“He used to terrify me at first, if I’m being honest,” he continued. “He was larger than life. You know that better than anyone. But I grew to respect him. I don’t know who I’d be without him.”
“He taught you how to do his dirty work.”
“Careful.” His expression darkened. He took a step forward and yanked the phone away from her. “Don’t bite the hand that fed you. Everything you have—your fancy townhome, your car, the shoes you wear—it’s all because of yourfather. His sacrifices and his dedication to his family. You were so fucking lucky. Just born into it. And dirty work?” He scoffed. “He taught me how to live in the real world. Lucinda worked for him too, you know. It was good seeing her again after all this time. She was a critical part of this. A bit squirrely at first, but she responds well to direct instruction. She came around.”
Lucinda. She’d had her doubts. She’d pushed them away.
“Your father thought we’d be perfect together,” he said. “I think it’s part of why the idea of you and me had staying power. He said if we got married one day, I’d be family. The son he always wanted. It started as a joke, but he got more serious about it as time went by. He said this way, he could pass everything down to me. To us.”
The son he’d always wanted. That tracked.
A sour taste burned in her mouth as she flashed back to the night beneath the lemon tree. She could still feel the weight of her complicated grief, the ache of losing a man she hated but who held the force of gravity with his presence. Haris had sat beside her, so careful, so comforting. She remembered how he’d draped an arm around her and how she’d leaned into him, desperate for something solid to hold on to.
And then—
How his hand had grazed her cheek so tenderly. He’d leaned in and kissed her. So soft. So gentle. It was an impulsive moment, but not an unwelcome one.
Now she realized it had been anything but impulsive.
The room suddenly felt too cold.
“Your father promised me the world,” Haris said. “Then he died, and I lost it all. I’d planned to honor his wishes, but you got yourself tangled up with Nasir faster than I could blink.He took what was meant to be mine. Which is fine. The path got harder, but I kept going. Everything works out in the end, right?”
Tears slipped down her face. She leaned against the wall to catch her bearings.
“Nasir loved you.” Her voice broke. “You…you tortured him.”
“I didn’t torture him.” When he saw her expression, he clarified. “Right. The nails. I’d told my people to get the information I needed. They got a bit carried away. I had a talk with them.”
“You have a hit out on him. You can stop it. Let him be.”
“Trust me, I hate that it has to be this way. It hurts me he had to be taught the lessons he did, but I have no choice.”
“You were his best friend.”
“Best friend?” He let out a low chuckle. “What are we, sixth-grade girls? You think we wore matching heart necklaces too? Look, I loved him like a brother. Still do. But he fucked up. Started talking. There’s only so many times someone spits on you before you have to do something about it, friend or no friend. I’m a nice guy, but I have my limits.” He checked his watch. “As soon as my people get a clean, clear shot, they’re taking it.”
“He wasn’t talking to anyone. He swore it.”
“He lied. Mr. Goody Two-Shoes wanted to help other people. Warned them not to work with me. Word gets around. What was I supposed to do? A damaged reputation is not something money alone can fix, can it? He’s the one who declared war.” He stepped closer. “If I can be brutally honest for a second? You did him no favors. Your money. Your loyalty. No matter how royally he fucked up, you were always there. I guess you have a soft spot for broken things.”
“So your hate for Nasir leaked onto me? You messed withme this entire wedding. The accusations on the slideshow…How could you, Haris?”
His face reddened. “Yeah, the slideshow. I’m, uh, sorry about that.” He looked genuinely abashed. “When my people told me about you and Reza…” He shook his head, jaw tightening. “Fuck, Hena. Seriously? All I’ve ever tried to do is be there for you, but you go and hook up with someone you’ve known all of five minutes. A guy like me has no chance, do they?”
The slideshow was her punishment.
“I shouldn’t have done it,” he continued. “When I’m emotional, I get impulsive, but that’s no excuse.”
“Now what?” she asked, her voice low. “What do you want from me?”
“What I want, you cannot give me.” The longing plain in his eyes. “But I’ve had a few days to think about it, and I’ve decided I will settle for what is my due.”
His due. She tried to compute but couldn’t.
“Lucinda will bring us the paperwork in the morning once things calm down at the resort. By this time tomorrow, you and I will be man and wife. For a little while, anyway. Your father’s wish come true.”
Was he insane? Had he absolutely lost his mind?