“This is it,” she said, her voice carried by emotion. She’d lost her daughter once…losing her again wasn’t part of the equation. Couldn’t be.
He gave her shoulder a light squeeze, and then cleared his throat. “It’ll be okay, Satyanna.”
She bit back a smile. “Thanks.”
He knocked on the door, and a woman with reddish shoulder-length hair and prescription glasses opened.
Jacinta.
A chilly wave flooded her veins, and Satyanna gasped. The woman must have recognized her, too, for she tried to slam the door on their faces. Thankfully, Leonardo shoved his foot at the door and opened it. She spun on her heels to run, but he gripped her elbow and pulled her against the wall, pinning her down. The gasp from the nurse’s mouth cut the air. Satyanna had never seen him like this. So…primeval.
“What do you want?” Jacinta asked. Her voice was steady, but fear flickered in her brown eyes.
“I want to know what happened to our daughter,” Satyanna asked.
Jacinta tried to move, but Leonardo kept her under his command. “No running. You’re going to tell us everything, and if you cooperate maybe I won’t ask for the maximum sentence when I throw you in jail.” He clenched his jaw.
The nurse’s eyes widened, and Satyanna noticed the pulse throbbing in her neck. “O-okay.”
Hell, Satyanna’s own breathing was labored. Anticipation iced her bloodstream. This was it, the first step to finding Lyanna. Would she like what she’d hear? Be strong.
Leonardo loosened his grip on her and drew back just enough so the woman had room to lift her hand to her heart, maybe to make sure it was still beating. “Talk. Now.”
“I-I…” She fiddled with her pendant necklace. “I’m sorry for the pain I have caused you,” she said, looking straight into Satyanna’s eyes.
Satyanna took a long deep breath, and sized her up. “Harry put you up to this?”
She nodded. “Mr. Stephen offered me some money. I’ve always wanted to have my own place, and he gave me enough money to pay for a down payment.”
That explained the posh furniture inside that modest house. Jacinta had plans. She wanted to build or buy a better house, maybe somewhere else. Why on Earth had she relocated? “Why did you move all the way here?”
Jacinta adjusted her glasses. “He asked me to.”
Leonardo shook his head, impatient. “What did he do with my daughter?” Leonardo asked, towering over her so she had no escape.
Jacinta glanced at Satyanna, then at Leonardo. A shade of red covered her cheeks and neck. A sheen of sweat slicked her forehead. That woman knew she was in trouble, and Satyanna doubted she was dumb enough to lie. “He kept her…as his own.”
As his own?
Satyanna chewed her inner cheek so hard she could taste blood. She blinked a few times until she was able to speak again. “What? Where is she?” Her voice rose.
“Valentina’s taking a nap, in the first room to the left,” Jacinta said, pointing it out.
Valentina? Satyanna dashed to the room, her heart throbbing in her ears. She blocked out Leonardo’s voice shouting something. She barely paid attention to the expensive surroundings. It was like she was waiting to be spiritually reborn, clinging to that one moment that would change her life forever.
When she got to the room she held the door handle, her cold palm wrapped around the heavy metal. Her fingers trembled as she turned it. A dusty pink baby girl’s bedroom welcomed her, filled with teddy bears and shelves neatly stacked with diapers, wipes, and cream.
She walked to the white, vintage-looking crib, covered by a soft veil. A sound machine attached to it played a soothing lullaby. Before she even got to Lyanna she felt her presence—and knew it. Knew she was no longer alone, and that the little baby she talked to when she had been in her belly was within a few inches from her.
Inhaling deeply, she carefully pulled down the veil. A bear-patterned blanket swaddled the baby, whose eyes were closed. A wave of happiness swept over her, and she sighed. Common sense said she shouldn’t wake up a sleeping baby, but damn it, she had waited too long to hold Lyanna in her arms.
A generous amount of reddish brown hair covered her head, and the chubby baby seemed healthy. She felt a huge smile spreading across her face and had to lift her hand to her mouth to suppress a squeal. As if on cue, Lyanna opened her eyes and glanced around with gorgeous hazel eyes, much like her father’s.
“Finally we meet, little one,” she said, her voice a sweet hum.
…
“Where is he?” Leonardo demanded. Frustration washed over him. Satyanna had dashed out of sight two minutes ago, despite him telling her not to. What if the woman was lying? What if she sent her straight into Clemonte’s bedroom? Who knew what that man was capable of?
“He’s away on a business trip. He’s even gotten me a passport to go along in the future. Supposed to come back tomorrow. I tag team with another nanny, a local, to take care of the baby when he’s away.”
Bastard. “We will wait here until he’s back. All of us,” he said, enunciating the last words so she would know there was no escape.
She blinked, as if reality dawned on her. “What? Senhor, I told you all I knew.”
Was she serious? He scowled at her. “Yes, but you helped him kidnap a baby. What did you think, you could just walk into the sunset and we’d forget all you’ve done?”
“But I…” Tears bordered her eyes. Her lips trembled, and for the first time since he’d met her, her nervousness was palpable. “I never meant to hurt anyone. He told me the mother was unstable, that he would be a better fit as a parent.”
“Yes, I’m sure your altruism is the only reason why you accepted to change your life around. Even career,” he added, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“He pays me way more than what I did as a nurse.”
He snorted. “I bet. Satyanna?” he called, turning his head in the direction of the hallway. If she didn’t answer, he’d have to drag Jacinta with him, but he’d go personally to make sure she was okay. Why didn’t she check with him before bolting?
“I’m here.”
He turned his head to follow Satyanna’s voice and found her standing a couple feet from him, holding a baby. A shiver zapped down his spine, and he stretched to his full height. A baby, maybe his if the paternity test confirmed it.
A huge lump clogged his throat. He gestured for Jacinta to stay put, then slowly closed the gap between him and Satyanna. Each step he took brought a happy childhood memory to his mind. His father pushing him on a swing when he’d been five. His fishing trips with all his siblings. The way his mother kissed his forehead every night before he fell asleep. Even with all the money and success he had conquered, would he be able to provide the same security and love to his heiress?
The second he laid his eyes on her his heart stopped. A beat later it thrummed frenetically. The baby yawned and he bit back a smile. Something softened inside him, as if a part of him dissolved into warm goo. She had chubby cheeks, a cute little nose, and the jaw…the jaw. He recognized the cleft on her chin, the same one he had, even though her face was delicate and feminine. When she opened her eyes and scrutinized everything around her, her eyes were big and hazel. Like mine.
He often relied on his intuition for work—it was a valuable asset to the amount of resources his team brought to him on every single case. In his personal life, he was usually right. His throat thickened, and pushing words out became a task. Yes. The sweet baby bundled in sheets in her arms was his, and there was no denying it. “Is she okay?”
“Of course she is. Mr. Stephen always makes sure—”
He lifted a finger and gestured for the nurse to be quiet. If she were a man, he would have punched her senseless already for helping Clemonte steal his baby. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Satyanna smiled. “She seems healthy and good.”
The baby cooed and moved her hands. He remembered taking care of his younger siblings, espe
cially after his older brother had fled to the United States—when Leonardo had been only sixteen.
“What’s happening?”
“Clemonte will come back tomorrow. We’ll stay here and wait until he’s back,” he said. What else could they do? Let Jacinta go and never hear from her again? No. He had lost the first few months of his baby’s life, and he refused to let go of more things. To let her free.
Satyanna rocked the baby from side to side naturally as if she’d been doing that her entire life. “Is that a good idea?”
He swallowed hard. Merda. He refused to lose Lyanna again, and what guarantee did he have that wouldn’t happen once Satyanna and the baby got out of his sight? None. Satyanna had run on him once, and could do it again. Their night together didn’t come into play—as far as he was concerned, it had no practical meaning. “I can’t send you back with the baby.”
She drew her eyebrows together. “Because you don’t trust me?”
“I’m not going to lose her again.”
“Because you don’t trust me,” she repeated, annoyance dangling from her voice.
Why should he pretend everything was okay? Giving her the benefit of the doubt to treat her courteously was one thing. Jeopardizing his daughter’s future wasn’t a part of the bargain. “Until Clemonte is in jail where he belongs, I don’t want you traveling with Lyanna without me. I’m not taking any risks this time.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll find a room so the nurse can stay overnight. We’ll have to lock her from the outside to make sure she doesn’t just take off. She’s an accomplice and needs to pay for what she’s done.”
“Of course.”
He turned around and told the nurse, “Come with me.”
She followed him, and he went inside a couple rooms until he picked the third one. It was a media room, therefore the only room without a window so she couldn’t jump outside. Beside several oversize chairs positioned as stadium seating was a huge screen and a console table with alcohol. He checked for sharp objects. Nope. Nothing. “You will sleep here. If you need to go to the bathroom or anything to eat or drink, call us.”
“What? You can’t keep me here. Like some kind of…”
“Criminal?” He shook his head. “You can stay here and watch a movie, or I can take you to the station right now,” he said, even though he would rather not do that. If he took her to a precinct the media could find out. After all, what was a big-time lawyer doing in a small town miles away from his turf? He’d attract unwanted attention, and worst of all, he could give Clemonte an advantage by steering him away. Unless Clemonte wished to get caught, there was no way he’d come to light after hearing that Leonardo had found, and claimed, the baby.
“This is not right,” Jacinta said, but he pushed her inside the media room, locked the door, and sat the key on a console table across the hallway.
“What’s next?” Satyanna asked.
“I’m going to scavenger hunt this place and search for some clues on his whereabouts.” Maybe even on his stolen sculpture. A seasoned son-of-a-bitch like Clemonte had to have an extra USB drive or list of connections. His detective had ensured him in the past that recovering stolen art was hard because highly skillful individuals organized that type of crime.
She gave him a half smile. “Jacinta said he’s coming back tomorrow.”
“Yes, supposedly. Can you really trust someone who stole your baby?”
“No. I guess you’re right,” she said, and kissed the top of the baby’s head. He watched her. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, but her attitude was still more serene than ever. Her eyes gleamed, and she held the baby so gently and tenderly.
His heart squeezed for a moment, but then he cleared his throat. Best to keep his head in the game. “Why do you think he did this, kept Lyanna for three months? If he wanted to sell her in the black market he would have done so. Unless he was waiting for a higher bidder,” he said, remembering a couple of cases he had defended involving human trafficking and defenseless children.
“I-I don’t know…”
He cocked his head toward the end of the hall, and when she started to walk alongside him, he placed his hand on her lower back, guiding her so they could talk about things he’d rather not. “During the time he was with you, did he ever assault you or molest you in any way?”
She frowned. “What? No.”
A wave of relief washed through him. “You two never got sexually involved?”
“What kind of question is that? Ew, no. A million times no. He was the only father figure I’ve ever had. It took me a while to realize I was better off just not having any,” she said with a shrug.
“Maybe that’s it. You ran on him and he wanted revenge.”
“By raising my daughter? What if he…he wanted another shot at being a father? To someone else? I cut him from my life. He’s not gonna live forever, and he has all this money and no one to leave it to.”
He scratched his stubbled chin. “Maybe, but raising a child is a lot of work.”
She lifted her chin. “Which is why he hired around-the-clock nannies.”
God, she was insisting on it, wasn’t she? He felt his brows draw close together. “You really think he’d want to reconstruct a relationship?”
“It’s easier to groom someone from an early age. Besides,” she said, and her voice softened a notch. “Not everything is black and white, Leonardo. You don’t know Clemonte like I do. I hate him, yes, for stealing her from me. But he also took care of me when I was younger…and it wasn’t all bad. He has a nurturing side to him,” she said, her voice losing energy at the end.
Nurturing side? Irritation threaded down his spine, and he locked it into place. Was she serious? “If you’re so fond of him, why didn’t you stick by him? Why did you stay away from him for most of your pregnancy?”
She rolled her eyes, visibly impatient. “I told you, we disagreed on what I’d do after the baby was born, and I took off.”
“Yes, because he wanted you to use my daughter, that baby you’re holding, as a cash cow. Your nurturing friend. The one you think wants to rebuild a relationship.” He scowled.
“You’re making me sound like an idiot.”
What if she fell for Clemonte’s charms again? What if she ended up forgiving him and taking Lyanna with them? It wasn’t a stretch. It had happened before. His stomach contracted. I’m not letting it happen. “I just want one thing clear, Satyanna. I’m damn glad we recovered our daughter, but I’m not done with Clemonte. He stole my sculpture, and my daughter from me. I fully intend on making him pay on all counts. With or without your help.”
Chapter Nine
“Open your eyes, Satyanna,” Harry whispered.
She fumbled with the blindfold and pulled it down on her face. For the past couple hours Harry had been in mysterious mode, and she wasn’t sure that was good or bad.
When her gaze landed at the yacht anchored at Santa Monica pier, she frowned. Harry had explained beforehand he’d be doing some business in California, and she didn’t imagine he’d have much time for her, which was fine. Just knowing he’d helped her out of that dreadful youth house six months ago should have been enough. Life with him wasn’t perfect, but at least she’d be able to finish school and even think about college.
The breeze caressed her face, and she was glad her hair had been in a bun—a suggestion from Harry. Never in her life had anyone cared what she wore or how she looked. So why not give him the satisfaction of seeing her all prim and proper with a sleek do and long red dress? “What’s happening?”
“Remember how you told me once you never went to a father-daughter dance?”
Satyanna nodded. Did he even remember? She had mentioned on a day she had foolishly experimented with some of his liquor. Drinking wasn’t really her thing, and she was under the drinking age. Although Harry wasn’t a man who abhorred illegal activities, he had been mad at her for drinking. Like it was wrong and he…cared about her
. “I remember.”
“Well, I had a meeting with a fellow who owns this yacht. And he told me I should take it for a ride before buying it. So we’re doing it in style, Satyanna,” he said, and gave her his arm.
She hesitated for a second, and then took his arm. They walked on the deck, and the closer she got to the beautiful boat, the more vivid details drew her in. There was a DJ in a small booth, a cold-cut buffet, and a few other people aboard. “Who are these people?”
“I thought it would be more fun to have company.”
He slipped his hand inside his tux and retrieved a pink rose.
Her throat clogged. “Why…why are you doing all this?”
A smile formed on his lips. “Because I never attended a father-daughter dance either.”
Satyanna shook her head, willing the memory away. Was it wrong to remember the good things Harry provided her in the past? Yes it was, because she’d learned later he never borrowed that yacht per se.
Don’t dwell on it. Focus on the good. She kissed the top of Lyanna’s head. They had been together for a few hours, but her heart squeezed with joy, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes every time she held her daughter. She’d checked the nursery room for items she needed, and found them all handy. Clothes, diapers, wipes, and cans of baby formula. She never got to breastfeed her baby. In the midst of all that happiness, Leonardo’s drawl rang in her ears. With or without your help.
Now that they had Lyanna with them, couldn’t they just move forward? Harry was far too smart to get caught, even by someone as determined as Leonardo.
Holding the baby, she walked into the room Leonardo had been searching for thirty minutes. Lyanna had already napped and woken up, and Satyanna had changed her diapers—twice—and given her the bottle. The moment could almost pass for domestic, if he weren’t about to flip over a mattress.
“No luck?” she asked.
“Nothing important yet,” he said, rolling up his sleeves. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead and cheeks, even though the air conditioner was on. Looking at him like that…disheveled hair, the top buttons from his shirt undone, and that glint of resolve in his eyes…
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