Chapter Thirty-Seven
Arya
The afternoon I spent with Nathan, despite how it came to be, was the most wholesome and at peace I’ve ever felt in months.
He wasn’t a close book. I felt closer and connected to him by sharing the wounds left by our older siblings.
I thought I caused a crack in his armor.
Apparently, I am wrong.
It’s been two weeks since then. Each time I’ve reached out to him, he’s been curt and made an excuse he’s busy. Any conversation we’ve had has been business related.
What went awry after he left my place? We were teasing each other via text the same night. The next morning, his behavior did a complete one-eighty.
Did he find me too clingy? Did I make a mistake by confessing I desire more from our arrangement? Why is he so hell-bent on keeping me at arm’s length when his eyes all but beg me to stay?
God! I wish I had the power to read his mind.
Too bad, he’s lucky in that department. I should be a psychic, not him.
Tired and exhausted from a hard day of work and the long commute in the cab since my car is still at the repair shop, I twist the keys into the lock and unlock my apartment. When I enter the semi-dark hall, I frown at finding it empty.
There’s no sign of Pihu, who dutifully waits to greet me every evening.
“Pihu?” I call out.
Silence echoes back at me.
My stomach dips.
“Pihu?” I yell, speed walking into the living room. Hoping to see her curled up on the couch. “Cutie-pie, where are you? Mommy’s home.”
Where is she? She was fine in the morning.
Abandoning my purse on the kitchen counter after checking in there, I sprint to the bedroom. Shoving open the door, I frantically search for her.
“Pihu!” She’s lying near the foot of the bed on the rug, her forest green eyes shut. She’s not breathing. “Pihu!”
I fall to my knees and nudge her face. Panic and dread fill my bloodstream when she doesn’t stir. Turning her onto her back, I press two fingers against her neck to check her pulse. “Wake up, baby.”
She’s breathing, but barely. She’s also burning up. Fever? But how?
What should I do? My mind blanks.
Oh gosh! Am I going to lose her?
No. No. No.
I need to take her to the vet. I heft her into my arms to drive us to the clinic when it hits me that I don’t have a car.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Tears burn my eyes as I try to hold them at bay and think of a solution. The cab will take forever to come. But what other choice do I have?
Running to the living room with Pihu in my arms, I hastily unzip my purse and yank out my phone. Without a single thought, I dial Nathan’s number with trembling fingers, praying that he picks up.
“Arya,” his deep voice says.
I ignore the sting when he calls me by my full name. “N-Nathan.”
“What’s wrong?” he demands, concern lacing his tone.
“It’s Pihu.” I hiccup and force out my words. “She’s not waking up… Her pulse is weak. I think she has a fever. I don’t know what to do… I’m scared and I don’t have my car to drive us…”
“I’m coming.” I hear some background noise, but I can’t make it out over the roaring in my ears. “Come to the lobby. I’ll be there soon. She’s going to be okay.”
“Okay,” I utter in relief.
He hangs up.
Wrapping Pihu in a blanket so she isn’t cold, I grab my credit card and phone and get the hell out of my apartment.
In the lobby downstairs, I keep glancing between the revolving doors and a shivering Pihu. My palm is pressed to her heart, listening to her slow heartbeats. How did I not notice she had a fever? Her temperature is always a little warm whenever I cuddle with her.
I shouldn’t have skipped visiting her in the afternoon. Regret is like a spike lodged in my heart.
If I had just come…
The cold gust of wind along with heavy footsteps jerk my gaze to the entrance. A grim-looking Nathan, sharply dressed in a pristine navy-blue suit, storms toward me. A pang full of longing jolts me from head to toe seeing him after fourteen lonely days.
I jog toward him, meeting him halfway.
His arm curls around my shoulders, balancing almost all my weight as I desperately lean on him. Peeking at Pihu through the small hole in the blanket, distress shadows his angular features. Comforting me with a tight squeeze of his fingers, he assures in a soothing tone, “She will be okay.”
Fighting back tears and my throat too tight to speak, I merely nod.
“Come on, let’s go.”
We briskly exit the building and reach his car that’s parked right outside. His arm stays around me till we reach the passenger side of his car. Unlocking the door, he helps me inside. Leaning over, he wraps the seat belt around Pihu and me.
Rounding the hood to the driver’s side, he gets behind the wheel and starts the engine. In less than a second, we pull onto the road. I don’t know how he got here so fast, but I’m grateful. Though still worried sick about Pihu.
“There’s a vet clinic at Shivaji Road,” I say, glancing at Nathan’s profile.
“I’m taking you to Rosalie’s hospital. They’re the best and it’s closer.”
“Isn’t it solely for dogs?”
“No. They admit all types of animals. Even if they didn’t, they’ll make an exception for Pihu,” he utters confidently. “I texted Nova we’re on our way.”
Emotions clog my throat at his thoughtfulness. “Thank you.”
“How long has she been sick?”
“She was perfect when I left in the morning.” I nuzzle behind Pihu’s ear, pleading with her to open her eyes “I knew something was wrong when she didn’t greet me at the door after I returned from the office.
I stupidly didn’t check on her in the afternoon because I didn’t want to ride a cab.
I could’ve taken her to the doctor sooner. ”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“What if something happens to her?” I cry out in fear, dread stealing the oxygen in my lungs. “All because I didn’t look after her properly. What if it was something I gave her to eat that did this? Or because I let her play in cold water that caused her a fever? Oh gosh, I did—”
My chin is captured and turned to face a calm Nathan. I notice we’ve stopped at a red light. He’s keeping his promise to drive safely.
“It is not your fault,” he firmly says, daring me to argue. Brushing away a rebellious tear, his expression softens. “Take a deep breath for me and don’t panic.”
I inhale deeply at his command and slowly exhale until a little bit of anxiety ebbs.
“Good girl.” A soft caress on my cheek. “Pets get sick all the time. Until the doctor checks her over and tells us what’s wrong, don’t assume the worst.”
“I-I’ll try.”
The light turns green, pulling his attention to the road. My heart skips a beat when he drops his hand to protectively rest over my palm holding Pihu. The heat of his touch seeps into my skin like a soothing balm.
Half an hour later, we arrive at Paw Army and step out. Keeping a hand on the small of my back, Nathan guides me past the lobby. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle with people coming and going with their pets.
Nova and Rosalie are both waiting at the reception. They rush toward us the instant they see us. I feel the loss of Nathan’s hand from my back. A harsh reminder that we’re not a couple.
We’re a scandal waiting to happen.
The cruel thought gets pushed to the back of my mind when Rosalie stops before me. I’m a little apprehensive at seeing her, recalling the last time we talked at the gym. I expect her to be hostile and send me away.
She surprises me by gently touching my arm, and murmuring, “Hey, Arya, I heard about your cat. The doctor’s waiting in the ER. Let’s go.”
I peek at Nathan, wondering if he’ll leave.
Sensing my stress, he says, “I’ll be here if you need anything.”
Then I let Rosalie guide me inside.
Nathan
The women disappear into the crowd while I fight the pressing urge to be by Arya’s side. I’ve never seen her look so scared. However, I’m trying to keep my distance and not erase it.
An imperceptive and quiet Nova observes me like a hawk. I didn’t remove my hand from Arya’s fast enough.
“Spit it out,” I bark at him.
“Firstly, I feel honored you decided to grace me with your presence, your highness. I’m your childhood best friend, in case you forgot,” he drawls dramatically, and rounds to stand in front of me. “Secondly, have you lost your goddamn mind? Bianca’s little sister better not be your rebound fuck.”
I slide my balled hands inside my pockets and take a calming breath. “I’m not sleeping with her.”
“Oh, so you rush to rescue all your publicists?”
“We were having a meeting,” I lie.
He looks at his wristwatch and arches one suspicious eyebrow. “At eight in the evening? Awfully late to be working together.”
“You’ve never had a meeting run late?”
“I have,” he scoffs, then crosses his arms over his chest. “Except, my meetings happen at my office. Not at the colleague’s home with their pets. I sure as hell don’t provide them personal cab service or demand the ER be reserved for them.”
“Well, unlike you, I’m charming and chivalrous.”
He eyes me hard, then inquires too casually, “Nothing’s going on between you two?”
“No.”
“Fine.” He smiles a Cheshire grin. “Go home, then. Rosalie and I will drop her off.”
Bastard! I grind my teeth, not budging an inch.
“What?” he taunts. “Can’t leave?”
“Arya and Pihu aren’t going home with anyone but me.” There’s no masking the possessiveness in my tone.
His jaw slackens. “Motherfucker!”
“What?” I deadpan. Somehow this reaction is far too troublesome.
“It’s more than sex for you.”
I avert my eyes, stomach bottoming out. Shaking my head, I slip out more lies. “I told you there’s nothing going on between us. She was scared, alone, and panicking. So, I drove her here. It doesn’t mean anything.”
I almost ignored her call when she rang me, like I’ve been doing for the past two weeks. Desperate to hear her voice, my resolve broke and I picked up.
Thank God I did because the thought of not being there for her when she needed me is agonizing and tortuous.
I cannot forget the relief on her tear-soaked face when I met her in the lobby. Every time she runs toward me, I want to steal her away.
But where? A life full of darkness, despair, and demons.
“How long, Nathan?” Nova sighs quietly, seeing right through my bullshit.
My shoulders slumping, I drop the ruse. “Four months.”
“Jesus!”
“It was supposed to be for one night,” I argue fruitlessly, scrubbing a hand across my jaw. “We didn’t see each other for two months until the day I met her at her PR firm. I had no intention of a repeat, but she’s… We decided to keep it casual. Now, I’m fucked.”
She wasn’t supposed to sink her claws in me and creep past my walls.
“That’s even worse.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” I angrily hiss.
“Are you looking for a relationship?”
“No.” I’m a man with no future.
“You sure?” he quips. “You seemed determined to move heaven and earth for her kitten. I saw the way you gazed at her as she walked away. I also saw how she looked back at you. That girl is in too deep.”
I say nothing, knowing it already. It also cements my belief that I’m right in keeping my distance. Tonight was an exception.
Both of us go silent until he mutters under his breath, “You’re never getting off Rose’s red list.”
“Arya isn’t her sister.”
“Who do you think Bianca’s going to send to kill you?”
“I figured it would be Dash,” I reply dryly.
“He and I are going to be burying your body and covering up your murder.”
“So, you won’t bring your best friend justice?” I retort aghast.
He shoots me a glare of pure disbelief. “My wife isn’t going to prison because you were foolish enough to touch Arya.”
“Your morals are screwed.”
“You’re one to talk.”
I stare at my feet, shoulders bunched tight as I wish to turn back time. I’ll rewrite every bad decision I’ve made since I was fourteen.
“Look, man,” Nova murmurs seriously. “You have two options. Either end it if you can’t be what she needs. Or if you want to keep her as yours, be prepared for a battle to earn Bianca’s forgiveness. And don’t keep secrets from Arya.”