If You Could Stay

20. Naira

As much fun showcasing the jewelry on Naira was, you know what was even more fun? Taking it off her.

His words shouldn't make my skin tingle. It shouldn't make unfamiliar warmth pool low in my stomach. I must be in an alternate reality. Indira is visibly fuming,  her eyes glaring daggers at Kartik. But Kartik doesn't cower. Instead, his voice becomes even more menacing.

"I will say this only once, Indira. If you ever try to sabotage me or my fiancee again, by the time I'm done with you, no one will care if your name is Indy, Mindy, or Cindy. You will be a nobody."

A shiver runs down my spine. Kartik stands straight and adjusts his cufflinks, not giving Indira any more of his attention. "Now get out of my office."

Indira huffs before storming out of the room. So this is why Kartik wanted me to meet him at his office. He...stood up for me. Yes, he stood up for himself mostly, but he could have done this without me present. He wanted me to be a part of it.

My gaze goes back to the pink drink sitting on the desk. A man, who doesn't have two minutes to spare, went out of his way to get me my drink. It was clearly an apology for his behavior. A simple 'I'm sorry" would have been sufficient, but I doubt the great Kartik Goenka has those words in his vocabulary.

I don't understand him. This hot-and-cold behavior of his is making me lightheaded. I need to get out of here. Without looking back at Kartik, I grab my purse and the drink and head to the door.

"Miss Singhania?"

I pause with my hand on the door handle but don't turn around.

"I'm sorry."

I'm momentarily frozen by the vulnerability in his voice. It's a tone I haven't heard from him before. But nonetheless, the little flutters start up like an engine in my chest.

~~~~~

"He said what?!"

I had barely made it through my apartment door before I started word-vomiting to Mayuri. I had to tell someone the day's events, or I would have combusted. Now she's laughing so hard I'm afraid she might go into respiratory distress or something.

I give her a deadpan look until she composes herself into a somewhat sane state.

"As much as I dislike the guy, you've got to admit Naira, that comeback was hot as fuck. I'm sure you wouldn't mind his large, manly hands taking things off your body." She gives me a suggestive look, and I groan. But that doesn't stop the drumming of my heart or the matching pulse in another certain part of my body that I'd rather not think about right now.

"I don't know Naira, I think he might have a crush on you."

I scoff but Mayuri urges on.

"I'm serious. We've done extensive research on him, and he's not the type to go out of his way to appease his business partners. He's also known to be ruthless and unapologetic. Yet, he apologized to you. He got you a pink drink, Naira."

I look at the half-empty drink in my hands, the one I've been silently sipping at. Mayuri grimaces.

"I don't know how you're even drinking that."

I shrug. "It grew on me."

The ping of a text interrupts our conversation. I pick up my phone and hate how my stomach swoops seeing the incoming text.

Lucifer: I need you to come to my apartment tomorrow morning.

Me: No thanks.

Lucifer: My grandmother wants to meet you. And she won't take no for an answer.

Me: I guess you'll have to convince her then.