“You’re a pathetic excuse for a man,” he growls. “Say one more word about her, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Veer laughs mockingly. “Oh my God, I’m scared.”
Samarth doesn’t waste his energy on words this time. His fist crashes into Veer’s face, and blood instantly blooms at the corner of his mouth. Veer staggers back, one hand flying to his jaw, his eyes wide with shock.
I can’t help the small, victorious smile that spreads across my face. The jerk deserved every bit of it. I pull Sonia closer and hold her tight as she trembles beside me. She’s been quiet all this while.
“You fucking made a very big mistake, man,” Veer snarls, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “Now my bro’s going to make you pay.”
“You think I’m scared of your brother?” Samarth exhales harshly.
“You should be.” A harsh, cold voice cuts through the tension from behind us.
I spin around, and the moment my eyes lock onto him, I know exactly who he is.
Dev Rathore, the elder son.
Even from just a few feet away, the difference between him and Veer is striking. Dev stands six feet tall, while Veer barely touches five-ten. His dark hair is perfectly styled, and his broad shoulders fill the tailored three-piece suit he wears, giving him a far more commanding presence than Veer. My eyes remain fixed as I study the finer details: dark eyes, a strong jaw, sharply defined cheekbones, and chocolate-toned skin that looks almost sculpted to perfection. The kind that can make any woman feel drawn in. Yet I feel nothing. Because I already know the kind of asshole he is, and his brother has more than proven it.
Chapter 2
Dev
What the hell!
When I stepped into the guest house to drag Veer out of whatever drunken mess he’d created this time, I didn’t expecther—the woman who would knock the breath right out of my lungs.
I don’t know what the fuck set my heartbeat off. Whether it was the way she glared at me with those brown eyes, or the way her soft brown hair framed her face, lending innocence to every delicate feature on her beautiful face. And her skin… it catches the light as if kissed by the sun: warm, smooth, tugging at something deep beneath my ribs, enough to make my hands itch. And when my gaze drops to her lips, it only makes my dilemma worse as I notice how pink and kissable they are.
Dammit. I’ve had my share of women. Stunning ones. Confident ones. The kind whose beauty turns heads. But none of them have ever made my pulse race the way she does.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I’ve always prided myself on control. Over my emotions, over people, over every situation that would make others falter. So why the hell am I standing here, staring at a woman I’veknown for all of five minutes, feeling something that comes dangerously close to weakness?
“Bro!” Veer’s voice snaps me back to reality, and I forcibly drag my gaze away from her and look at my brother.
“This asshole dared to put his hands on me!” Veer hisses, his hand pressing against his split lip.
A cold surge of anger rips through me as I glare at the man who thought it was a good idea to touch my brother. But the bastard has the nerve to glare right back at me. My hands curl into fists at my sides. He needs to get the message.Nobody lays a hand on my loved ones and walks away easily.
“Yes,” the asshole says coolly, “and you deserved it because you hurt my friend.”
Friend?
My eyes flick back to her instinctively. Just the thought of Veer laying a hand on her sends my pulse into overdrive, fury crashing through me so hard I forget he’s the one bleeding. Logic slips away, drowned out by the blind, irrational feeling of protectiveness for her. I open my mouth, but before I can say a damn word, Veer scoffs.
“Your friend was the one who made a move on me. What happened between us was consensual, not forceful.”
My jaw tightens, but my eyes refuse to leave her.
She’s involved with my brother?
That thought twists something dark and primal in my chest. Jealousy… possessiveness… whatever the hell it is, I don’t understand it. All I know is that it shouldn’t exist.
She’s supposed to be just another notch on my brother’s list, I tell myself, forcing my gaze away from her and back to the bastard. I take a slow step forward, planting myself squarely in front of him.
“Touch my brother again, and you’ll find out exactly how short your life can get,” I grit out, each word measured.
