Risky: Torn Between Two Lovers (3 page)

“No, Anna,” he said, expression darkening. “I swear I had no idea what that fuckup brother of mine was up to. I don’t condone the drug trade, and he went against one of my hard rules with his operation.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Nonetheless, it’s the truth.”

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. “You didn’t come here and run into me by chance. Are you here to hurt me? Teach Gray a lesson?”

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said softly. His eyes were earnest. “Would I like to cause Gray significant pain? Yes, so much I can taste it. For years, that asshole has caused me no end of trouble. He’s like a bird dog constantly snapping at my heels, waiting for me to cross the line so he can send my ass to prison.”

“He said as much to me.”

“I’ll bet he did. But I am not what he says I am.” Leaning forward, he rested his elbows and clasped his hands together, studying her thoughtfully. “You’re right, however, that I didn’t run into you by chance. I keep tabs on Gray, same as he does with me. I knew about you, and when I was informed of your breakup, I got curious. I wanted to know more about the woman who brought my enemy to his knees.”

“So you came here to spy on me?”

“I came here to get close to you,” he confessed. “To seduce you to my bed and then rub his nose in the fact that I’d had you.”

Her jaw dropped at his frankness and his complete lack of apology. She stared at him, anger rising swiftly. “Holy crap, you’re just as much of an ass as
he
is!” She started to rise, but a strong hand closed over her wrist. “Let go of me.”

“Please, sit down.”

“Why should I?” she hissed in a low voice. Looking around, she noted that a few people around them were shooting them discreet glances. T-Bone was resting with his back against the wall, arms crossed over his barrel chest, apparently unconcerned.

“Because I didn’t go through with it.”

The quiet statement gave her pause, as did the truth behind it. Slowly, she sat back down and met his gaze, unflinching. “And that’s supposed to make it all right? Go on, I’m listening.”

Joaquin let out a sigh as their wine arrived and the waiter asked for their order. He immediately selected seafood dishes for both of them and waited until the young man was out of earshot before he spoke again. “I’m not a petty man, nor do I mistreat those who don’t deserve it. While Gray could stand to be taken down several notches, you’ve done nothing to earn my wrath. The more I’ve watched you, not to mention enjoying the time we spent together this afternoon, I knew I couldn’t do that to you.”

“You
chose
not to use me,” she said coolly. “How noble of you.”

“You forget the part where you would’ve been using me, too.” His lips curved upward in a sardonic smile. “You came here to forget the agent, didn’t you?”

The truth of that hit a bit close to the heart, but she managed to keep from flinching as he went on.

“The fact of the matter is, I came clean with you right away. Gray holds tight to the belief that I’m a criminal, and yet
he’s
the one who lies for a living. Kind of ironic, wouldn’t you say?”

“Very,” she admitted. She took a sip of her wine, caught by the earnestness in his voice, his expression. Clearly, he meant what he was saying.

“I know who I am, what I’ve done in the past, and what I’m doing now to rectify my family’s legacy. I’m trying to do what’s right, and I won’t be sorry for that.”

“Okay, I can buy that. But that doesn’t tell me what we’re doing here, having dinner together, if you’ve given up your plan to get at Gray through me.”

“I
have
given up on that, but not on getting to know you.” He toyed with his wineglass. “You’re beautiful and I want you, that’s true. But you intrigue me in other ways. I’ve witnessed your kindness to those around you, even the resort’s staff. You’re a true lady. You smile even when you’re feeling sad, and that tells me you’re resilient. You’re a woman worth getting to know, Anna.”

She flushed, unable to help the warmth that rose in her face. “Have you done anything but stalk me since you’ve been here?”

He laughed. “I’m no stalker, I assure you. You want me to get lost? Say the word and you’ll never see me again. I don’t think you will, though. I believe you’re dying to know more about me as well, and you’re not a woman who lets an opportunity pass by.”

She arched a brow. “Seriously? You’ve got a big ego.”

“I didn’t get where I am by being shy about taking what I want.”

The stunning man sitting in front of her was anything but shy. His confidence was like a magnet that drew her, made her want to peel back his layers to discover the heart behind the bold, ruthless exterior.

Aren’t you just the dumb romantic, Anna? Haven’t you learned your lesson?

Apparently not.

“Let’s say we
do
get to know each other, and we hit it off. Gray is still going to be hurt, and your goal has been accomplished in spite of your claim that punishing him is no longer your objective where I’m concerned.”

He made a face. “You’re wondering whether I’m just playing you.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No.” His gorgeous dark eyes pinned hers. “Listen, Anna, I’m taking a chance here, too. You still have feelings for your agent, or you wouldn’t be in Aruba nursing your wounds. I’m risking a world of hurt by opening up to you. Should you decide to run back to him, you could sell me out. He’d give his firstborn to throw me in prison—or worse.”

“Well, if you’re as innocent as you claim, he can’t touch you no matter what I choose to do,” she pointed out.

“Touché.”

“But you’re right about one thing—you’re still taking a chance with me.” Looking down at the table, she said softly, “I don’t want to use you, or anyone. As much as I’d like to spend more time with you, I might end up doing just that.”

“I’m willing to take the risk. Are you?”

Raising her chin, she met his eyes again. She read no deception—but then, she wasn’t great at ferreting out lies, was she? Still …

“I’m willing if you are.” She gave him a tentative smile and was blinded by the pleasure that transformed his handsome face into a picture of male beauty.

“You won’t be sorry. I’ll make sure of it.”

“I won’t hold you to a promise you might not be able to keep.”

He said nothing.

Their food arrived, and Anna’s appetite returned. She had to admit the meal, some sort of white fish with cream sauce and shrimp on top, looked excellent. As they began to eat, she marveled anew at his high-handedness in ordering for her, and more so her willingness to let him take over.

“I so enjoyed talking to you this afternoon.” He leaned forward. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“I find it hard to believe you don’t know every detail about me, right down to the color of the sheets on my bed in New York.”

“They’re mint green.”

She gaped at him. “That’s
really
disturbing.”

“Just a lucky guess, I swear,” he said, holding up his hand. “Sorry, continue.”

Already, she had the sense that nothing was simply lucky where Joaquin was involved. “I grew up in New Jersey. My father was a construction worker, and my mother a teacher. My dad has been dead for some years, and my mother is retired and living in Florida. She’s apartment-sitting for me and watching my new kitten while I’m gone, but you probably knew that.” When he merely smirked, she suppressed a spurt of annoyance and went on.

“I always wanted to be a restaurateur, and after earning a business degree, getting my culinary training, and donning a chef’s hat, I opened a restaurant in Brooklyn and made a go of it. I sold it for more than twice what I paid for it, and then opened Floor Fifty-Five in Manhattan. We’ve been operating for over a year now, and business is great.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” His eyes glittered. “Your food is outstanding, I must say.”

“Why am I not surprised that you’ve been there?” She warmed with pleasure at the compliment.

“I’m thorough, if nothing else. I tried Floor Fifty-Five before I flew here to check out the lovely owner for myself.”

“Why?” she asked, curious.

“Because I wanted to get a feel for the woman behind the success. A taste of you, if you will.”

The way he uttered
taste
was damned erotic, rolling off his tongue—just as he meant for it to be. Arousal stirred, and she suddenly wanted to be somewhere private with him, finding out firsthand exactly how good
he
tasted. “And what did you learn?”

“That you love beauty and bringing others pleasure. You have a fine eye for exquisite detail. And you work much too hard, according to your staff. This vacation was long overdue.”

“Amazing. I don’t think I even have the energy to stay annoyed with you for dissecting me like a bug.”

“I study people. I can’t afford not to.”

“That’s how you built a billion-dollar hotel and casino empire,” she said in a low voice so others wouldn’t overhear.

“So you know something about
me
.” He looked extremely pleased by this.

“Gray told me.”

His smugness popped like a balloon. “I can imagine what else he had to say.”

“That you’re the devil’s right hand? Sure.” After taking one last bite of her fish, she laid down her fork and sipped at the remainder of her wine. “Why don’t you tell me about you, in your own words?”

He gazed at her for a long moment, as though weighing his words. “I have two brothers, Manny and Rio, and a sister, all younger than me. Our sister, Cori, broke free of the family, worked her way through nursing school. She’s married to a firefighter named Zack Knight. They gave me a beautiful little niece.”

The genuine love in his voice stole into her heart. “You must love them all very much.”

“I do. And I would do anything to protect them. I almost went to prison years ago for a crime I didn’t commit. I took the rap for killing Cori’s abusive ex-husband after he nearly beat her to death, when in fact Cori had shot him in self-defense. I couldn’t let her go through any more pain.”

Anna sucked in a sharp breath. “My God.”

Pointedly, he went on. “A couple of years ago I took a bullet for Cori and Zack, and had to kill my half brother Rafael to stop him from murdering them and me. I’d do it again. I love all of my family, even my idiot brothers.”

Joaquin had killed someone. Not just anyone, but his own flesh and blood. She swallowed hard and tried to wrap her brain around that fact. As she struggled, his expression became wistful, a bit sad.

“I’m not a good man, Anna, at least by most people’s definition. I just do what I must to keep my loved ones safe and happy and keep my business afloat. I’ve had to make some tough decisions and be a real bastard sometimes to survive.”

“That doesn’t make you entirely bad, either.” As she said it, she realized it was true. “People do things when their backs are against the wall that they normally wouldn’t. I’d do anything to protect my mother, so I get where you’re coming from about family.”

“Thank you for that,” he said, his voice low and warm.

“So, why is Gray so determined to throw you in prison? Is this vendetta personal?”

He sighed. “For him maybe, but not for me. Your agent has had it in for me ever since my old man died a few years back and left all of the Delacruz holdings and businesses in my control. Gray had been attempting to bring my father down, quite unsuccessfully.”

“And you inherited his crusade,” she guessed.

“Exactly. I won’t lie to you, Anna; the Delacruz name
was
dirty when my father passed. The FBI just couldn’t make a case against us because Dad was too fucking smart for them. Kept the wagons circled tight around his family and our employees, which frustrated the feds to no end. When I was growing up, I hated all the subterfuge. As I got older, I also began to understand how his dealings put the whole family in danger.”

“So as soon as you could, you took steps to fix that.”

“Yes, and it hasn’t been easy. When my father died, I started implementing changes that have pissed off
everyone
. And I mean that quite literally.”

A chill crept over her skin. “What changes?”

“For the past few years, I’ve been slowly eradicating all criminal activity from our businesses. This hasn’t made anyone happy—not the FBI, who’s determined to nail us, nor my father’s old cronies, who are afraid that my going legit means I’ll eventually turn on them. I’m dangerous because I know too much.”

“Have they threatened your life?” she asked softly.

He chuckled, but it wasn’t a sound of amusement. “Raged, threatened, cut off money and supplies, even killed some of the guard dogs that patrol my estate. There have been a few attempts on my life as well, but nothing I can’t handle.”

A few attempts? Nothing he can’t handle?
She blinked at him. “You say that like you’re talking about a bad case of the flu.”

“That’s been my life for as long as I can recall. Someone has always been gunning for our family. What can I say?”

“You really
are
the modern-day version of the Godfather. Michael Corleone wanted to go straight, too, and that didn’t turn out so well for him.”

“Then I suppose I can be grateful Mario Puzo isn’t writing my story.” He grinned.

Shaking her head, she laughed in spite of the seriousness of the subject. Joaquin’s irreverence, his invincible attitude, were addictive. The man possessed a big, steely pair, and it was tough not to admire that.

“Would you like dessert?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Another time,” she said. “I’m too full.”

He signaled the waiter and had the bill charged to his room. Ready to go, he rose. “Can I tempt you to take a walk with me?”

“I’d like that.”

Rising, she joined him. As they walked out of the restaurant, she noted that he stayed beside her, a hand on the small of her back. She liked when a man touched her, hovered close, and always had. It made her feel safe and cared for. Though “safe” was an ironic concept when it came to Joaquin.

A glance behind them told her that T-Bone was doing his job, and armed with a whole new perspective for his presence, she was extremely glad. Turning around again, she did her best to forget why he was necessary.