Page 26 of Passion and Deception

Ciara blinked, then leaned forward again, staring at the images again. “I can guarantee these aren’t pictures of me,” she told him, her tone icy now. “And I have no idea who this man is either.”

Ramit stared at her, stunned. “Are you sure?”

Ciara leaned back in her office chair, lacing her fingers over her stomach. That’s when he realized that his sister was painfully thin. Was she not eating well? When was the last time he’d shared a meal with her? He couldn’t remember.

“Yes, big brother. I’m quite certain I’ve never had sex with a stranger and allowed another person to take pictures. But thank you so much for your belief in my integrity and morals.” She flipped one of the pictures around, examining it more closely. “Plus, I have a small birthmark on my shoulder right here,” she said, pointing to an area of creamy skin that clearly didn’t have any mark.

Ramit flushed, then sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. Turning, he started pacing. For a long moment, he ran through the thoughts in his mind, trying to work out the details and figure out where he’d gone wrong with this situation. Had he been blackmailed by fake pictures of his sister?

But his mental flagellations were interrupted when Ciara asked, “Do I need to participate in this conversation any longer?”

He turned and stared at her. Yes, she was too thin, but his baby sister was…beautiful! Not just pretty, but her soft gaze and full lips, long, thick hair, and…just everything about her comprised a woman who was truly beautiful.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. Those words were a surprise. He’d never apologized. Ever! Hell, no one had actually told him that he was wrong before. That realization made him cringe inwardly. Because he was human, and that meant that he was fallible.

“Sorry about what, big bro?”

He smiled at the casual nickname. “I’m sorry for believing those pictures were of you.”

She lifted one of her dark eyebrows and Ramit chuckled, suddenly understanding her silent rebuke. “Okay, I’m also sorry I’ve been a horrible, absentee brother for so long that I didn’t even recognize that the images weren’t of you. Have I abandoned you?”

Ciara rolled her eyes and leaned forward, propping her elbows on the desk in front of her. “You’re not a horrible brother. You’ve been an absentee brother, but that’s okay. However, I’m an adult, in case you haven’t noticed, and can take care of myself.”

He looked around as he realized he felt free, almost weightless. He hadn’t realized how much those pictures had bothered him.

“What is it that you do around here?” he asked.

Instantly, her expression turned wary. Even her body tightened. He noticed the tension in her shoulders when, before, she’d been amused and relaxed.

“Does it matter?”

He narrowed his eyes and considered her question. “I think it does,” he finally replied. “I suspect that it matters very much.” Moving closer, he stopped about a foot from her desk. “How do you spend your time, Ciara?”

She shifted in her chair, her hands tightening around her coffee mug. “Are you going to try to stop me if you don’t like what I do?”

“No!” he replied rearing back slightly. Immediately, he pictured Maggie’s angry demeanor if she ever heard him trying to limit a woman’s careers. Hell, he could picture her pretty lips pursing with anger, that one freckle mocking him. He was even shocked that Ciara might think he was that much of an autocrat. “Why would I?”

Ciara picked up a pen, idly spinning it with her fingers. “Well, you assumed that I’d have sex with a man and allow a third person to take pictures. So clearly, you don’t have a very high opinion of me.”

He glanced down at the images, confused by her comments. “A third person?”

“Of course,” she replied and sifted through the photographs spread out across her desk. “Look at the different angles. It would be one thing if the camera stayed in one place and the couple moved. However, the camera angle moves but the couple remains on the bed. You can tell by the background. These images were probably taken by a professional photographer.”

Ramit looked more closely at the images now that he knew that they weren’t of his sister. Sure enough, she was right. The camera angle moved. A third person was in that room while the couple posed.

“Damn, you’re right!” he hissed. “I was–”

“Fooled?” Ciara offered, smiling. Her expression was indulgent now. “That probably happens more often than you think.”

He glared at her and Ciara laughed, delighted with his angry façade. He didn’t admonish her for that though. It sounded nice to hear her laughing. Hell, it felt nice to just talk with her. He’d missed her over the past several months. No, that wasn’t right. Ramit wondered how long it had been since he’d actually had a conversation with his sister. A real conversation and not the annoying murmured comments during official ceremonies.

“How have you been, Ciara?” he asked without thinking.

She stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. “Fine,” she replied, but wariness returned to her eyes. “And you? Are you okay?”

He pushed away from her desk and nodded. “Yes. I suppose.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Busy.”

She smiled and he relaxed slightly. “Obviously.” She stared at him for what felt like a long moment. Then she added, “I think you’re doing an excellent job running the country, Ramit. I don’t agree with your transportation policies, but otherwise, I like the direction your government is going.”

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