Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
VEER
I sha had kept to her room for the past twelve days. I wondered if she was feeling sick or just deeply humiliated. Either way, it was my fault.
I shouldn’t have offered her a cocktail during the viewing at the stadium, but it had been a very tedious morning, with long-winded speeches, and she had looked so hot and uncomfortable that on a whim, I’d decided to make her a nice drink.
I sent my chauffeur to buy a bottle of the best vodka he could find and spiked a glass of the nimbu paani that was being passed around to the VIPs. It was supposed to be a peace offering, an indirect apology for the way I had treated her for years. I knew one drink couldn’t make up for years of rudeness, but I had to do something. We had to find a way to end this war between us. That fucking drink was my version of an olive branch, but it only made her hate me more.
I wanted to apologise for the mess I’d caused but I had the feeling she’d rip my face off if I knocked on her door. Besides, I didn’t think it wise to be alone with her in her room. Not after the way my body had reacted when she bit the inside of my palm. That little bite resonated through my whole body, but before I could react, she licked my palm, sending sparks of fire straight down to my dick.
That’s when things went downhill. But even after she ruined my new shoes by throwing up all over them, all I could think of was the feel of her tongue on my skin. That was all I could think of even twelve days later. Still, I had made it through Dadi Sa’s mourning period without making matters worse with Isha. One more day, and I was free to return home and forget all about her.
I tried to distract myself by locking myself in Dheer’s study after he went up to bed and catching up on all the emails that were waiting for me. Kirori Ji had opened a dialogue with the ruling party about taking me on, but they were still hesitant to talk terms.
“It’s a delicate matter, Hukum,” he said over the phone.
“Ask them what it will take,” I replied bluntly, knowing they were building up to a big negotiation.
“That’s hard to tell,” he said non-committally.
“How about a hefty donation to the party fund? Will that help them make up their minds soon?”
“We can’t rush these things, Hukum,” warned Kirori Ji. “I think you should aim a little lower this time. You need to be elected to the Assembly first. Get your ticket and serve the party for a bit. All the MLAs want to be the CM, but that’s not how it works. There has to be a consensus about who will lead the party, and they already have their next CM lined up and primed. He’s going to put up a big fight if you try to muscle in on his seat.”
“Kirori Ji, they’ve had three no-confidence motions in the Assembly in the past four years for various charges including corruption and murder. They might have held on by a small margin, but they are running out of time. Unless they front a clean candidate this time around, the chances of them winning the next election are very low. You know that as well as I do. And don’t forget that I don’t come alone. I have all the royal families in the state backing me.”
Kirori Ji’s sigh echoed heavily down the line.
“I’ll speak to them, Hukum. But it’s going to get dirty.”
“It doesn’t have to. If they don’t want me, I have a second option lined up. But please remind them that they will be very humiliated if their party loses the state for the first time in twenty years. Because one way or another, I’m going to be the next chief minister of Rajasthan.”
“Hukum, these things aren’t decided overnight. It takes years of working and networking to build a successful political career. They might agree to field you in the election after this one if you prove your worth.”
“That’s almost six years away, and I can’t wait that long,” I snapped. “By then, the land mafia would have taken over the whole area and they’ll choke out all the development we’ve brought about, Kirori Ji. Do you want to see the villages around Trikhera and Jadhwal become one with the arid desert? Because that’s what they want. They are driving away people who live near the borders already and the police can do nothing about it because our people are afraid to speak up against them.”
Kirori Ji laughed mirthlessly.
“Hukum, you’re very naive. Who do you think bankrolls the ruling party?”
I growled under my breath as he confirmed what I already knew. That the government was in bed with the local mafia.
“Even if you get a party ticket, there is no way this party is going to put you at the helm, Hukum. Not with your progressive ideas and plans that conflict with their own plans. Go back to your philanthropy. Politics is no place for a man like you.”
“Kirori Ji, I have sworn to protect the land of my ancestors. And I’ll do whatever it takes to fulfil that promise,” I said grimly.
Even if I had to borrow Dheer’s rocket launcher and massacre the mafia in their own homes.
“Haye, haye. We just managed to end the last war without too many casualties. Please don’t start another one,” he begged.
“I’m not starting anything. But I will not tolerate having the mafia playing in my backyard, Kirori Ji,” I warned.
“Uff, you princelings might have lost your thrones, but war-mongering runs in your blood,” he grumbled. “How confident are you about winning the Assembly election for your constituency?”
“Very,” I replied. “My people will vote for me because they want a reason to kick the current MLA out.”
“Okay, then let’s think of options other than the ruling party. How about the Pragati Party? They were new during the last elections, but they did get a quarter of the seats in the Assembly. And I’m confident they will do very well in the next elections. If you bring the might of your royal connections, you could propel them to a victory. But it will take a lot of hard work, Hukum.”
“I’m not afraid of hard work, Kirori Ji,” I replied firmly.
He promised to speak to the party president, and I hung up on that promising note.
The hall was in complete darkness when I finally left Dheer’s study. Everyone in the palace was asleep. Everyone except the woman tripping down the stairs in a hurry.
I watched Isha from the shadows as she looked over her shoulder furtively before sliding back the bolt to the big front door. Where was she going at this hour? Was she sneaking out to meet someone? A man?
A bolt of fury ripped through me at the very thought. Who was the bastard? And why did I want to rip his throat out?
I shook off the violent thoughts and stalked towards Isha.
I wanted to be reasonable and polite. I was going to hold a civil conversation with the woman even if it killed me.
Well, I got off to a good start.
“Now where do you think you’re going at this hour?” I asked politely.
When she spun around with a gasp, clutching a hand to her heart, I realised that I should have announced my presence before I spoke.
“Why the hell are you sneaking around the house like a thief?” she snarled.
Fuck being polite!
“I was working! And I might ask you the same question,” I snapped.
Isha drew herself up with great dignity and looked down her nose at me. Well, she tried to but since I was almost a head taller than her, she couldn’t quite pull it off. It was adorable.
“You have no right to ask me any questions. It’s my house. I’ll go anywhere I damn please.”
“Hmm. And does your mother know you’re out here?”
Even in the faint moonlight that streamed through the tall leaded glass windows in the hall, I could see that I had hit a nerve. My princess was definitely sneaking out without her mother’s permission.
“Mind your own fucking business,” she said brusquely, swinging the door open.
I knew I should let her go, but I had to know if she was meeting someone. I grabbed her by the arm and swung her around.
Isha’s chest heaved up and down rapidly as she glared up at me.
“Who is he?” I bit out.
Her brows furrowed in confusion.
“He?” she asked.
“The man you’re sneaking out to meet in the middle of the night. Who is he?”
Isha pulled her hand out of my grip and tried to slip past me, but I blocked her with my body and backed her up against the open door. I didn’t know why I was behaving like such a boor. I had never been the jealous, possessive type. In fact, I was still friends with all my exes, even when they found new partners. It had never bothered me. Yet, the thought of Isha meeting another man sat pissed me off like hell. It made me feel like there was a swarm of hornets under my skin, each one stinging me over and over again.
I tried telling myself that she was free to meet anyone she liked. She didn’t belong to me. And yet, the idea of her belonging to another man made me want to put my fist through the wall.
I leaned forward and held her eyes.
“Who. Is. He?” I asked softly, my voice loaded with menace.
“Go. To. Hell,” she replied in the same tone, as she brought her heel down hard on my instep.
I forced myself not to flinch at the pain and planted my hands on the door behind her, trapping her in place.
“Tell me who he is and I’ll let you go,” I murmured.
Isha’s eyes flashed in anger when she realised I wasn’t going to budge.
“I’ll scream the place down. And when my brother kicks you out of the palace and out of our lives in the middle of the night, I’ll try not to look too happy,” she hissed.
“Your mother will be here before your brother, and trust me, babe. She’s going to thank me for not letting you go wandering about the city at night. So go ahead and scream. Let’s see how that plays out for you,” I drawled.
Isha cursed under her breath as she tried to slip out from under my arm, but I took one step forward and my chest came up plush against her heaving breasts. We both stilled at the feel of our bodies against each other.
She had every right to be angry with me, but I didn’t know why I was so angry. Why did I feel… almost betrayed?
Her breath feathered against my neck as I stared down at her, and a soft shudder rippled down my spine. If I just bent my head a little, I could kiss her. My hands slid down the door until they almost touched her hips. Almost, but not quite.
Every fibre of my being yelled at me to touch her. To haul her into my arms and kiss her until she forgot all about this mystery man. But I knew that if I took one step down that road, I was a goner for life. Because kissing Isha was addictive. Fucking addictive! I should know. It had been very difficult and painful to kick the habit the last time I did it.
Which was why I also knew that she would probably rip my balls out if I dared to make a move on her. The smart thing to do right now would be to walk away. But I had never been smart where this woman was concerned. When I was around her, all the blood in my body drained south and left my poor brain making all kinds of wrong decisions.
“Don’t even think about it,” she warned. “I’ll bite your lips off.”
I let out a short laugh at her threat. She looked mad enough to actually do it.
I dipped my head a little to whisper in her ear.
“Take care, Princess. Because I bite back,” I growled.
Isha couldn’t hide the shudder that swept through her body. I wound one of her curls around my finger and tugged her closer gently.
“Tell me whom you’re meeting,” I insisted.
Isha slipped her fingers through my belt loops and pulled me even closer as she wound one leg around my denim-clad hip. She tilted her head and shot me a slow, challenging smile.
“I’m meeting my lover. What are you going to do about it?” she asked.
The vixen was toying with me! Well, if she wanted to play with fire…
I grabbed her leg and pulled it even higher as I ground my hardness against her core. She let out a soft moan and dug her nails into my shoulder.
“I hate you,” she whispered.
“I know,” I whispered back, the strain of not kissing her almost driving me out of my mind.
“I’m not meeting anyone, so you can drop the alpha-hole act. Although I don’t see why it’s any of your business.”
She wouldn’t, and I couldn’t enlighten her because what was the point? She’d never believe me. Not after the way I had treated her.
“Where are you going, Isha?” I asked letting go of her leg and taking a careful step back.
She blew out a heavy breath and ran a hand through her unruly curls.
“I’m going out for a drive because I need some fresh air. Although I have no idea why I’m even telling you because you’re the reason I was trapped in my room for so long,” she replied with a scowl.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
Isha crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow in enquiry.
“For?”
Damn it! The list of things I had to apologise for was a mile long. And I had no idea where to begin. I decided to start small.
“I’m sorry I spiked your nimbu paani at the funeral. I didn’t intend to get you drunk at a formal event.”
“Apology accepted,” she said shortly, before she walked past me.
She paused as she stepped over the threshold and turned to look at me.
“Wanna ride along?”