Fixation (Fatal Attraction #3)

Chapter 31

31

T he early morning swims at her brother’s sports club were just the best. While they had a pool at home, it wasn’t as big or as deep as this Olympic sized one. Reina’s swimmer heart was never happy swimming in a small pool. But here, she was delighted. Reina glided through the water, feeling at ease. The lapping of the water against her skin, the systematic strokes—all of it helped calm her raging mind.

She felt bad for the bodyguard assigned to her. He was forced to wake up early in the morning to drive her for her daily swim session. But this time of the day was all hers. And her brother’s club was safe. He’d installed a high-tech security system so members had to swipe a card, put in their thumbprint, and input a code to enter the premises.

She swam a few lengths, refusing to think about the previous night and him . He was here in her city, and for some reason, he wanted her back. The jerk. How dare he think he could simply click his fingers, and she’d return to him?

Stop, Reina, you’re not thinking of him, remember. She focused on the synchronised movement of her arms and legs. She continued swimming to the other end. Last night, after she’d gone home, she’d made a call to Navya and finally told her sisters everything. Navya had also put Armaan on call, and now, he too knew of her disastrous and short-lived affair with his brother. She had requested her sisters to keep their brother out of this whole sordid mess. Telling him was like opening Pandora’s box. She didn’t want her situation to ruin Rajiv’s relationship with Armaan because one of his brothers had gotten her kidnapped, and the other had broken her heart. Which meant she was going to keep Vedant a secret from her brother.

Vedant—even thinking of him made her heart ache. His face flashed in front of her eyes. Her mind remembered every line, freckle, and wrinkle on it. Her skin remembered every touch. Her body remembered the way he made her feel, and her heart recalled how she felt when he was near—only when he was near.

A head bobbed up next to her. Her chest seized. Fear made her lose her momentum and she plunged beneath the water. Panic made her forget to breathe and her lungs burned with the need for air.

Warm hands caught her shoulders and pulled her up. She coughed and sputtered, gasping for air. Her eyes widened as she found Vedant watching her, his gaze filled with concern.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she yelled. “You scared the life out of me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“Sorry is simply the easiest word used to get out of situations,” she scoffed. “All you do is say sorry and expect to be forgiven.”

He wiped the water from his face. “It also means I want to make amends.”

She threw him a glower. “How the hell are you here in the first place? This is a private club.”

“Mihir has access to it. He helped me get in.”

She hated that he’d found her here, at the one place and the one time that was sacred to her. She’d been trying her hardest not to think of him, and here he was, in person, forcing her to look at him and to remember the previous night and her idiocy concerning him.

“Go away,” she said. “I don’t want you here.”

“I’m just swimming like you are.”

“Then go swim somewhere else.”

“Why?” He grinned. “Do I affect you that much?”

“I hate you that much. Now go away.”

“It didn’t feel like you hated me when your tongue was playing with mine last night.”

Anger bubbled through her. How dare he throw last night in her face like this? She whirled; he caught her elbow. A spark lit her skin. Fuck. That still happened?

She shut her eyes with a sigh. When she opened them again, he was watching her elbow, looking as stunned as she was.

A burrow formed between his brows. “I won’t even ask if you felt that. I know you did.”

She shifted her arm out of his hold and moved a little away. She needed distance from him and the heat radiating out of him.

“Reina, you need to be careful.”

“Me? Why?”

“Ivan, I mean, he’s my adopted cousin… He wants to hurt me and my brothers because he thinks he’s the rightful owner of O-Corp.”

“I know,” she said. “I heard what happened to Navya. I know that Vasily was working for him.”

“Which means you also know that you cannot trust Su Min. Has she been in touch with you?”

“She has, but I haven’t been answering. It’s sad because I think she’s a good person. Armaan warned me to be wary of her since she was involved with Vasily. Thus, I have kept my distance from her.” She stared at him. “This doesn’t answer why I need to be careful.”

“Because you’re mine, and the second Ivan learns about this, he will try to hurt you to hurt me.”

Fury coursed through her. “Then he will never learn it because I am not yours. Hence, I’m safe.”

“I’m sorry, Reina,” he repeated. “I pushed you away because you were becoming important to me.”

“Bullshit.”

“I behaved stupidly. I got scared and panicked.”

“You’re one of the most powerful men on the planet, and you panicked ? she scoffed. “I don’t believe you. If you’re not going to leave, then I will.”

She swam away from him.

“He got Anita killed.” Vedant’s voice was loud and laborious.

Who was Anita? Why had she never heard of her before? Was she Vedant’s girlfriend? Had he been in love with this other woman while he’d been sleeping with her? Oh God. Fury swamped her. She spun around.

“It’s not what you are thinking,” he said quietly. “We met while working on an oil deal. She was smart, sharp, and fun to be with. We went out on three dates. It wasn’t serious, and we both knew that. The problem is that I never date the same woman twice. None of us do. This is a well-known and much discussed fact in the media. So, of course, Ivan knew this too. He killed her because he assumed that she meant something to me.”

“Fuck. I’m so sorry,” Reina said.

Vedant looked in the distance. “Recently, Tyrion found out through her mother that she’d been scared. That she felt someone was following her. She was trying to get in touch with me, but I didn’t have access to my phone after my attack. I called her once, and she didn’t reply. After that I simply forgot. If only…”

His grief was evident. It was clear he blamed himself for this woman’s death. The urge to calm him took over her. “You know it’s not your fault, right?”

“Do you know she was killed the day Navya was kidnapped by Vasily? Once again, Ivan launched a dual attack. So, of course, she was killed because of me.”

“Oh God!” Reina understood what he was trying to tell her. “And the moment you figured this, you pushed me away by being cruel to me.”

“Yes.” His eyes met hers. Remorse was filled in them. “I was worried that he would hurt you once he figured out what you meant to me. In those days, I wasn’t fit like I am now. I wasn’t as confident of my own health as I am now. Like a fool, instead of keeping you with me, I pushed you away.”

Reina’s lips flattened. “All that I heard in that explanation is what you thought and what you felt. There was no me in it.” His face fell, but she was too angry to care. She glided closer to him. “Instead of being honest with me, you told me the worst things possible? You made me feel inconsequential in front of Laila. I’m sorry but I don’t accept this selfish behaviour. Here I was falling in lo…”

Fuck. She shook her head.

His eyes widened. “You were what?”

“Nothing. What I was trying to say is that?—”

“—that you were falling in love with me.” He gave her a wide smile. She wanted to slap it away. She was such an idiot for blurting out her feelings without thinking.

When she began to turn again, he caught her arm and brought her closer to his chest. “I love you, Reina.”

She gasped. “No. Not that. I don’t want to hear that.”

She didn’t want to hear him say those words when she was in love with him as well. She didn’t want to hope when he had already hurt her once.

“It is the truth,” he said. “I love you so much. I behaved like an idiot and let you go. I agree with everything you’re saying. I should have considered you and your feelings. I should have spoken to you. I never should have pushed you away. At the time, I was falling for you, and I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t realise that I am the only one who can keep you safe. My home is the safest place for you. My heart is where you belong. Will you forgive me?”

She hardened her resolve. She couldn’t afford to forgive him. Her father had repeatedly begged her mother for forgiveness after every bad and mean thing he’d done, and like a fool, she’d forgiven him each time, until she couldn’t anymore. She wouldn’t be a victim like her mother was.

She exhaled. “I told you before that I don’t trust men easily. You promised not to hurt me, but you did. You’re no different from…”

She slammed her mouth shut. She was so overcome with emotion that she was talking without thinking.

He frowned. “From whom? Who has hurt you, Reina?”

“I’m done with this conversation and with you.”

She resumed swimming. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him do the same. He matched her speed stroke for stroke, and then several minutes later he flipped, swimming on his back and began to speak.

“I never told you the remainder of my story,” he began. “But no more secrets, Reina. You need to know everything, and I hope that one day you can share yours with me too.”

She remained silent, gliding through the water.

He continued, “What I am going to tell you is extremely private and confidential. Magazines would pay an arm and a leg to know our whole story. We never share it with others. But you need to know because no matter whether you are angry with me right now, you have become the reason for my existence.”

His words… She wouldn’t allow them to tempt her or melt her heart. She didn’t respond.

“Mihir met Alexander a few years before he adopted us,” Vedant began. “Alexander was a massively rich oligarch, always surrounded by bodyguards. He used to visit an ashram in Rishikesh to meet a guru he followed. The ashram was close to the orphanage. One night, when Alexander went by the river to watch the Ganga Aarti , he was separated from his bodyguards. Taking advantage of the crowd, a group of people mugged him. Mihir, only fourteen then, saved him. Him meeting Alexander and saving him was one of those random moments in life, which now feels like it was preordained.”

They reached the end of the pool. Her curiosity was well and properly roused now. But she didn’t give him any sign. She turned to begin the return lap. Vedant followed, his backstroke effortless.

He continued, “Alexander offered Mihir money, but instead, my clever brother asked him to sponsor an English class for us. At a very young age, Mihir was very determined that we all had to succeed, and to do that, we needed to learn English. We were already enrolled at a local school, but it wasn’t sufficient. Alexander was so impressed by him that he not only sponsored our English lessons, but he also sponsored unlimited access to a library. That was the first day our lives began to change.”

He paused, and she slowed her strokes to study him. He was looking at the ceiling, lost in thought.

“Alexander had been alone for a long time,” Vedant said. “He’d lost his wife and only child during childbirth many years ago. He’d never remarried, and he was quite lost, like he had nothing to look forward to. Someone he knew had recommended this guru in Rishikesh as a means to finding mental peace and well-being. He came to India to find a sense of purpose, and what he found was us instead. Mihir took all of us to meet Alexander the next day, and soon, he became a friend and a mentor. That first year, he stayed for two months. He’d tell us about his life in Russia. His laptop was filled with pictures of a land so different from ours, we were enchanted. We all were quite sad when he left that year. We never expected him to return, but he did every year for four more years. He taught us about the internet and sponsored more education for us, like advanced English, computers, Microsoft Office, and basic finance and accounts.”

Vedant chuckled. “We were quite unruly and undisciplined when we met him. To help us improve our behaviour, he insisted on etiquette and comportment classes. Though we knew Mihir held a special place in his heart, he treated us all equally. He adored us, and we, him. Little did we know at the time that he had been discussing with Mihir the possibility of taking us back to Russia.This was the reason behind his efforts—to prepare us for life there.”

Vedant paused. She halted with him. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but she kept quiet, curbing her inquisitiveness.

“Mihir had always been close to Alexander.” Vedant continued swimming, and this time, she followed. “Alexander saw his son in him. That’s why he’d initially proposed to take only Mihir. But Mihir refused to leave without us. Alexander was astonished that Mihir was turning down a better life simply because he didn’t want to leave us.Mihir’s unwavering loyalty to us further solidified Alexander’s belief in him,and he promised to take all of us with him. Given the lengthy adoption process in India,especially for foreigners,Mihir suggested that they wait until we all turned eighteen.That way,we could make our own decision whether to go to Russia with him. The plan was for all four of us to go.”

Four? Surely, he meant three. Reina stopped at the end of the pool waiting for him to continue and thus clarify what he’d said. Instead, Vedant turned to her. He moved a step closer to her. And then another until he was towering over her. Her skin heated. Her mind spun. His strong scent washed over her, making her want and crave again. Why did only this man make her feel like this? Desperate and needy… for him... She exhaled, trying to calm the rioting emotions within her. But it was of no use. He only had to be close, and she lost every sensible thought in her head. He lifted a hand to touch her face. She shut her eyes, desperate for the feel of his skin on hers. But it never came. Her eyes popped open. Lips tipped, he grabbed the railing next to her and climbed out of the pool.

Fucking hell. Why the hell couldn’t she control herself around him?

Vedant walked to a lounger, lifted a towel, and started drying his hair as if done with the conversation.

Her eyes involuntarily coasted over his body. Strong muscles graced his arms and torso. His abs were sharper now, more well defined. The scar on his leg was hidden by his swim shorts. However, that scar on his upper chest was the only reminder of his past injury. He looked fitter, healthier, and better than ever. So… freaking hot. Her mouth watered looking at all the sharp, rough edges of his body. Her eyes met his twinkling ones.

He smirked. “I do like how you keep checking me out, moya prekrasnaya . At least that hasn’t changed.”

Shit. She was ogling him again. Lowering her eyes, she asked. “You said the plan was for all four of you to go. Four ?”

Lifting a gym bag, he swung it across his shoulder. “I’ll continue the rest of my story when you meet me again, alone .”

“Don’t sound so confident,” she said.

“Reina, you became mine even before my heart had accepted what I felt for you. I love you, and if you think I’ll let you go without a fight, then you don’t know me at all. You’re mine and your body realises that; I’ll wait for your heart to come to that same conclusion.”

“It won’t.”

He smiled. “It will . I love you, don’t forget that, not even for a second. I made a mistake, one I’m willing to do anything to make right. Give me a chance to do that, please.”

His softly worded plea had her heart melting and her body itching to be closer to him. But her mind screamed at her to never give in to him. That he could and would hurt her again.

Vedant observed her silently for a few seconds. Giving her a smile, he left. She pressed a hand to her aching heart. It was so tempting to accept him. It would be so easy to allow him back into her life. But trust? Could she trust him never to hurt her again? Did he really love her like he said he did?

Giving in to him meant surrendering completely to him and this love between them. But would this love last forever? Or like her birth mother, would she also be the victim of a sad love story? Was it really worth it to take a chance on him?

Fuck. This man knew exactly how to get her attention. And fool that she was, she was once again losing the battle with her heart and falling into his trap. And it scared her… so very much.