Behind Her Smile (28 page)

“Apparently, there were some less than legal activities going on at his business. And then–” it’s difficult to say the words through the lump in my throat “–he hired men to do . . . unspeakable things.”

Miranda eyes me warily. “Then it is good he is in jail. He probably should have been there a long time ago.”

A long exhale frees the building tension in my ribs. “Yes, it is good.”

Several hours later, we’ve packed my belongings neatly into a conclave of suitcases. I leave the jewelry and lavish evening gowns behind. None of the crazy expensive designer garb ever felt like it was truly mine. We found empty plastic bins to house all my thread, fabric, and working garments. I’m thankful for the large SUV Adriana brought because, with Carlo’s help, we are able to fit everything from my small studio into the vehicle, including a dress form and my sewing machine.

Miranda, Carlo, and I exchange hugs. I vow to call them in the coming days because I don’t want to leave them in the dark. This won’t be the last time I see them, but it will be the final time I am at the Morgan compound in Coral Gables. I’m climbing into my car when I stop short.

“There’s something I have to do,” I call to Adriana, who is also preparing to leave.

She shields her eyes from the streaming sunlight and assesses me carefully, as though I might do something drastic. “Do you want me to wait?”

I force a brittle smile. “Won’t take me more than a minute then I’ll be ready. GPS can get me back to your house.”

Adriana makes a snap decision to trust that I won’t do something rash, like refuse to leave the house, and nods. “Okay. I’ll let the security know you’ll be on your way.”

“See you soon.”

The path to the master bedroom is fraught with memories. I traveled to the room by myself because more times than not, I was alone in the cavernous home. Those were the good times. One particularly evening, David wrapped his hand around my arm in a vise-like grip, dragging me up the staircase as though I was nothing more than a doll. Another time, he pushed my shoulders until I fell face-first onto the hallway floor. I didn’t leave the house for a week while the visible bruises faded. This time, I bound up the steps two at a time, racing through the hallway until I reach the bedroom with renewed energy.

First, I wedge my finger underneath the key ring until I remove the house key. I drop the jagged metal piece on the center of the bed. Then I twist the weighty rock off my ring finger, followed by the band wound tightly around my fingers swollen with exertion from the packing activities.

“I am no longer your toy, David Morgan,” I say into the silent room.

He’s not there to hear me say the words, but still, it’s as if I shouted them in his face. A tiny win, but a win I will hold in my heart when I become scared thinking of my uncertain future.

As the building fades into the rearview mirror, I feel like I’m a shedding a straightjacket. The Morgan family home was never truly
my
home. I lived there for five years—an oppressive jail cell containing me. As far as I’m concerned, my life as a Morgan is breathing its last breaths.

Alec

K
arolina parks the subdued, boring sedan a few feet from where I am standing in the driveway of Hector’s home watching her from behind a pair of dark sunglasses. The navy, four-door car shows none of Karolina’s personality. If I had to guess, I’d say David picked this out for Karolina. She slams the door shut, walking around to the trunk of the car. She pops it open with the press of a button on the key fob. Suitcases and travel bags fill the trunk.

Karolina stiffens when I move beside her, but her actions won’t deter me. Her feminine scent teases my nostrils when I infiltrate her personal space. God, she smells out of this world. Being near her, even in these awful circumstances, releases pleasurable endorphins racing through my veins. I fight the urge to sweep her against my chest and banish all the awful memories from her mind.

Gently, I move her aside and then heft one of rolling bags out of the trunk. “I don’t need your help,” she says tersely.

“I didn’t say you did. What else do you need from here?”

Karolina drags one of the large bags onto her shoulder. She attempts to grab the handle of the luggage standing between us, but I beat her to it. “What do you want from me?” she asks shakily.

Hearing the tremors in her voice and seeing the visible signs of uneasiness infuriate me. I want to kick my own ass for not fighting for Karolina harder when I had the chance. All the signs were there, but I missed them all because I was too busy falling in love with her. I was too busy sulking because I believed she could never be mine. “You’re not ready to hear the answer to that.” If she were to know I want to be her lover, her friend, her companion, her confidant, and her most trusted partner, I doubt she would take it well at this point. I want to show her that a man’s touch can channel love and devotion, not only pain and brutality.

“The riddles are starting to get old,” she says mildly.

“Glad to see that spunk, sweet Karo.” The endearment slips out naturally as if I’ve been calling her that for years.

Her chocolate eyes narrow and she cuts me a glare. “Forgive me for being confused, but the last nickname you gave me was
whore
. So which am I, sweet or selling myself to a wealthy man?” Karolina’s chest heaves with the effort of confronting me. A flash of fear darts through her eyes. The urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake her makes me clench my fists at my sides. I’d never hurt her. Doesn’t she know that?

Ease up, asshole.

“I’m an idiot. I should have begged for your forgiveness the moment I said that. Hell, I never should have criticized you at all. I had no right to pass judgment on you. I’m sick thinking about how much of an asshole I was to you that night. You didn’t deserve my wrath. There’s no excuse to call you that word. I don’t believe you are anything other than spectacular, Karolina. I let my anger get the best of me and you took the brunt of it. I’m sorry,
so
sorry that I said that. It couldn’t be further from the true way I feel about you.”

Those guileless brown eyes stare at me in wonder. If I have to tell her ten times a day, every day, for the rest of my life how she captivates me, I will. No matter what it takes, I will convince Karolina that she is meant to be with me.

“Let’s go in,” I say gruffly. Seemingly back in control of her emotions, Karolina tilts her nose toward the sky and walks ahead of me. I wonder if she knows the way she wags her hips as she walks turns me on. This woman has no idea she ties me in knots.

“Oh, wonderful, you’re back. Any idea what you want to eat for dinner?” Adriana and Hector are sitting in the sunken living room, no doubt waiting for Karolina to return.

Karolina looks startled as if she didn’t realize she would have a say. It’s as if she is so unused to making a decision on her own.
That fucker, Morgan. Again.
Land mines from their relationship lie everywhere. I plan to detonate all of them—without any casualties.

“The chef can make pretty much whatever you’d like,” Hector adds when he notices her discomfort.

“Well, if that’s the case, then I’ll have macaroni and cheese and a salad to start. I mean, if it’s not too much trouble.” She stammers the words. The uncertainty sends a cloud of darkness over my mood. What happened to her confidence? What happened to the Karolina who gave as good as she got from me? Tension coils between my shoulder blades.

Adriana tells Karolina that, of course, she can have whatever she’d like. Then Karolina leaves the room to shower. Stan, the Martinez butler, carries her bags while she shyly chats with him. I collapse into a chair across from Hector and Adriana, rubbing my hand across my face.

“Don’t throw anything.” I don’t need to see my friend to know he’s smirking in my direction.

“Hector, be nice,” Adriana admonishes.

“Do you remember when I found out what happened to your family?” Hector asks quietly. I pull my hand away from my face, watching the couple interact.

Adriana cocks an eyebrow. “You punched a hole in the wall of my bedroom.”

“Our friend here had a similar reaction when he found out what Morgan had planned,” Hector explains.

Adriana whips her head toward me wearing a ghost of a smile. “I knew you cared for her, but that much? Alec, you pleasantly surprise me.”

I don’t bother arguing with her. Instead, I heave a sigh. “What happened to her? The light in her eyes is gone. Even her hair looks exhausted. The last time I saw her was nine months ago, and she’s a shell of that woman. I’m at a loss.” Hopelessness threatens to overwhelm me. I am not familiar with being out of control. All I want to do is take Karolina far, far away from here, but
dammit
, that’s the opposite of what she needs.

“The girl had her entire world tossed on its head. Notwithstanding, her entire world was one fucked-up tragedy after the next. All of a sudden, you’re hulking around her waiting to pounce. Understandably, she is shaky. Give her time. Patience, Alec.” I look at my mentor and friend with a renewed sense of determination.

“Were you patient when it came to marrying Adriana?”

Hector chuckles. “You know I made her my wife one month after meeting her. Hell if I would let her slip through my fingers.” The man snatches his wife’s hand and pulls her out of her seat and into his lap. He kisses her loudly on the lips, not giving a shit that I’m witnessing their intimacy or that he’s embarrassing Adriana. That’s Hector for you. He lives by his own rules, and he taught me to be the same way.

As much as I hate the circumstances, my own rules tell me to give Karolina time. Time . . . but not space. I refuse to lose her. Period.

Karolina

S
urprisingly, dinner is a light affair. Hector and Adriana tell me stories of their youth abroad. Alec and Hector discuss some mild business while I tell Adriana my ideas for her gown.

And then we get to dessert. Carrot cake. One of my favorites. I eat every crumb of my cake, and I don’t worry about the calories or the impact of so much sugar in my body. The little disobedience gives me a thrill—each way I discover that David no longer dictates my life is exhilarating.

Adriana and Hector sit on one side of the table while Alec and I sit on the other. In another world, this would be a double date. But I don’t sit close enough for Alec to draw me into his embrace. Glancing his way doesn’t send my heart fluttering with little butterflies of love as it once might have. Instead, I hear what he really thinks of me and what I fear I was—
whore.

Adriana glances at Hector anxiously, and he nods once. They have the marriage I once dreamed of having with David. They communicate with looks instead of words. They touch each other easily and with great affection. There is no mistaking the love between them. Their stunning display of love makes me jealous.

“Stan didn’t bring any of your dressmaking things into the house,” Adriana starts. “We have space for you to set up shop here, but I have another idea. Don’t say no until you’ve heard everything I have to say. Are you familiar with the Premier Tower?” I nod and she continues. “Some of the building is for commercial use, but the majority of it is condos. Hector and I own several units in the building. One of them just opened up and we’d be thrilled if you stayed there. It is completely furnished, and the building has wonderful security and amenities. The location is divine, right in the heart of Brickell. What do you think?”

My heart sinks. The offer is generous. Too generous, in fact. How will I ever repay them for this kindness? “Adriana, Hector, I couldn’t live in your investment. I’m ashamed to admit, but I don’t have any way to pay the rent. I need to find a job and whatever I end up doing certainly won’t cover the cost of such a luxury building.”

“Stop.” Hector’s firm voice makes me freeze. “We aren’t making you an offer to be our tenant. We are inviting you to be our guest because you are a friend. And when friends fall on hard times, we help them out. Ask Alec. He befriended me at the beginning of his career, and I think it is fair to say I gave his business a boost. Would you not agree?”