Page 87 of Entangled Vows

He closed his eyes, trying to summon even a shred of calm. Then he lowered his head until their foreheads nearly touched. His protective instincts for Mahika were already intense, but right now, they were off the charts.

“If you ever get a call like that again,” he said, his voice edged with something dangerous, “or a message, or anything that feels even a bit off… you tell me right then. No waiting, and no brushing it off as a prank. None of that, Momo. You’re my wife. And you don’t keep things from me, especially if they bother you or make your life even a little harder. Got it?”

Mahika stared at him, stunned into silence. She had seen him angry before, but this was something else. This was raw, protective fury. The kind that didn’t shout or explode. Itsimmered under his skin, controlled and lethal. And she loved this version of him.

She nodded slowly.

Vikram exhaled slowly, still holding her close, feeling the rapid thud of her heart against his chest. He wasn’t going to let this go.

Without another word, he pulled her closer as the music swelled into a slow crescendo. Her curves moulded into him, fitting like they were made for each other, and it sent a dangerous heat coursing through his veins. The rhythm shifted into something darker and sultrier, the kind that blurred lines and pulled people under. Vikram moved seamlessly into a new dance step as the decision was made.

He would find out who was behind those calls. And when he did, the bastard would make sure he regretted ever dialling her number.

His thoughts stilled, and his focus shifted as the lights dimmed and the crowd melted into the background.

Vikram saw only Mahika. He moved with a quiet control, guiding her into the dance with his rough palm at her back. Each touch and glance screamed only one thing.Mine.

He didn’t care that people were watching. He wanted them to. Let them see what was being claimed and sealed tonight. Let them record it, post it, share it... he didn’t care.

Then, without warning, he twirled her and dipped her low, his hold on her unmistakably dominant.

The music stopped. Her breath caught. And for a moment, the entire world seemed to pause as Vikram pressed his lips to hers, claiming her completely.

29

Never in her wildest fantasies had Mahika imagined this. Thather crush,her husband,her Vikram, would kiss her in a room full of people. And it wasn’t a fleeting brush of lips or a formal, polite peck. It was a kiss that reached into the marrow of her bones and rewrote something fundamental inside her.

It was deep and possessive, like a slow, consuming fire that curled around her spine and claimed her soul like it was always meant to be his.

Because it was.

She shivered when his lips moved over hers with terrifying command, his tongue sliding in, coaxing and teasing, tasting her like he’d waited for far too long. His teeth caught her lower lip in a graze that made her tremble. One of his hands tangled in her hair, the other anchored her firmly at the base of her back in a firm grip.

Her fingers gripped his jacket, holding on like he was the only steady thing in her spinning world. Breathless, she kissed him back, surrendering to the moment like it had been simmering beneath the surface for years. Maybe it had.

Her mind spun out of control. This kiss was even better than the one they’d shared in the car that day. More than that, it outshone every kiss she’d ever written as an author… and every fantasy she’d ever dared to dream. And she never, ever wanted the moment to fade.

But a small, rational voice tried to break through the dizzying haze, reminding her they were being watched. That this was their wedding reception. That they were the centre of the room, surrounded by soft and dim lights, and too many eyes.Family. Friends. Society.They were all staring.

But the rest of her, the louder, wilder part… justdidn’t care.

Because Vikram was kissing her like the last thread of his restraint had finally snapped. It was raw, something primal, something dark, and completely out of control.

And God help her. She didn’t just like it. Shecravedit, because this kiss didn’t just ignite her skin, it stripped her bare and exposed the girl who’d once had a hopeless crush on him. It also revealed the woman she was now, the one caught in a web of duty and something dangerously close to desire. It burned away her walls and carved himself into her skin.

When he finally pulled back, panting, Vikram straightened them slowly, holding her close like he wasn’t ready to let go. His breath rasped against her cheek, warm and uneven, and then he pressed his forehead to hers, anchoring them both in the eye of the storm they’d just unleashed.

They’d just crossed hundreds of fucking lines. And there was no going back now. Her lips tingled. Her skin buzzed. And her mind was entirely blank, except for the man in front of her.

She swallowed hard. “What… what was that?”

Vikram didn’t blink or smirk.

He simply said, low and rough, “That was the beginning of the end of all pretending.”

Mahika’s lips parted, but nothing came out. Because what did one even say to something like that? She was already shaken to see his protective side when he heard about the blank calls.

And now this.