Page 92 of Since You Stole My Heart

Her thoughts slipped in and out of focus as adrenaline coursed through her veins. ‘Listen here, you asshole. If you believe that, you’re out of your mind. I’ll have my nails clawing at your throat before you even take a step closer.’

His voice turned cold, cruel. ‘You don’t know who you’re dealing with. I own you, Kashvi, and you should obey me, because you know what happens if you don’t.’

Bile rose at the back of her throat and, with sickening clarity, the picture he’d sent flashed behind her eyes. He knew things about her. He had things of hers. And he had already proven he could act on them.

‘I want you, and I’ll have you, at any cost,’ he declared.

‘Come and get me then,’ she challenged him.

‘Kashvi, don’t you know? Be careful what you wish for,’ he said, following it with a kiss.

A sharp spike of fear ran through her as she heard the sound of that kiss behind her.

Kashvi whirled around just as the balcony door slid fully open, revealing a man standing there with a phone pressed to his ear. ‘Gotcha, babygirl. Surprised?’

Her heart slammed violently against her ribs as the man threatening her, stalking her, stood only a few steps away on the dark, empty balcony. A broken gasp caught in her throat, and she stumbled back until her heel hit the edge of the railing.

His silhouette was framed by the dim light spilling in from the living room behind him as he stood there, his suit jacket draped over one arm, watching her.

The hunger in his eyes made her skin crawl.

Without breaking eye contact, he reached to the side and flicked on the light switch, flooding the balcony with harsh light.

She had no idea who he was, but she had seen him once before, at the party that had changed her life.

He had told her he saw her with Swayam, and she’d not even considered that he could have followed them here.

‘Smile, sweetheart. Remember what’s at stake here,’ he said, and the madness in his eyes grated against her nerves.

Her chaotic thoughts came to a screeching halt when movement caught her eye. Swayam came up behind the man, followed by Lavanya.

A rush of relief ran through her, and she was about to call out his name when the word died on her tongue.

Swayam reached out and slung an arm over the man’s shoulder as he grinned. ‘So this is where you’re hiding?’

And just like that, the man’s predatory glint vanished, replaced by an easy smile. ‘Not hiding. Waiting.’

Kashvi watched their familiar interaction, her mind scrambling to make sense of it.

They stepped onto the balcony, walking towards her. Kashvi wanted to speak, to scream, but her body was locked in place.

‘Hey, I’ve been looking for you because I finally want to introduce you to the bane of my existence and partner-in-crime,’ Swayam said as he came to stand beside her.

No. No. No.

Swayam gestured at the man, a hint of pride in his voice. ‘Meet my cousin, Viraj, aka Viru.’

No!

Her gaze snapped to Viraj, who was watching her with a slick smile on his face.

He stepped forward and caught her hand before she could pull back, shaking it. ‘Kashvi, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but I’ve been dying to meet you.’

She had no answer to that.

A sharp, fractured breath escaped her, and she felt light-headed as she understood just how screwed she was.

The man stalking her, threatening her, and blackmailing her was her husband’s cousin.