Page 174 of Twisted Sins

She shook her head. “I want to be with Rudra. I’ll be safe with him. If you don’t help me return, I will find my way back.”

Her brothers looked shocked and angry, and her parents looked worried.

“He kidnapped you and forcibly married you!” Rishab said angrily. “He belongs to a brutal, savage clan that leads a nomadic life, and you grew up in luxury in a protected environment. You hardly have anything in common.”

“Papa and Ma came from different backgrounds too,” she stated. “So do Shivay and Ishani, you and Gauri, and Nakul and Aadhya. Yet, all of you fell in love with each other.”

Rishab didn’t say anything against those facts.

“If he loved you, he wouldn’t have left you here,” said Nakul.

It hurt listening to those words.

“But I still want to be with him,” she whispered. “Please, help me.”

It was her mother who shockingly convinced her brothers and father.

“That’s not true,” Chitra Thakvar said. “Love does not always mean being together. Your father left me to protect us from danger. Rudra must have left for the same reason.”

Nandini knew her mother was right. Rudra wouldn’t have left her at her parents’ home without a strong reason.

“You should go back to your parents, Nandini,” he said.

His voice was soft and was more of a plea than his usual order.

She knew her demon husband wanted her and was possessive of her. She even felt his tenderness and the strong bond between them. And yet, he wanted to send her away.

She turned in his arms. “Tell me why,” she asked, looking into his eyes.

His grey eyes looked tormented. “Because it’s not safe for you to be here.”

She pressed her palm against his heartbeat.

“I’ll always be safe with you, Rudra.”

He watched her quietly for a long moment. “But I might not be alive to protect you,” he said softly.

Shocked, she sat up to look at him. “What does that mean?” she demanded.

He sat up, watching her steadily. “I’m going after Tantra,” he said. “Until he is dead or I am… I’m not going to stop.”

Listening to his words, her heart thudded. She knew her brothers and Rudra were trying to track Tantra.

“My brothers are laying a trap for him,” she said. “I feel we can hurry things. Since Tantra thinks I’m like my aunt, whom he’s obsessed with, we can lay a trap for him using me as bait—”

“No!” he commanded, cutting her off.

“But I can help—”

His grey eyes darkened. “Don’t even think of it!” he growled. “If you try to do anything foolish, I’m going to tie up your hands and legs and take you to London and order my family to put you in a twenty-four-by-seven security.”

She glared at his arrogant threat.

“Tell me you won’t do anything foolish,” he commanded.

She could sense that it was important for him.

“Fine,” she said. “I won’t do anything to lure Tantra.”