Night – Horse Stable @ RK Estate
The stable is quieter at this hour, except for the faint rustle of hay and the occasional sound of horses shifting inside their stalls. I run my hand along Rogan’s flank, checking for any tightness in his muscles before adjusting his feed myself. He hassettled in well here, but I don’t take that at face value. Not with a horse like him.
Although the staff is capable of handling everything here without me needing to step in, tonight, I still choose to do it myself. Maybe because it’s easier being around horses than dealing with the noise in my own head.
Just as I step back and brush the hay from my hands, my phone vibrates in my pocket. It’s a video call from Ayaan.
I stare at the screen for a second before answering, already knowing this conversation isn’t going to end quickly.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Ayaan smiles, pausing a moment longer as if reading me and my surroundings.
“I hope Baba is resting,” I say, stepping out of the stall and leaning back against the wooden partition.
“He is,” Ayaan replies. “Dad handled the authorities at that rehab home, got interim protection in place, and made sure the girls were safe before leaving. By the time he came home, Meher practically forced him to go to bed early. You know how she can be.”
A corner of my mouth tips up. That I can imagine.
“And what about you?” he continues, narrowing his eyes slightly. “What are you doing at the stable at this hour?”
“Nothing,” I reply easily. “Just wanted to check on the horses myself.”
“Hmm. Are you alone?” he asks after another pause.
I sigh.“Who exactly do you expect to be here with me?”
Ayaan grins. “Stop deflecting, Raghav.”
I let out a slow breath and glance away for a second before focusing back on the screen.
“I’m not deflecting,” I say flatly. “And don’t think I haven’t figured out that you and Meher sent Baba here to find out about Siya.”
There’s a flicker of satisfaction on Ayaan’s face.
“Siya,” he repeats slowly. “So that’s her name.”
I curse myself internally for giving that away so easily, but it hardly matters now. Even if Baba hadn’t recounted every moment at RK Estate word for word, Ayaan and Meher would’ve still managed to pull enough out of him anyway.
“Don’t act like you don’t know anything,” I continue. “As soon as Baba got home, you and Meher would’ve cornered him for details.”
Ayaan chuckles. “We did. And he told us… just enough.”
My eyes narrow at that.
“What exactly is going on there, Raghav?”
Silence stretches between us for a long moment.
“If you’re going this far to hide a woman from us,” he says finally, his voice dropping just a fraction, “then she’s not just another guest for sure.”
Although I know nothing I say right now is going to end this conversation, I still divert it elsewhere. “Why did you call?” I ask.
Ayaan exhales, and his serious expression catches my attention immediately. “There’s intel coming in,” he says. “Possible arms movement. Looks like a smuggling deal tied to the southern mafia network.”
I go completely still.
