That earned him a shove against his chest that lacked any actual force.
He looked unbearably pleased with himself.
Before she could gather enough dignity to argue, he slipped an arm under her knees and lifted her again.
She gave up resisting.
Her arms went around his shoulders, face hidden against his chest, still refusing to meet his eyes.
He carried her through the courtyard, moving through shadows and blind corners with the ease of a man who had already memorised every possible risk.
At the last turn near the corridor to her quarters, he set her down. His hands remained at her waist, holding her upright.
She steadied herself.
Barely.
She kept her eyes lowered.
“Go.”
She nodded immediately and turned.
Two steps. Three.
Then, without turning… “Hukum.”
Soft. Breathless. Entirely deliberate this time.
She disappeared around the corridor before he could answer.
He stood there, a slow breath leaving him, close to laughter.
Tomorrow would test every ounce of control he had.
Chapter 29
The sitting room looked different today. The table lay covered in intricate mehendi patterns, each design more detailed than the last.
Meera sat cross-legged on the sofa, her hands resting in her lap. She remained too composed, and that composure worked against her. It left stillness. Stillness invited memory.
“Look at this one,” Naina leaned in, already turning a page. “Dense work on the palms, lighter toward the wrists so the jewellery stands out.”
Meera nodded automatically. She had not absorbed a single word.
Her mind had already slipped. To the courtyard. To shadows. To his breath against her skin. To the way his voice had changed when he stopped holding himself back.
I will taste every inch of you…
Her fingers curled into her palm.
“And of course,” Naina continued brightly, “we hide Bhai’s name somewhere impossible.”
Impossible.
Meera nearly laughed.
Nothing about Abhinav felt impossible anymore. Terrifying, yes. Impossible, no.
