The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal (15 page)

Then there was…Maya. Since their return from Deovan, he'd willed himself not to think of her, or about that night when she'd come to him like the proverbial moth to a flame. He'd driven himself to the point of exhaustion, scrupulously avoiding her during the day and only returning from his gruelling meetings late into the night. But no matter what he did, how hard he tried, he couldn't stop her from invading his dreams. And now, as he approached her, the intensity of his need for her came roaring back—burning bright and insistent.

She looked like a vision that his fevered brain had thrown up.
So much for mind control!

Maya—stunning as ever—faced him with a dazzling smile that was as fake and bright as the candles in the crystal chandelier in KD's mansion. ‘Congratulations. You have landed quite a coup with this deal!'

He inclined his head. ‘Thanks. But a deal is just a deal…Sometimes you close it, sometimes you don't.'

‘You don't sound too thrilled.'

He shrugged. ‘I've just closed a mega-deal, the DGE brand name is all set to become a global powerhouse
and
I've got a sexy wife to flaunt at the celebratory party. So, what's not to love?'

‘Right, at least I know where I stand in your list of priorities.' Her flippant words were in stark contrast to the deep anguish that she felt at his words.

Krish's BlackBerry buzzed. As he turned away to take the call, Maya exhaled the breath that she hadn't even known she'd been holding. From the minute Krish had stepped into touching distance, a mass of contradictory emotions roiled inside her. Hurt at his insensitivity, anger at his arrogance and longing that burnt a hole in the pit of her stomach.
Anger is good, Maya.
Adrenaline and anger—as long as they didn't desert her tonight, she would be fine.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the ornate mirror across the room. She had picked her ensemble with care—a sequinned lavender
choli
blouse that exposed her back with only a dainty knotted gold string holding it in place. The matching Asian-style pants in a darker shade of purple with gold highlights alternately shimmered away from and clung to her curves. And the make-up—it had to be perfect. She'd never spent so much time in front of a mirror, masking the dark rings under the eyes. The touch of glitter around her kohl-lined eyes gave them a mysterious smoky look that added to the effect that she wanted to achieve—that of a trophy wife to Krish's upcoming business tycoon persona. She knew she looked stunning and it had given her self-confidence a huge boost, never mind the fear and doubt that gnawed away at her insides at the thought of following through on her plan.

She turned her attention to the party and surveyed the glittering hall—the very same one where she had been introduced to the Dev family and friends. Today, it looked different—the décor was Indian, with
rangoli
decorations in bright festive colours on the floor and tiny earthen lamps placed strategically all over the room. Red gold silk drapes separated the buffet tables that were yet to be laid out with the array of Indian delicacies. To one side there was a raised platform where musicians were playing classical Indian music.

It could have been a scene straight out of a nawab's
mehfil
and Krish looked like an imperious prince in his impeccable charcoal-grey silk Nehru suit. The guests were sipping the best of wines, cocktails and whiskys and nibbling on cocktail snacks served by a small army of servants.

A crisp English-accented voice hailed Krish, who snapped his phone shut and turned to welcome Mike Andrews, CEO of Cosmo International.

‘Pleasure to meet you, Maya…You're one lucky guy, Krish!' Mike's voice had a hint of envy as he raised Maya's hand to his lips before releasing it.

Krish wrapped his arm possessively around Maya's waist, pulling her close. ‘You can say that again. I count my blessings every day.'

She felt an almost physical pain in her chest at his words—
if only he meant it
!

‘Really?' she pouted. ‘Difficult to believe after you have ignored me for the last five days.'

Mike laughed. ‘Ah! I think I may be partly to blame for that. I had no clue that my new partner is still on his honeymoon!'

‘I guess I will never hear the end of this.' Krish smiled, but Maya knew he was far from amused. ‘Mike, you will have to excuse me for a bit. I need to talk to Frank before he leaves for London. Maya, would you please give Mike a tour of our lawns? He is quite the gardening buff.'

Maya bristled at what sounded far too close to an order for her liking. ‘Of course, it would be my pleasure.'

Krish's brow furrowed as he couldn't help but notice that Mike wasn't at all immune to her charms. Mike winked at Krish. ‘Take your time while I enjoy your lovely wife's company.'

‘See you soon,' Krish bit out through clenched teeth as Maya glared at him, then shot Mike a sweet smile and took his arm and led him to the gardens. A sharp stab of possessiveness twisted his gut. He looked away and resolutely made his way towards Frank.

* * *

Mike had gone to the bar for a Scotch refill and to fetch her a Margarita. She hadn't missed the look in Krish's eyes when she had taken Mike's arm and had instantly felt a thrill run through her at the possessiveness he'd unwittingly displayed.
Big deal!
As if that made an iota of difference to their situation. She was still the one who was hankering to be in the circle of his arms, feel the warmth of his body next to hers. And he was still the one keeping her at arm's length.

A tingling sensation at the nape of her neck alerted her to Krish's presence.
Think of the devil.
Seconds later, his warm hand touched her back and she had to resist the temptation to lean into him. His husky voice whispered in her ear. ‘Missed me, sweetheart?'

‘Why should I when Mike has been more than an attentive companion?' she answered ultra-casually.

His eyes glittered. ‘So where is this most chivalrous man?'

‘Fetching me a drink.' Her mind went numb as his fingers gently caressed the bare skin of her back just under her
choli.

‘Go easy with your flirting,
jaanu.
Don't forget you're a married woman.'

‘As if I can forget that,' she breathed as the rat-tat-tat of her heart drowned out all other background sounds. ‘How sexist of you to think that I have to flirt to hold a man's attention.'

‘Not at all. The sexy outfit you're wearing…that helps too.' His appreciative gaze made her skin flame up. ‘I can guarantee you, none of the men here are looking for a conversation.'

She jerked away from his touch, wanting to put some distance between them. But she wasn't quick enough. For a moment her vulnerability had revealed itself.

And Krish hadn't missed the flash of pain in her eyes. It made him feel like a complete louse. ‘Sorry, I take that back.' He raised his hands in apology. ‘I'm just being a grouchy bastard.'

He touched her face delicately and rubbed her cheek in a gesture that was part tender, part awkward apology and she felt her heart melt.
Oh my!
She gulped back the lump in her throat and breathed deeply. She despaired for herself—if she didn't get out of his mesmeric presence, she might as well forget about her plan to find justice for her father. He had positioned himself between her and her path of escape. But he needn't have—she felt powerless to move. As she tore her eyes away from him, she spotted Mike coming towards them. ‘Here comes Mike with my drink.'

Krish swivelled around to face Mike even as his hand reached around her waist to hold her close against him. The gesture was so spontaneous, it made her all fuzzy and warm inside. She smiled at Mike, who handed her the drink with a flourish, ‘At your service, my lady!' Glancing at Krish, he added, ‘All sorted out with Frank?'

Krish nodded. ‘Pretty much. Rohan will be in touch with him for anything else that he might need.'

Maya sipped her drink, her mind in a whirl. There was something different about Krish tonight. He seemed restless, almost uneasy. As if he didn't want to leave her side. As if he needed her next to him—and not just in a physical sort of way. His warm fingers slid across her waist before intertwining with hers. Was she reading too much into his behaviour? Or was it all for the sake of public appearance? Whatever. The truth was, she wanted this moment to be real. And she found her fingers clinging to his. He gently squeezed them without so much as looking at her. A sunshiny warmth spread inside her. It was a moment that she knew was being branded into her memory cells…for those cold and lonely days ahead. And close on the heels of that thought came an intense sense of loss. For what? she wondered. For what she'd never had nor could ever hope to have—his love.

Her thoughts were wrenched away as Krish disentangled his fingers from hers. ‘Public announcement time. Got to go.'

Watching him cross the room to the little podium where KD had begun addressing the audience, Maya knew that the moment had come. It was now or never. For the next few minutes, they would all be wrapped up in their celebratory announcements and toasts. No one—least of all Krish and KD—would notice her absence. Yet she found herself rooted to the spot. Her heartbeat had become heavy. She shook her head, trying to cast away the lethargy that gripped her in its vicelike hold. She forced herself to leave the hall, keeping her eyes away from the podium. She dared not look at Krish or else she would never be able to go through with it. A voice inside her screamed,
You don't have a choice, Maya. This is your destiny.

Once she was outside the mansion, she kept in the shadows and headed straight for KD's office. Sheetal had given her a set of keys so that she could come and go at will. Focusing her mind on the job, she disarmed the alarm, just as Sheetal had shown her.

As she stepped inside, the darkness enveloped her. Her heart beat hard and fast as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark. She felt her way to the store room and unlocked the door. Closing the door, she switched on the light. She'd have to find something in the next ten to fifteen minutes and get back to the party. Taking a deep calming breath, she got down to the job at hand.

* * *

Krish nursed the crystal tumbler of Scotch as he struggled to keep his attention on KD who droned on about the virtues of collaborating with Cosmo International. He frowned as he watched his father hold forth about DGE and its future prospects. This was just a dress rehearsal before the official launch and the press conferences, where KD would strut and preen like a peacock. A wave of exhaustion swept over him. The deal might be done but the media hoopla was only just about to begin. And he was so not looking forward to it. He had agreed to go through with it only on the condition that KD would announce the name of the candidate he had selected as CEO of the new joint venture. Once the reins were handed over, he would be free. He had kept his mother's promise and he would then be free to pursue his own path.

And free to pursue his desire for Maya? What was he getting into? His resolve to stay emotionally detached from her was seriously under threat. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so possessive about any woman—he wanted to shield her from every roving male gaze in the room. He didn't know what to make of this intense emotional turmoil that bubbled deep within him. But, whatever it was, he knew that he could no longer go through with his earlier resolve of staying aloof from her. Was he willing to risk a closer, more intimate relationship with her? Was he even ready to take the risks that came wrapped with trust, intimacy and sharing?

A sudden burst of applause broke through his musings and he realised everyone was cheering
him.
Gosh, what had he missed now? He walked up to KD, who embraced him in a bear hug and announced proudly, ‘And now, a few words from the new Managing Director of DGE-Cosmo India Pvt. Ltd.'

Krish's synapses clicked sharply into place as he heard KD's gloating words. In the few moments that he had been distracted, KD had put him in a bind by publicly announcing that Krish was the new CEO of the joint venture! He should have seen this coming from miles away. The only other person who seemed to be dazed at the announcement was Viren.

Krish shot a furious glare at KD, before turning to the applauding crowd. ‘Thank you all for coming here today. Welcome aboard, Mike. It's great to have you and your team here with us. I look forward to working with Mike Andrews and his team as the Acting Managing Director.' He cocked an eyebrow at KD. ‘Dad, you forgot to mention this role was only temporary. You seem to be tripping up!' A ripple of laughter erupted as KD masked his agitation behind a glazed smile. ‘For DGE, this collaboration signifies a major thrust into the global arena. And, for that reason alone, DGE-Cosmo deserves the most competent Managing Director who will steer it in the right direction within the highly competitive hospitality industry. Till such time as we find the right candidate for the job, it will be my pleasure to fulfil the role of Acting Managing Director. Here's to the success of DGE-Cosmo. Over to you, Mike.'

After the round of toasts and speeches had been completed, Krish firmly moved KD away from his group of admirers and gave him a piece of his mind. But his father was unrepentant and more than a little sloshed after the several glasses of Single Malt he had downed. ‘I strike when I see an opportunity and I make no excuses for that. But I must hand it to you—you sidestepped my move very smartly. You're a tough little cookie, you know, and I'm glad we are on the same side.'

Krish seethed. ‘Not for much longer if you keep trying to manipulate me.' He stopped for a moment, making sure that KD got the message loud and clear. ‘The next time you spring a nasty surprise on me like that, I'm out for good. Do you hear me?'

Krish made for the porch overlooking the lawns without waiting for KD's response. He inhaled the soothing fragrance of the jasmine trees that were in full bloom and tried to calm his frayed nerves. For as long as he could remember, it was always about what KD wanted. Manipulation was something he had perfected to a fine art. He wondered how his mother had put up with it for years. He realised just how debilitating it had been for her—it had worn away her self-esteem and dignity and yet she had not let her frustration seep through into her relations with others. With her son and those who were close to her. Frustration snapped at him, making him feel like a caged animal wanting to get out. KD would do everything in his power to keep him chained to DGE. How naïve he had been to think that he could do a balancing act—keep his word to his mother while being free of KD's hold. That was unlikely to happen. Not now. Not ever. And today he had a taste of just how manipulative KD could be to reach his own ends.