Page 78 of Born in Sin

He kissed her deeper, harder, until everything else disappeared. No noise. No past. No pain. Just this kiss. Just her.

Breaking away for air, he dragged his mouth along her jaw, tasting the skin he’d dreamed of far too many nights.

“I burned for you, Celi. Every day. Every night. Every damn breath.”

This wasn’t a kiss. This was war. This was surrender. This was everything he’d never stopped wanting.

She clenched her hand in his hair, tugging his head back and bringing his lips back to hers.

“Mine,” he whispered against her mouth. “You are mine.”

“Vir.” His name was a plea, a prayer, a desperate hope.

“I’m here, sweetheart.”

“I can’t do this anymore.” A tear escaped her, sliding down her cheek. “I can’t pretend that this isn’t ruining me.”

“You were never ruined, Celi,” he murmured, catching the tear with his thumb.

“No more secrets,” she reminded him.

He knew what she was asking even before the words left her mouth.

“Why did you leave me? Why did you disappear from the hospital that night?”

Crestwood

Confusion, worry, fear…a toxic mix of emotions swirled through Celina as she made her quiet way back to her room. What was going on? And why wouldn’t Virat tell her? She hated feeling like she was being covered in bubble wrap and kept in a corner. A bubble wrapped useless idiot.

She opened the door to her room and came to an abrupt halt. Her mother sat on the side of her bed, back ramrod straight, her tight, angry face filling Celina’s vision. Her roommate darted her a frightened look before mumbling something and disappearing from the room. Celina wished she could follow.

Instead, she sank into the chair in front of her study table and waited for her mother to speak.

“When I dragged you away from that disgraceful scene at the track courts, what did I tell you?”

Soft and lethal, her mother’s voice was a whip that cracked across her already shaky composure.

“To stay in my room and to stay away from Virat,” Celina said dully.

“When are you going to accept what is told to you?”

“When are you going to accept that I will never stay away from him?”

Her mother stood slowly, her hands clenched into tight fists at her side.

“If you ever mention his name again, I will make sure you live to regret it.”

Celina rose to face her. “Virat Jha,” she said.

Her mother lashed out, her open palm connecting with Celina’s cheek and sending her spinning. Chest heaving, tears welling, she pivoted to face her mother again.

“I love him,” she told her defiantly. “I will always love him. You can’t beat that out of me, no matter what you try or how hard you do.”

This time she was braced for the slap, the back of her mother’s palm catching the same cheek. Celina went flying, landing on her back her face hitting the edge of her roommate’s cupboard. Pain radiated in her cheekbone where it had struck the cupboard. Tears flowed now, pouring down her burning cheeks. She pushed herself to her feet and faced her mother.

Her mother caught her by her hair and twisted, pulling painfully on the strands. “You don’t even know what my worst is. After what that boy did to Mohan, I should have had him expelled. But his father is too powerful for that. Mark my words, Celina, if he continues to corrupt you like this, I will show you both what I am capable of.”

Celina put her palms on her mother’s chest and shoved hard. Maria staggered back, several strands of Celina’s hair coming loose in her clawed fingers.