Page 81 of The Redemption
“Just let me go, RK,” she whispers, trying once again to free her hand from my grip.
“No.” I tighten my arm around her waist and lean closer. “Not happening. You put a garland around my neck in front of everyone, knowing exactly what it means here… and then ran away before I could even catch my breath. You think I’m going to let that go without an explanation?”
“Leave my hand.”
“First tell me why you did it.”
She shakes her head immediately, refusing to meet my eyes. “It didn’t mean anything.”
“Then look at me and say it meant nothing.”
My hand slides higher against her waist. Her pulse jumps beneath my touch. Then she looks up.
Big mistake.
Her face gives her away, and I can practically see the battle raging inside her head.
“You’re not going anywhere until you tell me why the hell you did that.”
“If I hadn’t done it… Kriti was about to,” she blurts out at last.
My brows pull together.Kriti?This entire reckless stunt… this madness… this fire in her eyes right now… it all happened because of Kriti?
“What?” My grip loosens. “What exactly does Kriti have to do with this?”
Siya pulls her wrist free and steps back. Then she points angrily at the garland around my neck.
“Kriti was going to put that garland on you. She was literally planning to come to you tonight. Did you want that? Was that okay with you?”
There’s anger in her voice. Possessiveness too. And jealousy so obvious that even she doesn’t realise it’s written all over her face. This isn’t the first time Siya has reacted oddly whenever Kriti’s name has come up. I noticed it at the vineyard and again at the gym. And now, standing here under this full moon, she’s looking at me as if the mere idea of another woman touching me is unbearable to her.
Why does it bother her this much?
Until this moment, I genuinely had no idea Kriti felt anything for me beyond professional respect. To me, she has always been just another employee at RK Estate. Nothing more. And certainly nothing even remotely close to whatever Siya is implying.
Noticing my silence, Siya rubs her fingers against her forehead in frustration before looking back at me.
“Wait,” she says quickly. “Did you want that to happen? Did you want Kriti to put this garland on you? Do you have any feelings for Kriti?”
Again Kriti?As soon as she says this, I take a step towards her until I’m standing right in front of her, invading her personal space again, my jaw clenched.
“Even if I did,” I murmur darkly, holding her gaze, “why do you care? Even if Kriti was planning to do this tonight, why did it bother you so much, Siya? Why areyouso jealous?”
“Really?” she scoffs. “You’re asking me that? Fine! Then why did you act jealous and territorial yesterday after seeing Parag’s messages on my phone? Why didyoucare?”
I grip her upper arms and pull her closer again. This time, she doesn’t push me away. Her eyes meet mine head-on in challenge as my gaze drops briefly to her parted lips before returning to her eyes.
“Don’t answer a question with another question,” I warn her. “What I did yesterday was between us.” I pause. “And it was the right thing to do. But what you did tonight wasn’t private, Siya. The entire valley saw you walk up to me and put a garland around my neck as though I belonged to you.”
Her lips part faintly.
“And now you expect me to believe jealousy had nothing to do with it?”
A humourless smirk tugs at my mouth.
“I’mnotjealous,” she insists, sounding more frustrated with herself than with me. “Why would I be jealous of Kriti? I don’t care if she likes you, or if you like her, or if there’s something going on between you two.”
My brow slowly rises as I see through every lie leaving her mouth.
