Page 13 of Born in Sin

“Let it go, Celi,” he said roughly, not meeting her gaze.

She stayed quiet for a moment, before turning to face him, her hand going to cup his cheek and turn his face to hers.

“Promise me one thing.”

He stared into her eyes, his heart in his own. “Anything.”

“Don’t get hurt when I’m not there to bandage the hurts for you.”

Virat’s gaze dipped away from the bright warmth of hers. Her hand dropped away from his face.

“I’ll do my best.” His heart felt too full, this friendship, a beacon of hope in his life. Hope, warmth, joy, and … maybe love?

“I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

“I’ll miss you more.”

Chapter Five

VIRAT

The door closed behind him, the sound a gunshot ricocheting through the silent room. He watched as Celina turned in a small circle, her bright eyes taking in every corner of his spartan space.

“It’s not much,” he said, feeling compelled to fill the silence and to make excuses for this space he called home. It had never felt like home though, more of a transient resting place.

Until now. Until she’d walked through the doors, filling it with the sheer essence of her.

She turned to face him, her expression cool and remote. “What’s your next step?”

“My next step?” he asked, playing for time. He gestured for her to take a seat on the couch. She didn’t move.

“Don’t play games with me, Virat. You don’t just have a next step. You have several steps ahead mapped out. What is it?”

“Why do you need to know?”

“Because I do. You don’t honestly think I’m going to sit back and let them rampage through people’s lives like this, do you?”

“You’ve never shown any inclination to cross paths with them before,” he said quietly.

“I’ve never had to,” she shot back. “Their lives don’t intersect with mine, my name’s different, and I’ve had enough subtle work done on myself for them to never recognise me.” She shrugged. “There is no reason for them to connect Cara Ferns to Celina Fernandez. And I’ve liked it that way.”

“So, what’s changed?”

“You.” The word landed like a bomb. “You wouldn’t have come to me, if you didn’t think this mess was going to land on my doorstep, sooner or later. I cannot afford a mess, Virat.”

It hurt. Every time she called him Virat instead of Vir, it was like she was adding another shallow cut to his already wounded heart. It didn’t matter. For her, he would bleed.

“I would never allow a mess to land on your doorstep,” he swore, holding her gaze so she could see his intent.

Cara nodded. “I know you’ll do your best to make sure that happens but…”

“But?”

“As we found out in the past, your best is not always good enough.”

Virat closed his eyes, pain and sorrow digging talons into his heart and soul.

“So, I want in,” Cara said now, her voice level and tinged with frost. “Let me in, so I can make sure that your best is up to the task this time.