Chapter 11

Kabir's POV 

Kabir Oberoi had never been one to lose his cool. He'd spent years perfecting the art of detachment, of knowing when to step in and when to simply observe. But as he watched Vijay Nair dismiss his own daughter's success like it was nothing, like she was nothing, something unfamiliar coiled tight in his chest.

Annoyance? No. That wasn't strong enough a word.

Irritation? Maybe.

Protectiveness?

He shook off the thought before it could settle. Not my place. Not my problem.

And yet, the moment Aria turned on her heel and left the room, her spine rigid and her fingers gripping the stem of her wine glass just a little too tightly, his feet moved before his brain could catch up.

She didn't stop until she reached the large stone patio outside, stepping into the cool night like she needed to breathe air that wasn't tainted by her father's presence.

Kabir followed, his pace measured, unhurried.

When he found her, she was leaning against the railing, staring out at the dark silhouette of the city skyline beyond the estate gardens. The soft glow of the party lights illuminated her profile—the sharp elegance of her features, the way her lashes cast faint shadows against her cheekbones.

She looked composed. Unshaken.

But Kabir had spent enough time reading people to know when someone was holding themselves together with sheer force of will.

He leaned against the railing beside her, his tone easy, teasing. "Careful. You disappear for too long, and they'll assume you're out here plotting world domination."

Aria let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "And what if I am?"

Kabir smirked. "Then I'd say, about time."

She finally looked at him then, the barest hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "You always know exactly what to say, don't you?"

"It's a gift." He shrugged, then added, "Or a curse, depending on who you ask."

She hummed in response, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger. The silence between them was surprisingly comfortable, the tension from inside the party fading slightly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The sounds of the party drifted through the open doors—muffled laughter, the clinking of glasses, the low hum of conversation. Out here, under the stars, it felt like an entirely different world.

Then, without thinking, Kabir reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Aria stiffened—just slightly. Barely noticeable.

His fingers brushed against her skin, warm despite the cool breeze, and for a fraction of a second, she didn't pull away.

And that was all it took.

The air between them shifted, charged with something heavier, something neither of them were willing to name.

Kabir wasn't sure who moved first. Maybe it was him. Maybe it was her. Maybe it was the inevitable pull that had been simmering between them from the start.

She was close enough now that he could see the faint rise and fall of her chest, close enough that he could catch the subtle scent of vanilla and something else that was undeniably her.

His gaze flickered to her lips, and he knew—if he kissed her now, there'd be no going back.

And for once, he wasn't thinking.

Aria didn't move. Didn't step away.

For the first time, she wasn't guarded.

And for the first time, Kabir let himself want.

His fingers curled slightly at his sides, his pulse steady but aware. He could almost feel the warmth of her breath against his skin, could almost taste the moment before it happened—

And then—

Footsteps.

Aria exhaled sharply and stepped back just as a voice broke through the tension.

"There you are," Aarav's voice rang out, casual and light as he strode toward them. "Thought you'd vanished on me."

Kabir clenched his jaw, his fingers curling against the railing.

Aria turned to Aarav, her face schooled into polite neutrality, but Kabir didn't miss the way she took another step away.

Aarav's gaze flickered between them, sharp and assessing, but if he noticed the charged moment he'd interrupted, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he grinned at Aria, extending his hand. "Come on, I've been looking for you."

Aria hesitated for the briefest of seconds. Just enough for Kabir to catch it.

Then, without so much as a glance back at Kabir, she let Aarav take her hand and lead her back inside.

Kabir remained where he was, his jaw tight, his grip still firm against the stone railing.

As he watched her disappear back into the party, Kabir exhaled slowly, forcing himself to loosen the tension in his shoulders.

What the hell was that?

He'd flirted with Aria before—hell, he'd enjoyed pushing her buttons, watching the way she always held herself a little too tightly around him. But tonight? That had been something else entirely.

His fingers twitched at his sides, remembering the way her breath had hitched when he touched her.

Remembering the way she hadn't stepped back until the very last second.

That wasn't nothing.

And yet, she'd walked away.

Kabir let out a quiet scoff, running a hand through his hair. Maybe it was for the best.

Aria Nair was trouble.

She was sharp-tongued, ambitious, and infuriatingly stubborn. She was the kind of woman who didn't take well to being pursued, the kind who built walls so high they were almost impossible to climb.

Almost.

His lips curved slightly.

He wasn't the kind of man who backed down from a challenge.

Aarav might have stolen her attention for now, but Kabir had seen the way Aria looked at him. The way she had almost let herself close the distance between them.

And if there was one thing he knew about Aria Nair, it was that she didn't do anything she didn't want to.

He let that thought settle as he turned back to the party, straightening his cuffs with practiced ease.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.