Page 77 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

“What?” he asked, stepping closer.

“I’m just not ready. I’ve only just started exploring my life and this world, and I want the chance to be on my own for a while.”

“I’d give you all the freedom you want,” he said. “Whatever you need.”

“No, you can’t do that. Not if you want what I suspect you want from me.”

His lips pressed together, but now she was starting to get annoyed. A “no” was enough. She didn’t have to explain herself. He was the one who’d lied to her to start with. He was the one who’d been deceitful, and she needed to remember that.

“Vikram, the answer is no. Please don’t ask me this again.”

She said the words firmly, hoping they would make her meaning clear. He narrowed his eyes, studying her face as though trying to puzzle out the pieces of her expression.

“Is there someone else? Is that it?”

She was officially losing her patience with this conversation now.

“That is none of your business.”

She paused, letting the silence stretch between them until she said, “I’d like to remain your friend, but I must ask you to respect my wishes. I am not, nor will I ever be, interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you. You lied to me and made a fool out of me, and I’ve forgiven you for it on a level of friendship, but friends are all we’re ever going to be.”

At the ominous flash in his gaze, she put a fraction of distance between them.

He noticed her movement, the corner of his mouth curling into a sneer. “What do you think I’m going to do to you?” he asked.

She remembered being in the dining room at the Ravana estate, seeing Gopal up close and thinking she could never picture that sort of malice on Vikram, but she recognized something now—something buried within the depths of his eyes that filled her limbs with lead.

“Nothing. I’m hoping you’ll respect my wishes,” she said.

He moved to fill the space, and she took another step back.

“Please don’t come any closer. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

Vikram let out a sharp huff of breath and then braced his hands against the wall where she found herself trapped.

“Vik—” she said, her tone threadbare with impatience. If she had to use force, then so be it. “Don’t do this. This isn’t who you are.”

“What’s going on here?” interrupted a deep voice.

Rabin now stood in the doorway, his elbow propped against it, his loose posture suggesting casualness, but she noted the bottomless rage simmering in his eyes.

Great. This entire family would be the death of her.

Vikram spun around, and Zarya used the distraction to edge away. Of course, that put her directly between the two men she was doing everything to avoid.

“This is none of your business, Rabin,” Vikram said.

“It sounded like the lady was asking you to leave her alone.”

Rabin pushed himself away from his nonchalant lean and folded his arms, his posture now oozing with aggression.

“We were just having a conversation. Right, Zarya?”

Vikram looked to her for confirmation, but she wouldn’t be siding with him. Her gaze moved from brother to brother, and then she saw Vikram’s expression morph into something else.

“Is this… the someone else?” Vikram asked, pointing to Rabin. “This is why you’re rejecting me. For him?” Vikram glared at his brother. “You haven’t taken enough from me?”

“No. Absolutely not,” Zarya said, finally finding her tongue. “None of this has anything to do with either of you.”