“What’s the deal with this girl?” Daksh asked abruptly, not wanting to have a chummy brotherly chat with the ‘only son who mattered’ at the moment.
“Deal?” Ashish asked defensively. “There is no deal.”
“There’s something off about this whole situation. Why do you people keep asking me to babysit a fully grown, functional adult?” Even as he asked the question, Daksh’s mind went back to the sudden panic attack Vedika had at the airport. “Well, mostly functional,” he amended.
“What do you mean by that?” Ashish’s voice sharpened. “Did something happen? Is Vedika okay?”
For some reason, Daksh was reluctant to disclose the incident. If the Mouse wanted her fiancé to know, she could tell him.
“She’s fine. Tucked away in her room. Probably scurrying around the space, cursing the airline and worrying herself into a snit.”
Ashish laughed. “Don’t be an ass.”
“Dude, I get that Dad wants the connect with Aakash Thakkar but is this what you want? Isshewhat you want?”
A moment’s pause and then Ashish replied, “Vedika’s very sweet.”
“She’s feral,” Daksh retorted. “But that’s not what I’m asking you. What the fuck are you doing, Ashish?”
“Just keep your end of the bargain, okay?” Ashish said, his tone curt and cold. “And I’ll keep mine.”
“You couldn’t even keep Dad off your phone for a day and you’re going to keep him off my back for a month.”
“I’ll get it done,” Ashish said tersely. “Just keep Vedika happy.”
The phone line clicked off before Daksh could say anything more. What the fuck? No one could keep that harpy happy. She thrived on the anguish and pain of the people around her. Keep her happy! What did he look like? A customer service executive?
He was still grumbling to himself when he wandered into the bathroom to shower and shave. If he had to tolerate her presence tonight, he wanted a barrel of alcohol to drown his sorrows in. The sooner he got to it the better. God willing, the airspace opened up tomorrow and they could get on a flight out of here.
The less time he had to play genie in a bottle to the spoilt brat, the better for all of them. He was toweling himself dry when he saw the message blinking on his phone. He tapped it open, scanning it as dread pooled in his stomach.
There was no chance of the airspace opening up tomorrow. Fuck his life. He was stuck here.
With her.
CHAPTER 7
VEDIKA
Vedika had barely madeit past the door of the hotel room before collapsing into the bed. The anxiety attacks always drained her and today was no exception. When she finally woke, the sun was setting over the ocean, a sight that soothed and steadied her.
She poured herself a glass of water and took it out with her onto the little balcony that adjoined her room. She loosened her hair from its braid and allowed the heavy weight of it to fall down her back. A hot, humid breeze wafted over her face as she tipped it up to the dusky sky.
Her phone chimed in the room and she ignored it, continuing to let the peace of the evening wash over her slowly settling nerves. In the distance, people strolled along the beach, a shack came alive with lights, and ladies wandered around braiding hair with beads and tinsel for willing customers.
Her phone chimed again. Sighing, Vedika went in to retrieve it. The sheer volume of messages and calls that she’d missed had her shoulders hunching, the invisible pressure building again.
She sent her family a message letting them know she was fine and then waded through the updates from the airline.Everything she read only had that pressure escalating. She massaged her temples as she tried to figure out a way around this. She couldn’t see one. Her father would never allow her to take a train or bus back home. So, until the airspaces opened up again, she was stuck here.
She was scrolling through her work emails when her phone rang. She smiled at Ashish’s cheerful face flashing on her screen as she answered.
“How are you?” he asked, sounding worried and tense.
“I’m okay,” Vedika sighed. “How are things with you?”
“I’m not the one stranded,” he replied. “Are you sure you’re okay, Vedu?”
“I’m hardly stranded on a deserted island,” Vedika laughed. “It’s supposed to be paradise on Earth.”
