Page 34 of Entangled Vows

“What?!” Ishika’s voice shot up an octave. “No, no, no. Not him. Wait for me. I’ll come with you instead!”

Mahika slowed to a stop and turned to look at her best friend, her mouth agape. “Why not Mohit? What’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Ishika said a bit too quickly, fumbling with her words. “He just… talks too much. And he drives like an eighty-year-old. I get car sick when people drive that slow.”

Vikram’s mouth twitched, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Interesting. Then tell me, Ishika, why is your face redder than a tomato? Or is it that you don’t wanthimto know about yourpassionate night out?”

“Exactly that. Brilliant deduction, Vikram. You are a genius,” Ishika shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She flashed him a middle finger.

“What are you even implying?” Mahika glared at Vikram.

“Nothing that isn’t obvious. They’ve got something brewing,” Vikram murmured, his lips grazing dangerously close to her ear.

“What?” She jerked back to look at his face. “I don’t think so, Grizzly,” she muttered, brushing him off. Then, she called out loudly, “Mohit’s coming, Ish. End of discussion. Bye!”

“Ughhh, fine!” Ishika huffed, her groan stretching as the door banged shut behind them.

Mahika sighed, tilting her head towards the sky as if begging the heavens for extra patience.

He kept his pace even, walking beside her as she veered towards her own car.

Nope. Not happening.

There was no way she was going in a separate car. Before she could protest, he smoothly redirected her to his sleek, black SUV parked a few feet away. She looked confused, at first, and just when he thought she’d argue, she let out a long breath and relented, reaching for the rear door without a word.

Vikram stopped her before she could open it.

Mahika blinked at him. “What the hell?”

He didn’t wait. His hands gripped her hips and spun her until her back met the car’s frame with a soft thud. His palms caged her in, his body closing in with controlled precision. Theywere not touching. Not yet. But they were close enough for her breath to catch.

Mahika tilted her chin, and he could see that signature fire sparking in her eyes. But underneath it, he saw something else. A flicker of something neither of them dared to name not acknowledge.

“What now?” she snapped.

Vikram let his gaze roam over in a slow and deliberate manner. Her makeup was flawless, and her voice sweet and sexy. Her cherry red lips beckoned him, daring him to come closer. And her flushed cheeks… they made him want to lick a path down her neck, while her silky hair spilled over her shoulders like temptation itself. And that blouse. Hell. That damn blouse made his blood heat up in ways that should’ve been illegal. He should’ve looked away. But he didn’t.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low, like a command wrapped in velvet steel.

“You don’t open the doors when I’m with you. Ever.”

She gaped at him. “Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

“You look like a man addicted to unnecessary drama.”

His lips almostcurved. “And you look like a woman who thrives on it.”

She shoved at his chest, more for show than force. “Move, Vikram. We’re already late.”

“Since when do you care about punctuality?”

“I care about ending this circus.”

He leaned in, his voice dipping to a dangerous murmur. “Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.”

And before she could snap back, he added, his voice hard as obsidian, “From today onwards, my house is your house.My car is your car. You don’t drive alone. If you need to go anywhere, Max will take you. No arguments, Momo.”