Chills & Thrills: Three Novel Box Set (51 page)

“I don't want to hear any more!” Alex was now screaming at Antonio, his face colored by fury, his fists clenched and ready to strike. “My mother was right about you. If you'd wanted me, wanted to be a part of my life, you would have been. Life was difficult for my mother and me. And you know what? She was right, and so are you. I never needed you then, and I don't need you now! Stay away from me! Stay the hell away and out of my life. I don't want to be a part of you or your business. You disgust me!”

Antonio watched as Alex turned and ran back to the house, his vision blurred by the tears his deceit caused, and he knew he was watching the son he wanted so badly in his life run right out of it.

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

LONG STEMMED RED ROSES WERE DELIVERED TO BELLA
 the next morning, the card inside reading, This is the first of a long list of surprises to come. Love, Alex.

Throughout the day, every hour on the hour, Bella received another gift. The roses came first, then a beautiful violet silk dress with an open back and plunging neckline. The dress epitomized elegance and sensuality. Silver shoes and a matching purse came along in a smaller box an hour later.

Another hour went by, and a pair of one-carat diamond stud earrings arrived. After that, a matching diamond necklace and bracelet. Bella drifted between shock and elation. Each gift contained a small card that read, 
I love you. Alex
. The last card contained information on where she should meet him for dinner that evening: Fernando's, a small, exclusive restaurant set against the cliffs, overlooking Banderas Bay in Puerto Vallarta. He would have a car sent to drive her up from her father's home in Costa Careyes. She glanced at her watch. Alex had flown from Colombia into Puerto Vallarta the night before and had contacted her, but they hadn't seen each other yet, and she was dying with anticipation.

“Two hours before the car will be here,” she cried. She wanted to look her best, and was a bit miffed that he'd given her such short notice. Then she looked around her room and saw all the beautiful gifts Alex had sent her throughout the day and her arrogance vanished.

Her father walked into her room and found her flitting around, searching for a bottle of nail polish. “Did you go on a shopping spree today?”

“No, Papa. Alex sent these to me. I'm supposed to meet him for dinner this evening.”

“Ah, of course.” Javier smiled. “Alejandro sent you these things?”

“Yes. Isn't he wonderful?”

“If I didn't know better, I'd think you were in love.” A faint pink color rose to Bella's cheeks. “You don't need to defend yourself,” Javier said, “I'm happy for you. Even though I wish you were still a little girl. It seems like only days have passed instead of years. And now, before I have a chance to blink, you turn into a woman.”

“Oh, Papa!” Bella walked over and hugged her father. “I'll always be your little girl.”

“This is true.” Javier pulled away and kissed her on the forehead. “I believe you have a dinner engagement. You'd better hurry up. I'll have the car ready when you are.”

“Thank you, Papa.”

Javier left the room, his heart swollen with happiness, but yet tainted by a small amount of pain — the kind only a father feels when he knows he's lost his daughter to another man.

*****

ALEX WAS WAITING AT THE TABLE WHEN BELLA ARRIVED.
 She looked stunning, her long, dark hair cascading down her back in shining waves. The dress fit her petite figure the way Alex hoped it would, and he could smell her scent as he stood to greet her.

“You take my breath away,” he told her. “You are so beautiful.”

She had left her wheelchair in the car and was obviously determined to try and start making it through her days with only the use of the cane.

They began with drinks and Oysters Rockefeller, and soon moved on to a main course of filet mignon. Candlelight bounced off the bay windows, casting a glow on the bay outside and also onto Bella. The quaint restaurant was decorated in traditional old Spanish style with wrought iron chandeliers, dark wood crown molding, and clean white tablecloths. A fire in the fireplace in the center of the room burned brightly, and a harp was being played in the background. Everything was perfect.

“This is beautiful, all you've done for me. Thank you.” Bella said.

“I would do 
anything
 for you, Bella.”

“I'm starting to believe you.” She winked at him. “Tell me, Alex, what this is all about? All of the gifts, the dinner, all of the romance.” She smiled. “If I didn't know better, I might think you're trying to seduce me.”

“Aren't you forward tonight? This is not about anything. Does it have to be a special occasion for me to want to give you gifts and take you to dinner?”

“I am still suspicious, Alejandro Peña! You are up to something.”

He laughed, picking up his glass of wine.

“There's something more than this surprise I know you're hiding, Alex. There's something bothering you.”

“What makes you say that?” Alex asked, setting his glass back down.

“I see it. I know.”

“You're psychic?”

“No, I am a woman and we have good intuition. Tell me.”

“You are too perceptive.” He sighed and didn't say anything for a moment. He took a sip from his wine and setting it back down, he said, “You're correct, there is something on my mind.” He traced the rim of his wine glass with a long manicured finger. “It's my father.”

“Your father. What about him? You told me he deserted you and your mother when you were a baby.”

“Antonio is my father.” There was no other way to say it.

“What?”

“It's true. I didn't believe it myself, but there were too many things he said that convinced me. Besides busying myself with finding only the best that money could buy for you today, my mind has played the scene I had with Antonio, with 
my
 father yesterday, over and over again.”

“Tell me about it.”

Alex told Bella everything — from what his mother had told him when he was a boy, to the scene with Antonio only the day before. She listened intently and when he finished, his eyes were misted over.

“You love him, don't you?” she asked him.

“Yes. No. I definitely do not love that man.”

She held up her hand. “Don't lie to me, Alex. Of course you love him. I've seen how close you two have become. What happened to you and your mother wasn't fair, but he 
does
 love you, and he wants to be a father now. Don't you think you can let him? I believe you can. In fact, I 
know
 you can. Alejandro, you're a compassionate man. Bitterness isn't a part of you. Don't allow it into your heart. It will ruin you.”

“I don't know.”

“Yes, you do. All you have to do is listen to your heart. Think about it. I believe it would please your mother.”

“I will think about it. Why are you so smart?”

“Luck.”

“Right.”

They both laughed as their dessert was placed before them: a bowl of beautiful strawberries with fresh cream.

“What's this? Only one bowl?” Bella mused, lifting an eyebrow.

“I intend to let you have most of them.”

“Oh, I'm sure.”

Alex elaborately dipped the ripe fruit in the smooth, white cream. He then reached across the table, placing it gently in her mouth. When she bit down she felt something hard and cold in the center of the berry. What she hadn't noticed was that the berry had been sliced to fit the small trinket inside it.

“What's this?” she exclaimed.

“What?” Alex tried to act as surprised, but appeared sheepish.

“Oh my God!” She wiped off a beautiful, two carat, princess cut diamond ring.

Alex reached for the ring and then her hand. He got up from his chair and knelt down on one knee. “Isabella Rodriguez, since the first day I laid eyes on you, I haven't been able to stop thinking of you. I knew you were the one for me. Your strength, your intelligence, your kindness with all you meet — especially with your horses…” He reached up and wiped the tears now coming down her face. “Your love for your family — all of it has made me certain and cemented in my heart and soul how much I love you. I want to love you for the rest of my life. I want to have children with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to be your best friend and you mine. I want to argue with you and then make love with you. I respect you. You challenge me. You make me a better man. I cannot even think of a life without you.” He shook his head. “I can't. So please, please, I beg you, will you marry me, Isabella?”

Bella couldn't answer, the words catching in her throat. At first, she began to nod her head, and then finally blurted out, “Yes. Of course I will marry you.”

Alex stood and brought her to her feet, kissing her. “You have made me the happiest man in the world, in the universe, in the heavens, everywhere!” He kissed her again — sweetly, slowly.

 “We need to tell our families,” she said as he held her close.

“I asked your father this morning for your hand, so he is aware.” He smiled. “Besides, you 
are
 my family, now.”

“You 
have
 a family, too.”

Alex looked away. He knew she was right.

“For me, Alex. No, do it for yourself.”

He nodded. “All right. But first, there is something I want to
 do
 to you.” He smiled and grabbed her hand. He slid the ring onto Bella's finger.

She took his face in her hands and leaned in, her lips meeting his in a soft, luscious kiss that sent a vibration of lust and love through each of them. She pulled away from him and looking into his eyes said, “And there is something I'd like to do to you.”

He smiled. “I was going to try and be a gentleman and ask you. I even thought we might want to wait until our wedding night.”

“I don't want to wait.”

He took a key out from his coat pocket and placed it on the table as he stood to help her out of her chair.

“What's this?” she asked.

“A suite at Las Brisas.”

“You were hoping I wouldn't hold you to that chivalry stuff and make an honest woman out of me.”

“I was hoping.”

She laughed.

He turned serious. “Bella, to me you are already my wife in my heart. There is not a day that will pass that I won't love you and hold you in my soul. You are a part of me.” He kissed her again and then hand in hand, he escorted her out of the restaurant.

*****

ANTONIO HAD BEEN FILLED WITH EVERY CONCEIVABLE 
emotion during the past few days. Joy filled him every time he saw his daughters together with their mother, becoming reacquainted. But the sadness of losing the son he never really had filled him with grief, too. And each time he and Lydia spent time trying to talk, there was a distance that had never been there before. They were like strangers who had known each other once, long ago. Each of them realized that there was no turning back time. Too much damage had occurred. There could be no going back for either one of them.

As he sat in the garden pondering the losses he'd suffered throughout the years, Antonio was shocked to hear a male voice say, “Father.”

Antonio whipped around to see Alex standing behind him. “I know that I was very angry the other day. And, I'm still hurt about your lies, but you 
are
 my father. And as much as I hate to admit it, I've grown to love you over the last year and a half, as if you really were my father.”

Antonio stood up from the wooden bench where he was sitting. He reached for Alex and grabbed him, embracing the larger yet younger man, who didn't respond at first, until he swore he saw a vision of his mother standing next to one of the rose bushes. She smiled, nodding her head. He hugged his father back.

“I suppose we need to let the others in on our secret,” Antonio said.

“I suppose so, but first I want you to know that Bella and I are getting married.”

“Oh, this is wonderful! I am so happy. This is the happiest, best news!” Antonio cried. He pulled Alex in again to him and held him tight for a long time, neither one of them saying anything, but in that embrace expressing emotions that had been bottled up for years. “I think we should meet with Lydia and your sisters this evening.”

“Fine. I have to say one more thing, and I need your blessing on this. I have already spoken to Javier and received his.”

“Alejandro?”

“Bella and I don't want any part of the business. We want our families as one and we will respect and love you, but we can't be a part of what is wrong in your and Javier's world any longer. We plan to move to France. Bella was happy there. We want to start a horse farm and Bella has already contacted Jean Luc, her old trainer, who has offered to help us. Bella wants to go and see where Delilah is buried — pay her respects — and we want to settle down there in the countryside.”

Antonio didn't respond at first. He looked into his son's eyes and gave him the answer they both knew was right. “Of course, son. I wouldn't want anything else for you. Take your wife and be happy there. Remember though, you have to come home for Christmas, and when you start having children you may have to build me a house on your farm so that I can be a grandpapa. I understand your need. Maybe it is also time that both Javier and I rethink what it is we do with our lives.”

“Thank you.” Alex smiled at him, unsure of himself and the next stage of his life, which would now involve a father he'd been determined to hate until the day he died.

*****

THE FAMILY WAS GATHERED AROUND THE DINNER TABLE
, Alex included. They had finished supper and the servants were clearing the plates. Their conversation had been lively and neither of the girls had asked why Alex was at the table. They'd become accustomed to his presence there, and he and Rosa had become good friends. Alex found Felicia to be somewhat annoying at times, but since the return of her mother, she seemed to have toned her behavior down quite a bit and was staying close to home while she, her sister and Lydia bonded again.