Chapter Twelve, Slipping
Posted by DiF on Saturday, August 13, 2011
Title: Dark Horse: Chapter Twelve, Slipping
Rating: PG-13 [language, drugs, nudity, sexual situations]
Summary: Sitara and Kanti bond with Cynthia. Donovan manages to convince Sitara to take a walk. Is George going to lose her?
Waking with Cyn curled around her once more, Sitara smiled. She was accustomed to sharing her bed with Kanti at home, so did not think much of it when Cyn decided slipping into her bed while she slept was the best way to make it through the night. In fact, she rather liked waking up with a body next to hers, even if the night air was no longer cold.
Without waking the blonde woman, Sitara shifted slightly in the bed. Her green eyes focused on the other bed in the room — and widened slightly in surprise at finding it empty. She knew Kanti had been in bed when she returned to the room, as the two of them spoke briefly before going to sleep. Where had her best friend gone?
Sitara carefully pulled away from Cyn and attempted to crawl over her. The older woman woke and quickly pulled Sitara close, mashing their bodies together. The Indian heiress gasped slightly, surprised by her friend’s actions.
“Sita?” she muttered.
“Yes,” the younger woman nodded.
“I’m… sorry,” Cyn released her. “I just… I just…”
“It’s okay,” she continued getting out of bed. “I’m going to go find Kanti.”
As her name was spoken, the Indian woman stepped into the apartment, “Good morning, ladies. Sleep well?”
“Sure,” Sitara responded warily. “Where were you?”
“Eating breakfast with everyone. I knew the two of you would be sleeping late,” she headed to the closet to find clothes for Sitara. “The girls are planning to just sunbathe and read today. John went off with Alex; George is with the Maharishi; Donovan is… wherever. I think that covers the people the two of you would be interested in.”
Both women remained silent.
“So,” she turned around with an outfit in her hands, “what do you want to do today?”
“I just want to sleep all day,” Cyn admitted softly. “Come back to bed, Sita.”
Both Indian women’s eyes focused on the blonde still lying in bed. They both saw the sadness in her eyes. Saying nothing, they returned to Sitara’s bed and jumped in with Cyn. Tickling her until she giggled, the two women sandwiched her with snuggles, chasing away her darkness.
“So,” Kanti spoke, her head on Cyn’s shoulder, “what should we do today, beautiful?”
“I just want to stay here,” she repeated.
Sitara sighed, “Let’s at least go eat something. Then maybe you’ll feel better.”
She remained silent for a moment, “I miss my son.”
Both of the women instantly cuddled her again.
“You’ll see him again soon,” Kanti proclaimed.
“What if… what if John takes him away from me?”
“He won’t,” Sitara instantly responded. “I’m sure of it.”
“But…”
“He won’t,” Kanti agreed. “Or we’ll steal him back.”
“You can’t do that. We would get arrested.”
“Oh honey, we wouldn’t get caught. Sita and I are very good at sneaking around at night.”
“Really?” her eyes went to Sitara.
The younger woman nodded, “How do you think we came to be here?”
“…a car?”
Kanti laughed and snuggled Cynthia again, “We snuck out during the night, like many times before.”
“Really?” she looked to Sitara for confirmation.
“Yes.”
“That must be… exciting.”
“Well maybe…”
“What?”
Sitara glanced at her best friend before focusing back on Cynthia, “We’ll sneak out sometime soon together…”
“Really?”
“Sure. Your husband does, so we might as well too,” Kanti stated. “Of course it will be a bit different here than back in Jaipur, but we should plan on it.”
Cynthia looked back to Sitara, “Really?”
The younger woman nodded, “I’ll do some research today and we can make our plans, not that the ashram is difficult to sneak out of. But we’ll do so. Promise.”
“You guys are the best friends a girl could have.”
With Kanti and Cynthia caught up in conversations with the other women about fashion, Sitara excused herself, claiming she intended to go meditate for awhile. No one questioned her intentions or even paid much attention to her. While she did in fact want some peace and quiet, not entirely accustomed to hours of girl chatter, Sitara did not really intend to meditate. Nor was she going to seek out George, preferring to leave him to his meditation alone for the time being.
Instead, she slipped into the kitchen and quickly brewed a cup of tea. Leaving the room with it, she found an abandoned bench under the shade of a tree. Sitting down, Sitara focused on the life around her as she sipped the tea. Despite the awkward moments with the Maharishi the day before, Sitara felt at ease to be freely herself with this group of people. She really felt blessed to be able to do and think whatever she wanted. It made sneaking out from her father’s house totally worth it.
She only hoped it lasted.
“What is a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?”
Her green eyes left the foliage around her and landed on his face, “Hello, Don.”
He sat next to her after stubbing out his cigarette and repeated, “What are you doing out here all alone?”
“I just needed some space from the girls, I suppose,” she replied. “I thought you were playing with John.”
“I was,” he responded. “But he too became more than I could handle.”
“I see.”
“Besides, it afforded me the chance to see your beauty,” he smiled. “We have not spent much time together lately.”
“We have both had things going on…”
“I am sorry for that. Let me make it up to you. Take a walk with me?” he held out his hand.
Sitara glanced at her teacup before nodding, “Let me just drop this off at the kitchen.”
After a brief stop at the kitchen, the two strolled the grounds of the ashram. When they reached the edge of the grounds proper, Donovan folded his hand over hers and led her into the forest. They passed beyond the clearing she normally shared with George, continuing down to the river. Briefly, memories of their last time at the river flashed in her mind, but she quickly brushed them aside. Donovan had been a gentleman since; she had no reason to believe he would be otherwise.
Finding a place to sit, Donovan waited until Sitara sat on the bank of the Ganges River and moved downwind of her. He glanced sideways at her before pulling a hand-rolled cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. Sitara merely shook her head and looked away. Her green eyes slowly looked over the sacred waters before them. Even if she did not fully buy into the religion of her mother, she still found it amazing to be so close to where the Ganges began.
“Getting a bit warm out today, isn’t it?” Donovan stated between puffs.
“It is still much cooler here than back home,” she replied. “And it is April. February was oddly cool.”
“I always find I feel a bit warmer when you are near no matter the temperature of the skies.”
Her eyes flicked to his and she flushed slightly, “I am sorry for that.”
“I am not,” he leaned over and kissed her quickly after tossing the remainder of his joint in the river. “Would you care for a swim, my dear?”
“But I have not appropriate attire.”
“I do not mind if you wear nothing.”
She flushed again, “I could not do such a thing.”
“Would you mind if your clothes got wet?”
She glanced down at her pale blue skirt and halter top, “Um…”
“I promise to not stare,” he declared.
Her eyes settled on the water briefly, “All right…”
Standing back up, Donovan held out his hand. With a slight smile, Sitara slipped her hand into his and carefully followed his steps towards the shores of the river. He stopped before reaching the water, released her hand, and removed his shoes. Nodding, Sitara slipped out of her sandals as well before grasping his hand again.
Slowly the two waded into the cool river waters. Sitara gasped as she slipped on a rock, falling towards Donovan. With a smirk, his arms wrapped around her, steadying her. Their eyes locked and Sitara felt a jolt through her body from wherever they touched.
“Don…”
“Perhaps we should go a bit deeper,” he suggested and shifted back to her side.
She nodded and took his hand again. Donovan continued until the cool water swirled around their waists. Slowly, he turned to face her again. His free hand reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“You are so beautiful, Sitara,” he commented before leaning in to kiss her.
“Don…”
He kissed her again, “So beautiful.”
“I…”
“Let’s swim?”
She nodded. Holding hands, they waded a bit deeper. Donovan stopped and suddenly dropped her hand. Saying nothing, he ducked completely under the water. Sitara remained stationary, waiting for him to surface again. Suddenly Donovan stood up behind her, causing her to squeal and stumble forward into deeper water. Tripping over a river-smooth rock, she landed face down in the water. Donovan quickly reached for her, his fingers snagging the wet strap of her top.
The fabric gave away as he attempted to pull her back up. Her shirt tore under her weight and she fell back into the water. Worry filling his face, Donovan slipped his arm around her waist and wrenched her out of the water. Her top remained in the water — and quickly was swept away in the current.
“Sita…” Donovan muttered.
Her hands instantly covered her breasts, her back to his wet chest, “What are were going to do now?”
He held her tightly, almost as if he was worried he would lose her in the current as well, “We cannot return like this, that is certain.”
“No…”
“Perhaps you can wear my shirt?”
Sitara nodded slightly, “I suppose that is our only option, though we will still be viewed…”
“Do not worry about them, beautiful,” he muttered. “We can be discreet.”
“All right. To shore then?”
“Now that we’re all wet, it seems a shame to hurry back so soon,” Donovan muttered.
“Let up your embrace,” she stated.
Loosening his arms but not fully releasing her, he smiled when she turned to face him. Her eyes looked up into his. Without even a pause to think, Donovan kissed her, his hands pressing against her bare back to pull her in closer. His actions forced her to pull her hands away from her breasts and loop around his neck in order to keep her balance. A part of him jumped at the sensation of her breasts flattening against his chest. He just needed to slip one hand up and…
“UNHAND MY DAUGHTER!” a voice boomed.
Sitara went completely rigid in Donovan’s arms. The folksinger turned his face away from the kiss and looked to the shore. On the banks of the Ganges River stood a tall, tanned, well-dressed man, flanked by two of the Maharishi’s servants and Kanti. The pretty woman instantly mouthed an apology as her eyes connected with Donovan’s.
Quickly tempering his emotions, Donovan replied, “I would gladly do so, sir, but in an effort to maintain your daughter’s modesty, I will have to refuse such an offer.”
“You will do so, harami,” he ordered darkly.
Donovan glanced to Kanti for translation and assistance. She merely shrugged, giving him every indication he was the only one who could do anything.
“If you insist, sir,” his hands left Sitara’s back and he took a step backwards.
Sitara instantly stepped forward and hugged him, smashing her naked chest against his once more.
Donovan smirked, “I think she agrees with me, sir.”
“Sitara Kala Barlow, you will come ashore immediately.”
“You do not have to do anything he says, Sita,” Donovan whispered, drawing her eyes to him. “You do not have to go to him.”
“But, Don, you do not know my father,” she muttered.
“I know enough, Sita. I know that you felt the need to sneak out at night to come here. You are a smart woman. You would not leave for just any reason. You do not have to go back for any reason,” he declared.
“If I do not—”
“Sitara!” his loud voice boomed again.
“I have to, Don,” she claimed.
Donovan glanced briefly at the crowd on the edge of the river. With a slight smirk, he turned his attention back to Sitara and kissed her deeply once more, pressing her closely to him. She gasped as he released her, giving her the option to choose to stay in the water with him or return to her father. Her eyes darted from his to her father’s to Kanti’s. Though she did not wish to return to her father, finally feeling that she was living her own life, she did not think he would ever understand that.
“Sita…” Donovan muttered.
Smiling at him slightly, Sitara stepped away from him. Saying nothing to the Scottish folksinger, she turned to face her father fully. She took three steps towards the shore before her father realized she was completely topless. He immediately barked at the others to turn around. Kanti grinned broadly, surprised, but happily so, that Sitara was behaving as she was.
“You, give me your shirt,” Geoffrey snapped at the man next to him.
Pulling on the shirt after she carefully stepped out of the water, hearing Donovan make his way to shore behind her, Sitara glanced up at her father’s angry face. She said nothing, merely squatted to pull her sandals back on.
He glanced at Kanti, “Go pack her things. We leave within the hour.”
“Father, no!” Sitara protested.
His green eyes returned to her, “We leave within the hour.”
Rolling out of his meditation, George instantly felt as if something was wrong. The air was still and hot; he did not even hear the sounds of birds or monkeys. While that alone was weird, it did not answer any questions rumbling in his head. Therefore, George got to his feet and headed out of the meditation hive. He blinked furiously for a few moments, trying to adjust to the bright sunlight, before heading down the hill.
As he neared the bank of apartments, George froze. His gaze landed on the door to Sitara’s and Kanti’s room. He watched as a young man hurried out, carrying a suitcase. Instant panic filled his soul and he hurried to the building and skipped up the steps to the room. He only found Kanti there, appearing to be packing.
“Where’s Sita?” he quickly blurted out.
Kanti looked up, “There you are. I think she’s with the Maharishi.”
“Why?”
“She’s probably hoping he will intervene.”
“Intervene what?”
She blinked, “You’ve been meditating all day, haven’t you?”
“Yeah,” he waved dismissively. “Why does she want the Maharishi to intervene?”
“Her father is here.”
His heart dropped into his shoes, “He’s here?”
She nodded, “And we’re leaving soon.”
“What? Where are you going?” he quickly asked.
“He’s taking her home, George.”
“No, he can’t.”
“He can. He is. Unless the Maharishi can perform miracles, which I do not believe he can.”
“Bloody hell,” he turned away. “I’m not letting her leave.”
“Good luck,” Kanti called after him as he hurried off to find Sitara and her father.
Practically sprinting, George hurried across the compound to the Maharishi’s hall. He did not care who saw him; getting to her was far more important than keeping anything secret. If the guru would not do anything, he would. He just did not know what.
As he hurried through the last cluster of foliage before the hall, his eyes landed on Sitara sitting on the steps of the hall, two men on either side of her. He hardly paid them any attention, but instantly supposed they were there to make certain she did not flee. Her eyes lifted from the gravel pathway as he stepped into view and she instantly stood.
George halted in front of her, one hand grasping hers, the other touching her cheek, “Sita, you don’t have to go.”
She closed her eyes, leaning into his hand, “I don’t want to. I want to stay here.”
“Then stay. Stay here with me,” he breathed, pressing his forehead to hers.
“I can’t…”
“You can. I’ll tell your father —”
“What? That you’ll push aside your wife to … whatever with me? I don’t think that will convince him of anything.”
His eyes looked into hers before he kissed her softly, “I will tell him that I love you, even if I shouldn’t. I will tell him if he takes you away from me, I will follow you anywhere in the world. I will tell him there is nowhere he can hide you, nothing he can do to you, that will stop me from loving you, that will stop me from coming to get you. I will tell him I love you, and there is not one bloody thing he can do about it.”
Rating: PG-13 [language, drugs, nudity, sexual situations]
Summary: Sitara and Kanti bond with Cynthia. Donovan manages to convince Sitara to take a walk. Is George going to lose her?
Waking with Cyn curled around her once more, Sitara smiled. She was accustomed to sharing her bed with Kanti at home, so did not think much of it when Cyn decided slipping into her bed while she slept was the best way to make it through the night. In fact, she rather liked waking up with a body next to hers, even if the night air was no longer cold.
Without waking the blonde woman, Sitara shifted slightly in the bed. Her green eyes focused on the other bed in the room — and widened slightly in surprise at finding it empty. She knew Kanti had been in bed when she returned to the room, as the two of them spoke briefly before going to sleep. Where had her best friend gone?
Sitara carefully pulled away from Cyn and attempted to crawl over her. The older woman woke and quickly pulled Sitara close, mashing their bodies together. The Indian heiress gasped slightly, surprised by her friend’s actions.
“Sita?” she muttered.
“Yes,” the younger woman nodded.
“I’m… sorry,” Cyn released her. “I just… I just…”
“It’s okay,” she continued getting out of bed. “I’m going to go find Kanti.”
As her name was spoken, the Indian woman stepped into the apartment, “Good morning, ladies. Sleep well?”
“Sure,” Sitara responded warily. “Where were you?”
“Eating breakfast with everyone. I knew the two of you would be sleeping late,” she headed to the closet to find clothes for Sitara. “The girls are planning to just sunbathe and read today. John went off with Alex; George is with the Maharishi; Donovan is… wherever. I think that covers the people the two of you would be interested in.”
Both women remained silent.
“So,” she turned around with an outfit in her hands, “what do you want to do today?”
“I just want to sleep all day,” Cyn admitted softly. “Come back to bed, Sita.”
Both Indian women’s eyes focused on the blonde still lying in bed. They both saw the sadness in her eyes. Saying nothing, they returned to Sitara’s bed and jumped in with Cyn. Tickling her until she giggled, the two women sandwiched her with snuggles, chasing away her darkness.
“So,” Kanti spoke, her head on Cyn’s shoulder, “what should we do today, beautiful?”
“I just want to stay here,” she repeated.
Sitara sighed, “Let’s at least go eat something. Then maybe you’ll feel better.”
She remained silent for a moment, “I miss my son.”
Both of the women instantly cuddled her again.
“You’ll see him again soon,” Kanti proclaimed.
“What if… what if John takes him away from me?”
“He won’t,” Sitara instantly responded. “I’m sure of it.”
“But…”
“He won’t,” Kanti agreed. “Or we’ll steal him back.”
“You can’t do that. We would get arrested.”
“Oh honey, we wouldn’t get caught. Sita and I are very good at sneaking around at night.”
“Really?” her eyes went to Sitara.
The younger woman nodded, “How do you think we came to be here?”
“…a car?”
Kanti laughed and snuggled Cynthia again, “We snuck out during the night, like many times before.”
“Really?” she looked to Sitara for confirmation.
“Yes.”
“That must be… exciting.”
“Well maybe…”
“What?”
Sitara glanced at her best friend before focusing back on Cynthia, “We’ll sneak out sometime soon together…”
“Really?”
“Sure. Your husband does, so we might as well too,” Kanti stated. “Of course it will be a bit different here than back in Jaipur, but we should plan on it.”
Cynthia looked back to Sitara, “Really?”
The younger woman nodded, “I’ll do some research today and we can make our plans, not that the ashram is difficult to sneak out of. But we’ll do so. Promise.”
“You guys are the best friends a girl could have.”
With Kanti and Cynthia caught up in conversations with the other women about fashion, Sitara excused herself, claiming she intended to go meditate for awhile. No one questioned her intentions or even paid much attention to her. While she did in fact want some peace and quiet, not entirely accustomed to hours of girl chatter, Sitara did not really intend to meditate. Nor was she going to seek out George, preferring to leave him to his meditation alone for the time being.
Instead, she slipped into the kitchen and quickly brewed a cup of tea. Leaving the room with it, she found an abandoned bench under the shade of a tree. Sitting down, Sitara focused on the life around her as she sipped the tea. Despite the awkward moments with the Maharishi the day before, Sitara felt at ease to be freely herself with this group of people. She really felt blessed to be able to do and think whatever she wanted. It made sneaking out from her father’s house totally worth it.
She only hoped it lasted.
“What is a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?”
Her green eyes left the foliage around her and landed on his face, “Hello, Don.”
He sat next to her after stubbing out his cigarette and repeated, “What are you doing out here all alone?”
“I just needed some space from the girls, I suppose,” she replied. “I thought you were playing with John.”
“I was,” he responded. “But he too became more than I could handle.”
“I see.”
“Besides, it afforded me the chance to see your beauty,” he smiled. “We have not spent much time together lately.”
“We have both had things going on…”
“I am sorry for that. Let me make it up to you. Take a walk with me?” he held out his hand.
Sitara glanced at her teacup before nodding, “Let me just drop this off at the kitchen.”
After a brief stop at the kitchen, the two strolled the grounds of the ashram. When they reached the edge of the grounds proper, Donovan folded his hand over hers and led her into the forest. They passed beyond the clearing she normally shared with George, continuing down to the river. Briefly, memories of their last time at the river flashed in her mind, but she quickly brushed them aside. Donovan had been a gentleman since; she had no reason to believe he would be otherwise.
Finding a place to sit, Donovan waited until Sitara sat on the bank of the Ganges River and moved downwind of her. He glanced sideways at her before pulling a hand-rolled cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. Sitara merely shook her head and looked away. Her green eyes slowly looked over the sacred waters before them. Even if she did not fully buy into the religion of her mother, she still found it amazing to be so close to where the Ganges began.
“Getting a bit warm out today, isn’t it?” Donovan stated between puffs.
“It is still much cooler here than back home,” she replied. “And it is April. February was oddly cool.”
“I always find I feel a bit warmer when you are near no matter the temperature of the skies.”
Her eyes flicked to his and she flushed slightly, “I am sorry for that.”
“I am not,” he leaned over and kissed her quickly after tossing the remainder of his joint in the river. “Would you care for a swim, my dear?”
“But I have not appropriate attire.”
“I do not mind if you wear nothing.”
She flushed again, “I could not do such a thing.”
“Would you mind if your clothes got wet?”
She glanced down at her pale blue skirt and halter top, “Um…”
“I promise to not stare,” he declared.
Her eyes settled on the water briefly, “All right…”
Standing back up, Donovan held out his hand. With a slight smile, Sitara slipped her hand into his and carefully followed his steps towards the shores of the river. He stopped before reaching the water, released her hand, and removed his shoes. Nodding, Sitara slipped out of her sandals as well before grasping his hand again.
Slowly the two waded into the cool river waters. Sitara gasped as she slipped on a rock, falling towards Donovan. With a smirk, his arms wrapped around her, steadying her. Their eyes locked and Sitara felt a jolt through her body from wherever they touched.
“Don…”
“Perhaps we should go a bit deeper,” he suggested and shifted back to her side.
She nodded and took his hand again. Donovan continued until the cool water swirled around their waists. Slowly, he turned to face her again. His free hand reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“You are so beautiful, Sitara,” he commented before leaning in to kiss her.
“Don…”
He kissed her again, “So beautiful.”
“I…”
“Let’s swim?”
She nodded. Holding hands, they waded a bit deeper. Donovan stopped and suddenly dropped her hand. Saying nothing, he ducked completely under the water. Sitara remained stationary, waiting for him to surface again. Suddenly Donovan stood up behind her, causing her to squeal and stumble forward into deeper water. Tripping over a river-smooth rock, she landed face down in the water. Donovan quickly reached for her, his fingers snagging the wet strap of her top.
The fabric gave away as he attempted to pull her back up. Her shirt tore under her weight and she fell back into the water. Worry filling his face, Donovan slipped his arm around her waist and wrenched her out of the water. Her top remained in the water — and quickly was swept away in the current.
“Sita…” Donovan muttered.
Her hands instantly covered her breasts, her back to his wet chest, “What are were going to do now?”
He held her tightly, almost as if he was worried he would lose her in the current as well, “We cannot return like this, that is certain.”
“No…”
“Perhaps you can wear my shirt?”
Sitara nodded slightly, “I suppose that is our only option, though we will still be viewed…”
“Do not worry about them, beautiful,” he muttered. “We can be discreet.”
“All right. To shore then?”
“Now that we’re all wet, it seems a shame to hurry back so soon,” Donovan muttered.
“Let up your embrace,” she stated.
Loosening his arms but not fully releasing her, he smiled when she turned to face him. Her eyes looked up into his. Without even a pause to think, Donovan kissed her, his hands pressing against her bare back to pull her in closer. His actions forced her to pull her hands away from her breasts and loop around his neck in order to keep her balance. A part of him jumped at the sensation of her breasts flattening against his chest. He just needed to slip one hand up and…
“UNHAND MY DAUGHTER!” a voice boomed.
Sitara went completely rigid in Donovan’s arms. The folksinger turned his face away from the kiss and looked to the shore. On the banks of the Ganges River stood a tall, tanned, well-dressed man, flanked by two of the Maharishi’s servants and Kanti. The pretty woman instantly mouthed an apology as her eyes connected with Donovan’s.
Quickly tempering his emotions, Donovan replied, “I would gladly do so, sir, but in an effort to maintain your daughter’s modesty, I will have to refuse such an offer.”
“You will do so, harami,” he ordered darkly.
Donovan glanced to Kanti for translation and assistance. She merely shrugged, giving him every indication he was the only one who could do anything.
“If you insist, sir,” his hands left Sitara’s back and he took a step backwards.
Sitara instantly stepped forward and hugged him, smashing her naked chest against his once more.
Donovan smirked, “I think she agrees with me, sir.”
“Sitara Kala Barlow, you will come ashore immediately.”
“You do not have to do anything he says, Sita,” Donovan whispered, drawing her eyes to him. “You do not have to go to him.”
“But, Don, you do not know my father,” she muttered.
“I know enough, Sita. I know that you felt the need to sneak out at night to come here. You are a smart woman. You would not leave for just any reason. You do not have to go back for any reason,” he declared.
“If I do not—”
“Sitara!” his loud voice boomed again.
“I have to, Don,” she claimed.
Donovan glanced briefly at the crowd on the edge of the river. With a slight smirk, he turned his attention back to Sitara and kissed her deeply once more, pressing her closely to him. She gasped as he released her, giving her the option to choose to stay in the water with him or return to her father. Her eyes darted from his to her father’s to Kanti’s. Though she did not wish to return to her father, finally feeling that she was living her own life, she did not think he would ever understand that.
“Sita…” Donovan muttered.
Smiling at him slightly, Sitara stepped away from him. Saying nothing to the Scottish folksinger, she turned to face her father fully. She took three steps towards the shore before her father realized she was completely topless. He immediately barked at the others to turn around. Kanti grinned broadly, surprised, but happily so, that Sitara was behaving as she was.
“You, give me your shirt,” Geoffrey snapped at the man next to him.
Pulling on the shirt after she carefully stepped out of the water, hearing Donovan make his way to shore behind her, Sitara glanced up at her father’s angry face. She said nothing, merely squatted to pull her sandals back on.
He glanced at Kanti, “Go pack her things. We leave within the hour.”
“Father, no!” Sitara protested.
His green eyes returned to her, “We leave within the hour.”
Rolling out of his meditation, George instantly felt as if something was wrong. The air was still and hot; he did not even hear the sounds of birds or monkeys. While that alone was weird, it did not answer any questions rumbling in his head. Therefore, George got to his feet and headed out of the meditation hive. He blinked furiously for a few moments, trying to adjust to the bright sunlight, before heading down the hill.
As he neared the bank of apartments, George froze. His gaze landed on the door to Sitara’s and Kanti’s room. He watched as a young man hurried out, carrying a suitcase. Instant panic filled his soul and he hurried to the building and skipped up the steps to the room. He only found Kanti there, appearing to be packing.
“Where’s Sita?” he quickly blurted out.
Kanti looked up, “There you are. I think she’s with the Maharishi.”
“Why?”
“She’s probably hoping he will intervene.”
“Intervene what?”
She blinked, “You’ve been meditating all day, haven’t you?”
“Yeah,” he waved dismissively. “Why does she want the Maharishi to intervene?”
“Her father is here.”
His heart dropped into his shoes, “He’s here?”
She nodded, “And we’re leaving soon.”
“What? Where are you going?” he quickly asked.
“He’s taking her home, George.”
“No, he can’t.”
“He can. He is. Unless the Maharishi can perform miracles, which I do not believe he can.”
“Bloody hell,” he turned away. “I’m not letting her leave.”
“Good luck,” Kanti called after him as he hurried off to find Sitara and her father.
Practically sprinting, George hurried across the compound to the Maharishi’s hall. He did not care who saw him; getting to her was far more important than keeping anything secret. If the guru would not do anything, he would. He just did not know what.
As he hurried through the last cluster of foliage before the hall, his eyes landed on Sitara sitting on the steps of the hall, two men on either side of her. He hardly paid them any attention, but instantly supposed they were there to make certain she did not flee. Her eyes lifted from the gravel pathway as he stepped into view and she instantly stood.
George halted in front of her, one hand grasping hers, the other touching her cheek, “Sita, you don’t have to go.”
She closed her eyes, leaning into his hand, “I don’t want to. I want to stay here.”
“Then stay. Stay here with me,” he breathed, pressing his forehead to hers.
“I can’t…”
“You can. I’ll tell your father —”
“What? That you’ll push aside your wife to … whatever with me? I don’t think that will convince him of anything.”
His eyes looked into hers before he kissed her softly, “I will tell him that I love you, even if I shouldn’t. I will tell him if he takes you away from me, I will follow you anywhere in the world. I will tell him there is nowhere he can hide you, nothing he can do to you, that will stop me from loving you, that will stop me from coming to get you. I will tell him I love you, and there is not one bloody thing he can do about it.”
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