Her

The evening sun had begun its slow descent, casting a golden hue across Dante's living room. I stretched out on the couch, feeling the warmth of the light on my skin as I watched Dante at his desk, hunched over his laptop, focused as always. There was something about his concentration, the way his eyebrows furrowed and lips curled slightly in thought, that made me feel a warmth of my own.

I glanced at my phone-bhaiya had gone out for a long drive to clear his head, something he often did when he needed space. He'd said he might stop by a friend's place afterward, so I figured I had at least a couple of hours before I needed to head home. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

Dante suddenly stood up, stretching, and caught me staring. He raised an eyebrow, smirking that signature smirk of his. "Caught you staring, Petardo," he teased, walking over to me.

"Maybe I just like what I see," I shot back, folding my arms behind my head.

He chuckled, settling down beside me on the couch, sliding his arm around my waist. "That so?" he murmured, his breath warm against my neck as he pulled me closer.

I tilted my head slightly, our foreheads gently touching. He looked into my eyes with such intensity, it sent shivers down my spine.

"What?" I asked softly, grinning.

"You know," he whispered, "you always smell like strawberries when you're near me. It's distracting."

I laughed lightly, raising an eyebrow. "Strawberries? That's the best you've got?"

"Hey," he said, his tone playful, "it's better than vanilla."

Before I could protest, he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss on the corner of my lips. It wasn't rushed or heated, just one of those sweet moments where time seemed to slow. My heart swelled, and for a second, I wanted to stay frozen in that kiss forever.

But of course, Dante being Dante, he didn't stop there. His hand brushed against my cheek, and in a fluid motion, he scooped me up and gently shifted me into his lap. I let out a soft yelp, completely caught off guard.

"Mr. Grump!" I giggled, trying to squirm away. But he just grinned, holding me tighter, his arms wrapped securely around my waist.

"What?" He smirked, leaning back against the couch as if this was the most natural thing in the world. "I'm comfortable."

"You're ridiculous." I shook my head, but the truth was, I loved moments like this-where it was just us, with no pretense, no hiding, just the two of us in our little bubble.

He gazed at me for a long moment, and then, out of nowhere, he reached for a strand of my hair, twirling it gently between his fingers. "You know what, Petardo?" he whispered, his voice low and full of affection.

"What?"

"I think I'm falling harder for you than I thought."

My heart skipped a beat. His words hung in the air between us, and for a moment, I wasn't sure how to respond. My fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of his jawline as I leaned my forehead against his. "You don't have to fall," I whispered back, "I'm already there."

He let out a breathy laugh. Just as his lips brushed against mine again, the sound of the front door opening made us both freeze.

"Tara? Dante?"

Oh no.

I turned my head slowly, my heart plummeting into my stomach. Bhaiya was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed, eyebrows raised, staring straight at us. Dante's hands were still around my waist, and I was, well...on his lap. No hiding. No excuses.

"Uh..." My voice died in my throat as I scrambled off Dante, practically tumbling onto the couch in my haste.

Bhaiya's eyes narrowed, flicking between the two of us. "What...is going on here?"

Dante stood up too, clearing his throat, but even he seemed slightly rattled. "Arjun, I-uh-it's not what it looks like."

Bhaiya raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because it looks like my sister was sitting on your lap."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Dante muttered under his breath.

I shot him a look that clearly said, Not helping!

Bhaiya's expression hardened, his jaw clenched tight. "Unbelievable," he muttered, his voice rising. "You two were seriously sneaking around behind my back?"

"Bhaiya, wait!" I stepped forward, trying to explain, my voice trembling slightly. "It's not like we wanted to hide it-"

"Save it, Tara," he cut me off, his voice sharp as a knife. "You've been lying to me for how long? And with him?" He shot Dante a glare.

"Bhaiya, please-" I started again, feeling panic rise in my chest.

But Arjun wasn't having it. His voice was cold, his anger barely controlled. "I'll talk to you later. Just... leave. Right now."

Him

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Tara, the silence in the room grew heavy. I could feel the tension thickening like a storm ready to break. Arjun's eyes were burning with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. Before I could even attempt to explain, his voice cut through the air, sharp and furious.

"How long?"

I swallowed hard. There was no point in hiding it now. "Three months," I replied, keeping my voice steady.

But before I could get another word out, Arjun grabbed me by the collar, his grip tight and unyielding. His face was inches from mine, his rage palpable.

"Three months?" he spat, his voice laced with disbelief. "Three months, and you didn't think to tell me? She's my sister, Dante!"

I could feel the weight of his words, the protectiveness he had for Tara colliding with the betrayal he must have felt. I raised my hands in a placating gesture, trying to calm him down. "Arjun, listen to me-"

"No," he growled, shoving me back but not letting go. "You don't get to tell me to calm down. You've been sneaking around with her under my nose. Do you have any idea how messed up this is?"

I sighed, keeping my gaze steady. "We didn't want to hide it for long. I care about her. I wouldn't do anything to hurt her, you know that."

Arjun's jaw clenched as he released me, stepping back, his fists still shaking at his sides. "Do I know that?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Because all I see right now is you putting her in danger by keeping her in the dark."

I felt a flicker of unease at his words. "This has nothing to do with the mission. Tara is safe, Arjun. I've kept everything away from her. She doesn't know about any of it."

Arjun's eyes narrowed. "And that's supposed to make me feel better? That you're hiding things from her too? You think keeping her in the dark protects her? What happens when things start to go south, huh? When the mission blows up in your face?"

I stood taller, meeting his gaze head-on. "I told you, she's not involved. The mission won't touch her. I've got it under control."

"Under control?" Arjun's voice rose, incredulous. "You're telling me you've got everything under control, yet you're dragging my sister into your mess! Dante, this isn't some small-time operation you're running. These people-you know what they're capable of. You've told me yourself what they did to you."

I flinched internally at the reminder, but I kept my voice firm. "That's why I'm doing this, Arjun. To end it. To make sure none of it reaches her-or you."

Arjun shook his head, frustration pouring off him. "You can't guarantee that. You think they won't come after you? That they won't use her against you if they find out? You're walking on a knife's edge, Dante, and you're dragging Tara along with you without her even knowing!"

I ran a hand through my hair. "I know the risks, Arjun. But I've kept her away from all of it. I've made sure she's safe."

"Safe?" Arjun shot back. "She's dating you. She's already in the line of fire."

I could see the panic in his eyes, the fear that his sister would get caught up in something far more dangerous than she could handle. I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "I love her, Arjun. I'm not doing this lightly. I'd never let anything happen to her. I've been careful."

Arjun's anger simmered beneath the surface, but I could tell my words had hit something deeper. He let out a long breath, his hands dropping to his sides. "You love her?" he asked, his voice quieter now, but still filled with tension.

"Yeah," I said, meeting his gaze. "I do."

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of everything hanging between us. Arjun rubbed a hand over his face, clearly torn between his anger and his concern.

"Doesn't change the fact that she has no idea what she's getting into," he muttered. "You need to think long and hard about whether you can keep her out of it. Because if this mission of yours ever touches her-"

"It won't," I interrupted, my voice firm.

Arjun's eyes bore into mine, searching for any sign of doubt. After a long pause, he shook his head. "You better hope so, Dante. Because if you screw this up... I'm not sure I'll be able to forgive you."

He turned toward the door, his back tense with frustration. "I'll talk to Tara later. Right now, I just need you to stay the hell away from her until I figure this out." With that, he walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, the weight of his words hanging in the air like a ticking bomb.

************