His Paris Affair (The Albury Affairs) (28 page)

Crying? Oh yeah, hormones.

“Loraine, he looks great like that and hey, we match!”

“Yeah, very Don Juan sexy. I think he looks better without
it, unlike the two clichés standing over there,” Melody added her support.

“Hey!” Allan and Matthew protested.

Loraine took a step back and stared at Reno from head to
toe. Ruiz hated to admit it, but his brother did rock the black suit and shirt
better than he did. Then she turned to Allan and Matthew who had the
traditional tuxes with white and black handkerchiefs respectively to match
their wives dresses.

“Yeah, you’re right. Definitely better than the two
penguins.” She tossed the bow tie onto the couch and took Reno’s offered arm.
He looked so relieved now that the bowtie had been discarded. “Aren’t our
Albury men so hot!” she squealed.

Melody took his arm, smiling sweetly up at him. “Most
definitely.”

“Allan, do you all of a sudden feel like the ugly
stepbrother?” Matthew asked his hand already reaching to untie the bow tie.

“Definitely.” Allan had his off with one jerk of his hand.

“One more thing.” Riana stepped in front of Allan and once
she’d stepped back, she had the two top buttons undone like Reno and Ruiz did.
“Now you’re done.”

“Fashionable,” Matthew snorted undoing his own buttons.
“More like peer pressure!”

“Stop your whining and let’s go.” Amy took his arm then
added, “You look very hot yourself babe.”

Matthew beamed. “Thanks doll.”

“Okay, enough of that. Time to get to work,” Allan announced
leading Riana out of the suite and the rest followed.

Ruiz hadn’t seen the ballroom yet and he was glad he waited
till now to experience the complete effect. It was magnificent. The winter
wonderland theme was straight out of the fairytale books he taken to reading
Esme each night.

“This is great Melody!”

“You really like it?”

He looked around again, at the white drapes and the string
of white lights hung on the walls of the room and the ice sculpture of the
Eiffel Tower in the middle of the room. “I love it. I’m so proud of you,” he
said giving her hand a little squeeze.

“Thanks Ruiz. That means a lot coming from you.”

He turned to her a little surprised. “Why is that?”

She shrugged a bare shoulder. “You’re my husband and I like
to know I’m doing you proud, making you happy and raising your daughter right.”

He pinched her chin and tilted her head up higher to trap
her gaze with his as he said, “You are doing a great job as Esme’s mother, my
wife and my best friend. Talking to you and being with you has made me a
happier man, happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. You are what makes
me tick Melody Sinclair hyphenate Albury. Don’t ever forget that.”

Tears gleamed in her eyes as she chuckled. She quickly
blinked to keep them from spilling. “You almost ruined my makeup with that
speech—and don’t tease my hyphenate!”

“I would say I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t really mean it.”

“I love you too, Ruiz, now come on let’s mingle. The others
have already started.”

Ruiz wasn’t a real fan of this part of the business, but he
had learned to handle it and do it well. The hours went by and the family—something
Ruiz had taken to calling them all including the Bakhursts—were doing a great
job from what he could see. Soon, they would have the three and the four roomed
suites half booked by the time the holidays came around. At least he hoped so.
They needed the money to cover the restructuring and remodeling the hotel had
gone through over the past two months. As a board they decided to give the
hotel a year to pick up or close it permanently. They also hoped they would
weather the money laundering ordeal well once the media caught a whiff of it.
It helped that Allan and Matthew had called all their European business
associates to attend the launch party, offering three days and nights all
expenses paid in any suite they wanted at the Red Roses Paris hotel. When Ruiz
asked why only three days, Allan responded with ‘these type of people they
don’t stay in one place for more than three days. To them every hour spent not
carrying out business is one less zero in their profit margins’. Yeah, Allan
rolled with those kind of people and he was some kind of member to their
exclusive club. It was a tad bit intimidating. Even Jon Luc and Dante Vittorio
had joined them, bringing along their six figure client list.

Ruiz was just about to take a breather when he spotted
Melody rushing towards him, a worried look on her face. Something was wrong.
With quick strides, he met her half way, grabbing hold of her arms to steady
her when she stopped too fast for her six inch heels.

“Ruiz, your mother is here,” she blurted out breathlessly.

Ruiz felt his entire body go tight as a bow string with
apprehension.
What the hell is she doing
here?

“That’s not the worst part
mon ami
,” Jon Luc spoke coming up from behind him. With a clenched
jaw Ruiz waited for the other shoe to drop. “She’s escorted by a suspicious
looking gentleman and Antonio is leading their way here.”

Ruiz rubbed his fist over his mouth to keep from cursing out
loud. He didn’t need this, the family didn’t and the hotel didn’t need their
kind of drama right now.

“Where?” he asked with barely controlled anger.

Jon Luc pointed to their direction with his chin. Ruiz
turned and as sure as the moon was full that night, Antonio was strutting into
the ballroom with an air of importance. Behind him was his mother on the arm of—

“Holly hell!”

“Ruiz, what’s wrong, you’re shaking!” Melody’s frantic voice
sounded so distant in his ringing ears, his eye riveted on the face of the man
he hadn’t seen in a dozen years.

Holly hell, he’s
spotted me! This can’t be happening, not now!

“Ruiz…”

“Stand beside me Melody. Jon Luc, get my brother.” His voice
sounded so foreign, so shaky. He was exposing his weakness. He couldn’t allow
that, not in front of him!

“I don’t know Ruiz. He looks like he’s restraining Allan
from charging Antonio. He and Matthew are having a hard time of it.”

Ruiz forced air into his lungs and pushed the panic down.
“Take my wife and sister out of here. Now!”

“No! I’m staying with you,” Melody re-enforced her words by
placing her hand in his and holding tightly to his wrist with her other hand.
Ruiz was grateful for the support, but he wasn’t ready for her to meet his past
or exhibit her as his biggest weakness.

The sound of glass shattering caught his attention. He
turned to see Antonio next to Riana, running his finger down her arm. He could
see the smug look on his face as he whispered close to her ear. Riana’s back
was to Ruiz, but he could see her hands shake at her sides. He wanted to go to
her, rid her of the pest, but he couldn’t avoid the storm coming towards him.

“Jon Luc, my sister,” his voice cracked with his plea. He
couldn’t allow that to happen again, not in front of him.

“Allan,” he responded pointing to him.

Ruiz was relieved to see the mask of control on Allan’s face
as he approached the two. Matthew flanked him to the right and Dante to his left.
Ruiz turned to see Reno come his way and he wasn’t ashamed to admit he was
relieved. He needed his brother to have his back now more than ever. He quietly
urged him to walk faster, to get to him before his mother and
her date
.

She brought him here
on purpose, just to spit me! Did she not understand the risk she was putting my
family and herself in?
The worst part was, she probably did and that was
the whole point.
God the woman was evil!

“Ruiz, son. It’s been a while. Twelve long years and some
weeks,” he greeted with a broad smile.

His voice had gotten rougher since the last time Ruiz saw
him. Chain smoking for years would do that.

The moment Reno came to a stop next to Melody, Ruiz got a
boost of confidence. With complete lack of emotion he said, “I’m not your son.”

The man now grey and leaner and no longer the scary giant
Ruiz had seen him as for five years scoffed. “You always were ballzy.”

“He must get it from my side of the family,” Reno commented
making his presence known.

Clarissa sneered at Reno then turned her head away in
rebuff. “Melody dear, it’s nice to see you again.”

“Clarissa,” Melody responded strongly.
Good
. He squeezed her hand to show his approval.

“Ruiz, how about a proper introduction?”

That voice really grated at his nerves! Ruiz just stared at
him, not saying a word.

“Reno Albury, his big brother.”

“Jon Luc Absalom, his friend and attorney.”

“Mel—” Ruiz squeezed her hand painfully tight effectively
cutting her off and silencing her.

“What are you doing here and with my mother?” he demanded
keeping his voice controlled.

“Son, you didn’t let her introduce herself,” he said,
reaching his hand for Melody’s around Ruiz’s wrist.

Before he could touch her, Ruiz tugged on Melody’s hand,
pulling her behind him, but still keeping their hands clutched together. He
needed to feel her safe, make sure no one will come from behind and grab her
while he spoke to the devil’s protégé. Reno stepped into her spot, effectively
shielding her.

“She’s none of your concern and I asked you a question,”
Ruiz demanded with a voice as hard as granite.

Ruiz saw the glare of rage in his eyes for a second before
he hid it. He was good at hiding his emotions. Ruiz had learnt from the best.

“Step aside son, I want to see your wife.”

He smiled like he was saying yes, I know who she is. Ruiz
glared at his mother wishing her the damns of hell at that moment before he
turned back to stare him down.

“I’m not your son and that’s never going to happen.” Then
Ruiz took a step forward until he was looking down at him. Yes, this time Ruiz
was the bigger one and at the moment he was coiled like a lethal snake ready to
attack. “I’m not going to ask you again, so listen well. Take yourself and your
goons—I know they are hiding around here somewhere, waiting for your
instructions. I still remember how you operate, too well for my liking. Get
them and get lost Angelo. Right. Now!”

Angelo held his glare. Ruiz made sure not to blink, to only
show what he needed Angelo to see, to know he was serious and prepared to do
anything.

 
The eyes are the portal to a man’s soul,
son, never let anyone see more than you want them to or you’re dead.

Angelo chuckled softly taking a step back. His smile told
Ruiz he’d won that round, but his eyes told him, he may not be as lucky in the
next round.

“Does the same go for your mother?”

He wanted to say no, for the first time in his life Ruiz
wanted to protect her from herself and the evil she’d tangled herself with this
time, but claiming her would give Angelo leverage and he would take her to use
her against Ruiz.

“She’s a big girl. She knows what she’s doing, what she
wants. She came here with you, didn’t she?”

Angelo
nodded, “
Esta bien
. See you seen
boludo.
”
With Ruiz’s mother still
on his arm, Angelo turned around and walked away.

Left standing there, Ruiz could feel his body begin to shake
with adrenaline.

 
“Ruiz, what was
that about?” Reno demanded.

His eyes trailing on the two retreating figures he asked,
“Does Allan still travel with a pose?”

“Yes.”

“Tell him to get them. We’ll need them to—” He drew in a
sharp breath as his whole body turned to ice. “Esme!”

He released Melody’s hand and took off in a dead run for the
elevator. Once inside he pushed the top floor dial several times and paced like
a caged lion as the lift went up, too slowly. Once he was at their floor, he
squeezed through the partially opened elevator doors and ran to one of the only
three doors on the floor. he fumbled with his key card before he finally
managed to get the door open.

“Ruiz!” Jackie exclaimed jumping to he feet.

“Esme, where is she?”

“Sh! She’s asleep along with the other children in their
room. Why? What is it?”

Ruiz ran into the middle room on the opposite side of his
and Matthew’s rooms. He spared each of the three beds a quick glance to make
sure the older kids were still tucked in their beds. Aurora, Mark, Tyler all
accounted for. Then the cribs: AJ, Ethan, Esme. They were all there, safe and
asleep. He sagged against Esme’s crib, his heart still running a mile a minute
in his chest.

“Ruiz, what is it?” Melody called from the door.

He stood up straight and looked into her worried eyes. “I
think it’s time we had that talk about my past.”

* * * *

Scared wasn’t enough of a word to describe what Melody felt
at that moment as Ruiz took her hand and led her out of the children’s room,
closing the door behind them. Just when Ruiz turned her to face him, the main
door flew open and Allan came through like a raging bull, Reno and Matthew hot
on his heels. He paced the living room, cursing and throwing his fist in the
air.

“Allan, you need to calm down,” Reno implored calmly. Allan
responded by yanking his jacket off and throwing it across the room. It landed
on the dining table.

“Where is Riana?” he bellowed.

“Here, I have her,” Amy responded coming through the door
with a shell shocked Riana in her arms. Loraine brought up the rear, locking
the door behind her.

“What’s going on?” Melody half yelled.

“Anthony, Anthony Torino is alive,” Riana spoke
unconsciously, her eyes glazed over. She sounded like she couldn’t believe it,
like she wasn’t even sure and might have imagined it.

Melody hoped she had. She hadn’t seen the man herself but
his deeds had left a permanent mark in their lives. At least Allan had the
scars removed. Riana said they used to give her nightmares of Allan burning on
the yacht as she stood there helplessly and watched. It gave her the chills.