Page 16 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

“Fuckk!” Vikram cursed, startled by the sharp pain in his arm.

What the hell was a giant, fluffy white rabbit doing here?

He had no idea if rabbits jumped on people, much less latched on so tightly. Was it deranged or possessed?

It was supposed to look cute, but those round, red eyes gleamed with unmistakable smugness, as if Vikram were a burglar caught red-handed.

Its long ears twitched, and despite the chubby, innocent-looking face, Vikram knew this little devil was far from innocent.

He could swear the damn thing was having fun at his expense.

“Get the hell off me,” Vikram snarled, reaching up to dislodge the damn furball before it could dig its claws or whatever rabbits had deeper into his skin.

The rabbit let out a sharp, indignant hiss, its fluffy white fur standing on edge like a warrior ready for battle. Clearly, it didn’t take kindly to Vikram’s attempt to shake it off. If the little devil could talk, Vikram was convinced it would be hurling curses at him.

“Oh, you little menace,” he muttered under his breath, prying the stubborn creature off his shoulder. Vikram held the furball at arm’s length and glared at its smug little face. “What the fuck is your problem?”

Before he could even think about tossing the white terror away from him, a door slammed open.

“Get your hands off Bungee!”

The sharp command made Vikram pause.

His head snapped up just as Ishika Mittal, Mahika’s best friend, came charging towards him like an avenging superhero. In one swift move, she snatched the demon rabbit from his grasp and held it close, stroking its fur like it was some delicate treasure rather than a vicious little monster.

“What the fuck are you doing to our bunny?” Ishika demanded, her eyes blazing with the fury of a wronged mother catching a villain mid-crime.

Vikram’s eyes widened, a rare flicker of uncertainty crossing his face.

“I-I,” he stammered, momentarily thrown off balance. His gaze bounced between the rabbit and Ishika, as if the fluffy menace might somehow provide an answer. His expression darkened into a scowl.

“I want nothing to do with your bunny, Ishika,” he bit out, straightening his shoulders as if reclaiming his lost dignity. “It literally attacked me. Violently,” he snarled, pointing at the bunny.

Ishika gasped, her eyes narrowing. “Are you trying to say our Bungee is violent?”

“Bungee? That’s such a dumb name,” Vikram repeated, incredulous. Then his gaze flicked to the fluffy menace, now settled innocently in her arms, his nose twitching like it hadn’t just launched a full-scale attack on him.

“It’s not a dumb name, and he’s our bunny. We can name it whatever we want,” Ishika shot back, scowling.

“Fine. But to answer your question… yes,” he said flatly. “That thing isn’t just violent. Your rabbit is a feral beast in disguise. A fucking vampire bunny.”

Before he could say a word, another door swung open, and the sharp click of heels echoed down the hallway. And just like that, he froze.

Mahika walked in draped in a red saree with a golden border, every inch of the silky fabric hugging her sinful body as if it had been designed to test his sanity.

A delicate chain rested at the base of her throat and dipped into the shadow of her cleavage.

It shimmered in the light, luring his gaze there, before he tore it away.

Diamond studs gleamed against her skin, understated yet enough to make it clear she didn’t need anything more to grab his attention.

Her hair, smooth and dark, cascaded over her shoulders, each strand brushing against her skin as if even it ached to touch her.

Her makeup wasn’t heavy; it didn’t need to be.

A soft glow lit her skin, the kohl enhancing the beauty of her eyes.

And her lips wore a red so lovely it made him want to smudge it.

.. with his own lips. Nothing about her attire was accidental.

She looked like she had planned every inch of destruction she was leaving in her wake.

The effect hit him hard, even before he had a chance to understand it. His throat tightened around a rush of breath that came too fast. His fists curled at his sides, the only proof that he was trying to hold on to control, while the rest of him burned with a want he refused to name.

He kept his face blank, his mouth shut, his body locked in place. Because Mahika didn’t need to know that in a single glance, she’d managed to drive him halfway to madness.

“What the hell is going on?” she demanded, looking around. Then, her gaze fell on Ishika.

“Ishi?” Mahika blinked in disbelief, then broke into a happy smile. “Oh my God! You’re back!”

“Yes, I—” Ishika began, but before she could finish, Mahika practically squealed, rushing forward to throw her arms around her best friend.

“You didn’t even tell me you were coming! I would’ve picked you up!”

Vikram let out a dry scoff. “Really? Were you planning to pick her up while swaying on your feet? Because if I recall, you were completely sloshed last night.”

“Shut it, Grizzly.”

“What nonsense is he spewing now?” Ishika arched a brow. “And seriously, why are you in a saree that screams both temptress and perfect bahu?”

“Ignore him. I’ll explain the saree later. First, tell me, when did you return?”

“Yesterday,” Ishika replied, hugging her tighter. “Got stuck in Mussoorie longer than planned.”

“Mussoorie?” Mahika pulled back questioningly.

“I met this hot guy on my flight back to Delhi,” Ishika said with a sly grin. “Let’s just say... things got interesting. We had fun. And then... some more adult fun.”

Mahika burst out laughing. “God, at least one of us is living their best life. I missed you, you idiot.”

“I missed you too, dumbo.”

Vikram stood in the background, just like old times.

These two and Suraj had always been a tight trio.

And he was always the one circling outside their little world, watching them laugh from afar, as though he didn’t belong.

Even now, a flicker of disappointment stirred in his chest, but he shoved it aside.

“What is he even doing here? And why is he doing our laundry?” Ishika demanded, kicking off her shoes.

“You go freshen up first,” Mahika said, distracted.

“Okay, but this one…” Ishika jerked her chin at Vikram, “was about to fling Bungee across the room like a cricket ball.”

Mahika’s smile dropped and she turned to Vikram. “You what?”

Vikram groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “For fuck’s sake, I wasn’t going to throw your damn bunny. But after he clawed me for trying to do your laundry, I should have. The little demon attacked me for no reason.”

“He was scared, Vikram. He’s terrified of loud noises,” Mahika snapped.

Vikram let out a dry, humourless laugh. “Can you blame him? That thing sounds like Godzilla gearing up for a war.”

A beat of silence followed, interrupted only by the loud, clunky churning of the washing machine behind them.

“Come on, Bungee, let’s go to my room,” Ishika cooed, scooping up the indignant rabbit before disappearing down the hallway.

Mahika sighed. “Why are you still here? I thought you’d gone back to your car,” she said wearily, her tone clipped. Then her gaze swept the room, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Wait… did you tidy up?”

“Someone had to,” he said coolly, rolling his sleeves down.

“Of course, Mr. Clean. Can’t bear to see a single thing out of place, huh? So typical.” Mahika folded her arms, lifting her chin in defiance. “Anyway, now that Ishika is here, I’m not going anywhere without her.”

Vikram pulled on his jacket and gave her a sharp look. “No. She’s not coming with us.”

“She’s my best friend, Vikram, and she’s back now. If you think I’ll walk into this sham of a wedding without her, you are sorely mistaken.”

“She’s staying the hell out of it,” he said flatly. “This sham, as you said, doesn’t need an entourage.”

Her mouth curved into a humourless smile.

“Wrong, Vikram. If she doesn’t come with me, I’m not going.

Drag me, threaten me, shove me into that car…

I’ll still scream so loudly that the entire neighbourhood will come running here.

Let them see that the great Vikram Khurana can’t even control his own bride. ”

With that, she brushed past him and headed straight for Ishika’s room, but paused when Ishika herself appeared in the hallway.

“Hey, you didn’t tell me why he’s here, Mahi?” Ishika demanded, crossing her arms.

Her usually sharp gaze was dulled, either from exhaustion or what had been one hell of a night. Her hair was a tangled mess, red lipstick smudged along her cheek, and if the constellation of hickeys across her throat was any indication, she hadn’t exactly spent the night alone.

Vikram arched a brow. “Morning, Ishika. We didn’t get a chance to exchange pleasantries when you arrived. You look… well-rested. Slept like a baby, did you?”

Ishika gave him a flat look. “None of your business, Viku.”

His jaw ticked. “Call me that again, and I’ll personally revoke your entry into my house.”

“Oh no,” she deadpanned. “How will I ever live without an invitation to the torture chamber you call home?”

Vikram smirked. “Then you’ll have to live without seeing Mahika, since we’re about to be very closely related.”

Ishika frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I’m shocked Mahika hasn’t told you yet.”

Her gaze flicked between them, her face tightening. “Mahi, what’s he talking about?”

“Nothing, Ishi,” Mahika muttered, pressing her fingers to her temples. “We’ll talk later. Right now, please get ready. You’re coming with me. We have somewhere to be.”

“No. We’re talking now,” Ishika said stubbornly. “Because the way he’s enjoying this tells me I’m not going to like whatever it is.”

“Not Mahi,” Vikram interjected smoothly. “Soon-to-be Mrs. Khurana.”

Ishika’s eyes popped out. “Excuse me?”

Mahika sighed, already bracing herself for the barrage of questions. “We’re getting married.”

There was pin-drop silence.

Then…