Only they weren’t in the box anymore.
The anger in her gaze made sense now. She should be angry at him. Hell, he was enraged, and he wasn’t the young woman who had been toyed with.Who could have done this?
“Kaka?” Luna called out from the kitchen when he opened the door.
Drat. Normally he would have been filled with warmth ather seeking him out the second he entered, but he’d hoped not to see anyone before he strangled—er, confronted—his agent. He took a deep breath, made sure his face was wiped clean of emotion, and then strode to the kitchen. He found his niece sitting at the kitchen counter, a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of her, and Adil stirring a pot at the stove. Adil gave him a nod. Luna smiled at him, and his lips curved up automatically, though he didn’t much feel like smiling.
“Hi, beti. Uncle.” He stopped a foot away and rested his hand on the counter so he wouldn’t be tempted to hug her. He could really use a hug now.
“How was your first day?” His uncle wiped his hands on the towel tucked into his waist.
“Relatively easy.”
“That’s what happens when you’re not in every other scene. Enjoy this break. Once you hit the big-time here, you’re going to be busier than you can imagine.”
Dev gave a half smile. Adil was a cheerleader to his core. “Right.”
Luna offered Dev the plate. “Want a cookie? Uncle made them.”
“I didn’t know you baked, Adil Uncle.”
His uncle’s smile in profile was sad. “Your aunt liked anything chocolate. I learned. Eat, eat. You’re getting so skinny.”
He wanted nothing more than to stress stuff eight of them in his mouth, so Dev settled for one. He took a bite and letthe sweet chocolate raise the serotonin in his brain. “These are good. Did you have one, Luna?”
“I haven’t had any yet.”
He finished his cookie in two bites. “What are you waiting for?” He nudged the plate closer, and she picked up one.
She nibbled it. “Did you find out anything about the schools around here?”
The schools, right. “I spoke to one of my coworkers, but his children go to a private school.”
“It’s okay. I requested a copy of my birth certificate, since I didn’t know if you have that.”
This time his smile was real. “I think there’s a copy somewhere, but it’s probably in storage.” Rohan hadn’t been great about paperwork, but luckily, Luna’s documentation had been in their mutual agent’s possession. “We can go tour the local school tomorrow.”
Luna’s eyes brightened and she sat up straighter. “Really?”
“Yes, really.”
She made an aborted motion and he wondered if she was going to launch herself at him, but instead, she folded her hands in her lap. “Thank you.”
“Have you called Aji today? She said she’s been ringing you.”
“Not yet. I wanted to make sure it was okay.”
“Of course. You don’t have to ask.” He tilted his head at the doorway. “Go call.”
Adil waited for her to leave before turning around. He waved his spoon. “That girl is far too obedient. She sat herewith a whole plate of cookies in front of her, waiting for you to come home to ask if she could have one.”
“Weren’t you complaining about her being disobedient yesterday?”
His uncle sniffed. “She apologized to me for that, and even I know such moods are normal for teenagers. It’s not natural, this kind of obedience.”
“Not natural for any child or for Rohan’s child?”
“Both. Neither of you were like this at her age.”
