Soulless (Revenge or Love?): A Hot Romance Thriller set in India Read online

  Soulless

  by

  MV Kasi

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  EXCERPT

  DESCRIPTION

  BOOKS by MV Kasi

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  COMING EARLY 2017

  ABOUT MV KASI

  MV KASI BOOKS LINKS

  THAT SAME OLD LOVE -- SAMPLE

  THE HOLIDAY AFFAIR – SAMPLE

  Soulless

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 2016 by MV Kasi

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  DEDICATION

  To all the children and adults who suffer from anxiety: bravery isn't enough praise.

  And to ALL my readers and my VIPs!

  Thank you for everything.

  I love you all!

  EXCERPT

  "Looking for me?" a man's deep voice spoke close to her ear from behind.

  When Sia turned around in surprise, the man smiled at her sexily.

  "What makes you think I was looking for you?" she asked, trying to calm her heartbeat and the adrenaline rushing through her body.

  "I don't know. Maybe because you are here at a place where you know I hang out often on Saturday nights. I've invited you several times before, and you kept turning me down. I'm glad you are finally here," he said.

  Sia knew she should not encourage him. She also knew that she should insult him with a callous remark and ask him to buzz off like she did with the other guy a while ago. She should probably also lie that she wasn't interested—but she couldn't do any of those things.

  Desire like nothing she had ever felt before was ruling her brain and body. She needed this man. Only him.

  "Let's get out of here and have dinner. There is a great place that I know—" he began.

  "No," she replied, cutting him off.

  She saw the frustration tearing into his face at her reply. She had rejected his dinner invitations way too many times. It was quite ironic that over the past few months, during most of the nights, she had imagined being with him.

  And now, all her fevered fantasies she had about him during those nights was coming back to her, more vivid than most of her real memories with other men.

  "I meant...that I don't want to have dinner. Take me home with you. To your bed," she said softly, making it obvious what she wanted from him.

  But surprisingly, he didn't appear shocked at her bold invitation. In fact he began to smile slowly. And this time, rather than his usual sexy smile, it was a fierce smile. It was so scorching that her entire body broke into goosebumps.

  "Alright then. As you wish. Let's go," he commanded and held her hand firmly.

  Blindly, she followed him. And later, she could hardly remember how they got into his home. All she knew was that he held her hand, and they ran up the five flights of stairs because she told him that she couldn’t bear to wait for the elevator to arrive.

  As soon as he opened the main door to his home, he dragged her straight into his bedroom.

  DESCRIPTION

  Sia Sampath is on a mission. Her ultimate aim is to search and destroy her enemy. Lying, deceit and manipulation were just some of the tools she had at her disposal. And for someone who was cold and emotionless like her, it wasn't supposed to be hard to achieve her goal. But she had one big problem. And it came in form of a stunningly attractive man, who was distracting her from her chosen path. So she dealt with him by turning him into collateral damage in her elaborate revenge plan. A part of which, required them to do the impossible—to marry and live under the same roof.

  Maintaining distance from her angry, resentful and a very much temporary husband shouldn't have been hard. Especially because all they had between them were hate, mistrust and a healthy dose of lust. But slowly and steadily, her defenses were beginning to crumble, and it was getting very hard to protect her heart or remain SOULLESS.

  Can Sia get past her demons to follow her heart? Or will she realize that sometimes—Love just falls short of retribution...

  WARNING: This book contains sexual content and some disturbing themes that are intended for mature reading audiences only.

  Books by MV Kasi

  Match Made in Hell Series

  THAT SAME OLD LOVE (Book #1)

  THOSE SAME OLD DESIRES (Book #2)

  THE HOLIDAY AFFAIR (Book #3)

  The Revenge Games Series

  SOULLESS (Book #1)

  RUTHLESS (Book #2 June 2017)

  CHAPTER ONE

  "YOU ARE PREGNANT."

  Listening to those three words, Sia felt goosebumps breaking out on her skin. And it wasn't entirely due to the cold, sterile room at the hospital.

  "Are you sure, Dr. Rey?" she asked calmly. "Or do I need to go through any other tests for confirmation?"

  "I'm quite positive, Miss Sampath" the doctor replied with a smile. But when Sia didn't show any visible reaction on her face to the news, the doctor's smile dropped, and she just stood there awkwardly. "I...uh...I'm going to get a re-fill for your prenatal vitamins. Meantime, please wait here. I'll send my nurse to book a follow up appointment," she said, before hurrying towards the exit of the room.

  "Thank you," replied Sia.

  Sia had been seeing Dr. Rey for almost three months. And during that time, she had made it pretty clear that she didn't indulge in any kind of small talk. She didn't want to reveal any intimate details of her life, and neither was she interested in knowing anything about the doctor's life.

  As soon as Dr. Rey left, Sia locked the door, and removed the hospital gown to change back into her regular clothes. And when she was done, she sat on a chair and bent her head down between her knees, trying to calm down.

  Oh my god, this is rea
lly happening. I'm pregnant.

  The news brought both dread and relief to her.

  Dread, because she was going to charter into unknown territories. And relief, because the wait was finally over. Things were now moving according to the plan.

  She was one step closer to meeting her dear 'family'. And her baby would give her the best leverage.

  A baby...

  How on earth would someone like me, manage to raise a baby?

  She had been asking herself that question over a hundred times.

  She knew nothing about babies, and hadn't even been around one to even know how they were, or what they needed. All she knew was that she wanted someone she could love and protect unconditionally.

  But was that really enough? What about the things her child needed?

  She had read that most expecting mothers doubted themselves. But her thoughts were vastly different than the rest of the expecting mothers.

  Because unlike her, no mother would desperately wish for her baby to not inherit any of her genes.

  And no mother would plan the nursery far away from her own room to ensure that the baby wouldn't be disturbed by her terrified screams during the night.

  And no mother would prepare an iron clad will for her unborn child to inherit all of her material possessions, in case something untoward happened to her.

  And most of all, no mother dreaded about breaking the news of her pregnancy to the father of the child—even before she had planned to conceive...

  Taking a deep breath, Sia tried to compose herself, blanking out everything.

  Feelings and self-doubt made one weak. They would overwrite rational thoughts, and cause reckless impulses that would lead to bad decisions. And she couldn't afford to make any bad decisions. Not now.

  A loud knock interrupted her thoughts.

  "Come in," she said quietly.

  An excited looking nurse entered the examination room. "This news must be so thrilling for you and your husband, Mrs. Sampath," she beamed. And even though she received no reply, she continued with her excited chattering.

  "I'm a new mother myself. My baby is already eleven months old, but I still can't forget how thrilled my husband and I were when we found out that I was pregnant."

  The smile slipped from the nurse's face when she saw that there was no joy, or any sort of emotion on the soon-to-be mother's face.

  "I'll be free on the second Tuesday of next month. Please book that appointment for me." Sia instructed the nurse evenly.

  The nurse looked confused, and then a little hurt. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry about my chattering. It's just that...I've seen you coming here so often from the past two months, and so I know that you and your husband must have been planning for a baby from a while. Where is he? I want to see his face when you announce it to him. He would be so thrilled. I can never get used to seeing the expectant father's faces after—"

  Losing patience, Sia cut her off. "I don't have a husband. Now, if you can confirm the next appointment for me, I'd really appreciate it."

  The stunned nurse was gaping at her. "B-but you had ordered...but you had planned. I-I..." She flustered for a while. Then taking a deep breath, she managed to calm herself, and finally opened the calendar to make the follow up appointment.

  Sia regretted snapping at the nurse.

  It was quite rare for her to snap at someone. Because losing patience meant losing control. And having control was the only way to ensure that you had control of things happening in your life. And now because of her momentary loss of patience, she had let out the fact that she wasn't married.

  The nurse knowing that fact shouldn't really matter that much. But she still felt it was an unnecessary risk.

  "I have blocked a slot for your next check up, Mrs...Miss Sampath. You will get a reminder call and a text message before your appointment," said the nurse, adopting a more professional tone.

  Sia nodded.

  Meantime, Dr. Rey returned to the examination room with a few paper bags in hand. "Here you go, Miss Sampath," she said, as she handed the prenatal vitamins along with other medications. "You are running a little low on iron. That's what is causing you to feel a little weak and dizzy these days. I have written down the instructions for the daily prescriptions."

  "Thanks," said Sia, placing the prescriptions into her bag.

  "Please don't hesitate to reach out to me for any further questions," said Dr. Rey with a tentative smile.

  Sia looked at the doctor levelly. "Dr. Rey, I want you to know that I've chosen this hospital and you in particular, because I expect a very high level of service."

  The doctor looked disconcerted. "Of course, Miss Sampath. All of our patients can vouch—"

  "I've repeatedly told you during all of my visits that I want to keep my medical history including my latest...condition, confidential. I don't want to be discussed, even amongst the hospital staff," she said, looking pointedly at the nurse who was now embarrassed.

  Sia knew she was putting the well-intentioned nurse on the spot. But she couldn't afford to take any chances. There were bigger things at stake than some woman's feelings.

  The doctor glared at the nurse, causing her to scamper away with a look of shame.

  "I understand that Miss Sampath. You don't have to worry about it. It's in our policy to always keep our patient's information confidential. No one outside the hospital—in fact, no one apart from me and the nurse know about the treatment you have been taking so far. Our hospital records, including the appointments indicate that you were undergoing cosmetic procedures," explained the doctor.

  "That's good. I'll see you next month then," said Sia.

  Then picking up her purse, she walked out of the room, heading towards the exit.

  And when she reached the exit door, she drew out her umbrella from the purse.

  It had been raining quite heavily since the past few weeks. And even though the city was bustling with traffic and the crowds, the dark ominous clouds in the sky made the surroundings gloomy.

  Quickly, she went towards the lone car that had been waiting outside for her. It was deliberately parked away from the entrance and garage to avoid scrutiny.

  Sliding into the front seat, she closed the umbrella before shutting the door close. And then, she turned to look at the tall, muscular man seated in the driver's seat.

  His head was turned halfway, looking towards her, but not quite making eye contact. He was waiting for her to break the news.

  She stared at his perfectly flawless features, contrasting with a wicked looking, jagged scar on his cheek. She also noticed that his hands were trembling slightly, displaying his anxiety.

  "It's done. I'm pregnant," she announced quietly.

  Satisfaction and relief flared in the man's eyes at the news.

  "Good. I was worried that you wouldn't conceive through natural means this soon. And that we'd have to try—"

  "I know."

  "When will the baby arrive?" he asked impatiently.

  "Four months before I turn twenty five."

  Frustration tore into his face. "God, I hate this waiting. It's killing me each day thinking about the other—"

  "I have been thinking about the same thing too. But I've told you several times, we have to do this the right way, or we'll risk everything. There's nothing much we can do, or should even try to do, until this baby is born. We have to lay low as much as possible."

  "I know," said the man with a frustrated sigh, resting the back of his head on the seat, trying to stop the now visible trembling of his entire body.

  The rain had picked up, and it almost blinded the visibility to the outside world.

  Sia and the man remained quiet, lost in their own thoughts, thinking of the upcoming storm, both on the inside and the outside.

  Finally, it was the man who broke the silence.

  "So...when are you breaking the joyous news to the soon-to-be-father?"

  CHAPTER TWO

  "YOU ARE GETTING married, no
t executed, Ajay Manthena!"

  Ajay laughed listening to that statement.

  "Don't you dare laugh it away! You are slowly becoming such a bore, without a speck of fun remaining in you. And to think, you are the leader of our pack. Come on man, this is going to be the first of your bachelor parties. Live your life to the fullest. As it is your days are numbered now," said an exasperated man's voice on the speakerphone.

  Ajay laughed again at his friend's exaggeration. He was preparing to step out for what his friends had termed as a fun evening out. Although, calling it an evening was quite an exaggeration. Their evening would definitely last until early hours of the next day

  "Harsha, I just need to drop by at Jo's place for a few minutes to finalize the invitation cards. I should be able to meet you guys by ten," he said.

  "Ten! What will you do at Jo's place for that long? Knowing Jo, she'll put you to sleep, and not in a good way. Call her and tell her highness that it's not possible to meet tonight," said Harsha.

  Ajay was still staring at the cards that his soon-to-be fiancée, Jo had dropped a week before. He was to decide which ones he liked the best for their formal engagement invitations.

  He didn't particularly care about the cards, but Jo and her family were so enthusiastic about planning every intricate detail of the engagement party, that he felt compelled to participate in some of the planning.

  "Be nice, Harsha," he said absently, more on habit.

  "Or what? You'll tell Jo? That is quite a threat. She might actually kill me. Simply by conversing with me for an hour, or rather lecturing me about what is possibly wrong with me and my life."

  Ajay frowned, still staring at the cards in his hands. "Harsha..." he warned.

  But his friend as usual chose to ignore it.

  "I seriously don't know how you ended up choosing her as your would-be fiancée, Jay. It's Jo for heaven's sake!"

  Ever since Ajay had gotten unofficially engaged to Jo two months ago, Harsha had been discussing or rather whining about the same topic, over and over.