Fixation (Fatal Attraction #3)

Chapter 29

29

V ictory blazed through Vedant as he followed Reina up the stairs. At least she’d agreed to speak to him. It was one step accomplished. As for the rest… he’d grovel and beg her if he had to. But he would win her back. Reina opened the same steel door through which Mihir had gotten him inside. She finally exited into the parking lot and faced him.

“What do you want?” she asked.

He looked around, his eyes scanning the security cameras everywhere.

“It’s safe here now,” Reina told him, reading his thoughts.

“I tried searching for you for weeks,” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me who you really were?”

“And how would that have made a difference?”

He nodded. “You’re right. It wouldn’t have made a difference in the way things panned out between us. I wanted you as Reina Singh and I want you as Reina Mehra. That hasn’t changed at all.”

Her lips tightened. “In the end, you didn’t deserve to know me, the real me. I was right not to have confided in you. You turned out to be a jerk like most men are.”

Her sharp words reminded him that she didn’t trust men easily; she’d told him that once. Armaan had confirmed it again. Why though? Why did she feel like this?

“Why the name Singh?” he asked, undeterred.

“None of your business,” she snapped.

Vedant stared at her. “I missed you so much.”

Her eyes widened, but she stayed silent.

“I behaved awful, Reina, and for that, I’m truly sorry.”

Her expression hardened. “Apology not accepted. Can we go now?”

“ Nyet .”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “What more do you want?”

“I want you back, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you back.”

She flinched. “What?”

“You heard what I said.”

“Of all the arrogant things I’ve heard in my life, this surely takes the cake,” she shot back. “You simply waltz in here after three weeks and want me back. Why? Did you get bored of Laila as well?”

He frowned. “Laila? Why are we talking about her?”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Don’t pretend that you and she didn’t laugh at my expense after you drove me away. She told me that I was a plain Jane, the same words you used on me. She had a huge crush on you, and you knew it. She told you about my issue with Dr. Williams when it was not her place to do that. So yes, of course, we are talking about your affair with Laila.”

His eyes widened. She thought Laila and him… Her assumption was so far from the truth and totally ridiculous. He burst out laughing.

Reina punched him in the chest, the same place where he’d been shot. It didn’t hurt. Not even a bit. But he winced. Pretended that it hurt him, and sure enough, her face crumpled.

“Shit. Is your chest hurting?” She massaged it. “Where does it pain?”

His heart warmed, knowing that she still cared for him. It gave him hope. He took her hand and shifted it to the left side of his chest, where his heart was beating wildly, for her. “Here, it’s been hurting here ever since you left me.”

Anger filled her eyes. She tried to move her hand away, but he held it firm.

“I never had an affair with Laila,” he told her. “In fact, I called her that night to tell her to leave the next morning. I didn’t want her around me because she was too clingy and making it obvious that she wanted to sleep with me.”

Reina stilled for a short second before she struggled against his hold. But he held firm.

“Lies,” she replied. “You always addressed her as Dr. Jones, but that night you took her name, suggesting a familiarity between you two. When I was leaving, I saw you on your terrace, and then Laila approached you and you both returned inside. So forgive me if I don’t believe you now.”

He frowned. “That night, I was battling with myself. I hated that I had to let you go. Her name must have slipped out of my mouth. I swear on everything I hold dear that she left the room five minutes after you left. Then I went to the terrace, and she returned, asking me to reconsider letting her stay. I refused and she went away. That was it.”

Reina stared at him, studying his face, as if searching for the truth.

“I’m sorry, Reina,” he whispered. “I made an awful mistake. I said things to you that I didn’t mean. I should never have pushed you away.”

“And I don’t believe this sudden change of heart. So, let me go.”

“It took me three weeks to find you. And I came here the minute I learned who you were and where you went. Trust me, Reina. I had a reason to behave as I did then. If you only hear me out?—”

“—I will never trust you. I should never have allowed you to get close to me. While you didn’t know me, I knew who you were all along. You are an Oshnov, and hence, I never should have trusted you. Fucking assholes.”

He dropped her hand, feeling burned. Then he shook his head. “Armaan proved himself to you all. I believe your whole family loves him. So why still tag us as bad people?”

She flicked her hand through her hair. “Apart from how you behaved with me, I saw how you all behaved with Navya and Sheena that night at the yacht. You forced Rajiv to come and negotiate with you when you could have simply let them go.”

“Fine, let’s rehash that night and get it over with.” He exhaled. “The only reason we kept Navya and Sheena back was because Mihir wanted Ananya. She knew that, and yet, instead of facing him, she ran away and let Rajiv come into the picture.”

“That’s not true. Ananya wouldn’t do that.”

“You’ve seen Mihir and Ananya together. They have some bad history between them, possibly which none of us know the full details of. My brother changed after whatever transpired between the two of them all those years ago. My guess is that she saw this raw, dark, dangerous side of him, and fled. Think about it, Reina, and tell me it isn’t true.”

“Fine,” she accepted a moment later. “That could be the case. Nonetheless, you used the situation to your advantage.”

“Yes, we did. Dealing with your brother was pure business for us.”

“Of course, it was business ,” she scoffed. “Since you are the cold and calculated brother—the one they send out to close a deal. I’m pretty sure you were the one who suggested the terms of negotiation with my brother.”

He shrugged. “Like I said, it was business. He was willing to give us

a nearly three hundred-million-dollar yacht and free usage of three of his ships for six months to transport our goods anywhere in the world, just to let Sheena and Navya go. Of course, we’d accept.”

“Sure, you would. Right after you put him in that position.”

“ We didn’t put him in that position. It was your sisters and Sheena who put him there by gate-crashing our party. Did you expect them to get away scot-free? You ought to know by now that we don’t take lightly to anyone going against us. They paid a price for their own actions, da ? I don’t get why you’re blaming me or my brothers for the consequences thereafter.”

She glared at him.

“Reina, it’s all in the past,” he said. “Everyone has moved on from that, except you.”

Her eyes flared. “And am I supposed to move past the fact that Mihir got me kidnapped and held me hostage to look after you?”

Vedant sighed. “Replace Mihir with Rajiv and reverse the situation. What do you think your brother would have done if it was one of you girls in my place?”

Her expression fell. They both knew he was telling the truth. She opened her mouth, but he held a hand out stopping her.

“Can we forget about the past and our families, and circle back to us… to you and me and how we feel about one another?”

“I hate you,” she snapped. “Now you know how I feel about you. Can we leave now?”

He winced. “Reina… I am sorry. I behaved like a dick. Please, let me make it up to you. Give me a chance to explain.”

“Never. You were my biggest mistake. But it’s done. I have moved on.”

“Really?” He advanced a step closer to her. “You’ve moved on from me?”

“Yes.” Reina remained in place. Her jaw—that defiant jaw lifted. Her lips pouted. God, he had missed her so much.

“So, if I touch you,” he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers, “Nothing happens, da ?”

Her throat bobbed, but other than that, she showed no reaction to him. He moved a step closer. She still held her ground. God, had she truly gotten over him? Had he meant nothing to her? Or had his awful behaviour pushed her away from him? Sadness and desperation clawed inside him. Because if this was truly what she wanted then… then... Fuck. He hated the way that would end. But he would do it for her. He would leave if she didn’t want him. But first, he had to know if she truly felt nothing when he touched her.

His fingers traced the curve of her cheek, the hollow of her neck and across her collarbone. Still, she didn’t react. She simply stared at him, unmoved. He studied her. Every inch of her was stiff as a board, like she didn’t feel a thing when he touched her. His eyes dipped lower down her body and paused at her hands. They were curled into fists so tight that they trembled. His eyes jumped to hers. Hope flared in his chest. Either she truly hated him or she hated how she was reacting to him despite trying to show him otherwise.

Testing that theory out, he lifted her chin and lowered his mouth to hers. Finally, her lips quivered, ever so slightly.

“Tell me to leave you alone, and I will,” he whispered, allowing his hands to roam down her bare arms. “Tell me you don’t want this, and I will go away.”

“I…” she began. Her hands clutched the lapels of his jacket. He was unsure whether she was going to push him away or pull him closer.

“I…” she repeated, her lips trembling under his. “Bloody fucking hell.”

And then she closed the distance between them and slammed her mouth to his. Oh God. He’d found heaven again. His arms wrapped around her waist just as she knotted hers around his head. Mouths melded, tongues clashed, and the kiss turned hot, heavy, hard, and savage. Need rushed through him. Electricity crackled between them. His body hardened. He shifted her a few steps back and lay her against the hood of the car behind her. He moved into her, his mouth never leaving hers, fitting his erection into the vee between her thighs. She moaned, her eyes shutting close.

“WHAT. THE. FUCK.” Ananya’s loud voice jolted him out of the madness that had enveloped him. He raised his head and found Ananya and Mihir standing behind them, one of them looking shocked, the other grim.

“Did you have to choose my fucking car to make out on top of?” Mihir growled.

He looked down and found that Reina and he were sprawled over Mihir’s prized Bugatti. Shit. Mihir was fucking mental about his car.

He gave his brother a sideways glance. “Oops.”

Mihir looked heavenward.

Reina opened her eyes. Finding him still atop her, she pushed at his chest. He stood, and she got to her feet as well.

Her eyes met his. He grinned. He couldn’t help it. At least now, he was certain of what she felt about him. Her body wanted his, that much was clear. Now, he only had to ensure her heart wanted him as well.

“Wipe that smile off your face,” she raged. “This was nothing. We are over.”

“On the contrary, my beautiful Reina,” he said, “We have finally truly begun. This is far from over. You are mine . You’ve always only been mine. Better remember that.”

Her eyes flared, but she didn’t respond. She simply took Ananya’s arm, and the two girls returned inside.

Mihir looked at him. “I’m getting a headache. First Armaan and now you. At least in Armaan’s case, he never hurt the girl. You, however… This is going to blow up in your face if you’re not careful.”

“Then help me,” Vedant said.

“You have to talk to Armaan,” Mihir said. “Her family likes him. He’s the only one who can help you figure this out with her, that is, if he agrees.”

Vedant sighed. Mihir was right. Which meant he was going home and asking help from Armaan, who, in all probability, would punch him in the face first. Fuck. How the hell had he messed up everything so badly?