Chapter 15
15
A n hour later, Navya entered the Burj Al Arab hotel, quickly made her way to the elevators, and reached the suite where Rehana Haddad was getting dressed for the Tiffany brunch.
Rehana sat in front of a mirror in the living area, giggling like a schoolgirl into her phone, while a hair stylist curled her hair with tongs and a makeup artist applied the finishing touches to her face. Navya gave her a cheerful wave and went straight to the bedroom, where all the garments she’d selected were already set on a rack. Dropping her bag, she quickly began unzipping the garment bags of each of the six outfits she’d chosen. Rehana’s assistants helped her, lining the shoes that matched with each outfit. This was her first time dressing Rehana for an event, and Navya wanted it to go without a hitch. She’d made sure every single look was discussed with the model at length.
Hearing Rehana’s loud laugh, both her assistants looked at one another and chuckled. Everyone in the fashion industry knew of Rehana’s temper tantrums. Her being in a good mood thus suited Navya just fine.
Rehana entered then and began skimming over the clothes, rejecting three at once. Navya waited patiently.
“I need something chic but not very sexy…” she drawled. “It should highlight my neck; I have to showcase a necklace for the brunch.”
“Do you have a picture of the piece you will be wearing?” Navya asked.
“No need of a picture. The perfect outfit will make me look amazing.”
Navya lifted a teal blue, strapless jumpsuit from the rack. “Why don’t you try this on? It’s from that famous Indian designer I told you about. The one who specializes in Western wear? I have a feeling it will look smashing on you.”
“Umm,” Rehana fingered the fabric, “I’m not sure.”
“Try it on. Don’t worry, if you don’t like it, then we have a few more options. We’ll find something perfect for you.”
A few minutes later, Rehana studied herself in the mirror. Even Navya had to admit that the jumpsuit looked fabulous on her. It was a plain teal blue with a chiffon overlap that skimmed her chest and snaked down to the floor from both sides. However, Navya didn’t say a word. She waited patiently as the model assessed herself.
“You can wear the dark green Manolo Blahniks I sent over yesterday,” Navya suggested.
Rehana nodded, and one of her assistants brought forth the heels. The second she stepped into them, she grinned. “Fab. I look fab.”
She turned to Navya. “What do you think?”
“You look stunning.”
“I know that,” the model dismissed the compliment. “What I want to know is how will you make me look even better than this? You see, my boyfriend is attending the brunch as well. I have to look better than my best. Your advice on seducing him worked brilliantly.” She twirled her finger. “I have him wrapped around my finger. So, now help me look even more attractive for him.”
Okay, now all the giggling on the phone made sense to her. Not that Navya would comment on that. She stepped closer to Rehana, running her eyes down her. “Okay, if you want my opinion, then I suggest that you tie your hair in a high ponytail. It will showcase your swan-like neck and the necklace you have to wear.”
Rehana considered her for a moment before she barked out an order to her hairdressers. In a few minutes, she was styled in the fashion Navya had recommended. The Tiffany team arrived with the piece they wanted Rehana to wear. With the new hairstyle, everything about the model looked perfect. Navya did a last-minute Q some fancy deejay is visiting from New York. I need entry for me and my group of friends. I also need everything to be VIP. I refuse to mingle with the regulars. Will you do it?”
“Sure, I’ll put you in on the VIP guest list. Just let me know when.”
“ Shukran , habibti !” The model smiled. “I’ll be in touch on that. Oh, and why don’t you and Armaan join me that night? My boyfriend will be there as well. We can… um… what do they call it?” She clicked her fingers excitedly. “Double date?”
“Yes,” Navya said.
Rehana had so many insecurities that going out socially with her was the last thing Navya wanted to do. Besides, what she had with Armaan was not ready to be out in public yet. They were living in their own little bubble, and right now, no outsiders were allowed in it. Rehana had assumed Navya and he were together, and strangely, Navya had never corrected her. She wouldn’t. Better that this model continued to think Armaan belonged to Navya. Why she felt the need to stake her claim on him as such was a question Navya refused to answer.
Apparently happy with Navya’s responses, the model gave her a cheery wave and exited, followed by one of her assistants. Navya got to work with the other girls on Rehana’s team as they zipped the outfits back in their garment bags and discussed how the various clothes and shoes would be sent back to the design houses.
“I’m glad today went well,” one of Rehana’s assistants said.
“It did,” Navya replied.
“Yeah,” the girl continued. “Her good mood is all thanks to her new beau. She’s quite besotted with him, you see. Apparently, he’s quite rich and lavishes lovely and expensive gifts on her. She’s been smiling the whole week, thanks to him. It makes her behave nicely towards us as well. She’s happy, and hence, we are happy too.”
Navya had worked too long in the industry to know when to keep her mouth shut and simply listen without adding remarks of her own. Many a stylist got a bad name simply by agreeing or disagreeing with comments thrown by others.
Wrapping up her work, Navya changed into her own outfit. She checked her look in the mirror. It was simple and yet, not understated. She’d chosen a powder pink strappy high low dress, fitted at the chest and flowing in soft folds from the waist. Teamed with high heels, gold danglers, and her hair worn in a low twist, she looked chic and classy, but definitely not as glamorous for Rehana to consider her a competition. God, these models and their tantrums.
Once done, she headed downstairs to the banquet hall. It was one of those events in which everyone from the fashion industry was invited. She spotted several acquaintances immediately. Half an hour later, she was moving from one group to another group of people when someone called her name.
She turned and smiled at the tall man, dressed in a sharp business suit, walking toward her.
“Navya, hi!”
“Aditya, hey!” Navya leaned forward to give him a hug.
Aditya Wahi, owner of the Gemini Group of Companies, was a close friend of Rajiv and Sheena. Over the last few years, Aditya had been a frequent visitor to Dubai, especially when Rajiv and Sheena’s full gang of friends, including Sheena’s brother and cousins from Mumbai, decided to visit, which happened at least once a year, if not more.
Aditya held her by the arms.
“So good to meet you!” He studied her from top to toe. “You look amazing.”
She smiled. He was one of those men who had it all—money, looks, style, and charisma, and he was a nice person too.
“Aren’t you going to return the compliment?” he teased. “Or do I not meet with your approval today?”
This push and pull was a thing between them. He flirted; she flirted. And it always remained at that. Aditya was perhaps one of the few single men left in Sheena’s group of friends, and hence, he’d always been a hot topic of gossip between Navya and her sisters. Reina and she had crushed over him each time they’d met him. Apart from being a thorough charmer, he was intelligent, sharp, and a whole lot of fun to be with.
Sheena had always insisted that he wasn’t ready to settle down, and Navya had never felt inclined on a casual fling. That would have been immensely awkward for all concerned, and she supposed he felt the same way, and that’s why they’d been only friends till date.
She straightened his tie. “You always look good, you know that.”
Meeting him today, however, she questioned why had she ever crushed on him. He didn’t make her pulse escalate, nor did her blood fizz when he was around. Her heart didn’t react to him at all… much unlike how she—and her body—responded when Armaan was around. God. Her fascination with the man was now bordering on obsession. She simply couldn’t stop thinking about him.
A sudden tingle shot down her spine. She looked to the front and then to the right. And then, when she looked to the left, she found him . Arms crossed, posture stiff, and eyes glittering dangerously. A second tingle shot down her back.
He looked mad. Wait, why was he mad? His eyes moved from her to Aditya and then back to her. Realization dawned. He didn’t like seeing her with Aditya. The knowledge thrilled her to bits. It made her already rumbling heart boom louder. Before he could take a step toward her, a woman appeared in front of him. Navya recognized the very famous Egyptian model instantly. The woman draped herself over him, and Armaan let her. In fact, he even held her waist as he spoke to her. Navya’s jaw hurt by how hard she was clenching it. Her eyes met Armaan’s. Deliberately, she linked her hand with Aditya’s arm, and she caressed his cheek slowly.
“How come you’re here?” she asked Aditya. “And hey, why haven’t you called me? Just because Rajiv and Sheena aren’t in town doesn’t mean you ignore me.”
He gave her a warm smile. “Honestly, I just landed some time back. I have a meeting with Tiffany’s CEO, Steffi Warton. My mom is looking for a specific ring, and I have a feeling Steffi might know where I can find it. Why don’t you join me? Let’s meet and greet people together, and then once I’m done with my meeting, you and I can go out for coffee. I have to return to Mumbai in the evening, so I don’t have much time today.”
“Sure. That sounds good.”
She’d barely taken a step when she heard Armaan’s voice. Low, dangerous, sharp.
“Have you forgotten who you belong to, moya tigritsa ?”
She took her time to look at him. From next to her, Aditya alternated his gaze between Armaan and her.
“Is there a problem?” Aditya asked, his voice equally sharp.
“Yes,” Armaan growled.
“Of course not,” Navya said at the same time.
Armaan’s eyes narrowed on her for a second and then on her hand, which was still linked to Aditya’s arm before they landed on Aditya’s face.
“Stay away from her.” It was an order.
“Or what?” Aditya asked.
“You really wouldn’t like the answer to that,” Armaan replied, his voice all steel.
Shit. She really hadn’t thought through her actions when she’d decided to provoke Armaan. But seeing him with that other woman had erased all sensible thought from her head.
“Guys…” she began. Both men ignored her.
She tried to remove her hand from around Aditya’s arm, but he put his hand atop hers, stopping her. Armaan stiffened even more.
She freed her hand from under Aditya’s.
“Okay, we all got off on the wrong foot, so let’s do this again.” She looked at Armaan. “This is Aditya Wahi, a friend. And Aditya, this is Armaan Oshnov, my… he’s my… he’s…”
Fuck. She was fumbling like an idiot.
“She’s mine.” Armaan filled in for her.
A spark lit in her chest at that declaration. Aditya’s gaze widened as it fell on her. He arched a brow, and she nodded.
She turned to Aditya. “Rain check on the coffee?”
He looked at Armaan and then at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Aditya leaned down to kiss her cheek. Armaan’s loud growl didn’t even faze him as he said aloud, “I’ll call you the next time I’m here. It should be in a few weeks, I think.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
He stared at her for a long moment. “Do Rajiv and Sheena know?”
“Not yet. It’s too new between us.”
He grinned. “I see. Well, they won’t hear it from me then.”
She lowered her chin in acknowledgement.
Ignoring Armaan, he gave her a naughty smile and went in the opposite direction from them. She didn’t even get a chance to take a breath. Armaan grabbed her arm and took her down a corridor. He turned right, then left and halted when they were finally alone, a little distance away from all the hustle and bustle.
He pushed her against the wall and leaned over her. “Who’s he to you?”
She gave him a coy look. “A friend.”
His eyes were smouldering now. He lifted her jaw up with a finger. “A friend? Do you allow all your friends to hold your hand? You straighten all their clothes? You kiss their cheek? You allow them to touch you, to kiss your cheek? Are you so free with all your friends ?”
Anger rolled off of him. And she revelled in it. She enjoyed seeing him all worked up and jealous over her.
Navya lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “Like I said, he’s just a friend. Oh wait, maybe I did have a crush on him at one time.”
His entire body stiffened. “Repeat that for me, Navya.”
“Why? You obviously heard what I said,” she said calmly, uncaring that a storm was swirling inside him.
“Just this morning, your lips were on my…”
She slammed a hand against his mouth, shaking her head. She looked sideways, grateful they were still alone. What she had done to him was private; she had barely come to terms with it herself. She didn’t want him announcing it in public.
He shifted her hand from his mouth.
“And now I find you laughing with another man—a man you crushed on—touching him, allowing him to touch you. Are you enjoying riling me up? Have you forgotten our agreement, moya tigritsa ?”
“Seems like you’re the one who’s forgotten our agreement. That woman was draped all over you.”
“She was no one.”
“And yet you allowed her to touch you. You were so freely touching her too.”
He smirked. “I like seeing you jealous, my tigress.”
She touched the corner of his lip. “I like seeing you jealous, too.”
“Navya…” he whispered, his tone taking on a dangerous edge. “The next man you make me jealous with will die.”
She gasped, finally understanding the gravity of what would happen if she dared to push him over the edge.
She rose on tiptoes and put her arms around him. “Calm down. Aditya’s just a friend. He’s real thick with Rajiv and Sheena. And I used to crush on him at one time, but that was much before you. I felt nothing when I met him now, not even the slightest flicker of interest. You’re all I want, Armaan.”
His hands tightened around her waist. Fire flamed under her skin.
“No one touches what is mine. Friend or no friend, you best remember that at all times,” he said. “Just because I haven’t claimed you yet doesn’t make you any less mine. You are mine and only mine.”
She looked into his eyes. “Then claim me. Make me yours. This morning wasn’t enough. I need more . I need everything from you.”
He growled before swooping down to brush his lips against hers. “Whatever you want is yours, moya milaya .”
The air around them charged. Want, need, desire, all of it swirled and whirled, making her dizzy. They’d been circling each other for way too long now.
She wrapped her arms tighter around him. “Now, Armaan. I want you now.”
Pulling out his phone, he tapped on it.
“Vasily, bring the car to the porch,” he barked, his voice rough, gravelly.
Taking her hand, he tugged her with him to the exit. “No, I don’t care if you’ve finally fucking parked. Just turn around and come fetch me.”
All too soon, a black Bentley stopped in front of them. Vasily stepped out and held the back door open.
Navya pulled out her parking ticket. “I have a car.”
Armaan plucked it out of her fingers and handed it to a valet. He fired some instructions in rapid Russian. Vasily shook his head, pointing to the Bentley. More conversation occurred, which she didn’t understand. Finally, Vasily lowered his head in a nod.
“He will follow us in your car, da ?” Armaan checked.
“Okay. No Arlo today?”
“Vasily gave him another job to do.”
Once her car appeared behind them, Armaan settled her in his Bentley and took the driver’s side. Within seconds, they were on the road with Vasily following behind them.
She shot off a quick text to Lavina to reschedule the rest of her meetings for the day. Lavina called her immediately. Navya disconnected her call. In fact, she switched off her phone and dropped it in her bag. She’d have to deal with her assistant tomorrow. In all their time working together, Navya had never skipped work like this. In fact, this, missing work to spend time with a man was completely out of character for her. Yet, it felt right. Armaan felt right.
She looked around, noticing they were headed in a different direction than from his home. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” His hot gaze slid over her, and goosebumps pebbled her skin. Her heart began to race. Armaan stopped the car at a signal. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Anticipation rushed like adrenaline down her veins.
She swallowed. “What were you doing at the event?”
“I am… was the chief guest of the event. O-Diamonds supplies to many brands. This included.”
“Oh my God, and you left… just like that?”
“That isn’t important. You are.”
Happiness soared within her.
“Besides, I’d already finished meeting and greeting whoever was important before I spotted you and… him.” His brow creased. “After this morning, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Do you know how hard it was for me to let you go? And then I came to the brunch and found another man drooling all over you. Fuck, I wanted to murder him.”
She reached forward to wipe his frown with her fingers. “Aditya is just a friend.”
“He better be only that,” he muttered, still looking mad.
She caught his hand and brought it to her lips. “I’m here with you, Armaan, and not with him. Over the last few years, I’ve had enough opportunity to take things forward with him, or anyone else. But I never did. But you… you’re constantly on my mind. I can’t stop thinking about you. There has been no one who’s affected me as much as you do. And after this morning, you ought to believe that I want you.”
Lifting her hand to his mouth, he kissed it, his eyes steady on hers. “Once we cross this line between us, there won’t be any going back, Navya.”
“Had I known making you jealous would be the way to making you want to claim me then I would have done it a long time back.”
“I’ve wanted you for a long time, baby.” His eyes glimmered with heat. “I was just waiting for you to be sure you want this too.”
She nodded.
“I need to hear the words, Navya.”
She removed her hand from his and palmed his cheek. “This is what I want. I want you to make love to me, to show me the pleasure I know only you can give me. So yes, Armaan. I want this.”
“Finally, she says yes to me.”
“I think I said yes to you a long time ago.” Her hand scraped down his jaw.
He captured it in his own and bit the back of it. Her heartbeat doubled. His dark eyes glazed with desire. His want resonated within her. The signal turned green. He dropped her hand, and moved the car forward. The rest of the drive was filled with silence, the air between them thick with tension and anticipation. Desire pulled between them like a rope, tightening with every breath taken and every look exchanged.
Within moments, Armaan parked at the Dubai marina. She understood instantly where he was taking her. He opened her door and helped her out. He walked toward his yacht—the same yacht where she had met him for the first time four years ago.
She paused when she saw the massive boat appear in front of her. Her heart bumped against her ribcage. Her skin began to tingle. A soft breeze blew against her face. Even the sun shone brighter. A sense of calm washed over her. It felt like everything about this moment was preordained, like fate was waiting for her to return here, to where it had all started. She heaved out a breath.
“Having second thoughts?” he asked.
She looked to the side, realizing that they both were staring at the yacht.
“No.”
His hand pressed into her back, circling her waist. Heat spread through every nerve and cell of her body. She took a step forward, and he followed.
If fate had decided this for her, then who was she to go against it?