Indian Mafia Romance SAMPLE only

CHAPTER 3

"Good morning, Papa."

After a restless night's sleep with dreams of her childhood, Aditi had woken up later than usual. Or maybe it was simply the time lag.

"Are you going out?" she asked when her father pushed his chair back and seemed to be in a hurry.

"Yes, Aditi. I'm sorry I can't spend the day with you. Something urgent came up."

She was disappointed. "That's okay, Papa."

Her father nodded in a distracted way, something obviously worrying him.

"Uh... Papa. Would you be free sometime tomorrow? I'd like to introduce you to one of my friends from London."

Her father frowned. "Sure. But how about this weekend? I'm organizing a party at home. You can invite your friend from London and others too."

Aditi didn't have any friends outside of London. The few childhood friends she had, she'd lost touch with them when she was sent away. But she was excited. She could introduce Rahul to her father during the weekend party. And since it was a neutral setting, there would be no pressure on Rahul or her.

"I'll help with the party arrangements," she offered.

Her father nodded distractedly once again. She wanted to ask him what was bothering him, but she didn't want to intrude. All she had to focus on was to get her father's blessings to marry Rahul and continue with the life she had planned.

"By the way," her father added, stopping suddenly on his way out. "I'll have the party organizer reach out to you. She has good contacts in the city. She can also help with suggestions for good restaurants or clubs. Just make sure you take the car, a driver and a couple of guards with you when you go out. And Aditi... Tarun is a good driver. He'll be careful and drive however slow you want him to."

Aditi smiled at her father's sweet consideration and protectiveness. "Sure, Papa."

Her father knew she didn't like driving or travelling in cars. Being in London, she always took the subways to get around the city. Even though she wasn't with her mother when her mother died in a car accident, cars and other closed automobiles made her nervous.

After her father left, she called Rahul. But unfortunately, Rahul was still sleeping off his jet lag. Not knowing what to do, she asked for a car and a driver to be readied. She wanted to visit the place her mother took her often during her childhood.

"Adi." It was Suki with a frown. "Where are you off to this early in the morning?"

Aditi laughed. "Suki. It's close to nine. Hardly early." She told Suki she was going to visit the places her mother took her to as a child.

"Go later after lunch. I wanted to spend the day with you."

Aditi smiled. "Sure. Let me tell the driver."

"No need. I told him already."

"Suki!" Aditi laughed at the old woman's cheekiness.

"Come. Let's see what handsome man is in your future," said Suki.

Laughing in amusement and also wanting to genuinely catch up with Suki, Aditi followed the older woman outside.

***

"It's been three days since you arrived. It's so surprising that you can tolerate the heat and humidity after having lived in London for so long. Unlike Rahul."

Aditi laughed. She was with Rahul and his cousin. Chetan was taking them around the city for sightseeing. Although Aditi had been to most of the sightseeing places during her childhood, she enjoyed visiting them again.

"I don't just 'tolerate' this weather, I love it here. It's so much better than the cold, damp and foggy weather of London which I tolerated for the last ten years."

Rahul gave her a wry look. "I hope you don't love this place too much. Remember, we have to be back to London in three weeks."

She grinned, watching Rahul as he dabbed his damp, sweaty forehead with a small piece of cloth. "Don't worry. I won't make you stay here longer than needed."

"How are the party preparations going on?" Rahul asked.

"Looks like there won't be much for me to do. The party organizer is planning everything. I'm just providing a few inputs. By the way, she asked if I was interested in going to a club. She has VIP passes for tonight."

Seema who was the party organizer, had been dropping several high-profile names, or at least they must be high profile the way the other woman spoke the names in a reverential tone. But Aditi had been turning down offers to attend high-profile concerts or visit some celebrity's restaurant. It was driving the other woman crazy. So Aditi decided to check with Rahul's cousin so at least someone would make use of the passes which the party organizer was desperate to pass on.

"Which club?" Rahul's cousin asked.

"I think she said The Dungeon." Aditi was amused by the name. "I know Rahul doesn't enjoy clubs, but if you want, you can go with your girlfriend."

"Whoa! VIP passes to The Dungeon? Are you kidding me? Hell, yeah! Pooja would love it. And you both should come too. Can the lady give you four passes?"

Aditi was amused by Chetan's excitement. "I'll ask her. If she can't, then Rahul and I will go for dinner at a rooftop restaurant she suggested yesterday."

"That sounds way better," Rahul murmured.

Aditi laughed, knowing he would say that.

"Come on, man. Don't be such a bore. The Dungeon is like the most happening place in the city. People would sell a kidney to get a VIP pass to that place."

Aditi grinned at Chetan's exaggeration. Rahul reluctantly agreed.

They continued sightseeing for the rest of the day. Aditi turned to look at the two men following her discreetly. Her father had insisted she take them along whenever she stepped out of the house. She wasn't thrilled about the fact as she wasn't used to having people follow her. But she didn't want to upset her father. He seemed quite stressed as it is, and in the last three days she'd only seen him briefly at home during breakfast.

Soon, it was close to four in the afternoon.

"All right. I'm going to head home," she told Rahul and his cousin. "I'll see you guys tonight at the club."

Waving them goodbye, she went to the bodyguards with a smile. "Did you guys get a chance to have lunch?" she asked. She had asked them to join her earlier for lunch, but they had refused.

"Yes, madam. We grabbed something already."

"Oh, good." She slid into the backseat of the car and buckled herself.

"Will my father be back home early this evening?" she asked. She knew the bodyguards would communicate with the rest of her father's bodyguards and know her father's schedule.

"No, madam. Mr. Somraj will be occupied at the warehouse until midnight."

Aditi knew they meant the transport warehouse. She used to accompany her mother sometimes to go to the warehouse. She had heard from her uncle that her father had now expanded his transport business to not just road transport, but also water and air transport.

She was proud of him, but she was still worried about the toll his business might take on his health. She had stayed home the past three evenings hoping to have dinner with her father, only for him to call to let her know he wouldn't be home until past midnight.

She let out a sigh. Sheknew it would be the same that night too. So she might as well go to the cluband enjoy her evening.