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“Of course. I’ve already ordered the jet to be readied. We can leave in an hour if you could be ready by then.”
Her smile lit up her whole face. She raised herself on her toes and kissed his mouth. His hands tangled in her hair as she pushed his lips open and slipped inside.
They were both out of breath when she drew back. “I’ve got to change. I promise we will finish this in Dubai or wherever else you want to. I will keep up my end of the bargain.”
He stared at her. “Is this still just a bargain to you?”
He ached to hear her reply.
Her lashes lowered. “I…I’m not so sure anymore.”
He lifted her chin with his index and middle finger. “Good. I can work with your uncertainty. That’s a huge step forward from the day we began.”
“I do want to listen to your story,” she added. “Maybe on the flight—”
“—No,” Dev rejected. “You need to be in a better frame of mind to hear me out. We will have that conversation once you see for yourself that everything is fine with Shaurya and Myra. I’ve waited twelve years for you, Avantika. I can wait a few more days.”
Her throat bobbed. “I’ll go get ready.”
She left him to go to her own room. She paused at the threshold and spun back to face him.
“You said that if I needed you to take me somewhere, all I had to do was ask?”
He nodded.
“If I had asked on the first day to return to Dubai, would you have taken me back?”
He shrugged. “Of course.”
Her eyes widened. “Fucking hell!”
He chuckled. His laughter and smiles slipped past so easily these days. “I told you on that first day when I followed you to the carnival that you can choose where you want to go; I will simply follow you. I never said it was restricted to London only. You just assumed it to be so.”
She glared at him. “Aargh, you’re so annoying!”
He threw his hands in the air. “How is this my fault now?”
She picked up a cushion from the armchair in front of her and tossed it at him. He didn’t even have to duck. It sailed way past him. She picked the second one, and it met the same fate.
“We really do need to work on your hand-eye coordination, baby.”
“God! I hate you,” she yelled.
“I don’t believe you do, not anymore, at least. But I’ll wait for the day you accept that yourself.”
She gave him a sideways glance, but there was no anger in her gaze. She simply shook her head and went to her room.
The smile never left his face. Although he was taking her back to Dubai, today had been a huge step in the right direction for both of them. Hopefully, soon, he’d be able to clear all her doubts, answer all her questions, and she’d choose to be with him once again. His heart singing in delight, he returned to his own room to get ready.
16
August was one of the hottest months in Dubai. Even now, late in the evening, outside the car, the humidity would be like a thick blanket, covering everything and everyone in its path. Nonetheless, this city was home. It had been home for many years now. This city was her safe zone, and as always, she felt a sense of security as she took in the familiar roads passing her by.
The sky darkened, and the city, as usual, was lit up by an array of bright lights. However, tonight, she had too much on her mind to fully appreciate the splendor around her. Seated next to her, Dev was talking on his cell phone, giving instructions to someone at his office.
Avantika stared outside the window of Dev’s Rolls Royce as they sped to the hospital. Her mind and heart were in a spiral. She’d just finished talking to Vihaan on the phone. She’d informed him that Dev was dropping her to the hospital. Aaryan and Sanjana were also back in Dubai, which meant that Neil…
“You look worried,” Dev said, once he was done with his call.
