“Don’t you lie to me, boy,” she threw back. “Her uncle might be a mafia boss in India but here he is an esteemed minister first. You will not bring disrepute to our family by disrespecting him, do you hear me?”
“Yes, ma,” he mumbled, retaking his seat and avoiding my gaze.
“Was that necessary?” Mr. Gupta asked his wife.
She huffed. “He won’t be happy if he finds out Ajay’s been up to no good, Tej. We have an agreement, remember?”
I perked up at her little share, hoping she’d elaborate. They weren’t talking about my uncle, of that, I was sure.
Instead, her husband glared at their son. “A lot is riding on this arrangement, boy, so don’t piss people off,” he warned. “Forget me disowning you because that man will kill you long before I can.”
So who were they talking about?
Mrs. Gupta’s eyes darted to me. The first day I met her, I gathered she was a shrewd woman, now I got the sense she was way more intelligent than she appeared. “I’m a stickler for tradition, Ishika,” she said. “You’ll marry Ajay like all the other arrangements before you, but I won’t tolerate disrespect to any women.” She shifted those piercing eyes to her son.
Something about their behavior hinted that this was way more than just a simple marriage arrangement. Why else would they delay the DNA test? Kai wasn’t allowed to accompany me alone for me to get a hair or salvia sample from him. After the first visit, I was watched like a hawk. Why did I feel like a pawn in some stupid chess game they were playing?
I nodded, my smile more compliance than friendly. The idea of approaching Remo surfaced again, and Dia’s caution followed, ringing in my ear.
Remo won’t leave you with Ajay for long.
Kai walked out of the house. “Hi.” He smiled at me and I was once more captivated by how closely he resembled a younger version of my father. I mentally decided that no DNA test was needed, unless he wanted it.
“You missed breakfast, Kai,” Mrs Gupta scolded yet when I glanced at her, she was staring at me, her frown burrowed deep.
“Sorry, Mama.” After greeting his parents with a kiss to their cheeks, he turned to fist-bump his brother.
My insides roiled, hating that they were considered his family and me, the outsider when I was the blood relative.
“Did you kill him?” Ajay asked.
I froze.
Did they get Kai to kill someone? How? He was barely twenty three.
“I did.” Kai laughed like it was the most natural thing to talk about death. “And his brother paid up.”
“That’s my boy.” Grinning, Ajay slapped him on the back, igniting my anger.
Fists clenched, I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind.
Mr. Gupta beat me to the punch. “Is that what I taught you, son?” he addressed Ajay. “To teach the boy how to shoot blanks?”
“It’s just a video game, papa. I killed the competition and won.” Kai responded, laughing.
Thank God.
My shoulders slackened, the anger ebbing.
“Come, Kai, let me get the chef to make you something to eat.” Mrs. Gupta held out a hand, motioning for him to join her.
After they left, a different kind of tension settled over the patio, I could sense it in the way the two men glanced at me then looked at each other. My nerves were shot trying to figure out this plot I’d cornered myself into. I had to find a way to convince Kai to come with me, now was not that time though. Getting back home to regroup and come up with a solid plan worked in my favor now.
I moved to rise.
“You should be teaching Kai to use live ammunition, Ajay. It’s time for him to join the business.” Mr. Gupta’s statement paused my mid-flight, ramping up my irritation.
“He’s just a boy,” I blurted.
