Fixation (Fatal Attraction #3)

Chapter 27

27

V edant waited in the parking lot outside the famous nightclub in Dubai. Tyrion stood a little distance behind. A few minutes later, a gleaming black Bugatti roared inside the lot, followed by a black Escalade filled with armed men. The sports car stopped right in front of him, and Mihir climbed out of the driver’s side while his bodyguards stepped out of the other car, surrounding them both. Mihir studied him from top to toe before pulling him into a hug.

“How are you? You look good,” Mihir remarked. “Do you know how worried I was when you called and asked me to meet you here? Wait, has your doctor cleared you for travel? Why didn’t you tell us you were coming? Is everything okay?” Mihir looked at the board beyond them. “Why the fuck are we meeting outside a nightclub? And more importantly, why did you tell me to not tell Armaan?”

Vedant chuckled. “Have you got us entry?”

Mihir glared at him.

“Sorry, I’ll answer all your questions once we are inside,” Vedant assured him. “Shall we?”

“Sit in the car,” Mihir ordered.

“But…”

“I said, sit in the fucking car.”

“Can I drive?” Vedant teased, knowing exactly how possessive Mihir was about the damn car. He never let anyone touch it ever.

“Shut up,” Mihir barked.

Vedant laughed. His brother was really a grouch. Once he was seated, Mihir circled the car around the driveway and drove them into a basement. He swiped a card on a machine, and the barrier opened for them. They both stepped out once Mihir finished parking the car. Vedant paused. He knew this was the same parking lot where his brother Armaan had been attacked more than a month back. He looked around, noticing the cameras placed everywhere. The club had definitely upped its level of security.

Mihir led him to a steel door on the side. He swiped his card again, and the door opened. Vedant followed him down a corridor, and finally, his brother pulled open a door, and they entered the VIP floor of Club Poseidon.

It was the first time Vedant was coming to Rajiv Mehra’s night club, and he had to admit it was impressive. Loud music, dim lights, gold mirrored walls, and midnight blue wallpaper gave the entire place a posh vibe. The furniture was all brown wood, navy blue, velvet, and gold. Very nice, indeed. He followed Mihir as they weaved their way through the swarm of people to reach a tall table, clearly reserved for him.

Vedant stepped to the railing beyond the table and looked around. Strobe lights zigzagged on the crowded dance floor below him. The lower floor of the club was even more packed. The whole place was alive and buzzing. His eyes searched the crowd, scanning the faces of all the women, but not one of them was the one he ached for.

A waiter appeared with a bottle of vodka and glasses. Mihir poured the drink into two glasses and handed him one. He held his own shot of vodka up. “ Na zdorovye .”

Vedant clicked his glass to Mihir’s and downed the shot. “Fuck. That felt good. I haven’t had a drink since my attack.”

“I thought as much,” Mihir said, pouring another round of shots for them. They clinked their glasses, and Vedant downed that one too.

Mihir looked around, saw the many women staring at the two of them and downed another shot. “I fucking hate nightclubs.”

Vedant chuckled. “You just don’t like all the attention you’re getting.”

A woman at the side raised her glass in a toast at them. He grimaced. Even if they weren’t recognised because of who they were, they were two single, well-dressed, good looking men. Add Mihir’s scar to the mix, and every single woman looking for a good time would end up coming their way seeking danger and thrill. Neither Mihir nor him were interested.

Vedant ignored all the eyes upon them. “How do you have private access to Rajiv Mehra’s club?”

“I have access to this club and his sports club.”

“You go to a sports club? For what?”

“He’s a good fighter and we face off at times in the club. It’s nice to spar with someone new.”

“That’s a change from your routine,” Vedant said.

Mihir was extremely closed off, and the fact that he was letting Rajiv Mehra in was quite surprising.

“He’s a friend… sort of,” Mihir said.

Vedant blinked. “Since when has Rajiv Mehra become your friend?”

“We talk on safety protocols. We’re both responsible for safeguarding our families. Since Armaan and Navya are together now, any threat to our lives may directly impact his family too. I keep him updated on what’s happening. Plus, we face off in a ring once a week,” Mihir said. “He’s one of the good ones.”

“I’m glad you’re trusting others,” Vedant said. “We need more good people in our lives. It’s just been the three of us for way too long.”

Mihir nodded. “Now, answer my questions.”

Mihir’s phone rang. Vedant looked around while his brother attended to the call. Where was she? He’d put a security guard behind Reina to protect her the second he’d learned who she was. Thus, he’d been informed that she was here. But he hadn’t seen her yet. He pulled his own phone out to reconfirm with his man, when his heart clenched. He suddenly realised that this sweet tug was what he had been missing for three weeks. She was here. Reina was here. He was sure of it. His heart had felt her even before his eyes had seen her.

He looked left and right, feeling restless that he couldn’t spot her. The tug in his heart grew stronger. He looked down, and his eyes fell on a woman standing by the bar below. She was dressed in a shiny, skimpy halter crop top that showed off her abundant breasts and her bare midriff and back. Low slung black leather pants moulded her legs. On her feet were high, spiky heels. Very sexy. Rays of light from the strobes above painted her face. His heart jolted as he studied her. Plump red lips, dark eyeliner and darker lashes, and that glorious hair that was left to fall loose on her back. This woman here was no longer the demure Dr. Singh. This was the real Reina. The heiress, Reina Mehra—confident, successful, and powerful. And Reina Mehra was bloody stunning.

Every man around her was noticing the same. A red-hot poker slammed inside his chest. He wanted to gouge the eyes of every man staring at her. Reina laughed at something her companion said.

“Fuck.” He heard his brother’s curse the second he recognised the woman with Reina. Ananya Mehra—his brother’s one true weakness.

Mihir came to stand next to him on the railing. “Please tell me that we are not standing here because of your doctor. And wait a minute….”

His brother pulled out his phone and spoke in rapid Russian, “Chekov, why wasn’t I told Anna would be here at Club Poseidon?”

Chekov was their Head of Security now, and Mihir’s main bodyguard.

“Next time, call me; don’t send me a text, especially when you know she’s going to be at the same location as I am,” Mihir barked out.

Vedant’s eyes rounded. “You have someone tailing Ananya Mehra?”

“Yes,” Mihir gritted out.

“Why? I thought you didn’t like her?”

“That doesn’t mean I won’t protect her.” Mihir rubbed his scar, his eyes fixed on her. “There are people who know what she meant to me at one time. If Ivan ever got hold of that information... No, I won’t let him or anyone hurt her.”

Vedant was stunned by what he heard. His brother and this woman… There was something definitely there.

Sighing, Vedant turned his gaze on Reina. “I’m so mad that neither of you told me who Reina really was.”

“Initially, it was irrelevant. She was the woman who’d saved your life. That was the only thing that mattered. I didn’t expect you to get involved with her.”

Vedant’s eyes jumped to Mihir’s. “Who says I got involved with her?”

Mihir gave him a hard look. “I always know what my brothers are up to. I also know you did something stupid to drive her away. Honestly, I don’t care if it was deliberate or not. You need to stay far away from her.”

“Why?” He had deliberately pushed Reina away, and even now, he was watching her from a fucking distance when all he wanted to do was go to her, to touch her, to hold her in his arms and ease the ache in his chest. He exhaled. He wasn’t planning to do any of that, but he was curious why his brother thought he should stay away from her.

“You idiot, she’s Navya’s sister,” Mihir replied. “You cannot play around with her. You shouldn’t even be stalking her from afar, like you are. Now I get why you told me not to tell Armaan that you’re in town. Because he would never have allowed this.”

“You’re right, he wouldn’t have,” Vedant said. “But I needed to see her and ensure that she’s safe.”

“Why do you even care? Her brother has someone following her around. Armaan ensured it. I’m sure you too must have figured that out the second you learned who she was.”

“I needed to see her, Mihir.”

“Again, why?”

Vedant downed another shot of vodka, his eyes unable to move from Reina. He was beginning to understand what his heart had been telling him for the longest time; only he was stupid enough not to accept it.

He watched the two sisters as they went to the deejay console next to the bar. Reina whispered something in the deejay’s ear, and the man gave her a thumbs up. The music changed and the famous song, Macarena , began to play. His heart fell to the floor when the sisters asked some men to help them climb up the bar top. The audience roared as the girls began the Macarena dance. The whole nightclub cheered in approval. Lines began to form on the dance floor as people joined their impromptu dance routine. Even in the VIP section, people began lining up to that dance routine. The whole nightclub followed the lead of the two beautiful girls dancing on top of the bar.

The music changed, and the beats of Beyonce’s famous song, Single Ladies , came on the speakers. Both sisters began to sing the lyrics as they continued to dance on top of the bar together, hips shaking, hands moving in sync to the rhythm. Dressed in similar attire, they looked hot and sexy. They had the eyes of every man in the club as they lifted their hands, pointing to their ring fingers as they sang If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it. They were simply fabulous.

“Fuck,” Mihir cursed, his eyes glued to the bar. “They have no sense of self-preservation at all.”

“It is their brother’s club. They are supposed to feel safe here.”

“Still, all these men…” Mihir snapped his mouth shut. But Vedant knew exactly what he was feeling. He felt it too. He wanted to tear the eyes of every man watching Reina. She was his. She’d laid siege on his heart a long time ago, only he had refused to accept it. But now he did. He so did.

The song ended, and Reina bumped her hip to her sister’s before giving a petite bow to the crowd. She was spectacular. He was in awe of this beautiful, bold, and bright side of her.

“Isn’t she just amazing?” Vedant gushed. “I love her so much.”

He froze at his own words, but then he realised how all the chains around his heart had suddenly fallen loose, as if they had unentangled themselves.

“What?” Mihir yelled, eyes wide.

Vedant smiled. “I. Love. Her.”

His chest felt free, like he could breathe again. He was in love with Reina Mehra. There’d always been something about her. Now he knew what it was.

She was his. She’d become his the second she’d put her career on the line and saved him. She’d become his the second he’d opened his eyes and held her hand that first day in his home in London. His heart had known even then that she was the one for him. No wonder it always reacted the way it did when she was close. No wonder his body had always responded to her touch. Only hers. He was in love with Reina—that was the only reason he’d been so afraid and paranoid about her safety, so much so that he had chosen to push her away. Everything that had happened had led to this one singular moment of realisation.

“Of all the women in the world, why do my brothers have to fall for Rajiv Mehra’s sisters?” Mihir groused.

“Speak for yourself,” Vedant chuckled, “You fell for the eldest one first.”

“That was over a long time ago.”

“Is it? I think you’re obsessed with her,” Vedant declared. “Are you really sure it’s over?”

At Mihir’s silence, he shook his head. There was no point demanding this answer from Mihir. His brother was too damn pig-headed. But Vedant was done being pig-headed and foolish. Like a fool, in a moment of fear, uncertainty and anxiety, he had let the woman he loved walk out of his life, when he should have kept her with him and told her the truth about everything. Perhaps, then, she too could have confided in him about herself. But he’d never given her a chance. He’d never given their relationship a chance.

Fuck, he was an idiot. Why did accepting that he was in love with her bring forward this startling clarity? Why hadn’t he thought that the best person to keep her safe was himself? He was trained in all sorts of martial arts; he knew how to shoot and kill with any weapon. He would keep her safe. Three weeks back, he hadn’t yet been back to his normal self. But now, he was stronger than ever. Leaving his brother, he moved toward the stairs that would lead him down and to her.

“Where the fuck are you going?” Mihir called out to him.

Vedant turned. “To finally put a ring on it. On her.”

His mind was made up. Reina was his. He’d been foolish to let her go. But now, he was winning her back at all costs.