Chapter 1
10 years later
Mumbai
“The Sehgal Princess is here…”
“I love her style. Oh, that outfit…”
“She’s gorgeous. So unfortunate she’s such a snob.”
“Have you heard how because of her…”
“One of her friends…”
“Ten years ago…”
Heads turned, whispers abounded, and a general buzz followed her wake as Sheena Sehgal made her way down the living room of her house. By now, she was used to the comments that followed her everywhere she went. Ten years had passed, yet the crowd in Mumbai’s elite society hadn’t forgotten the past, nor did they let others forget. Gossip continued to follow her, including inside the doors of her own home. It was her destiny, so it seemed. Thankfully, at least the media frenzy had dissipated over the years. At one time, that had been too tough to handle.
Sheena flicked a glance at the faces of the people studying her, nodding at the ones she knew and ignoring the others, especially those who made it evident that they were talking about her. She loathed these events. However, as the daughter of Mina Sehgal, Mumbai’s prime high society hostess, she had to smile and pretend everything was perfect in her world. Pretend that none of the inquisitive glances and whispered comments affected her any more.
These events tended to be long and tedious, especially when she stood at the periphery of this group of Mumbai’s who’s who. She was not an insider like her mother or even her aunt, for that matter. The thing about high society was that once a scandal erupted in your name, no one forgot it. Yes, newer scandals came up and took center stage, but no one forgot your past misdemeanours, even if you were a Sehgal.
She scanned her surroundings. Her mom had outdone herself as usual. The setup was par perfection. The cream and white décor was a sight to behold. Tiny droplets of crystals floated from the ceiling and glittered like diamonds. White flowers strategically placed in large cream urns, gold accessories, the food, the champagne, the caterers—everything was fabulous and top-notch. The who’s who of the film fraternity were in attendance tonight, along with the rich and the famous of India. Reporters lined Sehgal Mansion’s gates, waiting for a glimpse of the celebrities. The invites for Mina Sehgal’s annual July soiree were coveted by one and all. But Sheena just wanted to take a break from it all. And while she had learned to expertly navigate this crowd, she hated any sort of attention on herself, especially from the media.
She let out a deep breath, surreptitiously making her way out of the living room. She sneaked a glance at her mom. Fortunately, her mom was surrounded by a bevy of her friends, and her aunt was busy with another group. Neither of them was paying her any attention…for the moment, at least.
Keeping her steps calm so as to not draw any more attention to her, she snagged a champagne flute from a passing server and escaped to the kitchen. It would be the quietest place in the house right now and the last place someone would come looking for her. Entering the spacious room, she perched on the breakfast bar and exhaled.
Thankfully, her mom had a separate outdoor kitchen in the house, especially for the caterers to do their setup. It was an extravagance they could afford and was much needed considering how social her mother was. It also gave Sheena a place where she could get a brief respite from whichever event her mom was hosting. And there were plenty of smaller events held across the year. This kitchen was like a safe haven when the whispers, comments, and glances became too much.
She’d figured out this trick of escaping to the kitchen several years ago. Since she deliberately didn’t carry her phone to the parties held at home, her mom and aunt couldn’t call her. And if either of them went searching for her, they’d go straight up to her bedroom first. No one bothered to check the kitchen. Hence, she could always pretend that she’d been out in the garden or chatting with someone while they’d been busy. This trick had worked beautifully so far.
Since Sheena categorically refused to attend high society events, her mom kept hosting parties at home in the hope that one day, Sheena would enjoy the socializing and come out of the decade-old box she’d locked herself in. Thus, whenever an event was held at her own house, Sheena had no choice but to make an appearance for her mom’s sake.
However, no matter how hard her mother tried, Sheena couldn’t be the extrovert her mom wanted her to be. She was no longer the loud and boisterous girl she’d been a decade ago. To the people outside, she came across as a social recluse, an enigma, a snob, as they called her. Only when she was in the company of her two best friends did she let loose and allow herself to be the girl she really was. Only the two of them knew her, the real her, and not this facade she showed to the world. A decade had changed so much… One night all those years ago had changed everything.
She took a large gulp of her champagne, the bubbles fizzing as they slid down her throat. Here in the kitchen, it was quiet, peaceful, in fact. The sounds from the party were distant and faint.
She leaned back on her hands, looking at the ceiling. Just a few minutes more, and then she’d return to the chaos. She’d put on her party face and smile when needed, give the appropriate responses when spoken to, and when sufficient time had passed, she’d be able to leave. Her friends were meeting later at Keya’s house, and she couldn’t wait to be with them. Just two hours more, and she could be herself again. She smiled, thinking of her friends.
Over the years, Raashi and Keya vehemently refused to attend her mom’s social events. First, they found such events boring and second, neither of them wanted to be a part of this crowd, from which many still blamed Sheena for her actions in the past. Her girls were her biggest cheerleaders and supporters, and they’d been with her through thick and thin.
She finished the champagne. Time to return outside. Sheena put her party face on. She inhaled, then exhaled, and took a step forward. And the lights went off. She blinked as utter darkness enveloped her. It was a moonless night and it took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the pitch dark surrounding her.
She waited for the generator to kick in like it usually did, but even after a few seconds, nothing happened. A noise outside the kitchen window caught her attention. Their main kitchen had a separate back entry reserved for their house staff to use. But she was aware that they were all on leave tonight as the caterers and event management staff were looking after everything. Which meant that it was someone else outside the kitchen door.
Sounds of footsteps nearing filtered in. Someone was coming…closer. Her heart raced. She calmed herself. There was no reason to panic. Her house was heavily guarded. No intruder would have been able to simply get past the guards stationed at the gate. Yet, that didn’t stop her from taking the biggest knife from the knife block as security. There were tons of reporters outside. What if one of them had sneaked past? What if it was really a thief?
The lights were still down, and to even go outside to the living room, she’d have to cross that rear door, which would put her directly in the path of whoever was going to enter the kitchen. She wasn’t an idiot to remain unarmed in the dark. Besides, it reeked of cowardice knowing that someone was outside, and she simply ran away without as much as checking. This was her house, after all, and she was trained in self-defence. Her brother had ensured it ten years ago.
The back door of the kitchen rustled, and the handle turned. Her nape tingled, and a zing went down her spine. The very air around her shifted as she saw him enter. He was tall. Very tall. And well-built. That’s all she could make out in the darkness.
She held the knife close to her chest. “Who is it?”
His head tipped in her direction. But he didn’t answer.
“I asked, who is it?” she repeated louder, lifting the knife higher.
The man moved toward her. Her heartbeat doubled. Shit! Shit! She backed a step and another, but he kept coming. Just when he was within an inch of her, she leapt forward and pushed him against the breakfast bar, holding the knife to his throat.
“I’m one second away from slicing your throat,” she said, her voice sounding calm even though she was shaking on the inside. “Who the fuck are you? And why the hell are you sneaking into my house like this?”
His chest rose, and he laughed. She blinked. Anger worked its way into her veins at his absolute nonchalance, fuelling her determination.
“Are you out of your mind?” She dug the tip of her knife into the side of his throat. “I have a knife pointed at your throat and you’re laughing.”
“Princess, you’re the one out of your mind if you think you’ll be able to hurt me.”
His voice, husky and deep, slithered down her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She shook herself out of that absurd reaction.
The lights came on. She blinked against the sudden light, and his face came into focus. She took in his sharp jawline, high cheekbones, full lips set in a straight line, his slightly crooked nose, and his eyes…they were a warm amber. Beautiful. Right now, those magnificent eyes were studying her with a hint of amusement. His hair was short, the strands stylishly held back. Something woody and spicy hit her nose. His scent. Fuck. She suddenly realized how close she was to him.
Her one hand was sprawled on his chest, while her entire body leaned against his, pressing him into the breakfast counter. Heat, intense and powerful, spread through her. The knife in her hand shook. A bead of crimson formed on the side of his throat. And then another and another, until a line of blood dripped down his neck, the red wetting the collar of his black shirt. She gasped. She’d actually cut him. Oh God.
She was so stunned at what she’d done that she didn’t realize that the man had captured her hand in his. He shifted, and suddenly, she was being held against the counter while he towered over her. Fear kicked in, along with the desperate need to survive and come out of this encounter intact. She didn’t know who he was and she was all alone with him. He held her hand, the one that was holding the knife, in a tight but painless grip. She punched his chest with her free hand, but it was like hitting a rock wall. He twisted her other hand, and the knife clattered to the floor. In one single swoop, he captured both her hands and pinned them to her back. Absolute control reigned on his face and in his movements. He had restrained her so easily, and she couldn’t do anything about it. So much for self-defence.
It struck her that the only reason she’d managed to hold him captive for a few seconds was because he’d let her. The thought irritated her further, driving away the fear lurking in her mind. Her knee rose to his groin, but he shifted, tightening his hold on her.
“Now, now, Princess, you’ve already proven to be dangerous with a knife in hand. I can’t have you injuring me any further.”
Anger pumped her blood. “What the fuck do you want?”
“To be honest, nothing.”
“Says every thief who gets caught,” she snarled, trying to shrug out of his hold, but it was of no use. His hold was unbreakable.
A corner of his lips tipped. “Do I look like a thief, Princess?”
She ran her gaze down him, noticing for the first time the smart cut of his black suit, the bright red pocket square, and the shiny, polished shoes. Was he a reporter seeking a scoop? No, he was too well-dressed for that. Was he a guest? Good God. Was he invited? But that didn’t make sense either.
She studied him. “If you’re not a thief, then why enter through the backdoor of my house?”
“Because I can.”
She looked at him in disbelief. Bloody, arrogant man.
“I should have stabbed you when I had the chance,” she spat out. “Fucking asshole.”
“So volatile. So sexy.” He shifted both her hands in one of his and stared at her. His free hand caressed her cheek. A shudder ran through her. He saw it.
“Interesting and so very unexpected,” he said softly, his eyes never leaving hers. “I really am a guest here, Princess.”
“And yet I caught you sneaking inside.”
More amusement lit his eyes. She studied the man in front of her. Really studied him. Fuck. He was magnificent. Power and authority leaked out of him. He was most definitely a guest, and yet she couldn’t understand his need to enter like he had.
Nonetheless, he was holding her captive, and she still didn’t know his identity. The closer he moved to her, the more her stomach tumbled and her thoughts jumbled. She had to get far away from him.
The main rule of self-defence was that if nothing worked, then scream. Loudly. She opened her mouth, but he clamped a hand on her lips.
“Your screaming will only draw attention to me, and that’s the last thing I want. I’ve already wasted enough time on you.” His face came closer. “The problem is I’ve rather enjoyed this encounter…a lot.” His hands tightened around hers. “I like having you in my control like this.”
The way his words sounded, the sudden predatorial gleam in his eyes—all of it made her blood sizzle. He pushed an inch closer to her, and her heart drummed in her ribcage. Her skin was suddenly too warm. She felt like she was losing control of her mind and body. Like he was casting a spell on her. It was too much. He was too much. She had to get away from him.
Shutting her eyes, she slumped in his arms. His hand fell from her mouth. His hold on her slackened. Using that to her advantage, she butted her head with his jaw. His head flew back. The top of her own head rang in pain, but she ignored the sharp sting. Pushing him, she went toward the door leading out of the kitchen.
She turned to face him. He was watching her with a mix of awe and surprise. He ran a hand down his jaw. A bruise was beginning to form there.
She ignored it. “Guest or not, I want you out of my house. Either you leave the way you came, or I’ll ask the security to escort you out. Those are your only options.”
Her heart still thudding in her chest, she swivelled and exited the kitchen, hoping never to set eyes on this man again. There was something about him that disconcerted her, and she didn’t like the feeling. Not one bit.
END EXCERPT