Page 2 of Right Where I Belong
He didn’t reply. Soon, they stopped in front of an old building.
Dorab stepped out, paying the driver in cash.
“Where are we going?” she asked again. His silence was annoying her.
“Hey, I just need to meet a friend for a minute,” he replied. “He owes me money. We’ll go wherever you want after that.”
“Oh, okay…” She smiled, stepping down from the rickshaw. She gazed up at the building. “Why don’t you go ahead? I can wait here for you.”
“No, I can’t leave you all alone, Karina,” Dorab said. “You’re too pretty to be standing here by yourself. It may not be safe. Come with me. We’ll be in and out in no time.”
Touched by his concern, she followed him. However, instead of entering the main building, he entered a side alley, taking her through a maze of streets until finally he entered a building at the end.
Two burly men nodded at Dorab as he crossed the threshold. He took her up the stairs that opened into a large area, which further trailed off into multiple corridors. Disreputable-looking men and women stood on the sidelines, none of them paying any attention to them. Even to her innocent mind, this place and the people in it looked dangerous and suspicious.
Before she could question Dorab, he held her arm and steered her toward a closed set of double doors, outside which stood an armed guard. Fear erupted in her veins. This didn’t feel right. At all. She tried to shrug out of Dorab’s hold, but his grip was firm.
“Dorab…” she called out, her instincts raging.
Panic filled her whole being, and her heart began to thunder as the door opened, and then she was standing in front of a desk, seated behind which was a harsh-looking man. Heavyset, with a thick flop of hair, the man had weathered skin, and he wore one too many gold bracelets. Despite the location of his office, he was dressed smartly in a white shirt and trousers. He looked like a businessman. She wondered why this rich-looking man worked in a place that looked like a hovel. The man looked up and studied her from top to toe. His eyes were dark, vacant, assessing. Dangerous. Her skin crawled.
The man’s eyes finally latched onto Dorab. “Nice.”
“I was certain that you would approve.”
“With each day, you are proving that you’ve earned your position in my organization. She will serve me and my customers very well.”
Her heart jolted. Dorab was working for this man? And oh God, they were talking about her? Every bad thing her brothershad warned her about crashed into her brain as the reality of her situation washed over her. Dorab hadn’t brought her to Delhi to show her the city. He had brought her so he could sell her off to this horrible man.
Betrayal and anger coursed through her. But the need to escape overcame every other emotion. She picked up a heavy book from the table and slammed it against Dorab’s face. He recoiled, stunned. She turned toward the door, but found the other man already blocking her exit. He crossed his arms on his chest, smirking, tilting his head to study her.
“So feisty,” he said. “It’ll be fun taming you.”
Horrified, she changed directions, running to the door behind her, hoping it had a way of escape. It turned out to be a terrace. She ran to the furthest corner, her heart pulsing in fear. She leaned against the parapet. She was two floors up. She’d jump if that was the only option she had. But she would never succumb to the fate these two men had in store for her.
She flung a leg across the parapet, but just before she could jump, a hand caught her arm and pulled her back. Her head snapped as Dorab slapped her face hard. Her head jerked back, and tears pooled in her eyes.
“You don’t get to choose your fate.” He began pulling her to the center of the terrace, where the other man was waiting.
“Why are you doing this?” she cried. “I thought you were my friend.”
“Friend! Ha,” he sneered. “I was only friends with you because those three brothers of yours hated to see you with me. And now they will never see you again. They always thought they were superior; now they will live the rest of their lives believing that you ran away with me.”
“What… Why would they think that? I left them the note…”
“I changed it. They will never look for you once they read the note I left them—one that says you’ve eloped with me of your own will and will not be returning.”
Shock, betrayal, and regret churned her insides. Her brothers had warned her about Dorab. Like a fool, she’d never listened, and now she’d pay the price of that.
“JD Sir,” Dorab said, his tone placating. “I’m sorry. She will behave henceforth. Let me hand her over to Chandni. She will teach her the rules of this place.”
The other man, JD, approached her slowly. Dorab released her and took a deferent step behind. JD raised his fist and punched her face. Karina fell to the ground, cupping her aching cheek.
Her heart splintered, and more fear swarmed her insides. These men knew how to hurt and cause pain. God only knew what horrible things they had in store for her. Her brothers’ faces came to her mind. Vedant, Armaan, and Mihir. Mihir’s face remained in her mind’s eye.
Fight, Karina. Don’t let anyone ever get the better of you.
Mihir’s words rang in her ears, giving her strength. He’d taught her to defend herself. He’d taught her to fight. And fight she would. She tucked her hand in her cloth bag, clutching the leather handle of the knife Mihir had given her and taught her to use. Adrenaline rushed through her. She wasn’t alone. Mihir was with her, always. Even if it got her killed, she would fight.
