Tycoon's Delicious Debt

by Susanna Carr

  Cooper crossed his arms, fighting the instinct to snatch the folder away. “She sent it here so there was less chance of someone opening the package and reading the damning evidence.”

  “Is that what she told you?” Aaron murmured. He was distracted as he skimmed through the papers.

  “I haven’t spoken to her since we were in Portugal.” Maybe he was reading too much into her choices. But he knew deep in his bones that Serena was shielding him even when she had the urge to destroy him.

  Cooper reached out and splayed his hand on the folder. This file belonged to him now. It wasn’t his father’s. Serena had given it to him to either safeguard the information or destroy it.

  Aaron glanced up. “What’s going on, Cooper?”

  “Did you know what happened to Serena after you destroyed her father’s business? What happened to her family?”

  His father rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what sob story she told you...”

  “What about the other businesses you crushed? What happened to those men and their families?”

  “What about them?” His father gave him a warning look. “All of those guys tried to hurt us. They deserved payback.”

  “You’re wrong. They deserve reparation.”

  Aaron’s mouth dropped open. “Have you lost your mind?”

  He probably had. He hadn’t thought this way until Serena had gotten into his head. Until he saw her point of view. Cooper always had a problem with the way his father demolished these companies. It didn’t sit right with his sense of justice but he chose to ignore it. He was ashamed of his lack of action. That wasn’t the kind of man he wanted to be.

  “Are you proud of how you handled these deals?” he asked his father.

  The older man slowly sat down on the chair next to him. “No.”

  He was surprised that his father admitted that out loud. “We’ve done an injustice to these men and we are going to fix that.”

  Aaron was already shaking his head. “We can’t. It’s too late. Some of these deals happened too long ago.”

  “I still have to try.”

  Aaron slapped the folder closed. “What did that Dominguez woman do to you?”

  Cooper clenched his teeth. “Her name is Serena.”

  “I knew she was trouble the moment you mentioned her.” He looked down at the folder and scowled. “Her father wasn’t a victim, you know. He wasn’t a good guy.”

  “Neither were we.”

  Aaron slumped in his chair. He suddenly looked much older than his years. “I was protecting us. We could have been the ones who lost everything.”

  “You’re exaggerating,” Cooper said. “We would have been wounded. Weakened. But lose everything? You were smarter than that. You wouldn’t have built a business that would have lost everything over one bad deal.”

  “That may be true,” Aaron said before lapsing into silence. “And...I may have overreacted when that Dominguez woman threatened to expose us. But I pulled back when you told me to.”

  It wasn’t fast enough. The damage was already done. Serena thought Cooper had planned it all along. It angered him that Serena didn’t trust him and yet he knew it looked bad. There was no way he could prove that he was blindsided by his father’s actions.

  “What is it about this...Serena?” Aaron asked.

  Cooper didn’t know how to explain it. Serena was just like him. They understood each other. They challenged each other. She was the one person he shouldn’t trust and yet she was the only one he wanted to be with. For a moment, he had thought she had the strength to love him. Now he knew that wasn’t going to happen, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to care for her.

  “She’s mine,” he finally said. “I protect what is mine.”

  Aaron raised an eyebrow. “You would choose her over your family? Your own flesh and blood?”

  He glanced at the file and then at his father. “Yes. In fact, I’m keeping that file under lock and key. If you try to hurt Serena or her family, you won’t have to worry about any Dominguez releasing that information because I will!”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  THIS COULDN’T BE the right place. Cooper stood at the edge of the broken sidewalk and looked around. He had been to Brazil before but not in a neighborhood like this. The buildings were built so close that they appeared on top of one another.

  Cooper removed his sunglasses and stared at the storefront. There was no sign and no splash of color. There was nothing that indicated Serena’s ownership.

  He looked around the street. This was the neighborhood Serena had grown up in after her parents had lost everything. He tried to imagine a spoiled teenager being tossed into this new world. She had taken the luxury and protection for granted and then spent over a decade trying to regain it. How had she survived? How did she get out? Any idealism would have been crushed by the overwhelming sense of resignation lingering in the air.

  He would never call her a spoiled princess again. He had taken one look at her glamorous appearance and made a snap judgment. Serena had more courage than he thought was possible. She was stronger than even she imagined. Serena Dominguez was no damsel in distress. She truly was a warrior.

  He squared his shoulders back and strode inside the small office. The place was clean but plain with white walls and a linoleum floor. There were a few people in the waiting area sitting on folded metal chairs and filling out forms. Serena was nowhere around.

  A young woman sitting behind the front desk glanced up. She froze and slowly took in his appearance. He knew he looked out of place in his black pinstripe suit and silk red tie. He had dressed to impress his sophisticated Serena.

  “I’m looking for Serena Dominguez,” he said.

  The woman frowned and gave a rapid reply. He didn’t understand a word.

  “Serena Dominguez,” he repeated louder.

  The woman continued to speak while gesturing with her hands. Was he in the right place? Was this woman the receptionist? He really needed to learn Portuguese if he was going to have Serena in his life. And he would.

  He heard a door swing open at the far end of the room and hit the wall behind it. Cooper turned, his heart clenching as he saw Serena at the doorway. She looked as stunned as he felt.

  He drank in the sight of her. Her hair flowed down her shoulders and her bright green printed dress hugged her curves. But her beauty and glamour were downplayed. He didn’t know if that was by design or by mood. Had she been suffering as much as him? Was it wrong that he wanted her to share some of the heartache?

  He marched over to Serena before she could react. He needed to get to her before she shut the door between them and hid. Not that it would stop him. He was prepared for her to throw more obstacles in his way. He was ready to tear down every barrier.

  He hadn’t seen her for over a month and the wait had been agony. He wanted to chase her down and demand to be heard but he knew it was not enough. He had to prove that he was worthy of her trust and her love. He thought he had done all he could and was ready to confront her. Now he wasn’t so sure.

  “What are you doing here?” Serena asked. He could see her throat tighten as he approached. “How did you find me?”

  Cooper stood in front of her. He ached to touch her and hold her close. He felt the tremor in his fingers as he kept his hands to his sides. “I asked Felipe.”

  She jerked as if she’d been hit. “My father?” she asked hoarsely. “Leave him alone, Cooper. He can’t handle another setback.”

  He frowned when he saw the hunted look in her golden-brown eyes. “Why do you automatically assume that I’m out to hurt him?” he asked in a low, fierce tone. “What do I have to do to prove that I’m not the enemy?”

  She glanced around. The room was quiet and he felt all eyes on them. Serena muttered something in Por
tuguese before she ushered him inside her office. “Let’s talk in private.”

  Relief and triumph squeezed his chest. It was a small victory but it was something he could build on. He stepped into the small room and the first thing he noticed were the white bookcases lining the raspberry-pink walls. The shelves were crammed with binders, business magazines and a few pieces of glass and ceramic art. He recognized the piece of pottery she had bought from the village in Portugal.

  He walked to the dainty white desk in the center of the room. It was covered with stacks of reports and a slim silver laptop. Now this was the Serena he knew and loved. He could tell that this was her favorite spot in the world.

  “What is it that you do here?” he asked as she closed the door.

  “Didn’t my father tell you?”

  He shook his head. Felipe Dominguez had been vague about what his daughter did. Felipe had been more interested in getting Cooper to invest in his latest deal.

  Serena leaned her hip against the corner of her desk. “This is a microfinance service for people in need. Right now I’m working with small-business owners who need loans but I plan to help individuals and families, as well.”

  Cooper was impressed that she had managed to get it up and running in very little time. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Serena could accomplish anything with her intense focus. “Why?” he asked. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I could have used something like this when I was in this neighborhood.” Serena crossed her arms and looked out the window to a view of the crowded street. “The only thing that motivated me was the need for revenge. And I held on to that for too long.”

  Serena paused and her cheeks turned red. She kept looking out the window as if her life depended on it. “Someone once suggested I use my talents for something more meaningful.”

  Hope and pride swelled in his chest. He had said that to her. He had inspired her to do this. After everything that had happened between them, why did she follow his suggestion? Could she hate him while respecting his opinion?

  Cooper gave a cursory glance at the analysis statements on her desk. He noticed that Serena’s goal was ambitious. “How can you afford this?”

  “I sold all of my jewelry.”

  Cooper felt a jolt of surprise and only then realized she wore no jewels. It was odd to see her ears and neck bare. She always wore something that caught the light or the attention. “Why would you do that? Didn’t they have sentimental value?”

  She shook her head. “I thought they did but I was wrong. They had once belonged to my mother but she didn’t want them anymore.”

  “They were your heritage,” he pointed out. He remembered her talking about the awful feeling of selling off heirlooms.

  “They were a piece of family history that I gave too much importance to,” Serena said. “It was time to let them go.”

  “That’s not going to be enough to keep this venture going.”

  “I’m expecting a very generous contribution from a very grateful businessman in London,” she explained. “Now, why were you speaking to my father?”

  He took a deep breath. “I’m the sole investor of his beachfront property idea.”

  “Fala sério,” she whispered as her eyes widened in horror. She pressed her hands against her cheeks as her skin lost color. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

  Cooper disagreed. “Yes, I should. Felipe lost everything because of my family fourteen years ago. He lost all of his investors again because of my father. Because of me,” he amended. “I had to fix it.”

  “It’s a risky idea, Cooper. All of my father’s ideas are.” She dragged her fingers down her face. “Yes, it might work but the chances aren’t good.”

  “I’ll make sure it works.” Felipe needed someone to believe in him. Once the older man regained his confidence, he would not rely so heavily on Serena.

  “How are you going to do that? Remember, he betrayed your father.”

  “He won’t double-cross me.” Cooper understood the intense pressure Felipe had suffered from Aaron Brock but he didn’t agree with Felipe’s actions. He knew the man was weak and had retaliated against the Brock empire because he had felt disrespected. Status was the most important thing to Felipe Dominguez and Cooper would indulge the man if it meant keeping Serena happy.

  Serena pressed her hands together as if she were in prayer. “Cooper, I don’t want you anywhere near my family. My parents have already suffered because of you and your father.”

  “And now it’s my turn to protect them.” Not just from Aaron Brock but from themselves. They had been a burden to Serena and he wanted to help her.

  Serena pursed her lips. “I’ve seen your brand of protection.”

  “And I’ve seen yours. You protected me even when you said you were going to destroy me.” Cooper took a step forward. “Why did you send me the file? Why didn’t you use it like you threatened?”

  Serena pushed away from the table and held her arms tighter against her body. “You proved to me that I was swimming with the sharks. I needed to get out of the game before I got hurt.”

  “That’s not true.” He slid his hand under her chin and tilted her face so she had to look at him. “You were holding your own just fine.”

  “No, I wasn’t. I fell for your scam and didn’t even realize it until it was too late.”

  “That was no scam, Serena,” he said softly as his heart violently skipped a beat. “I’m in love with you.”

  This was the biggest risk he had ever made. He was declaring his love and hoped she could love him back. Prayed that she could find something inside him that was lovable.

  He felt the tension arc through her body before she yanked away from him. “You need to leave,” she said coldly.

  Cooper stared at Serena’s blank expression and something close to fear twisted inside him. “It’s true.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  How could he convince her? Panic began to claw at him. “I fell for you the minute I saw you at that charity dinner.”

  Her hand shook as she pointed at the door. “Get out right now.”

  Cooper knew he should cut his losses but he couldn’t. He had to fight for her, for them. “And I’m still in love with you even when you’re trying to stab me in the back.”

  Unshed tears glittered in her eyes. “I didn’t betray you.”

  “I didn’t ask my father to destroy your family! I always intended to keep my promise. You, however, were always going to use the information you had on my father,” he accused as he watched Serena straighten her spine. “Even if it meant I got destroyed in the process. It was your insurance. Something you needed to use in case I went after you and your family.”

  “You did go after us.” She tossed her hands in the air. “You were never going to let me go quietly.”

  “But you surprised me. You didn’t use the information. Why?”

  “You always knew that I didn’t have the killer instinct. I couldn’t bring myself to ruin a life. That’s what you showed me in Portugal,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want to hear it but it was true. I was reluctant to let go of the revenge because it was the one constant in my life. But you showed me that I had to before it destroyed me.”

  Cooper didn’t think he deserved the credit. Serena had saved herself.

  “Why did you pull back when you could have destroyed the Dominguez family again?” she asked.

  “You knew it was me.” He often wondered if she had figured it out. She had refused to talk to him and he couldn’t tell if she saw him as her guardian angel or as her nemesis.

  “Of course it was you,” she said. “You are the only one who could stop your father. By the time I flew to London to take care of my mother, the threats had stopped.”

  “I didn’t know what m
y father was doing until you told me,” Cooper insisted. “I wasn’t part of that plan and I stopped it the moment I found out.”

  “Why did you bother? If you hadn’t stepped in, I would have lost my influence in the financial world. No one would have listened to me if I told them about the information I had on Aaron or the truth about your first deal.”

  “Are you kidding me?” he asked in a raspy voice as shock rippled through him. “I did it to protect you. I will continue to protect you because you are mine, Serena. You always have been.”

  Serena slowly shook her head. “That’s not true.”

  “At first I thought it was instant attraction,” he admitted. “Pure lust or a strong connection. But it’s more than that.” Cooper rocked back on his feet as the heat washed over him. He knew nothing could link them as powerfully as what they shared now except for a baby.

  He wanted to have children with this woman. Not heirs but children. A family. Share something that would bind them together more than vows and a ring. He hadn’t considered becoming a father but the idea of having a family with Serena was irresistible.

  “You’re imagining things. Crazy things.” She turned and walked to the door.

  He speared his hands in his hair. “You’ve made me crazy. I can’t sleep. I can’t focus on work. I have found no peace. All I think about is you. Tell me you have been the same since you walked out on me.”

  Serena whirled on her heel and tilted her chin in the air. “I haven’t given you a thought since I left Portugal.”

  He marched over to her. “I ache for you. So much that my skin stings for your touch.”

  She shivered. “I don’t know what that feels like.”

  He grabbed her upper arms. He was so close to her and yet he felt so far away. “I don’t know what to do to get you back. I want you to trust me. Love me. I want you to yearn to be with me. With every decision I make at work, I ask myself if you would be proud of me.”

  Confusion clouded her eyes. “Why?”