Page 99 of Addiction

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Hand in hand, Armaan led her down to the patio the next morning for breakfast.

He pulled her close. “You’re finally back here. My home was empty without you.”

“I missed being here. We should restart our training sessions soon.” She stood on her toes and kissed his lips. Armaan caught her waist, clinging to her mouth.

A throat cleared behind them, breaking them apart.

She turned to see Mihir standing behind them, waiting by the pergola where Armaan and she usually had breakfast together. Seeing Armaan’s hand on her waist, his face softened for the tiniest fraction before his usual grumpy expression was back.

“Aren’t you going to thank me, brother?” Mihir asked, taking a seat at the table.

Armaan held a chair out for her before sitting himself.

“Am I supposed to thank you for trying to poison me?” Armaan groused.

“Now you’re being dramatic. I knew exactly what I was doing,” Mihir said. “I’d never hurt you.”

Armaan’s face gleamed. Linking her hand with his, he said, “Thank you. I was being difficult, and you pushed me in the right direction. I’m finally where I am meant to be.”

Mihir tipped his head to Navya. “Well, you have her to thank also.”

“Oh, I thanked her already,” Armaan intoned naughtily. “Several times.”

Navya felt her cheeks burn. Oh God.

Mihir looked heavenward. “I did not need to know that.”

“You brought it up,” Armaan replied.

“And you ought to know when to shut up.”

“Please, you like me just the way I am.”

“Not right now, I don’t,” Mihir responded.

Navya watched as they ribbed one another. This was the first time she was seeing the brothers interact like this. Underneath all their quips and jibes was so much love and affection.

A slew of their staff came forth, placing breakfast platters on the table. Dmitri, Armaan’s butler, watched the staff serve them. Those days when Armaan had been in the ICU, the older man had been in the waiting room alongside her. They hadn’t spoken much, but his presence was a source of comfort in those difficult days. He’d ensured that the Oshnovs’ security team was in place in the hospital in order to keep Armaan protected. Dmitri had left only when Mihir had showed up.

She gave him a happy wave, which he returned with a warm smile before he left with the staff.

“Oh my! You’ve actually managed to charm that cranky old bugger and,” Armaan paused to point at Mihir, “and also this crankier bugger.”

“Grow up, will you?” Mihir muttered.

Navya chuckled. “Oh, come on, Mihir. I know you like me. You can admit to it, you know.”

Mihir bit into his toast, refusing to answer.

She laughed. Armaan’s elder brother was a grump, but he had helped her. After she’d convinced him that she truly loved Armaan, he’d tried for a long time to get Armaan to talk to her. When she’d come up with her plan to kidnap Armaan to make him listen to her, she thought Mihir would never agree to something so wild. In fact, she’d asked Rajiv to convince him to help her. To her surprise, Mihir had agreed immediately, and had even told her that she could have come to him herself. She was, indeed, so grateful to him for helping her.

A light breeze blew through her hair. Navya looked around. She loved eating breakfast here amidst the sun, the sea, the wind—it was all perfect. In the distance, she noted a couple of bodyguards walking the perimeter of the property. A ray of sunlight fell over them. Navya dropped her fork on her plate.

“Shit, I just remembered something from the night of the attack,” she said.

“Wait,” Mihir said. “Not here. Let’s go take a walk on the beach.”

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