Page 90 of His Arranged Wife
"Because I don't know how," he said, raw honesty in his voice. "I don't know how to be anything other than what I am. Hard. Cold. Violent."
"You're not cold with me. Not always."
"In bed, you mean."
"Not just in bed." She touched his face, making him look at her. "When you read my book. When you asked about my writing. When you protected me tonight. That's not cold."
"That's selfish," he corrected. "I want to know what you do because you're mine. I protected you because no one else gets to touch what's mine. Don't romanticize it, Nimisha."
"Why not? You won't let me romanticize us, you won't let me hope, you won't let me believe this could be more. What am I supposed to do? Just exist in this half-life forever?"
He didn't answer.
She laughed bitterly. "That's what I thought."
She tried to move away, but his grip tightened.
"Don't," he said roughly. "Don't pull away from me."
"Why not? You do it constantly."
"Because I'm trying to protect you."
"From what?"
"From me." The words were torn from him. "From what I'll do to you if I let myself have you completely. From the monster I become when I care too much."
Her breath caught. "You care?"
"Nimisha—"
"Do you care about me?" She needed to hear it. Needed something to hold onto.
His jaw clenched. "You know I do."
"Say it."
"I—" He stopped, the words stuck in his throat. "I can't."
Tears burned her eyes. "Then show me."
"How?"
"Like this."
She kissed him, pouring a year of frustration and longing into it.
And he kissed her back like a drowning man finding air.
CHAPTER 14
Saturday Evening - The Grand Taj Ballroom
Nimisha stood in front of the full-length mirror in their bedroom, barely recognizing herself.
The saree was a masterpiece—deep emerald silk with intricate gold embroidery that caught the light with every movement. The blouse was fitted, showing just enough skin to be elegant rather than provocative. Her hair was styled in soft waves, pinned on one side with a gold clip. Diamond earrings—a gift from Samarth that morning, delivered without explanation—sparkled at her ears.
She looked like she belonged in his world.
