The Christmas Present

by Tracy Wolff

  The look he gave her was inscrutable. “I’m not planning on sacrificing anything, but I am going to shake the trees until I find the bastards that did this to Esme. With any luck, I’ll make enough noise that they’ll come after me. Then I’m going to burn them all.”

  “How do you know her brothers know anything about that? Wouldn’t they come forward to get justice for their sister?”

  “Give me a break, Vivian. They’re running scared and we both know it. You narrowed in on these guys from the first time you spoke with Diego, and nothing besides that gun has happened to change your mind.

  “Those boys are scared spitless. And not just of me—they were too strung-out, too adamant. Guys don’t roll like that down here unless something big’s at risk.

  “Those two know a lot more about what happened than they’re saying, and I’m not going to see Diego spend the rest of his life in jail just because those morons got themselves in too deep with someone a lot badder than they are.”

  “Still, what if something happens to you?”

  He looked at her sideways. “Would you miss me?”

  “Not at all. I just don’t want to be standing near you when the bullet hits. Blood can be so hard to get out of good silk.”

  “You’re hilarious.”

  “Don’t ask stupid questions if you don’t want stupid answers.”

  He laughed and the tension dissipated from his face as if it had never been. “You’re pretty fabulous, you know that?”

  “I have heard that before.” She smiled up at him.

  “Then it’s obviously a sentiment that bears repeating.” Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and twined their fingers together.

  The fact that she let him told her everything she needed to know about her feelings toward Rafael—even as it scared the hell out of her.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  WHAT HAD HE BEEN THINKING? Rafael wondered early the next evening as he helped Vivian into his truck. What had possessed him to think it would be a good idea to take her out? Even worse, to bring her to meet his family?

  He circled around to his side of the vehicle and climbed in. He tried to smile at her as he started the ignition, but from the expression on her face, his smile had come across even more sickly than he’d been afraid of.

  He’d woken up that morning with an ill feeling in the pit of his stomach, and his first glimpse of her apartment had only made things worse. He’d known from the beginning that she had money, but that didn’t quite cover it. She was filthy rich.

  Ivory tower rich.

  So rich that her pocket change could probably buy him three times over.

  And he was bringing her to his parents’ restaurant to meet his family—on their first date. Was he completely insane? What if she didn’t like his family, or God forbid, pitied them?

  What if she reminded them of the last woman he’d brought home who was out of her element? Normally his family did its best to pretend those five years hadn’t happened. Was bringing Vivian to the party waving a red flag?

  “Rafael?” Vivian asked quietly. “Is everything okay? With Diego, I mean?”

  “I think so. I haven’t talked to him since this afternoon, but he sounded as good as could be expected then. Why?”

  “You seem…different.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just been a long couple of days.” Forcing a smile, he glanced at her, doing his best to keep his eyes off the large, perfectly wrapped box on her lap. It screamed expensive and was just one more thing that was making the collar of his dress shirt feel too tight.

  “I know that feeling.” The smile she sent him was a lot warmer than he deserved. “I’ve been working like crazy to try to get as much evidence lined up as I can for the hearing tomorrow. I contacted someone I know in Vice, who was able to back up Ric’s and Danny’s involvement in dealing, and the school finally came through with Diego’s records. They’re completely clean.”

  Rafael eased off the freeway and took the first left, told himself to concentrate on what he could control. “Do you need me to testify?” he asked, a cold drop of sweat rolling down his back as he checked the clock.

  They were only a couple of miles from his mom and dad’s place now, and everyone should already be there. Part of him wanted to delay the inevitable, and the other half wanted to just get it over with.

  “Not yet. This is early days.” She tossed her hair behind her shoulder and he barely kept himself from groaning. Why had she chosen tonight of all nights to leave her hair down? He was supposed to be paying attention to the road, but he kept imagining what it would feel like to wrap himself up in all that hair as he kissed every inch of her.

  He tried to focus on something else, told himself he wouldn’t try to rush her into bed. It was enough that she’d agreed to go out with him knowing his past. Asking for more would be a blueprint for disaster.

  Though he knew he was doing the right thing, the dress Vivian was wearing was driving him nuts. Even with her coat on, it exposed luscious glimpses of her breasts and legs.

  “When would you need me to testify?” He said it with the desperation of a man grasping his last lifeline, but surely focusing on Diego’s plight would help keep his mind off his own.

  She shrugged. “It depends on what happens from this point on.”

  Rafael shot her a quick look. “Meaning?”

  “Meaning that as soon as I get the judge to agree to hear the case in juvenile court, I’ll be filing for a dismissal, based on the lack of state’s evidence. If that fails, I’ll go after the little bit of evidence they do have.”

  “And if that doesn’t work?”

  “Then a trial date will be set, and when it comes up, I’ll need you to testify to Diego’s character.” She reached over and placed a hand on his knee as if to comfort him. “Of course, by the time that comes to pass, we should have found at least one witness who saw someone other than Diego near Esme’s house. Plus, by then, the private detective I hired might actually have something concrete on Barnes and Turner.”

  “The report didn’t turn up anything.”

  “It turned up a whole lot of suspicions, but nothing substantial. Seems to be the story of my life right now, and it’s driving me nuts. They’ve been in disciplinary hearings twice, but never suspended. There are credible rumors that they’re dirty, but…”

  “The boys in blue protect their own.”

  “Exactly.”

  He reached beneath the damn present and squeezed her hand. “I don’t think I’ve said thank-you for everything you’re doing for Diego.”

  She smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  “You’re doing a hell of a job.” And she was. She’d turned over stones he hadn’t thought to mess with, like with the cops. Sure, he’d thought they were prejudiced against Diego, but he’d never thought to dig deeper, to see if they had another motive for their incompetence.

  Vivian had. She was thorough and tough and more than willing to play every card she had to get a winner. The differences between her and the public defender Diego first had were so huge that it was hard to imagine they were both in the same profession.

  Rafael stopped at a red light and turned to gaze at her. She looked beautiful in the dim light of the streetlamps, her peaches-and-cream profile perfect against the darkness.

  Ignoring his erection, he carried the hand he still held to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss on her open palm.

  Her pulse jumped under his fingers and her eyes widened. In confusion? he wondered. Or desire? He didn’t know, and for the moment he was content not to analyze.

  She felt so good beside him, her soft body only inches from his own. The cab of his truck filled with her sweet scent, which wrapped itself around him, made him want her more than he could ever remember wanting another woman.

  “I’m only doing for Diego what any decent lawyer would.”

  “That’s not true.” He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. “You’re doing so much more than I ever expected.”


  The light turned green, but he didn’t let go of her hand. Reveled in the fact that she made no move to let go of his.

  She didn’t say anything else until they were pulling into a parking spot at the back of his parents’ restaurant, and then she whispered, “I don’t want your gratitude.”

  His heart jumped as he wondered what she did want from him. For a moment he could think of nothing but leaping on top of her. It had been a long time since he’d taken a woman in his truck, but—

  He stopped himself before he got any further. Hadn’t he just promised himself he wouldn’t push her? That he’d be content with what she wanted to give him? Too bad his libido hadn’t caught up with his conscience.

  Holding himself steady, Rafael turned off the engine and then did the most stupid thing imaginable. He asked softly, “What do you want?”

  Vivian’s hand tensed in his and she glanced away. The silence between them stretched so long that he was sure she wouldn’t answer him. But just as disappointment filled him, just as he told himself it was better this way, she whispered, “You.”

  He groaned, and reached for her as all his good intentions went out the window. Pulling her across the seat, he scooted to the middle, then settled her in his lap.

  Her fingers gripped his shoulders, while his hands tangled in her hair. He wanted to get closer to her, wanted to be inside her—not just her body but her beautiful, beautiful soul.

  He lowered his mouth to hers and had one glorious moment to savor the taste of her—the unbelievable, addictive taste of her—before someone pounded on the hood of his truck. Laughter exploded around them and then Gabriel’s voice sounded right outside the driver’s window.

  “Come on, Rafa. Do the lovebird routine later! You’re late. Miguel and Heather should be showing up any second now. Mama wants you inside so you can hide with the rest of us.”

  Vivian was squirming away from him before Gabriel had finished his first sentence, her face flaming red in the dim lights of the parking lot. “It’s okay,” Rafael said, trying to soothe her, to pull her back against him. But she was having none of it.

  She bent and picked up the present she’d brought for Miguel, then hid behind the large box. “Don’t be embarrassed,” he said softly, watching her. “There’s no reason to be.”

  “Are you kidding me? How can I be anything but embarrassed?” she hissed. “I almost had sex with you in the parking lot of your parents’ restaurant! In your truck! In front of people I can only assume are your friends and relatives!”

  He nearly crowed at the acknowledgment that she was as willing—and obviously anxious—to make love to him as he was to her. Part of him wanted nothing more than to tell Gabriel to buzz off so he could pull her into his lap again and show her exactly how good it could be in a parked vehicle.

  How good it would be between them, anywhere.

  “It’s just my brother Gabriel and a couple of his friends. He’s the second oldest, so he takes his responsibility to harass and humiliate us seriously.”

  “I can see that,” she murmured. “Please let him know that he’s succeeded—at least on my part.”

  “Don’t worry about him,” Rafael repeated, before sliding from the car with a muttered warning to his brother to lay off. Then he walked around the truck to help Vivian out. She kept her face turned away as she slid from the passenger’s seat, and refused to look at Rafael even after he’d called her name.

  He wasn’t willing to budge on this and before she could slip by him, he caught her chin between his thumb and index finger and pressed just hard enough to force her to meet his eyes. “Don’t be embarrassed,” he said. “Gabriel’s happily married to a beautiful woman, and believe me, I’ve caught them doing much worse more times than I can count.”

  “Stop it!” she whispered fiercely, trying to pull away. “You’re not going to make me feel better.”

  “But it’s true.” Gabriel said with a wink as he extended his hand to shake hers. “And hey, it’s about time Rafael found a nice woman to hang around with. Mom worries about him, since he’s such a loner. Like a bear with a sore paw.”

  Rafael watched his brother’s interaction with Vivian tensely, waiting for some clue as to what he was thinking. But if he was upset Rafa had brought an obviously wealthy, obviously fancy woman to the party, he certainly didn’t show it.

  Did that mean he was hiding his concerns, or that Rafael had blown the whole thing out of proportion? As attached as he was growing to Vivian, he could only hope it was the latter.

  VIVIAN HAD NEVER BEEN more embarrassed in her life, but she figured at this point it was better to brazen things out than to curl up in the fetal position and try to disappear. “It’s nice to meet you, Gabriel,” she murmured as she clasped his hand, which was almost as big and nearly as rough as Rafael’s, in her own.

  But his smile was more open, more relaxed, and she couldn’t help responding to him. “Rafael didn’t tell me this was a surprise party.”

  “Yeah, well, Rafael doesn’t say much more than he has to, or haven’t you figured that out already?” Gabriel draped an arm around her shoulder and guided her toward the restaurant.

  “I’m beginning to realize that,” she said, glancing at Rafael from beneath her lashes. “But I’d love to hear any other tips you’ve got for me?”

  Gabriel threw back his head and laughed, then opened the door of the restaurant and shouted, “Mama, Dad. Come see what Rafael brought. You’ll love her.”

  “Well, bring her in then, mijo.”

  As she walked into the restaurant, Vivian was greeted by a tall, curvy woman whose beauty was as fierce as her son’s.

  “Hi, Mama.” Rafael leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. She hugged him tightly before returning the kiss.

  “Now introduce me to your beautiful friend, Rafael.” Her eyes were bright and inquisitive as she turned to Vivian.

  “This is Vivian Wentworth. Vivian, this is my mother, Angelina.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Cardoza.” Vivian glanced around at the brightly decorated room. “Your restaurant is lovely.”

  “Thank you. It’s hard work, but we love it. And please, call me Angelina.” She took the present from Vivian’s hands and handed it to Gabriel. “Go put this on the table with the others. And hurry—your brother will be here soon.

  “And you…” She looked at Rafael. “You go get Vivian a drink. There’s fresh margaritas and sangria at the bar. What would you like, niña?”

  “A margarita sounds great.”

  “Got it, and for you, Mama?” Vivian watched, amused, as Rafael hopped to do his mother’s bidding.

  “Make it two.”

  As soon as he walked away, Angelina looped her arm through Vivian’s and pulled her deeper into the room. “So, tell me about yourself, Vivian. What do you do?”

  “I’m an attorney.”

  “Oh, yes. That’s why you look familiar—you’re defending one of Rafa’s kids on that horrible murder charge. I’ve seen you on TV.”

  Vivian didn’t know quite how to respond to that—the media hadn’t exactly been showing her best side.

  “The press—they’re vultures. When Rafael was in trouble years ago, they used to hound us mercilessly,” Angelina said. She shook her head as if to clear it. “Anyway. You’re a lawyer and you’re a native of San Francisco?”

  “I am. My parents are from Boston, but they moved here before I was born.”

  “Boston’s a nice city—too cold for me. I was born in Rio.”

  “Now that’s a beautiful city!”

  “It is, yes. But crazy. I took the boys to Carnaval when they were teenagers.” She rolled her eyes. “They got into so much trouble, but had such a good time I couldn’t yell at them. And Rafa, he was the worst. That boy was always getting into something.” Angelina laughed softly.

  “That doesn’t surprise me—he looks like trouble.”

  “Oh, you have no idea.” She pointed to her head. “Half my gray hairs come fr
om him.”

  Vivian looked at her hostess’s sleek black hair. “I don’t see any gray.”

  “That’s because I have a good hairdresser, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.”

  It was Vivian’s turn to laugh.

  “Now, tell me more.”

  Those words started the madness, and for the next four hours, Vivian was passed from one member of Rafael’s family to another.

  Roberto Cardoza was a charming man, who plied her with margaritas and with stories of his youngest son while he danced her around and around the small wooden floor at the center of the restaurant. He laughed and flirted outrageously, and as she smiled into his still-handsome face, she got a glimpse of what Rafael would look like in another thirty-five years or so. It was a nice image.

  Each of his brothers also claimed her for a dance, including the birthday boy, Miguel, who was as serious as Gabriel was jovial.

  No wonder Rafael had turned out so well, she told herself, as she whirled and spun, laughed and joked with Rafael’s family.

  No wonder he was so compassionate and caring toward all those kids. His parents had given him such unconditional love….

  “Having fun?” Rafa asked the first time he managed to catch up to her. He held out a glass of water, which she gulped down thirstily.

  “Your father’s a wild man.”

  “Only with the people he likes.”

  “Well, he must love me then,” she teased. “I can’t remember the last time I danced so much.”

  “I think he’s crazy about you.”

  “Well, the feeling’s entirely mutual. Your family is fabulous, and you’re so different when they’re around.”

  “What do you mean?” His eyes searched hers warily.

  “I mean, you smiled more in the first hour you were here than you have in the entire time I’ve known you. You’re happy here.”

  “Of course—this is home. Isn’t that what family is for?”

  “It’s supposed to be.”

  Vivian thought of her own family, of the layers and layers of ice between them and any real emotions. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a conversation with her mother that didn’t include full emotional body armor. And yet here, everything was so effortless, so joyous. Rafael’s mother was so far away from Lillian Wentworth in style and attitude that she might as well have been a different species.