Page 45 of Born in Ruin

Ishaan put his phone down and stood up from the table. “I need some air,” he told Mayukhi abruptly and walked away. He didn’t wait to see the reactions at the table, just shouldered his way through the crowd and out the door.

He lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag, counting down the seconds. He’d gotten to fifty five when the door opened behind him and Majid stepped out.

“All okay man?” he asked.

“Yeah, just drying my pants out.” Ishaan deadpanned.

Majid smiled. “Naveen’s a big baby.”

“Naveen’s a big bully,” Ishaan corrected, putting his cigarette to his lips again. “Want one?” he asked, holding the packet out.

Majid shook his head. “I don’t smoke.”

Ishaan shoved the cigarettes back into his pocket and waited.

“So your friends are not happy that you’re fraternising with the enemy, huh?”

And there it was.

“It’s understandable,” Ishaan said defensively, dropping his cigarette stub and grinding it out with his shoe. “Given the history between us.”

Majid made a noncommittal noise. “And yet you’re here.”

“Not for you guys,” Ishaan muttered. “I came for her.”

“Of course you did.” Majid grinned. “The things we do for pussy are legendary, aren’t they?”

Ishaan didn’t bother to counter that crass comment. For now, he was just focused on inching over the line towards their side.

“Come back in, dude.” Majid slapped him on his back. “Let’s start over, shall we?”

And there it was, his toe over the line.

TWENTY-FOUR

Mayukhi

Had her friend circle always been this vapid? Mayukhi’s smile felt strained as she listened to the chatter around the table. Apparently, Parash’s new bride, Mouni, was Wiccan now and she never went anyway without her broom.

“Where’s the broom now?” Mayukhi asked, peering over the edge of the table to look for it and not finding it.

“Shoved up her arse,” Sri muttered from next to her.

Mayukhi stifled a smile at the bitchy comment. She caught sight of Ishaan and Majid re-entering the space and heaved a sigh of relief.

“Oh honey, no!” Sri chortled. “You don’t look at the man like that. You ensure he looks at you like that.”

“Like what?” Mayukhi asked, defensively. How was she looking at Ishaan exactly?

“Like you want to ride him to eternal bliss.”

“I do want to ride him, to my eternal bliss and his,” Mayukhi retorted, nettled by the comment. “That’s not the point.”

“What is the point?” The quiet murmur was right by her ear, his breath feathering over her sensitive skin.

Mayukhi turned her head slowly to meet Ishaan’s hot, intense gaze. He breached the infinitesimal gap between them, his lips touching hers in a gentle caress that had her stupid heart trembling. Her hand came up to cup his cheek but he was already moving, putting distance between them.

She grabbed his shirt, yanking him down and whispered, “The point is that you’re a lot more than that big brain of yours, Adajania.”

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