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“Vishnu… if we don’t stop now… I will…” I trail off, shivering against him.

His grin turns wicked, his lips brushing against my cheek. “Good,” he whispers darkly. “That’s what I want. I want you to feel this all day, knowing the second you return home, I’m going to finish what we started.”

I push him away playfully, my face burning, and turn toward the mirror, reapplying my lip gloss before looking for my sandals. But before I can reach them, he’s already holding them out for me.

I arch a brow. “Vishnu Walia just fetched my sandals for me? Careful, you might ruin your tough guy image.”

His smirk is pure arrogance. “I’m only touching them because they’ll bring you straight back to me. Just making sure you know exactly whom you belong to.”

I roll my eyes, but my smile betrays me. Taking the sandals from his hands, I slip them on, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. “Tonight,” I whisper, my voice laced with promise.

“Tonight,” he replies, returning my kiss, his grip tightening around me just for a second, as if reluctant to let me go.

With one last smile, I grab my bag and head toward the door. But before leaving, I stop by the garden to check on Veer, who is still happily playing with Avika and his daadu. Even though I’m aware he is in good hands, I can’t seem to shake that nagging feeling inside me. Something just doesn’t feel right today. Or maybe… I’m just overthinking it.

CHAPTER 38

VISHNU

I step out into the garden, following Simran, who is now crouched down on the grass, kissing and cuddling Veer. Her laughter rings through the air as she nuzzles her nose against our son’s cheek, making him giggle in delight.

I gesture to Abhay, who moves quietly to my side.

“The client Simran is meeting today—did you check everything?” I ask, keeping my eyes on her as she continues playing with Veer.

“Already done,” Abhay replies without hesitation. “Clean background. No red flags. No connections to Zayed.”

I nod, exhaling slightly. I know she isn’t the primary target anymore—Zayed made that crystal clear when he called. But it doesn’t change the fact that she was once his pawn to get to me. And for that reason alone, I’ll ensure she is safe at all times. I am not taking any chances with her safety. That’s why my team is still screening every client, every vendor she meets, with no exceptions. Yet, the unease in my gut refuses to settle.

“Don’t leave her out of your sight,” I instruct, my tone dead serious, despite knowing I couldn’t have asked for a better man on this job than him. “Not even for a fraction of a second.”

Abhay’s response is immediate. “That goes without saying. She’ll be safe.”

I glance at Simran, still playing with Veer, before turning back to Abhay again, appreciating his confidence. “Amidst all this madness, the only reason I’m letting her step out is because I trust that she’s safe with you.”

I clap my hand gently against his arm, a rare display of gratitude.

“I’ve got this. I’ll keep her safe,” he assures me, showing that rare display of emotion.

Before I can respond, Simran strolls towards us, her arms folded, her lips curved in amusement.

“If you two are done discussing my security detail,” she teases, “can we leave now?”

I shake my head, smiling despite myself. She knows me too well—knows exactly how protective I am of her. And now, she never complains, never tries to fight me on it. Instead, she lets me do what I must, trusting me the way I trust her.

Abhay steps away quietly, giving us space while he waits a little ahead.

“Dad’s been obsessively planning Veer’s birthday party at the Alibaug farmhouse,” she tells me, her eyes soft yet filled with unspoken concern. “He just told me he’s called in some decorators today to discuss his grand plans.”

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “I know. But what can I do? He wants to celebrate it in a grand way, despite everything going on with Zayed.”

Simran chuckles, tilting her head. “I think he’s doing the right thing. We can’t live in fear, waiting for Zayed to strike. Your team is already doing everything to track him down. The moment we find him, his game is over.”

She has faith in me and in my team. And though her words should comfort me, I can’t shake off the feeling that Zayed is still out there, one step ahead of us.

Simran checks the time and lets out a small gasp. “Oh no, I’m really late.”

Before I can respond, she leans in and kisses me tenderly on my cheek. “Bye,” she whispers, then hurries off toward the car where Abhay is waiting.