Page 92 of Kinks of a Billionaire
Just as Royce and my parents predicted, she was a spitting image of me, complete with Energizer Bunny batteries that had her going from the time she woke up to the time she fell asleep.
“Now what is it that you need, Calista?” I asked calmly, mixing the chocolate chip cookie dough.
I saw the thoughts move behind her emerald eyes as she puckered her pink lips. She learned early on you caught more flies with honey than with vinegar.
“Mãe.” Her voice was so soft, so sweet, and she put my hand to her mouth, placing a tender kiss on my finger. “Can I peeeeeeassse go with Daddy?”
Royce was taking the boys to a soccer game with Alexei and Kostya while Aurora was due back here with her daughters. Sadly, shortly after her visit to us in Venezuela, Aurora had a miscarriage. Destiny had different plans for her, but she was blessed less than a year later with twin girls.
“Don’t you want to play with your cousins?” I asked her. “Nataliya and Ines will be disappointed if you’re not here. So will your grandparents.”
She flapped her hands in frustration. “They can come too.”
“They don’t like soccer games,” I pointed out patiently as I slid the tray of cookies into the oven. “They want to play princesses.”
Nataliya and Ines could play with dresses and shiny things all day, never making a sound, while my own daughter couldn’t sit still for longer than ten minutes.
As if she could read my thoughts, she batted her thick lashes at me. “Peeeeeeassse. I’ll love you forever.”
She held up ten fingers as if they signified forever. That number signified so much more though. Royce. Us. Spending ten years to find a way to each other. One day we’d tell her that story, but something told me her patience was already wearing thin with me.
“I’ll be back so soon, so soooo soon,” she added, continuing to bat her lashes. She hugged herself, swaying on her feet like she was ready to break into a song. She didn’t disappoint. “Peeeeease, peeeeease, peeeease.”
I laughed, knowing she was manipulating me and that really, it meant hours of her being gone with the boys.
“All right.” I sighed, giving her loud smooches on her cheeks. “But only if Nataliya and Ines want to go too.”
She nodded her head frantically, excited that I caved. She let out a happy giggle, then stormed out of the kitchen. I knew she’d have no trouble convincing her cousins it was a better idea togo out in the scorching summer Portugal sun rather than stay home.
The timer went off, and I turned to pull the cookies out of the oven. I grabbed them and as I set them down on top of the stove to cool off, Royce appeared in the threshold, leaving the door to the terrace open behind him.
“You gave in, huh?” he teased as a soft breeze swept through the kitchen.
Lights were strung above the table out there, carefully woven through the latticework. The east-facing wall of the pergola was climbing with wisteria and it always brought to mind the romantic nights we had on our honeymoon, dining over candlelight at tiny little restaurants, soft merengue music drifting between us, not a care in the world. He came over to me and wrapped me in his arms, pulling me back to the now.
“Only if she convinces her cousins,” I added, defending myself.
He chuckled. “She’s offering them heaven and earth already.”
I sighed. “I’m worried she’ll be bribing the president one day.”
He grinned. “I hope she does. I’ll be right behind her writing the check.”
I gently swatted his arm. “Stop it. You’re just as bad as her.”
“I can’t help it.” He brushed a kiss against my nose. “She’s like her mommy. Remember when you were bribing the head of a cartel to stop trafficking?”
“How could I forget?”
I almost ended up trafficked myself, and Royce had to rescue me. But it was all part of the job, which I loved. My production company had taken off. Sailor joined our team, and a few other journalists with the same goals as ours. We were getting ready to kick off the fourth season ofEvery Silenced Anya and Alexei,covering South Africa this time. Netflix and Amazon competed to pick us up.
But none of that mattered as long as we were making a difference and it was such a rewarding experience.
He took my hand when I was close enough, pulling my wrist up to his lips and setting them over my pulse. “Where do you think she gets it from?”
I shook my head. How was I supposed to win with two of them?
“Where are the boys?” I asked.
