“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
He chuckled, the hearty sound reverberating through her. “You’re a bad liar.”
“Okay. Fine. I’m thinking about my life when I go back home. Lots of things to do, you know? Thanks to you, I’ll be able to give my brother a better life.” And I’ll also start having a life too. The idea of thinking of her own needs was as foreign as another language. “Even when my parents were alive, I always did a lot to help them with Diego. Not that it was a burden. I love my brother. After they died, I took all the responsibilities. It’ll be different, though, to have extra time and think about my needs too.”
He kissed the top of her head. “You deserve it. My grandfather would have liked you.”
“How do you figure?”
“He was a man committed to his obligations and admired that in other people,” he said, affection pouring from his voice. “After my grandmother died, he got very depressed. My parents told me to live with him for a few years, to cheer him up. I was his first grandson, and he loved having me around.”
“How old were you when you moved in with him?”
“Eight.”
Eight. Melancholy cooled her veins. Poor thing had been way too young when he’d been sent to live with an older man who probably needed more help than he could ever give. “You were very young. Didn’t you miss your parents?”
“I saw them often. Besides, I was able to be there for my grandfather, and my presence helped him get out of his funk. It was my duty to help.”
Duty. A sadness she had no right to feel claimed her, and she clamped her lips, opting to keep her opinions to herself. He stroked her arm, his fingers running up and down her skin with a gentleness that clasped her heart. She had no right to be upset about his strong moral code—his fierce loyalty to his family.
After all, she was a temporary lover and nothing else, and that harsh reality hurt her more than just a little.
Chapter Ten
“Well, since most of the board members have agreed, we’ll hold the annual party in three months,” Uncle Horace said, and most of the men around the long oval table nodded. “Thank you, everyone.”
They began to stand and leave the table. Theo curled his fingers into a fist, annoyance stiffening his muscles. Sure, his uncle wanted the excuse of a party because he’d probably pocket a large sum of money. Not because he gave a shit about the employees or their quality of life. To make matters worse, his father hadn’t attended the meeting. He had to go to a doctor’s appointment he couldn’t miss.
“This is bullshit,” he said to his brother, who had arrived late into the meeting.
“Calm down, Theo,” Kostas said, glancing around as more people left the conference room. “You’ll get control over the company soon. I mean, if you don’t change the original plan.”
“What are you talking about?” Theo said, stretching to his full height. He hadn’t had the chance to talk to his brother about him meeting Amaya yet. And he sure as hell wouldn’t do it until they were alone.
“Calm down, brother.” Kostas lifted his hands in surrender. “Mama told me about an American girl living at your house, and I went to see her. I knew if I asked you, you’d tell me off.”
“Skata. God damn right I would.”
“Well, Amaya Lopez is an amazing woman. From the few minutes I talked to her, I could see why you’ve invited her for a, hmm, vacation.”
“What’s he talking about?” Horace asked behind them.
Fuck. Theo turned to face his uncle, who angled closer. How much had he heard? Enough to use it against him. “None of your business, Horace,” Theo said dismissively. “Just a mutual acquaintance.”
His uncle’s eyebrows furrowed, and he perched his hand at his belt. “Of course.” The lines of his face softened, and he tapped Theo’s shoulder. “Boys will be boys.”
Boys will be boys? “And men will be men,” Kostas said in a snarky voice. “Most of the time, anyway.” Had his brother finally manned up enough to say something remotely snarky to his uncle?
Horace lifted his chin but didn’t say anything.
“Why are you being so abrasive to Uncle Horace lately?” Kostas asked him, tilting his head to the side.
“Are you serious? After everything he’s done? Just because we don’t have proof doesn’t mean I’m blind,” Theo said. He’d had it with the unaccounted for spending, the constant cut in employee benefits or even overall customer experience. While he encouraged all these cuts, Horace’s personal wealth continued to grow—without any explanation.
Kostas squeezed his shoulder, speaking in a low voice. “I know, brother. Soon you’ll marry Talia and all this will be behind you. But until then, there’s no need for bad blood.”
