Playing With Fire

Chapter 27 - Stay

She hated feeling weak. Especially in front of them. This whole night they'd chipped away at her, trying to make her life harder so she would fold to what they wanted her to do. She wouldn't take it anymore. Couldn't take it anymore. Kajol stood.

"Thanks for dinner. I think It's time we get going."

Shahru stood but stopped her from walking away. "Wait a minute, Angel." He turned
to Amir. "The only reason you're still able to stand right now is because we're in the home Kajol was raised in, and I won't disrespect her that way. Call her another name and I won't hold myself back. See me on the streets and cross to the other side. I won't ever put up with you disrespecting a woman—" He pulled her close. "—my woman, this way again."

This time he looked at her parents. "She won't be back until you can treat her with the respect she deserves."

"Are you saying you won't allow our daughter to come to her own home?" Her mother looked appalled.

"I'm saying exactly that. You don't deserve to call her your daughter, and now that I'm in the picture, I won't let her be treated as any less than she deserves." Shahru let go of her only to grab her hand. "Come on, Angel. Let's get the hell out of here."

Kajol followed behind Shahru as he hurried them to his truck. He opened the passenger door for her, helped her in and then jumped into the driver side. A second later, he peeled out of the driveway.

"Yeah, mature I know, but it felt damn good," he said to her as he sped away. "You wouldn't let me do it earlier, so I took advantage now."

She tried to laugh knowing that was what he intended, but she just couldn't make herself do it. Her parents had set her up. They'd harassed her the whole night. Stood by while the man who'd cheated on her called her stupid ... Heck, they'd agreed with him.
Why wasn't she ever good enough for them? Kajol fought to hold it together. After everything Shahru dealt with tonight, he shouldn't have to deal with her breakdown as well. He'd come to her rescue again. After all she'd put him through tonight, he'd been there for her, supported her, stood up for her, protected her. And she was starting to fall for him.

He cared in a way she'd never seen in another man—or in anyone, really. He didn't take anything for himself, but gave and gave. He didn't realize how much he gave. He didn't see the kind of man he was. But she did.

The whole drive back home he gave her the silence she needed. It seemed like only seconds later they were pushing open the door to her apartment. When Shahru had it closed behind him she turned to look at him. His features were tense, jaw tight, eyes serious, but as he looked at her, he softened. She doubted he even knew he did it. If so he would have turned and shut her out. She almost wished he had, because his obvious concern opened the floodgates she fought to keep closed.

Kajol buried her face in her hands and started to cry.

When Shahru pulled her into his arms she immediately melted against him. She shouldn't be depending on him like this. After everything he'd already done for her, he deserved to be able to walk out of her apartment and spend the rest of his night as far away from her and all her problems as he could get. Instead he got her crying all over the thick, firm muscles of his broad chest. And he let her. He held her tight as if they really were the lovers they pretended to be and let her cry out all the emotions she'd held bottled in all night. If she were honest, she'd admit right now her tears were for much more than tonight's pain, but for a life full of never being good enough. Of the cold way she'd been raised.

Finally, after minutes of standing in her living room in Shahru's arms, her tears eased before stopping completely. Part of her hated to wipe them dry, because she knew that meant leaving the warmth, the comfort of his embrace. "I'm so sorry you had to deal with all of this tonight, Shahru. It was stupid of me to subject you to what I did. I shouldn't have let them treat you the way I did." Besides the hurt from her family she also had her guilt for dragging Shahru along weighing her down as well.

He hooked his finger beneath her chin and tilted it up so she looked at him. The heat of his sinfully dark gaze made her blood boil, her whole body overheat.

"You didn't put me through anything tonight. I couldn't care less what your family says or thinks about me. You deserve better than the way they treat you, Angel. They're blind when it comes to you, do you know that?"

Her voice hitched when she tried to speak. "They're blind when it comes to what they think I want for my life, about what's best for me."

"They're blind about a whole hell of a lot more than that."

Her body tingled. Shahru's thumb made small circles on her cheek. With each gentle brush of his work-roughened finger, the tingles in her body multiplied, shooting throughout her body. "Shahru."

"I should go." She moved closer, molding her body against his, hoping he would stay. "Jesus, I should go, Angel."

"Please don't, Shahru. I want you to stay."