Page 24 of Entangled Vows
Crap. She wasn’t sure.
She rolled her eyes, secretly thrilled. And instantly wanted to smack herself for it.
“I don’t belong to anyone.”
“You sure as fuck belong to me from the moment you signed those documents. Or did you forget, sweetheart?”
She shrugged off the unwanted thrill his words evoked.Holy shit!She needed therapy.
“Stop acting like a caveman. I am not your possession,” Mahika hissed.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice dangerously soft. “You’re not a possession; you’re a treasure. One I intend to protect. Andnothingis going to change that. Not your attitude, not your defiance, and definitely not your stubbornness.” Hisfingers skimmed along her jaw, tilting her chin just enough to make her fully meet his gaze.
Her pulse hammered against her ribs, her mind screaming at her to push him away, to throw some snarky comeback in his face… but her body? Her traitorous body leaned into him just a little. “Just because we’re bound by this forced marriage doesn’t mean you can control me.”
“It’s not control you’re afraid of. It’s the way you fight so hard to deny what you are feeling from within. Trust me, honey, you’ll stop running when you’re ready. Not because I told you to, but because you want to.” He smirked, and God, she wanted to slap his gorgeous face.
“I’ve never seen anyone as arrogant and delusional,” Mahika retorted, leaning back a little just to put some space between them. “Goodness, to think you’re Suraj’s brother. You’re nothing like him.”
The moment the words left her mouth, she knew she’d made a mistake. Vikram stiffened, and she realised she’d touched a nerve. A dangerous look flickered in his eyes as his expression turned dark. He stepped forward, and when he finally spoke, his voice was low and controlled, yet carried an almost feral undertone.
“You’re right. Suraj and I are nothing alike. He ran away the moment things got tough, leaving a trail of destruction behind him. Running’s not my thing. I face things head-on.”
He moved impossibly close, making her pulse stutter. His eyes were cold with barely contained anger. He didn’t need to raise his voice. His presence alone made her tremble. She drew in a slow, steady breath, masking her anxiety with a calm she didn’t feel.
“Congratulations. Want a medal or standing ovation for badmouthing my best friend?”
“I don’t sugarcoat things. If that makes me the villain, go ahead. Call me a prick. Just don’t expect me to pretend Suraj didn’t walk away from everything like a fucking coward.” His gaze stayed locked on hers, unflinching, daring her to challenge him.
“Your shitty attitude is doing nothing to win me over.”
He let out a low chuckle. “I’m not trying to win you over. That would imply I’m chasing you. And I don’t chase. I wait. Whether you admit it or not, you are already on your way to me.”
She glared, her knuckles turning white as she clenched her fists. “Yeah, right. In your dreams.”
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze dropping to her lips. “Says the woman who looks two seconds away from hate-kissing me on a crowded dance floor.”
“Puh-lease,” she snapped, but her voice lacked its usual edge. “Hate-kissing implies some level of desire. I’m still stuck at indifference.”
Vikram moved closer, so close that her chest grazed his muscled torso, his imposing presence eliminating the last inch of space between them.
“If this is indifference, Momo,” he murmured, his eyes locked on hers, “then I’m dying to see what happens when you want me.”
She didn’t back down. Didn’t move. As he leaned in, his breath ghosted over her lips, and still, she made no effort to stop him. The air sizzled with a powerful attraction as theirnoses brushed. Their lips were close, but not quite touching. Her hands curled at her sides, nails digging into her palms.
“I hate you,” she breathed, the words searing her tongue even as her lips parted with something more than anger.
Vikram’s voice was like dark silk. “No, you don’t. You just hate how much you want to give in.”
And the worst part was that he was right. Because deep down, she wanted to… just a little. Just enough.
Each of his carefully chosen words held a hushed confidence, making her shiver. His gaze lingered on her lips, and in that charged heartbeat, she realised one thing. He wanted to kiss her too. Maybe even erase the space between them and swallow his own words with a kiss that would undo them both.
The thought shocked her, and her heart pounded in her chest.
What the hell was happening?
Before she could understand her inner turmoil, he pulled back abruptly, turned around and walked away.
