Page 62 of His Smile
“He is a good match, Rahina,” her mother hissed throughgritted teeth, ignoring her husband’s warning squeeze to her arm to not go downthat path just yet.
“I can’t believe this,” looking to Amit now, Rahina let himsee her betrayal, taking only slight satisfaction at the brief look of guilt inhis dark eyes as he looked away. “I can’t believe you would do this to me.”
Not to be stopped by her husband, Deeya Chopra yanked herarm from her husband and stepped forward with a wagging finger to her seateddaughter. “It is for your own good, you have changed with this man. You tell usnothing of your career, Dev tells us you drop from your classes, you hardlyspeak to us, and I get a call from the family that you are half naked onbillboards and commercials we know nothing about it,” Rahina nearly winced atthe high pitched pain in her mother’s normally stern steady voice.
Yes, she could have handled those things better, Rahinaadmitted silently, but this was too far—this was unforgivable.
“Rahina…” her father began to speak but sounds beyond theliving room’s double sliding doors stopped him.
With excessive force, the two sliding doors parted with abang back into their wall pockets. With his arms wide and his smile matching,Roman entered the room ignoring the collective shock. Wearing a dark gray suitand a plain white shirt beneath, he left the top button unbuttoned, allowing aglimpse of his clavicle and strong neck beneath.
Roman's delighted gaze scanned the room, taking in theoccupants with obvious pleasure before landing on her. For the briefest second,she could have sworn she saw a faint trace of savage anger as he took in hertear-streaked face before quickly masking it. "Rahina, sweetheart, youshould have told me you wanted to eat dinner at your parents' house, I wouldhave come over sooner."
The comforting power of his presence was undeniable, feelingthe surge of renewed strength flood through her, she stood up from the couch.
“Wait,” Dev protested, reaching for her arm and gripping ittightly. “We aren’t done.”
Looking to Dev, she had every intention of slapping his handaway when she felt the sudden overwhelming tension in the room. A tidal wave oftension they all felt. Looking to Dev, Rahina realized he was no longer evenlooking at her. Following his gaze back across the room, her own breath caughtin her chest at Roman’s expression. It was pure madness. Large and toothy, hisgrin was that of a maniacal madman while his eyes oozed delight over what wasto come, he almost looked—excited. Taking one step forward, his massive frameuncovered the doorway behind him allowing her to see Mosca and a few other menlining the hall of her parents’ foyer all looking past their boss’s frame intothe living room, each one ready for some sort of showdown.
Dev released her arm immediately, to which Roman had thenerve to look a little disappointed. Giving a small sigh, Roman looked to herwith a soft smile and held out his hand silently beckoning her forward.
Rahina did not wait.
Brushing past Dev, she skirted the long sectional and hadher hand in Roman’s within seconds.
“Rahina!” her mother’s admonishing voice snapped through theair with disapproval, but Rahina ignored the unspoken command allowing Roman topull her close.
Cupping her shoulders, Roman leaned down to her ear andwhispered softly. “Mosca will take you home, I will follow shortly."
Alarmed at what he meant,she tried to step back, but his hands only tightened, keeping her gently lockedto him. "No," she shook her head, placing her hands pleadinglyagainst his firm stomach. "I just want to go, both of us."
"Do not argue,” hewhispered, and she could sense the steel coating in his words even as he placeda kiss on her forehead. “I will be right behind you.”
Not wanting to stay anylonger and with not much of a choice on staying, Rahina stepped towards Moscawho had appeared next to her. Walking towards the doorway, Rahina paused. Rightnow, she wasn’t sure if she could ever forgive her family for what theyattempted tonight.
Turning around, she lookedat her mother and father and finally to Amit. "How dare you treat methis way," she whispered, trying hard, not cry again. “Not once have Iever done anything to make you ashamed of me. Everything I have ever done, Ihave done with consideration of your wants first, always before my own. And theone time I do something completely for me that has nothing to do with your lifenor your reputation, you dothisto me,” she looked directly at hermother as she continued. “I have never felt more betrayed."
Not able to keep back thetears anymore, Rahina turned and walked down the hallway and stopped in frontof Riaz. Holding out her hand, Riaz silently handed her the purse.
“Rahina please just let meexplain…” Rubina stood up from the stairs where she was sitting and startedtowards her.
Rahina ignored her, bitingdown on the inside of her cheek to keep the tears in a little longer as shehurriedly walked forward to the black SUV parked at the door. Getting into thetruck, she barely contained the flood of tears that threatened to release asMosca asked her for her car keys. Handing them to him, he finally shut thedoor, sealing her alone in the backseat, allowing her to give in to the pain.
In silence, Roman watchedthe SUV pull away, and Rubina stomp up the stairs and out of sight with her owntears. Roman stifled a heavy sigh, the fight between the sisters would be theworst part of this he surmised. Giving a silent order to Sergei who stood withhis other two men in the hall, Roman turned and closed the doors to the livingroom, shutting the family in with him.
"Let us talk,” heoffered, looking to the wary faces of the Chopra family before settling on DevGorshal.
Expectedly, the man shrunkunder his gaze and started sidestepping for the far door of the room. “I willjust go…”
Roman didn’t turn his headas he addressed the retreating man. "You can stay Mr. Gorshal,” holdingout his hand, Roman indicated for Dev to rejoin the rest, “this involves you aswell."
Reluctantly, Dev meanderedback to the group.
"Now,” Roman smiled obligingly,enjoying the way each one tensed. “Tell me, what is the problem?"
Expecting no less from thewoman, Deeya Chopra lifted her chin and met his chilling gaze with one of herown. "You are dangerous, Mr. Mashir, you are not the man we want for ourdaughter."
Roman had only seen picturesof Deeya Chopra before today. She was a good-looking woman, she was thin, hadthe same lovely dark skin as her daughter, though surprisingly average height.Roman couldn’t help but wonder where Rahina got her impressive stature from.And like her daughter, Deeya Chopra was fearless in the eyes of danger.
