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Her mind was still reeling from everything he’d said.
“On that day, when everything is out in the open, you will learn that everything I did was for you…to keep you safe. To keep Vihaan and Aaryan safe.”Her chest continued to split wide open at the memory of those words.“That night, you weren’t the only one who lost everything.”
He couldn’t have meant them. No. She refused to believe that the heavy statement implied more. He was guilty—it was black and white…there was no grey in between.
However, a part of her was intrigued by his words and wanted him to explain what he meant. But the sane and rational part of her overruled that. Dev’s disloyalty had destroyed her life and that of her siblings. Nothing he said could change that.
And she didn’t want to change her opinion of him. After today, it was evident that she was still drawn to him. She was still attracted to him. Twelve years back, she had been unable to resist him. Time had passed, yet the temptation that Dev Luthra presented hadn’t dimmed. In fact, his allure had only grown multifold. He was gorgeous, sexy and still made her heart thunder with a single touch. And that kiss…damn, she should never have done it. Even thinking about it made her feel like she was betraying her family and everything she’d believed in for years. Dev was her adversary and her sinner. She ought to remember that. Anything else was only a disaster waiting to happen.
9
The fire in his heart continued to rage. He’d had a taste of her after twelve painfully long years, and now he wanted so much more from her. He wanted everything. He shifted to observe her and frowned. Avantika was shivering. She was rubbing her arms up and down, trying to dispel the cold. But, of course, it wasn’t working.
He instructed the cab driver to hike up the heating before removing his jacket and wrapping it around her. Contrary to his expectations, she didn’t protest. She sagged against the seat and shut her eyes. She was going to be ill; that was a given.
He sighed.
Fuck! There were some people who could face any weather and never fall sick, and there were a rare few like her who just had to get soaked in the rain for a few minutes to catch a cold. It had been like that for her ever since he’d known her.
As if on cue, she sneezed. Once, twice and thrice. Luckily, they reached the hotel within a few minutes, and he rushed them back to their suite.
“You need to get out of those wet clothes and take a hot shower immediately,” he instructed.
“I’m fine,” she countered, entering her bedroom.
“Avantika, please don’t lock the door,” he requested. “I’ll order some food and medicines, and get them inside for you.”
“I can take care of myself,” she argued, sounding miserable.
“I know you can. But just this once, please do as I say.”
She sighed. “I’m too exhausted to fight with you.”
“Then don’t.”
She shut the door to her room, and he was glad when he didn’t hear the key turn in the lock.
He quickly called some room service and checked his travel kit for some medicines he could give her.
Fifteen minutes later, he knocked on her door. When he entered the room, she was tucked under a blanket, her teeth chattering. Her wet hair was tied in a messy bun on top of her head, and her face was wan.
He touched her forehead, and her skin was burning. Shit! She really wasn’t doing too good.
He gave her a glass of water and handed her some pills.
“I’ll call a doctor for you,” he said, once she’d taken the medicines. “I only have anti-fever medication. Nothing for the cold.”
She shut her eyes, continuing to shiver.
He sat down on the bed next to her. “Avantika, you need to have something hot to drink. I have some soup here.”
“Go away,” she said. “I don’t want to eat. Just…need…sleep.”
“Food first, sleep later, okay?”
She opened her eyes and raised herself against the pillows.
“Here, let me help you.” He brought the soup spoon to her mouth.
