“What now?” My patience was long lost when I answered the third call from Marcus that day. I had showered, but it did not ease my tension. Outside, the morning scene was pleasant with a clear blue sky and estate staff buzzing around with various activities.
“Sir, I have a suggestion.”
“I’m listening.” The wind ruffled my hair as I paced the balcony.
“We can use this opportunity to break in to her home and find evidence.” Marcus sounded excited.
This piqued my interest. “But…” I drawled, thinking about the possible outcome.
“We’ve tried everything else. This is our best bet.”
My heart raced. I ran a hand through my hair and pinched the bridge of my nose. It was a risky business, and illegal. But we had to do it if that was what it took to prove Papa’s innocence. First, we needed to get our hands on that document.
“We have trained men
The hardest obstacle I had ever had to face was to release her from my embrace. Every fiber of my body and mind urged me to claim her as mine, but it was too soon. I wasn’t ready.With a deep breath that filled my lungs with her fragrance, I stepped back. “I have something to take care of.” It hadn’t been a second I release her, and the longing to feel the warmth of her skin was nagging me. I gripped her hands, circling my thumb on her palm.“Okay.” She pushed the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.“I’m sorry about the way she spoke to you.”She shrugged. The corners of her lips lifted. “I don’t care.”She moved to hug me, and my hands encircled her. My chin rested on her head as she pressed her cheek against my heart.We stayed that way for a while before she pulled away. “You had something to do.”“Oh, yes.” I cleared my t
The trip back to the island took about two hours. I canceled the rest of my engagements for the day. After meeting Waylon and Kenzie, all I wanted was to see Arianna. Something had changed. For the first time in years, this meeting did not affect me as it would have in the past.Philip, our retired butler, looked up from his newspaper and smiled when I rounded the corner. He chose to stay at the estate since he had no family. He sat at his usual spot that overlooked the beach where he liked to spend time with a cup of tea.“Hey, Philip, how’s your day?”“It’s a great afternoon, Orlando. The weather is good for a walk.” A fond smile graced his lips. Philip was nearing eighty. He kept Grandpapa company.“Where’s Boxer?”“Oh, he’s with Arianna.” His eyes crinkled with laughter, and his features softened when he spoke her name. “They’re inseparable these days.”
The wind ruffled my hair. The sounds of the beach were so lively and relaxing. After being a workaholic for years, it would be a lie if I said this forced vacation didn’t relax me.It felt like a long time since I’d enjoyed some family time. However, I also missed being at work. The constant itch to check on my emails was still there. I refrained from doing so because I promised Enrique. Another round of laughter caught my attention.Arianna––the mere name gave me a reason and pinned me in place. While everyone drank and chattered away, I sat there on the beach chair, sipping my beer.I let my gaze sweep around the beach. Arianna was in the water with the girls, playing and laughing. The sight of her smiling face brought a smile on my own. A sigh passed my lips. I could watch her smile all day.My hands went to my pockets out of habit, only to realize I was in swim trunks. Reaching for the phone on the table, I made a quick call to
“Coward,” I spat for the third time that night as I gazed into the mirror. “Why can’t you just do this one thing you want the most? Fucking coward.”I despised seeing myself in the mirror. I’m a fool. I clenched my fists, suppressing the urge to hit the mirror. But I had to walk away to protect my heart and my sanity. Even a hot shower didn’t help to calm my rattling nerves.Boxer had snuck into Grandpapa’s room earlier, leaving me alone. Opening the cabinet, I took the pills, inspecting the bottle. Not that I needed it, but after what I went through, I wasn’t sure. The sex stamina pill was promising, but then our relationship would be built on a lie. Besides the bottle, the condoms I bought last week seemed to laugh at me. What was I thinking?Self-doubt is the worst poison. With a sigh, I placed it where it belonged. Let her hate me or think I wasn’t worth it. But how could I talk ab
“Here’s your coffee, sir.”I thanked Sheila and sipped the hot heaven, sighing in bliss. There was so much to do before I left for the business trip. The two weeks off had been wonderful. While I would give anything to re-live those two weeks, work consumed me. There were so many proposals and reports that required my attention.Two days had passed, and all I ever did was eat and work. I hardly had time to sleep with everything I had to do. Arianna was constantly at the back of my mind. Her face popped up in my mind in between, and she had called twice, which I missed.My headache returned as I skimmed through the papers. The investors in Europe needed numbers, and fortunately, we covered it already.“Have the reports ready this evening. I––”My cell phone blared for the sixteenth time, ruining my mood as Isabela’s name flashed on the screen. I’d deal with her in court. I turned the phone on sil
The chilly wind tussled my hair as I moved closer to hear the conversation. Light from a distant post illuminated the sides of their faces.“You already lost me, Brian,” I heard her say. The fury in her voice was a soothing balm to my jealousy.“Hear me out, please. I lied to you. Alana was the first one I met. My parents wanted us to get married. But then, one day, I bumped into you and got intrigued. I wanted to get to know you better. I fell in love with you and even broke up with Alana.” That son of a bitch ranted, and his voice grew desperate.I clenched my fists and forced my tense shoulders to relax. Arianna folded her hands over her chest and faced the bastard. “So, you were seeing each other.”“Kind of.” Brian averted his gaze.“There can be only one answer to this question, Brian. It’s either yes or no.”Atta girl! Speaking of which, I shouldn’t stay.
The plane touched down at the destination airport, jerking me out of my thoughts. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my aching limbs. Sleep evaded me the entire flight, as I could only think about her.Sheila had booked the tickets in economy since first class was full. First class sure had its perks when compared to economy. But the discomfort mattered less when I thought about the day I got to spend with Arianna.An hour and a long line to immigration later, Sheila greeted me at baggage claim. Her shoulders sagged with relief as she checked the time.“Here.” She handed me a steaming cup of coffee and a sandwich once inside the car. “Your flight arrived on time. We have enough time to make a quick stop at the hotel before heading over to our first meeting.”With a nod, I bit into the sandwich, glad to have something to my liking, unlike the food they served during the flight. The aroma of the coffee lifted my mood considerably. Sheila
Orlando CortezWhen I left for the Europe trip, she was the last person I expected to stumble upon. Last night, she was at the party. Sheila told me about the business gathering when I got back from a meeting with Colossal Inc. It was a last-moment invitation. Who’d have invited me to the party? I got my answer when I reached the venue. When Sheila stressed that most of the people I was visiting during this trip would be there, and it would help to build a rapport, I agreed.The evening started off well, meeting and greeting business prospects until my eyes fell on her. Dressed in a shimmery outfit that bared her midriff and revealed her long, tan legs, Kenzie stood there, gaze fixated on me.What is she doing here? I scanned the room, finding Desmond not too far from her, perched on a barstool, sipping a fancy drink. I turned around, not wanting to meet her gaze. But less than a minute later, I felt her arm snak