Page 22 of Entangled Vows
“So, Mohit decked you, huh?” Arjun said, trying not to laugh.
Vikram rubbed his jaw, as if he could still feel the imprint of Mohit’s fist, and muttered, “That bastard. He came in blazing like I’d kidnapped his sister. I knew he would be angry. He’s very protective of her. But I didn’t expect him to punch me in the face like that.”
“Yeah, man. Vicky’s face is his asset,” Vaayu said with a grin.
“Not the face, bro… therealasset is what he’s hiding below the belt,” Kabir added, winking.
Vikram leaned back, his eyes narrowing. “One more genius comment like that, and I swear I’ll aim my next kick…strategically.”
“Easy there, dude. We’re just trying to keep up with the legend that is Vikram Khurana.” Adil smirked, then leaned forward. “But what about Mahika? I bet she must’ve wanted to strangle her father—well, if he weren’t already… you know, dead. Sorry.”
“She probably did,” Vikram muttered, refilling his glass. “But what choice did she have? Either play along or be ready to walk away with nothing but the clothes in her bag.”
“Why on earth would her father do that to her?” Vaayu asked, genuinely concerned.
Vikram didn’t mince words. “He was a chauvinistic asshole. He never treated Mohit or me like that, but Mahika… We saw how he treated her. Yes, he loved her in his own twisted way, but his ego always outweighed his affection. In his eyes, her gender made her unworthy. The more she challenged him, the angrier he got. I never thought he’d take it this far, forcing her to marry me, or anyone else. He was always fond of shocking people. But this time, he really crossed the line.”
“What happens after marriage? You pretend to like each other for the next one year?” Vaayu sounded very sceptical.
“Yeah,” Vikram sighed. “Shouldn’t be too hard. It’s not that she’s a bad person. Nothing like that. She’s just… incredibly infuriating.”
Arjun, who had been sitting quietly until now, leaned forward with a knowing grin. “Yeah, infuriatingandgorgeous as hell, who drives Vikram absolutely crazy. Are you still pretending you’re not obsessed with each other? Or have we moved on to slow-burn eye-fucking and loaded silence?”
“What the fuck, dude?” Kabir exclaimed.
“Yes, guys. I think this marriage is going to be…veryinteresting for our friend, Vicky,” Arjun added with a smirk.
Vikram shot him a glare sharp enough to make most people back off. But this was Arjun.
“Shut it,” Vikram growled.
Kabir raised an eyebrow, catching on to the tension. “Wait… what are we missing here?”
Arjun shook his head, his grin widening as he gestured towards Vikram. “Oh, he hasn’t told you guys a thing, huh? Classic Vik.”
“There’snothingto tell, you idiot,” Vikram snapped, his grip tightening around his glass.
Arjun laughed, clearly enjoying himself. “God, this is priceless.” He downed his drink in one go, his amusement earning a groan from Vikram.
“What the hell is going on?” Vaayu asked, his gaze darting between them.
Arjun leaned back in his chair, smirking. “Our dear Vikram here has had amassivecrush on Mahika. For years.”
Vikram stiffened, his voice a low growl. “Shut the fuck up, Arjun.”
But the damage was done. Kabir let out a low whistle, and Vaayu burst out laughing.
“Oh, this just keeps getting better,” Adil said, shaking his head.
“Shut the fuck up, all of you,” Vikram muttered, though his flushed face only weakened his protests.
He downed his drink in one go and was ready to call it a night, when his eyes caught a movement near the bar. He turned his head, and legit froze. That was her.Mahika.
She looked nothing like the fragile, broken woman who had walked out of the building earlier. She looked breathtaking, like a living whirlwind. Her loose, wild hair gleamed in the light as she danced to the pounding beat of the music. And that little dress she wore…Holyfuckingshit.That was fucking killer on her body. It was a shimmering black number that hugged her every curve, a declaration of confidence and a magnetic allure that no man could ignore. Least of all him.
And then, there was the moronic asshat she was dancing with. The guy was a walking disaster with zero concept of personal space. His hands were all over her waist, their bodies swaying as if they were fused together. It was as if the music had pulled them into their own damn bubble. Mahika threw her head back, laughing at whatever idiotic thing the fool had said, her hand brushing his chest like it belonged there.
Vikram’s jaw clenched so hard it ached, and his fingers wrapped around the glass like a vice. Jealousy slammed in his veins, sharp and unwelcome. He wasn’t supposed tocareorfeel. He was Vikram Khurana: hardened, detached, controlled. Not a fool, undone by a woman he was marrying out of obligation.
