Page 99 of My Rebel

“And I love you.”

He inhaled and her sexy scent wrapped him, making his heart settle as it always did. Tiya raised her lips to his and he kissed her, tasting her mouth, indulging in the warm feel of her.

“Let’s go home, baby,” he said. “I can’t wait to be alone with you again.”

She laughed, shifting away and put the car into gear. “Home it is.”

She held his hand throughout the drive to his home. They’d put one thing to rest today, but their challenges hadn’t ended yet. However, right now, Vihaan wanted to savour the fact that he’d found his way to the one woman who was always meant for him.

EPILOGUE

One week later

“Myra, where exactly are we going?” Tiya asked as the car passed a huge sign withArabian Greenswritten on it.

Her friend gave her a sideways glance. “You’ll see.”

Since it was the weekend, Tiya had been getting dressed to meet Vihaan when Myra had barged into her room at four in the evening, demanding she come with her. Vihaan had been busy at work the last two nights, and he’d promised to spend the rest of today with her. But now, Myra had hijacked her day already.

“I don’t have time for this, Myra,” Tiya grumbled as the car curved down the street. “I haven’t met Vihaan in so long. I was to meet him for coffee.”

“Oh, stop pouting,” Myra cajoled. “This won’t take too long.”

Tiya looked out of the window as Myra drove through a posh neighborhood lined with date and palm trees. This wasKeyStone’sprime residential project and it was fabulous. Tiya hadn’t been here before. Vihaan had promised to take her, but they hadn’t found the time to do so yet.

Tiya took everything in with a sense of awe and pride. Beautiful villas lined the streets. They were of various sizes, but the overall look was the same. Massive glass windows, grey brick exteriors, arched porches, huge exterior walls. They were each lovely.

Finally, Myra stopped in front of a gate. There was a cluster of medium-sized villas lined side by side, not as large as some of the bigger ones but not too small either. The tall boundary walls of each villa were covered in a riot of pink and purple Bougainvillea creepers. It was really pretty.

“Where are we?” Tiya’s eyes widened. “Is this your house, Myra? Oh my God, you’ve brought me home!” She drew her friend in a hug. “I’m finally going to see your house?”

Although Myra and Shaurya had a house above Vihaan’s in the same building that housedLa Soiree, they spent most of their time living elsewhere and now, finally, Tiya was going to get to see her friend’s home.

Grinning, Myra pressed a button on a small remote and the wide gate swung open. Myra drove a little distance inside, and Tiya’s mouth fell open. While from the outside the four villas looked separate, with their own entrance gates, they were actually all joined together via a long driveway. Sprawling lawns made for a huge common garden in front of the villas where several cars were parked.

“These four villas are all connected?” Tiya asked. She took in the cars. “Is there a party here?”

Myra stopped in front of one of the middle villas. “Go on, I’ll join you in a bit. Just remember go right through till you reach the open doors leading to the outside patio. I’ll meet you there. I have to show you something.”

Buzzing with curiosity, Tiya climbed the short flight of stairs and went towards the wooden double doors. Finding one of them slightly ajar, she walked inside the large foyer and froze. Everywhere her eyes touched was beauty. Perfection.

Above her was a massive modern chandelier and below her feet was the finest marble in white with black and gold inlays on the perimeter. The same flooring ran the entire length of the ground floor, she noted, as she made her way further inside. A charcoal grey side board lined one wall of the living room, above which was a single photo frame in black and white.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the picture. It was Vihaan and her. She’d clicked it a few days ago when they’d met atKomobay. His arm was around her and they were both looking at each other, smiling. So much love shone in that one picture. Her chest constricted as everything fell into place in a heartbeat. This was Vihaan’s house, his own piece of heaven, and he was showing it to her. The other three houses most likely belonged to his siblings.

She entered the living space and to her right, was a large sitting area with off-white sofas and blood red accent chairs with a gold finish. The same color scheme of off-white, blood red and gold followed through the entire ground floor. The dining area that was further inside to her left had twelve dark red chairs set around a white marble table. Right in front of her were floor-to-ceiling glass doors, the white curtains on them fluttering in the breeze.

She walked past them and there, standing outlined against the sea was her man. Vihaan. Dressed in white linen pants, a white linen shirt that flowed in the breeze, his hair sexily messed up, the waves crashing behind him…he was just wow. Simply fabulous. Her heart soared with love. His eyes locked with hers and he smiled—that heart-stopping smile that till date made butterflies dance in her belly. He held his arms out and she ran the short distance to him, flinging herself against his chest.

“I love it,” she breathed out. “I love your house.”

“Our house, baby,” he replied, staring deep into her eyes.

She took in all the décor behind him. White flowers overflowed from white vases. White candles were lit up in glass lanterns placed all around. The gazebo behind her was set up closer to the beach with a long table that seated twelve. She cocked her head to the side as she recognized Richard Marx’s song, I will be right here waiting for you, playing softly in the background.

“Are we celebrating something?” she asked.

He opened his palm to reveal a black velvet box. Her hands rushed to her mouth as she saw the huge square emerald ring, surrounded by twinkling diamonds, nestled in its folds. And then he went down on one knee.

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