CHAPTER 37
RAGHAV
I stay quiet while Siya ends up telling everyone about that night.
I can’t hear half the words coming out of her mouth because I’m too busy watching her.
The way her fingers absentmindedly play with the stem of her glass.
The black dress hugging her curves. That delicate diamond pendant resting against her neck.
My wife looks absolutely breathtaking.
And God help me, I still haven’t recovered from last night. Not from the nail marks she left on my arm, nor from the fact that every time she smiles, something primitive inside me simply wants to pull her into my arms and keep her there.
Suddenly, she turns towards me, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion. “What were you doing with my sandal?” she asks.
Damn these people.
I take a sip from my drink and shrug casually. “Nothing. Forget it.”
I try ending the conversation there, but unfortunately, Meher isn’t done with this yet.
“No, Raghav. That’s not fair,” she protests immediately. “Siya deserves to know.”
She turns to Siya again.
“Do you have any idea how much we’ve nagged this man over the last ten months? He never told us whose sandal it was. All we knew was that he came back from this club with a bruise on his neck and a woman’s sandal in his hand.”
Everyone starts laughing.
“And trust me,” Meher continues wickedly, “we had made up at least a hundred stories in our heads. But this idiot never told us anything.”
Across the table, my eyes accidentally meet Ayaan’s. For a second, we both just stare at each other. And then, as if remembering that we’re still pissed with one another, we both look away with identical broody expressions.
Meher goes on. “The last thing I saw that night was Raghav leaving this club with your sandal in his hand.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You still have it, don’t you?”
Siya’s head snaps in my direction. “You still have my sandal?”
I swear under my breath.
“Of course, he has, Siya,” Meher grins. “He must have preserved the first memory of the special woman he met in that special place under special circumstances. Your sandal has become like a memento for him.”
Krish chokes on his drink. “Unbelievable,” he says, shaking his head. “Other men get perfume and love letters… Poor Raghav got a sandal.”
Everyone bursts out laughing.
“That’s a very unique memento for our Dark Prince, isn’t it?” Krish continues with a straight face.
Trisha and Simran dissolve into another fit of laughter, and I’m officially done with this circus. Unfortunately, every pair of eyes is now fixed on me, including Siya’s. The curiosity in those beautiful eyes is far more sexy than the six idiots sitting around me.
I’m about to say something when my gaze drifts to the far end of the club. A man is standing there, watching our table. I look away and return my attention to the group. But a few seconds later, my gaze instinctively goes back to him. He’s still watching, and every instinct in me comes alive.
Something about him doesn’t sit right with me. I casually glance at Ayaan, and my twin is already looking at me. He follows my line of sight, then subtly turns his head to the other side. A moment later, I see his expression change because he’s spotted something too.
A couple of men are watching our table… far too interested in us.
Neither of us says a word. We don’t have to.
One look is enough. The rest of them are completely oblivious, too engrossed in their conversation to notice anything.
But Ayaan and I know better. When our instincts scream danger, they’re rarely wrong.
Before either of us can react, Siya suddenly gets up. “I need to go to the washroom.”
Trisha is on her feet immediately. “Come, I’ll take you.”
But before she can, I call out. “I’ll take her.”
Siya looks at me in confusion. “I can go with Trisha. What are you going to do there?”
I don’t answer. I simply grab her wrist and pull her up before locking eyes with Ayaan. A slight tilt of my chin, a brief glance towards the family, and then back at him is enough for him to know that I want him to stay alert. Because something isn’t right.
He gives me a subtle nod, and immediately his eyes begin scanning the entire club. Krish notices the silent exchange, and so does Vishnu. Trisha catches it too, although Meher and Simran are oblivious. Thankfully, Simran is busy talking, and Meher doesn’t notice anything.
Good. The last thing I want is my seven-month-pregnant sister-in-law to stress unnecessarily.
Holding Siya’s hand, I lead her towards the washrooms. She protests the entire way, but I ignore her. When we reach the ladies’ restroom, I push open the door, and she stops abruptly.
“Raghav! This is the ladies’ restroom. You can’t come inside.”
Ignoring her, I quickly scan the area.
It’s empty. Good.
I pull her inside and lock the door behind us.
Siya’s eyes widen. “What the hell are you doing? Why are you behaving like this? What happened?”
“Nothing. Just go finish whatever you came here for.”
She’s still staring at me suspiciously.
“Raghav—”
“Go, Siya.”
She frowns. I know she’s pissed. But anger is better than panic. Without arguing further, she disappears into one of the cubicles while I pace like a caged animal. Every instinct inside me is screaming that something is wrong. Very, very wrong.
By the time she returns a few minutes later, I’ve already sent a quick message to Haider. I want him to be fully alert and tighten the security at RK Estate.
She stops in front of me. “Now you better tell me what is happening.”
I finally look at her. “We’re being watched.”
“What?” Her expression sharpens instantly. “Are you sure?”
I nod, slipping my phone back into my pocket.
“There are a few men dressed in black trying to blend into the crowd. But their eyes are on our table.”
“Who do you think they are?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. And I don’t care. We’re leaving.”
Without wasting another second, I grab her wrist and pull her with me.
This time, she doesn’t argue. She’s alert now, just like I am, as she looks around while we walk back towards the table.
Even my attention is everywhere. Because now that the underworld knows the Dark Prince is alive, half the b*stards out there want me dead.
After Cape Town, after putting the entire underworld at gunpoint and marrying Siya in front of everyone, I’ve made enemies faster than I’ve made allies. It could be wanting revenge. Anyone wanting blood. Anyone wanting me dead.
I can feel Siya clutching my arm tightly as we walk. I don’t think she’s afraid for herself. She’s worried about the family too.
The moment we return to the table, I announce. “We’re leaving.”
Simran almost chokes on her drink. “My God! What happened in the restroom that suddenly you want to leave?” she grins. “We’re not going anywhere for another hour.”
Meher immediately agrees. “Exactly. We just got comfortable.”
Before I can say anything, Ayaan rises to his feet and exchanges a look with Vishnu, who immediately straightens in his chair, becoming equally alert.
“Meher, it’s late. We should head home,” Ayaan tells her as he helps her get up.
Vishnu stands as well. “Yeah, enough for today,” he says lightly. “I don’t want my sister staying up too late with my future nephews or nieces on the way. Come on, let’s get her home.”
Meanwhile, Krish is already on the phone with someone. We are just following security protocol.
If someone is watching us…
If there’s even the slightest threat…
Nobody touches our women… our family.
Vishnu leads Simran and Meher towards the exit. By the time they step outside, his security detail is already in place. Being a politician means his guards are never far away. They’re alert now. He must’ve updated them. Men spread out around the vehicles, scanning, watching, guarding.
Siya stays beside me. I haven’t left her hand since we walked out of the restroom.
Once we’re outside the club, I stop. “Vishnu. Trisha. Take them home.”
I glance over at Ayaan. “We’ll come later.”
Meher abruptly stops. “What? Why? Why aren’t we going together? Is something wrong?”
Ayaan immediately walks over to her. “Nothing’s wrong, sweetheart. We just have something else to take care of. We’ll be home soon.”
But I know my sister-in-law. Living with the Director of the GLEN has taught her enough. I can see the suspicion in her eyes. She can sense that something is off.
Trisha speaks up at once. “I can wait. I’ll stay with you guys.”
“No,” I instantly deny. “I want you with them. Keep them safe.”
That’s when Siya clutches my arm. “I’m not leaving you, RK.”
I raise my brow, unable to hide how much I like hearing that. Siya reads my expression and immediately corrects herself. “I mean.... if this is happening because of me, then I’m not leaving your side.”
“No chance,” I reply, leading her towards the cars waiting outside the club.
I open the rear door and practically make Siya sit inside. Meher and Trisha get in beside her from the other side. Vishnu takes the wheel and Simran occupies the front seat. Ayaan leans down to the driver’s window.
“Reach home safely and message me.”
Vishnu nods.
Ayaan and I close the rear doors, ensuring our wives are safely seated inside, and tap the roof twice as a silent signal for them to move. The convoy pulls away with Vishnu’s security detail following them in other vehicles.
It’s just us now. Me, Ayaan, and Krish, whose easygoing smile is nowhere to be seen by the time he reaches us.
“I’ve accessed the club’s CCTV feed,” he says, his eyes glued to his phone. “Those men aren’t visible anymore. They’ve disappeared, which means they’ve realised we sensed something.”
His expression hardens.
“Wait.” Krish’s gaze sharpens as he suddenly looks at his screen again. “I’ve got movement. One of them is still here and is heading towards the back exit.”
That’s all I need to hear.