Page 33 of Trapped By the Maharaja

By the time the helicopter landed at the Devara Palace, dozens of workers were on the ground preparing the palace. Strings of golden lights blinked along the arches. Delivery trucks lined the side entrance, porters hauled crates. Sanjana stepped into the palace.

Inside, the pace quickened. Staff hurried along the corridors, voices low but urgent. The palace felt less like a home and more like a stage being set for a performance that could not fail.

At the entrance Rukmini-amma along with Lalita and Kumari appeared. The elderly housekeeper bowed slightly. “Maharani, Rajmata arrived this evening.”

Sanjana’s steps faltered. “Suchitra Devi is here already?”

“Yes,” the housekeeper nodded. “The cook is preparing all of Suchitra Devi’s favorite dishes for dinner tonight.” There was pride in her tone, the kind reserved for someone who had served the same household all her life.

Sanjana nodded faintly, murmured her thanks, and continued forward, her heels clicking against the marble.

The living room had been transformed into controlled chaos.

Ladders leaned against gilded walls while decorators adjusted drapery.

Florists carried armfuls of roses and jasmine, their fragrance trailing through the air.

Event organizers moved with clipboards in hand, their pens scratching furiously.

At the center of it all sat Suchitra Devi.

Regal in emerald silk that shimmered under the chandelier light, she radiated composure. Her voice was calm but firm as she issued instructions, and staff scattered instantly to fulfill them. No one lingered near her unless summoned.

Then her gaze lifted and fell on Sanjana.

Sanjana’s breath caught in her throat. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of the simple dress she had worn to work, which was practical and unremarkable within the opulence of the palace. Her hair was still tied back from the day, and her face bore the faintest trace of fatigue.

Suchitra Devi said nothing.

But in her silence, Sanjana could feel the weight of disapproval.

Forcing herself to move forward, she inclined her head respectfully. “Good evening, Your Highness.”

Devi’s chin lifted a fraction, her acknowledgment measured and regal.

“I’ll just freshen up,” Sanjana murmured quickly, “and join you soon for dinner.”

There was no verbal reply, just that calm, unwavering gaze following her until she stepped past the threshold.

Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, Sanjana hurried up the grand staircase and then along the corridor to the master bedroom suite. Only when the door closed behind her did she let out the breath she’d been holding.

Her plan came rushing back to her. The only lifeline she had left. She had only hours before the announcement tomorrow. Before that, she must speak with Suchitra Devi privately.

She must ask Suchitra Devi’s help to break the contract marriage. And Suchitra Devi will be more than happy to help break the unsuitable marriage.

Taking a deep breath, she hurried across the master suite.

She stepped into the walk-in closet, the vast space sprawling like a boutique with silks and chiffons arranged by shade, and brocades gleaming under the soft glow of recessed lights.

There were also gold-threaded lehengas that belonged in a magazine.

Everything felt too much and too opulent.

She ran her fingers over the fabrics, searching desperately for something that was appropriate to wear for an informal family dinner, but at a palace.

Her mind raced as she debated between two silk dresses, one green and one deep blue. She decided on the blue. Taking it out, she kept it aside. She took off her cotton dress and placed it in the laundry bin. She was about to take off her bra and panties when she heard the soft click of a door.

She froze.

The bathroom door opened, and Ram stepped out.

Her heart lurched violently into her throat. She has assumed he was still in the city and would return much later in the night. He must have come early because of his mother’s visit.

She stared at him. Water glistened across the ridges of his chest, and a towel slung low around his hips. Her eyes moved helplessly over the droplets sliding over his collarbone, catching the light before trailing down his abs, disappearing into the edge of the towel.

You are a doctor. And it’s just a human body.

Even as she desperately tried to reason with her brain, her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she wanted to trace the water droplets with her tongue.

“Ram...” she said. Her voice came out in a shocked, breathless tone.

He had stilled and was watching her with a hooded gaze.

His dark eyes traveled slowly over her body, clad just in her bra and panties. Her heart thudded hard and she suppressed the urge to cover her body with her hands. She grabbed the blue silk dress that she had kept aside and held it in front of her like a shield.

“Y-you’re back early,” she said.

His lips curved faintly. “Yes.”

“I was—” She swallowed, clutching the blue silk fabric tighter in her hands. “I am getting ready to join your mother for dinner.”

There was a flash in his eyes. “So eager to impress her,” he said in a slightly mocking tone.

Her cheeks heated. Before she could reply, he moved. He came closer.

“K-Ram… what are you doing?” she asked, taking a step back.

Her back hit the mirrored wall of the closet.

“Ram,” she whispered, her pulse thundering. “Don’t—”

But her protest died midway when he caged her in, one palm pressing flat to the wall beside her head. His other hand slid to her wrist, tugging the dress free from her grip, letting it fall forgotten to the floor.

His chest hovered inches from hers, the heat of his damp skin radiating into her. The sharp scent of sandalwood soap and clean water wrapped around her senses until she felt dizzy.

“Why not?” he asked, his breath hot against her cheek.

“B-because… because I don’t want you,” she replied, trying to find an excuse that would make him move away.

But he didn’t move away. There was a dark chuckle. “Is that why you can’t keep your eyes away from my body?”

Her cheeks burned. Her lips parted, desperate to find some other excuse. But his gaze dipped to her mouth, and her body betrayed her with a shudder.

The next second, his mouth crashed against hers.

His kiss was hard, hungry, and demanding. His hand fisted in her hair, and tilted her head back, deepening the kiss until she felt consumed.

Her hands braced against his chest, trembling, trying to push him back. But instead of pushing, her fingers curled against the slick warmth of his skin, holding him closer until the hardened tips of her breasts brushed against his chest.

Ram groaned against her lips, low and raw, as if she’d burned him.

His tongue slid against hers, fierce and sure. Every nerve in her body was strung tight, every thought drowned in the storm of him, the taste of him, and the sheer force of his need.

He pulled back slightly. His dark eyes were burning. Before she could catch her breath, his mouth trailed down her throat.

She gasped.

Her head tilted back against the mirror as he sucked hard at the sensitive skin beneath her ear. She trembled. His lips moved lower, kissing a searing path down the slope of her neck, along her collarbone, and then lower still. His mouth closed hotly over her nipple through the lace of her bra.

Her gasp became a choked cry. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he suckled her nipple, hard. The lace scraped against her tender flesh, sending sparks of pleasure-pain through her nerves. She arched against him. The friction was maddening, unbearable, yet she craved more.

He hooked a finger beneath the strap of her bra and tugged it down roughly.

Then his mouth closed over her bare nipple.

His tongue flicked against the hardened peak.

Her knees buckled. She clutched his hair tightly, anchoring herself as he sucked hard.

She moaned. The sensation was too much. Her head thrashed against the mirror as pleasure shot through her.

Her hips jerked forward and she felt his hardness against her.

He groaned against her breast. The next moment, her bra was pushed down completely and both breasts were exposed. He moved his mouth to her other nipple.

His mouth was hot and wet, making her shudder violently. Her moans filled the closet.

His fingers hooked into the waistband of her panties and yanked them down her thighs. The thin material tore loudly.

Before she could react, he slid his hand between her legs and she gasped. His thick finger slid inside her, making her cry out.

“So fucking tight and wet,” he growled against her skin.

He slid his finger deep inside her, making her jerk against his hand. His thumb rubbed hard against her intimate bud as his thick finger thrusted deep. Her hips rocked involuntarily against his hand while desperate moans escaped her throat.

His mouth captured her moans, kissing her hard as his fingers drove into her faster. She gasped against his mouth, while her body began tightening. Pleasure coiled low in her belly. She clawed at his shoulders desperately, burning with a need.

His fingers moved faster inside her.

Her head thrashed against the mirror. She gasped and cried out. And then, a shudder ripped through her. Her eyes flew wide open and her body arched violently against him. Her inner muscles clenched hard around his fingers and she screamed.

She didn’t know how long her entire body continued to shake violently, but after a while, she shuddered hard and slumped against him, panting.

Outside, the chime of a distant palace clock echoed through the silent suite. Seven. Sanjana blinked and slowly her mind began clearing.

The reality crashed over her.

She pushed against his chest. “Ram, stop,” she gasped.

Ram didn't move. His chest heaved, and his gaze remained locked on her face, hunger swirling in his eyes.

“Ram, please. We’ll be late,” she urged. “Your mother is waiting.”

Just when she thought he wouldn’t listen, he slowly withdrew his finger.

He then lifted his wet fingers to his lips and tasted her. She shuddered.

“Next time,” he said with a dark promise. “It won't be my finger. It'll be my tongue and my cock buried inside you.”

Sanjana shuddered, the vivid image flooding her mind despite her frantic attempts to push it away. The tremor that ran through her wasn't entirely anger or fear. Her traitorous body still hummed, slick and sensitive. “You are disgusting,” she choked out.

His mouth twisted into a dark smile as he stepped back.

She felt the keen loss of his body heat.

She watched as he turned and walked towards his own meticulously organized section of the closet.

He moved with smooth confidence, the towel hanging precariously low on his hips.

Her helpless gaze followed the powerful lines of his back, the water droplets catching the light.

Suddenly, the towel fell and pooled soundlessly at his feet. She stifled a gasp as her eyes greedily took in the stark expanse of his naked, muscled back.

He abruptly turned and met her gaze. She froze. Her breath caught inside her chest and her eyes dropped instinctively. Her eyes widened, taking in the large, thick, fully erect, pulsing manhood. She stared, momentarily paralyzed by the sheer primal reality of him.

A choked gasp tore from her throat. Panic surged, and she scrambled backwards, stumbling over the discarded blue silk dress.

Her hands flew up, covering herself inadequately.

She couldn’t look away from his intense stare or the blatant evidence of his arousal.

Panic and unwanted heat warred within her.

She fled. The crumpled blue silk dress fell as she bolted across the cool marble floor of the closet and went to the bathroom.

She wrenched the heavy door open, stumbled inside, and slammed it shut.

Her trembling fingers fumbled for the lock, clicking it into place with frantic urgency.

Only then, braced against the chilled wood, did she dare to breathe.

Her reflection in the large wall-to-wall mirror shocked her.

Her hair was wild and tangled, her face was flushed, and her lips were swollen from Ram's bruising kiss.

The torn remnants of her bra hung apart, exposing her hardened nipples, bruised red from his mouth.

Her lower body was completely bare, with wetness between her legs.

She recalled the feel of his finger moving inside her and the intense climax ripped from her against the mirrored closet wall.

Shuddering, she closed her eyes.

Ram had nearly consummated their marriage in the closet, and she had almost let him.

Her face burned, and she felt a throbbing need once again.

I can’t let him near me again. I must put an end to this marriage.