C20 Stay Behind Me
The second man died quietly.
Too quietly.
Arjun lowered the body slowly into the darkness beside the warehouse wall, his breathing calm and steady.
Three left inside.
One near the table.
One pacing.
One beside her.
Through the cracked metal door, he could see Aisha clearly now.
Her hands tied.
Hair messy.
But her posture… still stubbornly straight.
His jaw tightened.
She looked smaller than he remembered.
But not broken.
Not afraid.
Just angry.
Inside the warehouse, the pacing man suddenly stopped.
“You hear that?”
The others looked up.
“What?”
“Something outside.”
Before anyone could move—
The door burst open.
Arjun stepped inside like a storm.
Fast.
Precise.
Two shots rang out.
Bang.
Bang.
Both men near the table dropped before they even realized what was happening.
The third man grabbed Aisha violently and pulled her up, pressing a gun against her temple.
“STOP!”
The warehouse fell silent.
Arjun didn’t move.
His gun remained steady.
Eyes locked on the man.
The kidnapper laughed nervously.
“So you finally came.”
Aisha’s breath caught.
She hadn’t seen him yet.
But she knew that voice.
The quiet way the air shifted when he walked.
Slowly… she turned her head.
Arjun stood ten feet away.
Dust on his boots.
Gun raised.
Eyes darker than she had ever seen them.
Relief slammed into her chest so suddenly she almost forgot to breathe.
“You idiot,” she whispered under her breath.
The man holding her tightened his grip.
“Drop the gun!”
Arjun didn’t move.
“Let her go.”
The tone of his voice was calm.
Cold.
Commanding.
The man laughed.
“You’re in no position to give orders.”
He pressed the gun harder against Aisha’s head.
Arjun’s eyes flickered to her face.
Checking.
Scanning.
Alive.
Unhurt.
Then he looked back at the man.
And spoke quietly.
“Last warning.”
The kidnapper sneered.
“Or what?”
In the next second, everything happened at once.
Aisha moved first.
She stomped down hard on the man’s foot.
He cursed and loosened his grip.
Arjun fired.
One shot.
Clean.
Precise.
The man dropped instantly.
The gun clattered across the floor.
Aisha froze.
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the empty warehouse.
Her ears ringing.
Heart pounding.
Before she could react, Arjun was already beside her.
Knife out.
The rope around her wrists snapped free.
“Are you hurt?” he asked immediately.
His hands were already checking her arms, shoulders, face.
Fast.
Professional.
But his fingers trembled slightly.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly.
But the moment the adrenaline faded, her legs suddenly felt weak.
Arjun noticed instantly.
His arm wrapped around her waist before she could fall.
“Easy.”
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The warehouse was silent again.
Three unconscious men on the floor.
The cold mountain wind blowing through the broken door.
Then Aisha looked up at him.
Her eyes narrowed.
“You ignored my messages for a month.”
Arjun blinked.
That was not the reaction he expected.
“You got kidnapped,” he said slowly.
“And you ghosted me,” she shot back.
He stared at her.
Completely stunned.
“You almost died,” he repeated.
“And whose fault is that?” she snapped.
“If you had just replied to one message—”
She stopped suddenly.
Because his arms were still around her.
Holding her close.
Too close.
For a moment neither of them moved.
The tension between them suddenly felt… different.
Warmer.
Dangerously familiar.
Arjun exhaled slowly.
Then said quietly—
“Stay behind me.”
Her eyebrows furrowed.
“Why?”
From outside the warehouse…
The distant sound of engines suddenly echoed through the forest.
Multiple vehicles.
Getting closer.
Arjun’s expression darkened.
“They brought backup.”
Aisha groaned.
“You’re kidding.”
Arjun grabbed her hand.
Already pulling her toward the back exit.
“No.”
His voice was calm again.
Focused.
“But if they think kidnapping you once was a good idea…”
His grip on her hand tightened.
“They’re about to learn why it wasn’t.”
