Page 24 of Right Where I Belong
“He’shere too…” Shauna rolled her eyes. “My nemesis.”
Sabrina glanced back at the two men. The man next to Aditya looked slightly to the side, and Sabrina recognized him instantly. He was Keya Sehgal’s younger brother, a part of the younger set in their group.
“Akash Karia is yournemesis?” Sabrina asked.
“Uh huh…” Shauna sipped her drink, and before Sabrina could say anything, she held a hand out. “I know what you’re going to say. That Akash is so sweet. He’s such a good boy.” Shauna made a face. “Please, he’s awful. He pretends to be this Mr. Nice Guy, but he isn’t. He’s annoying. He and I do not get along, at all. He thinks no end of himself and walks like he was born with a stick up his—well, you get the idea.”
Sabrina suppressed a giggle. “I’ve had limited interactions with him, but he didn’t come across to bethatbad. I found him to be quite intelligent, actually.”
“That’s exactly the problem,” Shauna muttered, downing her drink in one gulp. “He’s infuriating and brilliant at the same time, and makes me question my sanity when he’s near.”
Sabrina’s eyes drifted back to the men. Her attention was immediately drawn to Aditya. Dressed in a button-down shirt rolled up to reveal his strong forearms, he exuded that precise blend of casual arrogance and effortless charm. God, he looked good. She couldn’t stop staring at him.
Shauna clicked her fingers in front of Sabrina’s face and laughed. “Stop staring at them, especially Akash.”
“Please, Akash is way younger than me,” Sabrina said.
“Oh my God, so it’s Aditya you’ve been ogling.”
Sabrina felt her cheeks burn.
Shauna tilted her head. “Huh, you find Aditya hot? Strange, I never noticed. Not that I notice any of my brothers’ friends. Please, they all come withprotective elder brothertags stamped on their foreheads. Ugh. But I can see his appeal for you.”
“It’s not like that,” Sabrina explained, feeling flustered.
“Don’t be shy. It’s okay if you find him hot,” Shauna egged her on.
Sabrina’s eyes latched onto Aditya again. He raked a hand through his hair, mussing it up further, and then he smiled at something Akash said.
“He does look hot tonight,” Shauna said.
“So deliciously hot…” Sabrina murmured in agreement. She tilted her head to study him better. “Sooo… sexy.”
“Interesting. So, youdolike him,” Shauna said, one brow arched.
Sabrina blinked. Fuck. What was wrong with her? She was openly checking out Aditya, out loud—something she’d never done before. Not even in a throwaway comment or a lingering glance. Definitely not in front of someone else. It must be the drinks she’d consumed. That was the only explanation for her reckless tongue.
Shauna laughed. “Don’t look so horrified. Your secret is safe with me.”
“It’s really not like that,” Sabrina choked out.
As if on cue, Aditya looked up, and their eyes met. A flicker of surprise crossed his features.
Aditya blinked. His lips parted slightly as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Then that crooked half-smile tugged at his mouth—the one that always made her forget to breathe. He said something to Akash, and then he was walking toward her. She stood up to greet him.
His gaze swept over her, slow and deliberate, taking in every detail. Something warm unfurled in her stomach as his eyes lit with unmistakable appreciation—like he genuinely liked what he saw. She ran a slightly shaky hand through her hair. She’d left it loose, something she rarely did. She knew she looked different. She’d worn one of Diya’s dresses. A simple black one, with delicate puffed sleeves and a wide boat neckline. Its hemskimmed just above her knees. A bolder stroke of eyeliner, dark lipstick, and bam—she’d felt… different. Young and alive.
The unguarded flicker of approval in Aditya’s eyes made her feel bold. Confident. Like a completely different version of herself. The truth was, she felt safe here in Singapore. It was far from India and the people she was still hiding from. For the first time in years, she could breathe without fear. And maybe, just maybe, dare to be someone new.
“Oh my God, Sabrina, what a lovely surprise to see you here,” he grinned as he reached her, pulling her into a brief hug. His musky scent reached her nose, and her heart began to race.
“Hi,” she squeaked, shifting back a step, putting a little space between them. “You’re here? How? I mean, I know you have business in Singapore, and you live here a lot…”
Fuck, she needed to shut up. She was babbling like a teenager. Clearing her throat, she tried again, softer this time. “It’s… really nice to see you.”
“You look fabulous,” he said. “It took me a moment to recognize you.”
She smiled.
