Ruin In Royals (Royal #1: Book 2) | ✔

48

-• an unwanted addition •-

Rudra

I connect my phone to the car's blutooth and fix it in the holder, opening the map to the town. I'm glad Taranya is keeping me around even though I'm a Rajawat. I know she's trying to dig up the truth of the girl who went missing in the middle of the night two years ago. This case is an easiest way to open doors to that undetected crime.

The camping is just an excuse. She needs to convince that man to tell her the truth. I prodded into things behind her back and found out he was the first doctor appointed for Inayat Rizwan before they replaced him with someone else overnight. I'm sure he knows something that he's intentionally hiding, either for money, or to protect his family.

Taranya is more determined than what I first assumed. She's down to get to the end of it, and there's no stopping her. I can't even share it with Yuvraaj, because then she'd know it was me who told him, and I might lose whatever chance I have with her. The only option I have is to stay around her as much as I can and protect her from any potential threat.

The Chairman hadn't got a hint of this yet. And I'm making sure he doesn't ever. Even if that means stuffing Virendra's mouth with more money. I'm already on the old man's radar considering how he plotted an insider in the team of my investors. I've to be extra careful around him. I can't afford exposing myself.

I've Taranya to thank that for. If it wasn't for her making me jealous by getting into Atharva's car, I wouldn't have followed her, and had instead went to that meeting where all my secrets would have been revealed.

My eyes switch to the rear view mirror. She has her ear buds on, her eyes fixed outside the window. A smile reaches my lips. It's a familiar sight. The last time I saw her this relaxed was in Seoul two years ago. The time after that was the hardest. I was doing my best to deny my feelings for her, to brush them off as lust, so much that the rare times I was in England, I intentionally avoided going places she frequented to.

If only I had mustered up the courage to confront my feelings, seeked her out, confessed to her, we wouldn't be in this mess. Because I'm tired of acting as two different people at the same time in front of her. The day she accepts me as Shourya, Rudra is never making an appearance again. I want her in open, in front of the world, standing beside me as mine, and I'd freeze hells to make that possible.

"How far is that place?" Ayush asks, breaking the prolonged silence in the car.

Atharva's eyes flicker to my phone screen. "An hour and forty minutes." He reads aloud the estimated time.

"Should we stop at some supermarket or something for beer before we hit the highway?" Arush suggests. "I mean, if it's okay with the girls." He adds cautiously.

I frown. Since when did he become so considerate? Chauhan men are self centred, narcissistic assholes. They never listen. I call it selective deafness.

"Whoever's willing to pay can buy whatever they want." Tara shrugs. "Except drugs."

"Let's stop by somewhere then," Atharva nods. "Beer sounds good. What do you think?" He looks at me for my opinion.

"I-"

"He prefers wine." Taranya cuts me off.

Stunned silence follows. My gaze finds her through the rear view mirror and she appears flustered, shocked, and embarrassed.

"I- I mean, he told me during our Seoul trip. Weird fact. It's just stuck with me." She blubbers with a forced shrug and an awkward chuckle.

I don't remember telling her anything remotely close to that. That was pure observation and I'm fucking floored.