Chapter 41
Forty-One
HARSH
“We’re going to war!” Harsh announced slamming the door to his brother’s study open.
The door banged against the wall behind it, rebounded and almost hit Harsh in the face. He stopped it with one hand, before stepping into the study and glancing around. Surprisingly, there weren’t a million aides milling around. There wasn’t even one.
“Did you hear me?” he demanded, stalking towards Agastya’s desk.
Agastya leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers beneath his chin. “I heard you.”
“And?” Harsh threw himself into the chair across from Agastya, glaring at his brother.
“And I’m thinking it must have been one hell of a wedding night, if you’re going to war the next day.”
“ I’m not.” Harsh leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs. “We are.”
“And who am I going to war against?”
“Anant Madhavan.”
“Ahh.” Agastya tapped a pen against the open file on his table. “I wondered when we’d get to that.”
“Now.” Harsh smiled, a feral baring of his teeth. “We get to it now.”
“And why am I going to war against him?”
“Because he hurt Raashi.”
Agastya went still, a deadly, viciously precise stillness that everyone who knew him knew to be careful of.
“How?” One word, crisp and furious.
“I don’t know,” Harsh admitted. “But I know he did.”
“Harsh.” Agastya sighed, his pen stopping its rapid tapping. He shut the file and rubbed a hand over his face. “We’re not going after someone unless we have concrete reason to do so.”
Harsh’s gaze roved over the grand, dark wood and marble covered study. It oozed power without any of the pretentiousness that his father’s study had. If ever a room took on its owner’s personality, it was this one.
“If Raashi won’t give you the whole story-“
“We’ll get it from somewhere else,” Harsh interrupted.
Agastya narrowed his eyes at him. “What the hell have you done?”
For the second time that night, the study door banged open. “What the hell is the urgency, Kodela?” Ram stormed in, much in the same style as his younger sister.
Those two had a lot in common. Temper primarily, Harsh reflected.
Agastya raised an eyebrow, not bothering to answer.
Ram glared at him. “Well?” he demanded. “What did you summon me for?”
“Wrong Kodela,” Agastya said mildly.
Ram swung towards Harsh. “Is my sister okay?” Panic that hadn’t been there a second before leached into his voice.
“Yes.” Harsh stood to face him, hastening to calm his fears. “She’s fine.”
Ram took a deep breath before suddenly swinging towards Agastya. “And Veda?”
“Better than fine.” Agastya inclined his head, a smug smile on his face.
“Then why the fuck am I here?” Ram roared. “I was working, you useless fucks.”
“Excuse me?” Harsh responded affronted. “We work too.”
“Were you working right now?” Ram wasn’t ready to be calmed.
“I was.” Agastya capped his pen and stood. “Until that one walked in declaring war.”
“War?” Ram stared at them dumbfounded. “War??? What the fuck are you deranged idiots on about?”
The door opened again, without any slamming this time, and Aarush sauntered in, dressed like he was going to a charity gala in a three-piece suit. Did he sleep in a suit, Harsh wondered. He should ask Priyanka sometime.
“Hello family,” he said cheerfully. “What’s this all about?”
“What’s he doing here?” Agastya asked, sounding genuinely befuddled now.
“I didn’t want him to feel left out,” Harsh offered, slapping an amiable hand on Aarush’s back.
“Left out of what?” Aarush asked, taking in the diverse expressions on everyone’s faces.
“War apparently,” Ram responded.
Aarush frowned. “Not sure that’s part of my repertoire.”
“Not sure you have a repertoire,” Agastya muttered from behind his desk.
“Enough!” Harsh snapped.
Everyone in the room froze at his tone, turning to face him.
“There will be no more bickering,” Harsh said sternly. “We are going to focus. We have important things to do.”
All three of the older men gaped at him.
“That must have been one hell of a wedding night,” Aarush murmured.
“That’s what I said!” Agastya grinned, forgetting years of animosity and remembering the fact that Aarush was one of his best friends.
“Shut up fuckers!” Ram snarled. “That’s my sister you’re talking about.”
Harsh groaned. “Will you all behave yourselves please?”
“Who are we going to war against?” Aarush asked, leaning against Agastya’s desk.
Harsh met Ram’s eyes as he said, “Anant Madhavan.”