Page 46 of Addiction

I want more.

This wasn’t what she had expected when she’d come here. But now that he’d said the words, a new kind of excitement was filling her. She had to admit that she found him funny and naughty and oh-so entertaining. Bantering with him made her feel alive. Amidst all the heightened emotions around him, this feeling of being alive, of standing on a precipice and perhaps freefalling with him, was right on top. But then, agreeing to him also meant that she’d have to keep him a secret from her family for a far longer time than she’d intended. But what the hell, she might as well take the plunge and see where she landed. Maybe, she’d enjoy the fall for as long as it lasted.

“Alright,” she accepted. “But I will not fall for you.”

He laughed. “Are you convincing yourself or me?”

She rolled her eyes. She stared at him for a long second and then jutted her chin out. “One more thing. Given your reputation of being a Casanova, I want us to be exclusive for however long we are together. If I see another woman near you, I will hurt her. Bad.”

He fanned himself. “That was so damn hot. I like my woman to be possessive.”

“I’m not your woman.”

He tugged her to him, wrapping his hands around her waist. “Baby, you became mine that first night we met four years ago. It’s just taken us a while to get here.”

God, this man was so intense. It scared the hell out of her. All of a sudden, she began to question her decision to be with him. God, what if this whole thing was a mistake?

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Before she could think to breathe, he said, “Baby, if we are doing this, then you should also know that I don’t share either. If I see another man even close to you, I will hurt him. Bad.”

Her eyes widened. God, that look on his face was deadly. She knew he meant what he’d said. He blinked, and his face was back to being calm and composed. He caressed her cheek, making her tremble.

She allowed herself to feel all the emotions she felt when she was once again close to him right now. She allowed her growing lust to remind her how hot the physical chemistry between them was. This was the reason she was agreeing to be with him. Exhaling, she put her arms around him.

Armaan kissed her cheek. “One more thing. For this to work, I need complete honesty between us. Which means you communicate openly, always.”

She nodded.

Another thought struck her. She voiced it out loud. “Okay then, if you’re adding conditions to this between us, then I have one of my own.”

“Sure, let’s hear it.”

“I want you to try and convince Mihir to talk to Ananya at some point. They have something unresolved between them, and it’s hurting her. She may deny it, but I believe she needs closure. Only then can she move on.”

Armaan rubbed his jaw. “That may be harder than you think. Mihir is touchy about her and doesn’t even like a mention of her. He’d never agree to meet her.”

“I want you to try nonetheless.”

He smiled. “Alright. I’ll try. No promises, however.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Ananya needed to live again and if this gave her sister the push that she needed to restart her life, then Navya wanted this for her. Perhaps, once this was done, Navya could also stop feeling guilty over the instances that happened four years ago. Maybe something good could come out of her being with Armaan after all.

“Well then, now that we are settled on everything, shoes off, gloves on,” Armaan instructed, releasing her.

“Why are you so hellbent on teaching me to fight better?” she grumbled as she unlaced her sneakers.

“Because you need to better your technique and because you need to get some of that resentment off your system.” He grabbed a fresh tee shirt from the side table and donned it. “Also, because all women need to learn how to defend themselves. But the women in my world need to be even better prepared.”

“Why? Do you have enemies? Am I going to be in danger?” she frowned. “Are you really in the mafia, like people say?”

He chuckled. “Not everything you read about us is true, and this is one thing I can safely accept—my brothers and I donotbelong to the mafia. Which doesn’t mean we don’t have contacts inside it.”

As her eyes widened, he continued, “You’re safe, baby. I’d never risk your life, ever. Besides, once I’m done training you, you will be a danger to anyone who dares to hurt you.”

She donned her gloves and followed him on the mat where Armaan waited, ready with a pair of training pads on his hands.

“Shoulders back, stand taller,” he commanded. “Now hit me, right hand to right pad, left to left. Got it?”

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