Chapter 16
In a short period of time, Mina’s life went from a single- focused mission to a complicated mess.
She usually didn’t like messes. She preferred tidy, compartmentalized living. But when she remembered the empty mugs and dirty dishes scattered among computers, charging wires, and files she’d left at Ajay’s home, she was utterly content.
It was two in the morning when Hem unlocked his penthouse front door and she practically stumbled inside.
They’d stayed the longest at Ajay’s home.
Tiffany and Rafael were the first to go.
They’d helped pull HR records and manually reviewed them for WTA ties.
When Tiffany started to snore on her keyboard at midnight, Rafael escorted her out.
The cyber forensics crew left shortly after. They were still running tests through a remote access line and had to be up early in the morning to check the results.
Ajay was still on the phone, tablet in hand when they said their goodbyes.
Mina was grateful that the Singhs let her help, but she’d also been ready to get some rest by the end of the night…or was it morning?
She wanted to decompress and spend some alone time with Hem. She still wasn’t sure that continuing their relationship in such a public way was a good idea while Bharat’s future was at stake, but she had to learn how to trust the man she was falling in love with.
Love. What a big fucking word for a man that she’d known since she was a kid, but never really noticed until a month ago.
As Hem turned on the lights from the com panel, he updated Zail on the phone about what they’d reviewed.
“The mole is good,” Hem said. “The only thing Sri found so far is malware embedded in our systems. It’s been there for about eight months, which is when we started losing sales opportunities. Now all we have to do is follow the audit logs.”
“You still have to finish tracing large bank deposits for the Bharat employees and for the board of directors,” Mina called out as she took off her leather jacket and collapsed on Hem’s couch. “Follow the audit logs and follow the money.”
Hem put his phone on speaker. “Did you hear that? Mina, repeat it to him.”
She did and then added, “Also, I’m going to give you the same advice I gave your brothers. Stay out of the news while all of this is going on. I know the three of you normally protect your privacy but be as vigilant as possible right now.”
Zail’s laugh was clear through the cell phone. “Media coverage is for the books. The billionaire lifestyle is glamorous when there is scandal, but for the most part, we just want to talk about stock prices.”
“Well, if that doesn’t just kill my ethical billionaire fantasies.”
“Unfortunately, if you make that much money, no amount of philanthropy can every really keep your hands clean.” Hem said as he tugged the end of Mina’s braid. “We do our best though.”
Mina leaned over and pressed a kiss against Hem’s cheek. “Considering you donate sixty percent of your wealth at the end of the year, I’d say your efforts are appreciated.”
His expression darkened and he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close.
Even though it was two in the morning, and Mina had been awake for twenty hours, desire wrapped around her like a vine.
Hem’s hand gentled and stroked down her hip, tightening that vine until she was completely focused on him.
She reached up and ran a finger along his jaw.
“Zail, I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Hem said.
She looked down at the phone that still rested in the palm of Hem’s hand. “Thank you, Zail. For trusting me to help.”
“Guddia, if my brother trusts you, how can I not? Try to get some sleep. Knowing Ajay, he’s going to need all of us tomorrow, too.”
Hem said a few terse words to his brother in Punjabi before hanging up. In any other situation, she would have laughed, but she was too focused on Hem, and on the need that was growing between them despite the late hour.
They stood, still wrapped around each other. “It’s late and I know you’ve had quite a day,” Hem said.
When he’d kissed her at Ajay’s house and told her that she should come home with him, Mina knew that she was ready.
She’d had her panic attacks, and her flight response had kicked in for a moment, but her confidence finally pulled through.
She needed Hem, needed to hold him and know that there was something good and right with the people that she chose to be with.
She’d denied herself because she thought that was the only way she could focus on winning against her uncles.
That staying away would keep her as a neutral party performing due diligence.
Discovering the truth about Sanjeev had helped set her free to pursue what she truly wanted, and she really wanted to lie in bed with Hemdeep Singh and welcome the sunrise.
She motioned for Hem to follow. He came to her, his eyes were those of a wild animal stalking prey. The feeling was breathtaking. They moved in silence down the hallway toward the master suite. Mina’s heart pounded with each step until they entered the dark bedroom.
“Turn master bedroom lights on low ambient,” Hem said gruffly.
The darkness faded to a candlelight glow.
The curtains parted and the skyline, still flickering in beauty and vibrancy, stretched beyond the windows.
The room smelled like Hem, heavy and rich with spice.
When she stood at the foot of the bed, Hem took her hands in his.
“You’ve had a long night. We can just sleep.”
“No,” Mina said.
“I trust you. I don’t want to wait if I don’t have to.”
She reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, exposing the La Perla he’d bought for her after their night at the club. His gaze grew fierce and her skin heated under it.
“You’re perfect,” he said, and reached out to brush a thumb against her turgid nipple.
Mina leaned into Hem’s touch. “I want to feel you again.”
He reached behind his shoulders and yanked his T- shirt forward and over his head. Mina’s eyes widened as he exposed more deep brown skin and taut muscles. He was beautiful, with crisp chest hair that tapered over his abdomen until a trail disappeared under the waistband of his jeans.
When was the last time Mina had felt this kind of desire that burned her from the inside out? She’d had affairs before, flings that were shorter than a train ride into Jersey. No one had ever captivated her, entranced her like Hemdeep Singh.
He lifted a hand to undo her braid, and the glint of silver from his kara caught the light.
“You’re perfect, too,” she whispered. She stepped forward, running her fingers through his chest hair and over the muscles of his pecs and ridged abdomen. His arms came around her back, and he quickly unclasped her bra.
“Kiss me.” The words weren’t even out of her mouth before his mouth took hers. She felt consumed, and she was drowning with him, while all she could think was finally.
He pulled her bra straps over her shoulders until the lingerie was only held in place by the pressure of their bodies pressed together. She wanted more of Hem, more skin, more everything.
She reached for his belt and tugged it free. He sipped at her mouth, sucking at her lower lip as he made quick work of his clothes while she fumbled.
Then there was silky skin and his thick, hard cock.
She pulled away, breathing heavy as she touched him for the first time. Her fingers wrapped around the base of his erection and stroked up the long length of him. A drop of precum beaded the head and Hem shuddered when she brushed her fingertip over it.
“My turn.” His voice was raw with the same need Mina knew was in her own. He pulled back and yanked her bra away, kneeling to rid her of her jeans and panties.
“Hem,” she whispered.
“You’re perfect.” He pressed a kiss against her sex, dipping his tongue delicately into her wet heat eliciting a groan from her mouth.
“Let’s get comfortable,” he said and stood. He ran his hands over her, touching her with barely restrained need. This was so much more intimate, so much more than she ever expected with Hem.
She gasped when he walked her backward and gently pushed her onto the bed. She bounced against the soft mattress and comforter before Hem stepped between her legs, grabbed her hips and moved her farther toward the headboard. She complied until he was kneeling between her spread thighs.
There was heat in his eyes, and something more, something she hoped would be there when he saw her like this.
“Your tits,” he said, filthy and needy at the same time “Your tits are the most perfect shade of delicious brown that I have ever seen, and I want to taste them again.” He stroked a thumb over the slope of her breast with intense focus.
“Yes,” Mina gasped, arching her back for him.
Her pussy clench when his mouth fixed on one of her puckered nipples and he sucked. The feeling was so good that she raked her nails against Hem’s back and pulled at his hair.
“Hem,” she moaned, her voice cracking through the silence in the room.
Just when she was on the verge of climaxing from the attention he’d paid to her breasts, he ran two blunt fingers over the mound of her cunt and pushed them deep inside.
She shuddered at the intrusion of his fingers.
He thrust in and out before brushing the pad of his thumb over her clit. She shuddered and he did it again.
“You’re wet,” he said when the sound of her sloppy with need reached their ears.
“Yes. Hem . . .”
“Tell me what you want.”
“You know.”
“Tell me, otherwise I’ll stop.”
“No! Hem . . . fuck me. Goddammit, fuck me.”
“You want it hard and fast?” he asked, his voice as soft and smooth as the touch of his fingertips. Mina strained against him. “Or do you want it slow?”
She screamed when Hem pulled his fingers away. “No! Hem, more.”