The wedding day had been endless—drums, flowers, hundreds of eyes on Priya as she circled the sacred fire seven times, promising herself to the man who had already claimed her body in the dark. In her heavy red lehenga, she had felt his gaze burning through the layers of silk every single time their eyes met.

By the time the last guest left and the haveli gates were locked, Priya’s panties (the tiny red lace ones he had made her wear under the lehenga) were soaked through.