Page 191 of Diamond Kisses

Oh no.

Henri shot me a look. “Ily…are you okay?”

Licking my lips, I struggled to speak.

Peter raised his eyebrows. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Um….” Plucking the blankets on Peter’s bed, I couldn’t hold his stare. “I might have…oh God.”

“What?” Peter sat up straight. “You’re scaring me.” His IV line travelled with his hand as he reached for me. “What is it? What the hell happened?”

Henri came to my side of the bed. He looped his arm around my shoulders. “Ily?”

I blurted, “I went to see your parents and told them what you did for me. I told them everything, Paavak. They wanted to know. They asked so many questions. I told them how you were the protector to all of us. How you gave hope to the hopeless and that you gave your life for me.”

No one moved.

“You…went to see my family?” Peter asked quietly.

I didn’t know if he was pissed or pleased.

“I thought you were dead.” I hung my head. “I looked up your family name. An old date came up for a memorial service they held for you. I wish I hadn’t done it. I’m so stupid. I thought I was giving them closure. Not knowing what happened was awful, Paavak. Not knowing if you were truly dead. Where you were buried. What became of you. I didn’t want your parents to have to keep living with that.”

“So you told them that I’ve been raped and beaten for the last five years?” he murmured, his face blank.

“No! No. I mean….not in so many words.”

“What words?”

I couldn’t get a read on him. Didn’t know how angry he was. “I merely told them that we’d been prisoners on an island. That we lived in a palatial castle. That we were made to play in certain games and that…we all looked out for each other. I…I didn’t go into specifics. They don’t know what they did to you. They just know how strong you were. How brave. They’re incredibly proud of you. Your mother showed me your baby album. It gave them peace to talk about you, but now… Godnow?” I burst into tears. “They’re going to probably have a heart attack when you walk through the door.”

A smile quirked his lips then a soft chuckle escaped. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“You’relaughingabout this?”

“No, I’m imagining being the prodigal son who finally returns home.” Grinning at Henri, he pressed a button on a remote resting on the sheets. “New plan. I’m not going to call them. I’m going to see them.”

“Wait, what?” Henri frowned. “But you just said the doctors have a strict plan for your rehab.”

“Meh, I’m not gonna die just because I can’t use my arm. I’ll deal with that later. For now…I want to come back from the dead for my parents.”

“How about you wait a few days and—”

A nurse appeared. “You called, Mr Chauhan?”

“Yeah, I need to leave.”

“Leave?”

Grabbing me in a fierce hug as the nurse looked at him as if he was crazy, he whispered into my ear. “You told us we’d make it out,jaanu. I had my moments of doubt but…you did it.”

“Wedid it.”

“Thank you for making me hope.” He kissed my cheek. “I love you. I’ll come find you when I’m a bit stronger, and we’ll catch up properly, okay?”

Letting me go, he passed me back to Henri and held out his hand. “Master H.”

Henri’s face went black as he accepted the handshake. “Don’t even joke—”

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