First Comes Like (Modern Love #3) - Alisha Rai Page 0,6

her warmth had transformed into inexplicable wounded anger. What on earth had he done to inspire a reaction like that? He’d gone over his words a hundred times since she’d stalked away from him, and he couldn’t find a single explanation.

You told me you’d searched the universe for a woman like me.

Dev rubbed his thumb against his palm, where her soft dress had imprinted on him as he’d untangled himself from her.

“Dev?”

He clenched his hand. “Yes?”

Adil gave him an assessing look. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, thank you.” Dev cleared his throat. “I’m going to head to bed.”

“There’s a plate in the fridge for you.”

He was tempted, but then he remembered the wardrobe fitting he had this week. “I ate at the party.” It had only been a few carrot sticks. His stomach was still pretty empty, but Adil’s food was delicious and high calorie.

Dev might have been the romantic lead on his show back home, but he hadn’t had to stay in tip-top shape. Things were different here, where the pressure to conform to certain beauty standards was more intense.

Adil tsked, like he knew exactly how much food Dev had consumed. “I placed one of those garbage granola bars at your bedside.”

Dev smiled, touched. He wouldn’t eat the bar, but it was a nice thought. “Thank you. Is Luna . . . ?”

“Asleep? Yes. Or at least, she’s in her room.”

That twist to Adil’s mouth didn’t bode well. The last year had been a long settlement period for all of them. “What happened?”

“I cooked a good healthy dinner for her, and she insisted on Bagel Bites.”

Dev had only the vaguest idea of what those were, but he could guess they weren’t fresh vegetables and protein cooked by his uncle’s loving hands.

“Only, I don’t buy such things, so she ordered someone to go to the grocery store and have them delivered. Did you know you can do that from your phone?”

“Yes. Though she shouldn’t be doing it.”

Adil grunted. “In any case, she made her disgusting food and took it to eat in her room even though I told her we’d eat at the table.”

Dev frowned. Luna’s most negative moods were characterized by depression or withdrawal, rarely open defiance. She’d been sweet lately, too, growing more comfortable expressing herself with both of her elders.

“She stomped away from me.” Adil clicked his tongue. “If I had done the same to my uncle, I would have been thrashed.”

Dev’s lips twitched, despite the seriousness of the situation. Adil’s blustering was just that, blustering. The man had fallen in love with his grandniece at first sight. The only person less likely to raise their hand to Luna was Dev.

He checked his watch. He’d gotten home later than he’d hoped. In Mumbai, he had the clout to leave a party whenever he wanted, but he couldn’t insult the executives here. “I’ll check in on her. You get some rest.”

Adil gestured to the television. “I have to finish my show first, but good night.”

His uncle would be asleep three minutes after Dev left. “Yes, good night.”

He paused outside his niece’s room, but all he could hear was the humidifier running. He cracked the door. The light glowing under the blanket winked out. He opened the door wider. There was plenty of light in the room from the moon streaming in and the nightlight he’d installed near the door for him to see.

“Luna,” he whispered. “I see you’re awake. Can I please speak with you?”

The cover shifted, and out popped a curly dark head. Luna’s hair had been much longer, but right before they’d moved, he’d come home to find her standing in the bathroom, black strands all around her feet, scissors in her hand, and a blank expression on her small face. He’d hidden his concern by helping her clean up the bathroom and trim parts of the back she hadn’t been able to reach. Once he’d been alone, he’d reached for one of the many books he’d bought on children and grief to assure himself that he hadn’t somehow screwed something up.

Luna plopped her phone on the bed and leaned against the headboard. She looked much younger than thirteen, with her tiny heart-shaped face and short bob. She muttered something in Spanish. One thing his brother had done was engage good tutors for Luna. She spoke five languages fairly fluently and could slip in and out of them with ease.

She chose Spanish and French when she wanted to keep something from him. Joke was on her, however. He’d