Page 200 of The Redemption
Then, abruptly, he releases my arms.
“It’s all because of me. Today it was the Singhals’ men. Tomorrow it could be the Vardhaans. Or the Reddys. This won’t end. They’ll keep coming. Andyouand myfamily… you’ll keep paying formysins.”
“Enough.” I grab his arms this time before he can start pacing again. “Raghav, calm down.”
He doesn’t even seem to hear me.
“Raghav?”
I shake him harder this time, forcing him to stop, but he still keeps staring somewhere beyond me. That’s when I cup his face between my palms.
“Look at me.”
His jaw clenches, but his eyes remain lowered. I gently lift his face, forcing him to meet my eyes. “I said, look at me.”
Those stormy eyes finally meet mine.
“You can’t undo what’s already happened,” I tell him, holding his face firmly and refusing to let him look away again. “But I know one thing with absolute certainty.”
I move closer. “You won’t let anything happen to us. I trust you, Raghav. I trust you with my life. I trust you with Mom, Baba, Meher and the babies’ lives. I trust you to keep us all safe.”
His throat bobs slightly.
Raghav eases down a bit, but the guilt is still eating him alive. His fingers close around my wrists, and he slowly removes my hands from his face.
“You trusted me when you came to RK Estate asking for my help to get you away from the mafia life,” he says with a bitter smile. “And I broke that trust by forcing you to marry me. My family trusted me for the last two and a half years to never return to my old life. And I broke their trust too.”
He lets out a humourless laugh.
“So I don’t think you should trust me anymore, Siya. I don’t think anybody should trust me anymore.”
He’s about to turn around and walk away again when I grab the front of his shirt, stopping him this time. Surprise flashes across his face.
“Yes.” I snap. “Yes, you broke my trust. You disappointed your family.”
I take another step closer.
“But we still look up to you. Because we all know onlyyoucan make things right. Not Ayaan, not GLEN, not anybody else. If anyone can clean up this mess… it’s you.” I jab a finger against his chest. “So now own up to your actions and get us out of this mess.”
I see something inside him finally settle. Some of the guilt loosens its grip, and that fire inside him quietens. Before he can retreat back into his thoughts again, I grab his hand.
“Enough now,” I mutter, pulling him towards the washroom. “You are getting cleaned up first.”
He looks almost taken aback. But for once, without arguing, he walks inside. The moment the bathroom door closes and the lock clicks, I finally exhale. My shoulders sag as the last few minutes catch up with me.
I’ve seen Raghav furious, ruthless, and unstoppable.
But never...broken.
And somehow, that version of him frightens me far more than the Dark Prince the world fears.
CHAPTER 38
SIYA
An hour later
After giving Raghav some time to freshen up, I went downstairs to the living room, where Ayaan was already telling Uncle and Mom what had happened at the club after we left. He didn’t go into details, but I know enough now. The men stalking us inside the club had been sent by the Singhals. And from the way Ayaan spoke, I realised that Raghav was about to shoot one of them tonight.
