Kidnapping the Brazilian Tycoon (8 page)

Chapter Six

On his way to the library, Bruno spared Addie but a glance. She grasped the sides of her dress and kept up with his long strides. Who cared? The sooner he solved this, the better.

Silas followed them with a condescending smirk hanging on his face. A couple people waved at them and murmured congratulations or complimented her on her dress, but Bruno dodged them with a close-lipped smile. He needed to focus on the conversation about to take place.

Addie had jeopardized their secret deal by insisting on coming to the meeting. What happy newlywed in her sane mind would snoop in her husband’s business plans, unless she was either a gold digger or had a hidden agenda? The shifting expressions on Leonardo’s face had hinted he suspected something was up. Although Leonardo hadn’t insisted in coming with them, Bruno knew his brother would investigate later. That was the lawyer in him.

“That was uncalled for, Silas.” Bruno said after he closed the door behind the three of them. “Our business dealings are confidential.”

Silas skimmed the large room, wrinkling his nose at the citrusy colors blending with the countless shelves filled with books. The atmosphere between them was as stuffy as a dust-covered leather-bound book. Bruno gestured for them to sit, while he himself stood behind the desk. With a shrug, Silas sat across from him, and Addie stood a few feet behind Silas, her arms crossed and her back leaning on a crowded shelf.

“Bruno, we had an agreement. I thought you were a man of your word. Then, out of the blue, you expect me to explain to my investors that you want me to delay building for almost a year?”

Bruno ran his fingers through his hair. “I told you I thought it through, and the Kwanis need more time to relocate.”

“Who the fuck cares about them?” Silas snarled.

“I do.” Addie raised her voice and stepped forward.

Silas shifted in his chair to face her, then asked Bruno, “Is that why you had a change of heart?”

A change of heart? That was rich. “The reason doesn’t concern you. If you don’t want to do business with me—”

“Stop right there, young man.” Silas waved his hand and stood up. “You can’t be that dumb to think you’ll find someone else able to pay you what the land is worth, let alone double the offer.”

Addie uncrossed her arms. “It’s not just about money.”

“Oh, young lady, it is. Maybe not in the unicorn land where you live, but if you want to talk fair, think of the hundreds of people who will be impacted when building starts. Our development will give them jobs, unlike the freeloaders on the land right now, who aren’t contributing to society in the slightest,” Silas said, his face shifting to a pink coloration. The vein in his large forehead pulsed. The man was losing his composure.

“Are you serious?” Addie gave a sarcastic laugh, shrinking the gap between her and Silas. “They are their own society. They occupied this land before any of you. They had their rights yanked from them, they suffered genocide, and you think you’ll make it right because you’ll offer some locals a handful of menial, underpaid jobs?”

“Enough!” Bruno shouted, hammering his fist on the desk. “I’m not going to host a political debate in the middle of my wedding. Silas, I haven’t changed my position.”

Silas shook his head. “We’ll talk again.”

Bruno clenched his teeth and watched Silas disappear out of sight. The person who could put his orchestrated farewell to his father at risk was a couple feet away. Seeing red at the corners of his eyes, he had to take a deep breath before talking to her.

Addie wrinkled her nose. “I can’t believe he came over here to discuss this. You must have not been clear about your intentions in the first place.”

“Are you kidding me?” He snorted.

She held the sides of her dress and paced in a small circle, restless. “What am I supposed to think? He’s not giving up.”

“I am handling this.” He stalked toward her, and she stopped in her tracks, eyes widened. “Do you understand?” he pronounced every word. It was clear she didn’t trust him to handle the situation, so she’d ensured she’d be a part of the conversation. Of course. And now, by having been outspoken, she probably sparked Silas’s interest. What if he dug around and learned who she was?

“Why are you being such a jerk?” she asked.

“A jerk? Don’t you see what just happened? Our entire deal is compromised. My brother is not an idiot; he’ll do the math and realize what’s going on here. You didn’t have to come along, Addie. I told you I could handle it.”

“You expect me to sit at the kiddie’s table while you make the decisions that landed me in your life? Think again, buddy,” she said, the sarcasm dripping from her voice. “Oh, I’m so sick of this crap. I wish I could just…” She slammed her fingers on his chest. “I wish…”

“What?” His heart galloped. “What do you wish?”

She tried to slam him again, and he laughed at her feeble attempt. Which, of course, only irritated her, and Addie jerked back. Curling her hands into fists, she pushed him against the wall, and this time he almost lost balance. Not because of her slight weight on his, but because the nearness of her body against his made him dizzy. She got on her toes and claimed his lips with hers.

He crushed her so tightly against him, she gasped—but didn’t retreat. No… Addie opened her mouth and teased his tongue with hers, touching his chest. Dipping his head down, he left her lips for a moment to nip her neck, and she whimpered. His cock jumped, and his entire body throbbed. When was the last time his nerve endings burned this way?

She retaliated and nibbled his chin, his lips, her heavy breathing louder than the beating of his heart. Her exploring hands slid down, and the moment her fingers cupped his length through his pants, he thought he’d come right there. He inhaled all the oxygen he could manage, control about to burst.

“Addie,” he whispered and pulled her hair.

“Yes.” She moaned. “Yes.”

He took her mouth once again, savoring the sweet taste of her tongue. She squirmed against him, sensual and hot, and continued to cup him, her touch more demanding. He lifted her from the floor and placed her on the desk, shoving the contents on the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist and linked her arms around his neck. Never, in his life—

“Bruno.”

Bruno froze. He lifted his head and sighed. In the history of bad timing, this one took the cake. Although Leonardo walked into the library unfazed, posture erect and hands on his pocket, he stood assessing them.

Addie gasped and shoved Bruno away, avoiding eye contact and smoothing her hand over her dress, now a tad creased. “Right. I’m going to freshen up.” She lifted her chin to Leonardo, a cute attempt to maintain her dignity. Her flushed cheeks gave her away, and a shiver went through him.

Leonardo locked the door behind her and turned to his brother. “What the hell is going on?”

Bruno shrugged. “You could have knocked.”

“I did.”

Bruno sat down, leaning back in the chair. “You could have called us.”

“You responded on my third try. Next time, I’ll try a fireman-strength water hose.” Leonardo plopped on the seat in front of him. He stared at the floor for seconds before hitting him with the question. “What’s keeping you from letting Silas build right away?”

Bruno picked a miniature globe from the desk drawer and palmed it. “I’ve learned the Kwanis need more time to relocate. I’m not kicking them out without a solid plan.”

“That doesn’t sound like you. Did Addie have anything to do with this change?”

“It’s my land,
meu irmão
. Thanks for your concern, but I know what I’m doing.” Did he? He toyed with the globe, his fingers sliding over the smooth surface.

“Something is not right, Bruno.” Leonardo leaned closer, his voice lowered.

“Yes, you’re right.” Bruno threw him the small globe, which Leonardo caught. “I should be enjoying the wedding with my wife instead of discussing professional affairs with you.”

“If you say so.”

Moments later, the photographer and guests stopped him on his path to the gardens, where the party continued in full swing. The band played a luscious
bossa nova
song, and people mingled and enjoyed themselves. Where was she?

He scanned the stage and the tables and the dance floor. His heart raced when he found her chatting in Portuguese with a few of Camila’s friends, over by the huge cake table.

“Hey.” He whispered, and she upped her brow.

“Hi.”

The next few minutes stretched into a couple of eternities. They small talked, and having her next to him was like dangling a tender piece of filet mignon at a starved man. The lurking doubts wrestled his hormones, and he feared the prospect of taking their sexual connection to the next level. Was sleeping with her worth risking his plan?

“I will get us something to drink,” she rushed to say when they were alone.

He nudged her elbow and brought her to a halt. “Is that your usual line after arousing me like that? You have to work on your bedside manners. Although…I suppose I can help.” Just sex. It was just sex.

She held her breath, and he followed the rising of her chest, the tightening of her stomach through the dress. His fingers tingled with an urgency to outline her curves, to fondle her. “I was torn between slapping your face or kissing you. I went with kissing because, you know, I’m a pacifist.”

“
Make love and not war
is always a good motto.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head, but she resisted his embrace and drew back.

“Bruno, I needed to blow off some steam. We both did. Now, it’s back to not touching again. This is getting more complicated, and sex isn’t the solution.”

“Sex doesn’t have to be a solution, my green temptation. Sometimes, it’s a necessity.”

“I’m not about to lose what I’ve been fighting for because my hormones need a leash.”

He chuckled. “Okay. Back to not touching unless you ask.”
Or throw yourself at me.

She nodded, and the flicker in her eyes sent a tremor through him. Was this just a game? Was she leveraging their sexual attraction to see him through the deal, despite the obstacles in the way? She offered him a lopsided smile, and his cock jumped. If he weren’t careful, he would be the one screwed at the end—sex or no sex.

…

Why would she ever ask him to touch her?

She was at war with him because of the place she loved, and the people she loved. Addie worried her lip, and it was still tender and bruised from their forbidden make-out session.
Addie, get a grip.

Bruno was distracting her with his undeniable capacity to make a woman take off her clothes just by grinning. And, damn it, she couldn’t allow it to happen. She wasn’t just a piece of meat.

She was about to change the subject when a beautiful brunette approached them. “Bruno.”

His grin faded, and Addie couldn’t help but notice the tightening of his neck, his upper body tensing under his suit. The atmosphere around them shifted, and he fumbled with his collar. Addie scrutinized his reaction to this woman. Why on Earth was he so aware of her?

Well, besides the obvious. A golden dress hugged her knockout body. This woman clearly had a gym membership and used it. Her long, straight brown hair fell smoothly down her back. But what first caught Addie’s attention were her huge Bambi eyes.

Bruno’s lips twitched, recovering from whatever had thrown him off. “Serena. It’s been a while.”

She gave him a kiss on both cheeks. “It has. I always ask Camila about you, though.”

“She never mentioned it.”

“I guess I can understand why, given everything that happened.”

Silence stretched more than Addie’s old yoga pants, and a flicker of resentment sparked in his assessing eyes. With a posture that both welcomed and warned, he said, “Water under the bridge.” The shrug that went with it didn’t convince Addie for a second.

A shadow of guilt crossed Serena’s face. Whatever had happened between them, it was still there, lurking in the background.

Damn it, I’m dying to know.
“Tell me more about this bridge.”

Bruno shook his head and offered Addie a smile that held the intimacy of a secret. “Not today, my beautiful bride.” He slipped into smooth mode, his voice seductive and commanding.

Serena turned to size her up. “Please forgive my manners. It’s nice to meet you.” A smile tipped at the corner of her mouth. “Nice dress.”

The dress was about the only thing nice about that situation. “Serena. We meet at last,” Addie said, injecting some energy at the end. “It’s always a pleasure to come face to face with Bruno’s longtime friends.”

Serena glanced at Bruno in silence, the length of it crossing the line between socially acceptable and downright awkward. He offered her a slight shake of his head. Addie followed their interaction and wondered if she’d have to learn Morse code to figure this guy out. “Thank you.” Serena gave her a coy smile, the one genuine gesture that stole the air from Addie’s lungs. They had been lovers. And judging from the twitching of Serena’s eyes, there was a whole lot more to it.

“I’ll let you greet the other guests.” Serena inhaled and, with a quick nod, disappeared out of sight.

Bruno stood motionless, his eyes remote. Addie snapped her fingers, once, twice ‘til he blinked and responded. With his brows furrowed and face tight, he seemed like a completely different man from the one flirting with her a little while ago.

It was fine, really. Not like she needed his double entendre and panty-melting stares. But who was Serena, and why was he affected by her?

“Who is she?” she asked.

“I thought you had that covered, my dear. She’s an old friend you know all about,” Bruno said, his voice casual. “Now, we should go find Camila. She’s been dying to get a family picture taken.”