Page 132 of Wasted Grace

And what thehellis he doing? What is he going to tell her?

“Oh,” she deflates. “I thought... anyway. I can’t find the coconut. I left it in Rohi’s room. But it’s not—oh my god!What if...”

Advik offers a practiced smile. “I’ll find it, aunty. Or I’ll send Kashvi on the hunt. Don’t worry.”

She breathes out, grateful—but not before casting me a lingering, suspicious glance.

“What happened? Everything okay?” he murmurs once she’s gone, his brows pinched with concern.

My breath hitches as he steps closer, his hands landing gently on my arms. It’s been like this since that kiss two weeks ago. He touches me more freely now.

Fuck. And I never stop him, do I?

I think I’m addicted to the feeling of his skin on mine.

“Yeah,” I manage, forcing my voice into steadiness. “We need to leave. Head back to Delhi.Now.”

His frown deepens, but he doesn’t argue.

He just nods and mutters, “Let me get Kashvi to find the fucking...coconut.”

I nearly snort. “Meet me at the main gate in twenty minutes.”

And with that, I slip away to pack up my minimal gear—my mind racing.

What did Viraj mean by‘we’ve got a plan’?

Whatever it is, I just hope thistrapping-Mehul-Bedi phaseis over. Because the next phase?

Could be far worse.

THIRTY-SIX

Advik

“Do you understand?” Viraj asks me, sitting across from me on the armchair like he belongs in this house.Myhouse.

Greesha has gone off to pick Dev up from his place. For the past week, since we returned from the wedding, my apartment has been ground zero for the plan of attack.

I thoughtall fourof us were in this together. Me, Greesha, Dev, and this old-assViraj.

But I waswrong. So incredibly wrong that now, I’m told I have no choice but to hide Viraj’s twisted proposal from my woman.

Yes.My woman.That’s who she is. No matter what. Regardless of the long, tortured glances Viraj throws her way—she’s mine.

Even if I can neverhaveher. Even if she decides to leave my life—for good—after this mission.

She’s mine as I’m hers.

But as I replay what Viraj has told me. So tactfully in the absence of Greesha, I fear she wouldn’t have to leave me to find peace.

I’d probably be leaving her first.

Because I have been placed as bait according to Viraj. A well-behaved dog—a pawn—who would be making thedire mistakeof talking to authorities about Mehul’s hidden operations.

Apparently, I will have discovered his indiscretions, and will decide to report it to the CBI. Even though the CBI isn’t involved—it will give Mehul enough of a reason to escalate and fall into thesemi-weak trapwe have laid out.

Fuck. Notwe. Viraj.