Page 4 of Twisted Sins

Rahul laughed, but he had an uncertain look. “I hope your family won’t mind that I’m coming with you uninvited,” he said.

She knew her mother wouldn’t mind as she liked him. Her commanding brothers merely tolerated sweet and friendly Rahul because she told them not to intimidate her friend. They grudgingly listened, even though her brothers’ presence did make Rahul quite nervous.

“Don’t worry, they won’t mind,” she said, squeezing Rahul’s hand in assurance.

Although he looked a bit uncertain and nervous, he smiled. Warmth filled her heart, looking at his sweet smile. Rahul was the best friend a girl could have.

“Maybe Ma will plan our marriage in Singoor like it was for my brothers. What do you think?” she asked.

“W-what?’ Rahul asked in shock.

Nandini giggled at Rahul’s stunned reaction to her teasing.

A lot of people thought Rahul was her boyfriend. Nandini didn’t correct them because that assumption helped Rahul and her in many ways. Other guys didn’t bother her much at the university, and Rahul was included in the popular circles because of her. She didn’t tell her mother the truth either because it stopped her mother from setting her up with an eligible boy to marry.

A bump in the road distracted her thoughts, and she looked in the front. Dust rose in the air, and she couldn’t see much of the two SUVs ahead except for the tail lights.

She turned and looked out of the window, only to gasp.

“Oh wow!” she said in wonder.

“We are entering the desert, Miss Thakvar,” the security head said.

The landscape had changed entirely. She could no longer see street lights with concrete buildings, palm trees, or wide roads with vehicles and tourists. All of it was replaced by stretches of sand that she could see in the soft moonlight.

A burning excitement rose through her.

The Singoor desert.

It was the land of her father’s ancestors.

She had met her father for the very first time on her twentieth birthday. It was the biggest shock to her as she thought her father had died in an accident before her birth.

But both her parents revealed the truth of deliberately staging an accident to keep their family safe.

She still didn’t know the details of the danger.

Over the last year, her father spent hours and days regaling her about how he met her mother and fell in love with her. He even spoke of the fond memories of his childhood spent in the Singoor desert with his older brother and sister, who had passed away in an accident a couple of decades ago. But he didn’t speak too much about the dangers that continued to persist. And neither did her mother or any of her brothers. They simply said it was dangerous and to be careful.

I will find out the truth soon.

She looked at the vast stretches of sand that looked intimidating yet hauntingly beautiful.

There were tall cactus plants at a distance and large sand dunes. A strange feeling filled her. It was a feeling of belongingness.

She could now understand what drew her brothers to the place. She already felt connected to the land.

I’m glad they decided not to stop me from coming here.

She continued to admire the stark beauty as they drove deeper into the desert. She could hear Rahul’s soft snoring as he took a nap. She knew she should be taking a nap too, as she would have a busy day due to the temple ceremony, but she couldn’t sleep. She was too excited and awestruck and didn’t want to miss anything.

Soon, the first few rays of sunlight streaked through the dark, lighting up the desert even more.

Just as she saw the outline of mountains at a far distance, there was a shout from the front seat, and the SUV suddenly veered off the narrow road and came to a stop. She was wearing a seatbelt, so she jerked hard to the side before being yanked back.

“Are you all right?” she asked Rahul.

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. What happened?”

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