Chapter Fourteen
Arya
“He felt you up?” screeches Anaya in the middle of the café. “Sounds to me he wants to fuck you again.”
I decided to meet her for lunch instead of returning to the office. God knows I need fresh air and a venting session with my best friend to make sense of what occurred with Nathan.
That bold and dirty-talking girl isn’t me.
I don’t grind my ass against a man I vehemently dislike.
The memory flashes in neon headlights, eliciting an embarrassed groan from me.
“More like the other way around,” I tell Anaya while biting my thumbnail.
She raises an eyebrow. “You wanna fuck him again?”
“No!” The pair of old aunties sitting next to our table glare.
I lower my voice, and whisper, “It was me who pressed against him first. I don’t know what came over me, Anaya.
It’s like he puts a spell on me every time he touches me.
Every time I think I've got the last word, he goes and proves me wrong.”
“Bang it out.”
“Why is sex your answer to every problem?”
“Because it works.” Taking a sip of her mocha latte, she says, “There’s obviously lingering tension between you two. It will keep mounting every time you meet. It’s exactly what happened last time.”
“It ended with my running out of there with no panties on.”
“I bet he has kept it. Men like souvenirs.”
“Ew, I hope not,” I huff. “I don’t want to be in the same club as all his other hookups.”
“That’s not what the rumor mill says.”
Her statement gives me pause. “What do you mean?”
“I ran into Samaira, the wedding photographer who did his engagement photoshoot for the magazine last summer. She never once got the vibe that he was acting being in love. She said he never once took his eyes off Iris and looked smitten. The woman is experienced enough to tell whether the chemistry is real or not. As for Iris, she was a little stiff at first and firmly denied doing too cozy poses, saying her family is conservative.” Putting down her cup, she leans closer.
“I asked around and pretty much everyone said the same. So, yeah, it’s a possibility that there is no line of past hookups for him. ”
“But he admitted to me that their relationship is fake.”
“Maybe it became real for him somewhere along the way.”
Could Anaya be right? Have I misjudged him? Is that why he’s refusing to put out a statement? His fierce protectiveness of Iris makes sense now.
Is he still in love with her?
What’s more perplexing is why I care to know. The weird tightening inside my chest at the possibility it could be true.
“After listening to you,” she smirks. “I think someone else is driving him insane and occupying his mind now.”
“Who? Me?”
“All the signs point to it.”
“I don’t think so,” I murmur, twisting the tablecloth between my fingers. “He’s a client, and I’m his publicist. Nothing more.”
Today was a major slipup. One I don’t intend to repeat.
“If you say so.” She chuckles, refusing to believe me. “A piece of advice: meet him at a neutral public place. Under no circumstances be alone with him, and absolutely no touching him.”
The two rules to live by while around Nathan Singhania.
***
The rest of my day goes by being buried in the list shared by Nathan. Apart from two board members, the rest are all under his father’s thumb. In the last meeting, they voted no against the man Nathan chose for promoting to CFO.
I went over them one by one, starting with Nathan's father, Rakesh Singhania. Despite stepping down as the head of the company, he hasn’t taken a back seat.
The articles I read about him describe him as an autocratic leader.
An old-fashioned narcissist. A stickler for rules and archaic values and traditions.
It’s clear why he and Nathan are clashing.
The older Singhania male wants to run the business as a traditional Hindu family business, while his son wants to modernize it and drive the legacy forward with innovation and partnering with similar companies.
If their war continues, it’s going to push the company into the ground. No matter how excellent Nathan’s strategies and good intentions are, he cannot succeed with his father trying to micromanage and sabotage him passively.
I wonder if Nathan has made the effort to chat with the board members supporting his father and getting them on his side. I wouldn’t put it past Rakesh to fill their ears with nonsense.
The animosity with which Nathan spoke about his dad, I’m sensing there’s more than one reason for their turbulent relationship.
The drama surrounding the Singhania clan has always been the talk of the town.
As per my research, it has escalated even more in the past year after Iris became Kian’s assistant.
One of the celebrity gossip blogs mentioned that Iris and Kian lived together while Nathan went overseas for a merger. That’s when she fell in love with Kian.
I swear the deeper I go, the twisted the history of the Singhania family becomes. It’s like watching an Indian reality show. Helping Nathan won’t be so simple. I’ve only got seven months before the next board meeting to show that he is the best CEO for Singhania and Sons.
Switching off my laptop because my eyes are burning, I notice I’m the only one left on my floor and that it’s dark outside. My stomach rumbles when I stand up, reminding me I should’ve had more than a salad for lunch earlier.
Collecting my purse, I exit my office and ride down to the basement parking lot.
My yawn echoes in the compact space of the elevator before the door dings open.
I’m greeted by dingy white light and unnerving quietness that borders on eerie.
Despite the tight security in the building, I’m always nervous and on edge until I get inside my car.
As soon as I reach my precious red Ferrari that I bought last year, I slip behind the wheel. Letting out a relieved sigh, I put on my seat belt and connect the Bluetooth to my playlist. Sabrina Carpenter’s husky voice fills the interior, bringing a grin to my face.
Putting the car into reverse, I sing the lyrics to “Taste”. “Heard you’re back together and if that’s tr─ Ahhh!”
A shrill scream erupts from my throat as something black lands on the hood of my car and slides to the ground.
I slam on the brakes.
“What the fuck!” Cutting off the engine, I throw open my door and jump out. Rounding to the front, my eyes bug out as I see the small furry ball whimpering on the floor. “Oh god, oh god, oh god.”
Scrambling to my knees, I cautiously lean toward the animal. At first, I think I hit a puppy until I gently graze its furry back. Its head lifts, making me realize it’s a beautiful baby kitten with the most vivid green eyes and the cutest whiskers.
“Oh, cutie-pie, I’m so sorry.” She jumps back as I pet and check her for injuries. She fell on my car really hard. “Not trying to hurt you. Come here, baby.”
She blinks at me, studying me closely as I remain still to not spook her.
Please, God, don’t let her be hurt.
“Let me see you.” I crook my fingers at her. “Where did you come from?”
I’ve never had a pet, so I’m acting on my instincts.
We stare at each other until, in a surprising move, she crawls into my lap and makes the sweetest sound.
I pick her up, cradling her against my chest. I melt into a puddle when she nuzzles the side of her face into my palm and blinks lovingly at me.
“Aww, you’re safe.” I rub behind her ear, earning a soft purr. “That’s it. I’m taking you home with me.”
She’s a stray cat, probably lost her mother. No way I’m abandoning her to fend for herself. Even though I don’t have any experience owning a pet. With the way she’s clinging to me, I can’t leave her behind.
Holding her protectively, I rise to my full height.
Opening the door, I get inside the car and place her on the passenger seat. Making a noise of protest, she immediately tries to climb back into my lap. I urge her back down, keeping a hand on the middle of her back.
“Just stay there for a little while.”
Searching for the nearest vet, I type the address into the map and drive out of the parking lot. The city is buzzing with life, the streets are lit up with people walking up and down the sidewalk as I drive through the evening traffic. Everyone is in a hurry to get home.
The clinic’s sign flashes in the distance.
Quickly finding a spot, I cut the ignition and park my car.
The kitten eagerly jumps into my arms as I pick her up.
I want to make sure she’s healthy before I bring her home.
Along with buying things that she’ll need to be comfortable at my place.
Thankfully, my apartment building allows pets.
As I step into the lobby, my little furball and I jolt when an aggressive rottweiler barks at her.
“Shhh,” I coo at her. Stopping by the reception, I greet the nurse behind the desk. “Hello, I need my cat looked at. She’s a stray, and she accidentally bumped into my car an hour ago. Will you please check if she’s injured? I’m unsure.”
“Of course. I’ll send you right away.”
“Thank you.”
“Have you named her by any chance?” she asks, pen poised to fill the admission form.
I glance at my baby, who purrs cutely. “Pihu.”
“Cute.”
We’re led into a room and told to place her on the examination table. I stay glued to Pihu’s side as the doctor inspects her and confirms she’s unharmed except for a few scratches. I ask about her food and the basics of caring for her.
An hour later, we reach my apartment. A homey feeling blossoms inside my chest as I carry Pihu inside the threshold. I’ve been missing the sense of belonging for months.
It’s fate we both met.
As if the universe knew we both needed someone to fill the loneliness.
While I order takeout for myself, I unwrap the bowl and feed her, her dinner. A pang hits my chest watching her gulp it down fast. How long has she been starving?
A text alert pulls my attention off her. Grabbing my phone off the counter, I see who it’s from. Heat and disbelief coil low in my belly as I read the message from Nathan.
Mr. Gentleman: We’ll meet here.
My lips curl at the nickname. Until I read the address below, frowning that it’s a residential area.
Wait a sec… Is that his home?
No way. Being alone with him is against the rules.
Dialing his number, I call him.
He picks up on the first ring. His seductive voice filters in my ear. “Angel. Were you waiting for my text?”
“Please tell me it’s not your home address.”
“It is.”
“We’re not meeting there,” I reply, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Pick a restaurant or my office.”
“Why? Afraid you’ll want to do more than eye fuck me?”
I ignore his remark. “I want boundaries, Nathan.”
“My home is the most secure place where I don’t trust anyone to eavesdrop,” he explains. “I’ll keep my hands to myself as long as you don’t be a cocktease.”
“Your mouth is just as bad.” I know it’s the wrong thing to say before I even finish it.
“Little minx, I haven’t shown you what my lips and tongue can do to make that assumption,” he cockily drawls.
Molten heat shoots to my face as the phone almost drops from my hand.
Sensing my frustration, Pihu bounces over to me and tries climbing up my leg with her small paws. I bend and haul her up against my chest.
“Why do you always have to be so crass?”
His low chuckle raises goosebumps on my skin. “You had no issue when I had you bouncing on my cock. In fact, you loved it so much that you begged me not to stop.”
“It… it didn’t mean anything.”
“Keep lying to yourself.” Switching to a serious tone, he says, “My place is the only option you have. Take it or leave it.”
After contemplating, I ask, “Can you promise to behave?”
“I’ll be a perfect gentleman or…” A thrilling pause before he rasps, “A good boy. Whichever you prefer.”
My jaw is on the floor.
Before I can pick it up, he says, “Good night, Ari.”
I’m way in over my head with this man.