Chapter 41
IRA
"You really shouldn't have drunk this much," Saurav muttered as he slid the key into the lock of my quarters. His voice carried that mix of concern and annoyance I'd heard from him plenty of times before. "You can barely walk, Ira."
"I'm fine..." I slurred, trying to wave him off. My hand reached for the doorframe, but the world tilted in slow motion and I felt my knees wobble. Before I could steady myself, his firm arm slipped around my waist.
"Fine?" he scoffed, tightening his hold so I didn't collapse. "You're swaying like a ship in a storm."
"You should go now," I mumbled as we crossed the threshold. "You told me you have an early flight to Kolkata."
"Yeah, I do," he said, his sigh heavy as he steered me toward the sofa. He eased me down like I was something fragile, though the couch still seemed to dip and sway beneath me. Without another word, he disappeared into the kitchen.
The faint sounds of cupboards opening, glass clinking, and running water echoed in my ears. When he returned, he held out a glass of water in one hand and two small pills in the other.
"These will help your headache later," he said, his tone somewhere between a lecture and a command. "And for the record, I told you not to drink if you're not used to it."
"I just had a couple of glasses," I pouted, taking the pills from his palm.
I placed them on my tongue, then drank deeply, letting the cool water wash away the dryness in my mouth.
"Didn't think it would hit me this hard.
" My voice cracked as I winced, pressing the heel of my hand to my temple as if I could push the pain out.
"A couple of glasses, huh?" His brows lifted in disbelief. "They must have been pouring them into a bucket instead of a glass."
I gave a faint laugh but didn't answer. My head was spinning too much to care about defending myself.
"Are you sure you're gonna be okay tonight?" he asked, eyes softening in that way that made me uneasy. Pity. I hated pity.
"Don't do that," I said, forcing a smirk. "Don't act like some noble saint. It doesn't suit you."
He gave me a look, somewhere between suspicion and amusement. "And what suits me, then?"
I tilted my head toward him, letting the words slip out before thinking better of it. "Do you wanna fuck me?"
Saurav's eyes went wide, his entire face stiffening as if I'd thrown cold water at him. "Are you crazy?" His voice cracked with genuine shock. "God, Ira, I've always seen you as my sister."
"I know..." I mumbled, looking away. The alcohol made the room blur at the edges, but shame still burned hot in my cheeks.
Saurav was Aryan's cousin, which by extension made him.
.. well, family. We'd always been friendly, sure, sometimes crass, sometimes teasing but there had never been anything more.
He had a reputation, a long list of women and scandalous stories trailing after him, but never within the family circle. And never me.
He glanced toward the clock on the wall. "I should probably let you rest."
"You can go," I said, sinking deeper into the cushions. My eyes closed, but my mind refused to settle. All I could see was Prashant, his easy smile, the way he leaned in close to her. That woman. The one who laughed at his every word like he'd hung the stars just for her.
I hated her.
But more than that, I hated him. Hated the way he'd walked past me earlier, as though I was invisible. He'd greeted every officer in the room except me. Not a glance. Not a word.
Why? What had I done? Why was he doing this to me?
"Well... I'm heading out," Saurav said quietly. He hesitated at the door, his hand resting on the knob like he wasn't convinced he should leave me alone.
I tried to give him a reassuring nod, but a sudden churning in my stomach made my eyes widen. I barely had time to stand before I bolted for the bathroom.
The cold tiles hit my knees as I leaned over the toilet, the sour burn of vomit rising in my throat. My body convulsed, coughs racking my chest. Tears pricked my eyes not from sadness this time, but from the raw acid scraping my throat.
And then I felt him again. Saurav, crouching beside me, his hand gathering my hair and holding it back with a gentleness I didn't expect from someone so brash.
"It's okay," he murmured. "Get it out."
I didn't understand it. I'd only had two glasses of wine hadn't I? Why did it feel like my body was waging war on itself?
When the last wave passed, I sat back, trembling. My head was heavy, my skin clammy. Saurav didn't leave; he waited while I rinsed my mouth, then fetched my toothbrush without being asked.
"Rinse again," he instructed, standing in the doorway like a sentry.
After brushing my teeth, I followed him half leaning, half dragging my feet to my bedroom. He set a glass of water on the nightstand, then disappeared briefly before returning with a steaming mug of herbal tea.
"Drink," he said, passing it to me.
The warmth of it seeped into my hands, the scent sharp and calming. I sipped slowly, letting the heat ease the tight knot in my stomach.
He didn't talk much after that. Just sat there in the chair beside my bed, checking his phone every so often but never leaving. Eventually, the heaviness in my eyelids won.
Just before I drifted under, I felt the weight of a blanket being pulled over me, the gentle tuck of fabric around my shoulders. Then, faintly, the click of the door locked as he left.
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I yawned and sank onto the edge of my bed, still feeling the heaviness in my head from last night's drinks. My body was just beginning to relax when my eyes shot wide open as someone was sitting in the chair by the window, casually scrolling through his phone.
"Prashant?" My voice came out as a startled gasp. "What the heck are you doing here?"
He lifted his gaze from the screen, his expression unreadable. "Is that even a question?" His brows knitted together, his tone sharp but oddly calm. "If some other man can enter your room, why can't your own husband?"
My mind froze for a second. "What are you talking about?" I asked, rubbing my temple in confusion. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes, but the herbal tea Saurav had made for me earlier had dulled it a little.
Wait. Saurav. Was that who he was talking about?
"He was here to help me," I said slowly, realising dawning. "I was drunk last night..."
"Help?" Prashant let out a bitter scoff. "Was he helping you take off your clothes?"
My jaw clenched so hard it hurt. "Are you out of your fucking mind, bastard?
" I spat, my voice shaking with rage. Every muscle in me wanted to strangle him for even thinking let alone saying such a thing.
How dare he talk to me like I was the one betraying our marriage, when he was the one practically glued to another woman every day.
"I saw him leaving your quarters at one in the morning," Prashant hissed, his tone laced with venom. "You've made a habit of cheating, haven't you, Ira?"
The disbelief made my voice falter. "Prashant.
.. What are you even saying? You seriously think I was having sex with a man I've always thought of as my brother?
" My heart was pounding, a cold wave of hurt rushing through me.
"Don't throw accusations at me when you're the one spending every waking hour with someone else. "
His eyes narrowed. "Was that my choice, Ira? You know damn well it was our superior's decision. I'm not working with Dr. Riddhima but I'm doing my duty."
I shook my head, the frustration bubbling higher.
"Then tell me where have you been all day?
Why do you ignore me? Why don't you tell anyone I'm your wife?
Why haven't you arranged for our spouse quarters yet?
You keep putting distance between us and acting like I don't notice, but I do, Prashant. I see everything."
He exhaled slowly, his gaze still locked on mine.
"I've been busy. I'm not ignoring you. I've had dinner with you twice this week.
And yes, I haven't got the quarters yet, but I will by next month.
And..." His voice softened, but his stare grew more intense.
"I'm planning to throw a big party next month.
I'll announce our relationship there, in front of everyone. "
The sudden shift in his tone caught me off guard. He reached forward and cupped my face in his warm hands, his thumb brushing against my cheek. "I don't want to hurt you, Ira. I'm doing everything I can to make things better between us. You just have to trust me."
Something in his eyes, something deep and unreadable made my throat tighten. I swallowed hard. "Do you trust me?" he asked.
I nodded quickly.
"Is everything okay between us?" My voice was quiet, almost afraid of the answer.
"Yes," he said, his tone was low but certain. "Everything is going to be okay." His fingers traced the line of my jaw, his eyes dipping briefly to my lips. "But next time... don't let any man into your quarters."
"I promise," I said, managing a faint smile. "No man will set foot in here."
His lips curved slightly. "I came to meet you at the party, but Saurav was there and he didn't leave your side the entire evening." His tone was bitter.
I let out a soft laugh. "Are you jealous?"
His smile widened. "So much," he admitted before leaning in to kiss the corner of my lips, his breath warm against my skin. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Better," I murmured, my head resting back against the pillows.
"Good. Let me make you something to eat," he said, starting to stand.
But I caught his wrist. "Just stay with me," I whispered.
He didn't hesitate. In the next second, he was beside me, pulling me into his arms. I curled into his chest, breathing in his familiar scent as his hand began a slow, soothing caress over my back.
The steady rhythm of his heartbeat under my ear was the only sound in the room, and for a moment, the tension between us melted into the quiet comfort of his embrace.
"I'm sorry for saying those things to you," Prashant murmured, his voice low and edged with remorse. "I was just... extremely angry when I saw him hovering around you."
"I thought you didn't even notice," I said, tilting my head to look at him.
His gaze locked with mine. "Trust me," he said, almost in a whisper, "my eyes were on you the entire evening yesterday."
A soft laugh escaped me, and I slid my fingers into his hair, feeling the warmth of him so close. The tension between us shifted, melting into something softer, hungrier. In the next heartbeat, our lips met, and the world outside the two of us ceased to exist.
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