Chapter Eleven
Marco spent the next day holed up with Marcellus in their office space on the opposite end of the main home. Senna was grateful for the physical separation. Everything was muddled when she was near him. She didn’t think clearly, logically. And as wonderful as it felt being intimate with Marco, it didn’t hide the fact that her situation was still unsettled.
She felt like she was having an affair with him. And there was good reason for feeling that way. Marco wasn’t hers. He was marrying someone else in less than a month. And though she was, for the moment, the only woman Marco was in a relationship with, soon that would change. Soon he would be married, and no matter that it was a marriage only to join the two families, if Senna continued seeing him, it would firmly entrench her in the role she’d promised herself she’d never play—the other woman.
Maybe she was fated to play this role. Her own mother had been the affair, the dalliance, of her philandering father. He’d had no problem leaving her alone, scared, pregnant, heartbroken.
The irony was that Senna had fought against that her whole life. She’d held it up as a roadmap for how not to be. How not to live her life. And now look at her. She was a carbon copy of her mother, just better dressed.
She checked in with Blue Haven on a regular basis, and the reports were always the same. Her grandmother seemed comfortable but was continuing to decline mentally. Whatever happened between her and Marco, Senna knew she had to find a way to keep her grandmother at Blue Haven. She felt like she owed her that much. Senna didn’t want her grandmother’s last days filled with suffering and pain. Nobody deserved that.
One late afternoon while enjoying the sunshine in one of the gardens, Max gurgling happily on her lap, she called Abby. She needed a reality check. It was morning in Miami, and Senna knew her friend would be on her way to class.
“I’m so glad you called. I was beginning to worry about you. Like maybe they’d locked you up in the castle dungeons or something.”
Senna smiled. I’m sure Brynn would be okay with that. “I’m glad I called, too. I miss you, Abs.” Max kept trying to grab the phone from her grasp so she settled him in the playpen next to her.
“What’s wrong? You don’t sound like yourself.”
“Nothing’s wrong. Really.”
“If you’re going to lie, you need to get better at it.” Abby paused. “Is Max charming the pants off of everyone? I bet he is. I miss that little peanut.”
“Oh yes. He’s very popular around here.”
“So what gives?”
She quickly filled Abby in on what had been going on since her arrival. She conveniently left out the part where she and Marco had slept together. She wasn’t sure she was ready to reveal that, even to Abby.
“So he’s getting married?”
“That’s the plan.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
She could almost hear Abby rolling her eyes all the way across the Atlantic. “Spill it.”
“Well, I told you, it’s some medieval arrangement. He doesn’t love her. They’ve never even been on a date.”
“But he’s marrying her anyway?”
“Look, his parents arranged the marriage decades ago. He certainly doesn’t want to marry her.”
“Then why is he planning a wedding? You do realize how crazy this sounds.”
“It’s this sense of tradition he has. That his whole family has. It’s the way it’s been done for centuries, Abby. Literally, centuries. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of pressure that puts on someone.”
“And he’s so weak he’ll give in to the pressure?”
“What? No.” Weak didn’t begin to describe Marco. “He has a sense of duty to his family. I hate myself for saying it, but I get it. And in a way, I envy him for having such a strong sense of family that he’ll give up what he wants to stand by them.”
And that was the truth. Jesus, what she’d give to have anything like that.
“So now what? You stay with him until the wedding and then…?”
Senna sighed. “Yeah. And then.”
Senna paused then continued. “And you know what the worst part is, Abby? The absolute worst part?”
“The food? The ambiance? The full-time nanny?” Abby’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“She’s so…she’s so…” Senna reached for the right words but they eluded her. Finally she choked out, “She’s so nice! It would be so much easier if she were a miserable shrew. But she’s been nothing but kind to me.”
“Jeez, Senna, you’ve really dug yourself a hole, haven’t you?”
“Not just a hole, a giant crater.”
“Look, you don’t have to stay there and get all wrapped up in that drama. Just come home. We’ll find a new place, and we’ll make it work financially.”
There was a fairly sizeable part of Senna that wanted to do exactly that. Go home. Go back to normal. Take some time away from the bar and hit the job search hard. She wasn’t completely without options to support herself. She did have a business degree.
And while that sounded comforting and safe, it also sounded terribly lonely. Lonely and sad. Being around Marco and his family threw into sharp relief exactly what she had and, more importantly, what she did not. There was no room in Marco’s future for her as anything other than the mother of his son. Brynn was going to be his wife, the two of them set on their paths long before she was in the picture. It didn’t matter that being close to him since her arrival had filled the gaps and chasms in her soul with hope and joy. It didn’t matter that being a part of a family, a real family, was something she’d dreamed about her whole life.
And then there was Max. She liked the fact that Max was getting time with his father and his family. And even if she sometimes doubted the sincerity of Marco’s feelings for her, he was in love with Max, and she didn’t want to deprive either of them of that relationship.
Keep telling yourself that. That it’s all about Max.
But she knew that wasn’t true. She would miss Marco. Not just Marco, Max’s father, but Marco, her lover. Marco who made sure she had fresh-cut lilies in her room every day. Marco who insisted on being a part of Max’s bedtime ritual by reading him mushy board books and kissing him good night. Marco who managed to brush his muscular body against hers whenever possible.
She knew Marco would come to her bed again in an instant if she gave him the opening. But it was all borrowed time. In a month, he’d be married to another woman. And Senna wouldn’t do that to herself. Couldn’t do it. Again.
I’m falling for someone completely unavailable to me.
“Senna, I love you like a sister. I want you only to be happy. Happy and safe. If Marco provides that for you, well, I won’t judge you. That’s not my place.”
“Don’t worry, Abby, I’m judging myself enough for both of us.”
…
The next day Senna set out again to explore more of the Medina estate. She found herself drawn to the stables and the majestic horses within. One of the grooms, Carlos, showed her how to brush the horses and feed them treats. It was nice to have a friendly face greet her in the stables in the mornings. Others tolerated her presence here; even Mila wasn’t as chatty as she had been.
Carlos was kind and took her mind off the fact that Marco was distancing himself from her. Had he come to the same conclusion she had? That their night together had been a mistake? Was he recommitting himself to marrying Brynn in a few weeks? She didn’t know.
“Hola señorita.” He greeted her warmly. “We’re reshoeing Romulus today. Do you want to help?”
Senna walked toward the groom, his face welcoming and inviting. At least someone around here is happy to see me. “I don’t know how much help I would be, but I’d love to watch.”
He led her toward the other end of the stables. “You are very helpful, señorita. Just your presence here calms the— Oh, hello, Señor Medina.”
Senna turned to find Marco staring at her intently, his expression pure molten desire. “Keeping busy I see.” he said. Marco closed the gap between them in a few quick strides.
“Excuse me señor, señorita.” Carlos took a step back and headed toward the back of the storage area, leaving the two of them alone.
“Well, I can’t just stay locked up in my room while you go off and play businessman with Marcellus.” She hoped her tone was playful.
He smiled, a lazy, sensual grin. “Maybe I just want you all to myself, princesa.” His hands cupped her jaw and tilted her head, her face mere inches from his. His eyes blazed, and his scent was powerful, intoxicating. Like a spell meant to incapacitate victims before going in for the kill. He completely bewitched her with his close proximity, and her body betrayed her indignant argument in an instant. Her nipples beaded and pushed at the thin lace of her bra, and the familiar coiling of pure desire settled in her core.
He was her drug. And like a junkie, she couldn’t refuse a hit. She felt incomplete without him, lost.
“I’m not very good at sharing.” He nodded to where Carlos had just been.
Breathless, she gasped. “Well, neither am I. But I don’t have a choice in the matter, do I?”
With that he grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her around the main building and up a flight of exterior stairs. He opened the door at the top, and Senna could see they were in an office of some kind. It was modern, with a large desk installed near the windows and an oversized couch that beckoned invitingly.
He shut the door behind them and quickly pinned her against the wall, one of his hands holding her arms above her head. This wasn’t tender lover Marco. This was a man possessed, and his ferocity ratcheted up her desire to the point of whimpering.
Finally he pressed his body against hers, kissing her hungrily. Her nipples were diamond hard, and her body was ready for his. He released her arms only to quickly pull off her T-shirt and unhook her bra. He knelt in front of her and held her breasts in his hands as he kissed his way down her stomach to the top of her jeans.
She shucked them off quickly and managed to unbutton his jeans before he once again had her arms pinned above her head. He took a moment, looking up and down her nearly nude body. “Dios, what you do to me.” Once again his lips crushed hers, and he pressed her firmly against the wall. His cock was thick and hard against her belly, and the weight of it made her moan.
In that moment, he released her arms and scooped her up, her legs instinctually wrapping around his waist. His cock moved firmly against her cleft, and she almost came from that brief contact alone.
Marco didn’t seem like he wanted to wait any longer, either. He walked with her over to the couch and laid her down. He removed his boxer briefs and Senna let out a little cry, seeing his thick manhood and knowing she’d die if he wasn’t inside her soon.
Somehow Marco produced a condom, and he entered her quickly. Her body clutched at him, desperate to bring him deeper, closer. He pulled her legs up over his shoulders, and the position caused him to reach deeper, deeper than ever before. It took only moments and she was there, flying up over the crest of the intense pleasure. A few more strokes and Marco was there, too. He collapsed on top of her, his body still shuddering with the aftershocks of his release.
They were quiet for a few moments. Marco got up to dispose of the condom. Senna was too spent to move. When he came back, he settled on the couch and pulled her close to him so that her head was in the crook of his shoulder. It was intimate, almost more so than the lovemaking they had just shared. She listened as Marco’s heartbeat returned to normal and didn’t hesitate to explore his chest with her fingers. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. She turned her head to look at his profile, his strong jaw, his sensual mouth.
She broke the silence. “So, welcome back. I thought maybe I’d lost you to your day job.”
The look of calm contentment was quickly replaced with tense features and the look of a man who didn’t want to be reminded of where he had been.
“Yes.” That was the short answer. Senna hoped a longer one was forthcoming.
“Where are we, anyway?”
“This was one of the stable manager’s offices. Our current manager likes to work from the main office downstairs. I keep this one because it’s convenient. And private.”
“Oh, I get it. This is where you bring the ladies.” Senna wanted to sound joking and carefree, but she knew she had failed miserably.
His fingers moved in lazy circles up and down her back. “No, Senna. Lady. Singular. You. Just you.”
Just you.
Senna felt herself falling deeper and deeper into this rabbit hole every day she remained at the Medina estate. He may say the right words, and her body may betray her by giving in to her untamed need for his, but reality was something different.
She needed to stop this. Now. Before she got in so deep she wouldn’t be able to claw her way out.
With sheer willpower she didn’t know she possessed, she untangled herself from Marco’s embrace. “I need to go.” She stood up finding bits of her clothing strewn all over the large office.
“Senna, stop.”
“Marco. I don’t think you understand. I need to go. I can’t do this. I don’t know how many other ways I can say this, but I can’t be just your lover. I’m worth more than that. I deserve more than the occasional conjugal visit while you carry on your life with Brynn. Your wife.” Her voice cracked on the word “wife,” and the tears that represented her heart tearing in two threatened to erupt.
“Senna,” This time his voice was louder, an order. He stood up, grabbed her around her shoulders, and once again commanded, “Stop.”
“I need to tell you some things.” His eyes raked her body. She’d managed to get her underwear back on, but she still felt exposed. “And you should probably put the rest of your clothes on, because I can’t concentrate on anything when you’re in front of me like this.”
Senna felt the same way. His thick, chiseled body and semi-erect cock caused all logical thought to fly out of her head.
They finished dressing quickly, and Senna found herself obeying his command to sit.
“Marcellus came to me a week ago and said there had been some anomalies in the company’s financials. I won’t bore you with all the details, but basically large chunks of money were being reallocated across the company and its subsidiaries. Allocations that none of us knew anything about. I’ve been working with our legal team and forensic accounting consultants, and what they’ve uncovered is almost unbelievable. For over two decades now someone has been moving this money around—”
“Like money laundering?”
“Yes, exactly like money laundering. And when the money goes back out again it gets paid to entities outside of the Medina umbrella of companies.”
“Did your experts figure out who the beneficiary party is?”
“Yes.” He paused, absently running a hand through his hair. His voice lowered. “Ultimately, the funds and assets are going straight into the pockets of Jakob Vandermere.”
“Vandermere? As in Brynn’s father?” Marco nodded.
She clawed through her thoughts trying to make sense of what Marco was saying. A pinprick of hope bloomed inside her at what this could mean.
“So who’s helping him on the inside? He doesn’t have access to your financials. How would he physically get the transfers completed?”
“Well—”
“Wait, do you think it’s Brynn?” She didn’t want to admit how big a part of her wanted it to be Brynn.
“No, she doesn’t have the access. This all started when she was a baby. It’s not her.”
“You sound certain. Does that mean you know?”
He nodded shortly. Anger and hurt splashed across his face, both emotions fighting for top billing. Senna held her breath. Suddenly she knew, too.
“Someone on the inside who’s been there for a long time and has executive level access to approve capital transfers.” She looked down at her feet, willing herself to come up with a less painful conclusion.
“It’s your father, isn’t it? Massimo.” Senna waited a beat before she asked her next question. “But why would he funnel money out of his own company? That doesn’t make any sense.” If there was one thing she’d learned since becoming embroiled with the Medina family, it was that tradition and honor trumped everything else. In fact, Massimo himself was using that argument to make Marco honor his proposed marriage to Brynn.
“He’s being coerced. Somehow Jakob is manipulating him, and it’s been going on for decades. He’s using money, me, everything he can for his own selfish gains.”
His eyes locked with hers, and the pain they revealed was tangible. “And my father let him.”
Senna hadn’t known Massimo before arriving at the Medina estate, but she had a hard time imagining the pre-stroke patriarch as someone who would allow such machinations with his family and his business. But tradition and honor didn’t mean the same thing to Senna as they meant to Marco and his family. In her mind, nobody had the right to tell you who to love or how to live your life.
“So what’s next?”
“Marcellus and I have to confront Jakob.” His resigned tone suggested that was the last thing he truly wanted.
He reached down and cradled her face, brushing the pads of his thumbs along her cheek. His lips landed on hers with sweet softness, so opposite the frantic coupling they’d just shared. His arms snaked around her body, lifting her against his solid form with his firm embrace. This is where everything makes the most sense. With their bodies entwined, all other complications simply drifted away.
“I’ll come to your room later. You and Max and I can spend the evening alone.”
She nodded. “Of course. Max would love that.”
He swallowed hard. “What about you Senna? Would you love that, too?” As vulnerable as she felt admitting it, she knew she’d be counting the minutes.