There was no proof that she’d been the one to file the request for Duarte’s death certificate—she’d used a notary and the company name as a group entity. Not that she’d been planning to keep it a secret—not until Valerio’s furious reaction, anyway. She’d planned to tell him eventually.
She couldn’t really explain her urge to have the limbo of her brother’s death put into legal black and white. It had been an intolerable hum of sadness and a slow bubble of frustration—like an itch under her skin that she couldn’t scratch. She’d known she couldn’t wait around for Valerio to return and decide to accept that Duarte’s death was a reality.
But now, on this dark, secluded part of the yacht, a part of her became suddenly painfully aware of the fact that she had put herself in a vulnerable position, out here alone without any of her security team.
Fiero stood up, taking a few steps to close the gap between them. Dani fought the urge to stand and run, taking note of his distance from her and feeling the weight of the empty champagne glass in her hands. She was alone, but she was not incapable of self-defence. She straightened her shoulders, meeting his gaze with what she hoped was a perfectly calm expression.
‘I came here tonight to give you a warning. If you value your life, stop digging into things that don’t concern you.’
Dani inhaled sharply at the threat, watching as the older man turned to walk away.
His route was suddenly barred by the arrival of three security guards in the doorway and a thunder-faced Valerio, who took one look at Daniela’s ashen face and immediately cornered their guest.
‘Marchesi.’ Fiero spoke calmly, placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it. ‘Nice to see you again. Is there some sort of problem?’
‘I don’t know yet.’ Valerio looked the man up and down, his fists clenched at his sides. ‘Daniela?’
Valerio said her name softly, but with a stern undertone that had her snapping out of the daze she was in. ‘Everything is fine,’ she heard herself say. ‘Let him go.’
She was vaguely aware of Valerio ordering the security men to escort Fiero back to the party and keep a close eye on the man. He waited until they were alone on the deck, then took a few steps towards her, crossing his arms in that way he did when he was intensely annoyed by something.
It amazed her that she could still tell his mood just by observing his body language, considering how little they had seen one another in the past few years. She was lucky he couldn’t do the same with her, or he’d know just how absolutely terrified she felt. A shiver ran down her spine as she looked up at the thunderous expression on his face.
‘Disappearing alone without protection—have you lost your mind?’
‘We’re on a yacht.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Also, I’m a grown woman, Valerio. Not a child for you to keep track of and scold.’
‘Even a child would know not to risk its own safety by wandering off alone into the darkness.’
He blocked her path when she tried to move away, placing one hand on her arm.
‘Why did you come out here, Dani? What could Angelus Fiero possibly have to say to you?’
Her mind kept replaying those words over and over on a loop.
‘If you value your life.’
‘If you value your life.’
She felt the heat of Valerio’s hand on her arm, sinking into her skin like a brand. She tried to draw on her anger at him for disappearing, for leaving her to run Velamar alone while she tried to hide her own grief. She shouldn’t feel this urge to fall into the safety of him when he had done nothing but give orders and trample on her work in all his six-foot-four and ridiculously handsome glory.
He had kept his newfound peace with Tristan Falco from her, and his apparent trip to Rio, and God only knew what else. He made her utterly furious.
She tried to remember all the reasons she might throw at him for why she had walked out...other than the fact that she’d needed to get away from him and the way he made her feel completely off balance. But now, with his simple touch burning against her arm, she was powerless even to control the erratic beating of her own stupid heart.
He frowned down at his hand on her arm, dropping it away as though he hadn’t realised he was touching her.
‘He was just expressing his condolences in person for our loss. He couldn’t come to the memorial service.’ Dani felt the lies fall easily from her lips, guilt pressing at her conscience as she turned and began walking back through the yacht towards the faint strains of the string quartet and the sound of laughter.
‘Stop running from me. I need to speak with you alone.’ He easily moved around her in the darkened study and blocked her way. ‘You arrived here tonight with that womanising fool on your arm without any thought other than angering me.’
‘Why would I care what you think, Valerio? You clearly don’t do the same for me.’
‘You don’t see a slight problem with bringing a date to your fiancé’s event?’
Dani froze in disbelief, the word ‘fiancé’ coming from his lips sending her blood pressure into overdrive. The man had lost his mind entirely.
‘Again this ridiculous promise you made? Valerio...I’ve already made it quite clear what I think about your proposal. It’s completely unnecessary.’
She took a step backwards, needing to put physical space between them. No one made her quite as angry as he did. No one else could manage to get under her skin and surpass her control.
‘I’m not some damsel in distress who needs your protection. Until this morning I was acting CEO of the company we share equal ownership of. I’ve been at the helm of Velamar for six months while I gave you the time you needed to recover.’
‘I don’t think you’re a damsel in distress. You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met. I just need you to trust me that we need to do this.’
‘It doesn’t make sense. I wouldn’t let Duarte make this choice for me if he were alive. And I won’t be accepting it from you, either.’
‘This isn’t about how capable you are. This is about your safety.’
Suddenly her anger fell away and she looked at him. Took in the tension around his mouth, the shadows in his eyes. She remembered his reaction when she’d told him that Duarte was soon to be declared legally dead. She had seen something entirely different then. He hadn’t just been angry... He’d been afraid. For her. And then her mind replayed the look on his face as he’d arrived just now with the three guards in tow, asking her if there was a problem.
‘Look...I haven’t been truthful about what I’ve been doing for the past six months. You thought I was in hiding while I recovered and I let you believe that because it’s partially true. I have been isolated and angry and dealing with...with what happened. Tristan Falco witnessed my own methods of dealing with it first-hand and gave me some good advice.’
‘No more lies and avoidance. Tell me the truth. Why do you need me to agree to this so badly?’ As she asked the question, her legs felt weak, and an odd twisting sensation started up in her stomach.
He smoothed a hand down his face, closing his eyes for a long moment as though fortifying himself.
‘Duarte knew that he was in danger when he went to Rio alone. He didn’t expect me to follow him. All I know is that he was being blackmailed. I couldn’t get a full picture of who was behind it or what had gone down before I arrived and everything went to hell, but I do know that he was trying to neutralise an imminent threat...to you both.’
Dani felt the breath completely leave her chest as she sat down on a nearby chair, looking up at him with disbelief. ‘If I’m in danger... If they’ve already got Duarte...’
‘Daniela, look at me.’ He knelt down, gripping her chin between his fingers and forcing her to meet his eyes. ‘I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’ve spent months trying to find another way to help because I knew you would hate this. The only
thing I’m sure of is that it has to do with part of your inheritance. The land and properties in Brazil.’
‘They can have it—I never wanted any of it.’ She breathed in, feeling her pulse careening out of control. This was insanity—utter madness. She’d give everything away...every single cent. Nothing was worth the loss she’d endured. Nothing.
‘I thought of that.’ Valerio spoke softly, as though he feared he had fully tipped her over the edge. ‘But it’s complicated. We’re talking about decades of your parents’ work in creating affordable housing there. Tens of thousands of innocent tenants who stand to be displaced. Acres of protected land being put at risk.’
Tens of thousands... Dani closed her eyes and felt a tremor within her.
Her father had been an only child, sole heir to the wealthiest, most corrupt landowner in Brazil. When his old man had died, her papai had been newly married to his very liberal-minded English wife. Together they had wasted no time in setting out on a crusade to turn the majority of their expensive, undeveloped inner-city land into rent-controlled housing initiatives for disadvantaged families. It had been revolutionary, and it had angered a lot of wealthy developers by the time they’d started on the city of Rio.
‘Dani...’ Valerio said. ‘As a married couple, we can create an iron-clad prenuptial agreement that ties all your assets to mine. We need to make them untouchable, so that there’s no valid reason for anyone to target you. My family name, the legal power it holds... It’s like a fortress. Duarte knew that. He’d planned for it if his efforts didn’t succeed.’
Dani shuddered, the reality of her situation settling like a frost on her skin. She and her brother had been targeted for something they had no control over. She had never asked to be born into this life... She hadn’t asked for her entire family to be taken away from her in a matter of years.
She felt her throat contract painfully as she tried to force breath in and out.
‘Do you understand now why it needs to be this way?’ he said softly, coming round to look into her eyes. ‘I need you to stop fighting me on this. I need you to put your trust in me and let me keep you safe.’
She couldn’t meet his eyes. This was all far too much to handle without the effect he had on her added to the mix too.
She simply nodded once. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t find another way.’
She tried not to wince at his words. Tried not to imagine his horror when he’d realised he was going to have to shackle himself in matrimony to a woman he could barely tolerate. A woman he seemed to actively avoid even though they’d been working for the same company for years.
‘You don’t need to pretend that this is what you want. It is what it is, Valerio.’ She stood up, smoothing down her dress in an effort to compose herself even as her voice shook. ‘We need to get back to the party or they’ll start talking about us... Although I suppose I’m going to have to get used to that if I’m about to marry you.’
Something glittered in his eyes as she said those words. Whether it was relief or dread, she didn’t take the time to find out. She needed to get away from the strange intimacy of being here in the darkness with him. Back to the safety of the party, to networking, putting on a show.
‘You will have to get used to a lot of things.’ His gaze drifted away, his jaw tightening. ‘We both will.’
Dani smiled tightly, turning and walking along the corridor, then up the stairs to the entertaining deck. She heard him following silently behind her, but didn’t pause until they were safely on the sidelines of the dance floor, where the music made it slightly harder to hear him without leaning in.
‘I’m making our announcement here...tonight.’
His voice travelled slowly across the din of music and voices, and Dani frowned, his meaning taking a moment to sink in. Her eyes widened as he moved to step away, and her fingers clutched at the sleeve of his jacket to stop him.
‘If you’re talking about what I think you are...’
He moved close, dipping his head to speak close to her ear. ‘We are on a superyacht, filled with the most famous people in Europe. If we want news of our engagement to travel fast, then there’s no time like the present.’
Dani shook her head, hardly believing what a turn the evening had taken. ‘Okay...but there’s no need for it to be a big deal. It doesn’t have to be a spectacle.’
‘You know it does.’
He smiled, and for a moment she got a glimpse of his old self. Mischievous and eager to cause a stir.
‘I’m going to make sure the whole world knows you are about to become my wife.’
CHAPTER FOUR
‘OH, GOD...’ DANI breathed, staring up into the azure blue depths of his eyes and praying that she could maintain her composure. She looked around at the beautiful people surrounding them, oblivious to the fact that her entire world had shifted on its axis. ‘We can just make the announcement tomorrow somewhere...please.’
‘This needs to be convincing, Daniela.’
His voice was gravelly and low in her ear, making her skin prickle. She knew he was right. This was the kind of guest list, with the kind of publicity reach, that could undo every single bit of questionable press Velamar had got in the past six months. It was the perfect way to take control of the media narrative while also taking steps to secure her safety. She tried not to imagine the backlash—the sniped remarks about why a man like him would choose her.
She prided herself on being self-sufficient. On having walked away from her ex because he’d assumed that she would change her iron-clad life plan to fit around him. And now here she stood, contemplating entwining her life and everything she owned with the one person she had sworn never to trust again. This wild, reckless playboy had somehow become the only solid land within reach in a dangerous sea.
She shook her head, hardly believing what she was about to do. ‘Okay, but...but you need to get down on one knee,’ she breathed, hardly believing the words coming out of her mouth.
‘Are you organising my proposal?’ His eyes sparkled with mirth. ‘Do you have a preference for which knee I use?’
‘Be serious. Just... It’s more romantic that way.’
One dark brow rose in disbelief, and for a moment she expected him to argue. But then he raised both hands in mock surrender and took a step backwards.
A single gesture to a nearby server gave a signal that he wished to grab everyone’s attention. Somewhere nearby silverware was clinked gently against a glass and a lull fell over the party, the string quartet slowing their melody to a stop. Dani felt her heartbeat pound in her ears as Valerio met her eyes and then lowered his impressive frame gracefully down onto one knee.
Dani tried not to be hyper-aware of the dozens and dozens of stunned eyes and gasped breaths as everyone became glued to the tableau unfolding in their midst. It was one thing to be in business mode amongst them, but this was so far out of her comfort zone she almost felt like taking her chances overboard. Never mind her lifelong terror of swimming in the open sea—anything was preferable to feeling this exposed.
Valerio looked up at her, and for a moment, Dani forgot to breathe. This painfully gorgeous man was every woman’s dream. It was almost too much to take in the sincerity on his handsome features as he cleared his throat and reached for her hand. And she had never understood the term fluttering when it came to heartbeats, but there was no other way to describe the strange thrumming in her chest as Valerio gently lowered his lips and pressed a featherlight kiss against her fingers.
‘This will come as a shock to many of you, but Daniela and I have been keeping a large part of our life private for a long time now.’ Valerio’s voice sounded huskier, his accent more pronounced, and his eyes never wavered from hers as he continued. ‘Darling, I know we said we would wait, but I want to share this moment with our guests. Daniela Avelar, will you do me the honou
r of becoming my wife?’
Dani was painfully aware of the silence around them. She nodded, her chin bobbing up and down like a puppet on a string, forcing a wide smile and praying that she didn’t look as terrified as she felt. Applause began to resound around them as their guests cheered and fawned over them.
She swallowed hard, her eyes widening as she noticed the small velvet box he had produced from his coat pocket. The ring inside was an antique canary-yellow diamond that she knew instantly would match the gold heirloom wedding band she had inherited from her mother.
She tensed at the realisation that he had come so prepared for this moment. Had he been so sure that she would agree to this madness? Suddenly, the huge guest list made even more sense.
Her hand shook against Valerio’s warm skin as he slid the ring onto her third finger. It was a perfect fit.
He stood, his eyes darkening with some strange emotion as he pulled her against his hard chest and buried his face next to her ear. ‘I’m going to kiss you now, Daniela. Try to pretend you’re enjoying it.’
His arm tightened around her waist as his lips easily found hers. The kiss was initially just a gentle press of skin against skin. Dani tried to remain impartial to the searing heat of the large male hand on her hip and at the nape of her neck, but she shivered reflexively at the contact. He was so...large all around her...he somehow made her feel small.
She was being ridiculous. She needed to keep a level head here. But when the delicious scent of his cologne enveloped her, she couldn’t help her own reflexive movement and she traced her tongue along the seam of his lips. It had been so long since she’d been kissed that her body seemed to jolt with electricity as a mortifying groan emanated from deep in her throat.
Valerio seemed to stiffen at the noise, and for a moment she fully expected him to move away. He would know that she wasn’t just pretending. But instead he pulled her even tighter against his body, deepening the kiss and giving back just as good as he got. His movements were much more skilful than her own shy ones, and his lips and tongue moved slowly against hers in such a perfectly seductive rhythm she quickly lost the ability to think straight.
The Vows He Must Keep (Mills & Boon Modern) (The Avelar Family Scandals, Book 1) Page 5
