Page 38 of Protect my Heart
My eyes feel heavy as I feel the sunlight creeping through the window. My mind slowly wakes up, and I can't help but feel irritated. I hate waking up early, but these days, it seems my brain has adjusted to mornings, all because I need to get up for Mumma's medicines.
My body feels warm, cocooned in the softness of the sheets, but there's something else—a strong arm wrapped around my waist, a warm breath against my head. I freeze, my heart racing as a jolt of realization hits me. There’s someone else in my bed. Please, God, don’t let it be a dog. I panic at the thought. How ridiculous, though—how could a dog possibly be in my room?
And then it strikes me all at once: I slept in the same bed as Aarav. For the first time. My mind reels. Am I really cuddling with Aarav? My head is resting on his chest, his arm tight around my waist, holding me so close. I slowly lift my head, hoping to slip away before he notices. But when I look up, his eyes are already on me, his gaze intense and unyielding. He’s awake. My face burns with embarrassment, and I jump out of bed, scrambling away from him.
"What's the rush, my wife?" Aarav’s voice is thick with amusement and probably with sleep. "You seemed to be enjoying my arms around you." His smirk makes me want to punch him.
I scowl at him, crossing my arms defensively. "I wasn’t enjoying anything. You’re so full of yourself."
Aarav's grin widens. "You were clinging to me like a koala. Can’t bear to be away from me, can you?" He teases, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
I’m flustered, my face turning a deeper shade of red. "You’re delusional. I would never cling to you voluntarily. It must’ve been an accident," I say, my voice higher than usual, a desperate attempt to deny the truth.
Aarav laughs, his voice rich with amusement. It makes my chest burst with warmth. "An accident, huh? So you just happen to find yourself in my arms during the night? How convenient." His sarcasm hits me like a punch to the gut.
I glare at him, my words failing me. I stomp out of the room, slamming the door on my way out. "Careful," I hear Aarav wince as I leave, but I don’t stop. I lean against the wall once I’m out of his sight, my chest heaving with uneven breaths.
What the hell is happening to me? I should hate him. I should be mad at him, furious even, but how do I do that when he’s right here, so close to me, making me laugh and smile without even trying? I wasn’t supposed to forgive him. I wasn’t supposed to let him back in. But how am I supposed to keep hating him when everything about him—his jokes, his smile, the way he talks to me like I matter—makes me feel like I could let it all go?
I walk into the kitchen, trying to shake him off, trying to ignore the way my heart races every time I think about him. I grab onions and tomatoes, focusing on the poha I plan to make. It’s quick, easy, and will get him out of my sight. At least for a little while.
But then I hear footsteps behind me. Of course, it’s Aarav. I don’t turn around. I pretend to be busy with the vegetables, grabbing a sharp knife and holding it with purpose as if it’ll keep him at bay.
"Don’t you think you forgot something?" His voice is low and teasing.
I ignore the way his voice makes my stomach flip. "What?" I mutter, not looking at him.
"Your very high ego," he taunts, smirking. "You left it in my arms when you jumped out of bed like a startled rabbit." His laughter is grating on my nerves, and it only makes me chop the tomatoes harder, the sound of the knife banging against the chopping board filling the room.
"Ouch." I wince as the blade nicks my finger. Aarav is by my side in a second, grabbing my hand before I can pull away.
"What is wrong with you? Can’t you be careful for once?" He scolds, "You are so clumsy," he whispers, but all I can feel is his touch, warm and firm, seeping into my skin in ways I don’t want.
I pull my hand away, my pulse quickening. "Stop it," I whisper-yell, not wanting to wake Mumma.
Aarav’s expression softens for a moment, but he doesn’t back off. Instead, he takes another step forward, his voicelowering in that intense, commanding way that makes my knees feel weak. "Let me see it," he demands.
"Don’t," I warn him, backing away to the other counter, trying to escape his grasp.
But he doesn’t listen. He closes the distance between us, his brow furrowed. "Anika," he says my name like it’s a warning. "Let me see it."
I shake my head, the words slipping out before I can stop them. "You don’t care for me, Aarav. So stop pretending."
His eyes darken, and a flicker of anger flashes across his face. "I don’t care for you?" His voice is cold and emotionless, but it cuts deeper than anything else.
"Yes!" I shout, my emotions spilling out of me in waves. "You’ve never cared for me!" The tears come before I can stop them, and once they start, they don’t stop. I’m sick of this, of pretending, of being confused every second. I’m scared that I’ll get hurt again, that I’ll let him back in, only for him to walk away like he always does.
"You know what?" I point my finger at him, the anger in my voice unmistakable. "I was thinking I should be grateful I’m not that bastard’s wife," my words come out trembling as I wipe away my tears. "But maybe it would’ve been better if I married Vikram. At least I knew my life would be hell." The words burn as I speak them, but I can’t hold them back. "With you, it’s different. Sometimes you’re kind, sometimes you don’t even want me. Stop confusing me, Aarav!" I cry out, the frustration and pain too much to hold inside anymore. It suffocates me.
I don’t realize how quickly he moves until he’s standing right in front of me. His grip on my arms is harsh, his jaw clenched, and his eyes dark with an emotion I can’t place."You’re mine, Anika," he growls, his grip tightening as he pulls me closer. "Don't ever take another man's name like that in front of me; I can't take it. It drives me insane." The words hit me like a punch, but somehow, they don’t scare me. Instead, something inside me flutters—a strange mix of anger and... something else.
His voice drops low, almost deadly. "No one else gets to have you. Not in this life, not in any other. Only me."
The room falls into a heavy silence. His hand is on my neck now, holding me so close I can feel every breath he takes. His eyes are blazing with a possessiveness I can’t ignore, a primal force that makes my heart race. I should be terrified. I should hate him for this, but all I feel is that damn flutter again, like my heart wants to betray me.
I pull back, my breath shallow as I glare at him. "Yeah, so possessive now, huh?" I taunt, trying to mask the nerves with anger. "Where were you twelve years ago, Aarav? I wrote you letters, over and over and over again, and you ignored me."
His eyes flash with something darker. He takes a step back, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "I don’t need to explain anything to you," he says, his voice cold, final.
