Krish looked over his shoulder. The sun was just starting to rise, revealing the dark circles under his eyes. “Where are we going?”
She held out her hand. “To see the ex-head of Cobra.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“We don’t have to do this.”
Sejal steadied her hands on the cold metal table. The windowless room was gray, from the table to the walls to the floor. “You helped me. Now I’ll help you.”
Krish folded his arms over his chest. Before they’d left the hotel room, he’d quickly donned the suit he’d bought on Alexei’s dime, the better to lend credence to their cover. Sejal had put on her maroon dress. She hoped they passed as lawyers.
“My brother set you up. All we’re probably going to find out is that he was a Cobra operative.”
“We don’t know that. But if he was, maybe he had a reason.” Sejal shrugged. “In any case, this is my mom, and my decision. Don’t worry about it.”
“It will be painful for you to see her, Sejal.”
Warmth bloomed in her chest. She couldn’t get too used to this. They wouldn’t be together for long, especially now that he was seeing in real time the world she’d come from.
It was nice, feeling the warmth of someone’s protectiveness.Not many people had ever considered her worthy of protection before. “I’m fine. Don’t—”
The door opened and cut her off. Chains rattled as a guard escorted the prisoner in.
Tell me where it is. I won’t hesitate to kill you, daughter or not.
Sejal stuffed that memory back where it belonged, deep in the depths of her psyche. Best not to think about the days her mother had held her hostage.
Two years ago, when Rushali had ripped the hood off her head, Sejal had no problem recognizing her. She’d seen a couple photos and had some vague recollections of what the woman looked like. Plus, Sejal shared her nose and eyes.
But since she’d come to prison and lost access to hair dye, Botox, plastic surgery, and the money and minions that cushioned general stress, Rushali looked way more hardened. She was still incredibly beautiful, but Sejal knew that, in her vanity, her mother must have hated losing the trappings of luxury. It was petty to feel good about that, Sejal told herself, even as she embraced the satisfaction. Pleasure at her mother’s expense was better than being scared of her.
Rushali raised an eyebrow when she walked in and saw them waiting in the visitation room. She waited for the guard to leave before she spoke. “Well, well, well,” she said dryly. “I did think it was a bit strange that my attorneys came to visit again so soon.”
Sejal met her mother’s gaze squarely, though it wasn’t easy. When a heavy palm settled on her thigh, under the table, she realized that she’d been jiggling her leg. She shot Krish a look, and hoped he saw her gratitude for steadying her. “Seemed like the easiest way to see you without cameras.”
“Oh, no, I love it. Nice to see one of my daughters can stretch the truth. Your sister is a terrible liar.”
Sejal’s hand tightened so hard into a fist that it hurt. She’d been dazed back in that hotel room, but she remembered her mother and Mira having a similar exchange there.
“I am your daughter.”
“I guess you are. More than your elder sister. She couldn’t evade me at all.”
“Rhea helped us with the cover.”
Rushali sneered at the mere mention of her ex-sister-in-law. “That bitch. Tell her I’ll get her back for that frying pan to the head if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Big words for someone in prison,” Sejal said dryly, and it was the realization that that was all her mom had now that really calmed her nerves. Four walls and bars and cement. Rushali couldn’t do shit to her. “Sit down.”
Rushali narrowed her eyes at Sejal, but her curiosity must have been greater than her offense at her daughter’s short tone, because she did as asked. Her gaze slipped over Krish. “You look familiar.”
“My name’s Krish Anand,” Krish said. There was no inflection in his voice, but Sejal could tell by the way he sat, by his face, by his posture, that he hated everything about the woman in front of him.
Your mother. He hates your mother. You think he’ll still find you interesting and all those other nice things he said about you after this?
“Anand.” Rushali tapped her finger over her lips. “Now, why does that name sound familiar?”
Her mom was playing cat and mouse, and Sejal refused to let Krish be the mouse. “Cut the shit. You know something.”
