Page 70 of Since You Stole My Heart

‘Never, grumpy,’ she whispered, her quivering lips curving into a fragile smile.

‘That’s what you remember out of everything?’

She made a faint sound of agreement.

‘Siya had called me at two in the morning, practically shouting about how your father was a selfish jerk who had taken her car.’ A hint of amusement touched his lips. ‘Then she told me there was a taxi strike across the city, so I had to go pick up her younger sister who was finally coming home after two years in London.’

‘Is that why you acted like I was testing your patience?’ she asked slowly in a hoarse voice.

‘All I wanted was silence, but you just kept talking. You complained about the flight, the food, the seat, the person next to you, the airport staff…’

Kashvi snuggled closer. ‘Di warned me you might not be up for company. She said you hated having your sleep disturbed and she wished to blast music on the call with you just for fun.’

Swayam shook his head. ‘So you took inspiration from her?’

‘It’s practically a family tradition to annoy you. Meera does it too,’ she said in such a low voice that he had to lean closer to catch it.

‘And you followed in their footsteps,’ he chuckled, tracing slow, absent-minded patterns along her arm. ‘I remember thinking that if you just took one breath, maybe I’d finally get a moment of silence. But somewhere between the airport and your old apartment, I realised I was having fun and didn’t want you to stop.’

‘I don’t recall saying anything that interesting.’

‘I don’t know what it was, but for once, I felt a little less empty with you around. When I dropped you off, I said goodnight, but what I actually wanted was to ask you to stay with me a little longer.’

She tilted her head back, and Swayam finally got a glimpse at her bloodshot eyes. With a yawn, Kashvi mumbled, ‘Why didn’t you?’

‘That’s a question I’ve asked myself more times than I’d like to admit, but I’ve never found an answer.’

Her fingers curled tighter around him as she shifted closer, but she flinched when another tremor ran through her.

Swayam went rigid. ‘Hey, are you okay? Is it happening again?’

Kashvi swallowed, her breathing laboured. ‘Yeah. Just sore.’

‘Do you need anything? Water? Something sweet?’

‘No, this happens. It’ll go away… in a day or two.’

‘Oh.’

That meant she had been through this before. His gaze flickered to where he had found the strip of medication. She had kept it within reach, like she had expected this to happen.

Yet she had not told him.

Swayam looked at her, taking in the fatigue on her face as he recalled the day he had found her at her old apartment. There had been the same exhaustion lingering in the depths of her teary eyes. Had she been hiding there because of this?

Had she chosen to suffer alone in silence rather than ask me for help?

‘What I can tell you is that I hated watching you walk away from me that night. It didn’t make any sense because I didn’t even know you. But… it felt wrong,’ Swayam said, his thoughts tumbling over one another.

He gathered her closer, driven by the need to make sure she was really okay. ‘And right now, I feel the same. Watching you go through something I don’t understand, not knowing what to say or how to help… it feels absolutely wrong.’

Kashvi looked away as she mumbled, ‘I’m sorry.’

He slid his finger beneath her chin, gently guiding her back to look at him. ‘Don’t apologise, baby. It’s just… I worry about you. Have some mercy on me. I don’t think my heart can take it if you keep hiding things from me.’

‘I thought this seizure thing was over. I hadn’t had them for years,’ she whispered.

‘But now it’s back?’ Swayam asked, trailing his finger gently along her jaw.