Page 37 of Love Locked
“I don’t think so, Kabir. I think you hide a lot of yourself behind your work. Why?” She regarded him in the glow of the fire, curling her legs beneath her.
Kabir’s features shifted. She also observed that he was about to respond but did not. He took a sip, untangled his hand from hers and turned to look at her through his glasses. The loss of contact hit her like a scorching blister, shocking her momentarily.
Finally, he said, “I don’t trust a lot of people, princess.” Although he spoke calmly, Kyra could see that he was struggling to talk about it. “Beyond my family, I find it difficult to really open myself up. I don’t know why.”
“But you have your friends and had Raina...” She trailed off.
“I just have two three good friends. You’ve met Ritik and Deven. I mainly spend my time with my brothers or alone. I prefer it that way.” He paused, smirking. “And, yes, I had girlfriends before. But those relationships were very superficial. Raina was one off...”
Kyra gulped, picturing Kabir with a beautiful woman, doing kinky things. “What do you mean by that?”
“Just…” He looked at the ceiling. “If I’m being honest, I never spent time with a woman with the hope that it would turn into something else. Raina wasn’t supposed to last for so long. One day, she just bulldozed her way into my house, introduced herself to my family by her own will, and never left.”
“So, you fell in love with her?” Kyra felt a twinge of jealousy in her heart.
“No.” Kabir chuckled mockingly. “I got used to her presence in my life. I realised that I was never in love with Raina. We had nothing in common and were emotionally incompatible. Call me selfish, but having someone to go out with after a hectic day to let off some physical steam seemed convenient. Raina believed she was in a beautiful relationship with me and constantly wanted to do couple things that she loved to boast to others about. I was only present physically. I wasn’t into her like Adil and Vaayu are into their partners.”
Kabir’s said every word bluntly, without eye contact. Every syllable stung Kyra’s heart. “My god. Why didn’t you break up with her? What was the point of this long, loveless relationship?”
“I didn’t break up because I had invested a lot of time in whatever that…that was. I don’t ever accept defeat. At least not when it comes to my life. I had to see it through to the end, whatever it was. Any sustained relationship will eventually result in marriage. I had to capitalise on that…”
“Are you kidding me? Life isn’t a business deal to cash on profits, Kabir. Gosh. You must be so lonely.”
“Being alone is better than being trapped in a committed relationship, wherein you have to make compromises you don’t want to make or have to choose between the other person and your motivations,” he snapped.
Perhaps until now, Kyra hadn’t realised it, but the sensation in the pit of her stomach was undeniable. She had no hope in hell of remaining a constant in Kabir’s life if he was not looking for anything permanent as she was not someone who went for casual flings. They were both doomed. Her spirits plummeted, and her palms began to sweat. She smiled at him as she didn’t want him to see how sad she felt.
“Who did this to you?” Her voice trembled.
He let out a sigh and lay back on the rug, his hands folded behind his head. He regarded the ceiling with an expressionless face. Kyra was unsure of what to do as a wave of panic surged through her. She felt she had gone too far by asking him that question.
“The thing is, no one did this to me. It’s just the way I am. Maybe I’m damaged. But I can’t seem to feel deeply. Raina ended our relationship because she found me too rigid…too robotic. In her opinion, I give too much importance to my work, my family, and she hated it. I could easily ignore whatever she said to me. But she questioned my devotion to my family. I pondered what she said, and maybe, she was right about me being that way. I am rigid. I didn’t even try to be in the relationship I was in.”
“No. She was wrong,” Kyra said fiercely, lying down beside him on her side. “But don’t worry. I find you charming just the way you are.”
“Well, that’s comforting to know.”
There was an ease between them, and it was…nice. Too homey. For one weird moment, Kabir wanted to hold onto this...to continue building whatever it was building between them. If he ever thought of being in a real relationship, it would definitely be with Kyra.
She was innocent and pure, with a golden heart. And there was a spark of attraction between them. Yet, he didn’t believe she would consider any sort of serious relationship with anyone right now, much less with him, given how young she was.
But what if she did?
His thoughts were interrupted by her change of topic.
“I’m happy we did this together. Roasting marshmallows, that is.”
“I’m glad too, princess,” he said after a beat. “You know, Woofer loves marshmallows. That’s why the pantry was stocked with them.”
“Really? You must miss him.”
“Yes, I miss him.” Kabir smiled as he thought of how his life revolved around his fur baby now.
“He’s cute.” She shot him a smile. “You know, I’ve always wanted a pet of my own,” Kyra admitted.
“Then why don’t you have one?” Kabir asked her curiously.
“I doubt I would have time to care for one. So I’m content with my cactus.”
