Page 29 of Born in Sin

Amay shrugged. “She told me to give it to you.”

“She?”

Amay smiled, a teasing grin. “How many girls do you think would be interested in sending you notes? There is only one she for you, no?”

Yes, there was only one ‘she’ for him. But he’d mucked that up royally, hadn’t he?

“I don’t want to read it,” Virat said, feeling nauseous.

Amay rolled his eyes. “Don’t be an idiot.” He shoved the paper at him and Virat took it reflexively. His fingers shook as he slowly unfurled it, smoothening the creases out on his thigh. His eyes ran over the words, barely processing their meaning over the thundering of his heart.

‘You make me smile too. Love, Celi.’

A smile the size of the earth’s radius split his face as the words sunk into his thick skull.

Amay grinned. “Like that huh?”

“Like that,” Virat accepted, his thumb smoothing the creases out of the crumpled paper.

Chapter Eleven

VIRAT

His gritty eyes scanned the screen of the laptop he was hunched over. He sat on the ground, a bottle of scotch by his side, and a devastating loneliness clawing at his insides. As deep as he’d gone, as hard as he’d searched, he’d still found nothing. Nothing. His gaunt face was lit by the glow of the screen, the only illumination in the entire space. Virat’s phone rang, the sound startlingly loud in the quiet of his empty, dark apartment. He picked it up instantly.

“Tell me.”

He listened carefully to the update from his team lead. The investigation into the Dusty Devils was personal but there were other ongoing projects that still needed his attention. Even as he reeled off instructions and outlined strategies, his gaze went back to the lit laptop screen. Cara’s laughing face stared back at him.

He disconnected the call just as he heard the code being inputted and the front door opening. Ishaan walked in, stopping when he realised the entire place was in darkness. He reachedfor the light switch, but Virat barked, “No.” Ishaan’s hand froze just before it made contact with the switch before dropping to his side.

“I’ve checked everywhere,” Ishaan said roughly. He came to sit on the ground beside Virat, his long legs extending out in front of him. “I swear to God there isn’t a corner of the internet that I haven’t torn apart looking. There is nothing about her and Kabir Raizada anywhere.”

“They’ve been careful,” Virat said, the words flat and toneless. He hadn’t known. If he had, he’d have been better prepared for this gut searing agony that swarmed through him.

“Or it’s not true.” Ishaan grabbed the bottle of scotch and took a large swig, wiping the little that dribbled out of the side of his mouth with his sleeve.

“It’s true.” Virat took the bottle back, holding it close to his chest as he thought it all through.

“How do you know, Vir? She could be just-“

“Celi won’t lie to me.”

Ishaan fell silent. Then he exhaled hard and said, “Like I said earlier, Cara might.”

Virat let his head fall back against the wall. “It doesn’t matter, Ish.”

“It matters. It fucking matters.”

The door beeped and opened again, Amay stepping in. He didn’t bother with a greeting, just walked in and sat down on Virat’s other side.

“This flat is a regular fucking thoroughfare tonight,” Virat grumbled.

“I just got home from the hospital,” Amay said in response. “Or I’d have been here earlier.”

“Don’t you guys have women to go home to?”

“Dhrithi wanted to come with me.” Amay massaged the back of his neck with one hand, groaning slightly. “I told her not to.”