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Secrets of a Bollywood Marriage
Susanna Carr
After the glitter settles…Tina Sharma and Dev Arjun’s whirlwind romance made them Bollywood royalty, but beneath the glitz and glamour there’s trouble – Tina is about to demand a divorce!But Dev won’t give in without a fight, so he proposes a deal: play the dutiful wife for two months, then he’ll let her go. Tina is furious! He clearly regrets their shotgun wedding, so why stay together a day longer? But it isn’t the days she should be worried about…As Dev turns up the heat Tina might just find herself wishing for a lifetime of pleasure with her devilishly delicious husband!�Exotic and exciting, the Bollywood setting is sensational!’ – Christine, Sales Assistant, MacclesfieldDiscover more at www.millsandboon.co.uk/susannacarr
Dev reached out and curled his finger under her chin. Tina’s skin tingled as he guided her to look directly at him. Dev was close—too close—as he leaned forward. His gaze dipped at her mouth and her lips stung with awareness.
“Whatever you’re planning,” he said softly, his gaze focused on her mouth, “don’t.”
She pursed her lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Remember the agreement,” he said as he dragged his thumb along the curve of her lip. “I want—I expect—a devoted wife.”
Tina frowned. Did he think she had the power to hurt him? That was laughable.
Dev’s harsh features darkened and he abruptly dropped his hand. “I have several meetings and I’m late. I will see you at home tonight. Be good.”
Maybe she was reading the signs incorrectly, Tina thought as she watched him walk away. She could have sworn she had seen longing in his eyes and felt a tremor in his hand. Dev didn’t want her as a wife, but he still desired her.
And after everything that had happened between them Tina was ashamed that she still yearned for his touch. She hoped he would never figure that out. If that happened she would be powerless against him.
SUSANNA CARR has been an avid romance-reader since she read her first Harlequin Mills & Boon® Modern at the age of ten. Although romance novels were not allowed in her home, she always managed to sneak one in from the local library or from her twin sister’s secret stash.
After attending college, and receiving a degree in English Literature, Susanna pursued a romance-writing career. She has written sexy contemporary romances for several publishers and her work has been honoured with awards for contemporary and sensual romance.
Susanna lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading romance and connecting with readers online. Visit her website at: www.susannacarr.com (http://www.susannacarr.com)
Secrets of a Bollywood Marriage
Susanna Carr
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Sarah Stubbs,
with thanks for her editorial insights and support.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE (#u45c61e6e-f125-5d1f-ab5b-cd913cd84c53)
CHAPTER TWO (#u2b22986e-9dd3-55ed-b7dc-4a267af5c174)
CHAPTER THREE (#u9543d62f-7245-55f2-ae96-d44ab7abb097)
CHAPTER FOUR (#u78854781-4300-5e19-b320-50ba7df384fa)
CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
EXTRACT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE
TINA SHARMA STOOD at the front door of her home and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply as she allowed the hot, fragrant breeze to waft along her skin and tug at her thin shirt. She had missed the heat of the night and the familiar scent of tropical flowers. She even longed for the chaotic noise and energy of Mumbai. Once she had thought they were out of her reach forever, but she was back and no one could keep her away.
Not even her husband.
The unexpected tears stung in the back of her eyes as a sob clawed her throat. No, she decided fiercely. She wasn’t going to do this. No more crying, especially over him. She had done enough of that to last a lifetime.
Her mouth trembled and her hands shook as the unpredictable emotions balled into a fiery knot in her stomach. Anger. Hate. Fear. She needed to keep it together if she was going to walk alone and unprotected into the lion’s den.
Tina’s eyelashes fluttered when she heard the door swing open. She had seen the luxury cars parked in the driveway and heard the loud, pulsating bhangra music as she had approached the house. Now she saw the men and women dancing to the primitive beat in the main hall. There was obviously a party going on.
Was it to celebrate her absence? Would the party end abruptly once she stepped inside? Perhaps that would be best, Tina decided as she pulled her gaze away from the guests. As much as she would prefer to have witnesses, she knew they would not be on her side.
“Memsahib!” the elderly manservant declared as he stood at the threshold.
Tina flinched. She wasn’t used to being greeted as a married woman. But then, she’d been a wife for less than a year. Using all of the acting skills she could muster, Tina carefully smiled and stepped inside before she was denied access. “Hello, Sandeep. You look well.” She was pleased that her tone was cool and friendly when she was a jumble of nerves inside.
The old man looked over his shoulder, as if he wanted to hide the signs that a lavish party was going on in her home. “Sahib didn’t tell me you were returning tonight.”
“He doesn’t know.” She removed the dark blue scarf from her head and let it fall around the collar of her shirt.
“Your hair!” Sandeep exclaimed, his eyes widening in horror. He winced at his unguarded words and abruptly bowed his head.
“Yes, I know,” Tina said with a sigh. She wasn’t offended. She had the same reaction every time she saw her reflection in the mirror. Tina self-consciously ruffled her fingers through the short tufts. Once she’d had ebony curls cascading down her back and had managed to get an endorsement deal for her crowning glory. Now her hair barely covered her ears. “It was a mistake.”
Sandeep cautiously glanced up, his gaze returning to her chopped-off tresses. “And...how was your vacation?”
Tina stilled. Vacation? Was that what Dev was calling it? Did he think she was under his spell and incapable of staying away? The hurt scored through her like a jagged knife, so swift and ferocious that she couldn’t move.
Her “vacation” had been more like prison. Like hell. The memory of endless white walls, the acrid smell of disinfectant and the oppressive sense of despair washed over her. She gritted her teeth and struggled to stay in the present. “I’m glad to be back.”
The servant took a few shuffling backward steps. “I’ll go find Sahib.”
“No need.” Tina raised her hand to stop him. She had the element of surprise on her side and she wasn’t going to waste it. It was time to act like the mistress of the house instead of an intruder. She only needed the role for a moment and then she’d gladly discard it permanently. “I know you’re busy with the party. I’ll go find him. Where was the last place you saw Dev?”
Sandeep gave a guilty start and looked at his bare feet. “It’s hard to say.” His mumbling words were barely audible over the dance music.
Was it in the arms of a woman or two? Tina’s lips twisted with bitterness. Or was it even worse than she could imagine? She almost wanted a hint of what she would see, but she wasn’t going to ask. This was Dev’s home and the employees had been with him for years. He had everyone’s loyalty and she was the interloper. “Don’t worry, I’ll find him.”
The manservant’s shoulders sagged in defeat. He peered outside the door. “I’ll have someone take your things up to your room. Where is your luggage?”
“I didn’t bring any.” She didn’t plan to stay long.
Sandeep frowned but didn’t voice the questions that were obviously going through his head. He reached out his hand, his fingers lean from decades of work. “Shall I take your purse?”
She instinctively clenched her shoulder bag closer to her body. Tina forced herself to relax. “No, thank you,” she said with a smile as she strode away. Sandeep wasn’t the enemy, but she wasn’t letting her passport or her money out of her sight. They were essential to regain her freedom. She had learned that the hard way when she had walked away from Dev while they were on a movie location in America. Today she wouldn’t even let go of the rolled-up tabloid that was stuffed at the bottom of her bag. The one with her husband’s picture on the cover. That photo and the accompanying story had lit a fire in her that still burned bright.
Tina walked to the center of the large entryway and stared at the sight before her. As she inhaled the stench of alcohol, sweat and cigarette smoke, she recognized a few of the guests. They were celebrities and actors whose faces graced billboards and movie posters. They still looked gorgeous, their damp hair and clothes plastered to their skin, as they moved feverishly to the heavy beat of the drums.
She narrowed her eyes and watched as two guests competed in a drinking game at the bar. So this was how her husband had spent his days while she was away. After reading the weeks-old tabloid, it shouldn’t surprise her.
Tina wondered what the occasion was for the party. It had to be about business. The moment Dev was born he had been destined to reign this world. But it was not enough to take his rightful place at the top. He was driven to succeed, conquer new territories and gain incredible power. Money was secondary to this man yet every moment of Dev’s day was consumed with business.
Well, almost every moment. She had been the exception. Once she thought that the aberration meant he loved her. Now she knew differently.
Tina continued to walk through the house. She wondered if he would claim that it was her welcome-back party. He was bold enough to try. And why not? He could lie and break promises without suffering the consequences. Dev was untouchable.
But her return had been impulsive. She hadn’t known that she was coming back until yesterday. Now she wondered if that had been the wrong decision. Tina bit the inside of her lip as she walked farther away from the main entrance. Her goal was to show that she was no longer vulnerable. That she was stronger than her husband could imagine.
Tina hesitated before she moved deeper into the house. Once she had felt safe and comfortable here. She had even considered it her home. Now she knew it had been an illusion. Instead of being protected, she had ultimately been stripped of her power and freedom. Her fingers flexed nervously against her purse strap as she looked around, trying to remember where the closest exit was located.
She heard a group of people clapping and chanting loudly in the direction of the billiards room. Tina pivoted and marched to the back of the house, certain that her husband would be there. With his stunning looks, raw masculinity and star power, Dev was always the center of attention.
Tina rolled her eyes when she recognized the song the men were chanting. It had been from Dev’s first hit movie. She had seen it countless times but she knew her husband was privately critical of his performance in it. He wouldn’t play the song unless it was a special request for someone important.
She suddenly remembered the scene also included an actress. Would he be dancing with a partner? A certain ingenue? Bile burned in her stomach at the thought, but Tina kept moving. She needed to see this herself and not rely on other sources. She needed to know.
Tina entered the billiards room unnoticed. She was invisible in this brand-name crowd. Her crumpled tunic and baggy jeans didn’t cause one head to turn. The only time the Hindi film elite noticed her was when she was on the arm of her husband.
Everyone was facing the center of the room, jumping up and down with their arms outstretched as they sang. She stumbled to a halt when she heard Dev’s bold laughter. The sound pierced her heart.
He sounded...carefree. Happy. Tina staggered back as the realization hit her like a fierce blow. How could he be like this after everything that had happened? Didn’t he feel anything? Or was it just a relief to him?
Tina hunched her shoulders. Perhaps it was a bad idea to return for one final confrontation. She had always suspected that she had been a burden to Dev. She’d thought they had been desperately in love, but now she realized he had felt obligated to marry her. It hadn’t helped that his parents had disapproved of the match. Of her.
Who could blame them? She was not worthy of him. His parents were Bollywood legends and she was from the slums. Dev had given up his parents’ grand plans and eventually he’d given up on her.
Everyone had known it was bound to happen, believing she’d tricked him into marriage. They confused her with the bad-girl roles she had in those low-budget masala films. Perhaps Dev did, too. It had soon become obvious that she wasn’t the brazen and sexy woman of his dreams. Dev had been ready to return to his playboy ways and he wasn’t going to let a wife stop him.
And she wasn’t going to let him have any more power over her. Determined to get this over with, Tina took a shaky breath and plunged into the crowd. She stopped, her heart lurching when she saw Dev standing alone in the center of the circle. He held the guests captive as he performed the intricate dance step with effortless grace.
Tina’s chest squeezed tight. Dev Arjun. Her first love. Her biggest mistake.
She stared breathlessly at her husband, unable to look away. Dev was lean and muscular thanks to years of training for his popular action-adventure movies. Tina shivered as she remembered how his strong and athletic build felt under her fingertips. His golden skin had been warm and rough and she had enjoyed watching his rock-hard abdomen clench as she’d teased him.
She flushed, her skin tingling, as she watched Dev finish the iconic dance, encouraging the others to follow along. Yet no one could match his confident swagger or his bold and precise moves.
As he raised his hands up like a conquering hero, Dev appeared taller than she remembered. Larger than life. Tina noticed how his dark shirt couldn’t hide his broad chest and how his jeans encased his powerful thighs.
She wished she wasn’t aware of how good he looked, but this was a man in the prime of his life. His strength and vitality came off him in waves. In the past she had yearned to have those powerful arms encircle her. Now she knew to keep her distance.
As his audience roared with their approval, Tina dragged her gaze to Dev’s face. Only then did she notice the darker shadows and the deeper lines around his eyes. His angular features were harsh and mesmerizing. He looked older. Harder.
Dev bowed before he accepted a drink from one of his friends. He tilted his head back and her gaze locked with his. Dev froze. He held the glass midway as his eyes widened. Tina felt his shock quiver in the air.
“Tina?”
His husky question scraped at her taut nerves. She wanted to melt back into the protection of the crowd. She wanted to run. She wasn’t ready for this. She wasn’t ready for him. But it was too late.
The room went silent. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, as Dev tossed down his drink and pounced. He moved with a swiftness that stole her breath. Her throat tightened as her heart thumped against her ribs. She suddenly felt cold as her muscles locked violently.
Dev captured her in his arms and gathered her tightly against him. She was trapped. She inhaled his spicy scent and tears sprang in the corner of her eyes as their most intimate memories assailed her.
Tina had imagined how she would act when she was finally in the same room as Dev. This was not part of the plan. She was supposed to be aloof. Icy cold. Untouched. Just like he had been during the last days they were together. This was the moment when she would take back her power and make her demands.
Instead, she remained silent as he slid his large fingers through her short hair. She stared at him as he firmly tilted her head back. Her mouth trembled with anticipation. She knew he was going to claim her with a hard and possessive kiss.
No! Tina reared her head back. What was she thinking? She couldn’t lower her guard. This man was dangerous. He had weakened her defenses when they first met. Had turned his back on her when she’d been at her most vulnerable.
Tina felt Dev’s arms tense as his eyes flashed. Was that hurt or anger? Suddenly he swept her in his arms. Tina cried out in alarm as she grabbed the front of his shirt. She felt helpless and off-balance. Too close. “What are you doing?”
“Don’t worry, jaan,” he said as his crooked smile softened his harsh features. “I got you.”
That was the problem! “Put me down,” she ordered as she tried to get out of his hold. Dev’s arms tightened around her. She was very aware of his heat and his strength.
“Not yet.” She saw the gleam in his dark brown eyes as his smile grew wider. He carried her past the cheering crowd and through the door that led to the enclosed courtyard.
She craned her neck, looking around the lush garden. The fountain sprayed cold water and garlands of tiny white lights were draped on the thick bushes and trees. She heard Dev’s footsteps on the stone walkway but she didn’t see anyone else around.
“Put me down,” she said firmly. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but that display was unnecessary.”
Dev tilted his head. “Display? I was welcoming my wife home.”
He couldn’t be serious! She glanced at the top floor of their home where the bedroom was located. Panic coursed through her veins as the dark excitement curled around her chest. She was ashamed of her body’s response. How could she feel this way about Dev? After all he had done to her? It was as if she was conditioned to accept his touch with unbridled enthusiasm.
“Please put me down.” She had to stop this before she did something she’d regret. Tina turned and kicked out. Her movements grew wild until Dev halted and carefully set her down. She looked away as her curves grazed his hard body until her feet touched the ground. Tina immediately took a step away.
His eyes narrowed as he watched her create more distance with another cautious step. “I didn’t think I would see you again,” Dev admitted.
“I know,” she whispered. That had been her plan.
“Where have you been?” he asked rawly.
Oh, she wasn’t revealing that. That would give him far too much ammunition. “Apparently I’ve been on vacation for months.”
Dev frowned. “What could I say?” He raked his hand through his short black hair. “I didn’t know where you were or if you were coming back.”
If? “I walked out. I left you. I don’t know how I could have made it clearer.”
He placed his hands on his hips and glared at her. She knew her words were too abrupt. Too antagonistic, but it was necessary. This wasn’t a ploy or a maneuver. She had walked out of her marriage.
“Where did you go?” he said in a low voice that belied his anger.
Tina jutted her chin out with defiance. “That’s none of your concern.”
“How can you say that?” Dev stared at her with a dark intensity that made her shiver. “You are my wife. I’ve been looking for you.”
That didn’t make any sense. He had abandoned the marriage long before she’d had the courage to leave. “Why?”
“Why?” His voice cracked like a whip as the tension vibrated in the shadowy garden.
Her heart pounded in her ears but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her nervous. Tina gave a careless shrug. “Yes, why? You got what you wanted all along. Or were you concerned that I would pop up at the most inconvenient moment?”
Dev’s jaw clenched. “You have no idea what I want.”
“You don’t want a wife,” Tina said as she held her purse tightly against her chest as if it were a shield.
Black fury darkened his eyes. “Tina—”
“And tonight,” Tina said, “I’m going to grant you that wish.”
CHAPTER TWO
TINA COULDN’T DRAG her gaze away from Dev. She saw the storm in his eyes but he didn’t move. The air between them crackled. A tremor swept through Dev’s body as he forcibly restrained his anger. “You’re not thinking straight,” he said hoarsely.
How many times had she heard him say that? “So you’re going to do it for me? No thanks.” He had tried to take over her life. And for a while he had succeeded. She had been too grief-stricken, in too much in pain, to care.
Dev closed his eyes. “I never should have taken you to Los Angeles.”
“Why did you?” She refused to respond to the agony in his voice. Although she had felt too weak to travel, Dev had insisted she accompany him to the United States while he filmed several scenes for his blockbuster movie. She’d like to think Dev had been so in love with her that he couldn’t imagine spending a night apart. Instead, she’d barely seen him. She had been alone and isolated. At times she’d felt like she was being punished for some unknown reason.
Dev slowly opened his eyes and glared at her. “You needed someone to look after you. You were not yourself after the miscarriage.”
His gaze clashed with hers and Tina’s skin went cold. Miscarriage. He said the word with no problems but it had the power to send her into a tailspin. It still dragged her to those tense moments when the fear choked her. When she was alone, making wishes and prayers that went unanswered. When the doctors told her that she had lost her baby son.
“Not myself? How would you know?” she asked. “You weren’t there. You made it very clear that you didn’t want to be married anymore. That there was no longer a reason.”
His breath hitched audibly in his throat. “Is that how you see it?”
Tina looked away. She didn’t want to think about how Dev had no interest in her, especially after she’d lost the baby. Not now, not when the dark and confusing emotions were rolling through her. “You were the first to walk away. What else am I supposed to think?”
Dev sighed heavily and speared both hands through his hair. “I didn’t walk away—you pushed me away. You wouldn’t talk to me or look at me. You moved out of the bedroom and—”
Tina’s head snapped back. “Excuse me for grieving!” she hissed. She wasn’t going to allow Dev to treat her emotions as weakness. “We all can’t shake it off and return to our normal life the day after the loss of our son.”
“Don’t.” Dev took a step forward. “Hate me all you want, Tina, but don’t you dare suggest that I wasn’t grieving. I didn’t have the luxury of hiding away from the world.”
His words were like a punch to the chest. Tina flinched as she stared at him with wide eyes. “Luxury?” He made it sound as if she’d had a choice. As if she’d willingly surrendered to the grief that almost suffocated her.
Dev stared at her with a mesmerizing intensity. “You seem healthier than you did four months ago.” He looked deep into her eyes and gave a satisfied nod. “Stronger.”
He had no idea, Tina realized. She could stride into the house as if she were a queen and confront her enemy with the daring of a warrior, but it was all an act. Four months ago she had been broken, but Dev’s indifference had crushed her. She had tried to put the pieces back together but she didn’t think she would feel whole or strong again.
“I know how to take care of myself. I’ve done it most of my life,” Tina said. There had only been one time when she couldn’t. After the miscarriage, she had wanted to lean on Dev until she got stronger. Instead, he had taken advantage of her weakness. “But I’m not here about that.” She needed to get this over with so she could move on with her life.
“How do you feel now?”
Powerless. Heartbroken. Determined. “I’m ready for the next step of my life.”
Dev didn’t move but Tina sensed his stillness. His tension. It was as if he could predict what she was about to say.
Tina’s heart started to race. It fluttered wildly against her rib cage and it hurt when she took a deep breath. “I want a divorce.”
“No.”
She blinked at his immediate reply. Unlike her husky words, his refusal was clear and unemotional. “What do you mean, no?”
“We are not getting a divorce,” he announced as he took another step closer. There was a wintry cold glint in his eyes. “I will fight you every step of the way.”
Tina stared at him as her confusion rolled in like dark clouds. That was not the answer she had expected. She had imagined this moment many, many times and assumed Dev would agree with a brisk, almost impatient manner. It was obvious he didn’t want her anymore. Why continue this sham of a marriage?
“I’m offering something we both want,” she whispered.
“I want an explanation. I want to know what was going through your head during those days we were in America. How do you think it made me feel walking into that hotel room and finding that the only thing waiting for me was that note?”
Tina frowned at his tone. Her brief letter had offended him. Angered him. He was lucky she had given him that much. She could have poured out her broken heart, but instead she’d simply stated that she wanted to be left alone.
“Where did you go?” he asked.
“Around. Anywhere quiet where I could think. Where you couldn’t make decisions for me,” she said. “I needed time to decide what I want to do next.”
Dev tossed his hands up in the air as the frustration billowed from him. “You didn’t have to leave to do that.”
But she had. Dev had too much power. She didn’t know why he’d bothered making decisions for her. At times she wondered if he had forgotten her existence. “You took over my life.” Her voice trembled as she tried to keep her composure.
“I was taking care of you the best way I knew how,” he said through clenched teeth.
“No, you were getting back to your old life with as little inconvenience as possible,” she said. “I was no longer pregnant with your child and therefore, no longer necessary in your life.”
Dev reached out and grasped her arms with his large hands. “If that’s how I’d felt, I wouldn’t have married you.”
“You had to marry me. What would have happened to your brand if you hadn’t?” His family had meticulously created his brand image for years as the romantic hero. The value and power of his brand would have taken a big hit if he had abandoned his pregnant girlfriend. “So you married me to protect your career. The magazines did features about how you had settled into family life but they didn’t know how eager you were to return to your bachelor days.”
“That is not what happened.” His fingers dug into her arms. Tina sensed he wanted to shake her.
“Really? I know what I saw when I arrived here this evening. You were having the time of your life. Tell me, how many parties have you had in the past four months?”
“I wasn’t celebrating. It’s part of the business. You know that.”
She knew that Dev Arjun lived and breathed the mainstream Hindi film industry. It wasn’t work or drudgery. He enjoyed every moment of it. Dev was more comfortable on the soundstage than in his home. And from what the gossip magazines suggested, he preferred the company of starlets over his wife. “How many women have there been?”
“I’ve been faithful.” His eyes glittered. “Can you say the same?”
Her eyes widened with surprise. Dev thought she had found someone else? She had never considered it. She had spent the past months fighting for her life, struggling to get through the next day, the next moment. But Dev didn’t know that.
Did he think she was capable of gallivanting through the world, hopping from one bed to the next? The idea made her stomach curl. The only man she had ever wanted didn’t want her. The man she had fallen in love with had been in her imagination. A man who loved and adored her. A man who would lay down his life to protect his family.
That man no longer existed. She wasn’t sure if he ever had. Sometimes she wondered if she fell in love with the fantasy that the Bollywood movie machine created.
Loving that Dev had given her strength but it had also been her blind spot. She had lowered her guard and had tried to lean on him when she had fallen apart. Only he hadn’t been there when she’d needed him. He hadn’t been there for her during their entire marriage.
She thrust out her chin. “All I’m willing to say is that I want a divorce.”
His eyes narrowed as he noticed she didn’t answer his question. “And my answer is still and will always be no.”
“I’m going to get one,” she insisted as she wrenched herself away from his hold. “But first I’m going to get my things and move out.”
Tina turned on her heel and marched across the courtyard. She prayed he wouldn’t follow. She didn’t want to be alone with Dev in their bedroom. She would already be bombarded with too many intimate memories.
That was where Dev held the most power over her. One touch, one kiss and she was his. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to forget how wild she had been in their bed. He had always been in control as he guided her to a world of pleasure.
“Tina, wait,” he called out to her. “We can’t get a divorce...now.”
Tina stopped. There was something about his sudden compromise that put her on full alert. She slowly turned around. “What are you talking about?”
He didn’t meet her gaze. “I’m negotiating with a few investors. Our film company has taken a financial hit in the past few months.”
Few months? It was more like a year, Tina decided. She knew Dev’s parents had wanted him to marry Shreya Sen, the daughter of a beloved Bollywood family. Had that arranged marriage happened, Dev would have been the most powerful and influential person in the mainstream Hindi film industry. His legacy would have been guaranteed to last generations. But she had ruined all that.
Dev approached her. “The problem is that they think I’m a lot like the characters I play. A daredevil, reckless...”
“That’s what happens when you demand to do your own stunts.” She understood his need to take risks. Dev had to push himself to the limit. She knew better than to ask him to stop, even when it tore her up inside as she watched him cheat death.
“But they think being married has changed me. They think I’m more cautious.” He shrugged. “If I have a stable family environment, I come across as a better investment.”
She did not like where this was heading. “What does this have to do with me?”
“We need to stay married—”
“Forget it.”
“—until I get the backing I need.”
“I’m not doing it.” Dev could find backing elsewhere. There were so many people who wanted to be part of his world and his projects. Why was this deal different?
“Think about it, Tina,” he said softly as he stood in front of her. “This means a lot of money. A better divorce settlement for you.”
She frowned. Why did Dev always throw money at her? It was as if he knew she was constantly worried about her finances. “I have a career of my own. I can support myself.”
Dev raised his hands as if he was trying to calm her down. “You used to, but you’ve been away from the camera for six months.”
“It doesn’t matter. Mumbai makes almost a thousand movies a year. I’ll find something.” She sounded more confident than she felt. Her acting career had been struggling before she met Dev. Her savings were almost depleted and she needed a job as soon as possible.
“You can find a role—a good one, a career-changing one—with the right connections.”
“No kidding.” It was a well-known fact of the industry. She kept auditioning for roles while the children of Bollywood legends were offered starring roles without trying for them. It didn’t matter if they couldn’t act, dance or speak Hindi. It wasn’t fair, but it was the business. Every Bollywood movie needed a big name.
“I can use my connections for you,” Dev said. “If you stay in this marriage.”
“No, thank you. I didn’t use them while we were together and I’m not using them now.” Every reporter had suggested she had married Dev for her career. Those accusations stung, but most of all, she didn’t want Dev to think it was true.
“I can find a project for you that Arjun Entertainment is producing.”
“So you can control my career the same way you tried to control me?” she shot back.
He gave her a thunderous look. “I can use those very connections against you, jaan.”
Tina’s mouth dropped. “What are you saying? That you will have me blacklisted?” she asked in a horrified whisper as the tears sprang in her eyes. “If I don’t agree to this arrangement, you’ll ruin my career?”
Dev didn’t say anything.
“I need to work.” Her mother and sisters relied on her salary. Directors knew she was reliable and hardworking, but none of that would matter if the Arjun family made their wishes known. “You can’t do that!”
Her husband was unmoved by her pleas. “Act like a devoted wife for the next two months—until after our wedding anniversary—and I will grant you a divorce.”
* * *
Dev regretted the moment those words came out of his mouth. He would never destroy the career Tina had spent most of her life building. The only time he had kept her from working was when her health had been at risk. Even then, it had been too late. They had already lost their baby boy. He would do anything to make her dreams come true, but he wasn’t going to lose her like they lost their son. She should know that.
But Tina had decided he was the enemy. An obstacle she needed to overcome. Since they had married he had treated her like delicately spun glass. Had been careful not to upset his pregnant bride. Not that it had done any good. They’d still lost the baby and it had created more distance between them. It was time to change tactics.
“Why are you doing this to me?” she asked brokenly. Dev couldn’t bear to see her like this, but it was nothing like the deadened look she had given him four months ago. That had scared him in a way that still gave him nightmares. “Is this because your career suffered when you married me? Is this some sort of payback?”
“I need a wife.” He needed Tina. His life had always been focused sharply on his career until the moment he had seen Tina Sharma on the stage during a wedding. The woman danced like fire. Her movements were sensual and spellbinding. Fierce and elemental. It was as if she was dancing just for him. He knew he had to claim her.
Their whirlwind affair had showed no signs of slowing down. They were electrifying in bed. It still amazed him that Tina had been a virgin when they met. She knew how to make him hot and rock-hard faster than the most experienced seductress.
He’d always known that she loved him and had never questioned it until the fire inside her had snuffed out. Dev had thought maybe her love wasn’t strong enough to last a lifetime. It had begun to fade and nothing he’d done had been able to stop it.
Her love couldn’t have been that strong. Couldn’t have been real. Perhaps it had been simply desire. Infatuation. Maybe she had been in love with the fantasy hero he had created onscreen.
When he’d seen her standing in the billiards room tonight, his first thought had been that his mind had been playing tricks. He had dreamed of Tina every night and his wishes had spilled into his waking moments. Yet this time her beautiful face was bare and her ebony hair stood up in spikes. Her wrinkled and loose clothes concealed her gentle curves. He hadn’t been dreaming. She had finally returned. He’d thought this was a sign that she wanted to save their marriage. Instead she wanted to break the bond between them.
“I don’t want to be your wife,” Tina said.
Dev braced himself as those words pierced him. He was going to change her mind. All he needed was time and the fire that had slowly extinguished between them would burn hot and strong again. Only this time he wouldn’t ignore the signs of trouble. “Play along for the next two months and I will not contest the divorce,” he lied.
“Two months?” She shook her head. “That’s too long.”
It wasn’t long enough. “Pretend to be a devoted, adoring wife. It shouldn’t be a problem for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He wondered now how much of the love she expressed had been genuine. If it had been real, how could he have lost it so quickly? “You’re an actress. You can do it.”
Tina cast him a suspicious look. “And what do you mean by devoted and adoring wife?”
“We act like a happily married couple.” At this moment, he would accept the fake intimacy and forced smiles. Anything that he could build on. “There are people watching us all the time. Servants, the public, our colleagues. We can’t give them any indication that we’re going to get a divorce.”
“Does this mean you’re going to act like a devoted and adoring husband?”
He frowned. “Yes, of course.” He didn’t need to pretend. His conduct shouldn’t be questioned. “We will share this house and a bed.”
She held her hands up and took a step back. “I’m not agreeing to that.”
Dev gritted his teeth. Where was the newlywed bride who had been so eager to start their married life? Where was the seductive woman who would find him at his desk in the middle of the night and drag him back to bed? “You are in no position to negotiate.”
Tina bent her head and curled in her shoulders. She wrung her hands and whispered something to herself. Dev watched as she struggled to make a decision. She acted as if she was making an unpalatable deal with the devil.
She suddenly lifted her head and met his gaze. “I will stay here for two months,” she said furiously. “I will act like a devoted wife if I have to, but I am not having sex with you.”
“Wait until you get an offer before you reject it,” he said coldly. There had been a time when she couldn’t keep her hands off him. Did she hate him that much? Was this plan to regain her love impossible? “But we will need to sleep in the same bed.”
“Then you’ll need to sleep with one eye open,” she said with false sweetness.
“Tina, nothing you say or do is going to scare me off.” He leaned down until his mouth almost brushed her ear. “Or are you the one who’s scared? Worried that you’ll reach out for me in the middle of the night.”
“No!” She jumped back as if she’d been burned. “That was before I learned that you were not the kind of husband I wanted.”
And he had two months to prove to Tina that he was the only man she needed. “We need to return to our guests,” he said as he reached for her hand.
She crossed her arms tightly. “I’m in no mood to party.”
“I don’t care.” Dev continued to hold out his hand. She had finally come back into his life and he wanted her at his side. He wasn’t going to give her any excuse to create more distance.
She threaded her tense fingers in her short hair and looked down at her jeans. “I need to change first.”
“No.” She would barricade herself into the room the first chance she got.
Tina’s lips flattened into a stern line as she debated her next move. Dev was tempted to grab her hand and gather her close. Hold her tightly against him until their heartbeats were in unison and their movements were one.
“Dev?” A familiar lilting voice carried through the courtyard.
Dev swallowed back an oath when he heard Shreya Sen’s voice. He watched as Tina jerked her head up. She took a step back and glared at him. “What is she doing here?”
“Careful, jaan.” Dev grasped her hand. Her fingers were curled into a fist. “You are supposed to be my devoted wife.”
“Devoted?” Tina exhaled sharply. “Oh, I’ll give you devoted. I’ll give you such a performance that you’re going to wish you never made this deal.”
CHAPTER THREE
“DEV, WHERE ARE YOU?” The click of Shreya’s high heels announced her arrival before the woman appeared on the stone path. “I said I would act as the hostess, but that didn’t mean—oh, Tina!”
“Hello, Shreya,” Tina replied as calmly as she could while the anger swelled against her chest. Hostess? This woman who everyone wanted Dev to marry—his parents, the industry, the movie fans—had been the hostess in her home? How often had this occurred?
Tina glanced at Dev for confirmation. An explanation. He didn’t look at her, and why would he with the Bollywood goddess around? Her husband had welcomed Shreya with a smile but she couldn’t read his expression. Would he really be that blatant? Would he have installed his first choice of a wife in their home?
“I didn’t know you were back,” Shreya said as she ran her manicured fingers along her long black hair.
Liar, Tina thought with a tight smile. Shreya would have heard that Tina had made an appearance at the party. The woman not only wanted to run interference at any possible reunion, but she also wanted it to be known just how close she had become with Dev for the past few months.
Tina didn’t need to hear it from Shreya. She had learned quite a lot in the rolled-up tabloid that was crammed in the bottom of her purse. The cover story had been a mix of fact and speculation, but it was the snapshots around Mumbai that had been like a dagger to the heart. How long have these two been lovers? Dev said that he had been faithful, but Tina wasn’t so sure. He shared a past with Shreya and she wondered if they had reunited once he’d got rid of his wife.
Tina glared at the other woman. Shreya Sen had been voted one of the most beautiful women in the world. Tina reluctantly admitted the glamorous actress was stunning. She managed to be sexy and elegant at the same time. Tonight she wore a short and strapless red dress that accentuated her golden skin and feminine curves.
Shreya’s gaze swept over Tina’s casual clothes and bare face. “Nice haircut,” she murmured.
Tina’s hands clenched into fists and she refused to touch the short tufts. Instead she flashed a brilliant smile and curled her hand around Dev’s arm. It was painful being this close to him. Once she had clung to this man, believing he loved and cherished her. Now she knew he would break her heart without a second thought, that he was doing this for a business deal.
She trembled as she rested her fingers against his muscular arm. Tina gritted her teeth when he covered her hand with his. She knew it was part of the act but she felt trapped.
“Thank you,” Tina said hoarsely to Shreya as her pulse kicked hard. “It’s a very popular style in America.”
She felt Dev’s arm tense as he looked down at her. Their gaze held and Tina realized she had just revealed where she’d been for the past few months. She needed to guard her tongue before she confessed everything.
“What do you think of my new look?” Tina prompted Dev.
“I like it,” he replied, his eyes darkening as he reached up and tweaked the spiky ends between his fingertips.
He hated it. Tina knew he would but that didn’t stop her. It may have been the deciding factor for such a dramatic change. She had wanted a fresh start and was prepared to shed her old self. Cutting her hair had been symbolic of the new and improved Tina Sharma. She’d regretted it the moment she had walked out of the salon.
“America?” Shreya’s loud voice jarred Tina out of her daze. “Is that where you’ve been? People have been treating it like it’s a secret.”
“I wanted some privacy while I recuperated.” Tina said as she rested her head against Dev’s shoulder. Her throat tightened as she remembered how easy it had been in the past to make this simple gesture. “I could stay in America and not be noticed.”
“Oh, Tina.” Shreya clucked her tongue and shook her head. “You didn’t need to go that far away. I’m sure you could walk around Mumbai undetected.”
Tina took a deep breath as the cutting words found their target, like a stiletto under the ribs. She didn’t need the reminder that her career was almost dead and that it had never reached the same heights as the guests at the party. “I wasn’t willing to take the chance.”
“Shall we go back inside?” Shreya suggested and motioned for everyone to return to the party. She was obviously unwilling to relinquish her role as the hostess.
“Yes,” Dev said before Tina could make any response. He held her hand tighter against his arm as he guided her along the path. She was tempted to break free but she refused to show any clues of her crumbling marriage in front of Shreya.
As Dev and Shreya talked about one of the guests, Tina let the words wash over her. She didn’t want to return to the party. She wanted to curl up in her bed and block out the world. But she knew that wasn’t going to help her situation. She had hidden away for too long and lost everything in the process.
When she stepped inside the billiards room, Tina wobbled as a wave of tiredness crashed through her. She pulled away from Dev and struggled to remain standing when she wanted to rush out of the room, the house, her old life and never return.
“Stay here and I’ll get you something to drink,” Dev told her.
Tina sighed with frustration as she watched her husband and Shreya get swallowed up in the crowd. She didn’t want a drink and she certainly didn’t want to see Shreya wrapping her arm around Dev’s as if they were more than just friends. She was glad it wasn’t Dev who initiated the contact, but she noticed he didn’t shake off Shreya’s touch.
“Tina Sharma!” someone squealed over the bhangra music. “Where have you been?”
Tina stiffly turned around and saw two women approach her. Dread twisted her stomach and she gritted her teeth. Prisha was a choreographer and Khushi was a famous playback singer. Khushi was in high demand and did all the singing for the most popular actresses, and when Prisha was attached to a movie, it guaranteed success. Both of these women had power and influence Tina could only dream of.
“It’s been a long time,” Tina said as they greeted each other with air kisses. “You both look wonderful.” Once again she wished she’d had the chance to change into a party dress. Then she wouldn’t look like the outsider that she was.
“Thank you. By the way,” Prisha said as she placed her hand on Tina’s shoulder, “I didn’t have a chance to give my condolences.”
Tina froze as the sudden tears stung her eyes. No, no, no! The grief surrounded her suddenly and threatened to pull her down. She wasn’t prepared for this.
“It was such a shame,” Prisha said, her insincerity shining through her eyes as she moved closer. “I couldn’t believe you had miscarried so late in your pregnancy.”
“It was a painful time for both of us,” Tina said brokenly. She wanted to get away but she couldn’t move her feet. She needed to change the subject but fragmented images flickered through her mind.
“Did the doctors figure out what went wrong?” Khushi asked.
Tina closed her eyes. She knew she would have to deal with these questions, but she wasn’t prepared to share those dark moments with anyone. “No,” she croaked.
Prisha gave a sympathetic pat on her shoulder. “I’m sure next time you’ll be more careful.”
Tina gasped as the pain radiated through her. She jerked away and glared at Prisha, hating how the other woman’s eyes glittered triumphantly. How did she know that the guilt and confusion swirled around her mind at night? That she continued to question what she could have done differently to save her baby?
“She’s just offering advice,” Khushi said as she held her hands up in surrender. “You’ll need to get pregnant again soon if you want to stay married to Dev.”
Get pregnant? No, never again. She’d made that decision months ago and it broke her heart to think she wouldn’t be a mother. But she refused to take another risk. She couldn’t relive the fear and hopelessness. The devastation. It was a matter of survival.
Tina swiped the tip of her tongue over her lips as she struggled to maintain her composure. “What are you trying to say?”
“What everyone else is,” Khushi said with a sly smile before she strolled away, arm in arm with Prisha. “That the only reason Dev married you was because you were carrying the Arjun heir.”
Tina refused to watch the women leave. She stared straight ahead, the party a blur, as the anger bubbled up inside her. She had no comeback or argument. She had nothing to defend herself with because the women spoke the truth.
Tina remembered the moment she had told Dev she was pregnant. She had been uncertain how he would respond. She’d known the baby was going to change the course of his life but she hadn’t expected the excitement to leap in his eyes. His wide smile and fierce embrace had told her everything she’d needed to know. His immediate marriage proposal was more than she could have ever hoped.
He was a better actor than she gave him credit for.
But no one thought she had deserved the marriage proposal. Moviegoers were furious, believing the seductress should never get the hero. Her colleagues didn’t think a girl from the slums was worthy of the Arjun name. There was a hierarchy in the Hindi film industry and she had broken the rules when she’d married Dev. Some reporters and bloggers had gone so far as to suggest she’d got what she deserved when she miscarried.
She jumped, her memories scattering, when Dev thrust a tall glass of mango juice in her hands. “You look pale,” he said with a frown.
“It’s from the jet lag.” She didn’t want him to know how fragile she felt. Couldn’t, not unless she wanted him to step all over her for the next few months. “If I’d had a chance to put on some makeup and—”
“Tina!” She turned to see Dev’s best friend stretch out his arms before he greeted her with a hug. “Where the hell have you been?”
“It’s good to see you, too, Nikhil.” And she meant it. Ordinarily, she would not have anything in common with a man like Nikhil Khanna. Born into a Bollywood dynasty, Nikhil was rich, educated and had a flair for writing screenplays. Her family had no connections and she had not finished school, yet they had quickly become friends.
“It’s been too long.” Nikhil held her gaze and she saw the serious glint in his eyes. “Your husband missed you.”
Her stomach curled with fear. How much did Nikhil know? Did Dev confide in his friend? “And you didn’t?” she asked lightly.
Nikhil gave a dramatic sigh. “You have no idea how much I missed you.”
Dev brushed his friend’s hand off her. “Watch it, Nikhil.”
Tina glanced up at Dev. She hadn’t heard her husband use that tone with Nikhil before. She was surprised at the possessiveness etched in Dev’s harsh features. Tina gave a cautious look at Nikhil.
The other man didn’t seem to mind as he rolled his eyes. “Now you can deal with Dev’s bad temper and late-night rants against the world.”
“Dev?” That didn’t make sense. Her husband was known for his charisma and charm.
“Like I said, your husband missed you.” Nikhil reached for her untouched drink and set it down on a nearby table. “Let’s dance.”
Dance? Horror snaked inside her. “No, no.” She took a step away and bumped into Dev’s solid body. “Not tonight.”
“How can you say that?” Nikhil said over the upbeat music. “You were born to dance.”
She had heard that many times throughout the years. Dancing had been her escape and her creative outlet. She was constantly aware of the music around her and had to express it through movement. Dev had once said that he thought she couldn’t go through a day without dancing.
And then suddenly her body betrayed her. Failed her. Her senses had shut down. She couldn’t move. Didn’t feel the music inside her. It was as if her mind blocked it all out. She hadn’t danced since the loss of her son.
“The only person she’s going to dance with is me,” Dev announced as he wrapped his arm around her waist. “But first she needs to greet a few of our guests.”
Tina gave an apologetic glance to her friend as Dev dragged her away. Within minutes, her face was stiff from forcing a smile as she met with the guests. They all were part of the Hindi film industry but they were not her colleagues. Once they had been her inspiration as she watched their movies and read about them in the magazines. Now she wished she had never met them in real life. They were nothing like the heroes and heroines they played.
“Why are you friends with these people?” Tina asked as Dev escorted her to another room. She had fielded questions about her absence but no one had really missed her. They were more curious than concerned.
“Only a few of them are friends,” Dev admitted, giving a nod of acknowledgment to an actor as they kept walking. “Most of our guests want something from me, and they wouldn’t hesitate to stab me in the back the first chance they get.”
“Then why invite them into your home?” she muttered.
“Our home, jaan,” he gently corrected as his fingers tightened against her waist. “This time it’s because we have completed filming.”
She frowned. She should’ve known that Dev would have immediately returned to work as if nothing had happened between them. “What project?”
His grip tightened painfully. Was it her imagination or was there a hunted look in Dev’s eyes?
“It was a modern retelling of Majnu and Laila,” he said tersely.
She was surprised he had chosen to do a romantic movie, especially one that followed the classic Persian love story. A romance that was more tragic than Romeo and Juliet with a poor man falling in love with a rich girl. They were forbidden to see each other and Majnu was driven mad with love. Driven mad by Laila.
“You should have seen his performance, Tina.” One of the inebriated guests interrupted, looping his arms around Dev’s shoulders. “It was stunning. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen. The grief! The pain! You could see him descend into madness.”
Madness. Her breath lodged in her throat as she stared at Dev. She jerked out of his hold as if his touch burned her. She knew all about grief and madness. She had been surrounded by it. At times she thought it had engulfed her.
“I’m serious, Tina,” the guest said, unaware of the maelstrom of emotions whipping between them. “It was chilling.”
“I’m sure it was.” She forced the words out as her chest squeezed her lungs. It hurt to breathe. To stand tall when she wanted to fold into a heap. “I’m sorry,” Tina said to their guest as she pressed her hand against her head. “But my jet lag is getting worse.”
“You should lie down,” Dev said. “I’ll come with you.”
Tina ignored his outstretched hand. She was tempted to wrap her arms tightly around her body to protect herself. She didn’t want Dev to touch her or be close to her.
“No need. I’ll just get some water. I’ll be right back,” she lied as she hurried away. “Stay here.”
* * *
Early next morning Dev glanced up from skimming the newspaper when he heard the chime of Tina’s bangles. Finally. She had escaped the party last night and he wondered if she was going to hide upstairs all day.
He set down the newspaper as he waited for her to arrive at the breakfast table. Dev grimaced when he heard her hesitant footsteps. Was she considering another escape plan? That was not part of the deal. He wanted—demanded—a devoted wife and he was going to have it even if it meant he had to hunt her down and drag her to the table.
Tina appeared barefoot at the doorway, wearing a pale pink shalwar kameez. The tunic and drawstring pants hid her curves. She looked incredibly innocent and feminine, nothing like the seductress roles she played in her movies. But Dev knew Tina was not one or the other. She was an irresistible mix of sweet and spice.
Dev immediately stood up and pulled out a seat for her. “I expected you to sleep all morning.”
She gave a little bobble of her head. “I would have but the jet lag has a strange effect on my sleep.”
“And on your sense of direction?” Dev asked as he watched her pass the chair he held out for her. “I found you sleeping in one of the guest rooms.”
She dipped her head and hurriedly sat down across the table from him. “I crashed in the first bed I found.”
He didn’t believe it. Tina was avoiding their marriage bed again. Avoiding him. “That was not our agreement.” He had gone so far as to gather her in his arms last night, intent on carrying her back to their bed. He had expected her to kick and lash out. Instead she had snuggled against his chest and given a sigh that had almost brought him to his knees. He had known he wouldn’t be able to sleep next to her, not with his willpower in shreds. Dev had reluctantly returned her to her bed, tucked the sheets around her and left her in peace.
Dev sat back down as Tina added vegetables and eggs to her plate. Her eyes lit up at a serving platter that was covered with a towel. “Are those pooris?” she said in a whisper.
“The cook made these in honor of your return,” Dev said and saw a smile curve on her lips. It was the first time since she’d arrived that he’d seen her happy. It had been even longer since he’d seen her show excitement.
She grabbed for the hot fried bread. “It feels like I haven’t had these in forever.”
He watched as she reverently broke the poori with her fingers. She inhaled the fragrant steam before she scooped up the lightly spiced potatoes with it. She popped the morsel in her mouth and her face softened. Tina closed her eyes and groaned with pleasure.
The sound stabbed at his chest. Dev’s body tightened as the desire heated his blood. It took effort for him to lean back in his chair and study his wife instead of reaching for the pooris and feeding her. She was a sensual woman who enjoyed her food. She loved to cook as much as she loved to eat. But this was different. He was watching a homecoming.
“You missed pooris,” he murmured.
Tina blushed and covered her mouth with her hand. “I missed spicy food. Indian food. Good food.”
She missed that more than she had missed him. “Why didn’t you make it yourself?”
Tina stilled. “It’s better at home.”
She wasn’t telling him the truth. The woman who found it satisfying to cook, who found pleasure in cooking for her loved ones, hadn’t prepared a meal in months. Yet, she hadn’t starved. In fact, she had regained the weight she couldn’t afford to lose.
But why hadn’t she cooked? Or danced? When they had socialized with their guests at the party, he had noticed that her command of the English language had greatly improved. Where had she been all this time? What had she been doing? And with whom?
Tina bent her head as if the food on her plate required all of her concentration. “Why are you at home, Dev? Shouldn’t you be at work?”
He glanced at his watch. He needed to go to the Arjun Studios and decided to take Tina with him. It may be too soon to reintroduce her to work, but what if she disappeared while he was away? There had been no hint, no discussion, when she had suddenly left him in Los Angeles. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she would do it again.
She wouldn’t, Dev decided. Her career was too important to her and dangling his connections was just the right bait to keep her near. “I will this morning and you will come with me.” He raised his hand to stop her complaint. “You want my connections? This is the best way for directors and producers to get to know you. And we have special guests waiting for us there.”
“Who?” She stopped chewing and glanced up at him. The pleasure fled from her face as resignation set in. “Your parents?”
She didn’t know. Dev stared into her eyes and knew she wasn’t pretending. How could she not have known? It had been international news months ago. Even if she were in America she would have seen the headlines.
“No,” he said gruffly. “Your family will be there.”
“My family—my mother is at Arjun Studios?” Tina bolted from her seat. “Why? When?”
Dev thought Tina would have been happy with the news. He hadn’t expected this level of panic. He had only met her family a handful of times as Tina had made an effort to keep her family away. He hadn’t thought much about it until now. “What’s wrong?”
She paused and bit her lip. “How did they contact you? Do they know that I’m back?”
“I contacted them. In fact, I’ve been in touch with them since you were missing.”
She winced. “Oh, you have no idea what you’ve done.” Tina clapped her palms against her cheeks as she began to pace. “What did you tell them?”
“What I told everyone. That you were recuperating from your miscarriage. They had no idea where you were. Why couldn’t you trust your mother with the truth?” What had she been hiding that was so horrible she couldn’t even tell her family?
CHAPTER FOUR
TINA BRISTLED UNDER Dev’s question. She saw the disappointment in his eyes. He had no right to judge. She hadn’t been selfish or unkind. She needed to protect herself and she wasn’t going to feel guilty about her decision.
“My mother would insist that I stay married,” she explained as she crossed her arms.
Dev studied her. “So you disappeared?”
Tina felt a sharp twist in her chest. “I did what was best for me.” She wasn’t going to feel guilty. She had taken care of her family for as long as she could remember and this time she had to protect herself.
“By shutting everyone out,” Dev said with bitterness. “It’s what you do best. But I didn’t think you had it in you to turn your back on your family.”
Tina whipped her head around and glared at her husband. “I didn’t! You don’t know anything about my mother or my sisters.” She had made sure of that. She didn’t want Dev to see the family dynamics. He would notice how she was treated differently.
“I know your mother is confused and hurt by the silence she’s received for four months.”
Tina rubbed her hands over her face. The secrecy had been necessary. Her mother wouldn’t have been sympathetic. Reema Sharma was not just her mother, she was also her manager. It was not the ideal situation. For a while Tina had recognized that her mother’s advice was not based on what was best for Tina, but what was best to support the family.
“I’ve kept in contact,” she muttered.
Dev scoffed at her. “Paying their bills through your accountant is not staying—”
“How do you know about that?” She never discussed her salary and expenditures with Dev and she had been grateful that he had never asked. He was very traditional in his thinking that he would financially support her.
“When you first disappeared, I thought you would have returned to your mother’s house,” Dev said as he rose from his chair.
Tina groaned and rubbed her forehead. She tried to imagine the rich and sophisticated Dev Arjun visiting her mother’s home. She was certain the entire neighborhood would have been there to meet him. And knowing Reema, she had charged for tickets. “How much money did my family get out of you?”
“I was happy to help out,” Dev said with a shrug.
“You shouldn’t have done it. They are my responsibility,” Tina said. She hated how much her mother obsessed over money. Tina had been constantly told how much she had cost her mother—the dreams, the security, the husband. She knew she had been a burden on her mother and nothing she did would make up for it.
Dev glanced at his wristwatch. “We should leave for the studios,” he said. “I told your mother that we would be there at nine.”
Tina recognized the vintage timepiece. She had given it to him early in their affair when she had discovered he appreciated those works of art. Tina looked away as she remembered how she had teased him about his inability to be punctual when he had a collection of high-end and technology-advanced watches.
“My mother is peculiar that way.” Tina couldn’t shake off the dread that made her sag her shoulders and drag her feet. “When she says she’ll be somewhere at nine, she really means nine.”
“Let’s go meet them,” Dev said.
An hour later Tina sat rigidly next to her husband in the back of the luxury car. As the driver turned on a busy street, Tina clenched her hands into fists and bent her head. It had taken longer than usual for her to get ready. She was nervous about her first visit to Arjun Film Studios. He had not invited her before and Tina had been reluctant to drop by unannounced. She had always suspected he kept her away because she didn’t meet up to the Arjun high standards. She knew she had to look the part as the boss’s wife. Dressed in a bright yellow designer dress, stiletto heels and dark sunglasses, she looked like a Bollywood star. The ensemble was her armor, hiding her tension and uncertainty.
She glanced again at Dev. He was dressed casually in jeans and a black dress shirt. He didn’t have to try hard to look like a movie star. “You don’t have to be part of the reunion,” she muttered.
“Is there something I should know?” Dev asked as he scrolled through the messages on his phone. “Do you not get along with your family?”
“We’re fine.” The driver took a turn and Tina saw the sign for the Arjun Film Studios. She studied the large modern building. “This is your film studio?”
“It was built a couple of years ago to meet international standards,” Dev said proudly as Tina stared at the green landscape that surrounded the white building. The entrance was a tower of glass windows. “We have soundstages, recording studios and dance rehearsal halls under one roof.”
All the necessities to make a Bollywood hit, Tina thought dazedly as she continued to stare at the building. The music and dancing were required for every masala movie. Only when she worked on a movie, her dance rehearsals were done in crowded rooms or outside in the sweltering heat.
Tina noticed the buzz of activity when she walked in the lobby with Dev. Young men and women, dressed casually in a mix of tunic shirts and jeans, were rushing around. They carried papers, cell phones and small glass cups of tea. There was a sense of urgency and creativity in the atmosphere.
Tina spotted her mother sitting on the bright blue chair among the contemporary artwork depicting famous movie scenes. Tina was surprised that tears pricked her eyes when she saw Reema Sharma. Her mother’s long black braid was streaked liberally with gray hair and red henna. Her white embroidered dupatta slipped over her shoulders and her dark blue shalwar kameez strained against her voluptuous curves.
“Amma!” Tina said in greeting as she stood in front of her mother. Inhaling the floral scent that she always associated with the older woman, Tina bowed down and touched her mother’s foot with respect.
“I hate your hair,” Reema said as she pulled a spiky tuft. “What were you thinking? No one is going to hire you when you look like a boy.”
“She could never be confused for a boy,” Dev drawled as he greeted her mother.
Tina rose to her full height and glanced at Dev. She felt a pull deep in her belly when she saw the gleam of desire in his eyes. She blushed and hurriedly looked away. How could he look at her like that, when he had seen her at her very worst? No amount of makeup or gloss could erase those moments when her eyes had been dulled, her hair lank and her face colorless.
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