Page 104 of Fixation

“What the fuck is going on here?” Vedant sounded worried. “Why are they both in town? It doesn’t make sense.”

“I know. I’m worried.”

“Hey, I won’t let anything happen to you. I will protect you and keep you safe.”

“And who will protectyouand keepyousafe?”

“I like that you’re worried about me, beautiful.”

Reina clucked her tongue. “Vedant, be serious. The two women who worked alongside me in caring for you are both herein Dubai at the same fucking time and they both want to meet me. It seems very suspicious.”

“I agree,” Vedant said. “Please don’t reply to either of them, and switch off your phone for tonight. I’ll come fetch you first thing tomorrow morning. Come home with me; we need to discuss this with my brothers. Something is afoot.”

Fear spread through her. Something was definitely going on. But what?

“Reina, did you hear me?” Vedant asked. “I’m going to hang up now. I’ll be at your place at eight in the morning to fetch you. Don’t turn your phone on. I don’t want you to be tempted to react or reply to any of their messages when I’m not with you. Okay? I don’t want anything to upset you now so late in the night.”

“Okay.”

“Try and sleep, Reina. Tomorrow, we will figure this out. And remember, I love you.”

“I lo…” She shut her eyes, still afraid to tell him the words she knew he wanted to hear.

“Hey,” he said. “I know, okay… you don’t need to say it. I know.”

“Good night,” she whispered.

“Good night.” He disconnected the line and she switched off her phone as agreed.

She lay back down, pulling the quilt over her. Her mind wandered in a hundred different directions. God, why couldn’t life be easy? Just when things were finally working out between Vedant and her, this new bomb had fallen on their heads. She only prayed that whatever it was, it didn’t hurt any of them.

She shut her eyes, but it took her a long time to finally fall asleep.

37

“Oh my God, you Oshnovs really do like big houses,” Reina exclaimed as Vedant drove her through the gates of his house, the next morning. The sprawling home, she noted, sat on the shore of the Arabian Sea and had three wings jutting out of the main structure. Just like he’d promised, Vedant had come to get her at eight sharp and had driven her here in that very same black Ferrari she’d seen in his picture in the magazine. Being mighty careful, he’d even had an SUV follow him, carrying his bodyguards. Finally, she was beginning to understand the measures the brothers were taking to ensure everyone was safe.

“We do like big homes. Alexander spoilt us,” Vedant replied. “The left wing is mine, the middle one is Mihir’s, and the right wing is Armaan’s. This way we stay together and have our own privacy as well.”

“That’s awesome.”

She scanned her surroundings, noting the armed guards stationed everywhere.

Vedant stopped the car under the porch. She didn’t even have time to glance around the tastefully done interiors before shewas ushered to the study, where Mihir, Armaan, and Navya were waiting for them.

Navya drew her in a quick hug. “Are you okay?”

“So far, yes,” Reina said. “But I’m overwhelmed and scared. It cannot be random that both these women are here at the same time and they’re both wanting to meet me.”

She hadn’t been able to sleep peacefully the whole night. So many questions had cropped up, but she had answers to none.

Navya sat her down on a sofa and offered her a cup of coffee.

“Did you get any more messages?” Mihir asked.

“I switched off my phone last night.”

“That’s good,” Armaan said. “Are you okay to turn it on now?”

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