Page 8 of Brazilian Revenge

Chapter Three

Leonardo grabbed his Mont Blanc pen from his inside pocket and handed it to her, along with the document the sheriff had just printed. “Sign it.”

“What is this?” she asked, inside the small office.

The sheriff, a bald, stocky man, rocked back in his chair. A prison guard stood next to her. Despite Leonardo’s conversation with the sheriff a few minutes earlier, Satyanna was still not a free woman, and wouldn’t be unless she helped him find Harry.

“I explained to the sheriff you’ve been through some traumatizing events lately and acted a tad out of character, such as the driver’s license and the expired tourist visa.”

“You lied.”

“So did you, but I attached a promise to invest money to improve this place.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Of course,” he said, even though the thought to help the prisoners get better infrastructure had occurred to him the second he walked into the hellhole. Despite whatever those women had done to be incarcerated, how was there ever a chance for redemption if they lived like caged animals?

She gave him a small smile. “I guess good things can come from lies sometimes.”

“I wouldn’t expect a different rationalization from you,” he said, his voice more bitter than intended. He watched her as she leaned and tried to read the paper; her conversational Portuguese didn’t stand a chance against the hardcore legalese. “Your tourist visa has expired, so the sheriff should deport you immediately, but I told him I’d make sure to solve your situation.” He made a mental list of the people he’d need to call to fix that one.

“And are you?”

“We’ve talked about this.”

She sighed.

“All done, senhor?” the sheriff asked in Portuguese.

“All done.” Leonardo cocked his head to the side, and she gave the sheriff the signed papers. When she returned him his pen, his finger brushed against her. A strange sensation shot up his arm. Clenching his pen, he swallowed hard. To go ahead with his plan he had to remember the Satyanna he thought he knew during that weekend never existed. Until he found Harry, he’d need to keep his hormones in check, and the ghost of lurking old feelings dormant.

“Are you done?” he yelled.

She opened the bathroom door, and a cloud of steam swirled around her like a seductive dance.

Moisture evaporated from his throat. His gaze slid from her damp, burgundy hair, down the oversize fluffy towel that seemed even larger on her, all the way to her toes, which curled against the white marbled floor.

His heart squeezed for no good reason. What a stupid body he had, with stupid reactions. What other explanation was there?

She shrugged. “I had to make up for lost time. What can I wear?” She glanced around, and he wished the high four-poster bed were in a different room. His sister had insisted at least one room should be less minimalist and more romantic, and he wished now Camila hadn’t been good friends with the interior designer and hadn’t influenced her a bit. It would save him the hassle of imagining Satyanna on that bed.

“My assistant Laura is bringing you some clothes,” he said, looking away. She wasn’t naked, goddamn it, but memory of her in her birthday suit rose unbidden, anyway. He cleared his throat. “She must be running late.”

“Is there anything I can wear in the mean time?”

He headed to the antique five-drawer chest, opened the top drawer, and retrieved a red, fluffy robe he kept for guests. His housekeeper had thought it would be a good idea, even though he rarely entertained. Never in a million years did he imagine Satyanna Darling wearing it in his duplex apartment in Rio. “There.”

The moment he handed her the robe, his fingers brushed hers, and a sizzling sensation ignited through him. As if he had been burned, he took a couple steps back. Avoidance was key.

A mischievous smile spread across her face. “Did you steal this from Hugh Hefner’s closet?”

He frowned at her light humor, and caught himself smiling before it was too late. “Blame it on Julia, my housekeeper. I give her carte blanche to buy whatever she needs, and that’s what happens.”

She flashed him the loveliest of smiles. “You’re lucky she doesn’t buy your clothes.”

Clearing his throat, he drummed his fingers on his black leather belt. “Laura should be here soon so you can change.” Yes. Keep it professional. She had deceived him with a smile before. Was he really that irresponsible to fall for it again? No.

Satyanna was so sexy it should be illegal, but that was all. She didn’t have any of the qualities he looked for in a lifelong mate. In fact, because of her untrustworthy nature, finding nonsexual qualities in her was almost impossible.

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