Page 145 of Bitter Secrets

“Of course not, but this is James Roth we’re talking about. He’s as ruthless and cunning as they come. I doubt the man even has feelings, much less the romantic kind. Come on, Minnie, you know that firsthand. What are the chances that he took the day off to go sightseeing on the same day I chose to visit? It’s too convenient.”

“That’s the only reason he would spend time with me or kiss me? For your benefit?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “You know what I mean. He's using you just like last time. You can’t honestly tell me you’re happy with the bastard.”

“I am happy,” she said with a poise Colette would have been proud of. Her voice was strong and sure, so much so that Lyle threw up his hands.

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“People change, Lyle,” she said as they slowed and turned into the parking lot of a brightly lit restaurant.

“No, they don’t. I can’t believe after everything he’s done to you and the warning your dad left, you’re protecting him and this sham of a marriage. For what?Sex?What the hell is wrong with you?”

She drew back as if he slapped her. Lyle had always been blunt, but never cruel. She expected this from her father, not him. Her brother-in-law had always been on her side, but this about-face left her feeling bereft. She was grateful for the darkness so she had a moment to compose herself, but it wasn’t long enough. The driver exited the vehicle, causing the overhead light to come on and expose her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“Minnie.”

She yanked away before he could touch her and shoved the door open. She hopped out and collided with a large mass. She didn’t need to look up to see who it was. For a moment, she rested her face against his chest.

He cupped the back of her head. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” She straightened and gave him a bright smile. “Are you hungry? I’m starved.”

She took his hand and strode toward the restaurant. She waved at Johnny and Aleixo and didn’t look back to see if Lyle followed. She didn’t care if he did. He could go back to New York and give his report to her sisters. She didn’t care what they made of it.

“It smells awesome,” she gushed as she reached her friends. “What do you recommend?”

Although her tone was cheerful, she wasn’t sure her face was pulling it off because Johnny looked concerned. Nevertheless, he didn’t comment and lifted his arm. She fit herself against his side and leaned into him, desperately trying to hang on to the magic of the day as they entered the restaurant. The warmth, smells, and lively conversation distracted her, but couldn’t remove the feel of the invisible dagger sticking out of her back. There was no one like family to bring her back to cold, hard reality. It took Lyle less than ten minutes to eliminate three days of hard-won peace.

As she and Roth sat at one end of the table, she was grateful that Lyle settled on the opposite end. She didn’t want to argue, and she wasn’t in the mood to convince him that he was wrong about her marriage. Whatever he wanted to think, he could, and there was nothing she could do about it. Even though she was pissed at him, she was glad that Johnny sat across from him so he would have someone to talk to. Was it a coincidence that Mo and Johan flanked her brother-in-law? Probably not.

As Johnny and Aleixo translated the menu, she tried to focus, but Lyle’s disgust was far too reminiscent of the way her father looked at her all those years ago. All that wonderful heat she felt on the cliffs had been reduced to cold ash. Lyle didn’t understand how she could feel anything for Roth. She didn’t either, which is why she fought so hard to keep him at arm’s length. No matter what Roth did, she was disgustingly susceptible. Lyle witnessed her folly and gave her a verbal slap to wake her up.

Maybe there was something wrong with her. Only someone with no sense of self-preservation would agree to such high stakes. Roth was dangerous, bitter, secretive, violent, and so much more, but… he was the only person in the world who brought her to life. He challenged, horrified, sated, and comforted her. No one made her feel the way he did. He could make the rest of the world cease to exist for her. She didn't understand why she had this connection with him, or why it had stayed intact all these years. It shouldn’t have, and she wished to God it hadn’t, but the tie hadn’t been severed by distance, time, or their tumultuous history. She wasn’t sure what would cause that final break, but it would come. It was inevitable, but Lyle couldn’t force it to happen. She wasn’t the helpless girl he protected from her father and even his wife all those years ago.

It was hard enough dealing with Roth, she didn’t need her family interfering or casting more doubt when she had enough for all of them. It was ironic that everyone they came into contact with—Penelope, Sarai, Johnny—accepted her and Roth’s marriage without question, but the people she desperately needed to believe, wouldn’t. Lyle tracked her to Portugal to catch them unaware so he could prove she was lying about her marriage. What did he think he would find? Her beaten black and blue? A collar around her neck? Who was he to judge her relationship? It wasn’t like he and Colette were a model couple. Far from it. Why couldn’t he leave it be?

She looked up and saw Roth watching her. She pointed to a picture on the menu in front of him.

“This looks good, doesn’t it?”

“What did he say to you?”

“What you’d expect.” She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “It doesn’t matter.”

“He hurt you.”

She compressed her lips as she struggled to keep her expression neutral. “Many people have hurt me.”

She wasn’t prepared for him to cup her chin and raise her face to his.

“No one’s allowed to hurt you.”

“You hurt me,” she pointed out gently.

His thumb brushed over her cheek, a soft caress that made her blink rapidly to hold back tears.

“I can’t always protect you from myself, but the rest of the world isn’t allowed to touch you.”

---