Chapter Nineteen Rajneet

The next evening Raj leaned closer to her mirror to make sure that she’d successfully covered the shadows under her eyes. Her attorney’s voice blared from the speakerphone on the vanity counter.

“Your date hasn’t changed, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop trying to delay your divorce, Raj. You have to be prepared for that.”

“I’ve never been the type of person to sit back and wait. That’s why I’m working on a backup plan to keep Robert in his place.”

“Do I want to know what that is?”

“No, but I’ll keep you posted if I have to put it into effect. Thank you for the update.”

“No problem.”

The line went dead, and Raj examined her appearance. No one would be able to tell that she’d panicked the day before. She looked at Khunda, who had fallen asleep on the bed Raj had bought for her dressing room.

“Robert doesn’t know me as well as I thought he did. And this time, I’m not going to underestimate him.”

Khunda lifted her head and blinked sleepily at her.

“And you! You had me so worked up yesterday that I practically told Ajay that I was falling in love with him. A general never shares her intentions before the opposition.”

Khunda yawned and licked her paw.

“You’re right. Ajay had told me that I needed to think of us as partners, not adversaries. Well, he knows his partner’s weakness now.”

Raj picked Khunda up and gave her a little cuddle.

“You like Ajay, don’t you,” Raj said in Punjabi as she carried her tired little Chihuahua out of the dressing room. “Hopefully you sleep nice at his house and only wake up once in the middle of the night. You were such a good girl, using your pee pads and sleeping near me. I’m so proud of you.”

Raj put on Khunda’s light fall jacket and attached a harness. Twelve years ago, she would’ve never thought she’d be the type of person to talk to dogs, but here she was, having a full conversation with her new housemate, and doing it with a bounce in her step.

When was the last time she’d felt this satisfied? It had to be before she filed for divorce, before Robert quit working for her, and before he’d asked her to change the nature of their relationship.

Sure, part of her joy was because of her connection to Ajay. And now that she’d made the decision to spend more time with him, no one, especially not her ex-husband, was going to stop her. She deserved to be happy.

She zipped up her vest over a cowl-neck sweater and put on her walking heels while Khunda chased her tail. Raj then carefully strapped Khunda into her pet stroller. The partial awning was tied back so Khunda could enjoy the view, and her overnight bag, along with Raj’s, was already tucked in the storage basket underneath.

Kaka helped carry the stroller down the front steps.

“Where are you going?” he asked. “I just got home from my trip and you are running around already.”

“I’ve been busy! Why don’t you go home?” she said to him in Punjabi.

He blinked owlishly at her through his wide-rimmed spectacles. “Then what would you do for dinner? I’m making subzi with roti. Eggplant.”

“As delicious as that sounds,” she said as she adjusted the strap of the purse that she’d grabbed, “I am going out. I’ll eat it for breakfast. Or you take it with you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kaka gave her a narrow look and then said, “Call me if you need me to pick you up.”

He patted Khunda’s head and went back into the house.

Checking the harness one more time, she took a deep breath of fall air and walked to the corner of her block. She planned on strolling all the way from her brownstone down to Ajay’s penthouse. It was almost three miles, but the weather was beautiful and Khunda could use some social engagement.

She’d made it five blocks before a familiar figure stepped into line beside her. She schooled her face to hide any surprise.

“You’re still here,” she said to her brother.

Guru nodded. “I knocked on your door. I almost gave Kaka a heart attack. The old man practically cried with happiness when he saw me. He almost bolted after you but I told him I’d catch up and surprise you myself. I can’t believe he’s still with you.”

“Of course. He always loved me the most,” she said with a smirk. She knew that it irritated Guru to hear her say so. “What can I do for you?”

He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets as he matched his stride to hers. “I told you that I’d wait until you make up your mind. I didn’t expect to be sitting around while you went out and purchased a rodent. Do you know how ridiculous you look pushing it in a child’s stroller?”

“Khunda can’t walk that far. She gets tired. And your attitude is not the best way to convince me to do something.”

“Right,” he said.

“Is there a reason why you’re following me?”

“I’m taking a break from work and decided to spend time with my sister. I have to admit, you’ve developed a fascinating life for yourself.”

“Thank you.”

“And now you’re selling that life and starting over. Again.”

The news of the buyout had gone viral, so it wasn’t a surprise that Guru had picked up on it, too. “That’s not your business.”

“I’d like to know, though. I’ve always been curious. Why RKH Collective?”

“Small talk, Guru? Really?” She maneuvered around a group of tourists, irritated when Guru kept up. He’d dressed casually to blend in today. However, Raj could tell that his jeans were brand-new, along with his button-down and leather jacket.

“We’re here, and no matter what happened in the past, I still wondered about you,” Guru said. “You look like you’re headed toward a particular destination. Until we get there, why don’t you tell me about your company.”

She let out a sigh. “Why? So you can try to guilt me into helping you?”

“Seems like that would be a waste of time since you’re selling it,” he said in Punjabi. “Come on, gudiya. Tell me why you wanted to start this business instead of coming home and helping the family business.”

“Besides the fact that I would’ve been forced to be a good stay-at-home, barefoot-and-pregnant type, and you’d never have taken me seriously?”

He hunched his shoulders. “There is nothing wrong with that.”

“As long as the woman has a choice. That wasn’t my choice. RKH is a success without you. I started in workforce solutions and worked my way up to high-end cybersecurity services with zero help from the family.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” he said with a snort. “You were always good at snooping. By thirteen, everyone knew that you were the person to go to for the latest information on everyone in Punjab.”

Raj held back a smile. “I’ve channeled my strengths toward profitable opportunities.”

“How did you get the capital to start?”

“Robert came into the first leg of his trust and provided the capital. I paid back his loan within eighteen months of opening my doors.”

Guru stroked a hand down the length of his beard. “Talk about a roaring success. I assumed you kept him on payroll as a formality since he was funding your little business.”

“Absolutely not,” she said. Stupid man with your sexist binary gender role assumptions.

“Robert went to law school, worked for a top-ten firm for a few years, and then came to lead my legal team.”

“And he’s the only one who knows about your past. About where you come from.”

Raj moved to the side of the sidewalk and looked up at Guru’s handsome face, his gray pagadi that matched his shoes.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Can’t a brother get to know his sister after she’s all grown-up?”

She wasn’t falling for it. Raj had been alone too long to easily trust the words that came out of people’s mouths. “I have a lot of important projects I’m currently involved with, Guru. When I have time for you, for the family that made it so very clear that I was no longer family, then I’ll let you know.”

Guru nodded, then reached down and scratched a finger over Khunda’s head. “We’re all proud of you, you know.”

She raised a brow.

“Papa is the least vocal about it because he’s always been as stubborn as you. About a year after my last visit to the States to see you, Mumma started asking me to keep tabs on you. To make sure you were safe. I thought that we knew everything we needed to about your life, but it looks like we were wrong. I was wrong. You’re so accomplished, Raj, but you haven’t changed.”

She tilted her chin up and squared her shoulders. “You don’t know me at all, Guru.”

He leaned in close so they were eye to eye. “You’ll never truly be free until all your secrets are out of your closet, Raj. You’re going to continue to close yourself off from friends, from the Singhs, as long as your past remains in your past.”

“If I see you stalking me one more time, Guru, I’ll have you arrested. Are we clear?”

He stepped back, his mouth set in hard lines. “Crystal, gudiya. Crystal clear. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. Enjoy your walk.”

He turned in the direction they’d come from. Raj watched until he disappeared into the light flow of Sunday evening pedestrian traffic. When Khunda whined, she started moving again.

“Yes, my love,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of our evening, too.”

She walked out of her way, doubling back once to make sure that she wasn’t being followed. The whole excursion took forty-five minutes and gave her time to think about what her brother had told her and the way he’d left.

Two blocks before she reached Ajay’s building, she took Khunda out of her stroller so she could practice walking on a leash and do her business. Standing in the dimming light, she wondered if avoiding her past was the best idea. Would she regret not going to see her mother? Would her mother be lucid enough to even recognize her?

Khunda squeezed her little body between Raj’s feet and sat, indicating that she’d done her business and was officially tired again. Raj strapped her back in and walked to the end of the block where Ajay’s brightly lit building stood, creating a pillar that shot straight into the sky.

A man in uniform held open the door for her. “Welcome. Are you visiting today?”

She nodded. “Rajneet Kaur Hothi for Ajay Singh.”

He led her over to the large mahogany concierge desk where an armed security guard scanned a computer. “Yes, Ms. Hothi, you’re to have your fingerprints scanned so you can have open access to Mr. Singh’s floors.”

“Thank you, but I don’t—”

“Please place your thumb over the scanner,” he said.

To save time, she stopped arguing and followed the instructions. She smiled when the doorman petted Khunda and asked if her puppy could have a treat.

“I don’t know what kind of treats she likes yet,” she said. “I’ve tried a couple brands, but nothing really gets her excited.”

The doorman pulled out a tiny triangle from his pocket, and to Raj’s surprise, Khunda sat back and put her paws up to beg. She took the offered treat and finished it in a few greedy bites before settling down again.

“That’s amazing,” Raj said. “What were those?”

The doorman smiled. “Peanut butter dog treats. Don’t go for the fancy or the fruity kind. Basic peanut butter will always work.”

“Thank you,” Raj said. She smiled at Khunda. “I’ll be investing in a few boxes.”

“Ma’am?” the concierge said. “You’re all set.”

“Elevator to the far right, correct?”

“Yes. The desk will no longer need to key you in. You’ll then be able to access all of Mr. Singh’s floors. Have a good night.”

She thanked them and pushed Khunda into the elevator. The key panel lit up, and she was soon taking a slow, gliding trip up to Ajay’s floor.

His front door was ajar, and she heard the music first. Khunda’s tail began wagging and she sat up, peering around.

“Yes, I’m excited, too,” Raj whispered as they walked into the penthouse. Ajay stood in bare feet, wearing a button-down and jeans. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and he had a kitchen towel draped over one shoulder.

“Hello there... Holy hell, you got your dog a stroller.”

“Don’t start,” she said. “Did you just give me the figurative keys to your penthouse? I had to submit my biometrics downstairs.”

“My house is your house,” he said in Punjabi before leaning in to kiss her. She felt a zing when he pressed in deep, holding the back of her neck so she’d sink into the brief kiss.

He licked his bottom lip, and she watched the quick movement, already looking forward to another taste.

“Hi,” he said gruffly. “Come in. I’m cooking again. We can get Khunda set up and out of that godforsaken contraption before we get you a glass of wine.”

“That sounds... great,” she said. She took Khunda out of the stroller and set her on the ground so she could run around and sniff. Raj would have to get the pee pad set up in case of emergencies, but she wanted to take a moment to enjoy the space.

The first time she’d been in Ajay’s penthouse, she’d been dazzled and hard-pressed not to show it. The windows gave her one of the most magnificent views of the New York skyline she’d ever seen. He had a beautiful fireplace surrounded by plush leather sofas. His kitchen was twice the size of hers, even though her brownstone had more square footage.

The design was comfortable and homey but had his masculine stamp on each and every detail. Unlike her, he’d most likely picked out his own furnishings. She hated her decor. She’d have to add it to the list of things she wanted to change.

Khunda yelped and scurried behind the couch. Raj rushed after her, freezing in place when she saw that Khunda was trying to get inside a small dog pen wedged against the windows. A carpet was fitted inside along with a feathered dog bed, water bowl, food bowl, a couple of toys, a pee pad, and a long dental chew. “Is that all for Khunda?” she said.

Ajay had returned to the kitchen where he was pouring two glasses of wine. “Yes, I had Rafael set it up earlier today. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable, and that probably wouldn’t happen if your dog wasn’t comfortable, too. Why don’t you put her in there? See how she likes it.”

“I have a feeling she will,” Raj said after swallowing the lump in her throat. She gave Khunda a minute to inspect it before she put her inside. The Chihuahua immediately began sniffing the carpet, then the pee pad, and finally she lapped at the water in the small bowl. Raj expected her to want to come out, but she plopped down and began gnawing on the dental chew.

“Looks like the pen is a success,” Ajay said, and passed Raj a glass filled with a bright yellow wine. “This is a new blend from our Saffron Fields vineyard. Let me know what you think.”

She smelled her wine, then swirled the liquid before taking a taste. It was rich, crisp, and deliciously fruity. “This is perfect.”

He ran a hand up and down her back. “I’m glad. Want to come keep me company in the kitchen? Tell me about your day.”

Raj looked down at the beautiful dog pen and her happy puppy, then at the wine in her hand. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that she was making the right decision.

“Raj?”

“I spoke with my brother, Guru. He’s still in town.”

Ajay’s eyebrows V’d. “What did he want?”

“I’m not exactly sure. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. There has to be something more than his interest in wanting me to go back to see my mother.”

“Do you think it has something to do with money? Or your business?” Ajay pushed a tray of samosas forward along with a small dish of green chutney. “Don’t get too excited. My mother made these.”

“And here I thought you’d slaved away, stuffing samosas for me,” she said, plucking one off the end of the tray. “But to answer your question, I have no idea. I was thinking that maybe you’d help me to problem solve.”

Ajay grabbed her free hand and pressed a smacking kiss on her knuckles. “That is one of the sexiest things you’ve said to me recently.”

“Well, there’s more where that came from. I can go into workforce analytics, but that might be too hot.”

Ajay groaned. “Let’s save the human resources conversation for dessert. I may not be able to contain myself, and I’ll have to bend you over the table.”

Her pulse jumped. And wasn’t that exactly what she wanted him to do right that second? “Why not now?”

“Raj, you should know that there are only two things that have a chance at rivaling sex. Good whiskey and—”

“Good food,” she completed. “Fine. I’ll behave and wait. But Ajay? That’s not going to last very long.”

“I sure as hell hope not.”