Lucky 7 Bad Boys Contemporary Romance Boxed Set

by Pineiro, Charity

  Daisy grinned, a smile very reminiscent of her brother. "I will never refuse assistance in the kitchen, especially from an expert."

  Bianca smiled and patted Rey’s arm as she followed his mother and sister into the kitchen.

  Rey sighed deeply, wondering just what his mother, sister, and Bianca would talk about once they were out of earshot of the men.

  "She won't embarrass you, Rey," Brad reassured. "Besides, Bianca and Daisy have met before and seem to get along."

  "But that was before," he stressed, jamming his hands in his pockets and grimacing as he realized how much he had revealed with those words.

  "Ah, so this is more than Bianca, friend and client, coming over for dinner. That was fast." Brad let out a low whistle and shook his head. "Do Alex and Maya know?"

  "No, but I suspect they will before long."

  Rey guessed that shortly after the time he and Bianca left, Daisy would be on the horn to Maya. He told himself not to worry about what everybody knew. Better that than to make it seem as if there was something to hide.

  "I know it seems sudden, but sometimes -- "

  "Stuff happens. Don't you think I know?" Brad said. He walked to the small dry bar in the living room and opened a bottle of wine.

  Rey remembered the suddenness of Daisy and Brad's involvement after nearly seven years. "I guess you would," he said and when Brad walked back with a glass of wine, he accepted it and raised it in a toast. "To pleasant surprises."

  Brad nodded. "To liberated women," he said and both men chuckled before taking sips of the fine cabernet Brad had opened.

  The women returned moments later, carrying plates with assorted appetizers.

  Rey walked to the bar, poured each of them a glass, but Daisy refused hers, insisting she was fine with soda.

  Rey wondered about it, but said nothing.

  They all sat down to share the cheeses, olives, and other little tidbits his mother had prepared.

  Bianca let his mother and sister draw her into a discussion of the work Rey was doing and how soon they would be opening the restaurant. From there, the conversation turned to the topic of the types of food they planned to serve.

  Bianca eagerly explained the assortment of dishes they had decided on and who would be responsible for each dish.

  "Will the cheesecake you brought be on the menu?" Daisy asked and leaned against her husband, who wrapped an arm around her and slipped his hand down to cup her belly protectively. In a moment of clarity, Bianca made the connection between Daisy refusing the wine and the gesture. She glanced at Rey quickly to see if he had made the connection as well.

  When she met his gaze, there was no sign of recognition, but a quick glance at his mother's face confirmed that she wasn't so far off the mark. A glint of a tear shimmered there and Bianca wondered how long it would be before Daisy made the announcement.

  It therefore came as no surprise when at the dinner table, just as they were about to start to eat, Daisy asked for a moment to say something.

  "I'm very happy that we're all together here, including Bianca, so that Brad and I can share some exciting news."

  She glanced at her husband whose love was apparent on his face. He reached out his hand and she took hold of it before facing them once more and quickly blurting out, "Brad and I are expecting."

  Rey's mother popped up out of her chair and rushed to her daughter’s side, hugging her excitedly. Tears of joy streamed down her face.

  Rey was a little more reserved, but the happiness was clear on his face, especially as he embraced his sister in an intense bear hug and then leaned over to pound Brad on the back.

  Bianca waited as the family members finished their celebration. At the end of it, she stepped over and embraced Daisy tightly. "I'm very happy for you. Do Alex and Maya know yet?" she asked.

  Daisy shook her head. "Not yet. We plan on going over later and letting them know. Especially with both Maya and I expecting and especially since it's twins," she said, surprising all of them again and prompting another round of tears and excited chatter from her mother.

  Rey sat down hard, and Bianca stepped over, laid a hand on his shoulder as he wavered. "Rey, are you all right?"

  He nodded, but said roughly, "She's my little sister. This is harder to deal with than I would have thought."

  Bianca glanced over at Daisy and Brad as they embraced and knew Rey's concern was for nothing. Brad would take very good care of Daisy. "Don't worry, Rey. She's in capable hands."

  Rey nodded once more. She sat down beside him and waited as things quieted down around the table and they began the meal. It passed quickly with talk of babies and how Daisy and Rey had been as little ones.

  Bianca was amused at the stories Daisy and Esperanza recounted. Rey remained surprisingly silent during the tales.

  Even after the meal, there was no protest from him when Daisy looped her arm around Bianca's and explained that they were going for a walk to work off the meal and make room for the dessert and coffee.

  Bianca protested, wanting to help with the clean-up, but Daisy would have none of it.

  “It's time for the men folk to earn their supper,” she said.

  Despite grousing, Brad and Rey cleaned up and she and Daisy strolled to the park across the street from the house. Arm-in-arm they walked along the grounds, talking about the babies Maya and she would soon be having.

  "Alex is so happy and so is little Samantha. Not to mention that it makes me an aunt again," Bianca said.

  Daisy shot her an inquiring look. "And if you and Rey, you know. You could be an aunt to twins as well."

  Bianca raised a hand to stop the direction of the conversation. "Let's not rush things, Daisy. Rey and I are still too new."

  "But you’re sleeping together," she jumped in and led them in the direction of the railing at the edge of the park.

  They stopped at the edge and Daisy turned and leaned her back against it, facing Bianca as she looked across at the skyline of Manhattan.

  "Is it that obvious?" Bianca asked.

  Daisy shook her head. "No, but Rey hasn't brought a girl home ever before so that does make you wonder if there isn’t something more serious going on."

  Bianca examined the other woman, looking for some hint of disapproval or concern, but there was none. "It's sudden, but definitely serious. At least on my part," she confessed.

  "So, tell the truth. How did you guess that there was more going on?"

  Daisy pointed across the street to Rey's house. "See that front window?"

  When Bianca nodded, she continued with her explanation. "I must have stood there for a good hour or more before you guys came in, thinking about how to tell Rey and Mom about the babies. Worried about how everyone would react. I didn't see you guys drive up so I assumed you were in his apartment."

  Bianca nodded, confirming what Daisy had suspected. "We'll have to be more discreet next time."

  Daisy chuckled and smiled broadly.

  When Bianca gave her a questioning glance, Daisy replied, "I'm glad there's going to be a next time. I like you, Bianca, and Rey deserves someone who will love him. Do you?"

  She could have avoided the question, but wanted to get off on the right foot with Daisy. Plus, she respected her sister-in-law Maya, and the relationship that she had with this woman. "I love him, Daisy. I don't know how it happened so quickly, but I know it's real. I think I want a life with him."

  "I'd like that for you as well. Besides," she said, turning to face the skyline and wrapping an arm around Bianca's shoulders. "It would seem somehow right that as close as Maya and I are, that you and Rey getting together would make us all family."

  Bianca chuckled and grinned. "You and Maya are like sisters, so I guess it would be right."

  "Definitely very right," Daisy chimed in and looped her arm through Bianca's once again. "Come on. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I've been famished for sweets and that cheesecake is calling to me."

  Chapter Sixteen


  The metamorphosis that had taken place at the restaurant over the last three weeks was amazing, Bianca thought as she surveyed the first floor.

  She slowly walked through the now airy space and paused at one of the east-facing windows, watching as dusk slowly drifted over New York City and lights snapped to life, signaling the imminent arrival of night.

  She turned and watched as Rey finished nailing some new trim into place around the mirror in the bar. He hung the hammer back into the leather belt secured snugly around his lean hips and ran his hand along the wood, smiling with satisfaction and pride.

  When he pivoted, he noticed her standing by the windows and his smile transformed into one filled with love and desire. There was no denying it, she realized.

  The passion that had stirred so quickly when they first laid eyes on one another was still as hot and demanding three weeks later.

  Strolling toward him, she tried to contain her need, at least until they made it back to Rey's apartment. She walked up to him, placed her hands on the edges of his tool belt, and playfully wiggled it.

  "Almost ready to call it quits? It's getting dark."

  He grinned, wrapped his arms around her waist, and drew her close. "But I do some of my best work at night," he teased.

  She reached between them, undid his belt, and let it slide off his hips. She leaned past him and gently laid the belt on the surface of the bar, careful not to disturb the new finish on the gleaming wood.

  "What are we waiting for then?" she said in invitation and grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the entrance of the restaurant. They were about to exit when there was a knock on the door, surprising both of them.

  Rey opened it and as Bianca glanced out, she realized it was Anthony, her architect friend.

  She smiled and motioned for him to enter. “It's good to finally see you. I expected you before now," she said and introduced him to Rey.

  Rey shook the man's hand and Anthony stepped in and gave a quick look around. "It looks great. You've made a lot of progress," Anthony said and glanced uneasily at Rey, who shrugged and motioned to the space around them.

  "We haven't had a lot of unexpected discoveries, so it's been easy to keep on schedule."

  Anthony shot Rey a hard look that Bianca didn't miss. "Some surprises can be very nasty, can't they?" Anthony said.

  "Actually, we're probably going to be done about two weeks ahead of schedule. That'll give us time to really train the staff and avoid any nasties," Bianca said. Wanting to ease the tension between the two men, she stepped over to Rey and wrapped her arm around his waist.

  A look of surprise flashed across Anthony's face at the gesture of affection.

  It made Bianca wonder at the reason for the man's sudden visit. He had promised to come by weeks ago and when she hadn't heard from him, she had assumed that after her break-up with David she had been stricken off the "friend list".

  But Anthony was here now and she wasn't about to be rude despite his odd behavior.

  "Would you like a tour of the place?" she asked.

  "Sure, that would be nice," he said.

  When Bianca nodded, Rey eased from her side, and smiled apologetically.

  "I need to get some things packed up before we can go home. I'll wait for you in the truck," he said and excused himself, leaving Anthony and Bianca behind in the large first floor space.

  Bianca laid a hand on Rey's chest as he started to walk away. When he stopped, she dropped a quick kiss on his cheek to smooth the upset she sensed in him.

  Rey didn't return the kiss, but instead looked across at Anthony, mumbled something, and exited.

  Rey's curtness worried her and that concern grew at the tense look on Anthony's face. "Is something wrong?" she said pointedly, hoping to clear the air.

  Anthony inclined his head in the direction in which Rey had just departed. "Are you sure about what you're getting into, Bianca?"

  Approaching him, she tried to control her rising anger. "I know you're David's friend, but this is none of your business."

  "David has nothing to do with this." Anthony took hold of her elbow and guided her farther back into the restaurant, apparently to give them some privacy.

  "I ran into Eduardo two weeks ago. He's a friend of a friend and he mentioned how things were going."

  "Things are going well," she answered and withdrew her elbow from his grasp.

  "You can tell me not to butt in -- "

  "Then don't. David and I would have never worked out."

  "Again, it's not about you and David. David's a now and again friend. Actually, more of a business acquaintance and nothing more," Anthony clarified.

  "So why are you here then?" she questioned, totally thrown by the man and his intentions.

  Anthony sighed, tucked his hands into his pants pockets, and walked toward the newly installed windows. He spoke over his shoulder. "I was actually just on my way to visit my mom in Union City when I noticed the lights. I've been meaning to come by and see you, and thought I'd take the risk that you'd be here."

  Bianca knew there was more to it. "Tell me what's really up, Anthony."

  Anthony glanced down at his shoes, then finally faced Bianca. "I had some problems with another contractor last week and contacted Rey since I'd seen his recommendations on your blueprints and heard so many great things about him from Eduardo. But after checking out a few things, I felt like I had to talk to you. Believe me, coming here and seeing the two of you together. . ." He trailed off, clearly uneasy.

  "Rey and I are involved," she admitted, convinced by Anthony's tone and stance that he'd come here with the best of intentions and as a friend. "There's nothing you can't tell me about him."

  Anthony's head snapped up at that point, but he was barely able to meet her gaze. "It's not up to me to tell you, but I think you and Rey need to talk."

  His words reminded her of the message Rey had left so long ago, only they’d never had that talk.

  Hiding her concern, she nodded and laid a hand on Anthony's shoulder. "I appreciate you coming by. You're welcome back anytime you want. But I don't want to hear any tales about Rey."

  Anthony shrugged and offered his hand as he walked her out of the restaurant. At the door, she shut off all the lights, and after stepping out, locked up.

  Anthony walked with her to Rey's truck where Rey was busy stowing away some equipment in the back of his truck cab. When they approached, Rey looked up and Anthony uneasily waved goodbye.

  Rey breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived as Bianca faced him. "Anthony's a little concerned about us," she said, but Rey tried to avoid the discussion.

  "Seems to me that this man barely knows either one of us, so what could he possibly have to say?" he responded curtly.

  She understood that he didn't want to talk about it, at least not now in the parking lot of the restaurant. But he had no doubt they would have to finally have the discussion he’d been avoiding for weeks.

  Nodding, she walked to the passenger side and climbed in. Instead of the usual chit-chat that had accompanied their drive back to Rey's for the last three weeks, there was a cold strained silence.

  After entering his apartment, Bianca faced him again and it was evident he was going to have to deal with whatever Pandora's box her friend Anthony had opened.

  "So what did he have to say?" Rey asked.

  "Actually, he didn't have much to say. Just that you and I needed to talk," she replied, walked over to his sofa, and sat. Giving him a strained smile, she patted the seat beside her, and tried to lighten the mood. "So, why don't you come on over here so we can do that?"

  "I don't want to talk about it," he said harshly and stalked into the kitchen.

  Bianca stared at the kitchen door as it swung closed and considered her options.

  The first was to do nothing, but if there was one thing that she had wanted out of a relationship with him, it was honesty. She rose and followed him into the kitchen where he was busy yanking some steaks from t
he fridge.

  She grabbed the freezer bag with the steaks, took it from his hands, and set it on the counter. Leaning back against the edge of it, she met his gaze. "I don't know what it could be that's so hard to tell me, Rey. And at this point, you’re not wanting to talk about it doesn't leave me with the warm fuzzies."

  Rey stuffed his hands in the back pocket of his jeans and paced the width of the room once, then twice before finally giving in.

  "What did he tell you?"

  "Nothing. He said it wasn't his place to tell. That the telling was up to you," she said frankly and took a step toward him, wanting to reassure, but he pulled back, creating a physical gulf between them that mirrored the emotional gap that had been growing since Anthony's arrival.

  "So? What's to tell?" she pressed.

  Cursing under his breath, Rey raked his fingers through his hair and plopped down on a kitchen chair. Slowly, haltingly, he started, telling her about how his father had gotten ill and how he had taken over his Dad's responsibilities.

  Bianca was impressed with the way he downplayed his role during those two trying years and came to stand before him. She laid her hands on his shoulders as he stopped, the emotion of the past clearly catching up to him. There was a decided strain in his voice as he described his father's final days and the aftermath of losing him and all that he had worked for.

  It was then that anger crept into his voice as he described how hard he had struggled to make enough for his family to be able to afford certain things.

  "I know you did what you could," she consoled.

  He shook his head, clasped his hands together, and wrung them tightly. "What I did was ruin my family's life. Ruin their good name and bring them even more misery," he said tightly.

  "I'm sure you tried -- "

  "I tried every legal way I could think of to earn the money to pay for food, rent, and Daisy's school. When that wasn't enough, I was tempted to make the money in another way and I did. It nearly cost some people their lives," he finally said.

  Bianca's blood ran cold at his words.

  "Rey, you couldn't have done anything that bad," she said softly and approached him, reaching for him to stop, but he brushed off her arm.