"I'm not pissed."
"Yes, you are. That's why your eyes are narrowed and your jaw is clenched. And if you gripped your water glass any tighter it would shatter into a million pieces."
Rafael took a deep breath, hoping it would calm his nerves, but it didn't. Every time he thought about Paris skipping out on him he wanted to punch a hole in the wall.
"I have to ask." Nicco leaned forward in his chair and stared Rafael dead in the eye. "Did you handle your business...in the bedroom?"
Rafael spoke through clenched teeth. "Just because I don't screw everything in a skirt doesn't mean I don't know how to please a woman."
Nicco held up his palms. "Bro, relax! I'm just playing devil's advocate."
"Spit it out. What are you trying to say?"
"Maybe it wasn't as good for her as it was for you-"
"Or maybe Paris left because she's scared," Demetri interjected.
"Of what?" Rafael asked, confused by his brother's words. "We're not strangers. We dated back in college, and we were extremely close."
"That was fifteen years ago." Demetri tossed a piece of cantaloupe into his mouth and chewed slowly. "Things are different now. Paris has changed, and so have you-"
"Thank God for that, because you used to be the biggest geek ever!"
"At least I wasn't a man-whore," Rafael retorted, glaring at Nicco.
"All right, guys, knock it off. We came here to talk, not to crack on each other."
Silence fell across the table. Rafael finished his omelet, washed it down with the rest of his coffee and wiped his mouth with his gold-rimmed napkin. Hearing his cell phone buzz, he took it out of his jacket pocket and punched in his password. He had dozens of new text messages, but found his mind wandering as he stared at the screen. He longed to hear Paris's voice, to see her, and wondered if she was thinking about him.
Doubt it, he thought glumly. Why can't I meet an honest, trustworthy woman with family values and morals? And why can't she look, smell and sound like Paris St. Clair?
"Gerald called me this morning," Nicco said.
Rafael glanced up from his cell phone. "He did? What did he say?"
"It looks like the arson investigation is finally heating up. No pun intended."
"Was he able to get a copy of Gracie's cell phone records?"
"Yeah, and he struck pay dirt." Nicco's eyes darkened a shade and held a menacing glare that spoke of his disgust. "The files prove Gracie and her brother, Trevor, were in Jariah's area at the time of the fire, and that's not all. Gracie was captured on video buying spray paint and bleach from a hardware store just days before Dolce Vita was trashed."
"So the police think she's good for the break-in at your restaurant, the shooting at the Beach Bentley Hotel and the arson attack at Jariah's condo complex?" Demetri asked.
"Can't say for sure. I'll know more once Gerald meets with detectives on Wednesday."
Rafael frowned and scratched his head. "You won't be at the meeting? But I thought you guys were heading back to Miami tonight?"
"We are, but Jariah and I have premarital counseling on Wednesdays, and-"
"Premarital counseling?" Rafael repeated. "But I thought you were the perfect couple! At least that's the impression you've always given me."
"We have a great relationship, but we don't always see eye to eye. No one does!"
"Are you thinking about postponing the wedding?" Demetri asked.
"Hell, no!" Nicco struck his fist on the table. "I'm marrying my baby and nothing's going to stop me."
Demetri and Rafael chuckled. Nicco was a cutup, always laughing and telling jokes, but when he spoke about Jariah and her daughter, his eyes brightened, his chest puffed up with pride and he became serious.
"Jariah's my soul mate, and I plan to be with her until the day I die. Thanks to couples therapy I've found even more things to love about her. I know deep in my heart that I wouldn't be the man I am today without her."
Intrigued, Rafael leaned forward. Normally, when his brothers started talking about their relationships, he zoned out, but today he wanted to hear what Nicco had to say. A year ago his bad-boy kid brother had had more groupies than any basketball team. Now he was crazy-in-love, engaged and so anxious to tie the knot it was all he could talk about.
"Relationships aren't easy, but I'm committed to making things work, and so is Jariah. We're in this thing together, and nothing can tear us apart."
Maybe I'm going about this situation with Paris all wrong, Rafael thought, stroking his jaw. Maybe I should take a softer approach.
"What are you going to do about Paris?" Nicco asked.
He shrugged a shoulder.
"Don't leave us hanging, bro. Spill the beans."
"Why, so you can run back and tell your fiancées?" He gave a bitter laugh. "No way. Forget it. The fewer people who know about me and Paris the better."
"I thought you liked Angela." Demetri's voice was filled with hurt.
"I do. I think she's great, but I hate when you blab to her about my personal life."
Nicco scoffed. "What personal life? You don't have one. All you ever do is work!"
Stroking his own jaw, Demetri slanted his head as if deep in thought. "Who knows? Maybe now that he's reconnected with Paris that will change."
"You think?"
"Didn't you see them out on the dance floor last night?" Demetri wore a teasing smile and bumped Rafael's arm with his elbow. "You were gazing at her like a love-struck fool, and when Luigi told me you stole Paris away from him, I knew you had it bad."
"Luigi's a sleazeball," Rafael argued.
Nicco cocked a thick eyebrow. "And you're the perfect man for her, right?"
Yeah, bro, as a matter of fact I am.
"There's my handsome husband-to-be...." Angela excitedly yelled.
Rafael turned, saw Angela and Jariah approaching the booth and smiled. They were both strong, independent women who weren't afraid to speak their minds. He was proud of his brothers for snagging such incredible partners.
"Hola!" Jariah sat down beside Nicco and gave him a peck on the lips. "How is my baby doing this morning?"
"Great, now that you're here."
"Good answer!" she teased.
Everyone at the table laughed.
Rafael looked at his brothers, marveling at the admiration in their eyes. He recognized then what was missing from his own life: love. He wanted what Demetri and Nicco had. And secretly hoped to meet someone who'd love him unconditionally, a woman who didn't give a damn about his wealth and popularity. He'd been in love way back when in college, but he hadn't met anyone in the past fifteen years who stoked his fire the way Paris St. Clair did. She was in a league of her own, unlike anyone he'd ever met, and making love to her last night had only increased his desire for her, his insatiable hunger.
"I miss Ava, but this is turning out to be one hell of a weekend!" Jariah said with a laugh. "I can't remember the last time I had this much fun, and I owe it all to you, baby...."
Rafael took out his wallet, dropped two hundred euros on the table and got to his feet. It was time to go. His brothers and their girlfriends were kissing and hugging like teenagers out on a double date, and he felt like a third wheel. As always, the conversation would inevitably turn to wedding venues, flower arrangements and exotic honeymoon destinations. Rafael would rather go upstairs to his empty suite than listen to the couples discuss their upcoming summer nuptials.
"I'm going upstairs to pack," he said. "I'll see you guys later."
Jariah touched his forearm. "Don't go. We want to hear all about you and Paris."
Me and Paris? There's nothing to tell.
"Paris is an old friend and nothing more."
"Really?" Angela raised a thin, perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You guys looked awfully cozy last night at the wedding reception...."
Rafael raised a finger in the air. "It was just a dance or two. It didn't mean anything."
"Are you sure? Because my instincts are telling me there's definitely a story here."
Demetri made his eyes big and wide. "Run, bro! She's on to you!"
Everyone at the table cracked up. The waiter arrived and loaded the empty plates and utensils on his silver trolley. Deciding to make a quick getaway, Rafael grabbed his cell phone and exited the hotel restaurant before Demetri's fiancée-a popular TV news reporter with a knack for uncovering the truth-could grill him about his one-night stand.
Chapter 10
Paris should have been on cloud nine. Her meeting with Ebony Garrett, the gregarious CEO of the multimillion-dollar franchise Discreet Boutiques, had gone extremely well. If everything went according to plan, Excel Construction would be building ten more stores next year. And that wasn't all. They had been voted most improved business by the Better Business Bureau.