by Alexia Adams
“Here, let me,” Daniel said. Reluctantly she handed her son to her lover. He rubbed a hand up and down Max’s back as he walked, soothing him. Lexy pressed her fist to her mouth, trying to hold back the sobs. Max needed her to stay calm. If he saw how upset she was, it would make it worse for him.
“I’m coming, too,” Genevieve said. “I can’t wait here…” Her face was deathly pale, and Lexy didn’t have the heart or the time to argue with her. It would be cruel to tell her she had to stay.
When they arrived in the lobby, a well-dressed man strode over to them. He looked so much like Daniel that Lexy did a double take. Which brother was this?
“Good evening, I’m Santiago Alvarez…” He took one look at Max and then at her face and asked, “How can I help?”
“We’re waiting for an ambulance,” Daniel said. “My son needs to get to the hospital.” His face was fierce, his jaw set, his eyes daring anyone to get in his way, as though it really were his child in distress in his arms. If she weren’t so worried about Max, she’d have kissed Daniel right there.
“Your son … I wasn’t aware.” Santiago stared at Max again then gestured toward the door. “There has been a big accident on the highway; many of the ambulances will be tied up there. It will be quicker if I take you to the hospital in my car. Come this way.”
He was obviously a man used to being in charge. But Daniel didn’t move. “Thanks all the same, but we don’t know you.”
“We are family. Do you think I would allow something to happen to my father’s grandson?”
Daniel glanced at her and she said, “I don’t care how we get there. Let’s just go.”
They followed a swiftly-moving Santiago through the door. He was barking orders into his phone in Portuguese. “Here’s my car,” he said and flung open the back doors to a limo.
As Lexy was about to step in, the car behind began to honk its horn furiously. Daniel glanced back and then handed Max to her. “One second,” he said, and then true to his word he was back before she could even get her seatbelt on. Santiago knocked on the driver’s partition.
“That was Jacques and Maya in the car behind. They’re going to follow us. Looks like we’ll have our family reunion in the hospital,” Daniel said.
“I—” Lexy began.
“Don’t even think of apologizing. This is what family does. And you’re family now.” He put his arm around her and with his other hand stroked Max’s hair. He still struggled to draw a breath, but his lips hadn’t turned any bluer and he was alert.
At the hospital, Santiago jumped out of the car first, calling out orders as he went. Two orderlies rushed out with a gurney and took Max from her. He cried and held out his arms, afraid she would leave him. She held on to his chubby hand and ran alongside. They were whisked into a private room immediately.
“Step aside, Lexy. Let them work,” Daniel said as he gently pulled her away so the doctor could do his examination.
“I’m right here, Max, honey. I’m not going anywhere,” she said as she let his hand go. She pulled in a shuddering breath and Daniel wrapped his arms around her. Santiago translated the doctor’s questions and Lexy had to push past the lump in her throat to make her voice work. This wasn’t the first time Max had been rushed to the hospital with an asthma attack. At least before, she’d been in her home country. What if they were somewhere where neither she nor Daniel spoke the language and he didn’t have a handy half brother to assist?
They gave Max a nebulizer and within seconds his lips returned to a healthy pink. As the nurse hooked him up to the monitoring machines, Santiago explained to Max in a soft, gentle voice what they were doing and saying.
Max’s blue eyes were huge as he watched all the adults in the room, but he didn’t cry or complain when the nurse drew a vial of blood. Lexy was so proud of his courage, and struggled to keep her own tears inside.
“He’s going to be fine,” Santiago translated for the doctor. “They want to keep him here for a few hours to make sure. They’ll give him some medicine but suggest that maybe Rio is not the best place for him. Their air quality is not good at the moment. It would be better for him to stay somewhere else.”
“Maybe we can go with Jacques to where he’s been living,” Daniel suggested. He ran his hand up and down her arm and she leaned into his strength.
“I have a place in the countryside, near the mountains,” Santiago said. “The air is pure and you will be most welcome to stay until your son recovers. I came to invite you to come there after the race to meet our father. I have a private plane and can have it ready to go as soon as they discharge Max.”
Daniel looked his brother up and down. Lexy had to admit, as far as first meetings went, this had been a doozy.
At the moment, she just wanted Max safe. “I don’t mind where. Daniel, I trust you to decide.” She was turning over control of her son’s welfare to him. It was a big step for her. And another sign she was losing part of herself to this man.
***
Daniel sucked in a deep breath. Max was going to be okay. That was the main thing. He’d been terrified when he’d seen the little boy’s blue lips and the panic in Lexy’s eyes. How had she coped all those months after Max’s birth when they weren’t sure if he was going to live or not? He’d gone through forty-five minutes of anxiety and he was a wreck.
Could he do this on a permanent basis? Because there was no Lexy without Max. And he wouldn’t want there to be. But was he ready to be a father? Calling Max his son had just slipped out in the heat of the moment. Obviously the idea had been growing in his heart for a while now. Was it too late to let go? Could he?
“Lexy, I’m going to discuss this with my … brothers. I’ll be back in a minute.” Dieu, this was weird suddenly having family he never expected. But Santiago had been extremely helpful. It would have been more stressful without him there.
Santiago followed him out of the treatment room and they found Jacques and Maya with Genevieve in the waiting area. As soon as he was two meters away, Maya launched herself at him, hugging him like he’d disappear if she didn’t hold on.
“I’m so happy to see you, I’m not even going to question why you have two women and a child with you,” Maya said.
Jacques was next in line to embrace him. “I’m happy to see you, too. Shame you’ve gotten even uglier. But I will ask, what the hell? I leave you alone for one year and you go all sister wives?”
“That’s a long speech for an old married man. Sure you don’t want to sit down now?” Daniel replied.
“Seriously, Daniel,” Jacques said, his arm still around his shoulders. “Some introductions would be helpful.”
Daniel hauled in a deep breath. “You know Genevieve. The little boy having the asthma attack is Max and his mother is Lexy, with whom I’m … involved.” Lame term but “having a torrid love affair that I want to spin into a more permanent relationship but she insists is only a temporary fling” seemed too involved for the current discussion. “Genevieve has been Max’s nanny while Lexy has been working. It’s a long story and one I’ll tell you over a bottle of wine, or two. And this,” Daniel gestured Santiago forward, “apparently is my brother by another mother. We share a father, according to a DNA test.”
“Who needs DNA? One look and anyone can see you’re brothers,” Maya said. She stepped forward and kissed a startled-looking Santiago on the cheek as well. “I’m Maya. Welcome to the family. Or are we invading yours?” She shrugged and looked like she was going to kiss him again when Jacques grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his arms.
Jacques held out his hand and Santiago shook it. They both took the measure of the other and seemed satisfied with what they saw, although Jacques’s arm tightened possessively around his wife. Daniel took a good look at his new brother for the first time. Santiago was tall, halfway between himself and ginormous Jacques. They had the same dark brown hair, but Santiago’s eyes were more on the hazel side than green. But their nose and jawline were duplica
tes. It would be hard to deny they were brothers.
“Thank you. I look forward to getting to know you all.” Santiago’s eyes lingered a moment longer on Genevieve than anyone else.
“The doctors say Max is going to be fine but that he shouldn’t stay in Rio because of the pollution. Jacques, is your place nearby? Can he and Lexy go there?”
“It’s in Chile. Not too far, but it took us four hours by air. Then again, I had to hire a plane because you’ve got mine.”
“Hey, you disappeared and left the keys.”
“Jacques, I know you’re excited to see your brother, but let’s concentrate on the little boy. How would you feel if it were your child?” Maya rubbed her belly. Was she? From the rapturous look on his brother’s face and the softening in Maya’s eyes, Daniel was going to be an uncle soon.
“My country place is closer and I, too, have a private plane that could accommodate everyone,” Santiago offered.
“I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot,” Daniel said. “But we’ve just met. I’m not comfortable trusting two of the most important people in my life to you until I know you better. Unfortunately, I can’t leave Rio.” After the last two races, he would crawl around the track on his knees if he needed to in order to win.
“May I make a suggestion?” Maya asked but then carried on as if everyone agreed. “You trust Jacques with your girlfriend and her son, don’t you, Daniel?” He nodded. “If it’s okay with Santiago, why don’t all of us go to his place and wait for Daniel to join us after his race? That’ll give Max time to recover, and Jacques can make sure your harem is safe.”
It was the most logical solution. But Daniel still wasn’t happy about sending Lexy away with his new half brother. The guy was rich and apparently handsome, judging by the star-struck look on Genevieve’s face. What if she fell for him and his less complicated life?
“That’s an excellent idea, Maya. My house has twelve bedrooms—there’s plenty of space for everyone. And I have a doctor and nurse in residence tending to my father … our father,” Santiago rectified, “so if Max has another episode, there will be medical staff on hand.”
Couldn’t argue with that. Although he’d like to. “I’ll go talk to Lexy and see if she agrees,” Daniel said.
Lexy was sitting on the bed, stroking Max’s hair, when he found her. She agreed that going to Santiago’s, as it was closer and where Daniel had planned to go after the race anyway, was the best option.
Now he just had to get his heart on board. Because sending Max and Lexy away was going to hurt.
***
Lexy stepped out onto the terrace, holding her bathrobe closed at the neck. The mountain air was much cooler than in Rio. The sun was just coming up over the horizon, but she hadn’t been able to sleep. She could claim it was the unfamiliar bed and worry over Max, but he’d made a fast recovery and you couldn’t even tell that he’d had an episode a day later. Her heart knew the lack of sleep was due to Daniel not being there.
She’d watched the qualifying with his family yesterday and noticed Jacques’s eyes on her more than once as she’d held her breath. In the end, Daniel had only managed second position on the grid. He’d been upbeat about his chances in the race when she spoke to him on the phone last night, but she still longed to be there. If someone had asked her two months ago if she’d ever leave her son to be with a man, she’d have slapped them across the face.
“You love him, don’t you?”
Lexy swiveled to find Maya leaning against the doorframe. Her red hair fell in disarray around her shoulders, her short satin wrap revealed her gorgeous long legs. The woman embodied sexy. But she was also friendly and natural, and so obviously in love with her husband it made Lexy smile just to watch them.
“Yeah. Didn’t want to but it happened. This has really screwed up my life.”
“Preaching to the choir, sister. Love is damned inconvenient. But also the greatest thing ever. So, what are you going to do about it?”
“I have no idea.” Lexy ran a hand through her hair, which probably just made it stand on end. “I don’t know if I can do this—following Daniel around the world. Living from one heartbeat to the next as he risks his life for his sport. And what kind of life will it be for Max? His health isn’t great, and changing environments can lead to more attacks like he had in Rio.”
“I can’t give you the answers, Lexy. You have to decide for yourself. But if you choose to stay with Daniel then know you won’t be alone. You’ve seen how this family pulls together. Jacques and I would be more than happy to look after Max if you went to races with Daniel in countries where you weren’t comfortable taking your son.”
“I don’t know…”
“Go to Daniel. You’re not going to figure it out sitting here.”
“I can’t. Max—”
“Has so many people here to love and care for him it’s ridiculous.”
“But how am I going to get there? The race is in seven hours.”
“I’m sure Santiago would lend you his plane and pilot. He seems a nice guy. If not, Jacques will arrange something.”
“It’s too much to ask. And Daniel’s coming here tomorrow anyway. Why couldn’t he be an accountant who lives down the street from me?”
“Because then he wouldn’t be the exciting, vibrant man who charmed your heart. Close your eyes.” Lexy complied. “Where do you want to be this second?”
“In Daniel’s arms.”
“Right answer.”
Lexy opened her eyes in time to see Maya stride back into the house. Even in bare feet she towered over Lexy. The woman was a force to be reckoned with. Jacques probably had never stood a chance of resisting her.
Five minutes later a sleepy-looking Jacques appeared at the door. With his hair messed and his jaw covered in stubble, he didn’t look half as intimidating as in the daytime. But then his blue eyes narrowed on her. “I hear you want to be with Daniel when he races.”
She nodded.
“Get dressed then. We’ll be wheels up in half an hour.”
He strode back into the house and Lexy raced to get ready. She was throwing a few things into her bag when there was a knock at her bedroom door. Without waiting for an invitation, Maya entered holding a gorgeous pair of shoes and a small gift bag. “I noticed we have the same shoe size so I’m lending these to you for Daniel’s private victory celebration tonight. Tell him I said, ‘Happy birthday.’”
“It’s not his birthday.”
“I know, but we were in hiding for his last one and didn’t send a present.”
“Okay, but I’m not sure the shoes will fit him,” Lexy said. She peeked into the bag and heat infused her face. It was going to take a drink or two before she could wear that without going red everywhere.
Maya laughed and left the room. Twenty minutes later, Lexy was strapped into the leather seat of Santiago’s private plane and heading back to Rio. To surprise her man.
I am not my mother.
Chapter 15
Daniel sat in his trailer with his eyes closed, waiting for the knock to call him to the garage. He tried to focus on the track, to see every curve, anticipate every braking point and shift change in his mind. Except all he could see were Lexy’s eyes smiling at him. Merde, this shouldn’t be hard. He’d managed every race alone for almost two seasons with the exception of the last three, so why did he feel so bereft now? He’d always figured it would be having a woman in his life, not her absence, which caused a distraction.
The knock on his trailer door came and he got up, glancing briefly at the clock. Ten minutes early. Had the mechanics discovered something wrong with the car? It’d been fine this morning in final practice.
Expecting the burly, bearded face of his chief mechanic or even the practiced smile of the press relations woman, he was shocked to find Lexy standing outside the door. Had he begun to projecting her face on other people? You’re losing it, man.
“Daniel.” No, it was her voice, her sexy way of look
ing at him that sent his blood rushing around his body at twice the speed.
“Lexy. What are you doing here? Where’s Max?”
“Still in Argentina with your family. He’s fine. But I couldn’t let you race alone.”
A tsunami of emotion rolled over him, weakening his knees. Now was not the time to realize how much he needed this woman.
“Come in.” Dieu, she was still standing on the pavement, three feet below him.
“I wasn’t sure—”
He didn’t wait for her to complete her sentence. Lexy and her doubts. He’d hoped she’d be over them by now. “I will always want to see you. Anytime, anyplace.” He swept her into a kiss that lasted until the knock came, calling him to his car.
“Do you want to watch from here or with the team?” he asked as she straightened her clothes, which had become somewhat dislodged during their embrace.
“Garage. I promised Max I’d wave to him if I was on TV.”
He escorted her down pit lane. How would he be able to concentrate, knowing that Lexy had voluntarily left her son to be with him? She must love him. Was now the time to tell her how he felt? The questions whirled in his mind until he pulled on his helmet. Then a peace descended and the track came into sharp focus. He was going to win; he felt it in his fingertips.
It was a hard-fought battle; several times he’d been wheel-to-wheel with Robert. After the last two races, he’d worried he’d be hesitant, second-guessing his instinct, but the racing adrenaline took over and he made lightning-quick decisions that paid off in the end. Best of all, he knew Lexy was waiting to congratulate him when it was all done.
She wasn’t hard to spot from the podium in her bright orange jumpsuit. What was harder was hiding his hard-on in his racing overalls when her breasts bounced as she jumped for joy with the rest of the crowd. No need to practice his media smile today, it was genuine happiness coursing through his veins. He congratulated Robert, who had taken second place. There were now only four points between them, so the winner of the next race would take the championship. With Lexy staring up at him, her face glowing, he felt like he’d already achieved it.