Page 14 of The Pursuit
Krish’s expression was tight with emotion. “What do you think I’m doing here?”
My mind raced. Had he dropped everything and come when he heard I was shot? Despite me walking away from him without a word months ago? It made no sense.
“You shouldn’t be here, Krish,” I murmured. “Not after...”Not after his father had forbidden us from getting close.I completed that statement in my head instead of voicing it out. “You should leave.”
Krish’s jaw clenched at the unsaid reminder.
“I heard you didn’t seem to want that when you were first brought in,” he said quietly. “You kept saying my name repeatedly... even in your unconscious state.”
I inhaled sharply. Even when barely conscious, some part of me had longed for Krish, needed him by my side. As much as I tried to deny it when awake, this was the truth. But I didn’t want Krish to know that.
“Who… who told you that? The team? The doctors?” I asked in a panic.
I didn’t want my colleagues to know that I harboured a soft spot for Krish. Honestly, I hadn’t even admitted it to myself until now.
Seeing the conflict in my eyes, Krish sighed. “Drink some water first,” he insisted.
I let him help me in holding the glass as I quickly drank the water. The next second, I coughed and sputtered as the water hit my parched throat. Krish was instantly at my side, stroking my back soothingly as I caught my breath.
“Easy,” he murmured. His fingers lightly grazed my bare shoulder, and I shivered, the thin hospital gown leaving me exposed. Krish seemed oblivious, just focused on my coughing fit.
When I finally calmed down, he put the glass away with alook of relief.
“The team shouldn’t know you’re here,” I said quickly, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters.
“They know already.” His expression darkened.
They know? What did they know?
“Your team knows I am here. They just don’t know I’m here for personal reasons more than professional.”
I swallowed nervously as Krish pulled a chair and sat next to my bed, leaning forward intently.
“Let’s get to the main topic before we discuss the failed mission, Agent Trisha Choudhary.”
For the first time, Krish addressed me by my last name. Unfortunately, the mission I had been dedicated to for the past few months with GLEN hadn’t gone as planned. But it seemed like Krish had other personal matters to discuss before delving into the professional setbacks.
“You abandoned me, Trisha. The way you left, without a word… it tore me up.”
“You know why I left,” I argued. “We had an intel on Max and…”
“Was that the only reason you left?” he inquired.
I looked away, unable to respond.
“Look, Trisha, I respect your dedication to the work, I do. But I can’t keep pretending there’s nothing between us. No matter what my father demands.”
He reached for my hand tentatively, but I pulled away.
“Your father didn’t demand anything unreasonable,Krish. He just wanted us to draw boundaries, and as the president of GLEN, he has the authority to make such requests. We’ve committed ourselves, even our lives, to this organisation.”
“I’m willing to sacrifice my life for GLEN, but they don’t have the right to dictate when and to whom I give my heart.”
His reply made my heart skip a beat.
“We need to discuss us, Trisha.”
I looked away again, feigning confusion. “There is no ‘us’.”
