by Nana Prah
“I don’t know, but if it was him, he’d better watch himself because Miguel is on the warpath,” Josh said.
“What sage advice did you give him about Tanya?” Becca asked.
“To give her time.”
Tanya crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she weren’t feeling so out of sorts. She and Miguel weren’t meant to be together and she had to get used to it. “Will it change our social standings?”
“You never know,” Josh replied. “Listen, I’ve gotta go. Both of you be safe. Call Miguel if you need anything. I’ll see you in a few days. I love you.”
“Love you, too,” she and Becca said in unison. Every muscle in Tanya’s face went lax as she stared at her best friend. While one love had been lost, another had been found.
Chapter 24
Miguel didn’t care that he knocked loud enough to wake everyone in the ritzy condo Tanya’s club manager lived in. Clint Davis, the rat bastard who’d informed the tabloids about him and Tanya, had made a detrimental mistake in his little venture. He hadn’t sold the information to the highest bidder, but to many.
It had only taken a few phone calls to get the name of the informant. The editors were pissed. Not that Miguel felt badly for the garbage-picking vultures.
The door swung open and it was all he could do not to plant his fist in the smirking man’s face. “To what do I owe this visit, Mr. Astacio?”
Why had Tanya defended him so staunchly? Loyalty was one thing, but being blind to a person’s true nature could be dangerous. He didn’t need the reason behind why Clint had betrayed someone who’d considered him a friend. All he knew was that his actions had revealed the nastiness he consisted of. “If I ever catch you in Tanya’s club again—”
The man stood to his full height and stepped to him. “What? You’re all costumes and talk. Did you think you were fooling me with your weak getup, Isaac Graham? I’m smarter than that. I confirmed it when Broderick’s prissy ex-wife spoke to you on the phone and called you by your last name.” His gaze rode to the left of Miguel. “You can’t even come up in here like a man. You need security for backup.” One step closer brought him right into Miguel’s face.
He let his bodyguard pull him back. The scumbag wasn’t worth getting into a fight with.
“Why couldn’t you just screw her, fix the club and leave well enough alone? Your little influence over her ruined my money,” Clint spit out. “I didn’t have to blackmail her like I did Broderick, though I didn’t have anything on her. Besides, I had her wrapped around my finger.” He grunted. “I should’ve had those full lips wrapped around my di—”
Miguel lost it. Leaping toward the prick, he would’ve had him by the throat if the guy hadn’t had such quick reflexes and his security hadn’t caught him just in time.
Clint held both hands to his own neck, mouth open, finally gaining a clue about what Miguel was capable of.
Flexing his hands, Miguel did his best to calm down by counting his deeply inhaled breaths. If he’d made contact, he would’ve seriously hurt the scumbag and possibly ended up arrested, but for Tanya, he’d move the world. He just wished she understood.
Straightening the lapels on his wool coat, Miguel scanned the weasel from head to toe and spoke in the crisp tone that let people know his jovial temperament had disappeared. “As I was saying. If you step foot in her club or restaurant again...” He let the words hang as he cocked his head.
He didn’t have the shark reputation of his older brother, but he’d been known to shake down an individual a time or two. Maybe Clint had heard the rumors because he slunk back. With one last stare and not another wasted word, Miguel turned on his heel and walked away, leaving his bodyguard to watch his back.
Sitting behind the wheel of his Maserati, the tires screeched as he took off. In a useless attempt to burn through his adrenaline and frustration with Tanya, he banked the corner hard and fast only to slam his brakes when a motorcycle got in his way. At the sight of Roland grasping the dashboard and the tough man’s light brown skin a little paler than when they’d gotten into the car, Miguel released a chuckle. “You can relax now. I’ll slow down.”
True to his word, he took the route home at a more sedate speed.
He’d told Tanya who was behind the media blitz as soon as he’d made the discovery. For once, she hadn’t argued when he said he’d take care of it. Miguel scrubbed a hand through his curls. “What the hell am I going to do about my woman?” Not only was Roland on retainer as one of the most effective bodyguards in his employ, but he considered him a friend and would bounce ideas off him every once in a while. He already knew everything going on with Tanya. The guy had a good head on his shoulders.
Roland shrugged. “Her brother told you to wait her out. Since he knows her the best, I’d follow his suggestion.”
Not what he wanted to hear. How long was he supposed to sit in this state of limbo before Tanya figured out that the differences in their finances didn’t matter? He had enough to share, especially since she tended to decline what he offered her. At least she’d met with him over the week to put the finishing touches on the club, even if things were awkward between them.
He had no idea how to make things right. How had he survived all those years without her when each moment made him feel raw and on edge?
Roland rubbed his goatee. “A big gesture never hurts. It always gets me out of the doghouse with my wife.”
He’d thought the same thing, but everything he came up with would get thrown back in his face. “She’s not a gift person.”
“Every female likes presents, man. You just have to know your woman and get her the right one.”
Did he know Tanya well enough to be able to persuade her with something that would let her know how much he wanted to be with her? Short of giving away all his money and becoming a recluse, he had no idea how to equalize their statuses. Neither of them would be happy with that, but if it was what she needed in order to know how much he loved her, then he would. For the woman his body, mind and heart had decided on, he’d do anything.
* * *
Tanya smoothed down the body-hugging rust-colored dress with the plunging back. She felt like she’d worn more with a towel wrapped around her than she did in this dress. Mentally wincing at the hit her credit card had taken when she’d ordered it from the Astacio clothing line, she smiled at her reflection in the VIP lounge’s glass divider where she did her best to make sure everything was in order. Miguel had spoiled her for anything that wasn’t quality.
She’d decided to show off her figure, just because she could. It had nothing to do with loving the way Miguel’s eyes had bugged out when he’d first come into the club. His birthday party was in full swing and although she’d caught the eye of some of the superstar friends he’d invited, he was the only one she had spent the night maneuvering herself to get glimpses of.
Being around people she’d seen only on television, movies or the internet reiterated the imbalance of their lives. She might currently look cool and composed, but she’d had her moment of screams and giggles with Becca in her office earlier.
Her best friend had tagged up with Josh over the past week when he’d arrived to influence her to change her mind. Not even she knew what was holding her back. She loved Miguel, of that she had no doubt. He loved her, too. Believing it wasn’t difficult, but would she be enough for him? Her self-doubt kept her away from her heart’s desire.
The past week of working with him but not being able to let go and be herself had been torture. And now even their friendship was at stake. It didn’t matter that he’d achieved their goal and made Fervor the hottest club in Cleveland, at least for the night.
He’d even taken care of that weasel Clint for her, for which she’d been very grateful because she might have ended up in jail if she’d ever had to see him again. Brittany, the new club manager she’d hired, was full
of new ideas on how to keep the place hot and vibrant.
A deep inhale fortified Tanya with the courage to go up to Miguel’s gorgeous sister, who sat relaxing in the crook of her husband’s arm. “Hi, Lanelle, I know we’ve never met, but I’m—”
Lanelle grabbed Tanya’s hand and pulled her down to sit by her side on the couch. “Tanya Carrington.” Would she make a joke about her losing tons of weight or entering the eye of the paparazzi like some of the other stars had done? She’d never let anyone know, but she got a head rush anytime someone recognized her. If only it had been for something she’d actually accomplished in her life.
“Miguel talks about you all the time. Ever since he met you in college.”
What response could she give? She smiled and recalled the reason she’d come to the woman. “Thank you for working on the financials of the club.”
Lanelle waved down a hand. “No problem.” She turned to the man at her side and said, “Babe, this is the woman who has Miguel’s nose hooked and open. This is my husband, Dante Sanderson.”
The long-legged dark man whose handsomeness rivaled the models packing the place reached out a hand with a wide smile. “Pleasure to meet you. He’s even spoken to me about you—trying to figure out how to get out of the doghouse.”
Heat torpedoed to her face and she wanted to run and hide until the embarrassment faded. She forced herself to shake Dante’s hand. “Nice to meet you, too.”
Before she could say another word, a man the size of a professional football player stood in front of their couch and held out a hand to her. “We need to have a talk. Let’s dance.”
Tanya blinked up at him. Lanelle saved her from having to tell him off, in a nice way of course, by giggling. “What the hell happened to those etiquette classes Mom made you take all those years ago? Still haven’t caught, have they?” She rested a hand on Tanya’s shoulder. “This is our older brother, Leonardo. He never really learned how to get along with the human race.”
Tanya’s laugh was more of a nervous giggle as Leonardo waited for her. She stuck her nose in the air. “If you ask me, I might consider it.”
The couple jeered. “Way to go,” Lanelle said.
Probably not used to having his requests denied, he seemed to expand before he said, “Will you dance with me?”
No please, but at least he hadn’t growled the question. She placed her fingers in his hand only to have them engulfed when he pulled her up. He guided her toward the rail, instead of down the stairs, where they could look out over the partygoers while showing off their dance moves. Leonardo didn’t attempt to dance. “My brother is a good man.”
Shocked at his opening statement, she hung on to the rail, the beat pulsing into her hand. “Yes, he is.”
He leveled her with an intense stare of his dark eyes. He and Miguel were different, but the family resemblance could be seen in the shape of the eyes and mouth. “So what’s the problem? You liked him in college and he’s become an even better person since then. I did a background check on you and you’re a genuinely hard worker who tends to keep to herself. With the way you’ve been staring at him all night, I believe you like my brother. I don’t understand what’s holding you back.” He looked at her unblinking as if he’d asked a question and awaited an answer.
Unbalanced, she applied even more of her weight onto the metal as she attempted to figure out how to get the hell out of there.
Miguel sidled up to her. “Sorry to interrupt your little chat, Nardo, but I’m stealing Tanya away.”
It wasn’t relief that made her heart crash against the inside of her chest. Miguel was stunning in a hunter-green suit that showed off his wide muscular shoulders and lean hips. The slim black tie gave him a modern edge. Her nipples puckered at the sight of his plump lips and his freshly shaved face. All natural. Her favorite look. It had been too long since she’d touched him. Whose fault was that? Destiny’s.
She couldn’t get out of there fast enough when she turned to the large scowling Astacio. “Um, nice to meet you, Leonardo.”
Miguel wrapped an arm around her waist and her traitorous body melted into him as his warmth seeped into her. Damn, she’d missed him. “Call him Nardo. He loves it.”
Leonardo growled as they made their way down the stairs amid pats on the back and birthday shout-outs to Miguel.
Coming to her senses, she attempted to wiggle away, but he held her tight against him. Her body didn’t want to leave him anyway, so she didn’t struggle as they crawled through the party. “Is he always so...intense?” she yelled into his ear.
Miguel nodded. “When he’s on a mission, which is all the time. He’s the oldest and had to deal with issues Lanelle and I didn’t.”
“Oh.” And then a second later, she furrowed her brows, not having a clue about what growing up must have been like for the man. “I’m the oldest, too. I had to take the brunt of my parents’ learning strategies and I’m, um, not like that.”
“There’s more to Leonardo than meets the eye.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
He laughed as they entered her office. “My parents couldn’t make it tonight. They’re flying in from a business trip, but my mother has a family dinner arranged for tomorrow evening.” He paused and added, “I’d like you to join us.”
Moving away, she started to decline the invitation to the intimate event, but he stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders. Before she knew it, he had dipped his head down and brushed his soft lips against hers.
An electric current flared through her as she clung to him. She’d missed his mouth gliding expertly on hers, the scent of citrus and sandalwood making her draw him deeper into her, and his incredible taste. Cognac and Miguel. Sexy as hell. She couldn’t stop her tongue from tangling with his when he entered her mouth with a moan.
Catching herself before she could unbutton his shirt to feel his warm skin against her greedy palms, she pulled away. It took more than one try, but she found the strength to do it. Breathing heavily, she stumbled back. Since her legs no longer possessed the ability to support her, she ungraciously folded her body onto the couch.
The effort to speak after such a body-rattling kiss was monumental, so she allowed the silence to stir between them for a few moments before she raised her head and found his gaze. “What did you call me in here for?”
His extraordinary hazel eyes stared into hers, making her ache with a deep need. “I’m going to rip a page from my brother’s book and skip the charm.” He grinned. “It never worked on you anyway.”
For the first time since the media had ruined her life, a genuine smile touched her lips while around him.
Sitting beside her, he grabbed her hands and rubbed her knuckles. Seeking his touch, she didn’t pull away. “Have you gotten over your issue of me having money?”
She tried to slide her hands out of his grip, but he wouldn’t allow it. “It’s not about money. It’s more that we run in different social circles.”
He arched a brow. “Do you hang out with humans?”
“Yes,” she drawled, unsure where he was taking the discussion.
“Then we have no problem. I watched you interacting with the biggest names in the industry out there. You didn’t bat an eye.”
She giggled. “You didn’t see me and Becca in here releasing all of our excitement a couple of hours ago.”
His eyes twinkled. “You’re a class act. There’s nothing and no one you can’t handle.”
Her heart swelled so much at the faith he had in her, she feared it would burst. Confidence was an incredibly easy thing to knock down, but building it took time and an awful lot of energy. Did he really think she could blend into his world when she’d barely been able to fit into her own?
“I have a proposition for you.”
She turned her head and looked at him out of the corners of her eyes,
hesitant to discover what this creative man had come up with. “What?”
“Since giving up my money is—”
“The dumbest idea ever,” she interjected with an extreme eye roll.
Raising his hand, he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and stroked the back of his fingers along her cheek, sending her body into an overheated tizzy. “But giving you up is even stupider. Impossible, actually.”
She blinked several times as tears stung the backs of her eyes.
“So I’ve found a way to equalize things.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out as he bent down onto one knee.
She cupped a hand over her mouth when he opened the box to expose a brilliant diamond flanked on the sides by amethysts. Her birthstone. After all these years, he’d remembered.
“Tanya Portia Carrington, I have loved you from the first time you told me off in college. With every moment I spent with you back then, I fell deeper. In the years we’ve been apart, no woman could measure up to you and I refused to settle.”
Were those tears in his eyes, or was her own blurred vision making her see things?
“I was stupid to let you go. I’m smarter than I was back then and refuse to ever let it happen again. Your fear of us being different is unfounded, but I’d like to even things out by giving you everything I have. Will you marry me, and be my partner in life? For richer and richer?”
She pressed her hands against her chest. Never in her life had she expected such beautiful words to be spoken to her, much less by the man she loved with all her heart. Debilitating fear popped up to the surface, making her sweat. She wanted to say yes. With every experience they’d ever shared, with every cell in her body, she wanted to say yes.
“Before you answer, I have one last thing for you.” He placed the box in her palm and closed her trembling fingers over it before standing and reaching for her.
Too overwhelmed to speak, she allowed him to take her out of her office and to the main dance floor. The party was going strong with Kiwi putting on the performance to end all shows. They walked to the front and he waved to Kiwi.