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Sanjana’s hand shook in hers.
“Stay strong and breathe,” Avantika whispered. “I’m sure they’ve thought this through. Have faith.”
Sanjana nodded. Her jaw tightened, and she looked back at the conversation happening in front of them.
“You want to know why?” Raj Chauhan stormed. “Because you and your father didn’t choose my son or me. You never put us first. We were family, yet you chose the Rajpoots always. At least your father had a weakness—greed—that I could manipulate to eventually get him on my side. I was delighted when my plan worked, and he destroyed the Rajpoots. You, however, I’m beginning to realize only put up a show of being loyal to your family when in reality, you’ve always been loyal only to them. I believe you chose them in the past, and now, you’re choosing them again.”
Dev’s jaw hardened.
“You shouldn’t have come here, Dev,” his uncle said. “Now I’ll have to kill you too.”
“I’d rather die than live without Avantika and Neil,” Dev said. “I’d die for Aaryan, Sanjana, and Vihaan too.”
Dev dropped his gun to the floor, and her blood pressure skyrocketed. What the hell was he thinking?
“Dev, what the fuck are you doing?” Aaryan hissed.
Dev raised his hands in the air and addressed his uncle. “It’s me you ought to blame for everything. I was your family, not them. So, if anyone needs to die first, it must be me.”
“No!” Avantika screamed, unable to hold herself back anymore. Her eyes pooled as Dev began walking to his uncle.
“I’m here,” Dev said once he was in front of him. “I’m the one who turned my back on my family. I confess, that had they not escaped, I was going to release the Rajpoots from the basement that night. I’d insisted on putting them there in the first place because I knew their mother used the basement as a pantry, and they’d find food and water there. If history were repeated, I’d do it again. I’d choose Avantika always. I’d choose Aaryan and Vihaan over everyone. I’d choose to keep Sanjana safe first.”
Rage swept over his uncle. His eyes flared, and the hand holding the gun shook before he pointed it at Dev.
Suddenly, a shot rang out of nowhere. Before she could blink, another shot rang out. Both of Raj Chauhan’s cronies fell down in a heap. Vihaan appeared in the clearing, gun expertly held aloft, his aim on Raj Chauhan.
“Drop the gun,” Vihaan said aloud. “There is no chance in hell in which you will win. My aim never falters.”
“I may not win, but I can end him.” Raj pointed the gun at Dev’s temple. “Why Dev? They’re not even your blood. They’re not your family. They’re not your brothers.”
A shot rang out, and Dev’s uncle faltered. Dev pushed the gun away from his hand. His uncle fell to the floor, clutching his shoulder.
Vihaan lowered his gun. “I do hate it when people say my brothers are not my brothers.”
Dev crouched in front of his uncle. “Blood only makes one a relative. Loyalty, friendship, and love make someone family.” He pointed to all of them standing around him. “These people are my family. They’ve been my family even when you killed our friendship, by whatever means you did. They will remain my family till the day I die.”
The sounds of people approaching got louder. Dev’s staff, along with several policemen, entered the clearing. They took his uncle and his men away.
Dev stood and put his arms around Avantika.
“Are you okay?” he asked her.
“I am…” She breathed him in, allowing his familiar scent to soothe her. “He’s the one who got you shot. Although I was the one he intended to hurt. He also caused the explosion in the mine to get you to come to India.”
“I figured.” Dev kissed the top of her head. “Tell me everything later.”
“How did you know where to find us?”
“Neil pointed me in your direction, and once we were close,” he pressed a fist to his heart, “my heart knew. It always tells me when you’re close.”
She gaped at him. God! His love for her was unfathomable. She was so fortunate to have found him again.
“My heart stopped when you and Aaryan walked into the clearing,” Avantika rasped. “I assumed Neil told you everything. Thank God you all had a plan.”
Dev held her arms and gave her a sheepish look. “Uh, actually…we didn’t have a plan.”
“You didn’t?” she shrieked.
