Page 84 of Addiction

Understanding dawned. Which meant that Armaan didn’t remember her confession. It also meant that he continued tobelieve her thoughtless comments that she’d mistakenly told Ananya as the truth. Oh God. She had to explain everything to him right now.

Seeing Mihir standing at the door blocking her way to the man she loved made her blood boil.

“Move,” she ordered.

“Unfortunately, I can’t do that,” Mihir said. “At this point it is safer for both of you to stay away from one another.”

“I don’t care what you think. I need to talk to Armaan and clear the air. Move the fuck out of my way.”

“Navya, if you don’t leave, then I will have to call my security, and they will remove you physically, if it comes to that.”

“Threaten her again, and it will get ugly,” Rajiv’s calm voice echoed from behind her.

She looked sideways. Rajiv was approaching her, his entire focus on Mihir.

Mihir, as usual, looked unfazed. “We meet again, Rajiv Mehra. And, as usual, in not-so-nice circumstances, thanks to one of your sisters, again.”

Navya stiffened.

Rajiv gave Mihir a hard look. “Move out of her way.”

Mihir arched a brow. “Or else?”

“Else, you won’t like the consequences,” Rajiv replied.

Mihir straightened. “I have two brothers who’ve been attacked on the same fucking night, one of whom is still not out of danger. I’ve spent three nights with little to no sleep. I have spent almost fourteen hours on a fucking plane traveling back and forth between my brothers. My patience is thus, at an all-time low. You don’t want to mess with me at this point, and least of all, threaten me. So, I will say this nicely again. Armaan doesn’t want to see her. I will, however, pass on the message to him that Navya needs to tell him something important. If he agrees to see her, then he will call her himself. Also, for the sakeof the safety of your entire family, it is best that your sister stays away from my brother for a while. Our lives are in danger; hence, anyone associated with us could also be in danger. They already tried to harm Navya once. Do you want them to target anyone else from your family to get to her and thus Armaan? Are you ready to put your kids or your wife in danger?”

Navya could see the wheels turn in her brother’s brain, and she saw the exact moment her brother decided to concur with Mihir. Fear turned the blood in her veins to ice.

“No, Rajiv, no,” Navya pleaded. “I have to see him. Don’t separate me from him. I won’t stand for it. Don’t do this to me, please.”

Rajiv clasped her cheek. “He is right, little one. If Armaan doesn’t want you in his life, then I think you both ought to take a break from one another. It will be safer for you that way, and for everyone I love. Do that for me, at least, until they get to the bottom of things. The hospital was safe because it was secured by their men and mine. But once you’re back out in the world… God, I hadn’t thought that far. So, no, I won’t compromise your safety or anyone else’s.”

“How dare you say that to me?” she cried. “Would you have taken a break from Sheena, ever?”

Rajiv’s jaw tightened. “I’d do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant keeping her away from me.”

“No, you wouldn’t be able to last a second without her, and you know that.” Something else struck her. She whirled to Mihir. “Is that what is going on here? Is Armaan pushing me away because he wants to keep me safe?”

Mihir muttered a few words in Russian before saying, “Yes, and the fact that he doesn’t remember a lot of the events of that night. He believes you don’t love him.”

“And he still wants to keep me safe?” Her eyes pooled with tears. God, what a fool she’d been to take his affection forgranted. “Allow me to clarify it with him. Let me meet him once, please.”

Mihir shared a look with Rajiv over her head.

“No.” She spun to her brother. “You don’t get to take his side over mine. You don’t get to choose for me.”

“Navya…” Rajiv’s voice gentled. “If Armaan’s just woken up, then you need to give him some time. Perhaps, he will remember everything soon. You need to allow him to recover without stressing him out. For my sake, just let’s go home now. You’ve been living in the hospital for three nights. Let’s go home. You need to rest and eat, and maybe Armaan will call you soon.” He looked at Mihir. “Can you please let him know that Navya wants to speak to him?”

Mihir nodded.

“No, Rajiv,” Navya yelled. “If you take me away, I won’t talk to you, ever.”

Rajiv grimaced. “I’m doing this for you.”

“But I don’t want you to.”

Rajiv took her arm and began pulling her to the exit. She was so mad at him. He should have sided with her. He ought to have insisted that Armaan see her. Instead, he was agreeing with Mihir. How dare he?

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