“Relax,” I say, trying to force a lightness into my voice. “I know you want to apologize for the kiss. That we should justforget it ever happened.” I let out a hollow laugh to shield myself from the rising embarrassment. “In fact, consider it already forgotten.”
His eyes narrow, and I can’t tell if it’s hurt, angry, or both. “Forgotten?”
I open my mouth to reply, but he lifts a hand, stopping me.
“That kiss isn’t something I’ll forget. And I don’t regret it, not even for a second. I’m not here to apologise for that,” he says bluntly, making my breath catch.
My breath catches as he leans forward slightly, the space between us charged with unspoken tension. “I’m not here to apologize for that,” he continues, his gaze locking with mine. “And even if I had to apologize, it wouldn’t be for the kiss. The only thing I’d say sorry for is how I went about it, the impulsiveness and the timing. The way I rushed in without giving you the space you might have needed.”
I don’t move. I don’t speak. His words crash into me, making whatever I feel for him a hundred times stronger.
“I know you’ve got a thousand things running through your mind right now,” he says, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “And I also know you’re nowhere near ready for anything more. I should’ve respected that. I should’ve shown patience. Should’ve waited until you were ready to meet me halfway.”
His eyes don’t leave mine as his fingers trail a light path along my cheek. “I never meant to push you, Nisha. But the truth is, I wanted that kiss. It’s just so damn hard not to show how much I want you.”
“Sidharth…” I whisper the words on the tip of my tongue, though I’m not even sure how to admit I feel the same. But before I can find the courage, he speaks again.
“Don’t trouble that beautiful head of yours. Let’s table this talk for later, when you’re ready, and when you feelcomfortable.” He leans back slightly, his hand dropping as his expression shifts, more serious now, more tense. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
A knot forms in my chest. “What is it?”
He hesitates for a bit, like he doesn’t want to tell me. Then finally, he says, “It’s about Prakash.”
My stomach drops, dread curling in my chest, but I force the words out anyway. “What about him?”
He studies me for a few long seconds, then says quietly, “He’s escaped from jail.”
My eyes widen and my breathing stutters as I clutch the blanket tighter. “No… no, that can’t…” I stop mid-sentence, unable to finish as panic clogs my throat.
“Nisha, breathe,” Sidharth urges, suddenly right beside me, his hands gently but firmly cupping my face. “Look at me, Nisha.”
“He… he’s going to hurt me,” I choke out the words, tears slipping down my cheeks as I look into his eyes.
“Nothing’s going to happen to you,” he replies firmly, his thumbs gently brushing my cheeks. “I won’t let anything touch you. I swear it. I’ll burn the world down to keep you safe.”
His words steady me, but barely. They’re not enough. My chest still feels too tight, my breaths too shallow.
Sidharth doesn’t miss the panic in my eyes, or the way my shoulders tremble with every uneven breath. That’s when he continues, his voice tender now. “I’ve already put things in motion. I won’t let him anywhere near you again.”
I nod slowly, the fear beginning to ebb as his words start to sink in. My breathing evens out, and the weight on my chest eases, just enough to let the air in.
He lets out a quiet sigh of relief and watches me for a moment, like he’s making sure I’m back to being myself. And then, to my surprise, a small smile curves his lips.
“So will you have dinner with me tonight?”
I blink at him, thrown completely by the sudden shift. “Dinner?”
His smile widens mischievously. “Yes, dinner. You know where two people sit across from each other, talk about everything and nothing, and laugh?”
I stare at him, still trying to process how he can even think about dinner when we have a serious problem to deal with.
“Sidharth, we need to figure out what Prakash is up to and how he managed to get out,” I remind him.
He leans in just slightly, his eyes holding mine with a quiet intensity. “Let me do the worrying. That’s my job, not yours. You just need to trust me and focus on getting back to normal. I’ve got this.”
“I trust you, but we can’t just go for dinner like nothing’s happened.”
“Why can’t we?” he asks, tilting his head. “I don’t see anything wrong with it.” He shakes his head before continuing. “Nisha, by now you know that I’ve fallen for you. Hard. There’s no turning back for me. And if you’re ever going to catch up, you need to know the real me. All of me.” He grins, soft but sure. “The dinner that’s just part of that. And I won’t let that bastard take this away from me.” He pauses, his eyes locked with mine. “So will you give me a chance and come to dinner with me tonight?”
