Chapter Thirty-Six
Nathan
One of the perks of being a member of Kian’s exclusive gentleman’s club, The Mirage, isn’t the high-class gambling, exclusive parties, or even the women.
It’s connecting with the notorious and powerful men. Doing deals and exchanging favors that don’t see the light of day.
Keith Ray is one of those men. The son of a corrupt politician and the king of the underbelly of organized crime in the north, which he rules with an iron fist, alongside his three best friends.
With his reach all over the country, if anyone were going to find Arya’s molester’s information in a few hours, it was going to be him.
He did come through.
Hrithik Sharma. Average-looking guy, aged thirty-two, and works a low-level job at a pharmaceutical company.
I stand in the basement parking lot in the building, waiting for him two cars down from his. [RK21]He’s working an evening shift and will be coming down at any second.
Ten minutes later, I hear the click of shoes.
He’s humming a tune as he rounds the corner from where the elevators are. Holding a briefcase and oblivious to the threat, he marches toward an old Chevrolet.
I silently approach him from behind and tap on his shoulder.
“Hrithik?” I ask when he turns.
“Yeah.” He frowns in confusion. “Do I kn—”
I throw my fist against his jaw, sending him to the ground in a single punch. Sputtering blood, he touches his jaw, and gasps, “What the fuck, man?”
“You don’t know me.” I bend and haul him up by his collar. “But I know you.”
“W-what?” Terror darkens his eyes as he tries to place me and fails. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”
Scums like him are nothing but pussies when a bigger bully confronts them. They only know to prey on innocent people. “You touched something of mine.”
“How? I don’t know you!” he croaks out. “You’ve got the wrong man.”
The rage I was suppressing the entire day comes roaring out. The memory of the missing spark in Arya’s coffee brown eyes, the scratches on her body, and the sound of her sobs. All of it converts into a need for violence. To teach this bastard a lesson.
Punching him in the ribs until he howls in pain, I shove him against the car’s door. “Oh, I’ve got the right man. I’ll prove to you.”
As he struggles, I pull out my phone and unlock it. Swiping to Arya’s picture, I point it in his face. “Recall her? Let me give you a hint. The bus this afternoon.”
His face pales as recognition hits. “I… She…”
“You shouldn’t have laid a finger on her,” I growl. “Big fucking mistake.”
Shoving the end of his tie in his mouth, I pin him to the hood of his car and lay his right hand flat on the top. I lift the knife in the air.
The glint of the blade jerks his gaze in its direction.
“No! No… puhlesss,” his muffled voice comes out.
Slamming the knife below his knuckles, I slice his fingers into two.
He wails in agony.
Showing no mercy, I do the same to his other hand. In the next second, the stench of piss fills the air. Blood paints the hood of his car and splashes against his windshield.
He crumples to the ground in a heap after I pull away.
Crouching to his eye level, I squeeze his throat until he stares at me through blurry eyes. “Speak of this to anyone and I will kill you next time.”
Then I make him black out with a right hook.
***
Hours later, when I come out of the shower after washing out all the blood, there’s a text from Arya waiting for me.
ANGEL: Somebody’s missing you.
Attached is a picture of Pihu hugging the handkerchief I left at her place after it fell out of my pocket.
ME: So, your cat’s a thief.
ANGEL: How dare you? My Pihu isn’t a thief!
ANGEL: Forget ever getting your handkerchief back.
ME: Keep it. She probably would’ve returned it in two pieces.
ANGEL: She wouldn’t have.
ME: Kittens are aggressive and scratch every surface.
ANGEL: Pihu is sweet as a pie.
ME: Wait until she gets older.
ANGEL: Stop believing the stereotypes. They’re giving cats a bad reputation.
Sitting against the headboard on my bed, I look up cat memes and find the perfect one to prove my theory. I send it to Arya.
ME: So, these aren’t cats?
ANGEL: Well, my Pihu won’t turn out like them.
I chuckle.
Another text comes from her, making me straight-up laugh.
ANGEL: You said people’s pets and you don’t get along. I think the problem is you.
ANGEL: It’s okay to admit furry animals scare you. I won’t tell anyone.
ME: I’m not scared of them. I just don’t trust them.
ANGEL: Says the man who let Pihu nap on his lap all afternoon.
ME: Only so she wouldn’t put her little paws in the ice cream.
ANGEL: Liar. Pihu’s a good girl.
ME: Have you been a good girl and invited Anaya?
A picture of Anaya lying on the bed and surfing on her phone comes through. The lingering tension in my shoulders disperses knowing she isn’t alone.
I’m about to reply when a call comes. Sanjay Sharma’s [RK22]name flashes on the screen.
I accept it, pressing the phone to my ear. “Sanjay.”
“Hope I’m not disturbing you, Nathan.”
“You’re not.”
“I talked to the others,” he says without beating around the bush. “They share our concerns too regarding Arnav.”
“But?” I sense it in his tone.
“But they’re hesitant to stand up to your father.”
He must have something on them that he could be using to blackmail and buy their votes. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have revealed even this much.
“There’s a solution,” Sanjay says. “If you bring a business proposal or a client that’s more profitable than Arnav, all of us will vote for you.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because Rakesh’s behavior is getting out of hand with his demands.
It’s obvious stepping down as the CEO has been hard for him.
It’s not just you he’s trying to micromanage, but all of us.
And we’ve had enough. My loyalty has always been with the company where I’ve worked for more than half my life.
You have my word that we’ll have your back. ”
I gauge his tone and he sounds genuine. There’s always the risk of plans going awry, however it’s one I’ll have to take.
Discretion will be of utmost importance while I work on solidifying the merger again with Lance Corps. I won’t let my father sabotage it like last time.
“Fine, Sanjay,” I answer. “I’m trusting you.”
“Just one more thing.”
“What?”
“You cannot be involved in more scandals, Nathan. You represent the company and your legacy. We cannot afford any more hits on our reputation. It sends a bad message.”
“I’m taking care of it.”
“You hired a publicist, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Is she good?” He hums, sounding doubtful. “I’ve heard she’s young.”
“Arya is more than capable,” I defend her. “In fact, it was her idea I meet with you.”
“Ah. Impressive.”
She is. “Any other concerns?”
“No. Just some advice. Time is of the essence, and you need to work fast,” he warns ominously. “I bet your father is plotting behind your back. The upcoming meeting is his best shot at removing you and he’ll hit you full force.”
“I’m aware of the time crunch,” I say dryly. “Stick to your part and I’ll stick to mine.”
There will be one last scandal, but it’ll involve my father’s name in the headlines, not mine.
After I hang up, I see Arya’s last text.
ANGEL: I forgot to ask… Don’t I need to come to the police station to file an FIR against the man?
ME: Don’t worry. I handled it. He’s not assaulting you or any other woman ever again.
I don’t think she’ll see my message anytime soon when, instantly, a bubble pops up. A weird and warm sensation spreads inside my chest. It becomes almost uncontainable when her text flashes on my screen.
ANGEL: That makes me relieved. You’re my hero.
Her claim hits me like a bullet.
Villain. Liar. Machiavellian. Backstabber. That’s who I’ve been in everyone’s life.
I wouldn’t know the first thing about being a hero. Arya certainly wouldn’t be calling me that if she knew the violence I inflicted on the man to avenge her.
She believes I’m a good man because it’s the only side I’ve shown her.
The side only she elicits.
I didn’t even realize I was spilling my guts to her until they were out of my mouth. Worse, I didn’t want to take them back. I wanted to bare my soul to her. Let her innocence and warmth surround me.
What can I do right now to make you happy?
I was sucker punched. The earth was yanked from beneath my feet at her offer. The answer was on the tip of my tongue before I became alert to the danger they possessed. For a moment, I wondered what it would be like to make her mine completely.
Hollow dream is what it is.
A fatal compulsion that could obliterate everything I was working toward. And eventually destroy her life.
She would run if she found out about my vices. The sins I’ve committed in the past. The transgressions I’ll commit in the future. The lies I’m telling her. The secrets I’m hiding.
I won’t be her hero then.
I’m a broken man and she deserves someone whole.
Today the lines blurred.
I need to draw them again.
This time permanently.