Page 23 of Empowered

In the distance, the deep bass of drums sounded.

Tears leaked down her long lashes and onto her cheeks. She stared at me with gratitude.

I understood how she felt, but I had to get going if I was going to get to Salena before the guards did. “Go now.”

My stern tone made her move quickly out of the window. She slid out silently and ran toward freedom.

I hoped she would find a better life than the one that had been stolen from her by Tarun.

My pride was short lived when I realized that I was now weaponless in a house full of criminals.

I should have left with her too and waited in the car like I had promised, but it was too late. I was already inside.

The burner phone.I could text Zayn and let him know I was in the house, but I couldn’t remember where I left it. My hands swiped desperately over my clothes, feeling for it.Fuck.I must have dropped it when I left the car.

Think, Becker!I was already inside, so the best option was to find Salena in the dungeon and pray I found a way to get us both out alive. I had promised that I would come back for her, and I wouldn’t leave her behind again.

The room I was in resembled a bedroom of some sort. It didn’t look lavish enough to be Tarun’s room. It was bare, with just a mattress on the floor. I was betting it belonged to one of his servants, maybe even the maid I had just freed, whose name I’d never know.

I made my way across the room to the door. I put my hand on the knob and took in a big breath to prepare myself for my mission—

The knob turned without my wrist rotating it. In one quick motion, the door swung open and I jumped back, startled.

My eyes met a towering ogre of a man. I remembered this guard. His lips parted into a lecherous smile displaying crooked teeth, like he had won a jackpot prize.

“Couldn’t stay away,ladkee?”he said, cackling. He found my fear amusing, drawing closer to me.

I backed away, trying to evade his proximity. My back hit the wall behind me, next to the open window that the maid had used to escape.

The man with the crooked smile glanced at the window. “How did you manage to open the window? These are locked tight from the inside,” he barked at me, his hands pinning my shoulders to the wall.

I couldn’t tell him about the maid. He’d send someone after her. If one of us was going to survive, I’d rather it be her. Instead, I opted for vagueness. “I have my ways.”

The barrel of a gun pressed against my temple. I shuddered at its cool touch.

“Smart-mouth bitch. Boss will be glad to have you back. He’s been looking for you.” He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, giving it a tight squeeze before yanking me forward.

Chapter XVII

Shyam

The wedding had already begun when we entered the premises. Jai and I were able to make a quiet entrance through the back of the venue as we took our spots near the catering staff, who were busy preparing the food. No one noticed us on our way in since the ceremony was already underway. Everyone was preoccupied with the rituals taking place on the stage. The guests and some of Tarun’s men were successfully inebriated from the mild sedative in the drinks they had received upon arrival.

The courtyard was decorated beautifully. One wouldn’t have been able to tell this was the wedding of a psychopath with a criminal audience. Over-the-top arrangements of flowers in large gold containers dotted each row along both sides of the aisle. My traitorous ex-clients were dressed in their best clothes for the event, all glued to their seats. Some were in traditional Indian wear while others opted for suits, like Jai and me.

Themandap, or covering, was decorated with flowers and leaves, mimicking the style of the arrangements down the aisle. Lush bundles of white Indian jasmine adorned each corner of themandap. The sweet fragrance lingered in the air and trailed to even the furthest reaches of the venue.

The aisle was covered in an intricate design made of brightly colored flower petals waiting for the bride to make her appearance. It was customary for Indian brides to make their entrance later in the ceremony with their parents, so it was not time for Salena to arrive yet. My men had successfully located her father in the palace and were given instructions to finish him off. Hopefully, this shit would be taken care of before the guard went to retrieve Salena.

Tarun was more than happy with being the center of attention in the meantime. The priest recited various prayers as the groom sat on a small bench in front of thehawan, or fire. He looked nothing like the chubby teenager that I had seen in his photos. His short body was adorned by a deep-red jacket. Emerald jewels and pearls that were heavily encrusted into the fabric shined bright from the stage. Even at the back of the room with my sunglasses on, I could see them glinting in the sunlight. I had no doubt they were real stones and not the fake ones that were usually stitched onto bridal wear. The entire venue knew he had money, but it wasn’t enough. He had to make a show of it to anyone who would pay him attention.

Tarun was busy performing the rituals as the priest instructed. Even with something as simple as making offerings to the small alter in front of him, he accomplished it with a flourish. This was the most theatrical performance of his life—marrying his biggest enemy’s former fiancée and taking control of the remains of his empire. He treated it as if he were the new king of the underworld and this was his coronation.Over my dead fucking body.

From my periphery, I could see Zayn take his place off to the side. He didn’t look my way and acknowledge me to keep up the façade that he was part of the wedding crew. I was glad to have him by my side along with Jai—my brothers whom I trusted completely. Thankfully, Amelia was safe out of harm’s way under guard watch.

I returned my gaze to the stage. Tarun was pouring water on the alter to complete another ritual. He relished in the attention, lifting the small clay pot high into the air to allow the stream of water to flow. Unfortunately, when the water hit the alter, it splashed the priest off to the side. He really was crazy.

“He’s loving the attention,” Jai murmured to me while still facing the stage.

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