POV
I didn't want to leave.
But I had to.
As I stepped outside Appetite, my fingers still tingling from his touch, I started looking for an auto.
And then-
"Ashriti."
I froze.
I turned.
Adray.
Standing a few feet away.
Not calm.
Not smiling.
Angry.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to sound normal.
He ignored my question.
"Why were you with that bastard?"
The word hit me harder than it should have.
"Who?" I stuttered, even though I knew.
"You know exactly who I'm talking about."
His jaw was tight.
His eyes dark.
I had never seen him like this before.
"We're just friends, Adray," I said quickly. "And you have no right to interfere in my life."
"I'm not interfering," he snapped. "I'm protecting you, Ashu."
That nickname suddenly felt heavy.
"From what?"
"From Shivrit."
My heart skipped at the way he said his name.
"That bastard is not someone you should be involved with."
"You don't even know him," I argued weakly.
"I know enough."
His voice lowered.
"He went to jail."
My world paused.
"What?"
"For harassing a girl."
The word harassing echoed in my head.
No.
Impossible.
Shivrit?
The boy who fed me pasta.
The boy who saved my hundred rupees.
The boy who called me Bunny.
"No," I whispered. "That can't be true."
"It is," Adray said firmly. "He manipulates girls. He uses them. You will not meet him again. Do you understand?"
The way he said it felt like an order.
And for a second, I felt suffocated.
"Yes," I said softly.
Not because I believed him.
But because I didn't want to fight.
"Get in the car," he said.
I obeyed.
The drive home was silent.
Before I stepped out, he looked at me seriously.
"Don't contact him."
I nodded.
Lie number two.
The moment I entered my room, my phone buzzed.
Reached home, sweetheart?
My breath caught.
Sweetheart.
Someone was checking if I reached safely.
Someone cared.
That's all it took.
Yes. Wby? I replied instantly.
Me too.
And without thinking-
I called him.
He picked up on the first ring.
"Miss me already, Bunny?"
His voice wrapped around me like before.
"Did you go to jail for harassing a girl?" I asked bluntly.
Silence.
Then a soft laugh.
"Who told you that?"
"Just answer."
He sighed dramatically.
"She trapped me."
"What?"
"Us ladki ne mujhe fasaya tha. She lied. I just refused her. She couldn't handle rejection."
His voice sounded calm.
Convincing.
Almost bored.
And deep inside-
Something twisted.
Because a small part of me knew.
Knew he was lying.
Knew Adray wouldn't make something like that up.
Knew this didn't add up.
But another part of me-
The louder part-
Didn't care.
"I believe you," I whispered.
He paused.
"Good," he said softly. "I don't like when people doubt me."
There it was again.
Control.
Possession.
Expectation.
And instead of feeling scared-
I felt closer to him.
Why?
Why do I want him more when he's dangerous?
Why do warnings sound like challenges?
Why do red flags look like roses to me?
I should hang up.
I should block him.
I should listen to Adray.
But instead-
I stayed.
Because knowing he might be bad for me...
Made him even harder to resist.