Veins of Vengeance (18+)

CHAPTER 13: FRACTURED LOYALTIES

Nisha's POV

My fingers tightened around the cold steel of the gun at my side as I watched Aarav and Rhea disappear into the shadows. Every drop of rain that splattered against my skin was a reminder of what I had just witnessed—a kiss that felt like a betrayal, not just to me but to everything we stood for.

Aarav was mine. He had always been mine, even if he didn't realize it yet.

But Rhea... she was ruining everything. I could see it in the way he looked at her, the way his body moved instinctively closer to hers as if drawn by some unseen force. My rage bubbled under the surface, threatening to explode, but I held it together.

I had to be smart about this.

I had to bide my time.

Destroying Rhea wouldn't just be about eliminating competition. It would be about protecting Aarav from his own weakness. He couldn't see that she was leading him down a dangerous path—one where he would lose control, lose focus. And that would be the end of him.

I wouldn't let that happen.

My mind raced with possibilities, ways to break them apart, to make Aarav see that Rhea was nothing more than a distraction. If I could just get her out of the way... permanently... Aarav would come back to his senses.

But first, I needed to figure out how.

And when.

As the rain continued to pour down, I made a decision. Rhea's days were numbered. I would find a way to expose her, to turn Aarav against her, and when the time came, I would be ready to take my place by his side. The place I had always belonged.

The storm raged on, but my mind was already calculating my next move.

Aarav's POV

We ran through the rain-soaked alleyways, our breaths coming in ragged gasps as we dodged in and out of shadow, trying to stay ahead of Zaid's men. The storm was relentless, soaking us to the bone, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except survival.

Rhea was right beside me, her movements fluid, graceful, even in the chaos. I could feel her presence like a force of nature, pulling me in, and I hated it. I hated how much I was drawn to her, how much I couldn't stop thinking about the way her lips had felt against mine.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

I couldn't afford to let my emotions get in the way, not now. Not ever. The world we lived in didn't allow for weaknesses, and falling for Rhea Kapoor—my enemy—was the biggest weakness of all.

But no matter how hard I tried to push the thought away, it kept creeping back. The feel of her body pressed against mine in the rain, the taste of her kiss—it was all too vivid, too real, and I was having trouble keeping my mind clear.

"We need to split up," I said, glancing at Rhea as we reached a fork in the narrow street. "Zaid's men won't be able to follow both of us."

She hesitated for a second, her eyes narrowing as if she was weighing whether or not to trust me. But then she nodded, her jaw set with determination.

"I'll take the north side," she said, her voice low but strong.

I watched her for a second longer than I should have, the rain falling between us like a barrier that I wanted to break. But I couldn't let myself think that way. Not now.

"Be careful," I muttered, before turning to head in the opposite direction.

As I sprinted through the narrow alleyways, the rain blurring my vision, my thoughts kept circling back to Rhea. I couldn't deny the attraction, the pull, but I had to bury it. I had to stay focused on the task at hand—surviving, fighting, staying one step ahead of our enemies.

But even as I tried to convince myself, the memory of her kiss lingered, haunting me like a shadow.

Nisha's POV

From my vantage point, hidden in the maze of containers stacked along the docks, I saw them part ways. Aarav sprinted off into the rain, his movements sharp and precise, but it was Rhea who caught my attention.

Alone now, she moved like she owned the storm, her head held high, her body tense and ready for whatever came next. It made me sick. She didn't deserve to stand beside Aarav. She didn't deserve the way he had kissed her, the way he looked at her like she was something more than a pawn in this deadly game.

But that kiss... it changed everything.

I couldn't watch anymore. I couldn't stand by while she wormed her way deeper into Aarav's life, into his heart. No, I had to act. And soon.

But not yet.

Patience. Timing was everything. And when I made my move, it would be perfect.

I slipped back into the shadows, watching her every step, waiting for the right moment. Rhea Kapoor had no idea who she was up against.

But she would. Soon.

Aarav's POV

I found myself back at my hideout, dripping wet and exhausted. The storm outside continued its assault on the city, but my mind was somewhere else—still with Rhea. Still back at the docks, still locked in that moment when we kissed.

I threw off my wet clothes and collapsed onto the worn couch, my thoughts tangled in the mess of emotions I was trying so hard to suppress. What the hell was happening to me? How had I allowed myself to get so involved, to let Rhea seep into my thoughts, my blood?

The door creaked open, and I immediately tensed, reaching for the gun I kept by my side, but it was only Rohan. He looked at me, his brow furrowing as he took in the sight of me, disheveled and soaking wet.

"You look like hell," he muttered, tossing me a dry towel.

I didn't respond, just scrubbed my face, trying to clear my head.

"What happened out there?" Rohan asked, his tone more serious now. "You and Rhea... Did something—"

"Don't," I cut him off, my voice sharper than I intended. "Don't go there, Rohan. It's nothing."

But even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. And Rohan, with his sharp eyes and years of loyalty, probably knew it too.

"Right," he said, but there was a weight in his voice that told me he wasn't buying it. "Just be careful, Aarav. Rhea's not like the others."

I glanced at him, frowning. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "It means that if you're not careful, she's going to get under your skin. And when she does, you won't be able to walk away."

I didn't answer. I couldn't. Because deep down, I knew he was right.

Rhea Kapoor was already under my skin.

Nisha's POV

Watching from afar had never been so painful, but as I slipped away from the docks and back into the night, my mind was clear. My path was set.

Rhea Kapoor would pay. I would make sure of it.

I knew her weakness now. Aarav. And I would use it against her.

Because no matter what, I would never let her have him.

Never.

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