If You Could Stay

9. Naira

I'm dumbfounded by the entire situation happening right now. Indira fuming behind me and Kartik in front, dragging me to the dance floor.

"Mr. Goenka, what are you doing?" I whisper-shout at him.

"Dancing." He stops in the middle of the dance floor and positions me in front of him. I stare at him in disbelief. Was that really him or had aliens abducted him and replaced him with a clone?

His hand hovers over my waist. "Is this okay?"

Tell me, what are you comfortable with?

You may call me Lucifer, Naira. But I'm not a total monster. I won't do anything to make you uncomfortable.

Kartik's words float back into my consciousness and I give him a tight nod after noticing the curious glances around us. His hand lands on the bare skin of my waist, goosebumps immediately spreading across my skin. He stiffens momentarily before holding my hand with his other free one as I rest my hand on his shoulder. We start to sway softly to the flow of the music. The silence between us is crackling with energy. It's unnerving.

My nerves were already on high alert ever since I saw Kartik waiting for me in my foyer looking devastatingly handsome in a black checkered tuxedo, perfectly styled hair, and a clean-shaven face. Clearly he missed his calling as a hotshot actor and became a businessman instead. On top of that, this was also my first time spending an entire evening with him. Desperate for a way to get rid of this unwanted tension, I break the silence.

"You don't seem like the dancing type, Mr. Goenka."

He looks at me for a beat before he says, "Anything for you, Jaan."

There it was again. That sentence. When he said it the first time, my stomach did a flip on its own accord. This time again, no matter how dryly he said it, my stomach did a whole somersault, that traitor.

"I think I liked Miss Pink Drink better," I muttered to myself but Kartik's tiny smirk told me he heard me.

"You don't have to do this," I whispered.

Kartik looked at me, confusion wrinkling his brows.

"This dancing. All of this. You don't have to pretend. My brother isn't coming," I explained.

My brother got held up at an emergency meeting and wouldn't be attending the gala, much to my dismay. The only reason I had attended with Kartik was to show my brother our relationship. Now that he wasn't coming, we didn't have to pretend. As much as I knew how hard-working my brother is, I hated him just a tiny bit at this moment for leaving me alone with Kartik.

With my brother's no-show, the Achari's condescending taunts, and Kartik's confusing actions, I was a bottle of rage waiting to blow up.

"You can go dance with Indira-sorry Indy." I roll my eyes at the ridiculous nickname.

"Careful Miss Singhania, or I just might think you were actually...jealous." Kartik's deep voice cascades into my ears.

I scoff. "The last thing I would do is be jealous over you. Actually, you two would make the perfect couple. Lucifer and his girlfriend: the King and Queen of evil."

The sentence barely made it out of my mouth before a sharp gasp escaped past my lips as Kartik abruptly pulled me closer. My hands landed on his chest and I grabbed the lapels on his coat to balance myself. His eyes darkened as his hands held my waist firmly.

"Don't test my patience." He enunciated each word in a low voice.

With a newfound rush of confidence, my hands fisted his lapels, pulling him an inch closer.

"Forgive me for thinking you were a gentleman who would defend me when those vultures were degrading my work. Forgive me for thinking you actually had a heart. Clearly, I was delusional." I gritted through clenched teeth.

Kartik's eyes softened for a fraction of a second before his cold mask reappeared. "Clearly."

Breathe, Naira, breathe.

Kartik was just a man. An infuriating, cold-hearted, evil man. But he was still just a man. I couldn't let him anger me.

My hand brushed against a hard L-shaped object in Kartik's breast pocket. Before I had a chance to figure out what it was, Kartik shifted, removing my hand from his chest.

"Don't forget what this is Miss Singhania. It's all fake. Why should I defend you?"

Kartik's words chilled the heated blood running through my veins in an instant.

"Plus Miss Singhania, I thought you were an independent woman. I didn't know you needed a man to defend your honor. Especially not one who couldn't care less if your reputation was on the line or not. Looks like you're not as strong as I thought you were." The nonchalant in his voice numbed any exasperation in me, turning all my emotions into one: anger.

My eyes locked onto his.

"Go. To. Hell."

His pupils dilated the tiniest bit at my words as his eyes danced with danger. We stayed frozen in the bubble of silent rage, crackling tension, and heated anger. To outsiders, we looked like a couple in love, dancing in each other's embrace. But in reality, I was ready to stab this man with my heel.

Before I could be jailed for murder, I stepped out of his grasp and walked as far away as I could from Kartik Goenka.

Without breaking my stride, I grabbed two glasses of champagne off a tray held by a waiter and downed them both in two goes. I felt eyes on me, but I didn't care. I kept walking as I noticed a faint, red EXIT sign above a door. I pushed open the door and walked out into a chilly, dark street. I rubbed my arms and walked away from the venue. Away from the Acharis, away from Kartik, away from the mess I had gotten myself into. At least, this day couldn't get any worse.

"Don't scream."

I stilled when I felt the cold metal edge of a knife against my throat and a deep, raspy voice against my ear.

You've got to be kidding me.