Brazilian Revenge (The Brazilians) (13 page)

He stood and reached for the chair to grab his boxers. “Last night was meaningful. And I was going to tell you.” Fully dressed, he touched her elbow to have her turn and look at him.

She jerked away, waving him off. “You know what’s ironic? Ever since I came here I had to prove how trustworthy I am. I still do. You suspect anything I do. And you are the one keeping things from me—things that affect me and my daughter.”

“Our daughter. I’m going to Maranhão today. I will do things myself. Interview anyone and everyone Clemonte might have talked to and see where he could be now. You and Lyanna are not to leave this house. Understood?”

Chapter Thirteen

“Gosh, I wish I could stop eating.” Addie picked an apple from the fruit bowl. “This baby’s hungry all the time. Or maybe it’s me and I’m already blaming it on him or her.”

“Hey, at least you’re making healthy choices,” Satyanna said, riveted by the chocolate cake sitting on the granite countertop. To keep temptation at bay, she swiveled on the stool. “You really don’t want to know the gender?”

“Nah. We’ll wait until we see the baby.”

“That must be killing you,” she said. Since she’d arrived at the house last week, Addie became the good friend she never had growing up. She helped her with the baby, and teased her whenever she mispronounced a word in Portuguese while talking to Maria or the security guards Leonardo had hired.

Addie winked at her. “Hence eating for an army.”

Satyanna cut herself a piece of cake. “I guess I’ll test my good metabolism and worry about the calories later.”

Addie chuckled. “Oh please. You have nothing to worry about. By the way, is Leonardo still at work?”

“He’s been busy.”

Busy was an understatement. The day after their passionate lovemaking when she caught him feeding Lyanna for the first time, Leonardo had gone to Maranhão for a couple days to talk to the local authorities about Harry. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been lucky, and Harry was still at large.

“He’s mentioned he’s telling his clients he will be out of service for a while.” Addie finished the apple and tossed the core into the bin. She eyed the cake, and tilted her head to the side, as if entertaining the idea of eating it. “Fuck it. The baby wants what the baby wants.” She grabbed a fresh plate from the cupboard and a fork, and cut a slice for her.

“Atta girl.”

Satyanna toyed with her fork. Who was she to advise anyone? She had conformed to Leonardo’s proposition of her living in Brazil permanently.

It was obvious she needed her head checked. Yet…when she’d seen him through the video baby monitor, holding the baby and whispering sweet nothings to her, that had set her pulse on a crazy race. How could she deny her daughter what she never had?

Whatever his flaws were, Leonardo was a good parent. He put everything on the side to care for his daughter. She had really noticed it during the past several days. He enjoyed spending time with her—and he had been cordial with Satyanna, even if they hadn’t had sex again.

Addie opened the refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of water. “Do you love Leonardo?” she asked casually, as if chatting about a TV show.

Satyanna almost choked on the cake she tried to swallow. If she talked about her feelings to someone else, that would mean they existed. And if they existed, how painful would it be if—the most likely scenario—they weren’t requited? “What? Leonardo, well, he’s…”

Addie took a swig of water, then waved her off. “The Duartes are an interesting bunch.”

“Easy for you to say. You got the fun one who’s relaxed and put that big rock on your finger. I’m agreeing to be someone’s concubine without the sex. I guess I will be the official baby mama.”

Addie smiled. “He’s a good man, Satyanna.”

Satyanna sat her fork down. “I guess that’s debatable. He’s a good father, and possibly a good lover. But I don’t know if he’s being good to me in the way I want him to be. For someone who’s sort of conservative and into justice, I thought he’d make the right decision.”

“Which is?”

“Well, marry me? It doesn’t have to be today or tomorrow, but we have a daughter and I’d like to give her the stable home I never had. What if he gets tired of me and finds a girlfriend? I’ll still be living here, in another country.”

Addie grinned and leaned in as if she was about to share a secret. “I’ve seen how he looks at you. I don’t think he’ll get another girlfriend soon. Or ever.”

Satyanna rolled her eyes.
I wish.
“Yeah, right.”

Addie cleared the dishes and gestured for them to go to the living area. “It’s his life, and I don’t mean to talk about it…but Leonardo always had a lot of responsibilities early on. And I can imagine he’s facing it all again now, in a way, with parenthood and a maniac who’s trying to get his baby. He just needs time to adjust.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“He’s worth it. Worth the wait, Satyanna.”

“Thanks.” Satyanna looked at the baby, who kicked her legs on the blanket they brought to the living room. Bruno had left the house for some meetings, and a set of burly security guys enjoyed coffee in the kitchen.

Besides a couple quick trips to the supermarket—accompanied—Satyanna hadn’t ventured out much, and realized that was the price to pay. Why would Harry want her back after all she’d done?

She had vanished from his life.

Maybe he was as lonely as she was. That had always bonded them in the past—their lack of ties with anyone else. That misleading family dynamic had blinded her to the awful, sick person he could be.
That he is.
Don’t lie to yourself
. He had killed Jacinta, and had threatened to hurt others.

I’ll never forgive myself if he does
. God. There she was: being treated like a member of the family by Addie and Bruno, and pampered by Maria. These people could have snubbed her, but they took her in and offered her a hand. Were they also a reason why she’d agreed to stay? Because she enjoyed the idea of being a part of the package?

The phone rang, and Addie walked to the console to grab the cordless. Even though she was six months pregnant, Satyanna could definitely notice the growing bump contrasting against her lithe body. Satyanna smiled to herself. Everything would be all right.

Addie gasped.

Satyanna turned to her and stood. Addie’s face paled, and her eyes widened. She spoke in fast Portuguese, too fast for Satyanna to understand. Besides, Addie didn’t have the god-awful accent that she did. Addie nodded as she listened, and tears claimed her eyes.

Apprehension zipped down Satyanna’s spine. “What happened? Tell me.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, unbidden. “Maria is dead.”

Satyanna drew back, like someone had cut through her stomach. Her heart skipped a beat or two. “Dead?”

“Y-yes. She went to the street market today, as she did every Tuesday to get some fresh fruit. Someone slashed her throat, and a couple vendors who recognized her called the police.”

“What is happening now?”

Addie touched her chest. “Leonardo was her emergency contact and he was notified. He went to the police, and told them all he knows. They’re starting an investigation.”

“Wow.”

“They will probably want to talk to you, too.”

“This is…”

“Crazy?” Addie sobbed. “I’m sorry. I have to call Camila and let her know. Maria worked here for so many years, and everyone loved her.”

“O-of course. Let me know if I can do anything.”

More than what I’ve done already
. This was all her fault. She brought Harry back to their lives, and until he was reunited with her, he would keep endangering people. She’d known he was crazy, but a killer? There was no denying this time. It was all his doing.

Sadness poured over her, and she grabbed Lyanna from the floor. She gave her a hug. No one would hurt her daughter. She needed to find where Harry was, even if she herself would be the bait.

…

“Do you need anything else from me?” Leonardo asked the sheriff.

The man, who seemed too young for his job, tossed the files across the table and smirked. “No,
senhor
. We’ll call you if we need any more information. Thanks for your cooperation.”

“All I ask is…don’t leak this to the media. The deceased wasn’t a celebrity or anything, so maybe there’s a chance we can hide this for now,” he asked. Sadness welled up in his throat, but he swallowed hard. The deceased. Never had he imagined he’d be calling the lovely woman who had helped keep his family together for many years deceased. Maria had started working for them ten years ago. And now she was dead.

The sheriff nodded. “I’ll talk to the detectives on the case.”

“I already sent Harry Clemonte’s picture to the Federal Police. I don’t want him to be able to leave the country,” Leonardo said.

The man gave him a half smile. If he had been a committed sheriff, he would have questioned Leonardo’s antics, pulling strings and going over his head. But, just as Leonardo suspected, the sheriff didn’t care, or rather, didn’t make enough money to care. Which meant that would be a cold case. Not if he had anything to do with it.

“Going home?” his driver asked as he walked out of the precinct.

“Yes.”

Clemonte had been very smart. Besides the dead nanny and a housekeeper, no one else knew of him or remembered him. There were no personal objects in his house—and he had explored, without the stress from the first time, every corner and nook. Nothing. His place could have been a new development’s model home.

Damn it.

He opened the door to his room. “Hi.”

Satyanna walked up to him, and held him before he could fight it. Did he want to? Once they found Clemonte he’d have to set her up somewhere near him. This…domestic atmosphere wouldn’t do any of them favors.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

She tightened her arms around him, and for a second he let his shoulders sag and sighed into her flowery scented hair. Ever since that night when she agreed to stay, he’d decided not to pursue her sexually anymore. He closed his eyes, and for that instant his problems dissipated.

“I feel…horrible. And useless. I told Addie I’d be happy to help her with whatever she needed. She’s been locked with Bruno in their room. This is unreal,” she said, her voice shaky.

He cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her nose. A strange need to calm her down assailed him. He was the one with the loss, and she was comforting him. So why did it matter so much how she felt?
Because you care.
“We’ll catch the bastard.”

“Yes. We will.”

Disengaging from her, he sighed. Keeping focus was the best thing he could do right now. He sat his cell phone and wallet on the nightstand. “If you don’t mind, I want to be alone,” he managed to say.

A wrinkle formed on her forehead, but she shook her head and soon her expression softened again. “Sure. Call me if you need me.”

He nodded. Needing her was exactly what he feared.

Chapter Fourteen

“
This
is your idea of relaxation?” she asked Leonardo, pointing at the lush green trees and the overgrown bushes crowding the national park of Tijuca. “I was thinking visiting an air-conditioned museum or something.” Six days after Maria’s funeral, she had begged him to get her out of the house. She hoped by going out she’d get Harry’s attention. The bastard hadn’t called again, and she knew deep down Harry would rejoice at the chance of meeting with her. Although, to be fair, she doubted he’d go for a hike.

Leonardo flashed her a smile. “I grew up without cars. Walking comes naturally to me.”

“Yes, but this is hiking. I thought a well-to-do lawyer like you would take a woman to do something more glamorous.”

“You’ve been cooped up at home. Do you think now is the time to be picky?” he asked. Addie had practically ushered them out, promising she’d watch Lyanna. She was getting sick of staying at home or going out with the bodyguards. Maybe so was Leonardo. He didn’t use security when he left by himself or with her.

The idea he could protect her set a strange quickening in her pulse. “I guess not.”

“I’ll show you one of my favorite places. The highest peak of Rio de Janeiro is only an hour and a half away. It’s one of the best views of the city.”

“An hour and a half?” No wonder his body was ripped. While the tourists and even some locals favored a guided tour, Leonardo knew exactly where he was going. He’d been given a map at the entrance, which was still neatly folded in the back pocket of his perfect ass.

She licked her lips. Ever since that night they hadn’t been intimate. He never gave her the contract to sign, but based on their verbal agreement, the deal was done. He no longer needed to touch her to lure her into doing anything. Her heart raced. Was it fair to blame him? She’d done it.

“I know the way. Follow me,” he said. She tried hard to pay no attention to the wide planes of his back stretching against the white cotton shirt. He also had on gym shorts, and she had never seen him so casual. Sure, she’d seen him naked, but this was so…normal.

They passed a few visitors who talked loudly about a waterfall. She wondered if they’d peg them for a couple hiking together. Could she settle for the fantasy? Every day that went by her heart beat a fraction quicker when he called her name and her skin prickled at the nearness of him. Her body was betraying her and there was nothing she could do about it.

She pulled down the hem of the shirt Addie had lent her. Addie was shorter than she was, so the black halter shirt kept sliding up her abdomen. The shorts were a lot more forgiving.

“Why didn’t you give me the contract to sign yet?”

“I’ve been busy. I have it ready, I just need to print it.”

“Good. I want the best for Lyanna.”
Even if it’ll suck for me personally.

“Me, too,” he said.

I believe you.
The words tingled at the tip of her tongue, but did she need to voice them? Besides…the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, painfully aware of his presence.

To distract herself, she grabbed a bottle of water from the backpack and took a big swig. She realized while she lifted the plastic bottle he watched her, his lips parted like he was about to kiss her. “Want some?” she said, pointing at the bottle. “It’s hot here.”

“Hot, indeed,” he said, and his gaze dropped to her lips.

Oh God. Was it wrong to want him to take her, right there, in the middle of the forest, in broad daylight? Her sex tingled with anticipation, her clitoris throbbing.

She waited. He grabbed the bottle from her hand, and when his fingers brushed hers, a thrill of excitement surged up her arm, electrifying all her nerve endings. Her nipples puckered in full alert. She was like an exotic fruit, ready to be picked and eaten.

He took a drink and gave her back the bottle. “Thanks. We’d better get going.”

…

Leonardo swallowed. For the past half hour, he’d been hiking without any idea where he was going, even though he’d done this dozens of times. Satyanna followed behind him, but he saw her ahead of him.

After Maria had died, he’d talked to the authorities and pressed to have charges brought against Harry Clemonte, but there were no witnesses or evidence. Their hands were tied, and he hated that.

He’d agreed to get out of the house, foolishly thinking some time with her in the outdoors would get his mind off of the recent events.

“Hey,” she called out to him, and he glanced over his shoulder.

Her hair was all disheveled, and the top clung to her skin. When she lifted her arms, he could see her belly button. Desire pounded hard in his bloodstream, but he willed it away—or tried to.

“What?” he asked.

“Is that a waterfall?” she asked, pointing at a famous bank of water to the south.

He nodded.

She cocked her head in the direction of the famous landmark. “Let’s go.”

“I was thinking we could get to the peak, first. It’s the highest peak in Rio,” he said. And that would keep them moving, and not talking or exchanging glances that stretched beyond reason.

Her smile made him uncomfortable. “You always have a plan, right? Sometimes it’s best to detour.”

“This
is
the detour. My plan was to watch you like a hawk at home,” he said. That was why he hadn’t been at his firm and asked for some of his associates to step in and pick up the slack. Until this situation was solved, he couldn’t focus on any cases. It wouldn’t be fair to the clients, and it wouldn’t bring Clemonte to justice. “Now, thanks to you, and also my sister-in-law being a pain in the ass, I have to do it here.”

She made a face. “Have you always been such a stickler?”

A part of the tension dispersed, and for a second the burden on his shoulders lessened. Another power she had over him—to put him at ease when he was too stressed. Shrugging, he decided to join in on the fun. Why not? Ever since she came into his life, a tsunami had flooded him with long-waited passions and conflicting emotions. Deaths, but also another life. Lyanna. “Rumor has it I was a wild child when I was a toddler.”

She chuckled. “Didn’t your former girlfriends ever complain about your lack of spontaneity?”

Leonardo snorted. She was painting him like a wooden statue, dusting in the back of some run-down museum. Was he that bad? “Women find it endearing,” he said, hating himself for wanting to impress her.

“Yes. I’m sure the size of your bank account, and, er, other things, never came into consideration when you acted all diehard perfectionist.”

Other things. He rubbed the back of his neck. Was she talking about his cock so casually? His pulse raced, the first sign of the desire clenching his gut. Before something else hardened, he shook his head and gestured for her to follow him. At this point, avoidance was the only strategy he had. Either that or…giving in.

They made their way to one of the dozens of waterfalls. A few visitors took pictures, standing on the stone steps. A couple kids started to cry, probably tired from the sun and the hiking. All the sounds faded to the background when his eyes drifted to her. She was downright entranced by the water streaming down. “Can I borrow your cell phone?”

Cell phone? He slid it out of his pocket and gave it to her.

Satyanna snapped some pictures from the waterfall to the yellow birds on a taller tree. “So beautiful.”

“Do you miss taking pictures?” he asked. He remembered she took her professional camera with her during that weekend one year ago, and she had also mentioned she studied photography in New York.

“Yes. I could get back to it, after this whole mess is over,” she said, and glanced at him.

He sighed. “You could.”

The kids ran out of sight, and the poor parents excused themselves as they marched through them. What kind of co-parenting would he and Satyanna do? He’d drawn the contract, yes, but how would they get along on a daily, weekly basis? For the rest of their lives?

“Here, look at me,” she said, yanking him from his thoughts.

She was taking pictures of him.

“That’s enough,” he said, waving her off. “Let’s keep going.”

“No. Let’s pretend I have this badass camera and not an iPhone. Here, move in front of the waterfall,” she said, and before he could answer, pushed him so the waterfall streamed behind him. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, restless on the ground. “Look at me,” she said. “No. Not like that. Relax. I can tell you’re tense.”

How complicated was this?
Just take the damn picture.
Although he thought if he talked like that that would be a moot point. She would find a way to annoy him even more. “Fine.”

“Smile.”

To tease her, he opened his mouth as wide as he could, determined to make this a cartoon-worthy grin.

“Not like that. Look at the phone like it’s a camera…and you’re trying to seduce it. Quirk your lips to the side, lift one eyebrow. You wanna be relaxed, but with your posture in place,” she said, slipping into professional mode.

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. When he’d agreed on escaping the madness so they’d both not go insane, he’d imagined the outdoors would help relax them and maybe clear their heads. Instead, his cock kept twitching and a thrill surged through him whenever she looked at him like she was still hungry for him. “Good job. Very nice. Take off your shirt.”

“What?”

“Just do it. It’ll look more natural with the backdrop. Plus, there’s a patch of sweat on your abs.”

“Who’s the diehard perfectionist now?” He bit back a smile. She was enjoying this—not just being out of the house, but taking pictures even if it was with a phone camera. Why not indulge her for a bit? Hadn’t she given him what he wanted by agreeing to stay? He pulled the shirt over his head, and tossed it on the cemented ground.

She licked her lips. “Nice. Tilt your head to the side.”

His cock strained harder against his shorts. God. He hoped she was shooting him from his mid-section and above, otherwise that’d be embarrassing. Embarrassing? No. It’d be real. Honest.

She darted glances at the small screen then at him. A small smile played on her lips like she had insider’s information on a high-profile case and refused to share.

“Good job,” she said, and came to show him the pictures, but he couldn’t give a fuck about them.

He’d endured enough.

Impatient, he snatched her into his arms, and without any warning dipped his head and captured her lips with his. She gasped, but opened her mouth to accommodate him. Soon her tongue was following his head, her hands wrapping against his exposed torso.

She chuckled, a flush reddening her face, but didn’t fight him. She wanted him, too, didn’t she? And he was going to give her the one thing he found impossible to hold out.

“Come with me,” he said, stretching his hand to her. She took it in hers, and for the next few minutes no words were spoken. He guided her through the back area of the waterfall, and walked through knee-length grass. When he found an area shaded by trees, he slammed her against one of them. Moaning, she wrapped her legs around him.

“I don’t have condoms, but I-I can’t get pregnant anyway…”

Leonardo shut her up with a long, torturing kiss. His cock throbbed, desperate for relief. Was it wrong that he hadn’t even thought about birth control? That he just wanted to fuck her, fuck her until this crazy need disappeared?

He pulled her top up and fumbled with the bra. She helped him, opening the clasp, and her pert, gorgeous breasts bounced free for his tongue. She caressed his head while he lapped at her taut nipples, her fingers kneading his scalp and sensitizing his entire being. Pre-cum coated the tip of his cock.

“So good,” she whispered.

It was about to get better. He inserted a finger into her shorts, fumbling until it found the way into her underwear. She bucked against him, squirming, ready to be taken.

An electric current surged through him. Groaning, he thrust his finger into her sex that was drenched with desire. He found her bundle of nerves and flicked it, teased it, caressed it. She moaned against his lips, eyes semi closed, unruly hair covering part of her face.

“Fuck.” He pulled down his shorts and plunged himself inside her. She clenched around him, her walls clinging to him.

His cock throbbed, the blood rushing to the tip of his length. He slipped out just enough to thrust into her again. Hard. Deep.

She breathed in small pants, her hands scratching his shoulder blades. Squirming, she lifted her head and licked his lips. Her hot tongue traced them. Damn her.

Holding her head back, he continued to withdraw only to return to her sweet wetness again. Once. Twice. Three times. With each thrust she moaned louder, and he covered her mouth with his hand so people wouldn’t hear them. Then he realized as her body shook she was whimpering from pleasure. She grabbed him closer and nipped at his shoulder. The pain shot another level of awareness into his body, and he fucked her until he spilled himself into her.

A few seconds went by before any sounds around him even registered. All he found was peace and silence. A couple of parakeet birds were singing, and he heard voices from other tourists not too far away. Disengaging from her, he pulled his shorts up and stayed in front of her while she recomposed to ensure her privacy.

“What just happened?” she asked, her voice still coarse.

“I detoured,” he said.
Just once. Just this once.
The next day, he’d have her sign that damn contract. And all would go back to normal. “What was that about you not getting pregnant?”

She smoothed her hands over her shirt. “I can’t. During my emergency C-section, the doctor discovered my placenta was growing into the uterus. My uterus was tearing badly, and a hysterectomy was the only way to stop the severe bleeding. Even if I could carry another pregnancy, doctors would be against it because I also had eclampsia. It wouldn’t be fair to risk my life like that when I have one baby to take care of.”

“I understand. Did you take it hard?”

Her smile couldn’t disguise the sadness in her voice. “I’ve always wanted a big family. I didn’t have much time to really think about what not being able to have another baby meant. I have Lyanna, and especially because I lost her, I should be grateful.”