Married in Vengeance (Dynasty Rebels #4)

Chapter 33

Thirty-Three

RAM

“Virat found something.”

Aadhya’s announcement had him looking up from the legal brief he was proofing. He put the file down and stood.

“What did he find?”

“My signature was forged.” Aadhya dropped her laptop bag on a side table and pulled her scrunchy off her wrist, bundling her hair up into a bun.

Ram’s hopes deflated like a popped balloon. “That’s great,” he said, sounding forced even to his own ears.

Aadhya plonked herself on the edge of the bed, toeing off her work shoes with a happy sigh. She massaged her heels, a low moan escaping her.

The sound went straight to his groin. Ram swallowed hard, positioning his file on his lap to cover the evidence of his growing desire.

“You’re not happy,” she said, now massaging her tense neck muscles. He wanted to move her hands aside and use his to bring her relief. Except that Aadhya would probably think he was trying to strangle her.

“Of course I am,” he replied quietly. “Every bit of evidence helps. Building blocks for a solid foundation in your defense.”

“A defense that you won’t be the face of.” Aadhya watched him consideringly.

“A defense that I will be the backbone of,” he countered, holding her gaze even as his guilt squirmed through his defenses.

She made a hmming noise that told him exactly what she thought of that. “Aarush Anna and you are friends.”

Ram stared at her, words clogging his throat.

Aadhya tilted her head, waiting patiently for him to answer.

After a loaded pause, he said, “We are.”

“Are or were?” She got up and walked over to the cupboard, opening it and pulling out a nightshirt. It was a virulent pink and covered in white hearts. It was cheery and happy and everything the mood in this bedroom was not.

“Where are you going with this, Aadhya?” he asked, his voice harsh. “Let’s speak clearly, shall we?”

“Why does my brother look like he wants to rip your head off your shoulders, Mr. Backbone Of My Defense?” She slammed the door to the cupboard shut, the sound sharp and loud in the quiet of the room. “Was that clear enough?”

“Crystal,” he said crisply, moving his files to one side and standing to face her. “Are we doing this now?”

Aadhya folded her arms across her chest and tipped her chin up, meeting his gaze squarely. “No time like the present.”

“Ram!!” His father’s voice thundered through the house, reverberating through the large hall downstairs. Aadhya jumped, her head whipping towards the bedroom door.

“Get down here now!” The fury in his father’s raised voice had his eyebrows shooting up as he walked over to the door and yanked it open. Aadhya was hot on his heels, almost bumping into him when he stopped to look back at her.

“I don’t think he was calling you,” he told her dryly as she followed right behind him. They took the stairs two at a time as his father continued to rampage on the ground floor, yelling and cursing.

“Oh, I’m not missing this for anything,” she told him, a cheeky grin tugging at her lips.

Even in the midst of the unholy commotion emitting from downstairs, her smile lifted his spirits, and he found himself suppressing his own smile.

“Too bad you’re too old for a spanking from your father,” she murmured, practically rubbing her hands in glee.

“Too bad you’re not too old for one from me,” he muttered, throwing her a heated look.

Aadhya flushed, a bright red, but it was the intrigued look in her eyes that had him pausing for a second. They looked at each other, his finger going to trace her rosy cheek.

“Later,” he murmured, the word coming out like a promise.

“Vedhava.” His father’s hissed curse had the two of them jumping apart. “Come inside now.”

“What is the problem?” Ram asked, wearily, following his father into the study at the end of the hall.

“The problem? The problem?” His father was practically incoherent with fury. “You are the problem.”

Ram paused, taking a moment to think. This was a new one. Ram had been many things in their family history. Until now, he’d never been the problem.

His father pulled out his phone and stepped towards him, his furious gaze landing on Aadhya. He stopped, his throat working as he stared at her, seeming to register her presence for the first time.

“Can you give us a moment please? I need to speak to Ram alone.”

Ram stared at his father, surprised. What in the world was going on?

“Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Aadhya,” he told his father cautiously trying to gauge the situation and failing.

His father’s gaze swung between the two of them, his fury seeming to drain out of him in one dramatic swoop.

“Maybe it’s better to do this with both of you,” he muttered. He tossed his phone at Ram. “This was mailed to a rival news channel today. They gave me a heads up as professional courtesy. The story runs at nine tonight.”

Ram looked down at the phone, Aadhya peering over his shoulder. Ice slid down his spine as the video on the screen started to play. A video he’d seen innumerable times before.

He heard Aadhya’s harsh, indrawn breath even as his gaze stayed on her hands twining in his hair and pulling him in for a kiss as he pressed his body desperately closer to her.

“Why would this be news?” he asked calmly, even as his fist clenched around the phone. He had to resist the urge to fling it against the wall.

“It’s coming on the heels of the court case against Laxmi Builders and its Chief Architect.” Nanna looked at Aadhya. “This is going to work against you in court. And you,” his gaze swung towards his son, “can kiss your judgeship goodbye.”