She gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “And I’ll always be here. Whether you want to talk, scream, cry, or just sit in silence… you know that you don’t need an appointment to show up. Just come over.”
I nod, unable to find my voice as tears rush to the surface. But along with them, something else stirs inside me. Something like confidence, like readiness.
Maybe I’m strong enough to face my fear. The helplessness and hopelessness that had taken hold of me slowly begin to fade, even if just a little.
Chapter 10
Sidharth
With a brand-new MacBook in hand, I head to Nisha’s room. Earlier, on the ride back from her physio session, I’d tried to make small talk and asked her how it went. But she shot me one of those half-assed shrugs. Classic Nisha. Always shutting me out the moment she senses I’m getting too close.
But I’m not the type to take the hint and walk away. I continued to push, ignoring the daggers in her glare. And that’s when it slipped that she’d asked the doctor if she could start studying again. Apparently, the doctor had given her the green light and suggested she start with online courses.
I didn’t say much, just hummed a simple, ‘Good.’ But inside, I was bursting with pride. If she’s ready to take that first step towards putting her life back together, then I’ll make damn sure she has everything she needs to keep moving forward. And this laptop was part of that plan.
She never said it, but I knew she’d need a new laptop. The cops had taken hers as evidence, and even if they returned it someday, I doubted she’d ever want to touch it again. That’s why, after dropping her off at home, I drove straight to the store and picked up the newest MacBook they had.
I’ve never been the kind of guy who acts on impulse, especially not when it comes to picking out gifts for women. But Nisha makes me do things that don’t fit the version of myself I thought I knew. And if I’m being honest, she affects me more than I’d ever admit out loud.
It’s not just the way she looks, though God knows, she’s breathtaking even in the simplest clothes, with messy hair and those beautiful, guarded eyes. It’s more than that. There’s something magnetic about her. The kind of beauty that doesn’t scream for attention but haunts you slowly and steadily. And what gets to me even more is her fire—that fierce, stubborn courage. That quiet strength that makes me want to shake some sense into her and pull her into my arms all at once.
And damn, those walls she’s built… Every time I try to get close, they rise higher and higher. Even now, I’m wondering if she’ll accept the MacBook I got her or throw both the gift and me out without a second thought. And if I’m being honest, option two feels pretty likely. But I’m here anyway, standing my ground and knocking on her door.
She opens it a moment later with that trademark eye-roll, the one she seems to save just for me. It’s becoming far too familiar, and damn it, I’m starting to love it.
“How lucky,” she drawls, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “His Highness graces me with his presence again. Should I roll out the red carpet, or will your ego settle for just applause?”
Damn, even in that sarcastic tone, her voice is sexy.
I smirk, leaning casually against the doorframe. “No red carpet needed. Just your charming hospitality will do.”
She scoffs, stepping aside just enough to let me in. “Charming hospitality went out the window the third time you hijacked my cab plans. You’re lucky I haven’t changed the locks yet.”
“That would be a total waste of time and energy for you. Because if you changed the locks, I’d pick them in under a minute. Perks of being a detective,” I reply smoothly and step into the room.
The second I’m inside, the door slams shut behind me with a force that leaves no room for doubt. That’s my answer, loud and clear.
Grinning, I turn around and see her with her arms folded, eyes sharp enough to cut through steel, shooting daggers at me. Yeah. She’s pissed. But damn me, because all I can focus on, even with that deadly glare aimed straight at me, is how fiercely gorgeous she looks in her tracksuit.
“You’ve seriously made torturing me your life’s mission,” she snaps, her eyes blazing like she might physically throw me out this time.
“Guilty,” I admit with a grin. She doesn’t realize it, but every time she tries to push me away, it only pulls me in deeper.
“Is your detective agency running in losses?” she fires back, arms still folded.
I blink, caught off guard. “What? No.”
“Did you hand it over to someone else?”
“No, of course not—”
“Then why the hell do you keep barging in here like you’ve got absolutely nothing better to do?” she cut in, her sass on full display.
I raise both brows, trying to hide my amusement. “Well, let’s just say you make my day worthwhile.”
She doesn’t even crack a smile. “This is not a joke. You keep showing up like you’ve made babysitting me your side hustle. It’s annoying as hell.”
I chuckle under my breath. “It’s not babysitting. It’s one friend looking out for another.”
