Chapter 21
21
M ihir’s car sped down the busy Moscow roads. From the corner of his eye, he saw Anna watching the streets go by, looking fascinated. He knew it was her first time here. She hadn’t told him that, but her brother had, when they’d met last. Rajiv had subtly warned him to treat Anna well while she was alone with him. Rajiv trusted him, and that’s why he’d sent Anna alone here. And already, he had failed his friend’s trust by making love to her.
He exhaled. He had never expected that this attraction and fascination he had with her would erupt into this volcano of desire that was taking them both under. What was worse was that he didn’t know how to stop it. Being with her, playing with her in the snow, laughing with her, kissing her, and making love to her—all of it felt exhilarating. It had made him happy—happier than he’d been in years.
And for now, for just a few days, he wanted this status quo to remain. For a little more time, he wanted to live in this bubble with her and be happy, like he had been once, only with her.
The car slowed. Her wide eyes met his as they drove into a cemetery.
“Are we going to pay homage at your father’s grave?” she asked, intuitively.
“He died on the fifteenth of May,” he replied. “Thus, whenever any of us is in town, we try to visit his grave on the fifteenth of the month, that is today.”
The driver parked at the side, and Anna climbed out of the car, waiting for Mihir to join her. Parked behind them was the car with his bodyguards. Chekov and four others got down and fanned around them, their eyes scanning the surroundings. His driver handed him a bouquet of white lilies. He looked up at the sky. Dark clouds had hidden the sun completely, and a cold breeze blew around them. He glanced at Anna’s attire. Dressed in a beanie, his red muffler, a sweater, boots, and a long overcoat, he was convinced she was dressed warm enough. Satisfied, he moved forward.
“Wait…” Anna plucked a lily from the bouquet. “Had I known, I would have insisted on getting my own flowers. I hope this will do for now.”
He nodded, touched by her gesture.
She placed her hand on his arm as he led her through the graves, up to the ones right on the top of a tiny hill. The wind ruffled his hair as he knelt in front of the first grave. He placed the flowers near the headstone.
He spoke in Russian. “Hello, Papa. We all miss you so much. I miss you terribly, you know.”
Anna stood a step behind him. He tiltedhis head to the side. “This is her. The girl I once loved more than my life. She’s here in Moscow, and I couldn’t help but bring her to meet you.” He put his hand on the granite slab. “I’ve never spoken about her to you before. She hurt me once, but like a fool, I’m letting her in again. I’m so confused about her, about the way my heart aches for her, and I just… I don’t know what to do anymore. I wish you were here to help me, Papa.”
His eyes teared, but he swallowed his sadness and smiled. “Yes, I know you don’t like it when any of us is sad. But you will be delighted to know that Armaan and Vedant have fallen in love with two wonderful girls. They’re her sisters, and you would have loved them. I’m sure my brothers will bring them to meet you soon. I’ll try to meet you once more before I return home to Dubai. It really has become home for all three of us. We do love it there. Wish you had been alive to see us succeed and do so well. Thank you, Papa, for everything you’ve done for us, and know that we all love you very much and that we think of you every single day.”
He stood and returned to where Anna was waiting for him. She went forward and put her flower on the grave.
“Hello, Mr. Oshnov,” she said quietly. “I’m Ananya, Anna—Mihir still insists on calling me that despite me repeatedly telling him not to. But I’m sure you know how difficult he is.”
Mihir chuckled.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for all three of them. They’re all good men. Yeah, I know—even Mihir, although he’s a grump most of the time and is not so nice to me. But I know he’s good to everyone else. So, thank you. I hope you keep guiding them and protecting them from wherever you are.”
His heart rumbled at her words and at the sight of her hand on his father’s grave. She was utterly adorable, and he was so in love with her. A shocked breath escaped his mouth.
Fuck. This was why he’d stayed away from her for years. But now that he’d voiced that thought in his head, it wouldn’t go away. It refused to be wiped out, no matter how hard he tried.
He was in love with Ananya Mehra. She’d stolen his heart a long time ago, and had never returned it to him. He looked at his father’s grave, feeling more shaken and conflicted than ever.
What am I going to do, Papa? I love her. But I don’t want to get hurt again.
Anna stood and turned. Like a sign from the heavens, the clouds parted to reveal the golden sun. She lifted her face to the sky as a ray of sunlight washed over her. His heart rumbled louder. She was so beautiful. Reaching her, he planted his mouth on hers in a soft kiss.
“What was that for?” she asked, when he lifted his face from hers.
“Just…” he said.
Her face brightened. She looked to the side. “Whose graves are those?”
“They’re Alexander’s wife and son’s graves. He wanted to be near them after he died.”
“That’s so sweet,” she said.
Leaving him, she went to Alexander’s headstone and plucked two more lilies from the bouquet. An ache blossomed in his heart as he watched her place one flower each on the other two graves.
There she was, the girl he’d fallen for seven years ago. She’d been so sweet, just like this. It was at times like these that his mind struggled to reconcile with the knowledge that this lovely woman was the same person who had caused him immeasurable pain.
Anna returned to him, her eyes sparkling and her nose red from the cold.
“Let’s go,” he told her.
The car took off the second they were seated.
“This is your first time in Moscow, right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then it would be wrong of me not to show you around.”
“Really?” She beamed.
“I mean, it would be nice if you could add Moscow to Noir’s ‘Places to visit once in a lifetime’ section.”
Her lips tipped up, and then she squinted at him. “You read Noir?!”
“Sometimes.”
Untrue. He’d read every single issue ever since she’d started the magazine. He’d tracked her career for years. He knew how successful she was.
Not only was Noir popular as a magazine, but Noir’s Fashion Week in Mumbai had become an unmissable event in the recent years. Designers crammed to be selected to showcase their designs.
In the blink of an eye, his entire obsession with her made sense. Yes, obsession.
He could finally admit to himself how obsessed he was with her. That’s why he’d always kept an eye on her from afar. The truth was that he’d never gotten over her. Even staying away from her and forcing himself to hate her hadn’t worked, because the fact was that he’d never stopped loving her. Not even for a second.
Finding her watching him, he said, “So, do you think you’d like to see Moscow through the eyes of a local?”
She grinned. “Oh yes, I’d love that.”
He instructed his driver where to take them. She chatted with him nonstop after that, asking dozens of questions about the people, the city, the culture, and the customs. He answered her as best as he could.
Her eyes sparkled with joy as he took her to the various tourist spots, the Red Square, the Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theatre, which was empty at this time of the afternoon. She squealed in delight when she saw the beautiful St. Basil’s Cathedral.
“Look at those colors!” she whispered in awe. “This cathedral has been on my list for years. So beautiful. I love it.”
Taking his phone out, he snapped a picture of her. Perfect. She looked perfect with the sun shining on her, the clear blue sky, and the stunning colors of the cathedral in the background.
Seeing what he’d done, she pulled out her own phone and snapped a picture of him.
She studied the picture she’d clicked. “You look gorgeous.”
“Yeah, right…” he scowled.
“Look!” She turned the phone towards him. “With the sunlight streaming on your face and the blue sky behind you, you look fabulous, Mihir.”
He gave the picture a fleeting glance. He’d stopped posing for pictures after the scar. He barely looked at himself in the mirror.
His mood bitter now, he walked toward the cathedral’s entrance. Anna followed him as they entered the doors. Once inside, she got busy clicking photos on her phone. He watched her. What was he thinking? How many more reminders did he need of his past?
But his stupid heart wouldn’t listen. It continued to blossom and soar because she was near him, because she was with him in the city that was also home to him. Fuck, he was so screwed.