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“You’re not understanding, Devani. Shah has lost everything to the Kings. Danika, Jayna, the majority of his fortune, and now you. You’re carrying the one thing he wants more than anything on earth.”
Realization entered her dark eyes. “A legacy. An heir.”
“He can never claim Neil as his son without revealing the circumstances of his birth. And no matter how much Arun Joshi despises Neil, he’ll never relinquish his claim on him.”
“I’m not now nor ever have been someone to keep under lock and key. So don’t get any ideas.” She narrowed her gaze, almost in a calculating fashion. “And don’t think to put a tail on me. Slipping that shit is something I can do in my sleep.”
“I’m not an idiot. I couldn’t cage you even if I tried.”
“Glad we established this before our relationship moved to the next level.”
“Enough with channeling Danika.” I sighed and dropped my forehead against hers. “Shah hates me. I’ve spent my life taking from him. Don’t you think he will find some way to hurt you to keep me from having the one thing he’ll never get?”
The vision of Jayna lying in her hospital bed, wrapped in grief from losing her child after her attack, filled my mind. And then I thought of Kir’s mangled body following the wreck, barely recognizable. Two people I’d nearly lost because of Shah’s hatred.
Devani cupped my face with both her hands. “Sam, I’m not like most people. I can protect myself.”
“It may not be enough. This isn’t about strength or skill. You threw down the gauntlet yesterday.”
“I feel as if I’m missing something.”
“That’s because you are. I agreed to buy out all of Neil’s shares in Joshi International, including his voting rights for Shah International.” I stared into her eyes. “The deal was executed yesterday at noon. Then I put everything into a trust for Mia Joshi with you as the executor of said trust.”
“Well, that complicates things.”
“Exactly, Director. Now, do you understand my concern? What do you suggest as our next steps to keep all important parties safe?”
“I believe it’s time to call in a few favors. Let’s start with the Little Rabbit.”
21
Devani
I inhaled deeplyand adjusted the cuff on my wrist.
In a few moments, I’d arrive at the headquarters of Maya Ratna Holdings and execute a plan months in the making.
Parts of me regretted not bringing Danika in sooner. Then, other parts wondered if knowing what I did now would have made a difference.
This was never supposed to be about me. Well, maybe not just me. But Papa. His money. His wealth. His mines.
My sole motivation for orchestrating this mission lay based on acquiring justice for Sam, giving him revenge against a father who took so much from him. Taking down the Circle of Ten and destroying my uncles, no matter how much I hated them, were only side benefits.
My safety, security, and future weren’t even on the list of priorities.
Now, it seemed everything centered around my survival.
All the months Neil and I had spent listening to Joshi and Shah go on and on about us producing the next generation. About how Neil was as much Shah’s child as Joshi’s. In that case, the truth was more than fucked-up.
I’d ignored the constant talk of babies, thinking it was their way of trying to act all happy-family for the public. When they’d had a hidden agenda. Something I should have picked up on.
I knew better. I rarely missed clues.
They weren’t the type to dote on a child, especially with how they’d raised their own children.
Why hadn’t I delved deeper into their motives for a baby?
Too late to berate myself about mistakes, my focus needed to stay on the information Danika had uncovered using her Dark Web hacker skills. She’d uncovered a long-closed email account used to communicate to all of the men in the circle, which traced back communications to other accounts and then led to a giant paper trail.
