Page 146 of Bitter Secrets

She didn’t second-guess herself. She wrapped her hand in his shirt and tugged. When he leaned forward, she kissed him. It wasn’t passionate, but soft and filled with gratitude. He didn’t try to take over, but took what she offered.

Aleixo leaned into her back. “What are you lovers ordering?”

Thankfully, a server passed at that moment with a plate that tempted her nose. When she pointed to it, Aleixo nodded and asked Roth if he needed help with the menu. She excused herself and felt Roth’s gaze on her as she walked away. The bathroom was tiny, but clean and decorated with star fish, glass bobbles, and soft lighting. She paused in front of the oval mirror and fingered her lips as she took in her windblown hair, ruddy cheeks, and bloodshot hazel eyes.

Lyle meant well. He thought she was being held captive. She was, but she was a willing one… kind of. She washed her hands and tried to smooth her hair the best that she could. Roth forced her into this arrangement, but she wouldn’t have agreed if she didn’t feel something for him. They were two broken pieces that somehow felt a little more whole when they were together. They weren’t perfect, nowhere close, but maybe that was as close to perfect as fucked up people like them could be.

She ignored the tight knot in her stomach as she exited the bathroom. She was pleased to see wine had been poured. She took her seat as the appetizers arrived. There was a towering octopus salad, blue crab tempura with Thai salad, breaded shrimp, and several other plates circulating.

“Johnny and I come here for special occasions,” Aleixo said.

“I can see why.”

His eyes twinkled. “If you move here…”

“Don’t tempt me,” she said as she bit into a shrimp.

“I think you both would benefit from our lifestyle. He’s a different man than the one who tried to punch me this morning,” Aleixo said under his breath. “He’s uncertain of you, which is why he’s so territorial.”

She glanced at him as he speared octopus and salad onto his fork and ate with relish. Aleixo washed it down with wine and continued as he reached for the crab.

“Control is crucial to him. He suppresses his instincts so he doesn’t reveal too much of himself, but as he got more comfortable throughout the day, he opened up to the point that he went to you on the cape. If you moved here, whatever’s pulling you two apart would go away, I guarantee it.”

Part of her wanted to scoff at that, but another part suspected he was right. If Roth removed himself from the business world, could he be a different man? She glanced at him and saw he was watching a family of five celebrating a birthday. Dressed as he was, he could be mistaken for a regular man instead of one who wielded more power than high-ranking politicians. Once again, he didn’t look out of place in this seafood restaurant, filled with tourists and locals. Without his phone in hand and brow creased as he pondered some problem, she saw the shadow of the man she’d known, the one she thought would be her escape from her father’s world.

His eyes cut to her. She wasn’t sure what he read on her face, but when he reached out and twined his fingers with hers, her heart turned over.

“See, Portugal has done him good,” Aleixo murmured.

She threw her head back and laughed.

Aleixo nudged her. “Show him the effect Portugal has had on you.”

From what she had seen, the Portuguese were expressive and unselfconscious. The women wore little to no makeup, people danced in the streets, and they were friendly and warm. She wasn’t sure what compelled her more—the need to thumb her nose at Lyle or catch Roth off guard. Wine gave her the courage to perch on his lap. Roth didn’t miss a beat. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

“Aleixo thinks Portugal is doing you good,” she confided as her fingers trailed through his beard. “Changing you into a different man.”

He said nothing, but stared at her with stormy black eyes that told her nothing. She traced his jaw and then fingered the scar that ran down the length of his neck.

“You told me you got this from a hunting accident. Is that true?” When he nodded, she prompted, “How old were you?”

“Ten.”

She jerked. “You were hunting that young?”

“Been hunting since I was seven, princess. My first toy was a pocketknife.”

She was aghast. “Kaia let you play with aknifeas a toddler?”

He ignored her outrage and squeezed her thigh. “You called me baby.”

Her hand dropped from his face. “A slip of the tongue.”

“That’s what you used to call me.”

She looked around the restaurant for their server. “That was a long time ago.”

“I still call you princess.”

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