Page 141 of The Love Position

‘No. And I’m no longer Hanuman, I’m Isaac. You gave me the name Hanuman and I’m renouncing it. And you don’t deserve the name Swami Vishnu or Guruji. You’re Jeremy Brunting—’

Swami Vishnu sucked in a shocked breath.

‘And you’re a sexual predator.’

Isaac looked back at the students, who were slowly gathering up their notebooks, manuals, and water bottles. ‘You need to get out of here.’

Ganapati got to his feet and ran again at Isaac.

Isaac got the first punch in, then kicked Ganapati’s feet from under him.

‘Hanu—Isaac, do you need a hand?’ Blake asked, a hopeful expression on his face as if wanting permission to join in.

Isaac shook his head. ‘I’ve got this. Just make sure no women are ever alone with any of these three.’

Blake’s chest puffed up, and he nodded at the other men on the course. ‘We’ve got this.’

He and Xander hung back, ensuring they were the last students to leave the asana hall. Some women waited for them on the path outside, their admiring glances now transferring from Isaac to Blake and Xander.

When they disappeared through the trees, Isaac turned back to face the man who had betrayed him, Sophia, and the entire Devanandara organisation.

‘This is a witch hunt,’ Swami Vishnu spat. ‘Just like when I was coaching gymnastics. Surely you can’t believe her.’

Isaac stared him down. ‘I will make it my life’s mission to ensure you’re removed from the organisation like the cancer you are.’

Swami Vishnu’s laugh was cold and brittle. ‘I am the organisation. Ten ashrams, forty centres, thousands of people loyal to me. What are you? A small-town yoga teacher. You came to me, broken, and I fixed you. I created you, Hanuman, and now I will tear you apart.’

Isaac turned to leave. He didn’t know what to do next, but he couldn’t be in the same space as his former guru.

‘Look at what you’re throwing away, Hanuman,’ Swami Vishnu called after him. ‘Your life for a whore.’

Isaac’s feet faltered as the words struck his back like a knife. Blinding rage powered through every nerve, making his muscles twitch. The urge to rip Swami Vishnu limb from limb was so powerful he took a breath and held it, forcing his fury down.

Find another way. Don’t let this end like before.

He strode towards the admin block. Did Swami Saraswati know?

Only one way to find out…

Isaac found her in the meditation garden, seated on the bench next to a puffy-faced Anisha.

Swami Saraswati stood as he approached. ‘Can I help you, Hanuman?’

‘You believed him over Sophia and Jessica?’ Isaac said to Anisha.

She started sobbing.

‘Hanuman! Enough!’ Swami Saraswati shouted. ‘What was she meant to do? Take on the head of the organisation, Ganapati and Mohan? She did what was necessary to defuse the situation and get them away.’

Isaac paused, shame lancing his heart. Swami Saraswati was right. Anisha was small and slight. She didn’t have the strength to go up against any of the men, let alone all three.

‘I’m sorry, Anisha,’ he said softly, then took a breath and addressed Swami Saraswati. ‘Swamiji, what did you mean when you told me I’d chosen my path a long time ago and you didn’t think I could step off it?’

The older woman inclined her head, as if acknowledging both her words and the seismic shift occurring inside Isaac.

‘I believed you were blind in your devotion to Swami Vishnu. Since taking control of the organisation, his true nature has emerged from the darkness of his heart. However, he has built around him a wall of supporters that I do not believe it is possible to breach.’

‘Were you trying?’

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