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