Make love. For the second time his words brought an absurd amount of joy to her foolish heart. Blood thrummed in her veins, and she felt light-headed. There she was, in bed with the only man who made her drenched in her own essence, throwing the one word at her she had always dreamed of. The one word that didn’t depend on her alone. Love came from someone else. The one she had for herself was wonderful, but she wanted, needed, so much more, and had even looked in all the wrong places.
Staring at Leonardo, who flashed a devious grin at her, her insides melted. He was righteous, and fair, and inspired her to be the same. Damn it. “Yes, we can.”
If she were about to lose a limb she still wouldn’t turn him down. Instinctively, she motioned to touch her wound, but he fastened his grip on her. She breathed hard, her chest rising and falling like she had been exercising.
“If you touch me, I will come. Don’t tempt me.”
Why did he have to be bossy even in bed? Not that she minded one bit. A thrill of excitement surged through her, reenergizing her. “What if I want to?”
“Then you’ll break the rules…and will have to be punished.”
“Maybe I like to be punished.”
He winked. “I’m sure you will love what I have in mind.”
God. Just fuck me already. She pressed her legs together, clenching her thighs so her sex would find some temporary release. He must have read her mind, for he nudged them apart and bunched the long skirt at her waist.
He dipped his head down, and she watched him lower his head to her belly button. She leaned into him, hoping he’d plant kisses and licks on her already goose-bumped flesh. His sharp teeth grazed against her skin, and he dragged the underwear down. She gasped.
Her legs moved, and she squirmed. Her fingers curled into a ball. When he let go of her hands, it was like he knew she was enjoying it way too much to stop him. When her underwear was down at her knees, he kissed her calves. Wow. His tongue was warm and his lips demanding. Her clit throbbed in tandem with her heart, and she whimpered. How could she not? She had enough fire brewing in her to burn down an entire building.
“Come inside me,” she said.
He finished gliding her panties off her, and every inch he blew over prickled with want. She lifted her hips from the mattress, desperate for some release. He glanced at her pussy, licking his lips. When he lifted his eyes to hers, her stomach clenched. A wonderful, warm sensation rippled through her.
“You’re not playing fair,” he said.
Whatever works. She outlined her sex with her fingers, and shot him a look loaded with challenge. “You’ve accused me of it since the beginning. Why stop now?”
She moaned and circled her clit. She wanted to show him she could give herself pleasure, too, although with him it would be way better. She didn’t need him. She wanted him—so bad, that it almost made her believe he was, in fact, a necessity.
A smile that could bring warring countries to a treaty greeted her. “Touché. I think I can take it from here.”
She smiled, and before she could respond, he buried his face between her thighs. Her body drooped, and she let her hips fall into the bed, and he linked her legs across his head. She threw her head against the pillow, sure she wouldn’t be able to take much of this. His tongue lapped at her folds, while his thumb flicked her clit mercilessly. What else was there for her to do besides melt into him?
Literally. She could feel his tongue licking her arousal, and damn was he good at it.
“God, Leonardo. I’m coming,” she said as her thighs trembled, warning of what was to come.
He withdrew from her sex and with a swift movement plunged his cock inside her. The sensation seared every single one of her nerve endings, her toes curling.
She exploded into a whirlwind of sensations. He thrust into her, in and out, each time plundering deeper into her, until she felt that desire reenergize and she orgasmed again. With a growl that sliced into the night, he released himself.
…
Leonardo glanced down at his daughter.
She stared back at him even though her eyelids fluttered often.
When he’d heard her cry through the baby monitor, he’d had no doubt. He left Satyanna sleeping at his bedside, and went to check on his daughter. It took him a few seconds to gather her diaper, the wipes, and to find the cream, but it all came back to him. He’d helped his mother raise his little sister, Camila, who wasn’t so little anymore.
Back then, disposable diapers were a luxury; they’d used cloth ones. She finished the bottle, and he tapped her back. That, he remembered, too. His heart heaved. That was the first time he was alone with his Lyanna. An emotion that was scary, uplifting, and exhilarating swept over him. He recognized the same kind of love his mother showered him with, despite him hating to have his cheeks pinched past the age of four.
A ball of warmth clogged his throat. That was his daughter, and he’d do anything for her. But could he compromise his beliefs? Could he marry Satyanna to give his daughter a stable home? How do you know it’ll be stable? Would Satyanna get bored of playing house in a country that wasn’t her own and leave him? Worse—leave their daughter when she was old enough to understand?
Lyanna burped, and he rocked her in the chair, back and forth. There was something reassuring about her. He knew he wouldn’t leave her no matter what. Lupus had claimed his mother when she had been too poor and fragile to fight back. His brother Bruno had left the entire family to start a new life in the United States. A year ago his father had finally given his last breath and joined his wife in death.
The baby yawned, and, kissing the top of her head gently, he put her in the crib and covered her with a blanket so she would be comfortable.
When he arrived in the bedroom next door, he found Satyanna sitting on the bed, with the baby monitor on her hand. Had she seen him caring for Lyanna?
“I didn’t hear her.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind. I’m the dad, right?”
She wiped a tear from her eye, and he realized she’d been crying.
“Don’t tell me you turned into those overbearing new mothers and you’re upset because I went and you didn’t?” he said, injecting some humor in his voice to dispel from the strange intimacy lurking like a third person in the room.
She chuckled, and then wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “No. I just…made a decision.”
He angled forward. Something told him this conversation wouldn’t lead to sex. “Yes?”
“I’ll stay,” she blurted. “I’ll stay in Brazil if you want so you can be closer to Lyanna. You don’t have to worry, I’m not going to get any crazy ideas about us,” she said, glancing at the floor. “But I want her to grow up near her father.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, the same side as her but within a safe distance. His shoulders dropped a notch. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
“Between my parents abandoning me far too soon, then Carol dying, and a life in foster care, then finally the youth house…I never had a father, and it’s not fair for her to not have one when you’re so eager.”
“I am. I promise you she will be happy.”
And you, too. That hung at the tip of his tongue, so why was it so hard for him to say it? Because he wanted to mean it. He couldn’t…not yet. There was also Clemonte and his empty threat to worry about…but he couldn’t spoil the moment and talk about it now, not when she’d just given him a slice of hope.
“I know you mean it.” She scooted on the bed and planted a friendly kiss on his cheek.
A shiver swept through him, and he snatched her into his arms as if otherwise she’d be taken away by some sort of natural disaster. She gasped, obviously surprised, but didn’t draw back from his possessive embrace.
He gave her a long, passionate kiss.
“We have three hours until she wakes again,” she said.
“Then let’s make them count,” he whispered, before he claimed her lips with his
again, and used that senseless attraction to distract him from thinking just to what he had agreed to.
…
“Leonardo. Leonardo.”
Leonardo rubbed his eyes. He felt a hand poking him, and he quickly stepped out of the sleepy haze.
Satyanna was the first image he saw, but she didn’t flash the smiles she had the previous night. Instead, she frowned, fully dressed. He glanced around, trying to see what time it was. When was the last time he overslept? For as long as he could remember, his body was conditioned to wake up at six fifteen a.m. Every day. Why would there be such change? Because she slept next to him. All night long, her warmth enveloped him like a fur coat on a winter day. What was he doing?
“Why didn’t you tell me that Clemonte called you?”
Oh. He ran his hand down his face. It was way too early to have that conversation. Guilt stabbed at him. The previous night he’d chosen not to—there was no atmosphere, and if he were really honest, he was in the mood for distraction rather than problem-solving.
“I was going to. That happened last night.”
“You had several hours. What did he say?”
He scooted on the bed, and thumped his feet on the floor. “He said he wants either you or the baby back to leave us alone. That if neither of you return to him, he will kill someone,” he said, and fear washed over him. Talking about it out loud somehow worsened the situation because that meant it was all too real.
She paced the floor, with hands perched at her waist. “What? And you didn’t think to tell me that?”
“No. I called my detective, and thought I’d wait to tell you.”
She shook her head. “You had no problem fucking me while you waited. Is that all I’m good for? Distraction? You can’t share anything meaningful with me? I’m not asking you for flowers and rainbows. This is my life.” Even though her tone was accusatory, he noticed the disappointment dangling in her words.
He stood and reached for the chair to grab his boxers. “Last night was meaningful. And I was going to tell you.” Fully dressed, he touched her elbow to have her turn and look at him.
She jerked away, waving him off. “You know what’s ironic? Ever since I came here I had to prove how trustworthy I am. I still do. You suspect anything I do. And you are the one keeping things from me—things that affect me and my daughter.”
“Our daughter. I’m going to Maranhão today. I will do things myself. Interview anyone and everyone Clemonte might have talked to and see where he could be now. You and Lyanna are not to leave this house. Understood?”
Chapter Thirteen
“Gosh, I wish I could stop eating.” Addie picked an apple from the fruit bowl. “This baby’s hungry all the time. Or maybe it’s me and I’m already blaming it on him or her.”
“Hey, at least you’re making healthy choices,” Satyanna said, riveted by the chocolate cake sitting on the granite countertop. To keep temptation at bay, she swiveled on the stool. “You really don’t want to know the gender?”
“Nah. We’ll wait until we see the baby.”
“That must be killing you,” she said. Since she’d arrived at the house last week, Addie became the good friend she never had growing up. She helped her with the baby, and teased her whenever she mispronounced a word in Portuguese while talking to Maria or the security guards Leonardo had hired.
Addie winked at her. “Hence eating for an army.”
Satyanna cut herself a piece of cake. “I guess I’ll test my good metabolism and worry about the calories later.”
Addie chuckled. “Oh please. You have nothing to worry about. By the way, is Leonardo still at work?”
“He’s been busy.”
Busy was an understatement. The day after their passionate lovemaking when she caught him feeding Lyanna for the first time, Leonardo had gone to Maranhão for a couple days to talk to the local authorities about Harry. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been lucky, and Harry was still at large.
“He’s mentioned he’s telling his clients he will be out of service for a while.” Addie finished the apple and tossed the core into the bin. She eyed the cake, and tilted her head to the side, as if entertaining the idea of eating it. “Fuck it. The baby wants what the baby wants.” She grabbed a fresh plate from the cupboard and a fork, and cut a slice for her.
“Atta girl.”
Satyanna toyed with her fork. Who was she to advise anyone? She had conformed to Leonardo’s proposition of her living in Brazil permanently.
It was obvious she needed her head checked. Yet…when she’d seen him through the video baby monitor, holding the baby and whispering sweet nothings to her, that had set her pulse on a crazy race. How could she deny her daughter what she never had?
Whatever his flaws were, Leonardo was a good parent. He put everything on the side to care for his daughter. She had really noticed it during the past several days. He enjoyed spending time with her—and he had been cordial with Satyanna, even if they hadn’t had sex again.
Addie opened the refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of water. “Do you love Leonardo?” she asked casually, as if chatting about a TV show.
Satyanna almost choked on the cake she tried to swallow. If she talked about her feelings to someone else, that would mean they existed. And if they existed, how painful would it be if—the most likely scenario—they weren’t requited? “What? Leonardo, well, he’s…”
Addie took a swig of water, then waved her off. “The Duartes are an interesting bunch.”
“Easy for you to say. You got the fun one who’s relaxed and put that big rock on your finger. I’m agreeing to be someone’s concubine without the sex. I guess I will be the official baby mama.”
Addie smiled. “He’s a good man, Satyanna.”
Satyanna sat her fork down. “I guess that’s debatable. He’s a good father, and possibly a good lover. But I don’t know if he’s being good to me in the way I want him to be. For someone who’s sort of conservative and into justice, I thought he’d make the right decision.”
“Which is?”
“Well, marry me? It doesn’t have to be today or tomorrow, but we have a daughter and I’d like to give her the stable home I never had. What if he gets tired of me and finds a girlfriend? I’ll still be living here, in another country.”
Addie grinned and leaned in as if she was about to share a secret. “I’ve seen how he looks at you. I don’t think he’ll get another girlfriend soon. Or ever.”
Satyanna rolled her eyes. I wish. “Yeah, right.”
Addie cleared the dishes and gestured for them to go to the living area. “It’s his life, and I don’t mean to talk about it…but Leonardo always had a lot of responsibilities early on. And I can imagine he’s facing it all again now, in a way, with parenthood and a maniac who’s trying to get his baby. He just needs time to adjust.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“He’s worth it. Worth the wait, Satyanna.”
“Thanks.” Satyanna looked at the baby, who kicked her legs on the blanket they brought to the living room. Bruno had left the house for some meetings, and a set of burly security guys enjoyed coffee in the kitchen.
Besides a couple quick trips to the supermarket—accompanied—Satyanna hadn’t ventured out much, and realized that was the price to pay. Why would Harry want her back after all she’d done?
She had vanished from his life.
Maybe he was as lonely as she was. That had always bonded them in the past—their lack of ties with anyone else. That misleading family dynamic had blinded her to the awful, sick person he could be. That he is. Don’t lie to yourself. He had killed Jacinta, and had threatened to hurt others.
I’ll never forgive myself if he does. God. There she was: being treated like a member of the family by Addie and Bruno, and pampered by Maria. These people could have snubbed her, but they took her in and offered her a hand. Were they also a reason why she’d agreed to stay? Because she enjoyed the idea of being a part of the package?
Addie gasped.
Satyanna turned to her and stood. Addie’s face paled, and her eyes widened. She spoke in fast Portuguese, too fast for Satyanna to understand. Besides, Addie didn’t have the god-awful accent that she did. Addie nodded as she listened, and tears claimed her eyes.
Apprehension zipped down Satyanna’s spine. “What happened? Tell me.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks, unbidden. “Maria is dead.”
Satyanna drew back, like someone had cut through her stomach. Her heart skipped a beat or two. “Dead?”
“Y-yes. She went to the street market today, as she did every Tuesday to get some fresh fruit. Someone slashed her throat, and a couple vendors who recognized her called the police.”
“What is happening now?”
Addie touched her chest. “Leonardo was her emergency contact and he was notified. He went to the police, and told them all he knows. They’re starting an investigation.”
“Wow.”
“They will probably want to talk to you, too.”
“This is…”
“Crazy?” Addie sobbed. “I’m sorry. I have to call Camila and let her know. Maria worked here for so many years, and everyone loved her.”
“O-of course. Let me know if I can do anything.”
More than what I’ve done already. This was all her fault. She brought Harry back to their lives, and until he was reunited with her, he would keep endangering people. She’d known he was crazy, but a killer? There was no denying this time. It was all his doing.
Sadness poured over her, and she grabbed Lyanna from the floor. She gave her a hug. No one would hurt her daughter. She needed to find where Harry was, even if she herself would be the bait.
…
“Do you need anything else from me?” Leonardo asked the sheriff.
Brazilian Revenge (The Brazilians) Page 12