Page 39 of Shattered

I glance down at the glass in his hand, then back up at him, hesitating.

“Come on, Kavya, it’s just a drink. Have it and prove to me that you’re telling the truth,” he urges.

With shaky hands, I take the glass from his outstretched hand. The weight of the glass feels heavy in my hand. I bring the glass closer to my lips, feeling my resolve falter. I can’t. I can’t do this. Reyansh’s eyes narrow, and before I can react, he snatches the glass from my hand and hurls it against the wall. The sound of shattering glass fills the room, and I flinch, startled by his sudden outburst.

“You think this is a game?” he hisses. “You can’t fool me, Kavya. I can see right through your lies.”

I shrink back against the wall. “Reyansh, when I said ‘fun,’ I didn’t mean with the drink,” I reply, trying to explain myself with another lie. “What I meant was that I just wanted to experience… being with a man, you know? I’ve never really done any of those things before, and I wanted to know what it’s like to be with a guy,” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

Reyansh’s face darkens with anger and jealousy, but in a flash, his expression shifts and a mischievous glint enters his eyes. I gulp nervously at the sudden change in his mood.Without another word, he begins to unbutton his shirt, one button at a time.

“W-what are you doing?” I stammer, my nerves spiking.

“You said you wanted to know what it’s like to be with a man. Why don’t you have fun with me then? I can teach you a thing or two,” he counters, undoing another button.

As Reyansh continues to slowly unbutton his shirt, a wave of unease washes over me, causing my heart to race and my breaths to become shallow, and I take a hard gulp. My eyes dart to the side, looking for an escape, but before I can make a move, he places both his hands on either side of my face, trapping me between the wall and his body.My gaze drops down to take in his open shirt, exposing his broad manly chest, lightly sprinkled with hair. Biting my lip, I lift my eyes to meet his. Holding my gaze, he presses me against the wall, and I feel his erection against my stomach as he leans in, bringing his lips closer to mine. But just before they can touch, I turn my head away.

“Reyansh, please don’t,” I plead,trying to push him back, but he ignores my plea, lowering his mouth to my earlobe and gently nipping it. His hands slide to my waist, slipping under my top and touching my bare stomach. The heat of his touch sears my skin, making my heart race as electric current shoots through my body.

“Do you want to try again and tell me the truth?” His fingers continue to lightly caress my skin, tracing patterns over my stomach, and I squeeze my eyes shut even tighter.

“I... I... can’t,” I stammer, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe,every word coming out in a shaky gasp.

“Look at me, sweetheart.” His voice softens, and his hand gently moves to cradle my jaw, coaxing my eyes to open and meet his. “Talk to me.”

Overwhelmed by emotions too heavy to bear, I succumb and drop my head onto his chest and let out a sob as I lose the fight against the intensity.

“I am sorry,” I choke out between sobs. “I lied because I was scared to tell you the truth.”

Reyansh wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. “Shhh… it’s okay,” he murmurs, his hand softly running through my hair. “But please, just be honest with me. No more hiding. Tell me what is bothering you.”

I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a second to gather the courageto confide in him.My voice wavers, but I tell him everything—the truth about Officer Viraj, my parents’ accident, and the threats from the unknown number.After a long, quiet moment, I lift my head from his chest and meet his gaze. I see a whirlwind of emotions playing in them—from rage and protectiveness to concern and empathy.

He rests his foreheadagainstmine, whispering, “God, you’ve been going through all of this alone, and you didn’t even tell me.”

“I couldn’t,” I reply. “He warned me, threatening my sister’s life.”

“Sweetheart, you need to promise me that you won’t keep any more secrets from me, and that you won’t risk your life like this again,” he insists.

“I… I…” my voice cracks as I nervously lick my lips. I don’t want to keep secrets from him, but I am apprehensive about making a promise to choose my life over my sister’s. Truth be told, if given a choice, I wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice my life for her.

He lifts his head and gently cups my face in his large palms, his gaze locking onto mine. “You need to understand, Kavya, how important you are to me. If something happened to you, Iwouldn’t just struggle; I’d be shattered beyond repair,” he says in a deep, husky voice.

I nod, my voice catching in my throat, rendering me speechless.

“Also, get this clearly in your head. When I say I’ll protect you and keep you safe, it’s not just an empty promise. It’s a vow, a commitment that I take very seriously. I’ll go to any lengths to ensure no one dares to take you away from me.”

I shake my head. “I am not scared for myself, but for my sister. I can’t lose her, Reyansh.And I am terrified of what might happen ifwhoever it isfind out I told you,” I admit, my voice tinged with worry.

“You listen to me, sweetheart.I won’t let anything touch you or your sister.I will move heaven and earth tokeep you both safe.”

My heart palpitates, and my eyes meet his with a flutter when I see the promise in his gaze, sending a jolt through my core. How does he always do this? It’s as if nothing in the world could ever hurt me when I’m with him. Damn! The way he makes me feel is indescribable.

Chapter 20

Reyansh

Rage bubbles within me as I drive down the dark, quiet road to Kavya’s house, her words echoing in my mind. Just knowing she’s in danger makes my blood boil, and my grip tightens on the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. Someone murdered her family and now has the audacity to threaten her. No fucking chance in hell. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it means sacrificing my own life. Every instinct in me is screaming to keep her safe at all costs. I just can’t bear the thought of anything happening to her. If she gets hurt or, God forbid, worse, it would absolutely destroy me.

---