Page 57 of Born in Sin

“No.”

“I’m doing this for you,” he said gently. “You’re worth it.”

“No.” Cara shook her head. “Nobody is worth it. Definitely not me.”

Kabir took her hand, playing his fingers through hers. “You saved me once, Car. Give me a chance to save you?”

“Not like this. There has to be another way to do it.”

“Should we ask your broody lover for ideas?”

Cara shot him a death glare. “Don’t start.”

Kabir laughed, a genuinely amused chuckle. He looked like a debaucherous king lolling around on his couch like that. His entire home was over the top in an outlandish, flamboyant way that hers would never be. And yet, she felt as comfortable here as she did in her penthouse.

Her life had always been about the people, never about the places. Home had always been storm grey eyes and a brooding, serious face. Even when it hadn’t, he had still been her sanctuary. In her heart, in her mind, in her soul.

“You’re right though,” she said now, forcing the memories out of her mind. “We need him and that brain of his.”

Her phone rang, Viren Singhania’s name flashing on the screen.

“Who the hell is Viren Singhania?” Nosy as ever, Kabir peered over her shoulder like a meddling old aunty.

“Virat,” she said, shoving his annoying face out of the way with her shoulder. “Obviously I can’t save his number under his real name. And it isn’t even his real number anyway. Just a burner he uses to communicate with me. But only if it’s really important.”

“Wow.” Kabir drawled. “True love.”

“Shut up!” Cara snapped as she swiped to answer the call.

“I haven’t even said anything yet,” Virat murmured.

Her insides turned to mush the second that deep, familiar voice sounded in her ear. Muscle memory, she told herself. Her body was just used to reacting to him like that. That’s all.

“What is it?” She was just going to ignore these two idiots and rise above their aggravation.

“My team discovered some information you should hear,” Virat said now, clearly deciding to rise above her level of rising above. “Would you be free sometime today to discuss it?”

“I’m not working today. I’m free now. Where do I come? Your place?” Hers was not an option with the paparazzi constantly staked out on the road in front of it and her mother staked out on the couch in front of the television inside it.

“I have a safe house we can meet at. I’ll have someone come to your house to escort you over.”

“I’m not at home.” Cara met Kabir’s mischievous eyes. “Can you send your person to Kabir’s home instead?”

“Of course,” Virat said quietly, though the words hummed with emotion he would never ever allow himself to speak. “His name is Shourya and he’ll be there in about forty-five minutes. I’m texting you his picture, so you won’t have a problem recognizing him.”

“We’ll be ready,” she said, disconnecting and dropping her face into her hands.

“You’re evil,” Kabir announced gleefully. “Telling him you’re at my place at six in the morning is as good as telling him we’ve been banging like bunnies all night.”

“He knows we’re in a relationship. It would be normal for us to bang like bunnies.”

Kabir rolled his eyes at her before pushing himself to his feet. “If I’m going to meet Mr. Gorgeous Storm, I’d like to be dressed appropriately for the meeting.”

“Define appropriate!” Cara yelled after him.

“I’m thinking gold, sweetie. Lots of gold.”

Cara collapsed into her chair, staring up at the ceiling. Her burner phone buzzed in her jeans pocket. She pulled it out to check the message.