King

“When are you sending Candy home?” Sebastián asks.

“Soon. How’s Holland?”

“She’s still looking for you. She’s obsessed, King. She’s never going to go to Juilliard without knowing where you and Juliette are.”

“She still using Bond?”

“Yes, and I’m warning you, he’s getting close.”

“Stupid fucker must have a death wish.”

“King, can I say something and have you promise not to freak the fuck out?”

“No, but you’d better say it anyway.”

He takes a deep breath and blows it out before speaking.

“I think Dax has a thing for her.”

I drop my pen onto the desk and turn my chair around to face the French doors that overlook the ocean.

“What makes you say that?” If he’s touched her, I’ll be on a flight there in twenty minutes to kill him myself.

“He’s very attentive. He’s at the house all the time for meetings over dinner, and he helps her with more than just her case.”

I’m on my feet now, pacing outside on the balcony.

“Sebastián.”

“I don’t mean that. Well, not as far as I can tell, anyway, but he takes her grocery shopping and to her shrink, things like that. The guy isn’t taking any new cases. All of his focus is on Holland.”

“Fuck. Get rid of him, Sebastián.”

I let her try, but now she needs to just fucking go to Juilliard. School starts in a few weeks and they’re expecting her.

“So you want me to warn him first, or just take care of it?”

“Find out how close they are and use your best judgment. I trust you. And if you don’t kill him, make sure he stops looking for me. I don’t care how, just do it.”

“I’ll call you later and let you know which way it goes.”

“Yeah, okay. Don’t be long. I’m uneasy about this.”

“Two hours, and one way or another it’s taken care of. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Sebastián.”

When we hang up, I want to hurl my phone into the fucking ocean. I want to go home to Holland, I want to kiss her lush mouth and touch every inch of her silky bronze skin, I want to lay tangled in her arms and talk with her about everything and nothing. I want to hear her play—it’s been so long. I have a constant pain in my chest where her essence used to live. I’m sure Juliette misses her too, although she’s doing very well. Babies adapt easily.

She’s happy, and we have a good routine going now. I was planning on sending Candy back in a week or so, but I think she needs to go now. Sebastián misses her, and so does their son, and I need closer eyes on Holland to make sure the infamous Bond isn’t making a play for her. I know the guy. He’s a good PI—handsome, well-known, and the ladies love him. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he took to Holland. After all, it only took me twenty seconds to fall in love with her.

I also know that I can’t kill every man who’s interested in her. Well, I could, but I won’t. It’s not their fault she’s irresistible. Bond is too risky, though. He just might be able to find me, and that can’t happen. Holland is safer without me, and she absolutely must start school next semester. I’ve got a lot of pull at Juilliard, but they won’t hold her spot forever.

* * *

Candy, Juliette and I stand in the hangar waiting for the jet to taxi down the runway. Sebastián flew down with their son, Leo, to take Candy home.

She’s been distant with me since I forced her to help me leave Holland, but right now she’s holding onto the sleeve of my shirt, bouncing up and down on her toes, watching the plane move closer to us.

“I miss them so much. I can’t imagine how Holland must feel being away from you and Juliette, and she doesn’t even know where you are.”

She takes every opportunity to make me feel like shit about my decision . . . every single opportunity. As helpful as she’s been, I can’t say I will miss her when she’s gone.

I roll my eyes and peel her hands off of my arm to check on Juliette in the stroller. She’s wide-eyed and kicking her little legs, but she’s not crying. I thought the sound of the plane would scare her, but this little girl never seems to be bothered by loud noises. I tickle a dimple on her left cheek, and when she smiles, it warms my heart.

Candy catches the smile and decides to throw in one last dig.

“I bet her mama would love to see that smile.”

“Candy, stop. I know you don’t understand, okay? I get it, but nothing is going to change my mind. She’s safer without me, and I’m staying out of her way until she’s fulfilled her dream . . . period.”

Candy huffs and turns her attention back to the plane that has stopped right outside the hangar doors. Before the doors are completely open, she sprints up the stairs.

I’ve had a few pangs of mild guilt since leaving Holland, but I just keep reminding myself that I’m doing it for her. I’m keeping her safe. But when Candy steps out of the plane holding her five-year-old son, raining kisses all over his face, it hits me so hard that I grab my heart and stagger back a step.

The love between a mother and her child is a powerful thing. Could I have underestimated Holland’s drive and determination to find her daughter? Maybe Candy is right, maybe leaving pushed her further away from music. Maybe if I had waited a little longer . . .

I look into Juliette’s eyes that are so much like her mother’s stormy greys, and all of my doubts are erased. She is safe, she is safe, she is safe.

If we had stayed, she never would have gone to Juilliard. There’s no doubt in my mind. She’s a good mother, and she would have put Juliette first before her career. At least with us out of the picture, she has a chance. The people pursuing her now will be looking for her talent, not her blood.

Sebastián’s family makes their way across the tarmac into the hangar. Candy gradually loses her grip on Leo, and he slides down onto his feet. Straightening her back, she slowly turns Leo by his shoulders to face me so she can introduce him.

I can’t believe I’ve never met Sebastián’s son. That’s a hell of a secret to keep all these years. It makes me wonder what else Sebastián has kept from me.

“Leo, I want you to meet Mr. Romero, sweetie. He’s my boss—Daddy’s too—say hello.”

I blink and blink again. This kid is a miniature me. He looks exactly like me when I was five. Tousled, wavy hair, big brown, deep-set eyes with long, black feathery lashes, naturally light brown skin and generous lips. There are probably ten family photo albums at the house full of pictures of me at this age.

Leo extends his hand, waiting for me to shake it. I think he introduced himself, but I’m frozen, stunned into silence. It’s mind blowing.

“King?” Candy says.

“Oh yes, I’m sorry. Nice to meet you, Leo,” I say, snapping back to reality. I shake his little hand and look into Candy’s proud, sparkling eyes; this boy doesn’t look a thing like his mother. Sebastián is standing just behind Candy with his hand on the small of her back. I see wistfulness in his eyes for just a second before his trademark poker face returns.

“You’ve got a good looking boy. He looks a lot like me when I was his age—actually, he looks exactly like me. I have pictures. I’ll show you sometime, Candy. It’s startling.”

Sebastián coughs and clears his throat.

“We should probably get going to dinner so we can make it home in time for Leo to go to bed. He has school tomorrow,” Sebastián says.

But I’m staring at little Leo, who has wandered over to Juliette’s stroller where he’s peeking inside. He feels me looking at him and he turns his face toward me as he places his hands behind his back right away.

“I’m not touching,” he says, shaking his head back and forth.

I frown at Candy and Sebastián.

“We’ve taught him never to touch other people’s babies or pets.” Candy laughs, hustling over to Leo.

“It’s okay, baby, she’s King’s little girl. Her name is Juliette, isn’t she beautiful?”

“Uh huh, where’s her mama?”

Oh God, this kid must have ESP or something, and Candy is feeding him mental guilt messages to torture me with.

“Oh, um, she’s back at home. She didn’t feel very good, sweetheart, so she won’t be having dinner with us.” Candy says, eyes darting back and forth between Leo and me.

He shrugs his shoulders, accepting his mother’s explanation—and why wouldn’t he? It sounds logical. She’s a good liar, which is one of the reasons I hired her to be my personal assistant.

“You need to make sure Candy and Leo don’t bump into Holland. He might accidentally slip up,” I say under my breath to Sebastián, and he nods, agreeing with me.

“All right, let’s get going,” Sebastián says, clapping his hands together. Ten minutes later, with the kids all buckled in the back of the limo, we’re on our way to dinner. Leo chats with his mother. I stare at Leo, and Sebastián stares at me. He’s waiting for something. I don’t know what, but I feel nervous energy rolling off of him.

Sebastián has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. He’s always been there for me, encouraging, protecting and supporting me. When my dad couldn’t be at my sporting events, Sebastián was there. He was there for every birthday party, every school event, even parent teacher conferences. He was there with my mother. He was my father’s head of security—that’s where he was supposed to be. It never seemed strange to see him in the bleachers of a swim meet with my mom instead of my dad. It was his job to protect us.

But this boy, Leo . . . I know I’m making him nervous, but I can’t stop staring. He has the same long fingers; his top eyelid has the same tiny fold where they meet the bottom lid in the corner . . . the way Sebastián’s do . . .

I’ve been leaning forward to see Leo better, but when it hits me, I slump back against the seat and raise my arms and cover my face with the heels of my hands. Could Sebastián be . . . did he and my mother . . . Oh, God. This kid isn’t just Sebastián and Candy’s son, he’s my half-brother.

“Stop the car.”

The driver’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror.

“Sir?”

“Stop. The. Car.” I glare at Sebastián as the driver maneuvers the car to the side of the road, and I know I’m right when all the color drains from his face. Fuck. I buried my father two years ago. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. How could my mother do this? She loved my father . . . didn’t she?

I open the door, step out, and start walking with Sebastián right on my heels.

“King. King, wait,” he says, but I can’t. I’m not looking at him right now. He and my mother had an affair. My father isn’t my father, and my mother wasn’t the saintly, devoted wife and mother I thought she was.

“King. I wanted to tell you, but your mother was afraid Arturo would kill me. He ignored Isabelle. She was always alone and I was always there. He practically forced us into each other’s arms. I loved her, King. I loved her more than anything or anyone in the world. I still do. It’s been eating me alive for twenty-five years. You needed to know; this situation with Holland is insane. I asked Candy to bring Leo here because I knew you would put two and two together.

You can’t keep doing this to Holland. Juliette is a baby, King. She needs her mother. Don’t deprive her of that. I was there for you every day, and I got to be a part of your life even if you didn’t know it. It killed me, but I was more involved than Arturo, so I knew in my heart I was a good father to you. Please don’t make Juliette grow up without her mother . . . King, please, King . . . she’s my granddaughter . . . please.”

I keep walking. My hands are clenched into fists at my sides, my jaw so tight that I may break a tooth, but I keep walking. I’m afraid of what I’ll do if I turn around. When he stops trying to follow me, I shake out my hands and take a deep breath.

God, I need a minute alone. This is some fucked up shit. My entire life has been turned upside down and inside out.

My father wasn’t my father, and my real father’s not dead; my mother didn’t love my father—or whoever—shit, this is a mess. And I have a little brother.

I come to a bridge, lower myself onto the ground, and dangle my feet over the edge. I can hear Sebastián’s feet crunching under gravel. The limo door slams, and the driver floors it until the car is right behind me. I wish they would just go and let me sort through this for a while, but Sebastián probably thinks I’m going to jump off the bridge or something. He hates heights, and he isn’t fond of water, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would jump in to save me. He’s always been there to catch me when I fall, and now it’s clear why. He’s my dad.

The car door opens and I hear Candy’s voice. “Shush, you just stay here. Let me talk to him.” I don’t look up, but I feel her sit down next to me. She’s too close. I need space. I can’t breathe. I scoot away from her. She seems to understand and even wiggles a little in the opposite direction.

“King . . . I want you to know that I didn’t know about this. I found out just now like you did, and I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine why he didn’t tell you the minute your father—um, I mean Arturo—died. Hell, this is so confusing. He loves you, though. I do know that. I’ve always known that. He talks about you with such pride, and he worries about you all the time. I just thought it was because he was like family to you.”

I can see her out of the corner of my eye, reaching out to touch me, but she hesitates and returns her hand to her lap.

“I was right, though, huh? You’re family—blood family.”

“Why? Why would he keep this from me so long? They’re both dead. It doesn’t make sense.”

I push my hands through my hair and lace my fingers behind my neck.

“Maybe he was afraid if someone found out you weren’t Arturo’s real son, you would lose the business after he died. Could that be it?” she asks.

Holy shit. That is it. She’s right. Partners, colleagues, rivals, enemies, all of them would turn their back on me if they knew I wasn’t the true heir of the Romero fortune. My father’s bloodline ended with him. I’m not responsible for the drug business. I have a way out, a legitimate, honest to God way out.

Pushing all of the emotional elements of the situation aside, I get up and hold out my hand to Candy. She looks up at me with wide eyes, slowly takes my hand, and lets me help her to her feet.

“Let’s go.”

Back in the car, I climb in next to Sebastián and Juliette without a word. I’ll need some time to adjust to this life-altering news, but for now, the most important thing is figuring out how to hide a lot of money before the world learns that King Romero, son of the most powerful drug cartel in the world, is really King Ortega, son of a security guard.