Page 242 of One Hellish Wedlock
Without wasting another second, he slid out of bed, shoved on his slippers, and strode into the living room. There she stood…wrapped in a robe, silhouetted against the glass wall,staring out at the glowing skyline of the city. Her damp hair clung to her shoulders.
She had showered. At this hour?
“Aanya…” he called softly.
She flinched at the sound of his voice.
“What are you doing out here, baby?” he murmured, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her hair, trying to soothe her nerves. “Why did you take a shower?”
She placed her hands over his, around her waist.
“Just like that,” she whispered.
He wasn’t convinced. “Don’t lie to me. Talk to me.”
“I had a nightmare,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “Vicky… he caught me… I just… I needed to wash the feeling off.”
His jaw locked. He hated that Vicky still had that power over her, even in her dreams.
“Don’t let him crawl into your mind, Aanya,” Reyansh said, turning her to face him. He cupped her cheeks firmly. “That’s exactly what he wants. Every second you think of him is a second he wins. And we don’t let monsters win, do we?”
She shook her head and tried to steady her breath.
“Let’s go shopping tomorrow. Just the two of us. The whole day out. We’ll walk the city, laugh, eat junk, maybe buy things we don’t even need.”
It was a tempting offer, one that under any other circumstances she would’ve leapt at. But now? With Vicky possibly lurking?
“Will the guards come too?” she asked quietly.
“If you want them, they’ll stay close. If not, I’ll send them away. It’s your choice. But trust me, I won’t let you out of my sight.”
She held onto his arm tighter.
“This isn’t about me, Reyansh. It’s aboutyou. I can take anything that comes at me. But I wouldn’t survive watching you get hurt. So yes, let the guards stay.”
He exhaled through his nose. “He’s not after me. And even if he is after you… he won’t succeed.”
She nodded, and he swept her up in his arms.
“Come on. Time for bed,” he whispered, carrying her inside like she weighed nothing at all. With him close, she could almost forget the fear.
Shopping – The Next Day
Her instincts screamed that someone was watching them. But the place was crowded. Loud. Busy. It shouldn’t be possible. And yet… the moment Reyansh had told her Vicky was in California, every shadow seemed more threatening. Every glance suspicious. Reyansh had reinforced security flawlessly. Still, all it took was one mistake for a man like Vicky to exploit.
An arm slid around her waist, and she jerked in panic.
“It’s me, sweetheart,” Reyansh said gently, pulling her close. “You okay?”
He knew she hadn’t been sleeping well, not since their conversation about Vicky’s arrival. He hadn’t planned to tell her, but she had found out anyway.
“I’m fine,” she forced a smile and held up a red bodycon dress. “What do you think?”
His jaw tensed. “Only for my eyes.”
She wanted to laugh at his possessiveness but the unease inside her still pulsed. The feeling wouldn’t go away.
She reached for his T-shirt playfully. “Half my wardrobe is already for your eyes only. Doesn’t seem fair.”
