Chapter Ten
“Who are you calling?” Satyanna asked, drumming her fingers on the car door handle.
Ever since they had left the mansion with Lyanna sleeping in the car seat—the one they’d been lucky to find in another vehicle in the garage—he’d been talking on the speakerphone while driving. The man was talking to another guy too damn fast for her to catch on. She understood a few words here and there, and assumed Leonardo was speaking to someone who would help them find Harry.
“My detective, Ulisses, has a contact at the airport. He will alert us if Harry comes back.”
“Is he reliable?”
“Hope so. We never know though…this is what’s happening. I’m driving to the airfield. I’ll drop you and Lyanna off, and you will both be inside the jet. I’ve already talked to the pilot. They won’t let anyone else in.”
“You’re not going to Rio with us?”
“I am. I just need to stop at Jacinta’s house again, and I’d rather do it without the baby being with us.”
“O-of course. Why would she be there, though?”
“She probably won’t, but I want to double-check her place before we leave. Maybe there’s something we missed.”
“Are you going to be okay?” she asked.
He frowned at her. “Of course. I will be back in one hour at most, the place isn’t too far from here,” he said as the car started to slide into a pathway. Looking up the sky, she saw a couple planes and lights. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Why did you kiss me earlier?” Sure, she initiated it, but he had been a more than enthusiastic kisser.
“Because I’m an idiot. I apologize.”
“This doesn’t work anymore, kissing and saying you’re sorry. It only works one time, tops. I want to know where we stand, you and I,” she said, even though deep down it was obvious they were nowhere near standing as a couple. At most, they fluctuated.
“We already discussed this.”
“A lot has happened since yesterday morning, Leonardo.”
“It has. Which is why I’ve been making one bad decision after another when it comes to keeping my hormones in check.” He brought the car to a halt and peered at her. “I want you, Satyanna. You’re sexy and vibrant. But you’re right, there is a child involved now and we can’t keep playing games.”
“What does that mean?”
He turned off the engine and arched his upper body in her direction, giving her his full attention. A spark of challenge flickered in the depths of his cinnamon eyes. “Let’s focus on Lyanna. I will be the best father for that little girl I can be. We’ll have to put our attraction on the back burner.”
She wrestled the need to sag her shoulders and wallow in self-pity. Who had the time for that? “I don’t think you understand… Once things are sorted and Harry is out of our way, I’m going back to the States.”
His eyes widened like she’d just told him she was about to join an orgy. “What? The hell you’re not.”
She glanced at the baby to make sure she still slept comfortably in her seat, before raising her eyebrow at him. “You promised you’d help me go back if I helped you with Harry.”
He shook his head. “That was before I found out we had a child together,” he said, impatience in his voice.
“She can visit you on vacations and you can come see her as often as you’d like. There is Skype and FaceTime. It’s not like I’m taking her to outer space,” she said. There was no way she’d let her daughter live with Leonardo full-time, without her. Not that she didn’t trust him as a father, but she couldn’t jeopardize Lyanna’s safety like hers had been. She had thought of Carol as her mother for years, but once she married, Satyanna’s life turned into hell. There was no way she’d allow the same thing to happen to her flesh and blood.
He gritted his teeth, and the atmosphere heaved around them. She could hear the sound of his heavy breathing. If he had been a dog, he would be a pit-bull. “I am not going to be a holiday father.”
She lifted her hands. “And what do you suggest?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. A uniformed man walked in their direction, but Leonardo waved him off. Good. They needed to finish this conversation once and for all. “I will set you up in a very nice apartment in the same building as mine. I can put the deed in your name once your situation is legalized. I’ll give you a generous monthly allowance.”
Her heart shrank to the size of a penny. But damn her if she’d show it. Later, she’d let the tears fall freely down her face. Now, she had to pull herself together. “What else are you doing, drawing up a contract?”
“As a matter of fact, yes, when we go back we’ll talk about it.”
Goddamn lawyer brain. “Are you insane? Do you really expect me to live my whole life in a country that’s not mine just to give you the convenience of having your daughter close by?” And to depend on him at least in the beginning? Finding a job in Brazil with her skillset in the current economy would be beyond difficult. After she had set herself free from Harry, did she want to depend on a man? Harry hadn’t been her father, and as it turned out, he sucked as a father figure, too.
“Yes. And if you don’t think that’s important to her, to have her dad part of her life, then you disappoint me.”
Her breath caught. She could laugh at the irony, except she wasn’t the least bit amused. She believed a father was so important that she had tried and tried to keep Harry in her life, when she thought he was only mildly damaged. “So I’m supposed to sacrifice and all you do is write a check.”
He opened the door as if he needed some air, but continued inside the car. “What else do you want?”
I want you to get to know me. To care for me. Maybe if I’m lucky…to love me. “I want an intact family. I grew up without one, and I’d like to give my daughter that.”
“She will have a wonderful family. Only her mom and dad will live in different apartments.”
Okay, let’s play with that possibility. “What are you going to do if I decide to date someone? How will you react when Lyanna has a stepfather?”
A dark spark flickered in his eyes. “You are not going to bring some random man into her life.”
“That’s what I thought. So, again, how does any of this benefit me?”
He watched her in silence, and she wondered what was behind the confusion in his eyes. Did he really think he’d wave some cash and a contract and she would be more than willing to stay? “You’re not suggesting we get married, are you?” he finally asked. “We’re not even dating.”
Her pulse spiked, and dozens of ways to answer that question jumbled her mind, but she settled for the simplest one. The one she could understand. “Exactly. We’re much beyond dating, Leonardo. Don’t you see that? Your parents had a happy marriage, and that’s wonderful. But when my adoptive mother chose to believe my stepfather instead of me, I was the one hurt. Her emotions got the best of her.”
He snorted. “Are you implying I’ll be that dumb? That I will let anyone in my life and have access to my daughter?”
“We can’t keep our hands off each other for long. I don’t want this to turn into a years’ long unresolved downgraded version of a relationship while my daughter grows up watching us not committing to each other. Fighting. You should consider that, instead of wanting me to change my life around just so it can be convenient for you.”
“Convenient? Do you think it’ll be convenient to explain to my family and friends how irresponsible I was? The media will have a field day with this. They will play it like I left you when you were pregnant.”
“Not if you marry me. Then it’ll be a love story.”
“See, the problem is I do want a love story, and I don’t take shortcuts, Satyanna. The right decisions aren’t easy.”
Her stomach sank. She didn’t want to come across as a selfish bitch, but was agreeing to build a life in Brazil the right decision for her? Without any sort of commitment from him? What if he tried to control her life? What if one day he tired of the domestic-type agreement? She rubbed her eyes, willing those thoughts away. The last thing she needed was more drama.
He ran his hand down his face and sighed. “Look, I want what’s best for our daughter. I’m sure you do, too. Can we talk about it when we get in Rio? I still need to check out Jacinta’s place and come back.”
“Of course,” she said, but doubted they’d ever see things the same way.
…
Leonardo drew in a breath. Staring at the Spanish style mansion that his family owned in Rio, he smiled. When he had worked mostly in São Paulo, he usually stayed there while he visited for the weekends. When he moved to Rio, he had bought an exclusive duplex in one of the most expensive areas in the country.
This…was home. And that’s where he was bringing Satyanna. Until Harry Clemonte was found, he wanted her and the baby to be safe—and not only because the security was heightened at the upscale community, but also she would be surrounded by people he trusted whenever he couldn’t be around. With Addie pregnant and a few baby things already bought and delivered, it was the most practical thing to do. Besides, Clemonte didn’t know where they were if he wanted to go after them. Maybe they could buy some time.
“Who lives there?” she asked when the driver brought the car to a halt.
Leonardo slid out of the car and opened the door for her. “My sister, Camila, but she’s out of the country. She decided to finish her studies abroad. My brother Bruno has been staying with his wife Addie while they remodel their new home.”
“And do they know about our, er, situation? I mean, do I have to walk on eggshells?” she asked as she reached to grab Lyanna from the car seat.
“No,” he said, remembering the phone call he’d made to his brother the night before. “They know.” Which, of course, didn’t mean they would keep it to themselves and refrain from asking tons of questions. Maybe Bruno would tease him and stop, but Addie just loved getting her freckled nose into everyone’s business. Whatever. He wouldn’t lie to anyone or fake a relationship.
By the time they made their way to the entrance, Maria, the lovely longtime housekeeper, greeted them with a warm smile. She wore an apron over her blue uniform.
“This is Maria, the saint who has been putting up with us for a long time,” he told Satyanna.
Maria didn’t speak English, but she touched her salt-and-pepper hair as if she just knew he was raving about her.
“Muito prazer,” Satyanna greeted her with a warm smile, and Maria nodded, with a beam of approval.
“Addie has gone out, but Bruno is inside.” Maria’s eyes widened like she just spotted the baby. “Meu Deus. Look at this cute little girl…” she started, her voice softening.
“He’s actually outside,” Bruno said, walking up to him and giving him a firm handshake then a hug. “Hey, man.”
“Hi. Bruno, this is Satyanna and Lyanna.”
“Nice to meet you,” Satyanna said. She held the baby with two hands so she couldn’t shake hands, but Bruno gave her a pat on the back and erased the distance between them, his eyes focused on the baby.
“I can’t begin to say how pleased I am to meet you, Satyanna. My wife Addie feels the same way, I’m sure. She’s gone to a meeting, but will be back later.”
“Hey, man, shouldn’t you be working?” Leonardo asked. The advantage of being a world-known software developer was he could work from everywhere, and Bruno and his wife had chosen Brazil.
Bruno smiled at the baby. A pang of jealousy threaded through Leonardo. Why, though? His brother was happily married and wouldn’t go after a woman who Leonardo had been involved with. Or was it maybe because his brother had the wife—the right one—before she conceived? Because Bruno lived with Addie, and they both shared a lot more than just sex?
Leonardo rubbed his eyes.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I’m an uncle,” he said, making faces at the baby, and the little stinker smiled. “See, I have that effect on women. Do you want me to hold her?” he asked, lifting his hands.
“No, we’re good,” Leonardo said. “Thanks.”
Satyanna rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Bruno. Tell me, are all of you devilishly handsome and cocky?” she said, her tone lighter than usual.
Bruno chuckled. “My Addie is going to love you. Come inside, we’ve prepared lunch.”
As per Leonardo’s request, he would stay in a guest room by himself, and Satyanna would occupy the one next to him with the baby. It was practical that way, and it also wouldn’t put any crazy ideas in her head—or his. In Maranhão, she’d said she wanted marriage. As for Leonardo, that wasn’t an option.
“Addie bought some baby stuff for you.” Bruno pointed at the corner. “And she had me bring the crib and assemble it in your room.”
“Leonardo told me she’s pregnant, right? I don’t want to highjack your moment, or your crib,” Satyanna said, scanning the spacious house elegantly decorated with warm colors and gold accents.
Bruno waved her off. “Don’t worry. You and your baby girl are family now. It’s a pleasure to help.”
Family. The word stabbed at Leonardo’s peace of mind, and it echoed in his ears. He went through the motions and closed the door after Bruno left the room. A different type of family, maybe. “Satyanna, do you need anything?”
She shrugged. “No, I think we’re good.”
They had stopped at a pharmacy where he insisted they buy a month’s supply of formula. And he was sure Maria couldn’t wait to put her hands on the youngest member of the family.
Leonardo unbuttoned his collar. He supposed she was family, too, even with no official title. All he wanted was for Satyanna to understand where they stood. And you do the same.
“Your father?” She pointed at a black-and-white picture taken about forty years ago. Back then photography was quite the luxury for the poor folk; his father held a half smile on his handsome, weathered face. Sergio had worked his whole life to provide for his family—and they had had a good life, until his mother had fallen ill and a gloomy chapter of their lives started. A crushing reality—in every aspect he could think of. Financially. Emotionally.
“Yes.”
“He was a handsome man.”
He picked up the frame and slid his fingers across the glass, as if in a touch of magic Sergio Duarte would materialize in front of him and all those precious moments would return. “He was a great man.”
“How did he meet your mother?”
“Her mother worked as a housekeeper for a wealthy family,” he said, even though given the money that was available now, he probably wouldn’t consider them wealthy today. “He worked as a handy man. Every so often he did some small repairs or painting jobs for them. My mother said the first time she saw him, she just knew. And maybe he did too. My father never talked much about that stuff. We saw it, though. We saw it in his behavior, how much he loved her.”
“So they dated?”
He chuckled. “Back then it was different. He didn’t have the nerve to ask her out on a date, or the money to take her anywhere. So she started to break things around the house, and caused little mishaps to ensure the owner needed to call him. Eventually, they went out, and he asked her to marry him shortly after.”
She put the baby down on the crib. Lyanna studied her surroundings as she kicked her arms and legs. Satyanna leaned over the crib, watching her daughter. “I guess things were simpler in the old days.”
His fingers fidgeted, and he picked up a yellow teddy bear from the dresser and toyed with the bright bow around its neck. “It worked for them.”
“It can work for us, too, you know.” She tossed him a glance over her shoulder. “However we do it.”
A rush of blood pounded through his veins. “Does that mean you’re accepting my terms?” He hated the anticipation in his voice.
She stretched to her full height and opened her mouth slightly. Folding her arms over her chest, she drew in a breath and said at last, “This means I’m positive we’ll find a solution. It can be my solution, yours, or another magical one that will show itself soon.”
That’s good enough for now. “Understood. I’ll let you rest. See you soon for lunch.”
He left her room and entered his. Even though it was next door, the fuzzy, warm sensation disappeared. His space seemed a lot more sterile than in the past, even though the large bed, the bronze accents, and the patterned rugs over the travertine tile all remained the same. Even the car magazines were all nicely stacked in a magazine rack. Nothing had changed. So why did he feel like he wanted to knock on her door even though he had nothing relevant to say?
Babies. Women got pregnant, and could blame it on the hormones. What was his excuse? He took a quick shower, and when he was drying himself off, he heard his cell phone ring. Recognizing Ulisses’s number, he accepted the call and lifted the device to his ear. “What’s new?”
“I traveled to Maranhão like you instructed me, to personally look into what kind of life Harry Clemonte led. He hasn’t been back ever since. I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
Leonardo cleared his throat. “Tell me.”
“Jacinta is dead.”