Chapter 22
22
A nanya looked around the small street Mihir had brought her to. A pedestrian-only area, Arbat Street was filled with cafés, restaurants, and local shops. Singers, musicians playing various instruments, and artists painting portraits of passers-by were dotted around them. Against the backdrop of white snow, the street was beautifully decked with Xmas lights and festive decorations. It was really pretty. But now that the sun had set, it looked even prettier all lit up. She took everything in with awe.
She looked to the side. Mihir was typing on his phone, his brow pinched. She sighed. He was a busy man, and yet he’d spent the whole day with her, not complaining even once. He’d shown her around the various touristy sites in Moscow, and her phone was now filled with beautiful images. Her head was buzzing with ideas for a new article for Noir. In fact, she’d already sent some pictures to her social media manager, who had already posted them online.
She checked Noir’s socials. The pictures were seeing a lot of healthy traction. Maybe she’d add the article on Moscow to the anniversary edition of Noir. It made sense, since the edition’s highlight was an exclusive interview with the handsome Russian billionaire standing in front of her. Excited, she quickly sent out an email to her team, promising them to upload all her photos on their shared drive.
Looking up, she found Mihir still on his phone, his expression somber. While initially his mood had been exuberant and happy, the second she’d clicked his picture, he’d become sad and forlorn. He’d barely even glanced at that picture. Yes, he’d spoken to her and shown her around, but the light had dimmed from his eyes.
Scrolling back to that picture of his, she studied it again. Mihir looked fabulous in it. What had he found so wrong with it that his mood had soured like it had? She frowned when her eyes finally landed on the scar on his face. It was clearly visible in his side profile. Her heart jerked. That scar… For sure it was the scar that had upset him. Now, it all made sense to her. The scar was the reason why there were never pictures of him anywhere. He’d even specifically asked that the article in Noir be without any photos of him.
She was so used to him with the scar that she hadn’t even noticed it in the picture. In fact, she didn’t even notice it anymore when she was looking at him. That scar was a part of him, and she definitely thought it gave him a more dangerous, rugged, and sexier edge. Did Mihir think that the scar made him look awful?
Mihir’s phone rang. “Sorry, I have to take this call.”
She nodded, and Mihir stepped to the side. She walked a little farther ahead, looking at the colorful shop displays.
“Ananya!” A loud voice from her right made her turn. A rush of excitement flooded her as she saw her friend Aditya Wahi approaching her.
“Imagine running into you here!” Ananya squealed, launching herself at him. Aditya caught her in his arms.
Aditya Wahi, owner of the Gemini Group, was an old friend of Sheena and Rajiv. He and several others from their circle in Mumbai visited Dubai often. Over the years, he’d become her friend as well.
Aditya grinned. “I haven’t met you in a long while.”
“It’s been six months, maybe more,” Ananya complained. “The last time was at Armaan and Navya’s engagement party.”
“Wow, it’s really been that long!” Aditya pulled her close and hugged her again. He kissed her cheek warmly. “Rajiv asked me to?—”
“Let her go at once,” Mihir’s loud growl tore through the air.
She spun around and saw Mihir prowling closer, his expression tight. His angry gaze latched onto Aditya’s arms, still encircling her waist.
“I said, let her go,” Mihir repeated, his tone sharp, menacing.
Aditya’s arms tightened around her even more. “What if I don’t?”
“You wouldn’t like the consequences of that.”
“Are you threatening me?” Aditya queried, his voice cool as a cucumber.
Ananya moved out of Aditya’s hold.
“Touch her again, and see what happens,” Mihir responded.
Ananya stepped in between both the men, her hands raised. Facing Mihir, she pushed at his chest. “Okay, Mr. Intense, he’s a friend.”
“Do you give all your friends permission to manhandle you?” Mihir asked.
She gasped. “Are you mad? He wasn’t manhandling me.”
Finding Aditya watching them, she stepped back and said, “Let’s start over.” She addressed Mihir first. “This is Aditya Wahi.”
Mihir’s gaze hardened.
She looked at Aditya. “And this rude man is Mihir Oshnov. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know how to be nice.”
“Another Oshnov?” Aditya’s gaze skimmed over Mihir before landing on Ananya. “Rajiv seems to be biased toward this one. But to me, it looks like you’re hanging out with the worst one.”
Mihir’s eyes turned feral. She pressed both her hands into his chest, pushing him back.
“Don’t you dare move from here,” she yelled. “I will handle this… and him.”
When Mihir’s expression still didn’t change, she gentled her tone. “Look at me.”
His eyes finally latched onto her face, and softened.
“He’s a friend,” she said. “I’m going to talk to him for a minute, alone. You will stay right here, and not behave like a savage. Am I clear?”
His lips tightened a fraction, and then he lowered his chin slightly. Leaving him, she went to Aditya, pulling him to the side.
She asked, “Why the hell were you antagonizing him?”
“Because it’s so much fun.”
She threw him an annoyed look. “Earlier, you mentioned something Rajiv asked you to do… Well, did my brother ask you to check on me? Is that why you’re here?”
Aditya’s smile was enough of an answer.
She pressed a hand to her hip. “Why?”
He tipped his head at Mihir. “Because you have history with him, and Rajiv was concerned about you. He was restless knowing you were alone with Mihir here, so he asked me to check on you.”
“And he couldn’t have checked on me over the phone?”
Aditya studied her. “You know it’s not the same.”
“It’s barely been a day since I’ve been here,” she said, irritated. “I can’t believe that he sent you to check on me like this. Wait, how did you know where to find me?” She looked around her. “Is he having me followed? God, I’ll punch Rajiv if he’s doing that.”
“Of course not!” Aditya laughed. “I was going to call you. But then Noir’s socials showed you here in Arbat Street. My hotel is close by, so I decided to step out and see if I could find you.”
She glared at him. “I don’t like this.”
“Don’t like what? That your brother is worried about you?” Aditya asked gently. “What did you expect?”
“For him to know that I can handle Mihir.”
“That won’t stop him from worrying.” He looked at Mihir. “But clearly, you can handle him. So, all is well.”
“Yes,” Ananya replied.
“Good, which means I can continue with my plan and fly to Singapore now.”
Aditya was a good friend to do this. He’d gone out of his way to check on her. And her brother… Although she was irritated with him, she could understand where he was coming from.
She gave Aditya a smile. “Thank you for doing this for Rajiv. You’re a good friend. You and I really need to catch up soon.”
Aditya laughed. “I doubt that man behind you will ever agree to that. He seems so possessive of you. But I’ll be coming to Dubai next month. Let’s catch up then.”
Ananya gave him a quick hug, and with a happy wave, Aditya left her, disappearing into the crowd.
She turned and stormed back to Mihir. “Are you mental? Why were you behaving like a fucking caveman?”
“What did he want?” Mihir barked out. “It’s too much of a coincidence that he was here in Moscow at the same time as you are, and that he found you here in Arbat Street.”
She frowned. “Will you calm the fuck down?”
“Answer the question, Anna. What did he want?”
“Rajiv sent him.”
Mihir looked stunned. “Why?”
“To check on me and to ensure that you and I haven’t killed each other. Although, I’m fighting the urge to change that.”
“How did he find you here?”
“From Noir’s social media. I sent some pics to the team, and they must have tagged me in the pictures when they posted them.”
“I don’t like him,” he growled.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t know him.”
“I know enough.” Mihir yanked her to him. “You’re mine. I don’t like anyone touching what’s mine.”
She stopped her heart from soaring at his words.
“You and I are temporary, remember,” she reminded him. “You said so yourself this morning.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that I don’t like another man near you. I don’t like another man breathing close to you, and I hate it when another man touches you.”
Her jaw opened and closed. He was… He was just too much. She honestly didn’t know what to do with him or what to make of his words. Temporary . This was temporary, she told her frantic heart.
Yet, the next words slipped from her mouth before she could catch them. “You’re the only man I ever want near me. You’re the only man I want breathing next to me, and you’ve always been the only man I want touching me.”
Satisfaction showed in the brilliant smile on his face. God, that beautiful smile could still bring her to her knees. Her eyes raked his face. There was nothing about him that she didn’t like. To her, he was perfect, scar and all, and she hated that he thought less of himself because of the scar.
“Seven years ago, in that café,” she began, “I thought that you were the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. And now, years later, I think you’ve only grown to be more handsome than before.”
Rising to her toes, she ran her mouth along his scar, kissing every inch of it. “This scar doesn’t define who you are. You are you , and you are perfect.”
He caught her arms, staring at her in awe. He opened his mouth, and she pressed her lips to his, stopping whatever he was going to say. Her tongue dipped inside his parted mouth and staked control. As always, electricity crackled in her veins and desire punched through her whole being as her tongue tangled with his.
Mihir finally shifted slightly, resting his head on hers. “What am I going to do with you, Anna?”
“Carpe diem, Mihir…” she smiled. “We are living in the moment… for now. We tried once to plan a future. Let’s not do that now. This, you and me, finally feels normal. Let’s not spoil it for a little bit more.”
He laughed and took her hand. “Come on, I want to take you to this amazing restaurant. It serves the best iced latte. I think you will love it.”
She would always remember the next few hours to be the best in her life. Her heart was full with happiness as the car entered the large gates leading up to Mihir’s home, thinking through her day.
Mihir had taken her to a cute little café, where the iced latte was actually the best she’d had, and the food also had been great. He’d ordered an individual plate of Blini—Russian pancakes—for her. They’d been delicious, but as always, she hadn’t been able to finish her food. As usual, he had grumbled, but still wiped her plate clean.
They’d laughed, smiled, and chatted like a regular couple. She told him stories about her family, about prior interviews she’d conducted with other celebrities and their quirks and issues, about herself, and all that she’d been up to in recent years. He listened to her, enraptured. In turn, he told her about his days in the orphanage, about Karina, life in Russia after the orphanage, and how every single new thing he’d come across had seemed larger than life at one time, but now felt so normal.
Their time together reminded her of how they’d been at one time, how in sync they’d been back then, and how much in love she’d been with him. And how much she still… No. She wasn’t voicing that thought out loud. Not yet.
Hence, she’d refrained from talking about their mutual past and what had gone wrong then. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to know. She did. But she hadn’t wanted that to come in the way of her happy day.
Yes, she’d wanted to live in the moment with him, because being with him, when he was like this—happy and relaxed—made her so happy. Despite the vast differences and misunderstandings between them, being with this man had always made her heart soar.
The car stopped in front of his house. Mihir climbed out and helped her out of the car. She climbed the stairs with him in silence.
When he stopped at her bedroom door, she said, “Thank you for today. I had a great time.”
He smiled. “Carpe diem, Anna. We’re living in the moment, aren’t we?”
“Yes, we are.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Then let’s live a little more.”
Saying that, she pulled him into her room, and then, there was no need for words anymore.
* * *
Ananya woke up for the second time in a row to a fully dressed Mihir seated in the armchair, watching her.
“You watching me when I sleep has got to stop,” she muttered, rising up to lean against the headboard.
“Why?” he asked, brows pinched, as if watching her sleep was the most normal thing in the world. It had been at one time. But now…
“Uh, it’s just… I’m not used to it anymore.” The sheet fell from her chest. His eyes sparkled in amusement as she quickly covered herself again.
“I just came to check on you before I left for work,” he said. “You were sleeping so soundly that?—”
“—that you sat and watched me instead!” She rolled her eyes. “Like I said, not used to it anymore.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m good.”
He smirked as if he knew exactly how good she felt. Her skin heated. She exhaled slowly, taking him in fully. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his hair slightly damp. “When did you leave?
“I left at five, after the last time that we… I couldn’t sleep again. Not that we slept much to begin with.”
Her cheeks flushed. They’d made love through the night. Even when she’d fallen asleep, she’d woken up to Mihir’s hands and mouth on her skin. Her pulse quickened, thinking of their time together.
Mihir stood. “I have to go in to work today. Will you be okay by yourself?”
“Yes, I have to compile my notes on everything we’ve spoken of concerning the article. Can we continue when you return?”
“The UK ambassador is hosting a gala for O-Corp’s board to celebrate the new business deal.” He observed her for a long moment before he said, “Why don’t you come?”
She gulped. “You want me to attend a party with you?”
“Yes. You’ll get to see first-hand how I work and mingle with the who’s who of world finance, trade, economics, and technology.”
She chewed her lip, thinking. He’d told her that whatever was brewing between them was temporary. Going to a party with him felt like a date. Playing with him in the snow, kissing him like she had, going sightseeing with him, spending time with him, and then making love to him—it had all felt too familiar. It had felt like he was hers. Like he’d always been hers.
Her heart thundered, finally voicing out the one critical thing that she’d refused to accept out loud for years. She was in love with him. She’d never stopped loving him, and being with him on his arm tonight… She exhaled.
Carpe diem, Ananya, she told herself. She was living in the moment. But all this, too, would end once she was done interviewing him.
Like him, she, too, didn’t want to get hurt anymore. She had suffered enough already, thanks to him. She couldn’t, and wouldn’t, put herself through more pain. And going to a party with him, with so many people watching…
Before she could make up her mind, he clasped her cheek. “Anna, please come.”
His softly spoken words hit her right in the heart.
“I don’t exactly have the right attire to wear to a gala,” she finally said.
“I’ll arrange everything and have it sent to you. I have a lot of meetings today, so I’ll come to the gala directly. The car will fetch you by seven.” He caressed her cheek. “It’s a masquerade.”
Leaning down, he pecked her lips and then left her room. She stared after him, her heart thundering. Calm down , she told herself. She couldn’t, and wouldn’t, make more out of everything that was happening between Mihir and her.
Besides, tonight was just another party, and she did love the mystery and intrigue that surrounded masquerades. That was what excited her. It wasn’t because she was attending a party with Mihir. It most certainly wasn’t because this… him and her… was beginning to feel right again.
Nope. It definitely wasn’t that.