Caught Up (Indigo Vibe) (16 page)

“Good question.” He turned away from the window, walked over to his desk, then settled into his executive chair. “We’ll be working out of the Chicago office until this blows over. I need to see her journal. Find out what’s going on in her mind.”

“She’s not a child anymore. Getting to her journal won’t be easy.”

“I have a key to her place.” An awkward pause filled the air. “I should have never allowed her to move to Chicago.”

“You ‘allowed’ her to move to Chicago? Allowed!” Mrs. Walker laughed, and eventually Ernesto found himself chuckling. “Now that’s rich.”

“Maybe ‘allow’ was the wrong word.”

“Maybe? Rosa’s always been obedient, but she has her own mind. She’s independent. We both know why she started her own business in Chicago. You can’t control her. She’ll find the truth eventually. You can’t have Rosa and the cartel.”

“I’m too old for this. I’ll admit, when I was young I wanted it all, but now that I can have it…” He sighed shaking his head. “I’ve made too many mistakes.”

“You can’t have it all. Focus on what’s most important to you. You have my support. You won’t lose Rosa.”

He raised a brow. “And who says Rosa is most important to me?”

A sly grin heaved the corners of her lips upward. “The pride in your voice every time you speak her name.” She walked around and positioned herself behind him, then massaged his shoulders. “We entered the drug trade for the money. I know you and David went through that male power struggle thing for a while, but now we’re older and wiser. You haven’t laundered money in years. Now that David’s gone, your last tie to the drug world is gone.”

He bit on his inner jaw.

She looked around his shoulder and narrowed her blue gaze on him. “Ernesto! What have you done?”

“I still…” He drew in a deep breath. “I still have five small businesses that launder for the cartel.”

“What!” She smacked his shoulder. “How could you? I thought that you finished selling off your laundering businesses after David was sentenced.”

“I know this’ll sound crazy, but…” He shook his head. “I don’t know. They were a souvenir of sorts. They were small-time. Not even a million a year combined,” he rambled. “I can’t sell them off right now or I’ll draw more attention from the DEA. All laundering has stopped, but…” He pushed away from his desk; she moved out of the way of the chair. “I’m not worried about the DEA. They’ll never find anything on me or learn of the extra-curricular activities of these businesses, but if Rosa starts searching…” he trailed off. “I’ve made so many mistakes. She can’t find out, Jill.”

She took his hands into hers. “Listen to me, Ernesto. You have to tell Rosa the whole truth.”

“I can’t. She’ll never forgive me. That’s the one thing I can’t take.”

“She knows you laundered money for David. Yes she’s disappointed, but you’ve raised a fine young lady. She’ll be angry when she hears the truth, but she will forgive you. But she has to hear it from you.”

“She’s so much like David,” he lamented, recalling how David had totally dismissed Harriet.

“What are you saying?” she asked softly.

“When David is through with someone, he is through. Rosa is the same way. It just takes her longer to reach that point. I think I’ve almost reached that point with her. I can’t risk it.”

“You should tell her. You have changed.”

An anxiety-soaked chuckle weighed him down. “How can I say I’ve changed when I still have businesses that laundered money until she found out about David? She’ll never understand.” He tapped the picture of Rosa when she’d broken her arm. He used it as a constant reminder of how he’d failed her. “I’ve lost two families.” He wouldn’t give his or David’s mother any prizes, but they had cared for him, and he loved them as well. “I can’t go through that again. I can’t lose Rosa. She’s all I have. I don’t care what I have to do. She’ll never find out about the businesses.”

The night he took her home from the hospital, he swore to never fail her again…

Chicago, twenty-four years ago

Ernesto didn’t remember leaving his office unlocked until well after he’d sent Harriet home from the hospital.

Rosa woke as he shifted her to his other shoulder. She saw the safe was open. “Ooo, we never leave the safe open, Daddy,” she said weakly, the painkillers and long day slurring her speech.

He kissed her forehead. “You’re right.” He looked through the safe and office, then released a sigh of relief. He should have known everything would be as he’d left it. He had Harriet well trained. He’d have to give her a special treat for being so obedient. He picked the bracelet off the floor and put it into his pocket, closed the safe and allowed Rosa to secure it properly.

He locked his office on the way out. “Time for someone to go to bed.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

He stopped off at his bedroom, and they both peeked in. Harriet was sound asleep. Disappointed she hadn’t waited up until Rosa was safe and sound in her own bed, he carried his baby to her bedroom. He needed time to cool off before playing the adoring husband. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could—or should—keep up the act.

He helped Rosa change into her nightclothes and grabbed a brush and spray bottle of water out of her bathroom.

Rosa’s light giggle tickled him. “You can’t fix hair.”

He chuckled as he set her between his legs on the bed. “We can do anything we set our minds to.” He moistened her hair enough to loosen the curls, then brushed her hair to the back. “When you grow up, you’ll be CEO of Bolívar International. There are no limits.” He sang her favorite Colombian lullaby as he worked on her hair.

His large hands were agile, but he needed more practice. He styled her hair into one long, scraggly braid, tying it with a band at the end. “It’s not the most beautiful, but at least you won’t suffocate yourself with all that hair.”

Eyes barely open, Rosa leaned on Ernesto. “It’s the most beautiful braid in this wide world,” she dragged out with a yawn.

He pulled the covers back and laid on the bed. “I love you, Rosa.”

“I love you more.”

He stroked the tiny curls that framed her face, then softly sang a lullaby about healing. “
Sana, sana, colita de rana. Si no sanas hoy, sanarás mañana…
” As she slept, he gently tapped her cast. He could still hear her terrified scream and her calling for him. He was her only protection from the drug world and Harriet, and he wouldn’t fail her again.

The next morning, Ernesto covered his face with the pillow to block out the sunshine streaming through the large picture windows of his bedroom. Too tired to move, he called for Harriet to close the curtain. After giving Harriet the emerald bracelet, he’d spent the remainder of the night having sex. The one place Harriet was giving was in the bedroom. Her sexual appetite almost matched his, and there was nothing off limits. If she’d be more selfless in other aspects of their life, maybe she’d be happier somewhere besides the bed and stores.

He peeked from under the pillow at the clock—7:43. He kicked off the sheet and headed for the shower. If he hurried, he’d be able to drop Rosa off at school. He could imagine her telling everyone how she’d jumped off the balcony and broken her arm. She’d be the talk of the playground.

By the time he finished, Rosa had already left and Harriet was nowhere to be found, so Ernesto went to his home office and called Anna. If he worked things properly, he could meet Anna for a little afternoon action before Rosa came home from summer school.

“Rosa is doing great,” he said as he repositioned the phone. “She was up and out before I woke.” He heard Harriet pass by his door and continue down the hallway. “I’m sure by the end of the week, she’ll have broken her arm from jumping off the roof of the house.” He thumbed through a jewelry catalog. He’d need to order another bracelet for Anna.

Harriet walked fully into his office and stood in front of his desk with her arms crossed over her chest and a few papers in her hand. She wore a bright red, warpath business suit and had determination firmly entrenched on her face.

To appear calm, he nodded a polite hello.
Who the hell does she think she is, invading my sanctuary? She must have banged her head against the headboard one too many times.

Reminding himself to play the loving, docile husband, he maintained his cool façade. He’d lost his control yesterday, but wouldn’t slip again. At least not until he found out what she was up to. After the way she’d endangered Rosa, he was seriously considering cutting Harriet loose. “The love of my life needs me. Have the report ready for our one o’clock.”

Tapping her foot, Harriet
tsked
and rolled her eyes. “Don’t rush on my account.”

Harriet was only twenty-seven, too young to be suffering from menopause. He didn’t care what the problem was. All he knew was she’d better fix it before he lost his patience. He hung up the phone.

“Won’t Anna be upset with you for rushing to speak with your wife?” She tossed the papers in her hand onto his desk. They scattered, littering his otherwise neat and orderly desk.

Cold-busted and shocked, Ernesto had a coughing fit as he sorted through the photocopied love letters Anna had written him.

Smug satisfaction twisted Harriet’s delicate, dark features. Her emotionless hazel eyes locked on him. “It would hurt the company’s stock price if the world learned of your indiscretion, so I’ll remain silent for now. A quick divorce and a settlement will be best for all concerned.” She relaxed her arms, allowing her hands to rest on her hips. “I’ve been to a lawyer. He said you don’t have a leg to stand on, and our prenuptial agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. You will cooperate. I’m no man’s fool.”

Fully regrouped, Ernesto watched in amazement as she told him what he was going to give her, ticking off the items with her fingers as she spoke. “Two hundred and fifty million to start, then twenty thousand a month in spousal support, and we haven’t come to an agreement on the child support.” Lips pursed, she rotated her neck. “I know Rosa’s worth more than a measly ten thousand a month to you, especially if you wish to see her on a regular basis.”

A deep rumble worked its way from his stomach out of his mouth as a laugh. He’d never heard anything so ridiculous in his life. And she stood there so sexy, believing he’d follow her demands.

“This is no laughing matter. We had a good thing, and you blew it.”

He continued playing the docile role; her arrogance and greed had led to her ruin. He knew her lawyer told her to remain quiet, but of course, Harriet would do things her way. He remained seated at his desk. With his size towering over her, he wouldn’t seem as helpless to her. “I’m sorry, baby. She meant nothing to me.”

“Have your shit out of my house by the end of the week.” She turned to leave.

He approached her from behind, drawing her into his body. “Honey, please. How can you throw me out after last night? Let me make it up to you.” He suckled along her neck, kissing while grinding his arousal into her. Angry sex was some of the best sex. She was so angry with him, she may not be able to walk after they finished. “Don’t I mean anything to you?”

She returned his kisses, whispering, “Yes, a paycheck and half-way decent sex.” She backed away. “I can get laid any day of the week, and with the two hundred and fifty million…” She hunched her shoulders. “Let’s just say, you’re dismissed. School’s out. Go be with your teacher.” She walked out.

He had to give it to her. When it came to money, Harriet didn’t take prisoners. He closed his door to start placing phone calls. The only type of check Harriet would be receiving from him was from the bank of reality.

* * *

Samson followed Mrs. Walker into her den. The evening sunrays poured through the sliding door, providing plenty of light. Each wall in the sparsely furnished room was covered by built-in bookshelves.

“Please have a seat.” Hands full with a snack tray, she nodded her head toward the only seats in the room, overstuffed chairs close to the fireplace.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take that?”

“If you could just clear the stool for me.”

He set the magazines on the Oriental rug, then ran his hand along the fine wood of the stool. The base of the stool was carved into a man lying on his back, supporting the seat with his arms and legs. “Rosa has end tables similar to this.”

Mrs. Walker set the tray on the stool. “Ernesto gave them to her for her birthday. I do all of the ordering, so I ordered myself one.” She turned on the lamps that stood behind each chair. “It’ll be dark before we know it.”

“You have a lovely home.” He found the chair opposite Mrs. Walker very comfortable.

“Thank you. I’m glad you didn’t bring your partner.”

“Alton takes a little getting used to. I really appreciate your taking the time for me.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help.” She poured them both a cup of hot chamomile tea. “Would you like sugar, lemon?”

“No, thank you.”

She handed him a cup, with a raised brow. “Rosa drinks her tea plain also.” She smiled warmly. “You two make a handsome couple.”

“I’m worried about Rosa. She’s been through so much these past few days.”

“She’s a strong, young woman. Give her time to adjust.”

He took a sip of tea as he sorted through the questions in his mind. If Ernesto was still involved in the drug trade, Mrs. Walker would know, but she wouldn’t betray Ernesto to protect Rosa. “Do you know how Ernesto ended up with Rosa? We’ve heard several versions.”

She told him the complete truth, including Ernesto was laundering money for David at the time. “I’m only telling you this to protect Ernesto,” she insisted. “He’s a changed man. Those days are behind him.”

Her admission shocked him, but he remained calm. “What about the divorce?”

She told him Harriet and Ernesto were both cheating, but when Rosa broke her arm because of Harriet’s neglect, that was the final straw for Ernesto. Harriet’s drinking could have killed Rosa. “Ernesto called David and asked for a favor,” she continued. “He said he needed a divorce fast.”