Chapter Three
Leonardo grabbed his Mont Blanc pen from his inside pocket and handed it to her, along with the document the sheriff had just printed. “Sign it.”
“What is this?” she asked, inside the small office.
The sheriff, a bald, stocky man, rocked back in his chair. A prison guard stood next to her. Despite Leonardo’s conversation with the sheriff a few minutes earlier, Satyanna was still not a free woman, and wouldn’t be unless she helped him find Harry.
“I explained to the sheriff you’ve been through some traumatizing events lately and acted a tad out of character, such as the driver’s license and the expired tourist visa.”
“You lied.”
“So did you, but I attached a promise to invest money to improve this place.”
“Are you going to do it?”
“Of course,” he said, even though the thought to help the prisoners get better infrastructure had occurred to him the second he walked into the hellhole. Despite whatever those women had done to be incarcerated, how was there ever a chance for redemption if they lived like caged animals?
She gave him a small smile. “I guess good things can come from lies sometimes.”
“I wouldn’t expect a different rationalization from you,” he said, his voice more bitter than intended. He watched her as she leaned and tried to read the paper; her conversational Portuguese didn’t stand a chance against the hardcore legalese. “Your tourist visa has expired, so the sheriff should deport you immediately, but I told him I’d make sure to solve your situation.” He made a mental list of the people he’d need to call to fix that one.
“And are you?”
“We’ve talked about this.”
She sighed.
“All done, senhor?” the sheriff asked in Portuguese.
“All done.” Leonardo cocked his head to the side, and she gave the sheriff the signed papers. When she returned him his pen, his finger brushed against her. A strange sensation shot up his arm. Clenching his pen, he swallowed hard. To go ahead with his plan he had to remember the Satyanna he thought he knew during that weekend never existed. Until he found Harry, he’d need to keep his hormones in check, and the ghost of lurking old feelings dormant.
“Are you done?” he yelled.
She opened the bathroom door, and a cloud of steam swirled around her like a seductive dance.
Moisture evaporated from his throat. His gaze slid from her damp, burgundy hair, down the oversize fluffy towel that seemed even larger on her, all the way to her toes, which curled against the white marbled floor.
His heart squeezed for no good reason. What a stupid body he had, with stupid reactions. What other explanation was there?
She shrugged. “I had to make up for lost time. What can I wear?” She glanced around, and he wished the high four-poster bed were in a different room. His sister had insisted at least one room should be less minimalist and more romantic, and he wished now Camila hadn’t been good friends with the interior designer and hadn’t influenced her a bit. It would save him the hassle of imagining Satyanna on that bed.
“My assistant Laura is bringing you some clothes,” he said, looking away. She wasn’t naked, goddamn it, but memory of her in her birthday suit rose unbidden, anyway. He cleared his throat. “She must be running late.”
“Is there anything I can wear in the mean time?”
He headed to the antique five-drawer chest, opened the top drawer, and retrieved a red, fluffy robe he kept for guests. His housekeeper had thought it would be a good idea, even though he rarely entertained. Never in a million years did he imagine Satyanna Darling wearing it in his duplex apartment in Rio. “There.”
The moment he handed her the robe, his fingers brushed hers, and a sizzling sensation ignited through him. As if he had been burned, he took a couple steps back. Avoidance was key.
A mischievous smile spread across her face. “Did you steal this from Hugh Hefner’s closet?”
He frowned at her light humor, and caught himself smiling before it was too late. “Blame it on Julia, my housekeeper. I give her carte blanche to buy whatever she needs, and that’s what happens.”
She flashed him the loveliest of smiles. “You’re lucky she doesn’t buy your clothes.”
Clearing his throat, he drummed his fingers on his black leather belt. “Laura should be here soon so you can change.” Yes. Keep it professional. She had deceived him with a smile before. Was he really that irresponsible to fall for it again? No.
Satyanna was so sexy it should be illegal, but that was all. She didn’t have any of the qualities he looked for in a lifelong mate. In fact, because of her untrustworthy nature, finding nonsexual qualities in her was almost impossible.
She slid on the robe, and he cursed himself for paying attention to the towel that she dropped and tossed on the bed. “Will she bring food? That sandwich you gave me—”
Enough small talk. Her deep, sexy voice was a liability. If he kept listening, her drawl could disarm him and eventually be the death of him, like male victims of mythological mermaids. “Listen, woman—”
“Woman?” She chuckled, the sound a tad lighter than the atmosphere between them. “Where did you get that from, your annual Neanderthal conference?”
Tension crackled in the air. Why would she try to humor him? The situation was nothing but serious. He wanted to make Harry pay for what he’d stolen. Would she really hand him her partner on a silver platter?
Doubtful. She chewed on her lower lip, shoulders lifted. The idea of slamming her against the wall and capturing her lips with his was tempting. His blood thickened and pounded. Maybe that’s part of her plan. Resist her.
“You are skating on thin ice, Satyanna. Don’t forget.”
“How could I? I have you to keep me honest.” She tightened the belt of her robe.
“I’m smart, but I can’t make miracles.” He paced in a couple small circles, the sole of his designer shoes squeaking against the marbled floor. Time to talk about what really mattered. “Where did you give birth?”
She threaded her fingers through her hair, doing that scrunching thing women did when they wanted to fix their curls. “At a small women’s clinic just outside Rio, in Niterói.”
Had she stayed there the entire time, so relatively close to him? While he searched for her in different states? “We’ll be visiting the clinic soon.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“Because I need to know if what happened is true. I’m going to talk to the clinic director and you need to be with me, to request your medical chart. I need evidence what you said happened isn’t just another scheme.”
“You still don’t believe me.”
“No,” he said without a blink. Why waste time lying? That was her game, not his. She had lied the second she walked into his life…and another lie had brought her back. Had she been able to fool the highway patrol, they wouldn’t be having this conversation. He still needed her to get his sculpture back, though, and confirming she either had the baby or not was the first step in dismantling her.
She folded her arms as if searching for a layer of protection. “I don’t wanna go back.”
Because it’s all a lie. What could she want from him this time, with this Mickey Mouse tale? “Why the hell not?”
“Why do I have to go with you?”
Glancing at his watch, he cursed his assistant in silence. Did it really take that long to pick up some clothes and head to his place? “Because you were the patient, not me. Besides, until we find Harry Clemonte, my dear, you aren’t leaving my sight.”
She leaned forward, her lips curling into a mocking smile. “You make it sound so…enticing.”
Was she mocking him? Before he counted to ten or reminded himself to stay away, he pushed her against the wall. It was like his body acted without any common sense. “Enough.”
She gasped. He dipped his head down, hating himself for being unable to yank his gaze off her. God, she was beautiful. Even with the bruises on her soft skin. Against his better judgment, he lifted his index finger to her mouth, and traced over her parted lips. A wild, untamable spark lit her jade eyes.
“What happened here?” he whispered, when he felt the cut on her bottom lip.
Satyanna tried to move, but he held her chin up. “A woman from prison wanted to claim me as her girlfriend,” she said in a casual tone.
His gut clenched. An intrusive wave of tenderness swept over him. His fingers tingled, and he found himself stroking her jaw line. “You fought her?”
With a sigh, she leaned into his caress. “I fought her and her friends.”
He bit back a smile. He learned from Ulisses, his detective, that Satyanna was no damsel in distress. She had excelled at karate, and now he was damn glad for it. Pride threaded down his spine. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
She peered at his lips. “No.”
Drawing a long breath, he pondered. How easy would this be to have his way with her, and get rid of the frustrating sexual tension for good? No. That wasn’t right. Not only was there little he could offer her, but taking her like this—bruised, overwhelmed, even if she acted like she was ready for another round—was plain wrong.
The sound of the downstairs door pulled him from his thoughts. Disengaging from her, he withdrew and exhaled.
“Leonardo?” called his assistant from the first floor.
“Come,” he said, and didn’t worry about waiting for her reply. His main goal was to escape the confines of the guest room.
He took the flight of stairs and met Laura in the hallway. She waited for him with a smile on her pretty face as she played with her short black hair. Besides his trusted assistant, Laura was also a dear friend, one of the few people he listened to, even though she often told him he didn’t listen to her enough.
“Hey.” She nudged his elbow. “So what’s the deal with the clothes?” She handed him a few bags.
“Personal stuff. I’ll explain later.”
“How about now?” Laura asked.
He felt, rather than heard, Satyanna coming down the stairs, her hands toying with the curvy railing.
“Satyanna, this is Laura. Laura, meet Satyanna,” he said, and gave Satyanna the bags.
“Interesting.” Laura grinned, her gaze sliding from him to Satyanna. “Nice to meet you.” She offered Satyanna her hand.
Satyanna smiled a little and shook her hand. “Same here.”
“So what’s the story?”
“No story. Thanks for doing this,” he said. She had a company credit card for miscellaneous items, so he didn’t bother going into detail. “I won’t be going to the office today. Reschedule all my appointments.” He walked toward the door and gestured for her to do the same.
Laura made a face, and he could tell she was dying to know what was going on. After he closed the door behind him, he found Satyanna on the first step, her hand clasped around the bags.
“She has the key to your place?”
He nodded.
“She’s not just your assistant, is she?”
Since when did he owe her any explanations? “Does it matter?” Maybe she was more interested in the fact someone had the key to his place than what that person meant. Made sense. If she had any ulterior reasons for coming back into his life…
She wrinkled her nose and waved him off. “No. Of course it doesn’t.”
He toyed with the idea of mentioning Laura had a live-in girlfriend. Why bother, though? “Good. Then change so we can go.”
“One question. Why are you so hung up on finding Harry?”
He jammed his hands in his pockets. “Are you backing down already? It didn’t take long.”
“No. I’m just wondering. You’re a rich guy. The money—”
“It’s not just about the financial value of what he stole,” he said, remembering the picture of his mother, the only one he had, holding a flower. To make her eternal, he had taken it to a coveted art sculptor from France. The sculpture had been acknowledged as one of the artist’s best works, and shortly after its completion, Pasquale had died, which certainly increased its value. Leonardo now understood letting a specialized art magazine feature the sculpture had been the wrong move; that’s probably how Harry learned of it and plotted to steal it. With Satyanna’s help. And his plan to put the sculpture inside his father’s grave, located on the estate their family owned, was cut short. “That sculpture represented my mother. The nicest, kindest woman who ever lived.”
She flashed him an apologetic smile, and for a moment he almost believed her. When he hadn’t known who she was, he had trusted her in a couple days. If she hadn’t stolen from him, if she hadn’t run away, who knows what else could have happened? They could have been together. What was his excuse now? He knew who she was, and how she played a part in deceiving an old lady who ended up dead. She tried to bribe a cop, for crying out loud. Satyanna Darling was not the woman for him. And never would be.
“I’m sorry.” She started to head upstairs, then stopped midway and spun around. “Fine. I’ll go with you to the hospital.”
…
She drummed her fingers on the designer jeans his good-looking assistant had brought. Sure, the woman had gorgeous olive skin that made her paleness dreadful, combined with curves that guys usually went for. Satyanna’s heart raced.
She was no dummy. Wassername was his lover, or had been at some point. Could she blame her? Although…why would she agree to bring her clothes? Strange.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked without stopping reading his iPad next to her in the chauffeured Lincoln Town Car.
She scooted away from him, her fingers drumming the old-fashioned wooden door handle. “I was thinking about food.”
“Hungry again?”
She touched her stomach. “All the time.” Well, that wasn’t a lie, was it?
He slated her a sideways glance. “Good. You should put some meat on your bones.”
“Hey, chill, I’m not that skinny. Plus, I lost some weight after I left the hospital.” She rubbed her hand on her neck, touching the hot pulse in her vein. Every time those miserable days haunted her memory, her palm slicked and blood boiled. I lost the daughter I’ll never have. Her only shot at making a family of her own was ruined. According to the doctors, she could never get pregnant again.
“We’ll find out if that, in fact, happened soon,” he said, eyes focused on his tablet.
“Is that why you aren’t after Harry, yet? Because you don’t believe me?”
“That, and also if you were telling me the truth, the hospital is a good place to begin inquiring. If the visit is unfruitful or I need any more details, I can call a private detective I trust.”
“The same person who has been looking for me?” she asked, remembering how she had fled from city to city over the past months, afraid she would be thrown in jail, used different names, and barely spoke to anyone. “He doesn’t seem very talented, does he?”
Shifting in his seat, Leonardo tossed the iPad to the side. He drew back, and she hated how on display she felt whenever he shot her one of those long-lasting glances. She swallowed hard. “How did you stay off the grid?”
“I skipped from town to town. I grabbed my bag that had some cash, and withdrew my savings.” Money that was now gone. “I was stuck without my passport, and if I went to the American Embassy, I’d be history. I would take money from the Devil himself to be able to carry a healthy pregnancy.”
“What was your plan?”
“When the child was born, I would look for you and hope you didn’t throw me out the window,” she said. “I never intended on keeping the baby a secret for so long.” After having been raised by strangers, she decided her offspring deserved better. And, yeah, what if a part of her fantasized of Leonardo’s forgiveness, and perhaps even him being an involved parent?
His lips quirked up. “You have all the right answers.”
This will never work. “Yet it’s like I have none at all.”
The car came to a halt. He slid out and held the door open for her. She sucked in a breath, and tried to dry her dampened palms on her jeans. A glance at the white, square-shaped facility was all she needed to remember the events of that day. She touched her belly, just like she had when she woke up from the coma. When she stepped on the pebbled sideway, her knees weakened.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” she said. Her heart galloped, and she chewed her lower lip hard as if she could somehow stop the crazy rush.
“Why not? Because there was never a baby?” he asked.
“N-no,” she said, and he gripped her arm and pulled her into him. The collision with his wide chest set a forbidden frisson through her, strong enough to distract her from her own panic. Don’t show weakness. Gathering her strength, she tried to escape his hold, but he only grasped her harder. “Hey. You’re hurting me.”
His face paled, and his fingers loosened on her. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
No. And she would never be okay. And that was just something she was going to live with. Didn’t he have a point? She traveled with Harry to Brazil on his dime, even though she demanded none of it stemmed from his illicit business, how could she know for sure? Even the few properties he owned were built on deceit. I’m no better than Harry. Hard to agree, but Leonardo was right.
She cleared her throat. Whining wouldn’t get her anywhere. The man was obviously not cutting her any slack. The sooner she proved she hadn’t lied, the better. “Let’s do this.”
He curled his lips, but then released her, almost like he’d prefer to confront her, to try to destroy her when she was stronger than weak. Damn it. Why did he have to be so freaking ethical?
He withdrew his hand from her, but her skin seared as she followed him into the hospital. Although he gestured for her to go ahead of him, she preferred to let her eyes feast on his amazing ass. Leonardo exuded confidence as he walked, his spine locked into place, and his buttocks the Achilles’ heel of any female with a pulse.
Well, not this woman.
Getting involved with him once had been a mistake. Getting involved with him again would cost her everything.