Tiger’s Destiny (54 page)

“He never told me,” I whispered sadly. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

Ren lifted his head. “He wanted you to choose, Kelsey. He wanted the decision to be yours.”

After a pause, doubt filled Ren’s eyes. “Do you regret it, Kelsey? Choosing me?”

I placed my palms on both sides of his face and willed him to looked at me. “Never. Alagan Dhiren Rajaram, I will never regret choosing you. But—”

“But?” he whispered.

“But every day I regret leaving Kishan behind. He’s always in my thoughts.”

“He’s in mine too,” Ren confessed. “Kishan sacrificed himself so I could have what I always wanted. At least now we know he found a measure of happiness.”

We held each other for a long time until I asked, “And speaking of happiness, how long do you think it will take Sunil to catch Nilima?”

Ren smiled. “It could be a while.”

“She is a bit stubborn,” I conceded.

“Stubbornness runs in the family.” Ren laughed when I punched him in the arm, and his eyes sparkled with a familiar gleam. With a squeal I took off running while Ren grabbed my quilt and wrapped it around me.

He kissed me thoroughly and with me on his lap, we sank into our favorite chair.

“You can’t escape my clutches, Mrs. Rajaram,” he said brusquely.

I put my arms around his neck and drew him closer, his lips right next to mine. “And I’ll never want to,” I whispered confident in my choice.

I knew then that my future had always been Ren.

Destiny chose me . . .

To
befriend
him . . .

To
save
him . . .

To
love
him.

And I would spend the rest of my life doing just that.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Finishing a book is an exhilarating sensation. I imagine it’s similar to the feeling of reaching a mountain peak or finishing a marathon—utter exhaustion meets a deep sense of satisfaction. Occasionally, I look back at my writing journey, marvel at just how far I’ve come, and wonder how on earth I did it.

But, I also remember that I didn’t climb that mountain alone. I had companions in this marathon. My family has always been a source of strength. My brothers and sisters and their respective spouses are dauntless in their support and encouragement.

In creating
Tiger’s Destiny
, I’d like to especially thank my youngest brother Jared for patiently going through all my battle scenes. He acts out each one which is so important in getting it just right and he makes me laugh when my life gets too tense.

I’m also deeply grateful for his wife, Suki, who manages all my giveaways and contests. She’s always available and shows great patience with me when teaching me how to better my social media skills. Thanks to my sister, Tonnie, for taking on the juggernaut that is my fan mail so that I have more time to write.

Mom and Dad, you two are the best. This past year my mom has painted, glued, strung, sewed, glittered, and dyed more things than I could ever wear or give away. She is amazing and I’m always in awe of her talents. My dad organizes all my personal trips. It’s so nice to be able to say, “Dad, I need a hotel in Timbuktu,” and he’s off and running.

Special thanks to Alex Glass, my agent who helped make my dream of being an author possible and to Raffi Kryszek who has made the optioning of my books a thrilling roller-coaster ride.

At the publishing house, Sterling, I’d like to thank Judi Powers, Katie Connors, Meaghan Finnerty, Katrina Damkoehler, Mary Hern, Fred Pagan, and especially my editor, Cindy Loh.

I believe I’ve been remiss in forgetting to thank Cliff Nielson who designed my brilliant covers. He does an amazing job!

Sudha Seshadri has been a wonderful guide and adviser on all things India. She’s been with me through the whole series and is always ready to lend an expert hand when I need it.

I’d also like to express my appreciation for my fans. You guys are all amazing! You send me poetry, art, gifts, and special notes that make my day. You also tweet, blog, like, friend, and follow me everywhere with many of you interacting with me on a daily basis. You’re all lovely and a delight to meet online and at my events. I send good wishes out to you every day and heart your homemade T-shirts. Your support means the world to me.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my husband, Brad, who sees the best and the worst of me. Tigers have pretty much taken over his life but he enjoys every minute. It’s wonderful to have such a good man at my side—one that walks with me through this journey and helps me over the rough spots. I couldn’t ask for a better companion.