I exhaled sharply. Still in the lead.

The black car was behind me now, its driver caught off guard by my move.

I let out a breathless laugh, adrenaline fizzing in my veins.

"Still worried about my driving skills?" I teased, glancing at Ruvit.

He grinned, eyes dark with something I couldn't quite name, "I am indeed impressed."

I turned back to the road, a victorious smirk tugging at my lips.

The roar of the engine filled the night as I pushed forward, leaving the black car trailing behind.

But I wasn't foolish enough to think it was over.

The driver behind me wasn't just another racer looking for a thrill, his moves were too calculated, too deliberate.

He had a purpose, and I had no intention of letting him fulfill it.

"He's not giving up." He mumbled, eyes flicking between the mirror and the road ahead.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my focus to stay razor-sharp, "Neither am I."

Then, just as I predicted, the black car surged forward again, slipping into my blind spot. A trick. A setup.

But I knew better.

The moment he tried to cut in, I downshifted and slammed the gas, the car shooting forward like a bullet.

The sudden move forced him to swerve back, his tires screeching against the asphalt.

"Damn, sweetheart. If I wasn't already in love with you, I would've fallen for you right now."

I smirked, my grip steady as I maneuvered the next curve, "Too bad for you, then."

But my triumph was short-lived when the black car wasn't retreating.

If anything, he was more aggressive now, weaving through lanes with the kind of confidence that sent a chill down my spine.

"What's his deal?" I muttered, jaw tightening.

Ruvit leaned back, tapping his fingers against his knee, "He's testing you."

"Then let's show him what happens when people play games with me."

Without waiting for a response, I made my move.

Instead of trying to outrun him, I braked just for a split second, throwing him off his rhythm.

He hadn't expected it, and that split second of hesitation was all I needed.

I swerved sharply, cutting him off just as he had tried to do to me.

The rush of air between the cars was almost deafening, the headlights flickering wildly as I forced him into my rearview mirror.

This time, I wasn't the one being pushed.

I was the one in control.

Ruvit chuckled, dark amusement lacing his voice, "God, you're sexy when you're ruthless."

I glanced at him, biting back a grin, "And you're distracting."

"Part of my charm."

The black car completely fell back, and I knew I won.

Pulling into an empty lot on the outskirts of the city, I finally let the adrenaline settle.

The car's engine purred beneath me as I parked, my hands still warm from the heat of the drive.

Ruvit stretched beside me, a lazy smirk playing on his lips, "Well, sweetheart, that was fun."

I rolled my eyes, unbuckling my seatbelt, "For you, maybe. I was the one being chased."

He hummed, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, "And yet, you handled it like a queen."

I sighed, leaning back against the seat, "Yeah, well, now I have a new problem."

Ruvit raised a brow, "Oh?"

I turned to him, voice dry, "I think I'm going to need another race just to burn off all this extra energy."

His grin turned wicked, "That can be arranged. But I have a few...other ideas for how to deal with that energy."

I smiled at him, "Of course you do."

My hands rested either side of me, my focus back on the rear view mirror.

The black car that had been trailing us just moments ago suddenly veered off, disappearing into the city's shadows.

But I just noticed him. I wasn't focused when Ruvit's intense gaze on me was far more intriguing.

I was still catching my breath when Ruvit reached for me, his fingers brushing along my chin, tilting my face up to his.

"We should focus on that guy." I warned, trying to keep my tone steady.

"My focus is on you."

I bit my lip, "We still don't know who that man was."

"Get in the passenger seat." I sucked in a sharp breath due to the way he punctuated his words.

"W-What?" I hesitated, looking into his dark eyes which held a different promise now.

He slightly tilted his head, leaning forward, "You need to be punished for giving my attention to any other man."