“She’s never asked for my forgiveness.” His voice was emotionless.
Sabrina plucked at the bed sheet. “Have you ever tried to contact her?” She had to know. If he couldn’t reach out to her and forgive, then there was no hope for Sabrina. The wounds of their marriage were too fresh.
“I don’t have anything to say to her, Sabrina. Not after the way she treated my father, and not after the way she abandoned us.”
“Do Beatrisa and Carolina feel the same way?”
“I don’t know what they feel. We never talk about it.” He turned to look at her. “I have never told my sisters not to contact her. That’s their choice, as it is mine. I chose not to, and I will never change my mind about how I feel. She walked out on my father, and I distinctly remember his reaction.” His eyes were angry in the dark room. “Do you want me to tell you what happened?”
He didn’t wait for her to answer, forging on with acid in his voice. “I never told anyone this, but I heard my father beg—beg her—to stay. He reminded her she had three small children, and do you know what she replied? She said it was better this way. That she’d made a mistake getting married and having children. A mistake. We—her whole family—were a mistake. You asked me if I’ve ever made an effort to contact her. Why hasn’t she made the effort?”
He strode to the French doors that led to the balcony and hauled aside the sheers to stare out into the darkness. The soft moonlight cast his hard body in shadow.
Sabrina rose from the bed to stand behind him. Her initial reason for broaching the topic had been purely selfish, but it was clear that the hurt Renaldo felt ran deep. She placed a hand on his back.
She’d felt the same resentment toward her own mother at one time. But then the day had come when she’d had to identify her mother’s body in the morgue after drugs had prematurely taken her life. Living with the guilt of knowing how she’d felt about her mother and then having her taken from her had been a hard cross to bear. She didn’t want Renaldo to experience the same type of remorse.
To this day she regretted not working on bettering the relationship with her mother. She’d even wondered if she’d shown more of an interest, could she have saved her from her untimely death.
“You should think about getting in touch with her,” she whispered. “If something were to happen to her, you’d regret it. Trust me.”
Renaldo rested his forearm on the door. “Enough, Sabrina. This topic is no longer open for discussion. Do not mention her again.” He sounded tired rather than angry, and she decided not to push it.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his back. His skin felt warm.
She didn’t say another word. She just held him. Because she felt he needed it.
* * * *
After breakfast the next morning, Sabrina and Renaldo prepared to leave. They all stood on the doorstep of the house exchanging hugs. Lucélia gave them one more kiss-kiss each and they reluctantly waved goodbye. But when the little girl realized they were leaving for good, she started sobbing and throwing a tantrum.
Sabrina felt a distinct sense of loss when she left Rio and already missed her family. But she was lucky enough to still be married to the most wonderful man she’d ever met. She hoped the connection between her and Renaldo continued to strengthen. Even though the reason for their reunion had been a monetary one, she preferred to think their fragile relationship was changing and growing in a positive way.
She looked at Renaldo seated beside her on the plane. She could only see part of his profile because his head was turned toward the window. He looked deep in thought.
We still have time.
By the end of the probation period, she’d make sure Renaldo didn’t want her to leave.
Chapter Fifteen
“Person of the Year, Renaldo da Silva of Silva Development Group!”
Sabrina joined in the standing ovation as the mayor presented Renaldo with an award to honor his achievements in real estate.
The great hall was filled with prominent members of the business community and even a few celebrities. Sabrina and the other guests remained on their feet as Renaldo stepped up to the microphone. She didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world but right where she was. Looking at him now and experiencing this moment filled her with such pride. This was her man.
They’d grown even closer and lived normally like husband and wife since the return from Rio a week ago. At some point they needed to talk about what happened that night and resolve any latent hurt and animosity, but she’d be content for now because she knew in her heart that their relationship was on the mend.
“Thank you, Mayor Salazar.” Renaldo turned over the plaque in his hand and read the inscription. “This is truly an honor. I’m very proud of everything I’ve accomplished, but I can’t take all the credit. I have a great staff at SDG. I’m a lucky man to have such dedicated employees. Without them, my company would not be what it is today.”
His eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Sabrina. “Even with all the success I achieved, my greatest achievement only came after I found the right person to complement me. Because of this person, SDG won the bid to complete Estação Central, the biggest project in our history. I could not have done it without her. My wife, my partner, Sabrina da Silva.”
Sabrina was so stunned by his words that she didn’t move, even when he gestured for her to join him on stage. Only when a woman at the table touched her elbow and urged her to go up did her feet start moving her forward.
When she reached him, he took her hand. Someone in the back shouted, “The Dynamic Duo!”
Her heart was racing, but not because of the accolades, loud applause, or flashing cameras. It was because of Renaldo’s acknowledgement. It warmed her heart and proved yet again that their relationship had turned the corner. There were no I-love-you’s yet, but actions speak louder than words. And by his actions, Renaldo showed her that their marriage was strong enough to withstand what she’d done.
He could look past it. He could forgive her. Which meant he could still love her.
* * * *
Sabrina stretched and rose from the chair behind her desk. She checked her clock and a smile slid in place when she realized she was actually leaving work on time. A rare occurrence in the past, but not anymore. As Renaldo had said, there should be balance.
She still loved to work because it made her feel useful. Working gave her a sense of purpose, but there were plenty of things more important—like spending time with her spouse. She no longer took their moments together for granted. It was a hard lesson to learn, but she’d learned it.
She entered Renaldo’s office through the connecting door. “Time to head home.” She loved saying that. It felt so right to be talking about going home with this man.
“I have to finish up a few things here.”
“Do you need some help?” She stood behind him and looked over his shoulder. He was in the midst of reviewing architectural plans for Estação Central on the computer. She placed her hands on his broad shoulders and gently massaged the knotted muscles.
“Nothing you can help me with.” He groaned and turned the chair around so he could cup her hips in his hands. “Go on home and I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”
“Should I send the car back for you?”
“No, I’ll catch a taxi when I’m ready.”
Sabrina pouted. “There needs to be a healthy balance between work and leisure.”
He chuckled, the appealing sound and the touch of his hands spreading warmth to her lower extremities. “You’re throwing my words back at me now, are you?” He pulled her onto his lap.
“Yes, if it’ll get you home sooner.” Sabrina looped her arms around his neck and kissed him, nestling into the warmth of his body. She moaned and wiggled when she felt his growing erection against her bottom.
“The sooner you go, the sooner I can get there,” he whispered, nipping at her neck. Quivers of pleasure ran over the su
rface of her skin.
“You’re the one who pulled me onto your lap,” she whispered back.
“True.”
His lips caressed her cheek before kissing her with a deep hunger. She opened her mouth to let him explore the softness inside. They’d rekindled the easy affection they used to have, and it filled her with happiness, made her feel so close to him. She wanted to express her love, but a quickie in the office wasn’t enough tonight. She wanted to take her time.
Sabrina extricated herself from his arms and slapped his hand when he growled and reached for her again. She fixed her blouse that his nimble fingers had managed to unbutton. “I’ll have something special for you when you get home. Don’t be too long.”
His gaze lowered to her breasts and desire smoldered in his eyes. “I won’t.”
She walked to the connecting door with an extra sway in her hips, the way he liked, and took a look over her shoulder. Warmth spread through her limbs at the hungry way he continued to watch her. When he looked at her like that, he made her ache to her core. She blew him a kiss and slipped through the door.
With difficulty, Renaldo resumed working. He could barely concentrate on the words he typed onto the notes field of the plans. If the engineer didn’t need these changes tomorrow, he would’ve shucked the work and left with Sabrina. At least he had a special treat to look forward to. He couldn’t wait to see what she came up with.
There was a knock on his door. “Come in.”
Paulo entered and Renaldo’s gaze immediately zeroed in on the large blue envelope in his hand. His light-hearted mood changed instantly.
“Here’s everything I was able to find out.” Paulo handed him the envelope.
No need to explain what it was, because Renaldo already knew. He almost didn’t want to open it because it would spoil the high he was experiencing. He could still smell her perfume. Could still taste her soft mouth.
Paulo took a seat, ready to answer questions. Renaldo pulled out the multi-page report and photos of the man named Mateo Sousa.
* * * *
In the back of the limo, Sabrina pondered what to do for Renaldo when he got home. Maybe she’d greet him with whipped cream placed strategically on her body. Or maybe she’d greet him with nothing on at all. She grinned to herself as she thought of possibilities.
When her cell phone rang, she quickly fished it out of her purse, but there was no number when she looked at the screen. Unease settled in her stomach. It had been a long time since she’d received a call from a private number, and she dreaded answering the phone because of what it had meant in the past.
“Olá,” she said cautiously.
“Senhora Silva, how are you?” The heavily accented male voice tanked her stomach. Mateo.
“What do you want?”
“That’s no way to greet an old friend.”
Sabrina pushed a button on the console for the privacy glass to slide into place. “You’re not my friend.”
“But we’ve been so close and had such fun together. But maybe you’re right. Not friends. Lovers, then?”
Sabrina gripped the phone with a hand that had turned clammy and shut her eyes tight. He was making jokes about something that had wrecked her marriage. The sickening jolt of her stomach threatened to toss up her lunch. “I’m not giving you any more money.”
“What makes you think that’s why I called?”
“Isn’t it?” She waited, holding her breath.
“Well, it is true, but I think you should reconsider.”
“There’s nothing to consider. You threatened to tell my husband, but that doesn’t matter anymore. He knows, and he forgives me for what happened.” He hadn’t said so, but it was obvious he had.
There was silence on the other end. She could almost hear the wheels turning. “Your husband is a very rich man, with business holdings in the hundreds of millions. How do you think he would feel if people found out about us? By the way, that was a lovely story about the two of you in Semanal. What would happen if I sent them proof that your marriage is not as perfect as you pretend it is? It would wound his pride and turn you both into liars.”
“You wouldn’t do that.”
“Are you certain?” He waited a heartbeat. “I would like to see you. Maybe we can work something out.”
“Like what?”
“One more payment, and in exchange, I leave you and your husband alone for good.”
It was a tempting offer, but she didn’t trust him. “I doubt you’ll do that. You said yourself you know how wealthy he is.”
“I’m trying to be considerate and not greedy, but it is up to you. Of course, now that he knows, I know you have access to more money because he would not want this to get out. Which means the price will go up significantly if you want me to keep quiet.”
Terrified, Sabrina couldn’t think. She and Renaldo had grown so close again. He appeared genuinely happy to have her back at work with him and treated her with such tenderness.
“Can you meet me now?” Mateo asked.
“I can’t meet you now. That’s impossible.”
“I just need a few hundred real until you can give me the rest.”
Sabrina chewed on her lower lip. Should she meet him? If she did, maybe she could talk sense into him and convince him to give up the blackmail. She quickly checked her purse and found she had some money—enough to buy a little time.
“Where do you want to meet?”
They agreed on a location near the penthouse and hung up.
She pushed aside the niggling thought that she shouldn’t go behind Renaldo’s back. If he found out, she didn’t know what he’d do. He may not forgive her.
That’s why she couldn’t let him find out. He was still at the office. She could take care of this by herself and he’d never have to know about it. Then they could continue as they were, with no disruption to their happiness.
She lowered the privacy glass. “Drop me off at the market near the house. I’ll walk home from there.”
The driver looked at her through the rear view mirror. “Are you sure, ma’am? I can wait for you.”
“It’s less than a mile from home. I’ll be fine.”
Sabrina sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and pushed away the doubts again. She had to do this. She had to fix what she’d done and get rid of the evidence.
At the market, she headed to the stall Mateo had instructed her to find. She waited anxiously as the minutes ticked by. She didn’t know where he was coming from or how long he expected her to wait. She grew restless as the time passed and started pacing.
The minute she saw him, nausea filled her stomach, but she squared her shoulders and let a neutral expression slide in place over her features. One of the keys to winning a negotiation, as she’d learned from Renaldo, was to never let them see you sweat. She could handle Mateo. She could do it by herself.
When Mateo came to stand in front of her, he leaned forward as if to press a kiss to her cheek, and she pulled back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He straightened. “Greeting a…friend.”
The way he said that word made her skin crawl. How could she have jeopardized her marriage for him? How could she have been so stupid?
“We’re not friends. What you did was despicable, taking those pictures.”
A sly smile slid across his features. He looked different than he had the night they met in the club. When she’d first met him she’d thought he was attractive, but now he looked sick, with sunken eyes and a sallow complexion.
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have had any proof.”
“And you couldn’t have blackmailed me to get money.”
Mateo’s eyes hardened in response, as if what she’d said was untrue. “This way, please.” He took her arm, but she yanked it away. His cold, clammy fingers made her feel sick.
“I can follow just fine without you touching me.”
“You have developed an unattractive attitude.” The loo
k in his eyes made her blood run cold. He led her out of the way of the after-work patrons purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables for the evening meal. “Did you bring the money?”
“I did, but I’m not giving you anything until I find out what your intentions are regarding the original photos. How much do you want for them?” The number he gave made her gasp. “I can’t get that kind of money without my husband questioning me.”
“Then tell him. I don’t care what you do. I heard you are a very smart woman and good with numbers. I’m sure you’ll figure something out. Maybe you could play with the numbers and take the money and your husband would never have to know.”
Renaldo paid close attention to his assets. There was no way she could slip out a substantial amount of cash without him noticing, and there was no way she would do it.
What was she thinking coming here to meet this man? “No.”
Mateo’s eyes widened. “What did you say?”
“I said no.” Her voice came out stronger and louder. She’d learned her lesson. “I’m not keeping secrets from my husband anymore. I’m not lying to him and pretending everything is fine when it isn’t. You will not have any more power over me.” She straightened her spine. This felt better, right. Renaldo had been correct. It would never end with this man, and she had been foolish to think that she could handle it. She’d been so used to taking care of herself that she thought she had to continue to do so, even in her marriage. But no more. She had a partner and should have been honest and upfront with him from the beginning.
“You’re making a mistake.”
“No, I’m not.” She looked him squarely in the eye and asked the question that had burned in her mind for weeks. “Did you drug me that night?” She’d asked him once on the phone, but he’d laughed it off. But she’d had to ask him again, now that she could look him in the eye and see his reaction. Because it was the only explanation that made sense. She couldn’t have been that drunk. She couldn’t have risked her security and the love of her life for a night with this piece of scum. Could she?
“No. I didn’t drug you.” The sly grin came back.
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