“I’m fine,” she said crisply, just as another announcement went off overhead. “Pa, I have to go. I’ll call when I know more.”
She’d barely hung up before the phone rang again. She sighed as she picked up. “Ashish,” she said. “I have to call you back. Things are a mess.”
“I heard.” His calm voice steadied her. “Daksh texted me. Vedu, I need to ask you a favour.”
There was that sense of doom again. She closed her eyes in defeat and said, “Sure. Tell me.”
“Could you help Daksh out? He’s been out of the country for so long that I just don’t want him deciding to sleep on the beach or something and getting arrested.”
The giant shadow behind me snickered.
“Your brother,” I gritted out, swiveling on my heel to glare at the ass in question, “is perfectly capable of taking care of himself.”
“I know but it would mean a lot to me if you could just keep a general eye out for him. He’s…different.”
What did that mean? She watched Daksh’s expression smoothen out, all hint of expression disappearing to leave a blank, stone face behind. Was he differently abled or mentally unstable or just incapable? Perplexed, she raised an eyebrow at him, knowing he could hear his brother. He shrugged, giving her whathe obviously thought was an innocent look. He looked like a panther pretending he didn’t have a deer in his sights.
“I’m just going to hang at the airport till I figure out my next move.”
“Then let him hang with you.” Ashish’s voice brightened. “It gives you guys more time to get to know each other.”
She didn’t need more time. She didn’t want to know this ass.
But in the end, Vedika answered the only way she knew she could. “Of course,” she said softly. “I’ll figure it out.”
Then she hung up and watched the predator across from her, watch her. So much for safe.
CHAPTER 4
DAKSH
I’m different?
Daksh sent the message strolling behind Ashish’s uptight fiancée as she marched through the airport, muttering to herself and replying to emails on her phone. All around them, people milled in agitated groups and harangued airport staff who were quickly realizing that going into hiding was their best option.
The termagant Ashish was marrying came to a stop in front of their gate and plonked herself in one of the uncomfortable chairs. Daksh eyed her stiff figure and bent head as she ignored him and kept tapping away at her poor phone. Why the fuck did she need to sit at the gate? It wasn’t like the flight was boarding anytime soon.
His phone pinged and he pulled it out to check his brother’s response.
I had to tell her something.
Daksh glared at the screen before typing out a response.
Or you could let her do her own thing. She’s an adult, for fuck’s sake.
The phone rang the second after the ticks turned blue. Daksh stepped away to take the call, noticing that Vedika’s shoulders relaxed the minute he did.
“Yeah?” he said, the minute the line clicked through.
“Just keep an eye on her,” Ashish said tersely. “Please?”
“Why?” Daksh asked baldly, turning slightly to watch the little granny mouse hunched over her phone. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Nothing’s wrong with her,” Ashish snapped. “Vedu’s just…”
“Different?” Daksh supplied dryly.
Ashish huffed out a laugh. “Do me this solid. I’ll owe you.”
