Page 50 of Shattered

“I’ll also conduct a background check on all her classmates and let you know if I find anything,” Officer Viraj adds, rising to his feet, and I follow suit.

“I’ll walk you to the door,” I tell him, gesturing towards the door while Kavya gives him a polite smile.

“Thank you, Officer, for all the effort you’re putting into this case,”she says softly.

“Absolutely, Kavya,” he nods at her with a reassuring smile before we make our way out of the front door and walk towards his jeep. There, he pauses and then turns back to me.

Before he can say anything, I speak up. “Officer, I am concerned about Kavya’s safety. Even though I have a bodyguard following her, I still feel uneasy.”

He leans forward, his expression serious yet thoughtful. “Mr. Kundra, I understand your concerns. Given the circumstances, I believe we should consider implementing surveillance measures to monitor any suspicious activities. Whoever this person is, he won’t stay quiet, and he may try to contact and scare Kavya again.”

I give a firm nod. “My team has already taken care of that. Kavya is under close watch, and is being monitored by the cameras we have installed outside her house.”

“That’s a smart move, Mr. Kundra,”Officer Viraj agrees with a nod.

“I still worry about her safety; it feels like it’s not enough,” I state, rubbing the tension in my neck.

“Rest assured, Mr. Kundra,” Officer Viraj gives a confident smile, patting my shoulder. “Kavya is in capable hands. We’ll catch the culprit; nothing will go wrong,” he affirms before climbing into his jeep.

I stand there for a few minutes, watching Officer Viraj’s jeep drive away, feeling the tension coursing through me as I wrestle with the weight of keeping Kavya safe and secure. Eventually, I turn around and make my way back inside to be with my woman.

Stepping into the living room, I stop in my tracks when I spot Kavya fast asleep on the couch. Her small frame is curled up against the cushions, and she looks so small and vulnerable. Not wanting to wake her, I quietly make my way to her andkneel beside her, watching her in silence. My stomach twists in knots as I study her closely. She looks so exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes.

Kissing her forehead, I gather her into my arms and rise to my feet. She instinctively wraps her arms around me, causing my heart to beat rapidly in my chest. With a gulp, I carry her to my room and carefully place her on my bed.As I tuck the blanket around her, she stirs and lets out a soft sigh, burying herself deeper into the pillow.

Taking a deep breath, I stand back and admire her, feeling my heart flutter in my chest. Seeing her here in my space feels incredibly comforting. It’s something I can definitely get used to,something I crave and long for.In fact, I want more of this, more of her—in my house, where she belongs.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to steady the rising fear. The mere thought of anything happening to Kavyais terrifying. I can’t bear the idea of her being in danger.I have to protect her, no matter what it takes. Her happiness and safety are everything to me, and I’ll stop at nothing to keep her out of harm’s way.

Chapter 25

Kavya

Disoriented. That’s what I feel as my eyes flutter open to the soft light filtering through the room. The unfamiliar surroundings make my heart skip a beat, and panic begins to set in, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts. Suddenly feeling numb and unable to move an inch, I close my eyes as the memories of last night come rushing back—meeting Suman, and then ending up at Reyansh’s house to meet Officer Viraj.

I sit up abruptly, clutching the blanket to my chest as my eyes roam around the luxurious room. I take in the opulent furnishings, soft lighting, plush carpets, and tasteful decor. The white walls are adorned withbeautifulartwork and framed photos of Reyansh and his family.But it’s not the lavish surroundings that make my heart race and my breath hitch—it’s the realisation that I’m in Reyansh’s bedroom.

But how the hell did I end up here?The last thing I remember, I was on the couch, waiting for him to come back after seeing Officer Viraj off.Damn it—I’ve been so exhausted and distracted lately that I can’t even remember how I got here.As I mentally scold myself for being so careless,I suddenly jolt upright as a thought hits me. Oh shit. Sunita Aunty.How couldI forget? She’s probably at home, worried sick, wondering where I am.

Just as I’m about to throw the blanket off and get out of bed, the door swings open.I freeze mid-motion, my heart doing flip flop as Reyansh walks in.I swallow hard as his eyes land on mine, and a tender smile plays on his lips, instantly waking up all the butterflies in my stomach.And just to make things worse for my poor, palpitating heart, he looks unbelievably handsome, dressed casually in sweatpants and a t-shirt—so at ease, yet so ridiculously attractive.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he greets mewith that sexy voice of hisas he comes to stand beside the bed.

I grip the blanket between my fingers, pulling it up to my chest. “How... how did I get here?” I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

He plops on the bed next to me, a smile playing on his lips. “You were tired and fell asleep on the couch, and I didn’t have the heart to wake you up. So I carried you here,” he whispers, brushing a strand of hair from my face and making me break out in goosebumps.

“Oh, thanks,” I murmur, avoiding eye contact with him.I glance around the room. “I need to get going—Auntymust be worried about me.”

“Don’t worry,” he says calmly. “I called Auntyand told her you’re here with me.”My head snaps toward him,my mind scrambling for words, not knowing what to say. Then, he adds, “I’ll drop you home soon, but before that, we need to talk.”

A wave of anxiety hits me, my mind racing with thoughts of what he might want to discuss. God, what must he think of me? What kind of a woman I am—crashing at his house, in his bed? Before he can utter a word, I hastily blurt out, “Reyansh, I’m sorry if I made things awkward last night. I didn’t mean to fallasleep on your couch. Everything just happened so fast—” I say softly, my cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

“Kavya, relax,” he interrupts softly, cupping my face and holding my gaze, sensing my unease. “Having you in my space, in my bed, seeing you sleep peacefully, admiring you... I can’t even describe how right it feels. Even though I wish the circumstances were different, I wouldn’t change a thing about having you here. It’s the purest sense of peace I’ve ever felt.”

I bite my lips nervously. “It’s still not right for me to be here. This isn’t how people will perceive it. What if... what if they think...?”

Reyansh’s gaze softens as he leans closer. “Nothing happened between us, Kavya. It was completely innocent, and even if it did, it’s nobody’s business but ours. All that truly matters to me is you. I need you to understand that you’re safe with me, no matter what.”

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