Page 7 of One Hellish Desire

They laugh again, and I'm at a loss for how to react. Maahi serves them tea, but I sense mischief brewing in her mind.

“Pushpa aunty, won't you bless him in your usual style?” she suggests.

I don't know why she wants that woman to bless me, but I'm sure it's meant to irk me.

“No, thanks,” I step back. “I don't need anyone's blessings.”

“Vikram,” Daadi frowns. “Never refuse blessings.”

“Absolutely,” Maahi agrees.

If this blessing nonsense annoys me, I swear I'll make Maahi pay for putting me in this situation. Maahi pushes me to sit next to Daadi as her three friends rise to bless me. One is so old she can barely walk on her own but Maahi helps her reach me.

“I'm your Nandita Daadi,” she introduces herself in a stammering voice. I offer a weak smile. “When you were born, I was the first to see you...” She pauses to blush. “Without any clothes.”

I cough, taken aback. What the hell? Maahi laughs heartily with the elderly women while Daadi tries to control her laughter for me. I'm seriously pissed off. Despite my glares Maahi is too busy laughing. After Nandita Daadi, it's Pushpa aunty's turn. She pinches my cheeks. Hard!

“He's so soft. What lotion do you apply on your skin? Next time you visit, bring me that imported lotion, please.”

Next time? Damn it! There won't be a next time if this is what happens when I come back. Maahi laughs again, and I'm insanely annoyed just looking at her.

“Enough, all of you. My grandson is being patient, but stop teasing him,” Daadi comes to my rescue.

I stand up from the couch. “I need coffee.”

I know exactly who Daadi will assign this task to.

“Maahi, please get him a cup of coffee,” Daadi requests.

“Jee (okay),” she eyes me, suppressing her laughter as she hurries to the kitchen.

With Daadi and the others engrossed in conversation, I seize the opportunity to follow Maahi to the kitchen. She has to pay for this. She's brewing coffee when I enter the room.

“You tell me to stay clear of you, but shouldn't the same apply to you?” I snap.

She spins around, startled by my sudden intrusion. “Did I say a word to you? I was talking to Daadi's friends. It's not my fault if they were enjoying teasing you a bit.”

She's enjoying this—my displeasure, my discomfort around Daadi's friends. I take a predatory stride toward her and pin her against the kitchen marble counter before she can react. We're so close I can smell her fruity perfume. It's alluring.

“You want to know what your fault is?” My husky voice startles her. “You coaxed them to irritate me. That's your fault.”

“Back off, Vikram. You're invading my personal space,” she warns, but I don't care.

Her phone rings, and despite our proximity, she manages to grab it from the counter. She's ignoring me again, and I don't like it. I snatch the phone from her and throw it aside, not caring it breaks into two pieces. Maahi gasps, infuriated by my actions.

“When I'm talking to you, I need your focus on me, Maahi. Just me,” I threaten, but she doesn't seem to care.

She grabs the coffee mug from the side and spills the hot liquid on me. I feel it burn as it makes contact with my skin.

“Maahi,” an unknown male voice calls from the kitchen door, and any intrusion right now only worsens my anger.

“Get out,” I yell at the intruder without even looking at him.

Maahi's eyes widen in shock as she glances toward the door.

“Vikram?” Daadi's voice follows immediately. “What's going on here?”

Daadi's presence forces me to step back from Maahi, my shirt soaked with coffee stains and my chest burning. Maahi takes the opportunity to run away from me. That's when I notice the man standing at the kitchen door, staring at me with confusion.

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