Page 90 of My Sinner

“Avantika…” he whispered through a dry, scratchy throat.

“Dev… Oh My God! You’re awake.” She leapt to her feet and peppered his face with kisses. “I was so scared. I was so worried.”

His heart warmed, and his lips curved. “You were worried? About me? I thought I was enemy number one.”

She glared at him. “You stopped being the enemy a long time ago.”

“Did I now?”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop teasing me.”

“Teasing you is the highlight of my life. I’ve waited for years to do that.”

She gave him a watery smile and wiped her eyes. “You used to say that to me years ago.”

“My feelings for you haven’t changed since then. They’ve only grown stronger.”

She stared at him, eyes wide. He tried to sit up, but a sudden pain on the left side of his chest stopped him. He must have made a sound because Avantika grabbed his shoulders and helped him up.

“Are you okay?” she checked.

He exhaled. “Apart from the pain in my side, I think I’m fine.”

She perched beside him, keeping his hand in hers as if unable to let go. She looked sad, her eyes dark, shadowed, like she hadn’t slept in days.

“I thought I’d lost you,” she said in a small voice. “You’ve been unconscious for two days now. I’m so sorry for not trusting you fully. But I do. I swear I do. I won’t ever doubt you again.”

He captured her palm in his. “Hey. It’s fine. I’m here now. Where’s Neil?”

The door to the room opened softly. He looked up, and Aaryan entered the room. Dev’s eyes swung to Avantika.

“I called my brothers,” she explained. “Vihaan, Aaryan, and Sanjana are here.”

He looked back at Aaryan, who was still watching him.

Dev angled his head to the side. “Aren’t you going to say hello,old friend?”

Aaryan approached him. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, I think.”

The door opened again, and this time, Neil and Sanjana entered, followed by Vihaan. Seeing him up, Neil shrieked. “Dad, you’re awake!”

His son rushed to him and grabbed him in a hug. Pain lanced his chest, but he braved it and wrapped his son in his arms.

“Neil, your dad is injured,” Avantika told him. “Be gentle,baba.”

The second Neil left him, Sanjana took his place. She held his cheeks and fussed over him, holding him close for a short moment before releasing him.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Sanjana said softly.

“Me too.”

“Uncle Raj is planning to come as well,” she told him. “He’s been so worried after I told him about you. He’s been talking to me every few hours.”

“You shouldn’t have told him,” Dev said. “He tends to fret and fuss a lot.”

“He is our only family, Dev,” she said. “And although I’m mad at him for putting Aaryan through that awful kidnapping, he deserved to know. He cares about you.”

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