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“What?” Vihaan blinked. “You’re agreeing to leave them alone? Just like that?”
Dev laughed. “Having them followed was simply a means to getyouhere in front of me. While Aaryan will always be the voice of reason, the cautious one, I knew you’d never be able to sit by quietly when someone you cared for was being targeted. I just didn’t expect you to come out of hiding so soon.”
Fuck this man! He was playing them like a freaking puppet master. Dev had known them well at one time and that’s why he knew their weaknesses—both Aaryan’s and his. Circumstances shaped your life, but one’s intrinsic nature always remained the same. Caring for his family was Vihaan’s weakness and Dev was using that against him, for God only knew what nefarious purpose.
Vihaan folded his arms on his chest. “Fine, here I am. Just as you planned. What do you want?”
“I want to know where she is.”
“You don’t deserve to learn what happened to her after the way you betrayed her…and us,” Vihaan spat out.
“I will do anything to find her and you know it.” Dev leveled him with a look that made his insides clench. “How’s your cement stock, by the way? Find another supplier yet?”
Vihaan cocked his head to the side, showing none of his roiling emotions. “We will.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Dev scoffed. “In the end, you will have to come to me. Aaryan will have to come face me…”
“If and when Aaryan decides to face you then it will be by his choice, not yours. Never yours. So, go ahead, do what you want. We’re not afraid of you.”
“But if you…” Dev paused. He gave a sideways glance as Tiya and her dad approached them. “Uncle Jatin, have you met Vihaan Rajpoot?”
“So, you’re the young man Tiya was talking about.” Tiya’s father held his hand out. Vihaan shook the older man’s hand. Her dad was tall, with a bald pate, clean shaven and very well dressed. Tiya had inherited the best features from both her parents. Her mom and dad were a spectacular looking couple, indeed.
Jatin Sood tipped his chin to Tiya, who’d appeared back at Vihaan’s side. “Quite a dramatic way to announce your relationship status.” Shaking his head, he looked from him to Dev. “You boys know each other?”
Dev’s lips twisted in a smirk. “Actually, Uncle, you know him too. Or rather his family. Do you remember the Rajpoots who were my neighbors in Shimla?”
A look of utter horror crossed Jatin Sood’s face. He exchanged a brief glance with Dev before he addressed Vihaan. “My God! When Shaurya’s reality was announced to the world, I never made the connection between you Rajpoots in Dubai to that family in Shimla. I never imagined anyone in that family had survived.”
“Dad?!” Tiya gasped. “What are you talking about?”
Vihaan locked his jaw tight to prevent himself from saying something he’d regret. He needed Jatin Sood to like him. To accept him as the man in his daughter’s life. Only then could Vihaan find out if he’d had a role to play in the disaster that Pritam and Dev Luthra had unleashed upon his family more than a decade ago. Besides, Vihaan had to find a way of buying this man’s company and thus removing the foot that Dev had pressed on their throats by halting their cement supply.
He smiled instead. “We survived, Sir. And we are doing well.”
“Good,” Jatin Sood said. “Come home and meet me. I’d like to get to know the man my daughter is dating.”
Vihaan nodded.
An awkward silence descended upon them, until the older man clapped a hand on Dev’s shoulder. “Dev, come with me. I need to talk to you about something.”
Dev took a step forward, paused and gazed at Vihaan over his shoulder. “I’ll see you around,old friend. We still have to talk. I’ll find you now.”
Vihaan gritted his teeth as he watched the two men walk away.
“Well, that was interesting,” Tiya commented. “I smell a good story. Care to share?”
Her naughty, dark eyes were dancing with mischief as they rested on him. She wouldn’t be smiling if he told her the truth. However, his story was not only his to share. There were others involved, and he couldn’t betray them by spilling their secrets to a girl he most definitely liked, but barely knew.
He shook his head. “Not tonight, sweetheart.”
“Vihaan, I was there when you laid eyes on Dev Luthra. He affected you, terribly. I was worried you might hurt him or do something worse.”
She was right. He would have hurt him badly, done worse, if she hadn’t decided to control the situation by offering herself to him. But he couldn’t tell her that.
“Luthra tends to have that effect on people, I’m sure,” he dismissed.
She flipped her long hair across a shoulder. “Considering I just claimed you as my boyfriend in front of the whole world, I think you owe me an explanation.”
