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“I’d gone to pick up Avi from his soccer class. One of his classmates was at the Hotel Kempinski close by. They’d been texting each other and Neil wanted to meet him for a few minutes to collect a book. So, I took him there. We entered the hotel and Neil rushed to the café where his friend was. He crossed a group of men coming around the corner andhewas one of them. My heart stopped, literally.” A shuddered breath escaped her. “Neil had just crossedhimto enter the café. My son was just a few yards away from him. God! I didn’t know what to do. I hid behind a potted palm and peeked from there.Hesuddenly halted and spun in a slow circle looking around, as if…as if he knew I was there somewhere. I moved behind a pillar and called Neil on his phone. I asked him to order some takeaway from the café ensuring he didn’t come out tillhewas gone. A few minutes later, when I peeped again andhewas gone, I collected Neil, dropped him home and rushed here.”
Absolute silence followed her outburst. Vihaan shared a helpless look with his brothers. This was one of their worst nightmares, and it had nearly come true.
“I just want him gone.” Avi tossed her hands in the air. “Today, I was lucky. But what if he sees Neil somewhere? How am I going to hide my son from him forever?”
She pressed a shaking fist to her mouth. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, tears he knew she’d never allow to fall for Dev Luthra again.
Shaurya put an arm around Avi and whispered some soothing words to calm her. Avi and he had been close since the day he’d entered into their lives. Aaryan paced in front of them, his expression taut. Tense. His brother looked stricken, defeated and exhausted.
His family was suffering and Vihaan was the only one who could put an end to their misery. His dare with Luthra had stipulated three weeks. That time was almost over. He could get Dev to go away. In doing so, they’d even get all their lands and assets back. But in order to do that, he’d have to give up the one woman who’d stolen his heart.
Perhaps leaving Tiya would be the best thing for her too. He lived a life in hiding and seclusion, and someone as vibrant as her didn’t deserve to have her feathers clipped by being tied down to him. She deserved more. She deserved to be with someone better than him.
His soul bled at the decision he had to take, but he would give his family the safety and protection they all needed, even if it destroyed him and her in the process.
There was no other option left.
27
Tiya waited anxiously for Vihaan to enter the hotel. All around her, the wedding celebrations were going on in full swing. For days, she’d kept her dad’s revelation to herself. But tonight, she’d promised herself to finally come clean and tell him everything.
Her stomach dipped. Tonight, was going to be the true test of her love. She loved Vihaan so much and she only hoped he loved her enough to forgive her dad. She dreaded to think otherwise.
She’d selfishly enjoyed her time with Vihaan, and it had been wonderful. She ought to have told him everything that first day itself, but the moment she’d entered his apartment, he’d kissed her and all her thoughts had flown away. He’d locked the door and made love to her against it…and she hadn’t been able to think any more. One day changed to the next, weakening her resolve to put the truth in front of him.
Vihaan was everything she’d hoped for. He was naughty, playful and teasing. They’d spent hours together in his apartment watching TV or even at times doing their own thing. He’d work while she’d sit next to him and check out makeup or hair styling tutorials. Those quiet times were some of the best moments they’d shared, when they weren’t making love, that is.
Her breath hitched. Even recalling the times they’d been wrapped around each other made her heartrate shoot up. Vihaan was a demanding lover and each time she entered his home, he found a new surface to make love to her on. It had become like a game between them—to explore all corners of his house for lovemaking.
She was so happy with him. But now, it was high time she told him everything. She couldn’t keep deceiving him like this. She owed it to him to lay the truth out in the open. She only hoped that he wouldn’t crush her heart in the process.
When a familiar tingle ran down her spine, she spun around and there he was, walking toward her. Dressed in a bespoke charcoal grey suit, white shirt with a dark green pocket square, his hair sexily messed in the front, he literally stole her breath away.
God! She loved him. She ran into his arms, holding him close, breathing in his unique scent. His hands caught her waist and for a long time, he held her close as if unable to let go too.
She shifted finally and met his gaze. A strange heaviness was there in his eyes, one that she’d never seen before.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Long day,” he said.
“Are you sure that’s it?”
“Yes. Now tell me, why are we attending this wedding again?” he queried. “Didn’t you tell me that Jash wanted to marry you and his fiancé doesn’t like you because you were the groom’s first choice? And yet we’re here. And did you even do the bride’s hair and makeup?”
She grimaced. “I did. If I hadn’t then she would’ve screamed from the rooftops that I was bitter or jealous or some such nonsense. She was quite a nightmare to work with. But she does look rather good tonight.”
“I suppose her pride is stung to be a second choice,” Vihaan said. He spread a hand out at the lavish celebrations. “All this is very grand. It could’ve been yours.”
Tiya frowned. Why was he talking like this? Ignoring his strange mood, she advanced closer to him and put a hand on his chest. “What I want is right here, in front of me.”
His heart sped under her hand. She smiled up at him but he didn’t return her smile. In fact, he looked rather despondent. She squinted. What was going on with him tonight?
Despite that, she needed to tell him the truth about her dad before she lost courage. She’d prepped herself to do this for hours now.
“We need to talk,” she said.
“We need to talk,” he said at the same time.
