Page 8 of Game on, Love

“—It was after your match with Durham that you woke me up with your screaming fest.” Vedant looked visibly uncomfortable bringing up this conversation, and by the look on Rihaan’s face, it was another one of his drunk moments. Durham was a shit show. We had lost the matchbrutally.

“You found the letter I had from Ma.”

All colour from Rihaan’s face was gone. He opened his mouth but closed it again as he turned his attention to their sister.

Their sister.

This time, when I looked in her direction, just for a snap of a second, her eyes met with mine, and, in that moment, I felt that shift in me.

What was a wave before felt like a gentle tide. It wasn’t just pullingmein, it was both of us, and when she stopped in her step for a second, I knew she felt it, too.

3

Raina

MY HEAD WAS SPINNING.

There was so much happening with me—around me that I had a hard time keeping my attention straight.

It also didn’t help that no matter what, I kept circling back tohim.

I should’ve been focused on the hurt I felt by what Axel had done, or the discomfort of being in the same room as my brothers or the pure horror I had felt creep up my spine after I noticed Dad was just across the room from where I stood.

Buthehad this effortless allure to him, like a tide pulled by the moon. No matter if I tried to resist it, it was inevitable that my attention would return to him. There was a quiet intensity in him, something simmering beneath the surface, and every time our eyes connected, even if it was for a snap of a second, it felt like a drop in still water.

His dark, unruly hair framed a sun-kissed face that was both striking and soft.

This can’t be happening.

The more I noticed his features and his movements.The more I was aware of the effect ofhim.

“Raina?” I briefly closed my eyes. I couldn’t even find the energy to pray for strength, the day was catching up to me.

I opened my eyes, and my discomfort only increased now that all of their attention was on me. Pulling my shoulders back, I cleared my throat as I looked at Rihaan.

I went to say something but faltered.

What could I have said?

He was the only one of my brothers I hadn’t spoken to sincethatday, and truthfully, with the way he had acted, I wasn’t interested in any conversation with him whatsoever.

Vedant wasexistingin my life. He wasn’t the brother I had known, but he wasn’t a stranger to me either. We both made minimal effort, though I always felt like it was because of me always keeping him at arm’s length, but he never pushed.

I think he knew I needed my own time, but no matter how awkward our regular brunches were, I always felt that if I needed him, he would be there, no questions asked.

Dev, on the other hand, I had no say in that matter because, truthfully, Vedant and Dev came like a package. I mostly blamed their twin bond for it, and technically, even though it was just by an hour, Dev was still considered the oldest in our family. Mix that with the need to overcompensate for the lack of, well, anything,by Dad; and his appearance on the track during race weekends almost as regular as me… he was hard to ignore.

From the last conversation I had with Vedant about Rihaan and his whereabouts, he was still living at home with Dad, and well, I visitedhimas often as it rained in the desert.

I think the last real conversation I had with Rihaan was probably ten years ago, give or take.

The realisation made me frown.

That can’t be right.

“Oh boy, you lot are all as hopeless as each other. No wonder you needed extra help for this,” Axel’s voice broke the tension, but while I found comfort in his playfulness, he got three pointed glares from the Patel men. “Ooo-kay, then.”

I wanted to go home, but a small part of me also wanted some answers. After debating for two seconds, I decided to go with the latter.