Page 140 of The Love Position

‘I can’t, Isaac,’ she sobbed. ‘I have to get on the plane.’

Cutting the call and turning off her phone, Sophia got to her feet and limped away, her mind a tangled mess.

The only truth she knew for certain was that she had to get back to Foxbrooke.

24

Isaac stared at the silent phone in disbelief, his heart hammering.

He redialled, but it cut off with no voicemail option.

Standing at the end of the jetty, he stared past the undulating sargassum to the mainland on the horizon. There was no way he could make it to Sophia in time.

Black horror pulsed through his veins. It was like Daniella all over again. He’d failed to see what was in front of him, and the woman he loved had been violated.

Hanging his head, hands braced on his knees, Isaac breathed deeply as his stomach rolled, trying to vomit up his guilt.

He’d put his guru on a pedestal, never for a moment contemplating he could behave in a way that wasn’t aligned with the spiritual principles of yoga. Reading in the news about heads of other yoga organisations being arrested for assault, Isaac’s first thought had always been, ‘thank god Swami Vishnu isn’t like that’.

How could you have been so blind? So ignorant?

Isaac knew grief would come knocking soon. Grief for Sophia, and for the loss of the relationship with his guru that had shaped the last twelve years of his life.

But right now, rage roared through Isaac’s blood, demanding vengeance.

He was going to make Swami Vishnu pay.

Running through the ashram, Isaac leapt up the steps into the asana hall where his guru was sitting on his gold throne, addressing the students.

The moment Swami Vishnu’s eyes met his, Isaac knew, with sickening dread, that Sophia had not been his first victim.

Fear flashed across his features, but it was soon replaced by arrogant disdain. This was a man who was used to denying his actions.

Ganapati and Mohan were seated either side of him, and stood the moment Isaac entered. The students turned their heads, expressions of confusion on their faces.

‘Hanuman—’ Swami Vishnu began.

‘That man sexually assaulted Sophia in the temple earlier,’ Isaac interrupted, pointing at Swami Vishnu. ‘Jessica interrupted the attack and both her and Sophia were forcibly removed from the ashram by Ganapati and Mohan.’

People gasped, their eyes wide.

Ganapati ran forward, his shoulders hunched, his fists raised. Students scrambled to get out of the way as he launched himself at Isaac.

Muscle memory from mixed martial arts training kicked in. Dodging Ganapati’s fists, Isaac smacked his own into the Australian’s face with a vicious one-two punch that sent Ganapati sprawling on the floor.

Mohan was dithering by Swami Vishnu’s side, as if not wanting his pretty face re-arranged.

‘Did you know?’ Isaac snarled at him.

‘They attacked Guruji,’ he said quickly. ‘We had to protect him.’

‘Bullshit! You’ve sold your soul for control of the Indian ashram.’

Isaac turned to the students, who were staring at him with a mix of shock, awe, and sexual arousal.

‘Take the rest of the morning off. I’ll find you all later and let you know what’s happening.’

Swami Vishnu stood. ‘Hanuman! Enough! You will leave the ashram immediately.’

---