The Ultimate Merger Page 4

****

  Renaldo pushed his way into the apartment.

  “I told you, I had a family emergency.”

  “A family emergency?” he repeated. He took a look at the ironing board and the little black dress draped across it and pressed his lips together in a thin line. His head rotated back to her in her silk robe, smelling freshly showered and wearing the scent of pink lilies he loved so much. “Looks to me like you have plans tonight.”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head emphatically. “It’s not what you think. I planned to call you, to see if I could come see you.”

  “Was that before or after your date?” Jealousy ate at him, grinding in his gut.

  “I don’t have a date,” Sabrina said. “How could you think that?”

  “What am I to think?” Renaldo ground out. “I have not heard anything from you in days, and when I did, it was a cryptic message that didn’t tell me much. Yet, I show up here, and you look like you’re getting ready to go out for the night. But I’m supposed to believe you planned to call me?”

  “I was. I know you’re leaving tomorrow.”

  She put her hand up to massage the back of her neck, and the movement made Renaldo take notice of her appearance. Her eyes held a tiredness in them, and he wondered if she’d been having difficulty sleeping. He certainly had. At night, he kept reaching for her, and when his arms came up empty, he woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing.”

  He walked toward her. “What is this family emergency you had?”

  “There’s nothing you can do.” She looked like someone who had the weight of the world on her shoulders and didn’t know how to ditch it.

  “Are you in some kind of trouble? Is it your job?”

  “No. I don’t want to talk about it. It’s personal, and I’ll get over it. You can’t help me, and you’ll be gone tomorrow anyway.” She passed him on her way to the ironing board. “I’ll get dressed and we can—”

  Renaldo took her by the arm and forced her around to face him. He tilted her chin up toward him, searching her face. “Tell me what’s wrong. We’re not leaving until you do.”

  ****

  Sabrina twisted out of his grasp. She’d taken great pains to keep her past a secret. What was she supposed to tell him? That she was one of the lucky ones, having grown up in a community known to be a haven for crime, where drug dealers ruled the streets and violence kept children indoors?

  “Sabrina…?”

  His probing gaze held her captive. She wanted so badly to tell him everything and unburden her soul. But it was easier to keep her secrets to herself and wear the mask of independence and strength, while wondering the entire time if she’d ever be good enough.

  She let out a shaky breath, deciding not to hide from her past this time. “It’s my cousin, my family—everything about me.”

  “You have told me almost nothing about your family. This is the first time I have ever heard you talk about them.”

  She chewed on her lower lip, still afraid of being judged.

  “What about your family, Sabrina? What are you not telling me?”

  Chapter Ten

  Sabrina lowered her eyes. “I didn’t have the same childhood you did,” she said. “Not even close. No perfect, traditional house with two parents and a loving family. I’m not even sure who my father is. My mother wasn’t sure. My father was either her boyfriend or her drug dealer.”

  Renaldo inhaled sharply.

  Sabrina lifted her head. “The reason I never shared my past with you is because it’s a past I want to forget. I don’t want to remember the things I saw or what I had to do.”

  Concern etched in his face. “What did you have to do, meu amor?”

  The gentleness in his voice scraped away the final layer of self-defense. She didn’t want to keep everything inside anymore. It was hard being strong all the time. She wanted to unburden her soul. The tears swelled and overflowed onto her cheeks. Sobbing, she fell against the wall and covered her face with her hands.

  Renaldo pulled her close. “Shh.” He guided her to the sofa and sat down, pulling her onto his lap. In a soothing whisper, he spoke to her in Portuguese.

  She told him everything. About how her mother raised her and Jewel in a small, one-bedroom apartment. How she had to go down to the morgue to identify her own mother as a teen. She told him about Jewel’s addiction, and how it strained their relationship over the years. In the throes of addiction, Jewel lied to and stole from Sabrina, so Sabrina learned to keep her money, credit cards, or anything else of value locked up or away from her.

  She told him about the guilt she continued to feel because maybe if she’d gotten help for her mother, she wouldn’t have died. She’d been angry at her mother—even secretly hated her at times. When she passed away, the bottom had fallen out of her world, and she wished she had been less judgmental and more helpful.

  “After she died, Jewel and I barely made ends meet,” she whispered, hanging her head. “We lied, begged. When we couldn’t get what we needed, we stole it—food, clothes—and moved around from place to place, sometimes staying with family, sometimes sleeping wherever we could lay our heads. We did whatever we had to do to survive.”

  “Couldn’t you get help from the state?”

  “Yes. But as minors, we didn’t want to end up in the foster care system and risk getting split up. We had been through so much together, the thought of getting separated terrified us. When I won a scholarship to go to college, I thought our prayers had been answered. I was able to get additional financial aid, and I wanted to rent a small apartment off campus. That way Jewel could stay with me and finish high school, and if I got a part-time job, we could live more comfortably than we had in years.” Sabrina sighed. “But she met an older man and forgot all about school and our plans. They moved in together and everything about her changed after that. He was the worst thing that ever happened to her.” Tears clouded her vision. “I wish I could have done something to convince her to leave him.”

  Renaldo stroked her hair consolingly. “You did the best you could.”

  She sniffed to keep her nose from running. “What do you think of me now?”

  His hand cupped her cheek. “I think what I thought the first time I met you. You are a strong woman. I admire your strength even more now that I know what you’ve been through. If you thought I would judge you, you’re wrong.” He smiled ruefully. “You are a better person than I am. Because even after everything that’s happened between you and your cousin, you still forgive her. You still protect her.”

  “She’s family. We’re all we’ve got. I won’t turn my back on her. She needs love and forgiveness. It’s not too late for her, and everyone deserves a second chance.”

  “You’ve given her several second chances.” He fell silent. “I admire you, Sabrina. I admire your ability to forgive. I have a habit of cutting people off when they hurt me or make a mistake.”

  “If you love someone, you learn to forgive them,” Sabrina said. “Sometimes losing them hurts more than the pain they’ve caused you. Believe me, when Jewel acts the way she does, I know it’s the drugs. When she’s herself, she’s such a good person—caring and generous to a fault.”

  “Like you.” He traced the fullness of her lips with his thumb.

  A tremulous smile graced her lips. “I must look awful right now.”

  “No, you look beautiful. I missed you these past few days.”

  “I missed you, too.”

  He gently kissed each eyelid. “I really, really missed you.” His voice sounded husky and filled with longing.

  She nodded, emotion clogging her throat.

  “I love you, Sabrina.” Her gaze flew up to meet his. He cupped her face in his hands. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I missed talking to you. I missed hearing your voice.” He swallowed, brushing a palm over her thick hair. “I thought I was losing my mind. That’s why I had to come see you
.”

  “Do you mean it?” It was too good to be true. Not only did he not care about her past, but he loved her, too?

  “Yes.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. “I love you, too.”

  “Do you mean it?” he teased with a smile, echoing her question.

  “Yes!” She kissed him again. Her body pressed closer to the hard planes of his, as he cupped her bottom and prolonged the kiss.

  Finally, he lifted his head and whispered, “How are you with long distance relationships?”

  “I’ve never been in one, but we can make it work, right? I mean, Brazil is far away, but you’ll be back and forth now, won’t you?”

  He nodded. “When I come back, I want to see you. Every day.” He kissed her. “Every night.” He kissed her again. “I want to spend every moment I can with you when we’re not working.”

  “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Sabrina said. She felt light-headed and drunk with happiness.

  “Let’s not go out. Let’s stay here. I leave tomorrow, and I want to spend as much time alone with you as possible.”

  Sabrina nodded her agreement. She rose from the sofa. She took Renaldo’s hand and led him into her bedroom.

  Chapter Eleven

  The next morning, Renaldo reluctantly dragged himself from Sabrina’s warm bed and soft arms. He dressed in silence and declined the steaming cup of coffee she offered. He had no appetite for drink or food.

  At the door, they kissed one last time. He crushed her to him, running his hands up and down her body through the silk robe, trying to imprint her shape in his mind until he could see her again. As if he could forget anything about her. He couldn’t. Not her long legs, the flair of her hips, nor the cushiony feel of her backside. Not her soft lips, her wild kinky hair, nor the scent of pink lilies clinging to his clothes.

  She represented everything a man could want. Smart and funny. Strong yet vulnerable. Sexy, and she even laughed at his jokes. She was curious about his culture and wanted to learn his language. For the first time in his life, he didn’t look forward to returning home.

  Once he left, he moved on leaden feet down the hallway, the tightness in his chest expanding the farther he walked from her door. At the elevator, he punched the button and stepped into the open cabin. As the doors closed, he thought back to their conversation. They’d agreed to continue seeing each other when he came back to the States. It seemed like a good idea, but in the bright light of day, he realized it wouldn’t be enough.

  The elevator stopped and two women entered, smiled at him, and then resumed their conversation with each other.

  Worry seeped into his bones as the doors closed. What would she do when he wasn’t here? Would she date other men? Would she restart her friendship with her “friend” who had stood her up the night they met?

  He thought about his parents’ loving relationship, which served as a blueprint for the type of marriage he wanted. In the short time since he’d met Sabrina, he’d felt they could have the same type of relationship.

  There was one more characteristic he admired in her. She had a strong work ethic, like he did. With her intelligence and knowledge, she should be making strides at the firm where she worked. Instead, she continued to be overlooked and remained unhappy.

  An idea popped into Renaldo’s head. It made perfect sense. He pushed the button for the next floor and exited the elevator when it stopped. With a newfound burst of energy, he sprinted up the stairs, back to Sabrina’s apartment.

  ****

  A loud knock on the door startled Sabrina from her moping. She stood at the kitchen counter, staring down into a cup of coffee that had grown cold. Frowning, she went to the door, and for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she opened it to let Renaldo in.

  “Did you forget something?”

  “You.” He walked in and shut the door.

  “What do you mean?” Sabrina asked, her heart rate picking up speed. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions about what he’d just implied, but he looked so intense.

  “On the way down in the elevator, I realized I don’t want to see you every few months or whenever I can get away and come back. It’s not enough. The past few days have taught me that.” He cupped her face in his hands, his dark eyes staring intently down into hers. “Marry me. Come to Brazil and become my partner, in my personal life as well as in business. Help me build my company.”

  Sabrina’s mouth fell open. “Marry you?”

  He nodded. “Have you been happy over the past month?”

  She nodded.

  “Are you certain of your feelings for me? Certain you love me?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Then marry me.”

  “But my job—”

  “You do not need that job. They don’t appreciate you. You are an intelligent woman, and I trust your judgment. In the short time I’ve known you, you have given me good advice that I put to use when I purchased the Samson Hotel. Think about it—as partners we could grow the business and be unstoppable. You handle the finance side, and I will manage the purchase and renovation of the properties. We could do this.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Yes.” He smiled down at her. “Say yes, because I won’t accept any other answer. Te amo com todo meu coração.”

  “What does that mean?” Sabrina asked.

  “I love you with all my heart.”

  Sabrina’s fingers encircled his wrists. “You know I love you, too, but I have so much baggage. What about Jewel? I can’t just abandon her. She needs me.”

  He paused and thought for a moment. “Then bring her with you. In my country, family is very important. When we marry, your family becomes mine, and my family becomes yours.”

  “She has a drug problem,” Sabrina reminded him. “It’s very difficult to deal with. I can’t ask you to become a part of this.”

  “Do you think there are no treatment facilities in Brazil? She can receive excellent care there, and maybe the change of environment will be good for her.”

  “I’ve never been out of the country before, and I don’t even speak Portuguese.”

  “You can learn.”

  He had an answer for every objection she tossed out. Sabrina blinked, trying to digest his words. “This is happening so fast!” she said with a shaky laugh.

  He took her hands in his. “Are you afraid?”

  She bit the inside of her lower lip. “A little. What if it doesn’t work?”

  “It will work. We’re compatible in every way.”

  “We haven’t even talked about the basics. What about kids?”

  “Yes, I want them.”

  She laughed. “Me, too, eventually, but not right now.”

  “Me, either. We’ll be too busy working. Maybe in three or four years?”

  “Okay…well, how many?”

  “Four.”

  “Four! No way. One.”

  “One?” He looked aghast. “No. Four.”

  “Two.”

  “Okay, three.” He grinned.

  “Renny! Two. That’s my final offer.”

  “All right.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple. His unshaven jaw scraped her skin. “Just say yes. Say you will marry me,” he whispered.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

  He growled with joy and swung her around in a circle. Her joyous laughter filled the room. When he set her back on her feet, she pressed her lips against his.

  “We’re really doing this?”

  “We are really doing this,” he confirmed.

  His eyes lit up with happiness, but a small part of her hesitated. She couldn’t wait to turn in her resignation, and she agreed a change of location might be good for Jewel. Getting her away from the old life and the temptations presented here in Chicago could be what she needed. Life would improve for both of them.

  She’d be a partner in a real esta
te investment company, and as a bonus, she’d be married to a sexy man who adored her. It was perfect. And that’s what she feared. It was too perfect.

  “Promise me something,” she said, looking deeply into his eyes.

  “Anything.” He continued to smile down at her. Noting her somber expression, he frowned and asked, “What is it?”

  “Promise me you’ll always love me.” He laughed, as if her request was ridiculous. She squeezed his hands in hers. “Promise.”

  “Meu amor,” he said, “you have nothing to fear. My love is real. I know we will be happy together. Believe me, there is nothing you could ever do that would make me stop loving you.”

  Sabrina stroked his cheek and allowed herself to bask in the warmth of his love. “Good,” she said. “Because I can’t wait to be your wife.”

  THE END

  More Stories by Delaney Diamond

  Hot Latin Men series

  The Arrangement

  Fight for Love

  Private Acts

  Second Chances (fall 2012)

  Hot Latin Men: Volume I (in print summer 2012)

  Hawthorne Family series

  The Temptation of a Good Man

  A Hard Man to Love

  Here Comes Trouble

  For Better or Worse (winter 2013)

  Bailar series (sweet/clean romance)

  Worth Waiting For

  Short Story

  Subordinate Position

  The Ultimate Merger

  Free Stories

  www.DelaneyDiamond.com

  About the Author

  Delaney Diamond is the bestselling author of sweet and sensual romance novels. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, she now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember and in her spare time reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of non-fiction.

  When she's not busy reading or writing, she's in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. She speaks fluent conversational French and can get by in Spanish. You can enjoy free reads and the first chapter of all her novels on her website.