Page 36 of Control

“How?” he barked. “Stop doing business with him forever and piss him off even more?”

I diverted my gaze to my bedsheets, unable to bear the disappointment in his eyes. “Zayn told you everything?”

He clenched his jaw while tightening his fists at his sides. “I should fuck you up just for turning my brother on me.”

“I promise, I’ll fix this.” I needed him to have faith in me.

“How?” he demanded again.

“I’ll kill him.” It was the only option to put an end to all of this.

He locked his eyes onto mine, remaining silent as he considered my words.

After what felt like forever, he spoke. “Don’t fuck it up,” he said, before turning away to walk out the door. He called out before leaving, “Get your shit together. I’m taking you home.”

Chapter XV

Claire

Iknocked on the door to the penthouse on the top floor of the most stylish, and secure, apartment building I had ever seen. I knew it was different than anything I had ever stepped foot in when I was greeted by not one but two security checkpoints, one at the front desk and another before taking the elevator up. Luckily, Amelia had granted me clearance through the security team as a “family member” without having to present any credentials.

A good-looking woman dressed in a maid’s uniform answered the door.

“How may I help you?” she asked as she eyed my cut-off, acid-wash shorts that hit high on my thighs and vintage black t-shirt with a Bengal tiger print over the front and slash marks on the sides. “Vintage” was perhaps too generous a term when it was probably the hand-me-down of a hand-me-down from the late nineties that I had found at the Goodwill.

Unable to hide her disdain for my appearance, she scowled, waiting for me to answer.

Unfortunately for her, I was immune to her judgment. I shifted impatiently, looking beyond her glossy, dark hair, into the apartment. “I’m here to see Jai.”

“Master Jai is in a meeting,young lady.” She was no doubt only five years older than me, yet her condescension wasn’t lost on me.

Her annoyance flared higher when I remained visibly unaffected by her attitude, even though inside I felt the sparks of jealously ignite. Jealous that she probably spent most of her day prancing around Jai’s house, bending over in her too-short dress to get him items from the lowermost shelves. And now that Jai was on bed rest, she probably took advantage of the situation and found any opportunity to lean over him, fretting with his bandages or bedding or whatever else she could pretend to adjust to his comfort. The bitch was thirsty, and her sexy boss was the Nile.

“Look, either you can let me in willingly or I can text your boss and tell him about the hard time you’re giving me,” I said, holding my phone in the air.

Her nostrils flared at my tone, probably because she hadn’t expected someone younger than her to show her up. Instead of waiting for her to step aside, I pushed past her and let myself inside. The soles of my motorcycle booties thumped against the polished onyx floors. I clutched the paper bag of bagels and cream cheese that I had brought for Jai to my side.

Overhead chrome fixtures hung low, offering a seductive mood with dim, strategically focused lighting, even though the afternoon sun was in full blaze just beyond the windows. Black wood paneling lined the walls, adding to the dark mood.

The living room was spacious, with three black leather sofas arranged in an open square in front of a white marble fireplace. The white rug underneath the furniture brightened up the space, but still preserved the masculine vibe.

The only hint of feminine decor was over the fireplace—a large abstract painting. Black brushstrokes on white canvas. Curved lines contoured the shape of what was meant to be full breasts. Short strokes created pebbled nipples that dotted each breast. The lines narrowed, creating the thin waist of the model. Sharp angles showed the tension in a neck that was strained as a faceless head turned away, peering out of frame. It was such a simplistic painting, yet so erotic.

Deep voices broke my salacious trance. Arguing. I followed my ears, leading me up the stairs next to the living room and down to the furthest door at the end of the hall. It was ajar, so I stayed back just close enough to make out coherent words. One of the voices sounded like Jai’s. The other reminded me of that man, whose name I had never learned, from the hospital.

“I told you Shyam would be pissed, and now he won’t trust me because he thinks I’m keeping shit from him too,” the man shouted.

“Well, you were,” Jai replied sternly.

“Only because you put me in a shitty position. You need to fix this.” Irritation cracked the man’s voice.

“You don’t think I know that?” I had never heard Jai this bothered before.

“Obviously not, because look at where it landed you…in the hospital. And Amelia almost died because of your stupidity,” the man admonished.

“That’s enough,” Jai yelled.

“Not nearly. You got all of us into this mess. This is on you now!” The shouting was so loud at this point that I didn’t have to try hard to listen in.

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