Net of Lies (15 page)

Kate
laughed at something his aunt said, and Raoul thought the pearly sound was achingly familiar. He had to swallow the sudden lump forming in his throat when he realized how much he missed seeing her like that, free and relaxed. As this was dawning on him with a painful brutality, he looked up to notice his aunt watching him, her brown eyes speculative and far too wise to be fooled with. Aware of the ground slipping from under his feet, he desperately needed to break the silent inquisition. His aunt had the uncanny ability to see through his pretenses. One quick glance of her eyes was enough to extract the truth.

That was exactly what had happened after he
’d brought Sonia to meet her two years ago. She was nice and polite, offering the visibly embarrassed girl a cup of lavender tea and cookies. But later, when Sonia excused herself to the washroom, Rosa looked at him with a sad smile and exclaimed, ‘You know you shouldn’t have to do it, don’t you? Why is it you who has to clean up all the messes our family gets itself into?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ He tried to play ignorant, smiling at her over the rim of his glass of wine. It
had dawned on him right there and then that she hadn’t offered any to Sonia. His aunt was definitely very perceptive.

‘
I’m talking about you trying to set things right after your cousin disappeared so conveniently and unexpectedly, Raoul.’ She nodded toward the door. ‘Leaving this poor girl behind, alone and absolutely crushed. The girl is probably suffering from her morning sickness as we speak.’ She glanced at her wristwatch and tutted disapprovingly. ‘I should have invited you both later in the day, Raoul. I’m pretty sure that this biscuit didn’t go down well, and she is being sick, poor child.’

‘How did you find out Sonia is pregnant?’
Amazed, he stared at her, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘No, never mind. It doesn’t matter how. It doesn’t change anything, anyway.’

He must have sounded bitter, more so than he had planned, because her gaze softened as she
sighed deeply. ‘I hear a lot of things here, Raoul. And I’m not blind either, my boy.’ She sipped her tea, her brown eyes pensive. ‘Your father talks loudly enough for me to hear him without leaving this villa. I have heard that your cousin and this poor girl were supposed to get married, of course. And that the wedding would be a bit earlier than planned, due to some complications. We both know what that means.’ She looked him straight in the face and continued with a stronger voice, ‘And then he disappears, somewhere in Argentina, with a female companion. Just so, no trace to be found. Which leaves her alone, or should I rather say, the two of them alone?’

‘I can’t let her down like that
.’ He dropped his defenses then, admitting his defeat as he looked at his aunt with a desperate expression. ‘Her family is absolutely furious as it is. They would make her life a true hell if she were to remain unwed when the baby arrives. I feel like I owe her that after introducing them to each other in the first place. So we have agreed to get married for the sake of the baby. That’s all. Sonia knows there is someone else in my life, and she is not interested in me, either. We will remain married for half a year, after which we can go our separate ways, with no one being able to look down on her, including her own family. Apparently, they don’t mind her being a divorcée as long as she isn’t a single mother to start with.’

‘
It is a dangerous game, Raoul.’ His aunt watched him with concern, her eyes somber and pleading. ‘It is never easy trying to play with people’s lives and hope to come out unscathed, my boy. Are you sure there isn’t any other way to solve it? And what about the other woman you’re seeing? Will she understand?’

‘I know she will
. She met Sonia, and I’m sure I can explain it to her so she won’t hold it against me. I’m just waiting for the right opportunity. That’s all. Once she finds out how absolutely old-fashioned and strict Sonia’s family is, she will understand why I have to help her. If not, it would lead to a feud between our families forever, and I know my father would hold it against me if I let him down.’

‘
Don’t wait too long, then.’ She sighed resignedly. ‘This isn’t something to be dragged out indefinitely, Raoul. And as for your father and the family, you aren’t their savior. All this talk about family and honor ties you down in a way that can’t be healthy.’

‘
That’s the last time, I swear.’ He managed to smile, though he felt like howling. ‘Afterward, I know exactly what I truly want, Aunt Rosa. I have found someone that means more to me than anything in the world, and I don’t intend to let her slip away. I just can’t let Sonia down. That’s all. God knows what she might do, and I would never forgive myself for not saving her in time.’

…………………………

So he had tried to play God—and failed miserably.
God, I was so naïve back then,
he thought with bitterness that had nothing to do with the black coffee he was sipping. He watched his aunt showing Kate some of the drawings. Her dark head bent, she leafed through the plastic-protected pages, commenting on the pictures while nodding and smiling as his aunt explained where they were from.

He had never gotten the chance to talk to Kate about his chivalrous plan to save his cousin’s fiancée. He
’d waited too long, and she’d found out from someone else, part of it, at least. After he’d had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Brown and learned of the measures his father had gone to in order to make sure the wedding wasn’t in jeopardy, his fury and disbelief had paled in comparison with his pain.

He
’d listened to Mr. Brown’s calm voice, devoid of any human emotion, as he described their meeting, repeating twice how she accepted the money his father offered in return for disappearing from his life. He didn’t want to believe it, but later on, when he was trying to track her down, he was confronted with a substantial withdrawal from one of his family’s accounts. The transaction had been conducted in London, and the amount matched exactly with the sum his father had offered Kate. The money and the fact that she had never even attempted to contact him spoke louder than any of the desperate reasons he had tried to come up with to justify her silence. If she’d loved him, wouldn’t she have confronted him in the first place? Her absolute silence could only mean that she had kept her side of the bargain, cashing in on their relationship and moving on without as much as a single regret.

‘Raoul?’
He looked up to find the two women looking at him expectantly. ‘I was just telling Kate that I have found even more pieces that should be evaluated by a professional. I have always planned on doing so, but never succeeded. She was nice enough to offer to have a look at them for me. This way, our next auction for the animal shelter can be even more successful. You’re a doll, sweetheart.’ She smiled at Kate, who beamed at his aunt with such joy that he was envious. The times when she would smile at him like that were definitely in the past.

‘Sounds wonderful, I think
.’ He nodded approvingly, his eyes on Kate. ‘When could you do it, then? Tomorrow morning will be probably very busy, all things considered.’

‘We
’ve got the evening, don’t we?’ His aunt smiled serenely at the two of them, her silver hair sparkling in the light of the lamp. ‘Kate, I would love you to come over for dinner. We will be done with all these unpleasant obligations by then, so we can have some fun. And I usually have a nice small group of friends over, so you won’t be stuck just with me, dear. I think you might enjoy meeting the people I’ve invited.’

That sounded mysterious,
Raoul thought wryly as he watched Kate’s hesitant expression. He could tell that her curiosity about the art was winning out against any doubts she might have had about spending time with his family. She didn’t have to worry on that account. He was the only member of the Lorrena clan who was in touch with Rosa.

‘What do you think, Kate?’ he asked finally, wishing
she would accept the invitation. He didn’t dare plan too far ahead. In fact, he didn’t want to think past tomorrow, carefully avoiding any thoughts that would shed light on his reluctance.
Nothing has changed,
he repeated to himself like a mantra, pushing aside an honest voice that kept telling him that everything had changed, completely and irrevocably.

‘I… think so.’ She nodded, visibly struggling to appear calm. ‘
To be honest, I’m so stressed about tomorrow that anything beyond seems light-years away right now. But yes, it would be very nice. Thank you.’

‘Don’t worry too much about tomorrow
.’ He didn’t like seeing her so frazzled. His conscience told him that it was all his doing, after all. He had wanted to punish her and make her pay for what she’d done to him, his misery calling for revenge louder than any voice of reason. He’d brought her to this point, blackmailing her into accepting his plan. But his plan had backfired, because seeing her upset hadn’t made him any happier at all.

‘It will be fine, Kate
. You’ll see.’ He leaned toward her. ‘Josh is known for his brainwashing techniques, and he should make it child’s play to implicate both him and Marc for what they really are. I don’t think you’ll really need to do too much to make him spill the beans.’

‘I hope
you’re right.’ She smiled at him fleetingly, the nervousness in her face tugging at his heart more than he would have liked it.

‘I know I am.’ He smiled
back at her, their eyes locking for a moment where the barrier of anger, resentment, and disappointment seemed to have melted away, laying bare their true emotions.

H
is aunt’s delicate cough reminded them they weren’t alone. The old lady watched them with an indulgent smile, her dark eyes sparkling with secret enjoyment.

‘
It seems to me, Raoul, that you should keep the poor girl busy tonight,’ she advised mischievously, her smile widening as Kate’s cheeks flushed. ‘No,
querida
, I do not advise my nephew to do anything improper, as you seem to think, judging by your blush. But you should go out, forget this whole ordeal for an hour or two, have some fun.’

She cut off Kate’s beginning of a protest with an impatient gesture of her delicate, bejeweled hand
. ‘I know, you’re tired and worried, Kate. But believe me, nothing cures worries and fears better than a glass of a good Spanish wine and music to listen to while you sip it.’

‘I think I will have to pass on this opportunity
,’ Kate smiled politely, her diplomatic refusal stirring something primal and animalistic deep inside him. He watched her quietly as she explained her desire to go back to the hotel and catch up on her sleep.

A
storm of emotions threatened to burst the banks of his self-control. He could not think about anything but the reality of the two of them walking out of his aunt’s villa into the Spanish night. The lashing rain and wind matched the upheaval deep inside his soul. He had her here! She might be resentful and prim, but she was with him, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her skin and the soft stirring of her breathing. He was wise enough to keep his rebellious thoughts to himself as he fought the temptation to pull her toward him and crush her against his chest. Instead, he was deceptively agreeable as they said their good-byes and Aunt Rosa sent them off. He knew that he had to let her believe the evening was over, if only to avoid the total embarrassment of being rejected in front of his aunt. He was pretty positive that Aunt Rosa had figured out the tense relationship that they were sharing, though her inborn tactfulness prevented her from making the slightest hint about it.

He
both anticipated and dreaded the next day. He was eager to finally expose the man who had mishandled enough trusting people to fill a book of complaints. Raoul’s soul reveled in his role of justice-seeking lawyer. Still, his excitement was mixed with the bitter realization that once things were straightened out, he would probably lose sight of the woman who walked alongside him. She would do great—of this he was certain. She would play the role he had assigned to her because he had left her very little choice but to play along. But afterward, he would have no excuse for them to be together, and the weak link that had answered his prayers and brought them together for a second chance would be broken forever.

They reached his car
, and he opened the door for her, looking over her pale face. The moon came out from behind the clouds, revealing her perfect features so that his hungry gaze could roam her long curly lashes and the slight dusting of freckles adorning her small nose. She was everything he remembered.

A
wave of misery so acute that it was actually physically painful washed over him. And then she gave him a small, hesitant smile as she slid into his car, turning her somber face into radiant beauty that illuminated the gloomy landscape like an explosion of a thousand fireworks. His gut clenched in an instinctive response as the walls of resentment and anger around him crumbled like a house of cards.

He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone
. And if a single night was all he would get, so be it. One last time, he would satiate himself on her lovely body, learning it again like some uncharted territory that needed to be explored.
Maybe, just maybe, it will be enough,
he mused bitterly, knowing very well that it would not. And he wasn’t sure who he hated more at that moment: her for bringing him to his knees, or himself for not being able to resist.