Page 3 of That Same Old Love

When he didn’t respond, she sighed wearily. “Look, obviously you have better things to do, and I really need to get going as well. I know you want me to repent and suffer. I already do, believe me… and I’ve already told you that I’m really sorry. I’m not sure what else you want me to do.”

Samrat dropped his hands to the sides and stood up straight with a grim expression. “What do you think I could ever want from someone likeyou?”

She ignored his obvious insult and frowned. “I don’t know… Maybe some sort of revenge? I know you think you deserve one and I agree. But seriously, I’m really, really tired and I’m about to fall down at your feet with exhaustion. Can Ipleasehave that key?”

He didn’t move or respond again, and she had exhausted all her energy to think of other ways to get that key from him. Short of throwing a serious hissy fit and tackling him to the floor to drag the key from his hands, she knew there was nothing she could do.

Making one last attempt, she went closer to him with a friendly smile pasted on her face. She had to crane her neck up as he was towering on top of her. Even with her four-inch platform heels, her eyes were at his throat level.

“Oh, come on Samrat. You are a successful gazillionare whose face is splashed all over Forbes and other oh-so-great magazines, while I ended up being just a measly divorcee with a bad reputation like you just said. See how Karma got back at me? You already got your revenge. Can I have my key now?” she asked him sweetly with an outstretched hand

He scoffed. “You think that compensates for what you did to me personally?”

Sick and tired of their cat and mouse game, she snapped out, “Do what you want later, but stop throwing a freaking tantrum and give me the damned spare key!”

She had barely finished saying the word key, when he closed the distance and loomed threateningly over her. He was glaring down at her with a quiet menace.

She froze.

Her heart was speeding up in response to a sick irrational fear, but she refused to show any reaction or ask him to back off. She also couldn’t get her eyes away from him. Especially at his jaw, which was clenched. He was either fighting for control or building up rage.

Mahi stayed completely still. And then, her instincts kicked in.

She refused to be cowed. “Go ahead then. Dole out whatever punishment you want, if it makes you feel avenged.” Then mustering some more courage, she slowly and deliberately grinned at him in challenge.

* * *

Samrat continued to stonily stare with narrowed eyes.

The woman in front of him was really something.

He remembered how she used to have a huge ego. She used to think that everyone wanted her.

He didn’t.

In fact he had no idea why he would intimidate her like a villain from a bad movie. But when she looked so impatient and brushed off what she did to him as something insignificant, he simply lost it.

He definitely didn’t think that her hurried apology from before would ever begin to compensate the trauma he had gone through, when she accused him of cheating during their finals. And she was behaving as though he was the one being extremely unreasonable and immature by not letting their past go.

Samrat had felt like an idiot indulging or even listening to the gossip about Mahi’s past, and then repeating it to her. But he really needed to let her know that everyone was aware of her circumstances and also that whatever malicious games she might have planned would be ineffective due to her reputation.

Mahi smiled flirtatiously. “While I’m really looking forward to your punishment, maybe we can get back to it soon some other time when I’m a little more aware and not about to collapse in exhaustion.”

At that smile, he immediately stepped away from her like she had a contagious disease.

She followed after him and pulled out the key from his fingers. “Later. Nice… uh… catching up with you, Samrat,” she said, waving at him before turning to leave.

After the door closed, Samrat stared at it for a while.

What the hell just happened? Did I just really try to scare a woman?

Samrat felt off balance, as he always did when he saw her or was around her.

It was something that he hadn’t ever acknowledged to himself, because he refused to waste even a second thinking about her back then. But now, he knew what it was.

He was attracted to her.

He realized that fact in horror and disgust. Even after so many years, Mahi still had that raw charisma about her that the travel worn clothes and a tired face could not hide.

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