Page 50 of Born in Ruin

TWENTY-SEVEN

Ishaan

The doorbell chimed at the exact moment the clock struck ten that night. Ishaan pulled the black beanie he was wearing low over his forehead as he walked over to open the door for Mayukhi.

Or rather he thought he was opening the door for Mayukhi. Instead, he found GI Jane. In a tight, black tank tucked into loose track pants and her hair pulled into a tight, high ponytail with the tail pulled through the back of a baseball cap, she looked incredibly badass.

And he wanted nothing more than to drag her into his bedroom and keep her there forever.

Instead, he cleared his throat and smiled his smirkiest smile. “Hello Design Diva.”

She gave him a snotty look and swept past him into the flat. “What’s the plan?” she asked, tugging on her ponytail to tighten it further. His scalp hurt watching the ruthless hair game she had going on.

“I was at Amay’s place the other day, stealing his aftershave and I saw the trophy stashed in his bathroom cabinet, behind some cartons of washing machine powder. So tonight, while Dhrithi is sleeping, we’ll sneak in, grab it and sneak out.”

Mayukhi frowned even as she nodded. “Why didn’t you just grab it that day?”

“Dhrithi was in the next room. And plus, I already had the aftershave to hide and sneak out. Where was I going to hide a trophy as well?”

Her frown deepened. “Why were you stealing his aftershave? Can’t you afford your own?”

“I most certainly can,” Ishaan retorted, outraged by the implication.

“I would think so,” she said calmly. “Given the car you drive and this bougie designer flat.”

“You think my flat is bougie?” he asked, pleased. A second later the smile slid off his face and he frowned. “Wait! Was that an insult or a compliment?”

She rolled her eyes at him and said, “Go get the aftershave and we’ll get started.”

“Okay, I-“ He took a step forward before coming to an abrupt halt. “Wait. Why am I getting the aftershave.”

“We’re going to return it,” she explained patiently, like she was talking to a stubborn toddler. “We don’t steal things.”

“That is literally our only agenda for the evening!”

“We’re stealing the trophyback.It was yours to begin with. I mean you cheated for it, but still, it was yours.”She shoved himwith both hands on his back. “Now hurry up. We don’t have all night.”

“We do have all night,” he muttered to himself, heading to his bathroom. “This was the only plan for the fucking night.” He shoved through his things until he found Amay’s aftershave and shoved it into his pocket.

“Let’s move,” he snapped, when he walked past Mayukhi in the hall. She was standing in front of a family picture of his, the large framed pic hanging on a bare wall in the living room.

“You have siblings,” she said, not moving an inch.

“I do.”

Ishaan’s gaze went to the smiling face of his younger sister and the sulky one of his brother. His parents stood behind them, their arms around the younger two. The only person not in that picture was Ishaan himself. He’d never been there. First, he’d been shipped off to boarding school, his family’s only hope of redeeming their failed fortunes. And when he’d come home, he’d only been working odd jobs to help put food on the table and pay for his sibling’s educations.

Much like he was doing now. Working his butt off to ensure his family didn’t need for something. So when there were family pictures or family moments…Ishaan was always the only one missing. He was acutely aware of the fact that he now preferred it this way and so did they. His mother tried but it was too late to play happy families.

“And parents.”

“I wasn’t raised in the forest by wolves, Kraken,” he said irritably. “I’ve got the fucking aftershave. Now, can we please just go?”

She looked a little surprised by his flare of temper but all she did was level a cool glance at him and nod. They stepped into the elevator and made their way the few floors down to Amay’s apartment.

“So, you guys have always stayed close to each other?” Mayukhi asked, leaning against the glass panel of the elevator.

“Yes.”

---