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He climbed in and helped me inside. My ass felt sore as I dipped into the water. I lay on him with my back against his chest.

“The bath will help with the soreness,” he said as he pulled my hair loose from the hair-tie I wore.

With the gentlest hands, he set to cleaning me with a washcloth. When he was this considerate and soft with me, he made my heart feel things.

“I like it when you’re this gentle with me,” I admitted with my eyes closed, enjoying the tenderness.

“You don’t like it when I’m rough with you?” I could hear the smirk in his voice.

“I do, but this soft side of you is different and I don’t see it often.”

He let out a sigh. “I’m not a gentle man, Amelia. But you make me go from raging mad to calmer than I’ve ever been with no warning.”

“You don’t need to worry about Blake. I’m not interested in him.” I sighed, relaxing into the warm water.

“I know you aren’t. But I don’t trust him. You are mine,” he said firmly, as if to remind me of his ownership.

“You can’t expect him to know that when we keep our relationship quiet,” I said, my tone serious.

He considered my words. “You know my reasons for that. However, I am only seeing you. And I expect the same from you.”

I understood why he didn’t want to commit. It still hurt deep down, but his reasons were honorable. I was okay with this type of monogamy for the time being. “I know. I’ll talk to him.”

The water grew cold, so we got out and wrapped ourselves in warm towels. He left the bathroom to dry off and change. I stayed to wash my face and brush out my wet hair. He had left one of his t-shirts on the counter for me. I pulled it over my nakedness. It was way too big on me, but the material was soft and smelled like him.

He was already in bed when I returned to the bedroom, the covers drawn up to his waist. His broad chest was bare as he lay back, checking his phone. I moved to the other side of the bed.

A small red box sat on the pillow. My eyes flashed back to Shyam in question.

“Happy birthday,” he said, smiling as he set his phone down on the side table.

I picked it up and pulled off the lid. Inside was a large pendant—a cobra. It was made of white gold and looked like it was slithering upward in the box, just like the one on his ring. Diamonds glittered along its body. It hung on a delicate white-gold chain. The eyes were made of black diamonds. It was such a beautiful piece of art.

He took the box from my hands, pulled out the necklace, and unhooked the clasp. I sat on the bed and pulled my hair to the side so he could put it around my neck.

“Only Jai and I have rings bearing our family crest. But you’re an important part of our team now. You are one of us.”

I really was. My vendetta against Tarun felt personal. Anyone who hurt Shyam, hurt me. And I wanted revenge, too.

I turned to him and clutched the pendant in my hand. “We’ll find him. I promise.”

He moved closer to me, appreciation for my sincerity shining in his eyes. “I know.”

He kissed me softly, giving me everything I would ever need from a man. We thanked each other using our mouths. I thanked him for being in my life, and he thanked me for sticking this through with him.

We spent the next hours enjoying each other’s bodies. He took his time with me, since I was sore from earlier. He slowed everything down, just like I had told him I liked, showing how much he appreciated me, until we fell asleep in each other’s arms.

After a few hours of sleep, the first few hints of morning light shone through the window. I was curled into Shyam’s side, with my leg hiked over his body. I lazily opened my eyes and watched his beautiful face as he slept. He was so relaxed and beautiful—at peace. His hair was mussed from my fingers grabbing it all night long. All the intensity from his face was gone. His breathing was slow and steady.

My heart felt full when I was with this man. I couldn’t imagine ever leaving him. When we parted ways after completing this mission, I would miss him with all my heart. Things had changed between us.

I felt for the necklace he had given me. My teammate. My partner. This gift would always be a reminder of what we had once meant to each other, long after we were over.

Chapter XXIX

Amelia

It was the night of the Sethi Tech Annual Holiday Party. The lobby of the building had been transformed into a magnificent banquet hall with fine linens and waitstaff who greeted employees with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Live jazz music played on a stage at the center of the space. The giant Christmas tree that had been erected for the season glittered with hundreds of twinkle lights, setting the mood for a beautifully festive event.

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