Sultan's POV
I was the road I was destined to walk on.
That was what I told myself every damn day since my brother died. Ershad Bhaijaan's death wasn't just a tragedy. It was a message. A declaration of war.
So when Bhabhijaan's voice broke through my thoughts like a slap to the face, I didn't flinch. But it stung.
"Sultan, why are you doing something that left us with a trauma?"
Her voice shook. Fear laced every word. Her eyes, once warm, were now full of terror. At me. And that was something I despised.
"If you people decide to stay weak, then I don't care," I spat, bitterness dripping from every syllable. "I can't forget the way they murdered Bhaijaan. I can't sleep without seeing his face in that blood."
"Revenge will give you nothing but emptiness," she said, her voice cracking. "He's not coming back. Even if you kill them all. You can't do this alone."
She was right. But it didn't matter. Because my rage didn't care for logic. Or loneliness.
I remembered the moment they came for me. The ones who had taken my brother tried to erase me too. My blood soaked the ground, leaking from the bullet holes in my stomach. My body collapsed before I even realized I was falling. But they were all dead. I made sure of it.
They tried to wipe out the Khan bloodline. But they forgot one thing.
I'm not just part of it. I am the bloodline.
I dragged myself through the shadows of the alley, each step heavier than the last. My leg screamed from a deep stab wound, but I didn't stop. I wouldn't stop.
And then, out of nowhere-
Something, no-someone, collided into me.
Tiny. Warm. Fragile.
"Hey!" I growled, turning, ready for another enemy. But instead, I saw a little girl clinging to me like I was her savior.
A girl with messy hair, flushed cheeks, and tears in her big round eyes.
"Please don't make me go back," she sobbed. "Those dogs were gonna eat me!"
I blinked. What the hell?
"You shouldn't be out so late," I said, deadpan, trying to shake her off. But she wasn't letting go.
"Walk with me, please! It's dark and... and they might come back!"
I should've left her. I had blood in my mouth and death in my hands. But instead, I asked-
"What happened with the dogs?"
She sniffled, voice rushed and chaotic. "I was walking home from the library, and they came outta nowhere! I stuck my tongue out at them, and then they chased me!"
"You did what?"
"Yeah! My mom said it's rude, but they were mean first!"
A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. What the hell was she even saying?
"You've got too many bad habits," I muttered. "Running into strangers, provoking dogs..."
She batted her lashes up at me. "You look harmless."
Harmless?
Me?
Me. Sultan Emad Khan. The impaler. The last face a man sees before his world goes black.
I almost laughed.
"Listen, kid," I said, leaning down slightly. "I'm not harmless. I'm the monster your mom warned you about."
But she didn't let go.
"You helped me. So you're not that bad."
We reached her building, and she turned to me with that annoying little spark in her eyes.
"Thanks, Mister... um, what's your name?"
"Sultan," I said after a pause.
"Sultan," she repeated, smiling like it meant something. "You're my hero!"
Hero.
That word burned in my ears.
"Don't tell anyone you met me," I warned, stepping into the shadows. "Especially not me."
"Why not?"
I leaned in, eyes dark as death.
"Because, little girl. I'm not someone you want to know."
And I left.
The streets were silent as I bled under the moonlight, every breath a curse, every step a punishment. My phone trembled in my palm as I called the only person I could.
"Zubair. Bring the car. Now."
Minutes later, the sleek black sedan slid beside me like a panther in the night. Zubair ran out, his face pale.
"Sultan?! You're bleeding, man! What the hell happened?!"
"Later," I growled, collapsing into the backseat.
We reached the hospital fast. The doctor patched me up while Zubair hovered.
And while the needle pierced my skin, I laughed.
Not because I was in pain.
But because her stupid little voice echoed in my brain.
"You're my hero."
Hero. What a joke.
Zubair looked freaked out. "Dude... you're laughing with bullets in you. Are you okay?"
"Just remembered a girl," I muttered, eyes distant.
Later, when I pulled off my gaiter, I caught the nurse blushing. Couldn't blame her. I knew what I looked like.
Too dangerous to be ignored.
Too beautiful to be trusted.
Zubair elbowed me. "Looks like you've got a fan."
"Shut up," I snapped, but a small smirk tugged at my lips.
Back in the car, I lit a cigarette, letting the smoke roll out the window as the city blurred around me. My thoughts were miles away.
That girl.
Her stupid pigtails. Her bratty little smile. The way she hugged me like she belonged to me. Like I was some kind of hero.
I snickered to myself.
"You good, Sultan?" Zubair asked.
"Nah. Just remembering someone."
He raised a brow. "You're not gonna tell me, are you?"
I didn't answer. Just took another drag.
"Drop it, Zubair."
But as we cruised through the streets of a city that owed me blood and fear, I couldn't stop wondering-
Who the hell was she? And why couldn't I get her out of my head?

"How amazing is it to find someone who wants to hear about all the things that go in your head?"
Three nervous figures roamed around the house. Looking at the clock then at the door with an expected face.
Romila Gupta irritatedly barked at her stepdaughter Mishti who was also worried for some reason, "What are you doing useless?Can't you see your sister isn't home and you are enjoying in the warmth of the house?"
Her father tried to interfere, "Romi why are you pulling her again. What will she know?"
"You shut up ji!Mishti,go and immediately find your sister and bring her back home. If you fail to bring her I will not spare you."
Mishti was scared and hence she had to leave in search of her sister Kiara who was most probably in that same old place. She knew where she could be. And she resented that place. It was the hell of the city. Just as the night descends, people from the underworld creep up to that place. She was thinking about this all when her phone rung. It was Kiara. She took up the call and her sister's frightened voice came from the other side.
"Mishti please help me.... they will kill me. Please come and help me."
Mishti was frightened to hear her scream as another voice spoke through the phone, "And don't dare to rush to the police. One wrong move and I will slash your sister into two pieces."
Before she could speak anything the phone was disconnected. She had to go and save her sister even if she treated Mishti like shit all through the years. She had to go to that pub. Once she reached there, she wasn't surprised to see the unholy environment. People high on drugs and shaking their body with the thythm. Smoking weeds and injecting drugs in themselves. She wanted to throw up at the smell. She immediately covered her nose. She tiptoed to the upstairs where she came across a room. The door was opened. Was Kiara there?She peeked to witness the most horrible moment of her life. A man was tied up and another man was holding a gun in his hand pointing it at that man. She noticed his face. He was handsome yet he gave those most negative vibes. "Where's my money John?"
The tied up man literally cried, "Please just one more month and I will repay it."
"Like I will give you another month to fool me around. You better die and I will extract your organs and sell them to get my money back. It sounds beautiful, isn't it?"
The poor man cried in desperation as the trigger was pressed and boom! His dead body collapsed on the ground. Sultan looked deeply grossed at the blood on his expensive suit as he wiped it off with his handkerchief. Mishti witnessed that horrible scene. Tears rolled down her eyes as she tried to shut her whimpers. She stepped back against someone and turned to see a man standing behind her. He glared at her and she knew she was in trouble
"What did you saw?"
Before she could answer he literally dragged her to the same room where a man was murdered minutes ago and thrown on the floor beside that dead body. She was terrified to see the body and the blood.
"Sultan, this girl was spying on you. Most probably sent by the police or our rivals."
She was afraid. She could feel a pair of eye staring right into her soul. She hadn't the courage to look into his eyes. All she could see was his black boots which paced at her. The man kneeled at her level, Look at me."
She was too terrified to look into a man's eye who just took someone's life like it didn't matter. Suddenly her face was harshly lifted by the chin as she tightly closed her eyes. "Pleas-e do-n-nt ki-il me."
Sultan for the very first time in his life was amused. Her beautiful creamy complexion with those eyes closed created an eerie feeling in his heart.
Wait,he had seen her before.
She was the same girl from last night who likes to stick her tongue at random animals!
But why wasn't she recognising him?
Then it crossed his mind-he was wearing neck gaitar.
No wonder she wasn't intimidated.
"Open your eyes." His voice full of authority. He was getting impatient to see her eyes staring at her And when she did, he was bewildered. She was the perfect, piece of God. But he shouldn't let his guard down. Beautiful things could be honey traps.
"What are you doing here? Why were you sneaking in my room?What is your name?Who ordered you to come here?"
He threw questions at her. His eyes calm yet his voice filled with a murderous emotion. Mishti was almost in verge of tears
"Just finish her already Sultan. It doesn't matter who sent her but she is a danger for us."
This sentence broke her last string of hope. Hope of staying alive. She still had her dream of becoming a teacher and make her late mother's soul proud. She wanted to buy her dream house. She wanted to visit her dream place and do a world trip. She still had her monthly semesters to top and dye her hair.
"No please.....don't kill me. I am begging you. I am here to find my sister. She is in trouble"
Sultan frowned. For some reason he hated seeing her cry. He softened a bit before asking, "And whose your sister?"
"Ki-kara."
"Kiara As in Kiara Gupta?, "he asked.
"Yes-s"
"That bitch is your sister?That fucking bitch?,"his anger took a toll. "Then I am sorry. She isn't getting away because she owes me a lot of money and I am planning to sell her and get it back with interest."
"No please "she gasped hearing his horrible plan. She couldn't imagine this happening to her sister no matter how worse she was. "I am begging you. Please leave my sister"
Her eyes welled up with tears as she desperately grasped his hand, her small fingers wrapping around his. "Please, don't hurt my sister. I'll do anything."
Zubair and the others instinctively drew their guns, ready to protect their boss from potential harm. However, Sultan raised his hand, signaling them to stand down.
"It's fine," he said calmly, his gaze never leaving Mishti's face.
The men hesitated, then lowered their weapons, unsure what to make of his unusual reaction.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her desperate expression. No one had ever dared touch him before, yet this girl had done it twice. He should be furious, but instead, he felt... intrigued.
"Look at me," he commanded softly.
Her tear-stained face tilted up, her eyes locking onto his. He searched for something in her gaze, but she saw only a deep, unnerving intensity.
"What makes you think I'd spare your sister?" He asked, his voice low and even.
Her grip on his hand tightened. "I'll do anything. Just please, don't hurt her."
His smirk grew, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Anything?" he repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism.
She nodded fervently, unaware of the dangerous path she was walking.
His gaze lingered on her face before he responded."Give me a reason that moves my heart and forces me to change my decision, "he replied making himself comfortable on the sofa.
She was confused. What could she reply?And she ultimately said, "Because, because human life is way too precious than materialistic pleasures, God will eventually bless you and open the door of heaven for you if you do good to others."
She couldn't understand but everyone present in the room started laughing, Including Sultan who looked very amused. His eyes twinkled in amusement. Poor mishti was staring at them unable to conclude things.
"3 lakhs, "his sudden statement attracted her attention. "Your sister owes me 3 lakhs but i am still letting your sister go. But before that I want to know your name?"
"Mishti..."
"Mishti "he said it like he was conserving her name in his memory. "Oneday I will surely come to you and ask for something in return. That day you shouldn't turn your back on me. Otherwise there will be consequences"
She nodded her head. He signalled his man who nodded and brought Kiara there in an unconscious state. She was nervous to see her in that condition but he spoke,"Don't worry. We gave her sedatives because she was getting on our nerves. Such a mannerless brat. She will be fine by the next morning."
When they were gone, Zubair, his right hand almost pounced on him. "Why did you let her go?As far as I know money is very important to you and today you let it go so easily?What happened to you Sultan?Have you gone insane?"
Sultan had a playful smile on his face as he watched Mishti go. She was trying her best to handle her druggist sister. For a second their eyes met before she looked away. An unknown feeling dawned on his heart.
"Because it's fun when you chase your prey."