Healing The Void (The Roys, #2) ✔

Chapter 40 - Partners in Mistake

Around 1 a.m., Abhimanyu came home. He was wearing a different outfit than the one she remembered he was wearing that day. He had a briefcase in his hand which she didn't see before.

The huge anxiety which was eating her from inside, surfaced immediately when she laid her eyes on him. She sprang on her feet and walked towards him. But before she could reach him, Ritu hurriedly got up and ran towards him. "Dadabhai!... Didiya... what just..." Her panicked voice wavered and eyes welled up again. She hugged him and buried her face in his chest.

Abhimanyu's eyes strayed from her to Shreya and lingered for a moment before he shifted his gaze on Gyan. Gyan was still sitting on the couch with a shadow of unease on his face.

"Gyan, come to my room," Abhimanyu said as he pushed Ritu away gently and patted her head in an assuring way. He glanced at Shreya one more time before heading over to the left wing. After Abhimanyu left, Shreya and Ritu made an eye contact. Ritu wiped her tears off her face, and both of them had same reaction afterwards. Both glanced over to Gyan as he straightened, looked away and let out an audible sigh. "Five minutes."

Shreya blinked, confused at first then realization brought out a flush to her face. She blinked again and glanced at Ritu who motioned her head to the way Abhimanyu went with a knowing look. She could feel her heartbeat rising and heat spread up to her ears. She bit the inside of her cheek and turned to go after him.

She was hurt. And he was the reason. But she couldn't even blame him in the current situation.

When she entered the room, she saw him shrugging off his waistcoat. Their eyes met for a brief period before she broke the eye contact and went over to the bedside table where the bottle of water was kept. She poured water in a glass and turned back. He unbuttoned the first three buttons of his shirt, then did the same to the cuff-buttons. She raised the glass at him and he took it.

When she glanced up and caught him watching her unwaveringly, a cold shiver ran down her spine. His effect on her was still the same, just like the first time they made eye contact.

"Are you not going to ask me anything?" He asked. His voice still calm and monotonous.

She blinked and stalled while he drank the water. As he finished and eyed her again, she shook her head quietly without saying anything. But what she actually wanted to say was, every time she looked at him, she felt lonelier. What had she done to suffer like that?

And yet, she needed him.

A momentary pause later, he said, "I needed some space."

She nodded understandingly while her heart scattered into pieces.

He gave the glass back to her, but when she was about to turn around to put it back on its place, he caught one of her wrists and pulled her closer abruptly. She crashed on his chest and looked up on his face. Sometimes, his eyes could be so cruel. Like right now. They wanted to interrogate her and made her confess all the hurt she was hiding inside her. She wanted to take his glasses off so badly and kiss his eyes nonstop.

His mouth moved breaking her trance. "Are you worried?"

She nodded.

"This will be over soon." He whispered, then slowly closed the almost non-existence distance between them by capturing her pert lips with his own. Without warning, without permission. She closed her eyes and placed her free hand on his chest. He kissed her slowly and she responded eagerly. She felt dizzy before a hand of his wrapped around her waist keeping her from losing her balance. His mouth moved slightly towards the corner of her mouth as he placed a few kisses there, almost feathery touches, before coming back and focused on tasting her lips. As sudden as it started, it ended too soon. He retreated leaving her needy for more. She chased after him just to be stopped by his next words, "Stay home and look after others. I'll bring back Didiya by tomorrow morning."