Page 28 of Obsession

He chuckled. “What makes you think I can do something?”

“Because you look like a prince, big and strong.”

He threw his head back and laughed out loud. He bounced the little girl in his arms, still laughing. He glanced at his brothers; both of them had halted and were staring at him.

Nia pulled his cheeks again.

“Okay, here’s what we will do,” he told her. “If you promise to wear those arm floats your mom wants you to, then I will help you jump into the pool—not just once, but many times. We will need to ask your mom first. What do you say?”

She gave him a delighted smile and tumbled out of his arms, running to her mother. She lifted her arm floats and pointed at him. Sheena helped her put them on, then looked at him over Nia’s head and mouthed a thank you.

Both his brothers were standing in front of him now.

“Hey,” he greeted them.

Armaan gave him a wide grin. “I haven’t seen you laugh in way too long, brother. I like seeing you happy.”

“Kids always bring out the bright side of anyone.” Mihir looked at Vedant. He stood silently next to Armaan, not saying anything. But he was here, and that felt good.

“Hi, Vedant…” Mihir tilted his head toward his youngest brother. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”

Something tugged at his chest. Mihir looked to the side and found Anna standing at the entrance, watching him. His heart kicked inside his ribcage. Dressed in an oversized white shirt, sleeves folded, teamed with denim shorts, and a straw hat on her head, she looked… She looked pretty and very chic.

His butler, Dmitri, spoke a few words to her, and she made her way further inside. Both his brothers appeared in front of her. He hadn’t even noticed them leave his side. He studied the three of them. They looked to be… arguing. Mihir frowned.

In sheer Anna fashion, she gave them a haughty look each, lifted her nose in the air and glided past them, making her way straight to him.

A different kind of energy buzzed inside him. His stomach swooped. Memories of their previous encounter, how she had been pressed against him, flashed through him. And then, she was there, standing in front of him, looking fresh as a flower, her skin glowing and a bright smile on her lips.

She rose on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek. His throat dried.

“Hello,husband,” she whispered in his ear, before dropping to her feet.

She gave him a naughty wink. He felt the world pause around him. It took him a moment to realize that the world hadactuallygone still. He looked around and found all their siblings staring at them, jaws dropped and eyes wide.

Fuck. She was unbelievable. His jaw clenched at her sheer audacity. Minutes ago, he’d read the trash she’d published about him on her magazine’s socials, and now here she was, kissing his cheek, pretending everything was fine between them. It wasn’t. Today was just a farce—a beginning of many such performances for the sake of their siblings. But kissing his cheek was taking things a bit too far.

“Why did you do that? Now everyone’s watching us, Anna,” he gritted out.

“Wasn’t that the plan,husband?” She flicked a hand through her hair, glancing around them quickly. “Right now, they’re all waiting and wondering whether you’re going to push me into the water or if we’re going to get into a fight. It’s fun to keep them guessing.”

Their siblings indeed looked comical, standing at various places around the pool, not talking, simply watching them carefully.

He focused back on Anna. The heat from her lips still lingered on his cheek. Her bold scent wrapped around him, making him feel hot and bothered. He grimaced, annoyed by everything she made him feel.

Her mouth curved into a naughty smile. “Please tell me that you’re really not thinking of pushing me into the water. It would ruin everything.”

His lips tipped. She was still so damn sassy.

“Both your brothers tried to stop me from entering, you know!” she pouted. “Vedant was rather rude. I’m mad at him.”

“Vedant was rude? Toyou?”

“Yeah. It was rather strange. He’s never like that. He didn’t want me to spoil your happy mood.”

Happiness buzzed through him. “Vedant said that?”

“Yeah, I wonder what’s gotten into him today.” She made a face. “As if either of them could stop me from doing what I wanted. Fools.”

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