Breaking Hearts (Full Hearts #4)

by MJ Summers

  Lorena raised her voice now. “I know you’ve been sneaking to his bed every night. You think I can’t hear the squeaking door?”

  Carlos came down the hall and into the kitchen, a worried look on his face.

  “This is a mistake, Alessandra! I raised you to be smarter than this! You’re going to throw your life away for a good-looking man who’s no better than your father! He’s using you and he will leave you with nothing!”

  “No, he isn’t! He loves me,” Alessandra growled through her teeth.

  Lorena laughed, oozing frustration. “He’s certainly got you fooled, hasn’t he? With that nice smile and some pretty words? You’ll do anything for him if he’ll just love you, right? First, he got you to take care of his legal problems! Then you bring him here to give him a roof over his head! Then you give him your body! You’re so stupid! A man like that will take what he wants and leave you. He’s going to go home and leave you broken-hearted, but you’re too blind to see it!”

  “It’s not like that. He’s a good man! Look at everything he’s done for this family since he’s been here! And when I was finishing school, he made all the meals and took care of everything so I could study. You don’t know anything about him, so just stay out of it!”

  “I’m not going to let you make the same mistake I did! Never!” Lorena screamed. Taking a huge breath, she lowered her voice to an icy tone. “He has to leave here. He is no longer welcome.”

  “What? You can’t do that! Where will he and Tomas live?” Alessa cried. Tears of anger sprang from her eyes.

  “I don’t care. Tomas is not my problem. And he’s not your problem either. But you are my problem and I’ll die before I see you waste your life on that galinha!”

  “He is not a galinha!”

  “Of course he is! If he isn’t a womanizer, then how did he end up with a son and no wife!”

  “Enough!” Carlos barked, slamming his hand on the counter. Both women turned, shocked. “That’s enough, Lorena. He’s a good boy. He loves her. Every time we’re out in the barn together he goes on and on about her. He thinks I don’t understand anything, so he talks. And all he says the whole time is how much he cares about Alessandra, and how beautiful she is, and how kind she is, and how her hair smells like peaches, for heaven’s sake. He loves her enough that he asked her to marry him. And she said yes.”

  Lorena’s head snapped back as she rounded on Alessandra. “What? No, you are not marrying him!”

  “I am and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!”

  Just then Trey walked in and stood, filling the entrance to the kitchen with his tall frame. His jaw was set tight as he gave Lorena a long, cold stare. Turning to Alessandra, he spoke, his voice quiet. “Everything okay in here?”

  Alessandra’s heart surged at the sight of him, a wave of relief rushing over her. She gave him a little nod, then looked back at her mother. This time she spoke in English. “You see? He cares about me.”

  The sound of whimpering in the hall stopped the fight. Tomas appeared at the entrance to the kitchen, having been woken from his nap by the yelling. His bottom lip was trembling and his eyes were wide with fear. Trey strode over to him and scooped him up in his arms. “It’s okay. Everything’s fine, little man.” He gave him a kiss on the forehead and started for the back door. Turning to Lorena again, he said, “I know you don’t trust me and I understand why. We shouldn’t have been sneaking around. We should have been upfront with you. But I promise you I’ll never hurt Alessa. I love her and nothing’s going to change that. I’m not using her, I’m starting a life with her.”

  Lorena waved her hand at him as though swatting a fly. “He is nothing but a galinha!” she snapped, glaring at Alessandra.

  Trey looked calmly over to his bride-to-be. “Come on outside, Alessandra. You look like you could use some fresh air.”

  He held the door for her before carrying his son out into the tranquility of the bright sunshine. Alessandra wiped her tears as she followed him.

  Carlos stared at his daughter for a long minute. “He’s not Otavio. He’s a good young man and Alessandra is a smart girl. They will take care of each other and little Tomas. Now is the time to trust that you did a good job of raising her and to let her go. I know it’s hard, but you’ll only lose her if you try to stop her.”

  * * *

  The three sat on the swing in the shade with Tomas on Trey’s lap. He snuggled his head against Trey’s chest and closed his eyes. Alessandra rubbed his little back. “You’re still tired. I’m sorry we woke you with that yelling, rapazinho. Everything is okay, though.” Tears filled her eyes at the memory of the ugly scene, and from the guilt of scaring Tomas.

  “You alright?” Trey asked softly, putting his arm around her and pulling her close to him.

  Alessa nodded. “I’m fine. I guess we weren’t fooling them.”

  “Guess not. I could hear you all from the barn. I hope it’s okay that I came in. I couldn’t just leave you to deal with what I was pretty sure was my mess.”

  “The mess belongs to both of us, but of course it’s fine that you came in.” She nodded her head. “I’m sorry we scared Tomas.”

  “He’ll be alright.” Trey gave her a curious smile. “I have to ask. What’s that word she called me?”

  Alessandra scrunched up her nose. “Oh, galinha is the word for hen. A womanizer is called a galinha.”

  “Well, I guess there are worse things she could have called me, right?” he asked. “On the bright side, maybe now we can have your family at the wedding. Make it a real celebration.”

  Alessandra gave him a skeptical look. “We’ll see if she comes around or not. She can be very stubborn.”

  * * *

  That night, they moved Tomas’s bed into the guest house and set it up in the small living room. Tomas had trouble settling down because he was so excited to sleep in the “widdle house,” as he called it. Alessandra brought a few of her things with her, having decided the three of them should stay together. She and her mother had artfully avoided each other for the rest of the evening. Lorena left at suppertime and hadn’t returned by the time they’d moved everything. When they finally got into bed, Trey could see that Alessandra was still a little shaken from the day’s events. He lay next to her and gave her a kiss on the lips that was so gentle, it was almost chaste.

  “I’m alright,” she said in response.

  “It’s okay if you’re not,” he answered quietly. “We don’t have to do anything. I’m happy enough to have you in my bed so we can wake up with each other every morning.”

  She parted her lips, pressing them to his as she ran her hand over his bicep. “I want to be with you. Like this.” She lowered her hand down the front of his body, hearing him suck in a deep breath when her fingers reached his underwear. He returned her kiss the way she had hoped he would and rested his hand on the small of her back. Pulling her close, his kisses became more urgent. Moments later, what little clothing they had on was strewn on the floor and he was hovering over her, his lips grazing her bare flesh. Moving down her body, he lingered at her breasts, working her nipples with his tongue until he felt them tighten and she moaned with pleasure. “We’re going to have to get used to being very quiet. Do you think you can do that while I’m doing this?”

  Alessa smiled down at him. “Yes, I’ll try.”

  Lowering his mouth again, he paused, then looked back up at her. “You’ll try?” Shaking his head, he gave her a mock-apologetic look. “I’m sorry, then. We can’t do this. I need a guarantee.”

  Giggling softly, Alessandra nodded. “I promise.”

  And then his mouth was on her again, teasing her, coaxing her toward the pleasure only he could give. He slowly worked his way back up to her mouth, grinning at her as he flipped onto his back and pulled her on top of him. She sat facing him on his lap. It was her turn to tease him now. Lowering her mouth close to his, she came close to kissing him but then pulled back. Again and again she let him chase her befo
re sneaking out of range. Then she sat up, straightening her back and running her hands up and down his chest. She ground her hips into his lap. Her ears took in a moan but it wasn’t hers this time—it was his. She wanted to remind him to be quiet but that sound did something to her that made her feel a little wild. Reaching behind herself, she took his cock in her hand and guided it along her wet sex slowly, back and forth until she couldn’t stop herself. She positioned herself over him and lowered her hips, taking in his smooth length like a diver plunging into water. Trey’s hands travelled up her sides to her breasts and he gave them a squeeze and ran his thumbs over her nipples. Alessandra’s legs parted even more and her hips moved in long drags, drawing him in even deeper with each thrust. She could feel him pulsing inside her with desire, and the look he wore was the strongest aphrodisiac. In his eyes, she saw pure lust and it made her feel powerful. And it made her want to give him everything she had to give. She lowered her face over his, her hair falling around him as she kissed him, and felt his tongue working inside her parted lips the same way his cock was working between her parted legs. Her pace sped up—she rode him hard now, faster, longer, deeper. And then it happened. She could feel herself coming, her entire body tensing and releasing as she let the effects wash over her. Trey slid his thumb into her mouth and she bit down on it so she wouldn’t cry out.

  When she was finished, Trey pulled her down on top of him, letting her head rest on his chest. “I love you, Alessa. We’re going to make this work.”

  She lifted her head off him so she could kiss him on the lips. He rolled them over so that now she was on her back and he was on top of her. She gazed up at him, overcome by love for him. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to make a life with her. He was every fantasy she’d ever had, only better because he was real. Their tongues danced together, perfectly matched, as their bodies moved. This was real. He was real. He was hers. He moved over her easily, his hips rocking them both, slowly edging them toward that point of pure connection. There was no hurry for either of them. No fear of getting caught. The pleasure of the build-up was as complete as that of what was to come. She could feel herself growing ready again. And then the moment arrived, both of them together, so close it was as though they were now one perfect being in this most intimate of acts. Their mouths never parted as they felt the pleasure flowing from one to the other and back. When it was over, Trey lay on top of her, their bodies glistening with sweat and gratification. He rolled them both onto their sides, their bodies still tangled, him still buried inside her as they recovered, naked and warm.

  “I love you, Trey,” she whispered, too overcome by emotion to say more. It was as though this were their wedding night, though no ceremony had happened yet.

  They dozed together like this for a long while before their bodies started moving together again, and they found themselves back in that place that belonged only to them.

  Twenty-Five

  August began, bringing Alessandra a sense of exhilaration with an undercurrent of tension. Lorena was still furious but chose to pretend that neither Trey nor Alessandra existed. When their intent to marry was posted in the newspaper, dozens of well-wishers, along with the curious, phoned. Lorena chose to stop answering the phone altogether. Her resistance only strengthened the resolve of the young couple, pulling them together in the way adversity alone can do.

  They were granted a marriage licence ten days before Betina was set to leave for the US to start university. As soon as they received the court’s approval, they set to work in hopes of creating a lovely wedding Betina could attend before she left. Carlos had given his blessing for the ceremony and reception to take place in the yard, and immediately the family was called to help with the hurried preparations. Excitement swept through the farm as traditional foods were prepared and the property was readied for the big day.

  Trey had wrestled with whether or not to tell his parents. Since the big argument with his mother, they had avoided calling each other, both wanting to wait until the other gave in. He knew he needed to tell his mom and dad about his relationship with Alessandra and about their wedding plans, but he wasn’t sure how to tell them he was about to marry someone they’d never met. They would try to talk him out of it, and that would lead to another fight and more weeks or possibly months of silence between them. He knew how hurt they would feel, and in the end, he decided it would be easier for them to hear that it had already happened than to be at home knowing the event was taking place without them. Besides, he planned to tell them they could hold a reception in Colorado when he and Alessa returned.

  The morning before the wedding, Carlos found Trey and Tomas feeding the animals in the barn. “Come,” Carlos called to them, walking out into the sunny yard. Alessandra, who was wiping down the long wooden table on the patio, stopped to watch as they approached.

  “Alessandra,” Carlos called. “Come.”

  She put down the rag and joined them. “Sim, Vô?”

  “Para você,” he said quietly as he opened his hand. Two rings sat in the palm of his hand, both made from dark Brazilian rosewood. They were smooth and had been polished carefully to display the delicate grain of the wood. The inside of the rings was silver.

  Alessandra gasped. “You made these, Vô?”

  “Sim,” he answered with a proud smile. “Da mesma árvore que o anel de sua avó e o meu foram feitos.”

  “Obrigada.” Alessandra gave him a huge hug, then, her eyes glistening, she explained what he’d said to Trey. “He made these rings using wood from the same tree he used to make the wedding rings he and my grandmother wore.”

  She picked up the smaller of the two and held it up. “You see, he has carved your name inside my ring. And mine inside yours. This is the custom.”

  Trey picked up his ring and turned it in his hand. “Obrigado, sir. I don’t know what to say. They’re really beautiful. But how did you get the silver on there?”

  Carlos said a few words to Alessandra, who translated with a grin. “He said he’s old, so he knows how to do everything.”

  Tomas tugged on Trey’s leg, trying to reach up on his tiptoes to see the rings. “Oh, here, Tomas, come see,” Trey said, picking him up.

  Carlos took a small bracelet that matched the rings out of his pocket. Inside were engraved the date and all three of their names, along with the word família. Tomas took it, his eyes wide with excitement. “I get a big one!”

  “For wedding,” Carlos told him with a kind smile.

  Tomas gave him a big hug around the neck and said, “Obrigado, Avô!”

  * * *

  Soon Alessandra’s aunts and female cousins arrived, bearing gifts and the ingredients to make the wedding favours.

  “What is all this?” Alessandra asked as they filed into the house, loading her arms with presents and pausing to kiss her cheeks.

  Her Aunt Bertha grinned at her. “You’ve given us no time to arrange a kitchen shower for you, so we will do it now while we cook!”

  Tears filled Alessandra’s eyes. “Thank you, everyone! You are too good to me.”

  Bertha gave her an inquisitive look. “Why does this make you cry? You are pregnant! Betina said you weren’t, but I knew there must be some reason for this fast wedding.”

  “No, Tia, I’m not pregnant. I just didn’t want to get married without Betina here.”

  Her aunt raised an eyebrow at her. “You can only pretend for so long, Alessandra. Eventually, we’re all going to see the proof.”

  A knock at the door saved Alessandra from the uncomfortable conversation. It was Daniela, bringing in a large rectangular box. “What are you wearing tomorrow, my dear?”

  “I’ve rented a dress. I need to go pick it up later.”

  “No you don’t. This is the dress your grandmother wore when she and Vô got married. I’ve been saving it for you since I found out Bruno wasn’t a Bruna. I think it will be perfect for you.”

  Tears flooded Alessandra’s eyes again as she took the box from her aun
t. Unable to speak, she just nodded, her face screwed up with emotion.

  “Go try it on!” Bertha ordered, ushering her down the hall.

  “She should wait until Lorena is here,” commented one of Alessa’s other aunts.

  “No. She should try it now. We need to know if it fits.” Betina’s normally quiet voice was strong and firm. “Besides, our mother isn’t here.”

  Daniela gave Betina a worried look, then smiled at Alessandra. “Never mind that. Come, I’ll help you.”

  Once they reached her bedroom, Alessandra placed the box onto her bed, then flopped down next to it, dissolving into sobs. “She won’t come. She’s so angry with me.”

  “Nonsense, she’ll be here to see her eldest daughter get married.”

  “No, she said she won’t watch me ruin my life with some foreign cowboy.” Alessa shook her head, staring at her aunt, her cheeks stained with tears.

  Daniela placed her hands on Alessandra’s cheeks and used her thumbs to wipe away the tears. “You’ve always been my favourite niece. You’re smart as a whip and you’ve always made your family proud. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, including dragging your mother outside in her nightgown for the wedding tomorrow. But it won’t come to that. Vô will make her come. You’ll see, it will all be fine.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Now, go blow your nose and wash your face. I don’t want any snot getting on the dress.”

  A few minutes later, Alessandra caught the first sight of herself in the mirror. The dress was made of ivory lace, with a scalloped, off-the-shoulder neckline. Long lace sleeves cascaded down her arms and ended in a delicate point on the backs of her hands. The fitted bodice came to a V just below her waist and led to a full, floor-length skirt. Alessandra beamed as she looked at herself. “I look like a real bride,” she whispered.

  A knock at the door interrupted her just as she was about to start crying again. “It’s Betina. Can I see?”

  “Yes, of course,” Alessa called back.