by Rachel Lyndhurst; Carmen Falcone; Ros Clarke; Annie Seaton; Christine Bell
He couldn’t avoid a hearty laugh. “It’s best to leave some mystery for the imagination.”
She stared at him. “Or in your case, a lot.”
He broadened his smile. “That’s quite bold for someone who claimed sex is out of the picture. But I’m flattered you’ve noticed.”
She cleared her throat. “I meant your…” She sighed. “I was talking about how mysterious you are.”
He forced his lips down in feigned disappointment, enjoying her uneasiness. “And here I thought you had a change of heart.”
She inhaled and shot him an unforgiving glance, then continued her annoying interview. “Do you come to Rio often?”
“I only came here once.”
“Really? That’s odd. Doesn’t your family live here?”
He squared his shoulders. “They do. But we used to live somewhere else.”
“Where?”
“That doesn’t concern you.” Talking to her was like opening a highly infected virus file and hoping not to lose data.
She shook her head. “So you say. If we are married, aren’t we supposed to know everything about each other?”
“What is it with women and this obsession for knowing everything?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Thirst for knowledge?”
“Then I’ll have to leave you dry.”
“You’re no fun.” She stuck out her tongue.
Oh, the better ways he could use her tongue. “I could show you how much fun I am.”
“Trying to trick me with sex? This does feel like a real marriage.”
So did her habit of disarming him with her sense of humor.
It was his turn to smile. This woman was dangerous.
And he liked it.
Oh, he liked it.
Chapter Four
The car drove up the hill and entered an exclusive area where mansions and deluxe condominiums commanded gorgeous views overlooking the city and the sea. Addie’s attention shifted to the man sitting beside her.
His fingers drummed on his knee. He looked out the window with the frequency of a child on his first plane ride. The anxiety he tried to hide was not from happiness or excitement. That she gathered. But what was it?
She whistled when the car passed by security and rolled through a lush garden, a wrap-around pool, and countless palm trees. “I don’t blame them for moving here.”
“I almost forgot.” He reached into his inside pocket and produced a small velvet box. “This will make it more real.”
She stared at the ring. A double row of delicate bead-set diamonds encircled a huge diamond in the center. “It’s green.” She frowned. “The diamond is green.”
“Like your eyes.” Without frills, he took it from the box and held her hand.
Moved by instinct and the chilling sensation in her stomach, she yanked her hand away. “I didn’t know they made green bling.” She found solace in her voice, helping to calm her nerves.
Bruno leaned toward her, and the car suddenly felt cramped and airless. Her back pressed against the seat uncomfortably, and her breath hitched. “They’re extremely rare.” He whispered against her ear. “Sometimes, it’s hard to know if they are naturally green or treated.” With mastery, he lifted her hand from her lap and slid the diamond ring on her trembling finger.
“A perfect fit,” he said with a wicked smile and returned to his original place by her side, taking with him the scorching waves of temptation.
She stiffened, resolute not to think or say anything that could lead her into enemy lines.
Lucky for her, the car came to a halt by the entrance.
Wow… The driver opened the door, and she slid out of the buttery leather seat. She stepped on the patterned stone walkway that led to a colorful garden. The house was painted a subdued shade of orange, and tiny little ceramic tiles made a multicolored mosaic leading to the entrance.
A woman raced from the home, ran to Bruno, and wrapped her arms around him. Tall and slim, she had his deep brown eyes and square jaw. Smooth black hair that dropped to her waist and a bright smile added to her exotic beauty. “You are actually here.”
He gave her a hug, then said, “Addie, meet Camila, my sister.”
Camila looked at Addie, and she parted her lips to speak, then hesitated. He didn’t seem the type to tell his sister about his love life, or lust life, or life at all. But surely Camila had access to the internet and gossip? The awkwardness didn’t last long as his sister pulled her into a hug, then gave her a kiss on both cheeks, as was customary in Brazil. “I’m happy to meet you,” Camila said in flawless English.
Damn. She should have asked him about his siblings. The man was so full of secrets she almost had a hard time believing there were others like him out there. Though Camila’s untainted manner and genuine enthusiasm made it clear she was nothing like her brother.
“The pleasure is mine,” Addie said truthfully.
Camila gave her brother a friendly smack on his arm. “I’ve been telling Bruno to marry for such a long time. You must tell me the trick to get him to tie the knot.”
The handcuffs came to mind, and blood rushed all the way down to her core. Two dangerously handsome men encircled them. They had to be Bruno’s brothers. Introductions followed, and she shook hands with Leonardo and Emanuel, both younger than he was. Not by much. There was a veneer of weathered and tainted experience on Bruno, which the others seemed to lack.
“You must tell us the secret to convincing him to return,” Leonardo said. “It has been so long.”
“Oh you know, we found a really good deal online. He could finally afford it,” Addie said, and they all chuckled.
Bruno, standing next to her, pulled her closer, his fingers biting into her skin. Was that a sign for her to shut up? Well, if he expected a silent china doll, she had some bad news.
The laughter stopped, and his brothers and sister looked behind them, making way for somebody else.
“Pai, you shouldn’t have come,” Emanuel said to a frail man in a wheelchair.
For a reason Addie couldn’t understand, they all seemed to take a deep breath the moment their father approached. She followed suit. After all, he was the reason she was there. The reason why all those Kwani families would have more time to find a home. She felt gratitude toward the man, who had no clue about the extent of his help.
Bruno’s fingers tensed on her for a moment, and then he withdrew his hand. He approached his father in silence.
Although skin and bones, the older man had strong features. It was clear he had once been good-looking, with kind but guarded hazel eyes and a long nose. A man who had lived to the fullest.
“Pai,” Bruno muttered before leaning down.
His father murmured something she couldn’t understand. Her conversational Portuguese skills were quite decent, but she would’ve had to have been a lip-reader to grasp the words escaping the man’s lips. She wished she was one.
The frail old man touched his son on the face. No hug, no kiss. Just a brief outlining of Bruno’s features. And then the moment passed.
“Pai, this is Addie, my fiancée.”
Addie leaned down and kissed the old man on both cheeks, Brazilian style. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Sergio gave her a once-over, and a warm smile followed. “Welcome to our family, minha querida.”
“O-Obrigada,” she stuttered, guilt filling her insides like a helium balloon. This is for the greater good. Camila gave her a gentle nudge and said with the excitement of someone who’d just gained a sister, “I have to show you your room. The boys will bring the luggage.”
“My room,” she repeated with relief.
“The party is scheduled for tomorrow. Pai said he wouldn’t mind if you two shared a room, but Bruno was adamant. He only wanted to share the room after you two were married.” Camila winked. “Sweet, huh?”
Camila steered her inside and led her into an airy hallway and large living room, which was located next to a medi
a room and a home office. Light yellow walls added brightness and contrasted with the baroque-style furniture, brown sofas, and a couple of recliners. Modern-day luxuries agreed with the colorful, original Romero Britto paintings on the walls.
All of this and more would have overwhelmed and impressed her, but she gave it little notice as, all the way to her room, she pondered Bruno’s decision about the sleeping arrangements.
She was relieved, of course. Even one night without sleeping near him would be priceless. Really. Priceless.
But why hadn’t he explained it to her when she’d mentioned room arrangements in the car? Maybe he just wanted to make her sweat on purpose. His swollen ego probably figured his presence would leave her hot and bothered. She snorted.
“Something wrong with the room?” Camila asked.
She blinked. The airy, beige guest bedroom had a classic feel. A plasma TV hung on the wall across from the lovely queen-size bed. A clear vase with big yellow roses was arranged on the bedside table. Everything in its place. “No. It’s great.”
“You seemed disappointed.”
Addie shook her head immediately. Disappointed? “No. I really like it. I’m sorry, I’m just jet lagged.”
Camila pulled the drapes to one side and showed her the gorgeous view of Sugarloaf and the mountains. “I can imagine. I usually need a day or two after I return from the States.”
“You travel often?” Addie asked as she walked around the room. She placed the oversize designer bag Bruno insisted she have on the top of a white dresser.
“At least once every two months. It’s hard with Bruno living so far.”
“How often does he visit?” Addie asked all too quickly, unable to contain herself any longer.
Camila’s smile faded. “It’s been fourteen years.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Yes. This is his first visit since he left Brazil.”
“Why?” she blurted. Fourteen years? Why would someone with enough money to purchase a small island somewhere avoid getting on a jet to meet his own family?
Camila parted her lips, then hesitated. She brushed her mouth with her fingers and shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll tell you,” she said and turned to fluff the roses inside the vase.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that…it must be hard for you, as a sister, to have a brother who has been so far away.” Addie stepped toward her future sister-in-law. “You were just a kid when he left, right?”
Camila picked a rose from the vase and turned around. Her kind eyes studied Addie, then she toyed with the long stem. “Growing up, I had learning disabilities. At least I think that’s what it was. Our father prioritized manual labor over education. My underpaid public school teacher didn’t have the patience or willingness to deal with me,” she continued, her voice shakier. “Bruno had to drop school early to work as a gardener, but when he caught me crying on my walk home from school…”
A gardener? Addie folded and unfolded her arms, restless. The image of Bruno slaving away as an average Joe made her throat dry.
Camila sighed. “From that day, no matter how late he got home from work, he’d call me and go over my homework with me. He taught me to read,” she said with pride. A tear rolled down her cheek. “Sorry.” Camila wiped the tear with a gentle rub. “Having Bruno here after so long and planning for a wedding is too much for an emotional train wreck like me.”
The weight of a cannonball fell on Addie’s heart. “Don’t be silly,” she managed to sound nonchalant. Another image formed in her head, and it involved a side of Bruno she had no clue existed. Could he be the caring big brother?
Camila put the rose back in the vase. “I’m glad you’re here, Addie. Something tells me you will be a great addition to our family.”
“Would you like more moqueca?” Maria, the friendly cook, asked.
Addie glanced at the delicious seafood stew. “Yes, please.”
Maria gave her a larger portion than she would have wanted, but who was she to complain? She savored every bit of the moqueca, the strong flavor of the coconut milk and palm oil teasing her palate. After Maria disappeared into the kitchen, Addie scanned the circular rosewood table covered with a colorful linen cloth.
Fresh salad, rice, fried plantains, and farofa de dendê, a toasted manioc flour mixture, filled the table, along with a couple of different juices and bottles of wine. But not even the well-organized and delicious banquet could mask the tension brewing between those gathered at the table.
Leonardo, Emanuel, and Bruno sat side by side and ate in silence. On the other side of the table, there was Addie, Camila, and Sergio. The older man ate very slowly and choked up a few words here and there, although it appeared he paid close attention whenever someone made small talk. The nurse, a middle-aged lady dressed in white, often walked by to check on him.
“I didn’t know moqueca was popular in Rio,” Addie broke the silence with what she hoped to be a safe subject. Anything to overpower the sound of cutlery and throat clearing. “I know it’s popular in the northeast.”
Leonardo frowned and cocked his head. “You’ve been to Brazil before?”
Crap. I’m bad at this. Her gaze darted to Bruno. He raised a cautionary eyebrow, the message clear.
“Nearly three years ago, I went to the state of Pernambuco for a vacation.” She settled for the half-truth, only omitting she’d decided to stay there.
“That’s where we come from,” Camila said enthusiastically. “Where did you visit?”
Addie grabbed a piece of bread from the plate in front of her and sliced it with a knife. “Recife.” She hoped the name of the capital would be enough. Let them think she went to Recife for fun in the sun.
“Where in the US are you from?” Emanuel, who seemed quieter than his two older brothers, finally spoke. Maybe quiet, but not any less threatening. He had big, hazel eyes that resembled his father’s.
“I was born in Florida, but I moved to Houston when I was a teenager.” Her father’s way to cope with her mother’s addiction. Let’s all move and forget we lost the house. Brilliant. She put a chunk of bread in her mouth and chewed it, avoiding looking at Bruno. She was pretty sure he measured every word that escaped her lips.
“How did you two meet?” Leonardo narrowed his dark green eyes, giving his brother a side glance before returning his attention to her.
She swallowed and cleared her throat. “We met in New York City, through a mutual friend.” She offered Leonardo a smile. If he or anyone discovered her real past, they probably wouldn’t buy the marriage idea, and then she’d have to say good-bye to their deal. “I like to think we were predestined to meet, one way or another.”
Leonardo nodded, apparently happy with her reply.
“That’s sweet,” Camila added. “I don’t know why the press insisted he was marrying that other woman.”
“Erika is a mutual friend used to the limelight. When those rumors surfaced, she didn’t mind taking the hit since my Addie is very…private,” Bruno stepped in, his voice sweet as caramel.
He winked at her, and butterflies took flight in her stomach. Bruno certainly acted like they’d known each other for a long time.
She rubbed her thumb on the ring. Bruno had told her that the diamond was the real thing, a rare, natural green. Whatever. To sit in front of his family and pretend to be engaged when the truth was far from it didn’t come natural to her. How could she grin when their relationship was as superficial as a plastic candy ring?
…
Bruno opened the door of the storage room, where gardening tools, pool cleaning chemicals, and a lawn mower fought for space. There was also a twin bed with rumpled sheets and a thin mattress.
“Meu amor, I saw you coming in early,” she said with a giggle, sauntering out of the tiny bathroom. He drew in a breath, taken aback by her huge brown eyes, which matched the easy smile on her gorgeous face. Her slick brown hair tumbled down her body, and she had on the same yellow knee-length dr
ess she’d worn when they first kissed the month before. “I couldn’t wait ‘til my parents left.”
He snatched her into his arms and kissed her. “I suppose the weeds and bushes can wait…”
Bruno blinked, leaving behind the memory of a much different door, and knocked on the one in front of him. “Pai? You wanted to talk to me?”
Tereza, the nurse, opened the door. “Please come in.”
After a couple seconds of hesitation, Bruno strolled into his father’s bedroom. Pai lay on the raised hospital bed. Though health care equipment and supplies took up most of the room, a large wood-framed window offered an enticing view of the outside gardens. Strategically placed lamps outlined the rose bushes and the trees.
Bruno had been back in Brazil for half a day, and the puzzling emotions tormenting him since his arrival hadn’t prepared him for a chat with his father. Sergio had exchanged a couple of words with him during lunch, and after everyone had gone to enjoy a cup of café in the living area, he’d muttered he wanted to talk to his son. Tereza had wheeled him to his room, giving Bruno a few minutes to gather his wits.
What could they have to talk about? So much yet so little. Years of monosyllabic, superficial greetings over the phone echoed in Bruno’s ears. As he sat next to his father’s bed, time regressed. Like thorns, anxiety pierced his chest.
“You may go,” his father told Tereza.
With a nod, the nurse sauntered out of the room and closed the door behind her.
“When you left, I didn’t imagine it would take this long for you to return.” Sergio’s voice sliced the air.
Bruno cleared his throat. “You told me you never wanted to see me again.”
Sergio moved his head to the side to regard his son. Bruno’s feet tapped on the hardwood floor, and he wished he could run from this awkward conversation. “This woman. Addie. She’s different from the women in the newspapers.”
“Addie’s special. She goes through great trouble to protect those she loves.”
His father shifted on the bed. “Does she love you?”
