“Me, too.” The Landises all spent so much time on the road with their careers, family visits were valued all the more. And while he had his ambassador mother’s ear. “Hey, do you have any inside-track info on the deposed king of San Rinaldo?”
She hesitated for a beat before answering. “Why would you ask that?”
“Rumor has it, he’s in Argentina.” And his mom just happened to be ambassador to a small neighboring country.
“That’s the word around town.”
He knew his mother would never break security rules, but if she could just point him in the right direction…. “Officially or unofficially?”
“Honestly, I don’t know the answer either way,” Ginger said, her voice even tighter. He thought of it as her office voice. “Jonah, I can say that there is a compound in Argentina built like a fortress. There’s a lot of activity going on inside and very little coming out. Either he’s living there, or he’s done a good job of creating a red herring.”
“Medina has the money to accomplish that.”
She laughed lightly. “That, I most definitely can confirm. The old king built a fortune beyond the royal inheritance. The estate continues to multiply itself. We know he has three sons—Carlos, Duarte and Antonio.”
And he had a daughter, a daughter no one knew about. Eloisa, so unforgettable and deserving of so much better than she’d gotten from the people who were supposed to care about her.
And what about how he had treated her? Damn it all, Eloisa deserved to have someone a hundred percent on her side. “Thanks, Mom. I would appreciate it if you could ask around—quietly, please—about the Medinas.”
“Certainly, I’ll see what I can find.” Curiosity slipped ever so subtly into her voice. “Would you like to tell me why?”
Eloisa’s secrets weren’t his to share. But the time would certainly come when his family would have to learn he’d married her. The fact that he’d hidden it for the past year was going to piss them off enough. “Is that a requisite to your help?”
“Of course not,” she said, backing off smoothly. “I’ll let you know if I discover anything soon. Otherwise, I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”
“Looking forward to it. And hey, Mom? Love you.”
“I love you, too, Jonah,” she said softly before disconnecting.
Perhaps talking to his mom had heightened his conscience or maybe he’d just woken up. But regardless, he needed to shower Eloisa with romance as well as sensual enticement. He couldn’t be sure how this was going to turn out. But he wasn’t walking away or letting her walk away until he was damn sure everything was out in the open and resolved.
Jonah rang the doorbell and waited…and waited. No answer. Eloisa had told him she would be home around this time, but wasn’t answering her phone or cell. His instincts burned. Something was off.
She’d given him a key and he intended to use it.
He opened the front door and pushed inside fast. “Eloisa? Are you home?”
His heart slugged his rib cage harder with each step as he searched her empty town house. Then he thought about her patio. The curtains were closed over the French doors. She must be outside relaxing.
He opened the doors to the patio and sure enough the chair was full. But the person most definitely wasn’t Eloisa, or even a female.
Jonah scrubbed a hand over his jaw to mask his surprise and figure out what to do about this intruder who looked completely at home. As if he belonged in that chair, at Eloisa’s place.
Jealousy cranked into high gear as he summed up his opponent.
A large male sat in the Adirondack chair—dark haired, about six foot three inches. The guy appeared toned, but Jonah had a few pounds on him. He just needed to decide what move to make next.
At first the guy’s eyes seemed closed, but when Jonah studied him further, he could see the man watching ever so carefully through narrow slits.
This guy was ready to pounce.
Jonah blocked the exit. “What the hell are you doing on Eloisa’s patio?”
His eyes opened slowly, a haughty smile not far behind. “I’ve come to visit my sister.”
Eight
Well, that took care of the jealousy.
Jonah stared at the guy in front of him claiming to be Eloisa’s brother. How could he trust this dude was on the up and up? But then perhaps he was someone who’d just ended up on the wrong patio. After all, the stranger had simply said he was visiting his sister, no name given.
“Who did you say you’re looking for?” Jonah asked.
The man smoothed the front of his dark suit jacket—no tie on his white shirt open at the collar. “Where is Eloisa? My sister. Our family lawyer informed us she has concerns. I came right away.”
First, he needed to determine if this man could be trusted. Sure, he looked like he could be Eloisa’s brother, same dark hair and brown eyes. The aristocratic air was there, too, but his skin was more olive toned.
Because both of his parents were from the Spanish region?
Still, he needed to go on the assumption that this guy knew nothing about Eloisa, that he could be some reporter searching for information…or worse.
Jonah shut the door to the town house and stepped closer to the looming guy in a dark suit. “And your name is?”
He thrust out his hand, lean and ringless, no jewelry other than a pricey watch peeking from his cuff. “I am Duarte. Hello, Jonah Landis.”
Jonah jolted. How did the man know him? Sure his family name was easily recognized, but it wasn’t like his face was familiar to the average Joe—or in this case, Duarte. “How did you get in here?”
“I jumped the fence.”
This guy in a suit hopped fences? Odd, and not the sort of behavior he expected from a prince.
Still the fence apparently posed a security problem he would be addressing shortly. “Do you make a habit of that? Jumping fences? Breaking and entering?”
Duarte—or whoever the hell he was—arched a single brow slowly. “I would have come through the door but she is not here.”
“Eloisa doesn’t have any brothers. Just a sister named Audrey.”
Duarte simply smiled. “Eloisa can clear this up soon enough. And as you noticed, I already know who you are, and I know how you are connected to my sister.” He frowned slightly. “I guess that makes us brothers.”
Jonah braced his feet, shocked that Eloisa would have revealed their marriage to anyone, but she said she didn’t talk to her family, only communicated through a lawyer. How had this guy found out? And was he even who he claimed to be?
This joker wasn’t getting past him. “How about you leave a calling card?”
“Good, good.” He nodded curtly. “I like it that she has you to protect her.”
That threw him off-balance for a second. The last thing he’d expected was acceptance, encouragement even.
Except he knew better than to be swayed by calculated words. “What did you say you’re doing here?”
“I’ve come to see Eloisa for our father. And you’re wise not to trust me. That’s best for her.”
While they may have found a point of agreement, that didn’t mean Jonah intended to back off pushing for whatever he could get out of Duarte. “Where does your father live?”
“Ah, you’re tricky, not ever saying the last name either, never giving anything away. Your questions and answers are as nebulous as my own.” He gestured toward the French doors. “Let’s go inside. Less chance of being overheard.”
“I don’t think so. Until I hear from Eloisa that you’re welcome, we can stay right here.”
Duarte glanced around at the small fenced-in patio, vines growing up the wood, a small fountain in the corner with a cement conch shell pouring water into a collection pool.
And only one chair.
Duarte nodded regally. “We will stand here, then, until she returns.”
Jonah leaned on the doorframe with affected nonchalance, every muscle still on high alert as he watched the man for any signs of aggression or deception. “So step out on a limb and spill your guts for me.”
The strange guy threw his head back and laughed. Finally, he shook his head and quieted. “I travel everywhere. But our father? He can no longer travel anywhere because of his health, and he wants to see his children. You don’t have to confirm anything I say. I don’t expect you to.”
“Dude, I’m thinking it’s time to call the cops and arrest you for trespassing.”
“I could give you all sorts of identification, but you know that IDs can be purchased. Instead I will tell you a story about the last visit Eloisa made to see her biological family when she was seven—I was seventeen. We all went on a picnic, then walked down the beach. We collected shells. Then Eloisa rode on our father’s shoulders while he told her a story about a princess squirrel who could travel anywhere she wanted, anytime.”
Damn. This guy could really be…
“Then he sang her songs in Spanish. Does that answer your questions?”
“You’ve definitely captured my interest enough to delay calling the cops.” He might not know everything about Eloisa, but he was certain she would blow a gasket if her family news was splashed all over a police blotter where any newspaper could snatch the scoop.
“I’m not worried.”
“You’re a cocky bastard.”
“Thank you.” He slid a finger along his shirt collar, the first sign that he felt the heat or any tension. “I’m not only here because Eloisa called the lawyer. I am also here because our father is sick.”
“Your dad, the guy who sings lullabies in Spanish? How sick is he?”
“I am not the kind to predict worst-case scenarios. Let’s just say he’s very ill. A visit is in order before the opportunity is lost forever.”
How would Eloisa take hearing Enrique Medina could die…or was already dead and she’d missed seeing him? He’d encouraged her to make contact with the old king if for no other reason that to settle the past, and now the clock was ticking. If this man could help persuade her, all the better. And with Jonah by her side, nobody would stand a chance at hurting her ever again.
In fact, there should be some apologizing and amends for needing such a dire prod to make this offer.
“Even if I might think it’s in her personal best interest to see him, why should Eloisa—or any woman—visit a family you say she hasn’t seen since she was seven? If that’s all true, perhaps they should have tried harder to contact Eloisa more often over the years.” The silence stretched between them, birds chirping, cars roaring and honking in the distance, even the ocean echoed distantly. “What? No disagreement?”
“Why would I argue when you’re absolutely right? That doesn’t mean Eloisa could live with doing the wrong thing now.”
Jonah checked his watch. Where the hell was Eloisa? She should have been home twenty minutes ago. “Your family is exempt from the rules but she’s not? She’s supposed to do the right thing regardless? That’s bull.”