Chapter 4
Dev
I slam my palms on the desk so hard the entire surface rattles. But I don’t care about the mess. My eyes stay locked on the waiter. He immediately flinches, stumbling back a step, terror stretching his eyes wide.
Good. He should be scared. He went behind my back, and now he’ll learn exactly what that costs him.
My jaw ticks as I recall my assistant walking in earlier, visibly pale and nervous, saying the chief editor had called to report that one of his journalists claimed to have a ‘big lead’ on us.
The editor had rejected the article immediately, of course, for obvious reasons.
And after that, it didn’t take long to find the traitor.
“Bold of you,” I say, circling the desk and stopping right in front of him, “to stab me in the back and think you’d still get to live in peace.”
“I—I didn’t—sir, please—” he stammers, a pathetic excuse that only fuels the fire burning under my skin.
I grab the collar of his shirt and yank him forward. His chin wobbles and his body shakes uncontrollably.
“Don’t you dare lie to me,” I hiss, my fingers digging in, tightening with every heartbeat. “You knew exactly what you were doing. And now you’re going to pay for betraying me.”
I let go of him and signal my two men in black uniforms. They step forward immediately.
“Remind him why he should’ve never crossed me,” I order.
Both men nod once and move in. The waiter barely has time to gasp before they grab him, shoving him back as the first punch lands, the sound satisfying to my ears.
He crumples to the floor and starts sobbing. “I have a family… please, sir. I didn’t mean to… it was just… I wasn’t thinking. I got emotional…”
I cross my arms and lean back against my desk. “That’s something you should have thought about before you dared to drag my name through the mud.”
He chokes on a sob. “I made a mistake. I’ll do anything to fix it. Just don’t… please, don’t…”
Before I can reply, the door bursts open.
“Dev!” my father’s voice cuts through the room.
I flick my fingers, signalling my men to take the waiter away just as my dad strides inside. I walk around my desk and sink into my chair, knowing exactly why he’s here. For a conversation I want to avoid but can’t.
“What the hell is happening? How did someone leak our photo?” he thunders, his dark eyes blazing.
And I can tell he’s not just angry but on the verge of exploding, reminding me of the standards he set to run and defend our empire.
Standards he expects me to uphold. The same damn lecture he’s been giving me since I was twenty, ever since I first started handling the business, every time a mishap occurs.
“Can I reply after your lecture?” I drawl, leaning back in my chair with a bored expression.
I know he loves me, just as I love him. But showing emotions, letting them between us…
that died the day I lost Mom to cancer when I was only eleven.
Veer was barely six. Losing her took more than her presence from us.
It stole a part of our ability to feel, to be soft.
From that day on, I learned from Dad that coldness was survival.
Anger and power became our language, and showing weakness was never an option.
“Behave, Dev,” he snaps. “You know very well I don’t take it lightly when someone crosses our empire.” I can see the deep wrinkles on his forehead tighten as his anger flares.
“Our empire,” I repeat. “The one you entrusted me to manage. Well, you don’t need to worry. It’s my responsibility. Besides, the news hasn’t even gone public yet.”
My dad flops into the chair across from me and runs a hand over his bald head.
“Dev, you don’t understand. I do trust you with the responsibility, and I know that in this city, none of our news will leak without our permission.
We’ve covered that well. But just one mishap, one bloody mistake, and everything we’ve built…
our reputation, our control… can come crumbling down. ”
I lean forward, my elbows resting on the desk. “I understand, Dad. More than you think. But you should also know by now that I don’t just manage the empire. I protect it. Ruthlessly.”
Veer helps in the background, doing his part, but I run the show. Every deal, every move, every damn thing… it goes through me first.
“As I said earlier, I don’t doubt your ability to run the empire. What bothers me is that, with you being so vigilant, how the hell did those journalists manage to get into our guest house a few days ago? You know very well that journalists are our enemies.”
“And I know how to deal with my enemies,” I counter.
But I don’t tell him why they were really at the guest house, and I sure as hell don’t mention the pregnancy or Meera’s threat to tarnish our name.
I learned long ago that some battles are mine alone.
He doesn’t need to worry when I am more than capable of handling it.
“Then you also know that we can’t let the journalist who got this news get away that easily,” my dad fires back. “I’ll have my men take care of whoever she is.”
“No!” I shout, slamming my hands on the desk.
Dad’s eyebrows shoot up, surprise flashing across his face. But I don’t care. Not when he provoked me. Yes, I am furious at her, frustrated at the whole damn situation, but beneath it all, the protective instinct in me surges at the thought of anyone daring to touch her.
“I told you I’ll handle this, and I will. If anyone’s going to pay her a visit, it’ll be me. No one else touches this situation,” I snap, making sure he understands exactly where I stand.
“Fine, handle it,” he says at last, rising to his feet and straightening his coat.
“But remember, if you’re taking this into your own hands, you’d better make sure there’s nothing left for me to clean up.
” His face hardens, the familiar warning lines etched deep into his face.
For a moment, I see myself in him—the same dark eyes, the same six-foot frame, the same ruthless control.
“Don’t worry, I don’t leave messes behind. I finish what I start. And I make damn sure no one has to clean up after me.” I smirk, my eyes locked with his. “You taught me that.”
He nods, a small, approving smile tugging at his lips. Then he turns and walks out of the office, leaving me with the burning urge to pay her a visit.
I grab my keys and head downstairs, sliding into the driver’s seat of my black Mercedes parked in the basement.
The engine purrs to life as I press the start button and pull out.
As I speed through the streets, I make the call to track Meera’s location.
It doesn’t take more than ten minutes for my men to give me her location.
She’s at the quiet stretch near Old Lake Road.
Damn. This woman surely loves trouble.
What the hell is she thinking? It’s fucking ten at night, and she’s on an isolated road, all by herself. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and press harder on the accelerator.
A few minutes later, my breathing finally steadies as I spot her.
She’s standing by the curb, back to me, her face lifted towards the night sky.
She’s in a flowing peach salwar suit, the dupatta fluttering in the breeze, and for a moment, I can’t help but admire how angelic she looks, completely lost in thought.
I ease my foot down and hit the brake, hard enough for the tyres to crunch against the gravel right behind her.
She jolts, her shoulders jerking as she spins around, her eyes wide.
I push the door open and step out of the car, slamming it shut with deliberate force.
Her gaze meets mine, anger tightening her features as she squares her shoulders. “So… you’re here to silence me?”
I take a step closer and raise an eyebrow. “Silence you?”
“Don’t play innocent with me,” she fires back, lifting her chin defiantly.
“I know you found out about the article, and now you’re trying to scare me into backing off.
But you know what, Mr. Dev Rathore? Do whatever you want.
I won’t stop. I will expose your crimes.
Maybe not at my workplace, but I’ll find another press that’s willing to print it. ”
I smirk, tilting my head. “Do you want me to suggest a name? Or maybe… put in a recommendation for you?”
Her nostrils flare, and she takes a step back. “Keep your recommendations to yourself. I don’t need your help. And Mr. Dev Rathore, you can be happy all you want about your win, but I am not backing down. I’ll keep trying.”
Fuck.
Damn, if her fire doesn’t turn me on. The defiance in her eyes, the way her voice challenges me… it hits harder than it should. She has no idea what she’s igniting in me with every damn second.
“Sweetheart, don’t stress that beautiful brain of yours,” I murmur, stepping closer to her.
“Don’t you dare call me that,” she snaps.
I ignore her sass and instead say, “How about we sit somewhere, have coffee, and discuss just how reckless you’re being, and where your little actions might lead you.”
Before I can stop myself, my hand lifts and brushes against her collarbone. And the moment I touch her soft skin, an electric jolt shoots straight through me.
Fuck! Her skin is impossibly soft.
She shoves my hand away, her breathing quick and shallow. “You’re a disgusting man,” she snaps, spinning on her heel to walk away.
She doesn’t get far.
I am already in front of her before she can take a full step. I lift my hand just enough to stop her, not touching her this time, forcing her to freeze mid-stride.
“Good observation, sweetheart. Actually, now I am curious,” I add, letting my gaze drop to my Rolex, then back to her. “Tell me more about what you think of me. I’ve got time.”
She glares at me. “Oh, you don’t have much time, Mr. Dev Rathore.
Because very soon, I’ll make sure you and your brother end up in jail.
You might have silenced one article of mine, but I’ll write a thousand more.
And then,” she adds, crossing her arms over her chest, trembling with rage, “I’ll see who saves you and your brother. ”
I stare at her for a long second, then I laugh.
“A thousand articles?” I step closer. Close enough that she has to lift her chin just to meet my eyes.
“Sweetheart, you won’t even get to finish one if you keep walking into danger like this.
” I lean in, my breath grazing her ear as my voice drops.
“And as for jail… no one is dragging me or my brother anywhere. Not in this lifetime.” I pull back slowly, my eyes locking onto hers.
“You want a war with me?” I smile, letting her see the danger she keeps pretending isn’t there.
“Then just be very… very sure you can survive it.”
“I am not scared of you, and I don’t care how dangerous you are.
I’ll fight. I’ll expose everything. You think your money, your name, your ego can shield you forever?
It won’t. People like you always slip, and I’ll be right there when you fall,” she bites out, shaking her head with pure disgust. “I really hate criminals like you.”
“And still, you’re here,” I mock. “For someone who hates me so much, you don’t seem to mind standing awfully close to me.”
She gives me a scathing look, and without another word, brushes past me.
“Should I take your silence as agreement?” I ask, turning to face her fully, letting our gazes lock again.
“Hell will freeze before I ever agree with you on anything,” she murmurs, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “And the only reason I tolerated those few seconds of closeness was…”
She steps closer this time and extends her palms towards me. And that’s when I notice it. My car key.
Before I can ask how she got it, she tosses it into the lake in one swift motion.
I glare at her, and she meets it head-on, her own glare unflinching.
“Now jump in the water and get them,” she smirks, turning to walk away.
A slow, dangerous smile curls across my lips as I watch her go. She has no idea she’s playing on my ground now.
I am going to enjoy this. It’s time for some fun.