Angel Falls

by Connie Mann

  They laughed companionably and then Brooks looked directly at her. “Come on out, Regina. It’s all right.”

  When she walked out into the campsite, she automatically swept her gaze over Brooks from head to foot, checking for injuries. He seemed fine, relaxed.

  Laughter lurked in his gray eyes when he said, “Regina, meet Jax, my good friend and general pain in the butt.”

  “I should be offended, but he’s right,” the blond man said, reaching for her hand.

  He was almost as tall as Brooks, but broader, thicker in the neck and shoulders. Regina took an instinctive step back, but it was the look in his eyes that worried her most. He took her hand, gallantly kissing her knuckles, but then, just as she let her guard down slightly, he turned her hand over and licked her palm. Her gaze collided with his, and he held tight while he subjected her to a very thorough, very carnal perusal. Revulsion clogged her throat, and she yanked her hand away.

  Brooks apparently didn’t like what he saw in that exchange, for he suddenly appeared beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders in a decidedly proprietary manner.

  With something close to awe, Regina watched as the two men took each other’s measure, like two hunters after the same prey. Tension hovered in the air, and Regina fought the urge to squirm. She wanted to protest that she was nobody’s prize or pawn, but something kept her silent. She sensed more going on here than what was obvious on the surface. And if she was honest, at some deeper level, the very feminine depths of her were secretly pleased that Brooks had come to her defense. It was a totally new sensation, and she found she liked it, though she probably shouldn’t make more of it than it was.

  After a long moment, Jax dropped his gaze. “So it’s like that, is it?”

  Brooks gave one quick nod and then let his arm drop as the two men moved off together, out of earshot. From the way their voices murmured together, their standoff might never have happened.

  They also acted like she didn’t exist. Regina’s emotions came to a rolling boil as the two men talked, oblivious, and Regina noisily packed up the camp. She couldn’t decide if she was more angry or hurt. After telling her he cared about her, now he was shutting her out. She thwacked the lid onto the coffee pot. His big bad buddy shows up and poof, she’s not part of the team anymore. Well, he was in for one heck of a surprise.

  She nearly jumped out of her skin when Brooks said quietly from behind her, “I know that’s my head you’d like to be bashing in, but maybe you could make a little less noise. We don’t want any unexpected company.”

  Regina whirled around, poking him in the chest with a large metal stirring spoon. “Well, we’ve already got that, now don’t we?”

  “I asked him to come.”

  She fairly sputtered at that. “Listen, you, we’ve been in this together from the beginning. You’re not going to get rid of me now.”

  He gently pried the spoon from her grasp and regarded her intently for a long moment. Regina studied his gray eyes and saw regret, mixed with something else she couldn’t name, in his expression.

  “Jax will take you and Eduardo to the airport in fifteen minutes. You’ll be back in Porto Alegre by lunchtime.”

  Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Had he not been holding onto her arms, her legs would have given out and she’d have crumpled in a heap. He was sending her away. Despite what he’d said earlier, he didn’t want her anymore. The bald truth slammed into her and stole her breath. This was it.

  Part of her wanted to fling herself at his feet and beg to stay, but pride raised its head to shield her from the slap of rejection. Finally, she latched onto the first question she could pull from the haze of pain. “What about Eduardo?” she whispered.

  The expression in his gray eyes turned fierce, implacable. “I’ll come get him when this is over.”

  “No!” she cried, breaking free of his hold. Pride and panic evaporated like water on a hot stove, vaporized in the heat of loyalty to Irene and Eduardo. “This is not how this is going to go. I’m not leaving until this is over. I told you that. Until the threat to that child is gone, you’re stuck with me. Like it or not, you need me.”

  His jaw hardened, and she saw his warrior face slide into place. Instantly, all clues to what he was thinking were wiped away. Regina couldn’t guess at his emotions; nothing of the man she’d come to know remained but a rock-hard expression and immovable stance. “Don’t fight me on this, Reggie.”

  Her chin shot into the air and she planted her hands on her hips. “You’re not making a decision like this without me.”

  His voice was flat, emotionless. “I just did.”

  “Well, it’s not going to happen like that.” She sat down on one of the fold-up camping chairs. “I’m not leaving.”

  “You’re only making this harder on yourself. Collect your stuff and the kid’s.”

  “And if I won’t?” she taunted. She wouldn’t go back to being a spineless victim now. Too much was at stake.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes.” His voice was quiet, but his intent deadly clear.

  Regina studied his face and knew that in this battle of wills, he would prevail. He had decided on his course, and nothing and no one would be able to sway him. He was not above bodily hefting her onto a plane, unconscious, if necessary. Brooks wanted her and Eduardo in Porto Alegre, and that was that.

  Defeat seeped into her and all the fight left her. After all they’d been through, all they’d shared, he still didn’t consider her a real partner, didn’t want her around. She was just part of a job he was doing, a warm body to take care of the baby until the real help—in the form of his friend—arrived. He had deemed her qualified to babysit as long as there was no imminent danger, but nothing more. Whatever foolish dreams she’d conjured up, he was just doing his duty. And now she’d outlived her usefulness.

  She forced her shoulders back and walked to the blanket where Eduardo sucked on his toes, socks and all. Tenderly, she picked him up and showered kisses on his forehead, his tiny ears, his button nose. “It’s okay, Eduardo,” she whispered, her voice suddenly clogged with unshed tears. “I’ll take care of you.” Regina nuzzled his neck, committing the sight of his lopsided grin to memory, hoarding it with all the others, so she’d have it later—when she was alone again.

  She wouldn’t think about that now. Carefully, she set Eduardo back down on the blanket so she could pack. An errant tear ran down her cheek as she reached for her bag, so she wiped it quickly away. She would not leave with her tail between her legs, like a sniveling coward. She would leave with her dignity intact.

  She finished putting all of their things into her bag and then stood. With what she hoped was a bright smile, she turned to Brooks and stuck out her hand. “Thank you for your help in this matter,” she said formally. “I’ll look forward to seeing you when you return to Porto Alegre.”

  That he would succeed against their pursuer, she didn’t have the slightest doubt. At first he’d been reluctant, but now she knew he wouldn’t rest until the threat was “neutralized,” as he called it. A shiver swept over her, but another part of her acknowledged that violence might well be necessary to secure Eduardo’s future.

  A fierce scowl on his face, Brooks closed the distance between them in two steps. “Don’t do this, Reggie,” he growled, just before he hauled her into his arms.

  He slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her with all the desperation of a soldier going off to war. This kiss was different than all the others; he took everything she had to give. Regina gave back all he took. Their mouths met, advancing and retreating in a conflict where there were no winners or losers. There was only a desperate wanting for more. More time. More words. More chances to see the other’s heart.

  Abruptly, Brooks pulled away and cupped her face in his palms. “I can’t risk it,” he groaned, then set her firmly away.

  The agony she’d glimpsed in his expression sliced her heart to ribbons. What can’t you risk? she wanted to ask
. Numb, she watched as he scooped Eduardo into his arms, gave his forehead a quick kiss, and then gave her the baby and motioned for her to go with Jax.

  Feet heavy as cement blocks, she stumbled after the man, who set a relentless pace out of the clearing. At the edge she stopped, wanting one last look, a final glimpse to relive in the days ahead. She turned, but Brooks wasn’t looking at her. He had his back to her, dialing his cell phone.

  He’d already forgotten her.

  Brooks sensed her stop and almost turned around. But he forced himself not to. It was better to make a clean break. Besides, it was the only way he knew to get them both out of harm’s way. He already felt empty without her.

  He ran a hand through his hair. Now he was getting maudlin. He’d made a smart, tactical decision. His enemy would want them at the meeting; he’d make sure they weren’t. Jax had promised to see them safely back to the orphanage and speak with the guard about stepping up security for a few days. Brooks wasn’t taking any chances with their lives.

  The image of Beatrice Simms and her son wanted to intrude on his thoughts, but he pushed it from his mind. He had no time for emotion now.

  It was time to hunt a killer. And to hunt, you had to know your prey.

  He dialed and paced. This time he would get the information he needed, hurt feelings or not. He had to know what he was dealing with. And he knew the one person who could tell him.

  Carol answered on the first ring, so he assumed Noah was asleep in his hospital bed. Brooks shoved the disturbing image away. “Mom, it’s Brooks.”

  “Nathaniel, how are you?” She didn’t try to hide the concern in her voice.

  “I’d be a lot better if I knew exactly what was going down here,” he said baldly.

  “I’m sorry.” She drew a deep breath. “We—no, I—should have told you sooner.”

  “And now?”

  He heard a shuffling noise, as though she had moved away and was cupping the phone with her hand. “We got a photo yesterday, by cell phone, of you, Regina, and Eduardo.”

  His worst suspicions were realized. This had everything to do with Noah and the past. “Did he see it?”

  “Your father? Yes.”

  “When were you going to tell me about it?”

  “I-I wasn’t sure how.”

  He reigned in his impatience and commanded, “Tell me now. It’s important. Who sent it?”

  The image of the ambush flashed into his mind again, but this time, the woman and child lying on the ground bleeding were Reggie and Eduardo.

  There was a long silence, punctuated only by the bleeping sounds of hospital machinery.

  “I need to know,” he prodded.

  “I’m not sure where to start.”

  “Just give me the high points. Who is this guy?”

  “Your father and I knew his sister when we were in school in Porto Alegre together. We were all friends. His name is Raul.”

  “Right. So, what happened?”

  “Raul’s sister, um, died, and he blamed your father for it. He swore vengeance on him and our family. But then Raul went to prison, and we forgot all about it.”

  Brooks reigned in his impatience. “You already told me that. Now tell me why this Raul blamed Noah for his sister’s death.”

  “I-I’m not sure.”

  “Don’t lie, Mom. You’re lousy at it,” he growled.

  He waited, wondering if she’d finally get the truth out. She’d preached honesty all his life, but he supposed some truths were harder to tell than others. This one, apparently, had been hidden a very long time.

  When she spoke, her voice had gone flat, devoid of emotion. She might have been reciting pages from the telephone book. “Teresa is—was,” she corrected, “your biological mother. She died when you were eighteen. Raul blamed your father for her death.”

  Brooks reeled back as though he’d been slapped. Of all the scenarios he’d painted in his mind, this one never crossed his scope. The man trying to kill them was his uncle? It boggled the mind, but it was also distant, as though they were discussing someone else.

  “How did she die?”

  Another pause. “She killed herself.”

  He decided he’d think about that later. “What do Irene and Eduardo have to do with this? Why kill her, if he’s after our family?” Even as he asked, he thought of the photo of Noah and Irene.

  Another long pause. “We believe Raul thinks Eduardo is Noah’s son.”

  Brooks steeled himself. “Is he?”

  The silence stretched. “No.” Carol’s voice sounded tentative, unsure.

  Brooks didn’t buy it. “Then who is?”

  “That I can’t answer.”

  He growled in frustration. “Can’t or won’t?”

  “In this case, both.” Her crisp tone let him know this was all he was going to get from her. At least at this point.

  He heard a quiet sniffle and realized what this had cost her. His whole life, he’d watched his mother worship Noah, doting on him and, like an eager puppy, hoping for some scrap of affection. Noah cared for her, but he treated her with the sort of distant affection one showed a visiting aunt. Beloved, but not somebody you wanted to spend all your time with.

  “Thank you for telling me,” he said. “I know it wasn’t easy.”

  “Just keep them safe. Don’t let anything happen to them, Nathaniel.”

  The weight of responsibility settled like lead. He fought the urge to hang up and head for the nearest bar and oblivion. Let someone else handle it. But then he remembered Reggie’s face as she’d said good-bye.

  “I’ll do my best,” he promised.

  Regina followed Jax through the woods, Eduardo balanced over one shoulder, the bag with their belongings over the other. You’d think the man could at least carry the bag for her. But as she watched him moving ahead of her, she decided maybe it was better that he ignored her. The way he’d licked her palm earlier coiled a tight knot in her belly and made her wish for a baby wipe, washcloth, anything to wash the smell and feel of him off her hands. Jax might be Brooks’s friend, but she didn’t like him. Something about him put all her self-protective instincts on alert. She’d only ignored that instinct a few times in her life, and each time had bitterly regretted it. Father, show me what to do, how to act.

  She slowed her pace to put more distance between them. Jax noticed immediately and scowled over his shoulder.

  “Keep up, Miss da Silva. We have a plane to catch.”

  She increased her speed slightly and shifted the bag higher on her shoulder. The darn thing got heavier with every step. Without a word, they tramped through the trees, finally coming out behind the elegant hotel at the falls. Regina blinked at the sudden change from the dimness of the forest to the bright sunlight. Eduardo squeezed his little eyes shut and yowled a protest. Regina smiled. “Tell me about it,” she murmured.

  Just as she was wondering if Jax planned to march them all the way to the airport, he casually approached a parked car and pulled what looked—at first glance—like a key from his pocket. Having hot-wired a car or two in her life, she was impressed with the speed at which he got the door open.

  “Get in,” he ordered brusquely, holding the passenger door open.

  She met his ice blue eyes and stifled a shudder. Then she reminded herself that Brooks wouldn’t have sent her with his friend if he didn’t trust him. Reluctantly, she handed Jax her bag and then climbed in with Eduardo.

  He started the older model Mercedes and drove casually out of the parking lot, down the winding road and out of the national park. Regina kept her attention on Eduardo, hoping that Jax would forget her presence.

  From a purely objective standpoint, the man was undeniably attractive. He had that all-American look about him: football player’s build, blond crew cut, blue eyes. She figured he made female hearts pitter-patter when he walked by. He just made her nervous.

  Regina breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived at the airport and she could move out of Jax�
�s reach. She relaxed further when they boarded the two-and-a-half-hour flight to Porto Alegre, and Jax took a seat across the aisle. With him at arm’s length, exhaustion set in and she finally felt safe enough to snooze, Eduardo cuddled against her chest.

  Meanwhile, Brooks paced the campsite, frustration clawing at his gut. Every instinct told him that a) time was running out, and b) he was still missing some vital clue. He again replayed the conversation with his mother. What had he missed? When his cell phone rang, he snatched it up, annoyed.

  “Good morning, Senhor Anderson,” a mechanical voice greeted. “How are you enjoying your tour of Brazil?”

  Brooks stopped short as frustration and rage found their target. He’d had enough. “When and where, Raul?” he snapped. Then he added quietly, “Or should I say, Uncle?”

  The mechanical voice chuckled as though he’d made a joke, but Brooks wasn’t listening. He focused on the background noise, searching for a clue to the other man’s location. Based on the absolute silence, Raul must be calling from a hotel room.

  “You impatient Americans, always in a hurry.” Raul paused as though making a decision. “In this, however, I find I must agree with you. It is time to end our little game.”

  Brooks waited, every nerve stretched tight. Let Raul think he called the shots.

  “We will meet tonight. I left a map to our little rendezvous in the lobby of the Hotel Cataratas. Don’t be late.”

  By the time the other man disconnected, Brooks was almost halfway to the hotel.

  A very short time later, by South American standards, Regina stood in the doorway of House of Angels and thanked Jax for escorting them home. Just before she closed the door he leaned close and whispered, “If you ever decide you’d rather have a real man, look me up.”

  Regina slammed and locked the door, then leaned back against it, shivering. As soon as the taxi pulled away, she rushed into the washroom to scrub Jax’s ugly words away with a fingernail brush. Finally, as the lather disappeared down the drain, she took a deep breath, then another, before she deliberately shifted her thoughts to Brooks. He never made her feel dirty and used. Just the opposite, he made her feel clean, cherished, even loved.