18. Kash
Chapter Eighteen
KASH
Vera followed me back into my office, right on my heels as if she was afraid I was going to run away. No chance of that. I thumbed my wedding band, which weighed heavy on my hand.
I was married.
Naina’s sweet taste lingered in my mouth. She’d kissed me back, just as desperate for me as I was for her. Suddenly, her no sex condition seemed like a mere guideline. It was really too bad we’d been surrounded by family or I would have unraveled her out of that saree with one tug.
Like an addict, I wanted to know how I could get more, even though it would complicate everything. Even though I knew we shouldn’t because it was bad for me and detrimental to everyone I cared about.
For someone who never wanted to be married, I was surprised at how easily I was taking it.
Vera practically pushed me into the office.
“Alright, alright. Stop being so pushy.”
Stepping into the office, I closed the door behind us and turned to face Vera.
“You’re lucky Naina didn’t take offence to being left two minutes after her wedding.”
Vera inhaled deeply. “I’m sure she’s sweet, but I don’t care about what she’s thinking. Explain yourself, please. Is this because you didn’t want to marry Crystal?”
“Why else would I marry Naina?”
Vera scowled at me. “I don’t know. You don’t tell me anything.”
Not this again. What was everyone’s sudden obsession with knowing me? I was flattered and at the same time, the idea repulsed me. I didn’t want to tell them; I didn’t want to share.
If I told Naina, she would probably back off, too. And there was the rub. I didn’t want to tell her about myself, but I didn’t want her to stop asking. As long as she was interested I could use it to my advantage. I pictured her light brown eyes shining up at me. For the first time since I had known her, there was a semblance of trust in them.
Vera frowned, titling her head slightly as she examined me.
“Are you in love with her?”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “Love doesn’t factor into this.”
“Would you tell me if it did or ever does?”
My silence to that question told her everything she needed to know.
“I asked you to trust me and you said you did,” I replied. “Why isn’t that enough?”
“I don’t know what I’m trusting you with,” Vera said. “What do you know about this woman you just married? I just want to make sure that in order to escape Crystal, you haven’t tied yourself to someone worse.”
Oh, Naina was definitely worse than Crystal. I actually wanted her. I would never say the same about Crystal.
“Vera, I know what I am doing. I haven’t made this decision lightly.”
My cousin’s shoulders dropped as she released a dejected sigh.
“I wished you trust me enough to tell me.”
“Yeah, like you should have trusted me when I said I was going to fix everything,” I snapped.
She flinched, causing guilt to churn in my stomach. See, this was why I never said anything, ever. It was better to keep the anger inside than to unleash it. I’d learned that from my father as well, because for him it was the exact opposite. He liked to unleash his anger on the nearest person, making them bow to his demands one way or another. Funny how the nearest person was almost always me.
“Guess we’ve reached an impasse.”
“Vera—”
Someone knocked on the door, soft and hesitant. Turning with a sigh, I opened it. Naina stood on the other side, her arms behind her back, shuffling her feet. She had changed out of the saree into a light green floral sundress that showcased her long legs.
Naina’s eyes landed on Vera and then met mine.
“I’m sorry, Samira left her phone in here.”
Stepping aside, I let her enter my office and she went straight to the couch where Samira had left her phone. Grabbing it, Naina turned to face us, hesitating once again.
“Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine,” I answered.
Her eyes remained on Vera, and I realized she wasn’t asking me. She wanted to know if Vera was okay. The concern surprised Vera almost as much as it did me. Caring about your children wasn’t exactly common for the Sutherlands.
“I’m done with him,” Vera said.
“Frustrating, isn’t he?” Naina shook her head. “I don’t know how you managed thirty years with him.”
“Probably the most annoying and frustrating person I know,” Vera agreed.
Look at that. She suddenly didn’t have a problem with Naina.
“That’s not true, you also know Reid,” I chimed in.
The murderous look Vera sent my way told me I was on thin ice.
“Maybe you should have married Reid, instead. The two of you get along fabulously.”
“I would have rather married Leslie.”
Vera made a face as if she tasted something bitter.
“Don’t listen to him,” she said to Naina. “He would never have married Leslie.”
Considering I told Naina marriage was the last thing I wanted, she didn’t have anything to worry about. Stating that she had a meeting, Vera left, side eyeing me as she walked past me.
“You changed.” She looked down, fingering the hem of her dress.
“Yeah, saree is beautiful but it’s a lot to handle, especially when there’s heavy design on it.”
Naina shifted on her feet, her tongue peeking out to lick her bottom lip. My eyes tracked the movement, this insane need throbbing inside me to taste her again.
“Can Grayson take us back tonight? Or we can ride share.”
“Grayson can take you anywhere you want to go,” I said. “You’re not getting in a car with a stranger for hours.”
Naina nodded, twisting her ring on her finger. I had been right about Naina, it took her a long time to come to the realization about what she wanted. And once she realized it, she needed time to convince herself to do it.
Except she hadn’t needed time last night, had she? Her quiet, “I understand,” echoed through my mind. I wasn’t sure she did.
But she would.
“What’s on your mind?” I asked.
“We’re married,” she said softly, still twisting the ring.
“Having second thoughts already?”
She paused. “No.”
The ring was really agitating her. I grabbed her hand, stopping her from playing with the ring again.
“This doesn’t come off, ever. Understood?”
As I expected, anger flashed in her eyes, and she pulled her hand back.
“God, you’re insufferable sometimes.”
I shrugged it off, taking a step towards her.
“It’s not like you have another husband, Naina. I’m the best option you have and I bet you’re starting to understand your fate was sealed the moment you met me. You can’t do better than me. And I can guarantee you’re never going to find anyone else.”
Every step I took towards her, she took one back. Until there was nowhere to go and her back met the wall, trapping her between me and it.
“You’re insufferable and you’re delusional. If I were you, I’d get my head examined. And just for the record, half the time I can’t even stand to be around you.”
She pressed a hand against my chest in an effort to push me away. Though from the way her hand twisted into my shirt, I wasn’t sure pushing me away was her intention.
“I bet fighting with me makes your pussy wet,” I whispered.
Naina’s throat bobbed with a swallow, her breathing growing shallow. My cock was painfully hard, begging to be released, to fuck into her, but this wasn’t about me.
“N-no,” Naina breathed. “I don’t even want you.”
I brushed my lips over hers like feathers.
“Are you sure about that? If I slide my hand into your panties right now, I bet you the entirety of my trust fund that you would be dripping wet for me.”
Naina took in a shuddering breath, her pupils blown wide.
“As your wife, I say this with your best interest in heart. Get yourself a therapist. Three-four times a week. You really need it because there are thoughts in your head that are entirely too concerning.”
I laughed, stepping away from her.
“Stubborn to the very end. We’ll see how long it lasts.”
“Well, you said it yourself, it will last till the very end. You’re not getting a piece of this.”
The blush on her cheeks and her erratic breathing said otherwise.
“What are you willing to bet?”
Naina scoffed and walked out with a flounce of her skirt, glaring at me over her shoulder.
We were married. How far did she think she was going to get?