Page 46 of Born in Sin

He watched her digest that news, her soft heart seeming to struggle with it.

“Are you okay?” she asked, the soft, husky question arrowing straight to the heart that beat only for her.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Virat shrugged, even as a weird emptiness opened up inside him.

“He’s your father.”

“He’s my sperm donor,” Virat corrected, the granite in his soul solidifying. “It means nothing.”

“Like your mother meant nothing?” she asked, sparks flaring in her eyes as her temper rose. “If she had lived, you could have found her now as an adult. Maybe even…”

“I did.”

Cara fell silent, absorbing the admission. “Your mother is alive?”

“No.” Virat shook his head. “But her elder sister is. She is married with three children, two boys and a girl. They live in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. They’re farmers, happy and settled. They,” he hesitated before adding. “Seem like nice people.”

Her eyes were wet with tears, happiness saturating her. “You found family.”

“I did but I don’t know how to mourn someone I never knew,” he admitted. “And I can’t mourn a man who abandoned me at every turn.”

“He’s dying,” she said again.

Virat exhaled. “Couldn’t come fast enough for me.”

“Virat!”

Her outrage was weak, knowing what she did of his past, of the neglect he’d faced at the hands of his father. It hadn’t been as bad as what Amay and Ishaan had gone through. He had been, at best, ignored. And what his friends had had to suffer had been worse.

Virat cleared his throat, ready to change the topic.

“Was there anything else you wanted to discuss with me? My team has been dumping the messages that are coming in on the burner phone. Are you worried Majid will escalate?”

“If he does, it’s only good for us. I want him on edge and off balance. Kabir invited them to the set tomorrow, with their families. They’ve accepted.”

“I heard.” Virat’s gaze caught hers and held. “That was a good move.”

“I didn’t come to talk about…” Her voice trailed off.

Virat nodded. He knew. She hadn’t come for plans of vengeance. She’d come for him. Because, his soft hearted Celi worried about him dealing with his asshole of a father’s impending death.

“Celi,” he said huskily. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“You’re right. I should leave you alone.” She shot to her feet. “I should go.”

His hand reached for her, an unconscious moment desperate with need. “No, I didn’t mean-“

“Kabir’s waiting for me,” she babbled, not paying attention to his words.

His hand dropped to his side, and he took a careful step back. “Thank you for coming,” he said formally. “I appreciate it.”

She rushed to the door, her head down. At the door, she paused, not looking at him.

“I’m happy for you, Vir,” she said, softly. “I’m happy you found your family. I’m happy that you’re loved. I’m happy that you’re happy.”

The door shut behind her a second later, leaving him alone. He wasn’t happy. How could he be when his happiness had just walked out of the door, without him?

Crestwood

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