Page 10 of Control

“Goodbye.” I nodded to Amelia and Meena. I stopped awkwardly when my gaze caught Jai, the enjoyment in his eyes too much to handle. Instead of speaking words, I grunted a strange response, sounding more like a creature than human. Frustrated with myself, I let out an exasperated sigh and rushed out the door. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

Chapter V

Jai

“What just happened?” Amelia stared after Claire, completely bewildered.

Pressing my lips together tightly to hold back the laugh that threatened to burst out, I shrugged my shoulders, feigning ignorance. I knew exactly what had happened but wasn’t saying anything, especially when my overly observant niece was within earshot.

Turning to me, she flashed me an accusatory glare. “What did you say to her?”

Before I could say anything, Meena came to my defense. “Uncle Jai didn’t say anything, Mommy! He was so nice to Madame Varon…even called her ‘beautiful’!”

Amelia’s eyelids narrowed into tiny slits and her fists shot to her hips while she waited for my explanation.

I gathered a handful of my little alibi’s silky hair and twisted it playfully then let it go, sending her hair whooshing down her neck. “You heard her. I’m innocent!”

Meena looked up at me, beaming brightly as if we had our own club that her mother wasn’t allowed to join. Her smile always melted my heart. She and her brother were my reason for living. Our bond was fiercely loyal, and at times, I felt more like their older brother than their uncle with how protective I was over them.

Years ago, when Amelia and Shyam first told me they were expecting a baby, I’d had to fight back the tears. It hadn’t been too long before that it was just Shyam and me. After our parents passed, we had sworn off relationships and focused all our energy on Sethi Tech and our drug empire. It was surprising to me that my brother had become attached to Amelia. Don’t get me wrong, I saw the appeal. She was beautiful and smart, but I would never would have imagined that either of us would settle down with a wife, let alone start a family of our own.

It was no longer just Shyam and I. The Sethi family that once consisted of only two members was growing and I couldn’t have been happier about it. Family was everything and having the support of people who loved you unconditionally meant everything. My brother and I were closer than we had ever been when we worked together, but now my sister-in-law was more like a sister to me, and I happened to like her more than my brother. And Meena and Dylan held such a part of my heart.

“Uncle Jai, do you want to come and play tea party with me and Dylan?” Meena’s high-pitched voice tugged at my heartstrings.

I bent down to look at her at eye level, “Heck yeah! You know I love a good party!”

She jumped up and down excitedly before taking my hand and dragging me out of the gym, her mother following us close behind.

Entering the kids’ playroom, we found Shyam sitting on the couch with my nephew cuddled into his side as they looked at a dinosaur picture book together.

The image of my six-foot-four, brooding brother tucked away with a three-year-old twin version of himself, except way cuter and more innocent than my brother ever was, in a room decorated like a Crayola box was still surreal to me.

“Uncle Jai,” Dylan screamed as he flew off the couch and crashed into my leg, holding it for dear life with his chubby arms.

“Hey, buddy.” I doubled over, wrapping an arm around him and soaking in the love I felt through his tight squeeze.

He lifted his face to look up at me. “Did you bring me treats?” he asked, his voice still sounding more baby-like compared to his sister’s mature way of speaking.

I hoisted him up into my right arm, holding him high on my waist, and used my free hand to dip into my pocket. “Close your eyes.”

He scrunched his eyes shut so tightly that his entire face formed little wrinkles. I eyed Meena, who also looked anxious to receive a surprise of her own. “You, too.”

She narrowed her eyebrows, skeptical that I was about to trick her or something but eventually gave in and shut her eyes. She resembled her mother whenever she was giving me attitude.

I pulled out two long but narrow bars of chocolate, wrapped in gold foil. No matter where my business took me, I always bought some sort of treat for Meena and Dylan before returning home. It had become a tradition now, and they expected it every time.

“One. Two. Three. Open your eyes.” Both children opened them immediately and squealed with delight when they saw the shiny bars in my hand. I offered one to Dylan first, and then the other to Meena.

“Mommy! Can we eat them now?!” asked Meena excitedly.

“Only one block. I don’t want you ruining your dinner.” Meena pouted at her mother, which earned her a stern look in return. “And what do you have to say to Uncle Jai?”

“Thank you,” both children chimed in unison.

“You’re welcome, kiddos.” I gave Dylan a quick kiss on the top of his head before releasing him. He ran to the small table in the corner of the room to join his sister, who had already unwrapped her chocolate bar and set about breaking off a piece.

“Dance class over?” Shyam tossed the dinosaur book aside.

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