Abhijat’s palms bled from where his nails had been digging into them over the past hour. The drive to the prime minister’s residence had been a blur. He couldn’t even remember consciously deciding to go there.

All he remembered was the phone call from the police station, and Rito, her voice heavy and broken, saying she was sorry, over and over again.

Getting into the building wasn’t a problem; the security team at Qayit Hall recognized him immediately. Finding Fasih was a different matter. At length, one of the secretaries informed Abhijat that the prime minister had gone over to his old flat and would be staying there for the night.

For the first time since he’d spoken to his sister, Abhijat smiled. This was going to be easier than he had imagined.

Ruqaiya had told him she’d get Rito out of jail and back home first thing next morning. She’d also told him not to do anything rash until they’d had a chance to talk face to face.

As Abhijat stepped on the accelerator, his car speeding down the deserted highway, he had the sudden, incongruous urge to laugh. In all probability, he’d end up behind bars before Ruqaiya could bail his sister out tomorrow. Well, wouldn’t that be funny? Both the Shian siblings handcuffed and in prison, months after their father had been forced to resign from the premiership in disgrace.

It was what Fasih wanted, Abhijat knew that. He’d probably planned this whole thing, knowing exactly what the outcome would be. Hell, maybe him spending the night at his old flat, alone and vulnerable, was also part of the scheme. As likely as not, Abhijat was driving straight into a well-laid trap.

And the damnedest thing was, he just didn’t care. His ears were ringing, the wind lashing against his face as his hands shook on the steering wheel. He stepped on the accelerator again, his eyes stinging. He told himself it was from the dust blowing in through the open windows. He wouldn’t let Fasih mess with his family and hurt his loved ones ever again. And if that meant spending the rest of his life in prison, he couldn’t really bring himself to care.

The two guards stationed at the bottom of Fasih’s building were his men. They simply nodded at Abhijat and let him through. He had never imagined he’d be grateful to be the head of Fasih’s security team, but tonight, he truly was.

Forgoing the elevator, he headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. The adrenaline coursing through his veins demanded movement, action.

Seconds later, he was banging on Fasih’s door. The logical part of his brain – and despite what Rito might say, it did exist – was screaming at him to take a step back. To think about what he was about to do, about the consequences it might have. But his sister’s choked sobs rang in his ears, driving out all logic and rationality from his head.

Fasih had betrayed his father, had hurt him and almost driven him to suicide. And now he was coming after his sister. All Abhijat knew was that he needed to be stopped.

There was a click, and the door swung open. Jehan stood on the threshold, one hand wrapped around a steaming mug while the other rested on the doorknob. Dressed in a loose brown cardigan, his hair falling into his eyes, and clutching a coffee mug with the image of a bespectacled teddy bear solving math equations, Fasih looked the very picture of innocence.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

He stared at Abhijat, eyes wide with surprise, but there wasn’t any guilt in them, so far as he could see. Then again, to feel guilt you needed a conscience, and if Fasih had ever had such a thing, he’d murdered it a long time ago.

Stepping over the threshold, Abhijat grabbed Fasih by the collar and shoved him back against the nearest wall. Jehan’s head banged against the wall with a resounding thud and the mug he’d been holding clattered to the floor, shattering into multiple pieces and spilling hot tea everywhere.

Almost of their own volition, Abhijat’s fingers circled Fasih’s throat. It was pale and slender, and looked like it would snap at the slightest pressure. It took everything in him not to press down harder and end this once and for all.

As it was, Fasih was already gasping for air. “God! Let go of me. What’re you–”

Abhijat increased the pressure by the slightest degree, forcing the other man to stop babbling.

“Why did you do it?” he growled. “What’d she ever done to you?”

Fasih grunted, struggling to free himself. Abhijat just pushed him harder against the wall and tightened his grip around his throat until he settled. Only then did he relax his hold a little. His captive did need air to speak, after all.

Fasih gasped, gulping in air as fast as he could. “Do what? And who’s she? I don’t–”

“Don’t you dare play dumb with me, you lying bastard.” He pulled Jehan forward by his throat and shoved him back again with enough force that his knees buckled under him. If it wasn’t for Abhijat’s grip around his neck, he’d have been on the floor at his feet. “She’s in jail because of you. Because you framed her, you and that bastard Haval.”

“What?”

“You think I’m stupid?” Abhijat snarled. Once again, Fasih’s head crashed painfully against the wall, making him wince.

Heedless, Abhijat continued. “You really think anyone believed that little squabble you two had on campus was real? You may have been able to distract the media with your silly little stage-fight, but you know what they say about fooling everyone all the time? It doesn’t work. I know you two planned this together, you and your old friend Dileep Haval–”

“This being?” Fasih raised a delicate eyebrow, sounding vaguely bored. His face was white, his eyes bright and unfocused, and there was a tinge of blue on his lips. He clearly wasn’t as unaffected as he wanted Abhijat to believe, and yet he made no attempt to call for help.

“My sister, you lying son of a bitch! You framed her. Along with Haval and his wife. Admit it! First, you got Sinya Haval to hire Rito as her assistant and then Dileep framed her for theft. She’s in jail now, because of what you did. You and your damned friends!

“Still, it doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of them after I’m done with you. You’ll pay for what you’ve done to my family, you bastard. All of you will pay!”

Fasih wheezed out a broken laugh. “I can’t believe you’re still feeding yourself that crap, Abhijat. And here I thought you were smarter than that. I didn’t do anything to your family. Hell, if anything, I’m the reason they’re still alive for you to get all protective about. Still, if blaming me for your familial issues helps you sleep better at night, by all means, indulge yourself.”

Abhijat’s fist connected with Fasih’s jaw before he knew what was happening. He hadn’t planned to hit Jehan, not really. The blow was almost instinctive, but God, it’d felt so good.

He let go of Fasih’s neck, and the smaller man crumpled to the floor. Then, he yelped and rolled over. He’d landed on the jagged shards of the broken cup. Abhijat could feel his lips curl into a sneer.

“I wasn’t here when you came for my father, and there’s nothing I regret more in the world. But I am here now. And if you so much as think about harming my sister, I will kill you. Or better yet, I’ll make you wish you were dead. And if I have to spend the rest of my life in prison for that, it’d be worth it.”

Jehan tried to clamber up, off the floor. Abhijat’s boot connected sharply with the side of his head, sending him sprawling once again.

“I’m going to get her out,” he hissed, bending to ensure that Fasih could hear him. “And if anything happens to her in the meantime, Fasih, I swear to God I’ll make you regret the day you decided to cross the Shian family. By the time I’m through with you, you’ll be begging me to kill you.”