Page 76 of Born in Sin

“Because I can breathe easily. It will be fine, Celi. I will be fine.”

“I hope so,” she murmured. “Because you’re certainly not fine now.”

He hung his head, unchecked emotions battering him from every side. “I’m not,” he said finally. “But I will be. Are you okay?”

“I will be, if you are,” she said softly. “What happened today, Vir? What happened to you?”

Virat squeezed his eyes shut, his heart pounding in his chest as he thought back to the day.

“Celi, I need you to listen to me about something.”

“Tell me.”

“I can’t tell you much but I need you to believe me when I say it’s important you do what I tell you.”

She stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue.

“From now until graduation, you need to stay safe. I will try to be with you as much as I can. But when I’m not, keep yourself surrounded by people as much as possible and the rest of the time stay in your room.”

“Vir, you’re scaring me.”

“Good.” His intense gaze bored into her. “Being scared will you keep you safe. Promise me, Celi. If you love me, promise me that you’ll do as I say.”

She worried at her lower lip, gnawing at it with her teeth. “I promise,” she said in a small voice.

“You don’t meet anyone alone unless it’s me. Not even Majid. I know,” he said, forestalling her protestations of Majid’s innocence. “I know you think he’s a great guy but his friends aren’t and just please, I’m begging you, just this once don’t fight me on this. Please Celi. Just this once.”

“Okay. Okay,” she hastened to reassure him, his agitation getting through to her like nothing else had. “I promise. Can’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“I can’t right now because I don’t have all the facts. But I know they’re up to shit, crazy, scary shit. I don’t want you getting caught in the middle of it. Not even by mistake. Okay?”

“Okay. But once you know-“

“I’ll tell you everything,” he swore. “No more secrets.”

“No more secrets.” She traced the black eye forming on his face with a gentle finger. “I can’t wait for graduation when this will all be over.”

“Me neither.” He turned his face, kissed her finger. “Me neither.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

VIRAT

Virat shut the door to the bedroom behind him, the quiet and dark of the room enveloping him. He needed a moment away from the noise and the chaos of the room outside. He needed a moment away from her.

He clutched at the folder of documents Shourya had handed him, not even making an effort to turn on the light and look at it. He had over seven active cases at the moment, not counting the shitshow with the Dusty Devils and with him not travelling as much as he used to, coordination was a nightmare. But right now, his brain couldn’t compute anything beyond the reality of Celi being in his life while not actually being in his life.

The door opened behind him, light pouring in from the other room and highlighting her silhouette.

“May I come in?”

She waited for him to nod before entering, shutting the door behind her, enclosing the two of them in the velvety darkness of the room.

“The light switch is on the wall to your right,” he told her.

“I don’t want light.” She walked towards him, finding her way unerringly to where he stood, almost like she could sense him. She stopped in front of him, the warmth of her body feeling like a blazing brand to his. “I want to stay in the dark with you.”

His entire body tightened, his gaze on her profile, faintly visible as his eyes adjusted to the dark.

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