Chapter 21
"What are you doing? Give me back my purse!" Rahina demanded.
Her mother, who had snatched the wristlet purse off her wrist with an angry swipe handed Rahina’s purse to Amit who then handed it to a guilty looking Riaz who was standing by the living room doors.
“You will sit down and be quiet.” Her mother’s lashing tone was one Rahina hand not heard since high school, which instantly clawed at her pride.
What the hell was this? She finally decided to come see her parents after avoiding their calls for nearly a week now, and as soon as she walked through the door, she was surrounded. Standing in front of the fireplace, her parents, both average heights, stood with their arms crossed staring at her like two heavenly judges sent to condemn her to purgatory.
“Excuse me,” Rahina’s eyes narrowed at her mother, she was no longer a child nor did she live under their roof she refused to tolerate this insane behavior. “Just what the hell is going on here, and why is he here?” she pointed to Dev who stood near the end of the couch.
Dressed in a pair of pressed jeans and an expensive embroidered emerald green button-down shirt, Dev gave her a considerate look as he stepped forward. “I’m sorry Rahina, but I felt it was necessary to tell your parents…”
“Oh, I see,” she nodded, finally understanding. “This is some sort of intervention,” she gestured to all of them as she looked around the room, her eyes stopping with quiet fury at Rubina who stood at the door holding each elbow. It was probably the first time in a long time she had seen her sister looking so uncomfortably guilty. Rahina could see the silent look of pleading understanding in her sister’s face, but Rahina refused to acknowledge it, turning her back to her sister Rahina looked back at her parents.
“Dev tells us you are seeing Roman Mashir,” her father sputtered. “Tell me he is wrong Rahina, tell me you have not done something so foolish?”
“Why is it foolish dad, you were the one who introduced me to him, remember?”
Her mother shot her father a sharp look to which he ignored, running his hand over his thick black mustache in agitation, her father began to pace, working up a tirade of argument.
“Besides,” Rahina continued, crossing her own arms and settling her weight to one hip. “I have no reason to lie, yes, just as I told Dev,” she threw the pathetic man a withering look. “I am seeing Roman.”
"Are you an idiot?" Amit yelled, stepping up to her to join the barricade against her, along with her parents. “You do know he is extremely dangerous?”
Not appreciating his patronizing tone, she turned and matched her brother’s scornful look with one of her own head on. “And? I don’t care, I like being with him, he treats me wonderfully.”
“I just bet he does,” Amit snarled. “So, all the man has to do is buy you a car and some nice things and you will forget that he is a cold-blooded murderer.”
“A murderer, you and dad work for!" she reminded with a yell. Was she the only one hearing the blatant hypocrisy right now?
"Please, just calm down." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Riaz, who was standing by the door next to Rubina, step closer to the back of the couch holding both hands up placatingly.
“This is ridiculous, I’m leaving,” Rahina said shaking her head, this conversation was going nowhere. “Give me my purse, Riaz,” she demanded, extending her hand.
“You will sit down,” her mother’s hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder and pushed her to sit. “You will not leave this house until you agree to end this relationship with that man!”
Enraged, Rahina stood back up from the couch to push past her mother and Amit. Stepping further in her path, Amit grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her so hard, Rahina fell back with a scream onto the couch. She heard her father’s reactionary hiss under his breath at Amit, but he made no move to intervene.
“Amit!” Rubina cried from the door. “That isn’t necessary.”
Shocked, Rahina looked up to Amit with terrified confusion. A brief flicker of his own surprise flashed in his eyes before he quickly masked it with anger again.
As her father turned to her, Rahina watched with welling tears as her mother looked beyond her towards the door giving Riaz and Rubina a wrathful look before shooing them off with a wave of her hand. Stunned, Rahina turned and watched as Riaz pulled her reluctant sister through the door before shutting it behind them.
“You do not know who this man is Rahina, or what he is capable of,” Dev continued, coming closer to her.
"I do know," she said, wiping her tears, glaring at the man. "And I know I would rather be with him."
For the first time in her association with Dev, she watched as visible fury settled onto his handsome face. Turning away, she looked at the empty fireplace past her parents’ feet, refusing to look at any of them any longer. She did not want to talk to them, she wanted to simply wait out their anger and snatch her purse from Riaz and go home, but a thought struck her.
“So, what now?” she looked up to them tiredly. “Is this where you try to force me to marry him?” she didn’t bother looking at Dev as she jacked a thumb in his direction.
“He is a good match, Rahina,” her mother hissed through gritted teeth, ignoring her husband’s warning squeeze to her arm to not go down that path just yet.
“I can’t believe this,” looking to Amit now, Rahina let him see her betrayal, taking only slight satisfaction at the brief look of guilt in his 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 her arm from her husband and stepped forward with a wagging finger to her seated daughter. “It is for your own good, you have changed with this man. You tell us nothing of your career, Dev tells us you drop from your classes, you hardly speak to us, and I get a call from the family that you are half naked on billboards and commercials we know nothing about it,” Rahina nearly winced at the high pitched pain in her mother’s normally stern steady voice.
Yes, she could have handled those things better, Rahina admitted silently, but this was too far—this was unforgivable.
“Rahina…” her father began to speak but sounds beyond the living room’s double sliding doors stopped him.
With excessive force, the two sliding doors parted with a bang 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 suit and a plain white shirt beneath, he left the top button unbuttoned, allowing a glimpse of his clavicle and strong neck beneath.
Roman's delighted gaze scanned the room, taking in the occupants 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 her tear-streaked face before quickly masking it. "Rahina, sweetheart, you should have told me you wanted to eat dinner at your parents' house, I would have come over sooner."
The comforting power of his presence was undeniable, feeling the surge of renewed strength flood through her, she stood up from the couch.
“Wait,” Dev protested, reaching for her arm and gripping it tightly. “We aren’t done.”
Looking to Dev, she had every intention of slapping his hand away when she felt the sudden overwhelming tension in the room. A tidal wave of tension they all felt. Looking to Dev, Rahina realized he was no longer even looking at her. Following his gaze back across the room, her own breath caught in her chest at Roman’s expression. It was pure madness. Large and toothy, his grin was that of a maniacal madman while his eyes oozed delight over what was to come, he almost looked—excited. Taking one step forward, his massive frame uncovered the doorway behind him allowing her to see Mosca and a few other men lining the hall of her parents’ foyer all looking past their boss’s frame into the living room, each one ready for some sort of showdown.
Dev released her arm immediately, to which Roman had the nerve to look a little disappointed. Giving a small sigh, Roman looked
to her with 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 had her hand in Roman’s within seconds.
“Rahina!” her mother’s admonishing voice snapped through the air with disapproval, but Rahina ignored the unspoken command allowing Roman to pull her close.
Cupping her shoulders, Roman leaned down to her ear and whispered 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 locked to him. "No," she shook her head, placing her hands pleadingly against his firm stomach. "I just want to go, both of us."
"Do not argue,” he whispered, and she could sense the steel coating in his words even as he placed a kiss on her forehead. “I will be right behind you.”
Not wanting to stay any longer and with not much of a choice on staying, Rahina stepped towards Mosca who had appeared next to her. Walking towards the doorway, Rahina paused. Right now, she wasn’t sure if she could ever forgive her family for what they attempted tonight.
Turning around, she looked at her mother and father and finally to Amit. "How dare you treat me this way," she whispered, trying hard, not cry again. “Not once have I ever done anything to make you ashamed of me. Everything I have ever done, I have done with consideration of your wants first, always before my own. And the one time I do something completely for me that has nothing to do with your life nor your reputation, you do this to me,” she looked directly at her mother as she continued. “I have never felt more betrayed."
Not able to keep back the tears anymore, Rahina turned and walked down the hallway and stopped in front of Riaz. Holding out her hand, Riaz silently handed her the purse.
“Rahina please just let me explain…” Rubina stood up from the stairs where she was sitting and started towards her.
Rahina ignored her, biting down on the inside of her cheek to keep the tears in a little longer as she hurriedly walked forward to the black SUV parked at the door. Getting into the truck, she barely contained the flood of tears that threatened to release as Mosca asked her for her car keys. Handing them to him, he finally shut the door, sealing her alone in the backseat, allowing her to give in to the pain.
In silence, Roman watched the SUV pull away, and Rubina stomp up the stairs and out of sight with her own tears. Roman stifled a heavy sigh, the fight between the sisters would be the worst part of this he surmised. Giving a silent order to Sergei who stood with his other two men in the hall, Roman turned and closed the doors to the living room, shutting the family in with him.
"Let us talk,” he offered, looking to the wary faces of the Chopra family before settling on Dev Gorshal.
Expectedly, the man shrunk under his gaze and started sidestepping for the far door of the room. “I will just go…”
Roman didn’t turn his head as he addressed the retreating man. "You can stay Mr. Gorshal,” holding out his hand, Roman indicated for Dev to rejoin the rest, “this involves you as well."
Reluctantly, Dev meandered back to the group.
"Now,” Roman smiled obligingly, enjoying the way each one tensed. “Tell me, what is the problem?"
Expecting no less from the woman, Deeya Chopra lifted her chin and met his chilling gaze with one of her own. "You are dangerous, Mr. Mashir, you are not the man we want for our daughter."
Roman had only seen pictures of Deeya Chopra before today. She was a good-looking woman, she was thin, had the 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.
The inherent boldness made Roman smile wider. "Says the family of criminals," he countered.
"You cannot compare what we do, to your dealings!” This time her husband, Amin, spoke and Roman suddenly realized he would much rather deal with the Chopra women than ever have to deal with their men.
Shrugging, Roman looked pointedly to Mrs. Chopra hoping to get to the point of this meeting quickly so he could get back home to Rahina. "Tell me what you want."
"I want you to leave my daughter alone," Mrs. Chopra demanded.
"Why? So, you can pair her with a spineless man who comes running to you when he faces an obstacle money cannot take care of?" Roman let his mocking gaze slide to Dev.
“You do not even belong here,” Dev yelled at him, and Roman wondered if the man actually thought that the sofa between them would stop him from coming over there and beating his face into the marble mantle.
“Shut up,” Amit sneered at the man, walking behind his parents to step directly into Dev’s face. “You’ve done enough.”
Ignoring the two men, Roman looked to Mrs. Chopra and gave her a knowing smile. "Rahina tells me you are a strict mother, Mrs. Chopra."
Her back stiffened at that. "I want the best for my daughters," she answered evenly.
"And is Rahina not already at her best?" He countered conversationally, walking slowly towards the sofa. "A girl with her beautiful dark complexion, which is your complexion,” he reminded, “who is breaking barriers each day, being displayed across billboards in the middle of downtown, is that not her at her best?"
Mrs. Chopra gave him a twisting smile. "You mean where she is shown half naked to the world? No, I do not consider that her best."
"As the man in her life I hate that image too,” he confessed, giving her an understanding look as he walked around the sofa to stand in front of them all. “But as her fan, it is an undeniable achievement, and you know it." He could see the point settle on her face, but he knew the woman would rather be flayed alive before admitting she was wrong. "What is it really, Mrs. Chopra, tell me the real problem?"
"You are dangerous,” she gave him an accusing scowl. “And your world will get my daughter killed."
Roman stilled at this. It was his one true fear spoken aloud, and it gave him momentary pause. Keeping his face impassive, Roman tilted his head back and looked down at the woman. "That will not happen."
"You cannot guarantee that,” she argued. “You're a powerful man with many enemies. I will not let my daughter be used and killed because of you."
Stepping closer to them, he felt their fear as they tensed. Amin grabbed his wife’s arm in silent warning and maybe protection, Roman couldn’t be sure. "That would never happen," he repeated slowly and evenly.
"Why should I believe you?" Mrs. Chopra stepped out of her husband’s grasp, and boldly walked up to Roman until they were only a foot apart.
Roman smiled, feeling the brief anger he felt at the truth she flung so cavalierly at him begin to settle.
"When I look at you, I am struck by the same uncanny beauty and strength I see in your daughter." Leaning forward, he brought his face closer to the shorter women, enjoying the display of emotions in her dark eyes. He could tell she was caught off guard by his comment, but she fought to retain her suspicion. Leaning back, he gave her an understanding smile. "You are right, I am no good for your daughter this much I have told her, but your foolish daughter decided she wanted me anyways and now I could never let her go. She is like a ray of sunlight shining and dancing across the cold dark depths of my world. At this point, even the army of God could not take me from her. So, let us both come to an agreement." He addressed all of them now. "No more surprise inquisition dinners and certainly no shunning or ostracizing."
"As if I would turn my back on my daughter for you Mr. Mashir, you are not that important," Deeya Chopra snapped at him, and Roman could see her husband and her son stiffen at her recklessness, but Roman could only grin wider.
She was so much like Rahina, it was amazing. He was positive if he gave the woman a small army of men and told her to take over three burrows in New York, the woman could do it in a month.
"Then this is settled," he said.
"Wait," Amit stepped
forward. "What do we get from this?"
"Explain." Roman gave the younger man a tired stare. Roman knew what he was alluding to, but he wanted the man to spell it out so they could all hear, especially Mrs. Chopra.
Amit looked to his father and received a nearly indiscernible nod and looked back to Roman. "I mean this is a deal we are making, is it not? What do we get from it since you get Rahina?"
"Wait a minute…" Dev tried again, but this time Amin turned and faced the man giving him a furious look that silenced the man immediately.
"Ah yes, what was I thinking? I should have known your daughter's happiness would not be enough," Roman gave Mrs. Chopra a sad mocking smile. She turned her face away from him, but she didn't look to her son or husband either, her anger for the new turn of events was evident. Roman continued. "I assume you want more money concerning our initial arrangement?"
"Five percent more," Amin lifted his chin and stared at Roman directly.
Roman enjoyed the brief flicker of doubt laced fear in the man's eyes before answering. "For my Rahina, of course” he enjoyed the way Mrs. Chopra’s shoulder tensed at the use of “my” when he referred to her daughter. “Consider it done."
Roman smiled to himself as he felt the tension in the room begin to dissipate, and their guards begin to drop. Roman watched as Dev circled the couch in anger heading for the door. He was so wrapped up in his anger he either didn’t notice that Roman was right behind him or didn’t care.
His Smile: A Mafia Romance Page 25