Page 2 of Love Locked
“Wh-why?” He croaked like he was a fucking teenager.
“Because then you’d have to stick around and talk to me. And we know you’d never do something like that.” Confidently, she folded her hands against her chest, inadvertently pushing her full breasts upwards.
He gulped hard as his gaze was drawn to the hint of cleavage peeking out from the top of her dress, igniting his imagination.
“I... I just... I just came out for some... air.” Kabir stuttered as sweat beaded down his neck.
Well, that was the cue.
He needed to leave. Perhaps being in a relationship with Raina had made him lose his brain instead of his heart.
“It was too stuffy inside for me too. Moreover, I don’t like going to parties in general. But it’s not like I can avoid this party since we’re practically living here,” Kyra explained, looking so much cuter than she ever had.
Did he simply think she was cute?He needed to neutralise his thoughts. ASAP. “Uh-huh. I was actually looking for my girlfriend, Raina.” He cleared his throat.
As soon as he said those words, he noticed a flicker of irritation in her chocolate-brown eyes, but he could have misread her.
“Oh! Then you’re at the wrong place, Kabir. Yourgirlfriendwouldn’t leave an air-conditioned space even if her life depended on it. Good luck finding her.” Her face was blank as shetauntedhim.
“Right. Thanks. I’ll go and find her. Good night.” He mumbled cluelessly, wondering why this soft-spoken girl was suddenly so stiff with him.
“Good night.” She smiled, and her face transformed from beautiful to stunning.
Without a word, Kabir turned around swiftly, mentally shaking himself. He might be drunk; that’s what might have happened. Trying to convince himself, he started walking in the opposite direction with long strides to escape what felt like a mind game, only to realise later in the night that he was stuck in a labyrinth of attraction with nowhere to run.
ONE
ONE YEAR LATER
The alarm rang with a resounding trill, waking up Kabir. He stirred in his sleep, trying to open his blurry eyes as the events of the last few months came back to him.
What a clusterfuck!
Leaning sideways, he fumbled to find his glasses before finally grabbing them. He tried to move his legs, but the weight of a furry body held them in place. He pushed himself up to find the new addition to his life, giving him the most innocent expression.
Woofer.
His newly adopted two-year-old sweet-faced, lovable, jet-black Labrador was lounging like a king over him. Finally, Woofer had made his place not only in his bed but in his heart too. It had been a month since he had this furry baby living with him. The circumstances of how they met weren’t ideal. But now, they were tied by an invisible bond of love. Now he knew why they called it the puppy dog eyes. He couldn’t resist Woofer’s charm any time of the day. He’d turned into a full-on dog dad, and there was no turning back.
“Woof, Get up, boy. It’s time for a run.” Kabir petted Woofer’s head affectionately. Woofer perked up instantly at his command and jumped outside the door, barking happily, making him smile. He never thought his life would turn out like this…ever. He had adog.
Rolling lazily out of bed, he placed the glasses on his nose. He walked into the bathroom, glancing at his phone, and winced. It was 7 a.m. He’d overslept but needed to squeeze in a run.
Splashing water on his face, he placed his hands on either side of the sink and faced the mirror, studying the dishevelled look on his square face. He rubbed his finger over his chin. A week-old scruff covered his sharp jaw, and his good-looking face appeared worn out. His normally smooth hair was matted. He needed a haircut. Actually, he needed way too many things, but coffee was currently dominating that list.
His girlfriend of three years had broken up with him. He was supposed to be devastated, but he wasn’t. Instead, he felt relieved. Kabir and Raina didn’t get along like Vaayu-Ruhi or Adil and Mira. Years ago, they had begun dating casually, and she carved out a space for herself within his segmented lifestyle and introduced herself to his family. The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was intentional.
Raina had good looks, was engaging, and, most importantly, had a career she valued. The only thing she needed from him was his name and fameto impress and flaunt in the society. She was a cunning opportunist, whereas he was the epitome of integrity. He and Raina got along like oil and water. And in the three years of their relationship, he had always been aware of the fact that neither of them was perfect. He sometimes felt annoyed by their erratic relationship, but he never thought she would have the guts to end things with him.
He had invested his time in this relationship, and he was a man who valued time and effort. So, he thought it wise to stay with Raina, even if his heart wasn’t in it. He respected the etiquette of a relationship. While it was a depressing way to live, he thought it was a part of being in a relationship. In his experience, relationships always involve a compromise. Moreover, he disliked dabbling in the dating market. He tolerated Raina primarily due to his laziness in this regard. And now, three months after their dramatic breakup, he felt let down by her.
While mulling over these thoughts, he changed into shorts and a t-shirt. He came out and spotted his brothers Adil and Vaayu sitting on the couch. His father, Prithvi Oberoi, was also present. Kabir immediately knew that Vaayu or Adil must have taken Woofer out for his morning walk when he saw the latter sitting at his father’s feet like an obedient dog, looking at his Dad in adoration.
He frowned in confusion. At work, he frequently ran into his father and brothers, but they collectively never came to his home like this. Being a creature of habit, he found this weird and a little unsettling. Then he recalled the last time they had all been together like this. It was never… except when Adil was forced to marry, and Vaayu was ordered to polish his image.
Kabir wasn’t naive. He could guess why they were here. They wanted to know how he was and that he wasn’t going to screw up after his breakup. Maybe they were staging an intervention. But since he was the silent one among his brothers, he refrained from reacting and instead chose to smile at them.
“I’m guessing I missed the memo,” he murmured.
