“I met him at the fundraiser. That’s where he fired my company. I deserved it, granted, but he was . . . unexpected.”
“Unexpected? How? Wouldn’t anyone in his position do the same . . . Oh my god.” Mina beamed from across the table. Her whole face was vibrant with surprise and joy. “You like him!”
“What?” Raj blanched at the idea. “Good god, no. He’s an unsharpened business drone and a Punjabi, at that—I’ve spent half my life avoiding Punjabi men.”
“That’s because you’re still thinking about the type of men in your family that you grew up with in Punjab. The kind that thought binary male-dominant gender roles were law. The Singhs are not like that. True, they’re . . . well, protective, but they’re not disrespectful and sexist. Which is surprising considering the kind of money they have, and the industry they work in. And out of all three brothers, Ajay is the most reasonable and level-headed.”
“Mina, he took my employees! Besides, he seems like a pushover. An attractive pushover, but way too soft.”
“That is the biggest load of bullshit you’ve ever tried to serve me. The guys you sleep with at the club, the Ice Palace, are pushovers. They’re controllable. You choose those random hookups because you’ll never have to expend energy in getting to know them and sharing a part of who you are. Ajay Singh would never let you control him like that.”
“You’ve lost every bit of sense in your thick head if you think Ajay Singh is for me.”
“The truth is biting you in your ass, Raj.”
Raj had only had one conversation with Ajay, but he’d done something that very few people could do: surprise her. He was about to be given his father’s business on a silver platter, but he was as passionate about it as if he wanted to earn his job, too. Once her anger had cooled and she could look at their interaction from an objective view, his passion, his intelligence, and of course his barely contained sex appeal in that custom tuxedo was . . . appealing. Regardless, Raj had no time for that nonsense. She didn’t need a man to keep her company when she already had plans to get a dog.
After taking a sip of her wine, she schooled her expression. “Mina, you’re reading into this only because you’re happy now. You want everyone to be happy.”
“No, I’m selective with my good wishes. You deserve happiness, Raj. The more that I think this through, Ajay can give that to you. He’s sweet, and he’s proved everyone wrong about his capabilities as a leader. Since his father’s illness, he’s . . . well, you know. Very much in charge. Women in the office don’t know whether to stare at his pretty face or run and hide.”
If Raj had been given the option to have a Brazilian wax or have this conversation, she would’ve chosen the wax job. This moment was even more uncomfortable than asking for forgiveness.
“Ajay is quite attractive, but he’s younger than the men I prefer—”
“He’s your age.”
“That’s really not the point. I put his company at risk. That’s not smart business, and you know it.”
Mina took Raj’s wineglass from her hand and took a sip. “You’re about to become a single woman. You have plenty of options. You can be a little reckless and have a fling.”
“Actually, I can’t. Not if I want to lead the Gen One Foundation.”
“What? Are you serious?”
Raj told Mina about the job offer and the warning she’d received about her lifestyle, as well as about Robert’s impromptu visit to the brownstone.
“That’s a lot,” Mina said quietly. “How much time do you have before Kia announces you as her choice for successor?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a month or two?”
Mina grabbed Raj’s wineglass and, when she saw that it was empty, put it back on the table.
“I bet a ton of people, many of whom you know, would be interested in buying your company.”
“Buy my . . . You mean sell RKH?”
Mina nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “You could sell the business, your brownstone, the main office, which is where? Long Island City? That way, you can take the Gen One job if you want it—”
“Or I can start something new.”
“Exactly.”
The idea was appealing. Raj had gotten offers over the years, but she hadn’t been ready to give up the reins. Now that she was starting a new phase in her personal life, it almost felt right to start fresh in business, too. She just didn’t know if she wanted to lead Gen One. more importantly, she didn’t know if she wanted to leave the business she’d started from nothing, and the people that supported her to get there.
“Mina, I don’t want my reputation ruined or my employees screwed over. They have always been the most important part of my company.”
“You’ll find the right buyer. I’m sure of it.”
Two giant white bowls were placed on the table in front of them. Raj leaned forward and smelled the fragrant curry dish. She picked up her spoon, coated the tip with creamy, pale green sauce, and licked. Mina mimicked her actions across the white table.
“It’s . . .” Mina started.
“Not spicy at all,” Raj said, looking down at the tiny purse at her side. “The Thai place near your condo is so much better.”
“Yeah, you’re telling me.”
Mina spooned white rice into her bowl. “You know who may have really great advice for what you can do? Ajay.”
“You are not giving up about this Ajay thing, are you?”
“Nope!” Mina spooned up more of her curry. “Selling your business is a perfect conversation starter. Tech companies need security services, right? I’m sure Ajay has come across information about other tech companies looking to diversify their portfolios.”
Raj froze. Mina’s words had sparked an idea, a pretty excellent idea, that began to rapidly form in her mind.
Bharat wasn’t growing, but if they acquired a profitable business tangentially related to their services . . . well, that would get the market excited. Their stock price would rise.
And WTA wouldn’t have a chance in hell of taking over.
Shit, she was going to have to apologize again, but this time to Ajay. That was the only way she’d get close enough to him to convince him to go into business with her.
“So? What do you think?” Mina asked.
“I’m going to take some time to reflect on my options.” Along with a few other things. Raj pointed to Mina’s bowl. “Does yours even have a pepper or something in it?”
“Nope,” Mina said. “I bet Ajay is spicy, though.”
“Shut up, Mina.”
Chapter Four
Ajay
Ajay rarely slept without his phone next to his pillow. That way, when his four a.m. alarm went off, he heard it. Except he’d been so distracted the night before that he’d forgotten to go to bed with his device, and when he finally woke up, the bedside clock face read 8:01 a.m.
There was no way it was eight. He hadn’t slept in that late since . . . god, when was the last time he slept in?
He sat up, and his laptop, which had been tucked next to his hip, almost crashed to the floor. His reflexes were the only thing that saved his precious machine.