by Sajni Patel
“That’s too long to go without her, without Liya knowing that what happened doesn’t change a thing for us, for her to have to go through any of this alone.”
“Trust me, I tried to reason with her. She’s so shaken and…Jay, I’ve never seen her as anything but resilient. But she’s broken. She cried for hours.”
I clenched my eyes shut and pushed back the all-too-familiar sting of tears. Why hadn’t I just taken her hand, pushed through the doors, and taken her home before anyone said a word? I was supposed to protect her, shield her when the accusations came. But no. I was too stunned at first, then too enraged to think straight.
“I’m not going to lose her, Preeti. That intelligent, fierce, beautiful woman is the love of my life.”
She smiled. “I know.”
“Then give me her address.”
She frowned. “Girl oath. I honestly think we’ll all lose her forever if this chain of trust breaks. She scared me when she said so.”
“Okay. What about the name of her new company? That’s not breaking your word.”
“Are you going to stalk her?”
“Whatever it takes. I need the name and I need to leave for Dallas right now.”
She chewed on her lip. What was there to deliberate about?
“I’d never hurt her, Preeti. We can’t lose her. We won’t.”
She blinked away tears as I held my breath for her next words. “Fine. I’ll tell you her new workplace. I want you guys to work out because you’re good for her and she’s happier for it. She’s meeting with HR today at one. Which means she should be walking out of that office by two.”
I dropped my head back. I could’ve kissed her. “Thank you, Preeti. I owe you an eternity for this.”
It was seven in the morning right now. Which meant I had time to call my law firm on my way home to grab a carry-on size roller suitcase. I didn’t know what I needed, so I literally just threw stuff in there for a few days’ stay. I had ample time to weave out of Houston traffic before it clogged up and make the three-hour drive to Dallas.
My dad. I lived my life trying to make up for his loss, by sticking to my mom and brother, by making him proud. If he were here, he’d want me to go after Liya. He’d go after Ma without a second thought. It was time. It was time to leave Ma in the care of Jahn and make my dad proud in a different way. Ma would understand. She’d want this for me, too.
I yanked open the front door to head out, the handle of the roller carry-on in my hand, just as Jahn had his fist raised to knock. Ma stood behind him.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“He found Liya,” Ma said with an approving and proud nod.
“Yeah. She moved to Dallas for a job offer,” I stated.
“You’re driving there right now?” Jahn asked.
“Yes.”
He stepped aside, “Well, hell. Go get her.”
“Thanks!”
Ma took hold of my elbow, and I paused to face to her. She touched my cheek and said, “You fight for her and never let go.”
“Of course. After all this—”
“After all this,” she said with determination, “is why I’m reaching out to Liya’s mother and not letting her go. After all this is why I’m taking these matters to others in mandir. Mukesh is madness that will infect the community. We won’t stand for this.”
“No. Don’t. It’s too much stress for you. I’ll take care of it.”
“I’ll help,” Jahn added. “Shilpa and I will both help. We already discussed this. In fact, there wasn’t anything to discuss.”
“Good,” Ma said. “But I will still help as well. We need more voices. And if Liya was my daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister, cousin, mother, friend, stranger…I would still raise my voice. This is corruption, and I will not stand quietly by. We have to protect other girls and support girls like Liya. Do you understand me?”
Jahn and I nodded and glanced at each other. How could we expect anything less from Ma? She loved our culture and religion and tradition, but she was the strongest woman I’d ever known. No wonder she loved Liya, too.
“Now go!” She shooed me down the hall. “And Jayesh!”
“Yeah, Ma?” I called back.
“If this means you must move to Dallas, then you must move to Dallas.”
“What?”
“You’ve lived your life for me, for us, but at some point, you have to live life for yourself. Besides, you don’t let a girl like Liya Thakkar get away.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Liya
Dallas was a large city, but calmer than Houston. I vowed to be a different person here, no longer running from problems and dealing with the past by being wild.
I’d just finished my preliminary HR round and headed to my new place, a short drive away. While parked in the parking garage beneath brightly lit ceilings, I went through my phone. Finally.
I sniffled. I missed Jay. So much. I knew I’d miss my girls, but I never imagined ever missing someone as much as I missed Jay. His relentless banter and willingness to volley with my arguments, his consideration, his smell, his touch. The way his lips made me feel at peace, and the way they made me unravel and shatter in bed. I could cry forever without him.
I’d finally found the courage to read Jay’s texts. He’d sided with me, believed me. I was too horrified and ashamed to respond to him. Wasn’t that ironic? I hadn’t done anything wrong, and yet I felt shame. I wanted to crawl into a dark corner and die. I didn’t want to see anyone, even if they sided with me.
His texts were to be savored like the last slice of bacon in the world. I could never face him again after that humiliation. And so what if his texts said that he didn’t believe Mukesh? Or that he loved me unconditionally? Why hadn’t he come after me when I walked out? What kept him in that room for so long? Why didn’t he say anything to stop them from talking?
I wiped my tears and called Momma to tell her I was in Dallas.
“Good,” she said, a smile in her tone.
“Are you okay with me living in Dallas?”
“I want you to be happy. You need this and you worked for this.”
“I worry about you, still. With Dad. Now things are out in the open.”
“Things are rough.”
I let out a ragged breath. I never intended to hurt her.
“But things are changing,” she added. “And Jay’s mom is a very strong woman. She is just like you, and she’s stuck to my side. She is helping me to learn how to stand up for myself.”
I wiped my tears and caught my breath before I could reply, “I’m eternally grateful for her.”
“Things will change slowly.”
“Is Dad enraged with you?”
“He hasn’t said a word to me, and I don’t care.”
“Just remember that you always have a home with me, Momma.”
“I know. I’m sorry for all of this. For not standing up for you. What kind of mother am I?” she asked, her voice cracking.
I did a poor job keeping in my sobs when I replied, “A good mother. You were scared, just like me.”
“Did you speak with Jay?” she asked with a shuddering breath. “Did he find you?”
“What?”
She told me what had happened after I left. She told me how Jay stood up for me, how he acted against Mukesh and Dad, how he and his mother protected her.
After we hung up, I leaned my head back against the seat and dried my face. I needed to call Jay. How could I ever have doubted him or felt too embarrassed to face him? We had to meet and speak in person. Maybe I could drive down so he wouldn’t have to come all the way up. Maybe he could get off work early and we could have the rest of the day to chat.
I drew in a very long, deep breath and called Jay.
He picked up the phone on the second ring. “Hey,” he said, his voice throaty but calm.
“Hi.”
“I’m sorry—” we both started at the same time and then chuckled at ourselv
es.
I climbed out of the car, my heart racing and aching. What I wouldn’t give to be in his arms right now.
“How are you?” he asked.
“I don’t know. My head is clearer.”
“In Dallas?”
I locked my door and began walking when someone three spots away got out of their vehicle. I kept an eye on him, his back turned to me as he closed the door. That car had come in shortly after I had, but the person sat there this entire time? The man was tall and broad with a tight white shirt and blue jeans. He reminded me of Jay. Hearing his voice on the phone made me light-headed, thinking every man could be him.
“Yes,” I replied. “We need to talk. I can…I can drive down.”
“There’s no need.”
My gut clenched. Why not?
The guy ahead locked his car. He had a phone to his ear. The sound of his car alarm echoed off the phone. Then he slipped his phone into his pocket and turned toward me.
I buckled. My hands lurched out to grab onto something. They reached for him, for Jay. He was faster than possible and caught me. My thoughts reeled.
I was in his arms. He leaned down and asked, “Liya?”
That voice. That deep, throaty, sexy voice.
I closed my eyes, my lashes wet with tears. As I caught my breath, he helped me upright but didn’t let go, and I hoped he never did. I swallowed hard and admitted, “I um, maybe shouldn’t have left like that.”
Before I could formulate another sentence, Jay pulled me into him. He kissed me.
Passionately.
Fervently.
Desperately.
Longingly.
My mouth had missed his. It knew the taste of his tongue, the play of his lips. My body surrendered to the very familiar, very real feel of his wide hands on the small of my back, gripping my body.
He pulled away as we panted and caught our breath.
“Don’t apologize for a thing,” he said.
“What are you doing here?”
He licked his swollen lower lip. “I came for you.”
“How did you find me? Preeti?”
“She only promised not to tell anyone your address. She told me your new workplace, and I might’ve been stalking you for the past couple of hours.”
“You’re a weasel.” I laughed.
“Lawyer.” He pointed at himself, proud and amused. “I came because you’re the one,” he rasped. “You’re mine. I’m yours. We don’t belong with anyone else. I don’t stand in front of you, or run after you. I walk alongside you. I will be damned if anything breaks us. Do you understand me?”
He gently took my jaw in his hand. “Do. You. Understand. Me?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “What about your family? Are they still okay with us?”
“They love you, and you know that.”
“What about how embarrassing my drama is? That I’m too much of a mess after all? That your family is appalled by the drama, how vile my dad is, the fight ahead bringing to light what Mukesh did?”
“None of that is true. I should’ve stopped them from talking, should’ve taken you out of the room, but I was in shock. And then I just wanted to bash Mukesh’s face in. I didn’t think. I was always going to come after you, no matter how fast or far you ran, but they weren’t going to get out of that room without knowing where we stood, where they stood. I am so sorry if you felt alone or abandoned or humiliated.”
“I was afraid that you might believe them.”
“Never, ever think that I wouldn’t believe you.”
I swallowed and blinked away tears.
“Your dad won’t bother your mom that way again. Mukesh will be removed from his responsibilities and his position at mandir. He will go to jail if you want to press charges. I will take care of it. I will be by your side. You will never stand alone ever again.”
I nodded, relieved beyond reason to finally hear those words. I gulped in several deep breaths to keep myself from getting emotional. “Do you understand why I hate Houston now?”
He cupped my face and wiped my tears with his thumbs. “I do. Baby, I’m so sorry that you endured all that pain alone for so long, that you hurt so badly last night and I wasn’t there to hold you.”
I hiccupped. “You’re making me cry.”
He pressed my forehead against his chest. “Then I’ll just hold you while you cry.”
His shirt soaked up all of these stupid, dreadful tears, but his arms around me made everything one hundred percent better.
When I managed to control my crying and pull away, he kissed my nose and softly asked, “Can I see your new place?”
I squeaked out a laugh, took his hand in mine, and went upstairs. We took off our shoes and snuggled on the couch as he looked around. “Not bad. Kind of big for one person. Maybe you need a roommate?”
“Are you…offering to move here?” I squeaked. My heart fluttered with anticipation, that we would move ahead and get our happy ending.
He sucked in a breath. “Liya, you’re wild as hell, a whole lot of trouble cushioned by a whole lot of amazing. I can’t sleep when you’re not next to me. I can’t keep my focus not knowing if we’ll be together. You challenge me. You keep pace. Hell, sometimes you even leave me in the dust. I love that. I adore you. You’re the madness I need, the passion I breathe, the spark that brings me to life. I will go wherever you are.”
I swallowed hard, afraid to ask, “Won’t you hate me for making you leave your family?”
“I talked to them. Before I even opened my mouth to tell them, they told me to go. With happiness. With blessing. With support. I wasn’t going to ask them for their permission or advice. I already knew, the moment you walked out of that room, I knew that you had to get out of Houston and that I would go wherever you needed to be.”
“But your job.”
He laughed. “I wasn’t anywhere near making partner with my law firm after the debacle with your company. I can start over. I have connections here. Things will work out. I’ve been eyeing Dallas and some other cities. Honestly, I was afraid to leave Ma after my dad died, but my dad would’ve wanted me to live my life, to be with you. My dad would’ve loved you as much as the rest of us do. Besides, Houston isn’t that far. It’s a long weekend at worst.”
“Do you mean to say that you’re really going to move in with me?”
He kissed me with absolute need. The answer was in his eyes, swirling with resolution, determination. “Do you think you can escape me so easily? What? Just drive off to Dallas and think I won’t find you?”
“I tried.” I half smiled, and he grinned.
“I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth because you are most definitely worth it.” He traced my temple down to my jaw. “Do you have those shoes that I bought you?”
“Yes.”
“Put them on,” he said.
“Now?”
“Yep. Are they in that suitcase by the bedroom?”
“Um. Yes.”
Jay returned and lowered himself to his knees in front of me. He caressed the side of my calves and looked up at me with irrefutable longing.
“I should get dressed first,” I said.
“Actually, I want you undressed, but just wearing these heels.”
I bit my lip at the implication of his words, of the images that swept through me.
“There’s something you should know first,” he said.
“What?”
“There’s something wrong with these heels.”
“If they’re fake, I didn’t even notice.” I laughed.
But then Jay handed me a shoe upside down, the sole facing the ceiling. I blinked twice to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
Around the tall, spiked heel rested a white gold ring.
My breath shook. What was happening?
I looked to Jay for an explanation, but he shrugged, and we both returned to looking at the ring: not a diamond ring, but a sapphire one, one that sparkled with every deftly cut facet more
brilliant and colorful than any diamond.
“What—what is this?”
Jay took the delicate ring from me and slid it on my right hand.
“I know you’re not into marriage and arranged engagements and such, but here’s a ring. A symbol of my devotion, whether it’s officially on paper or just officially in our hearts. Liya Thakkar?”
“Yes?” I whispered.
“Will you be mine? Forever and always?”
I couldn’t speak. I could barely nod my answer.
“I am so in love with you, you may never know the full extent of my devotion, but I promise to show it every day. In how I treat you, not like a princess, but a queen. Not as my submissive other half, but as my equal. I know you can take care of yourself, but should someone try to hurt you, they’ll still have me to deal with. Not one day will go by without you feeling my love, in action, words…or when we turn down that bed every night.”
My breath hitched.
He trailed his fingers down my calf and slipped on the shoes, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’ve been in love with you since the day you walked into that diner, when I took you home and decided to buy these damn shoes.”
“You’re going to have your hands full.”
“As long as they’re full of you. What do you say?”
“I say…that I love you so much, Jay. I never thought that anyone would love me, or that I’d fall in love.” The words flowed out of me, more natural than anything else in the world. “I thought it was always just me, and always would be just me, walking alone, fighting this world alone, defending myself alone.”
“You will never be alone. This is our world, and we’re about to own it. Together.”
He pulled me down onto his lap and kissed me. The sort of kiss that was meant to last lifetimes, the kind that shouldn’t end, the sort that would never be forgotten. Everything turned upside down, blurred together, and pulled apart, then realigned into crystalline clarity.
Everything finally fit. And it fit perfectly.
Acknowledgments
It takes a village to publish a book, and my journey to publication, at times, has felt endless and daunting. Things really took a drastic, positive turn when I signed with my agent, Katelyn Detweiler. Katelyn brings a massive amount of continued support that makes whatever happens easy to deal with, the highs and lows. She truly is the best advocate that I could’ve asked for. It took a while to find her, but the wait was worth it. Thank you, Katelyn, for everything that you’ve done. Your support, dedication, hard work, expertise, skill, communication, advice, editorial visions, and jokes (so many jokes) are invaluable. Thank you to the entire team at Jill Grinberg Literary Management for providing answers to endless questions and guiding me, and for working so hard on my behalf.