Page 95 of Since You Stole My Heart

His laughter rang through the night. ‘Go on. Try it. Scream and call Swayam out here. But remember, everyone else will follow him too.’

She went still.

‘You really want to do this here and now?’ he asked, pointing at the balcony door, from where muted laughter and overlapping conversations filtered through. ‘You want to tell your husband, in front of his friends and family, that his cousin has his wife’s nudes?’

The idea of those images being exposed in a room full of people and their barbed whispers made her realise she was trapped in the worst place and moment possible.

His eyes darkened. ‘And I don’t want to do any of that, because I promised him I’d take care of you. So this is my last warning. I do find your pathetic attempts entertaining, but my patience is not endless. You’re really testing my limits.’

She clenched her jaw and forced herself to stop struggling.

‘That’s it. There’s my good girl.’

Revulsion rose, fast and acidic, because just hours ago Swayam had whispered those same words with affection. ‘What exactly have I done to you? I don’t even know who you are!’

‘You might not know me, but I know everything about you, babygirl.’

‘Of course, because that’s what sleazebags like you do, right? Take pictures of girls without their knowledge, hide behind your phones, and then stalk them like a rabid dog.’

‘Aw, don’t be jealous, babygirl. I’ve done a lot of things with girls, but you’re the only one I’ve wanted to keep for myself. You’re special to me.’

‘Wow, lucky me,’ she scoffed, her tone edged with sarcasm.

He tightened his grip, and she swallowed down a whimper. ‘You are, because you were out of my reach when I found out you got married to my cousin.’

‘How did you know that?’ she breathed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

‘He’s my cousin. You really think I don’t know everything about him?’ he mumbled, sniffing her hair.

Something in Kashvi recoiled at the thought of Swayam sharing pieces of their life with someone like him.

Every nerve in her body tensed at the intimate way he tried to lean closer. But it was the dark hint of rage in his voice that kept her rooted in place.

‘I went out of my mind when I was told about it. I stood outside your apartment door, somehow holding myself back from tearing it down and choking you in bed until you realised no one was coming to help you.’

A shudder of undiluted terror tore through her as she realised how close he had come before, and she had been completely unaware.

‘You know, you may have tricked Swayam into thinking you’re someone worth his trust, but it’ll be my pleasure to break that illusion.’

Viraj let out a soft laugh. He tapped her head. ‘It’s all empty in there, huh?’

The insult slid past her. There were worse things at stake than his opinion of her intelligence. ‘Let’s see how much he trusts you once he knows the truth about you.’

Viraj asked casually, as though they were discussing the weather, ‘Why don’t you tell me your brave plan? What are you going to tell him?’

‘Everything about you. About the camera and everything you’ve been doing.’

‘When he hears that you were at my place, he’s going to have questions, and I’ll give him my version of the truth,’ he said with a smirk. ‘You’re a whore who loves to sleep around, and you came to the party intending to seduce me. When I rejected you, you threatened to ruin me by saying I took your pictures, when you’re the one who sent them to me. At least, that’s what I’ll say.’

Kashvi shook her head firmly. ‘That’s ridiculous. There’s no way he’ll believe that.’

‘Why not? I’m nowhere in the picture. It just shows you in all your glorious beauty. Besides, you’ve been in his life for what, a few years? I’ve known him since we were kids, and I’m his family. Do you really think he’s going to take your word over mine?’

‘Swayam will never blindly believe you. You won’t get away with this,’ she warned, though her thoughts began to spiral despite her conviction.

‘My cousin is an emotional fool when it comes to the people he loves, and he loves me,’ he declared.

Does he love me?