Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“My darling, may I have a word alone before you head back to your hotel?” Javier asks as he grips my elbow, waiting to lead me further down the street from where we all have congregated outside of the restaurant.
Six pairs of eyes stare at me, awaiting my answer as though it may change the course of the next presidential election in America.
All I want to do is go back to the hotel, crawl beneath the sheets of the plush bed, and go to sleep. I’m jet-lagged, mentally exhausted, and tired of being around people—everyone except Luciano. My body still hums from where his fingers trailed my skin, my core still soaked and needy.
Speaking of Luciano, my eyes flick up to where he’s standing, waiting for the valet to bring back the car. He pretends to not be paying attention, but I’m sure he is.
I know he is.
We’ve been in tune with each other all evening. My skin has been on fire and my heart racing since he touched me. Was it all a game to him? He was so adamant about not touching me, and then…that.
My heart and my mind have been continuously screaming at each other, and the only thing I want to do is go back to the hotel and rip Luciano’s clothes off his body.
He loves you, too.
He doesn’t love you, you idiot. This is all a game.
Well, he at least likes me.
Uh, no, he was putting on a show for Javier.
But Javier couldn’t even see!
Obviously, he knew what was going on, you ditz.
“Sure. Of course,” I tell Javier, realizing my thoughts have gotten away from me and I need to wrap this up.
If the ache between my thighs wasn’t the clue that it’s time to go back to the hotel, then Javier’s heavy stare should be.
I let him guide me to a bench a little further down the road, and when we sit he turns toward me to speak.
“Why did you feel it would be appropriate to bring him tonight, Raina?” he asks through a bared smile, and it’s then I realize he’s facing everyone, so presumably they’re watching the exchange.
“It’s odd for you to think I wouldn’t bring my fiancé.”
“I showed kindness by purchasing his ticket to fly here.”
“After you demanded I come!” I practically yell, and as I do, Javier hisses through his teeth. Lowering my voice, I continue. “I told you no, and you still purchased the tickets. You’re lucky I have compassion and hate to let a trip go to waste.”
“You are my wife, Raina. What was I supposed to do? I need you by my side as I bury my father.”
“And in four months? When you need me by your side to claim your title? Which, by the way, is a very archaic practice. I looked into it, you know. It’s not exactly the most common thing to do these days. Practically nonexistent, and not even legally recognized.”
“I know,” Javier agrees, which I’m surprised about—I didn’t expect him to actually be honest since I’ve sensed he’s been overexaggerating his situation since the moment he showed up on my doorstep.
“It is an old family tradition—a town tradition, more so—that I must uphold. Madrid and Ribera del Duero are two very different regions, as you will see. Where I am from, it’s more…
how you say…old school. I promise it will make more sense when you see it tomorrow. ”
“Tomorrow?”
“Of course. I did not fly you here simply for one evening’s dinner. Tomorrow you are to drive to the countryside of Ribera del Duero and allow the Moreno family to give you a taste of the life you are missing. The life I could give you, if you let me.”
“I’m engaged, Javier. And the life you could give me if I let you? You said it yourself—I’m only here as a pawn. You don’t want to get married, so don’t try to pull on my heartstrings by making me think I’m your one and only shot at a happily ever after.”
He laughs, and something about the way he’s looking at me raises my hackles. “For you, Raina, a man could change. And you have told me you’re engaged to that man you brought along, but I have yet to see any proof.”
“Really? You need proof?” My fingers find the long chain around my neck, and I pull the engagement ring from where it hangs between my breasts. “I can’t exactly wear it in front of your family, now can I?”
“Speaking of,” Javier retorts, opening one side of his coat and burying his hand inside the concealed pocket.
In one fluid movement, he produces a faded burgundy leather box and opens it, revealing a lovely antique marquise diamond on a gold band.
“An heirloom. My great-great-grandmother’s ring.
If you would be so kind as to wear this for the remainder of your trip, I will collect it from you before you leave and keep it safe until you return again. ”
My fingers hover against my lips as my eyes dart from the ring to the man holding it. “I can’t wear this, Javier.”
“Oh, but you must. It has been saved for my wife, and it has been killing my mother to know it has sat in our family’s security deposit box throughout our first year of marriage, darling.
” He says the word darling with a hint of venom, and this time when I look into his eyes, I see an edge reflected I haven’t seen before.
His gaze darts to the ring Luciano gave me, still in my hand, before connecting with mine again, and suddenly, it hits me.
He feels threatened by Luciano.
I threw a wrench in the perfect plan he concocted in his head, and that doesn’t sit well with him. He knows Luciano could blow it up in an instant and he’d have a lot of explaining to do to his family.
Still, I believe what he told me is true. Javier just wants to put on this show in front of them so he can continue to live his bachelor lifestyle without the pressure of his family bearing down on him.
And he needs me to help him do that, I guess.
Securing my fake engagement ring back between my breasts, I hold my left hand out in front of Javier. It trembles as he slides his family’s ring on my finger, and once it reaches the base, he whispers, “Gracias.”
Nodding once, I stand from the bench and pull him into a hug, not only for show, but because I feel like he could use one.
“What is the plan for tomorrow?” I ask, wanting to be prepared.
“We memorialize my father. Tomorrow, we celebrate him, and on Sunday, we bury him. Please be out at the finca no later than eleven. It will take time to get there, so have your fiancé plan accordingly.” Taking my hand, he laces our fingers together and we walk back to where his family and Luciano are waiting.
Luciano’s eyes darken as he looks at where we’re connected. Every fiber of my being screams for me to drop Javier’s hand, but his family is watching, and I know how crucial it is for me to lean into the attentive wife charade.
Battling against the bile in my throat, I lean into Javier and rest my head on his chest in an affectionate embrace. Toying with the button on his shirt, I look at his mother and smile. “Thank you so much for a beautiful evening and for welcoming me and my brother into your family.”
“You’re welcome, my dear. We’re just so happy we were finally able to meet the woman who’s captured our Javi’s heart.
” She steps forward and outstretches her hand, which I take and move toward her.
She pulls me close in a tight hug and whispers, “You’re everything I ever hoped for in a daughter-in-law. Take care of mi hijo.”
“I will,” I whisper back, letting my eyes fall shut. I feel horrible that I’m deceiving this nice woman—this entire family. And for what? A man I had a one-night stand with.
My eyes get misty with guilt.
She takes a step backward, and as her hands fall to mine, she squeezes them.
“Shall we, sis?” Luciano asks, moving from the shadows with his arm bent for me to take. “It’s late, and I don’t know about you, but the jet lag is getting to me.”
“Yes.” I nod my head. “Let’s go back. Thank you all so much again. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
The Moreno family say their goodbyes, and I can’t help but feel a rush of relief as Luciano pulls me over to the Aston Martin, where it idles by the curb.
As he reaches down to open the door for me, I hear, “Wait!”, and the sound of rushed footsteps drawing near.
The moment I turn, Javier takes my face between both of his hands and tilts my head back to allow him access to my lips and kisses me.
The urgency and passion catch me so off guard, my mouth opens slightly in a gasp, and he takes my vulnerability as an opportunity to deepen it.
From beside me, Luciano’s low growl rumbles through my entire body. “Hands. Off.”
Javier ignores him until Luciano takes half a step forward in warning.
“Buenas noches,” Javier murmurs against my lips, his smile apparent even through my closed eyes.
Then he lets me go.
A strangled “bye” is all I can manage before Luciano is tugging on my elbow and guiding me into the passenger seat of the car. The door slams once I’m tucked inside, rattling the rest of the vehicle as Luciano makes his way around to the driver’s side.
I say nothing during the short drive from the restaurant to the hotel, and the elevator ride to the suite is even more tense than the car.
Luciano’s hands are balled into fists as he stares straight ahead, refusing to look at me.
But I’m looking at him.
I’m looking at the way the veins of his forearms strain under the tight grip of his hands, on full display thanks to the sleeves of his white shirt being rolled up.
The way his dark hair is slightly disheveled from the seventeen times he ran his hand through it while driving.
I’m looking at how his jaw is flexing under the slight stubble that’s started to grow back since he shaved yesterday, and how the circles under his eyes have deepened a shade darker since we started the evening—whether from lack of sleep or stress, I’m not sure.
All I can do is take in the man standing beside me and wonder how in the hell he went from avoiding me for years, to wanting to help me in this insane mishap, then to radiating with anger because of a situation he put us in.
I never asked him to pretend to be my fiancé.
In fact, I distinctly remember insisting that I didn’t want his help.
This was all him.
Now he’s the one playing with my emotions.
Touching me when he swore he wouldn’t.
Getting angry when he has no right to.
Wrapping my arms around my chest, I look down at the ground. As much as I absolutely hate what I’m about to say aloud, I have to.
For both of our sanity.
My heart’s pounding in my chest. “You can’t touch me again, Luciano.”
“Trust me, I won’t make that mistake twice,” he spits, making me wince. Looking up, he watches as our floor draws closer with every ascending number, and the moment the elevator dings, he’s through the doors before they’re even fully open.
My movements aren’t as fast as I make my way off the elevator and into our suite with my tail between my legs and my heart in my stomach.
How the hell did things get so messy so fast?