Page 21 of Ignacio

“Do you think we are idiots? How long did you plan to hide your relationship from us?” Thiago asked.

“You swore you’d never have anything to do with her again,” Ethan reminded him.

“I meant it at the time,” Ignacio muttered. He wasn’t a glutton for punishment.

“What changed?”

He sighed. “If I tell you something, you each have to promise not to say a word to anyone. Not even your wives.” He looked pointedly at Bruno and Ethan. “Do I have your word?”

“Yes,” they all said.

Ignacio blew out a breath. “Delta and I aren’t really back together. We need each other to generate publicity. Me, for my movie, and her for her album.”

Bruno’s eyebrows drew together. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying? This whole thing is a publicity stunt?” he demanded.

“Don’t think of it as a stunt. Think of it as?—”

“Lying? Being dishonest?” Thiago supplied around a mouthful of food.

“As if you have any problem being dishonest to get what you want,” Ignacio said.

“That’s different. It’s business.”

“This is business,” Ignacio insisted.

Ethan stared at him. “I’m not sure which is worse—getting back together with her or pretending to get back together with her. You should never be involved with any woman who hurt you.” He spoke with vehemence, no doubt because of the misery he suffered at the hands of his ex-wife.

“You don’t need to worry about me. I have everything under control.”Except my libido, he silently added. The worst part was that he and Delta had agreed not to be involved with anyone else, so all he had for relief was his hand.

“We can invest in your movie if that’s what you need,” Ethan offered.

“I know, and I appreciate it, but I want to do this on my own. I messed up last time.”

“Not every investment works out. I’ve had failed ventures,” Bruno pointed out.

“But most of what you’ve done has succeeded. The only time I tried to do something on my own, it failed, and Father lost money. I don’t want to ask him for help again, and I don’t want to ask any of you, either.”

“That’s what family is for—to bear the burden.”

“I know,” Ignacio said, grateful. “But I need to do this on my own. Iwantto do this on my own.”

“Why are you so adamant that you don’t need help?” Thiago demanded.

“Because…” Ignacio paused, loath to admit the real reason he was so insistent on finding his own investors and successfully getting his movie made. He stared into the flickering flames. “I haven’t done anything on my own since I entered this business. Father is the reason I have a career in Hollywood.”

“You’re a great actor. You’re a natural,” Bruno said.

“I started acting when I was five, in a movie with our parents,” Ignacio reminded his brother. “Sure, I’m a good actor—hell, an excellent one. But it doesn’t change the fact that the last name Santana opened doors. I’m appreciative of the films I’ve done—from action flicks to dramas to indie films. But I want to try something different, and this story has been eating at me for years. I screwed up with my directorial debut because my heart wasn’t in it. But this—this I’m passionate about, and I want to do it on my own—to know Icando it. Do you understand?Wrongcould be the beginning of a different path in my career, but no one will be willing to invest in future projects if I crowdsource the funds from my family—again.”

The men fell silent as they digested his words.

“So you and Delta are working together, so to speak. You scratch her back, and she scratches yours,” Ethan said.

“Exactly.”

“All well and good from the business aspect, but what about the personal aspect?”

“What do you mean?”

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