Javiero had walked away from Scarlett a few hours ago so furious he hadn’t known how to contain it. Oddly, he had known immediately that this was the price she was asking, even though she hadn’t said it in so many words. He’d balked out of reflex, but there was no cost that was too high, not if he finally won the woman he loved.
Once he had recognized that, making a few calls—one of them to Kiara—had been easy.
Which didn’t make this conversation with Val easy, but it had to happen for the exact reason he’d just given.
Val didn’t say anything, only bent to pick up a handful of rocks. He picked through them, discarding all except a flat one that he moodily sent skipping a dozen times across the water. His infamous, million-dollar brooding pout was firmly on display.
“It didn’t even occur to me,” Javiero began carefully. “That someone as confident and contrary as you are could be taken advantage of.”
“We’re not talking about that. Ever.” His voice was as flat as the next rock he found. It was a stone-cold warning, but after Val sent another pebble across the water’s surface, he said darkly, “It wasn’t up to you to save me.”
No, Val had saved himself because their father hadn’t.
Weary disgust washed over Javiero. So much time and energy and emotion wasted. So much damage. For what?
“I’ve tried to tell Scarlett what a sociopathic nightmare he was. She never saw the full scope of his ugliness, though,” Javiero said.
“Kiara’s the same. It’s probably a good thing they never saw him at his worst. He always did like women, though.”
“He liked them to like him,” Javiero corrected. “To want things from him.”
“True fact.” Val sent another stone spinning.
It struck Javiero that Val was the only person on this earth who understood his loathing of their father without his having to explain any of it. They were two sides of the same bent coin.
“How is Scarlett?” Val asked. “Kiara said she has postpartum depression. I don’t know much about it, but Kiara’s been worried about her.”
“Therefore you are?” Javiero asked skeptically.
Val shrugged. “Scarlett’s the little sister I never wanted. I felt sorry for her, working for Dad all those years because we wouldn’t.”
“Yeah. About that.” Javiero squeezed the back of his neck. “She’s improving, but I don’t want to jeopardize her recovery. She’s as bad as you or I when it comes to burning the candle at both ends.”
“Me?” Val splayed a hand on his chest. “I’m lazy as hell.”
“And you work harder than anyone imagines at projecting that image.”
“You know me so well.” Val shot another rock into the water, this one hitting a ripple and sinking after two skips. “And I know you. You’re going to charge in on your white horse to take over Dad’s fortune. This is a courtesy call so I don’t kick up a fuss. Have fun with that. I could care less.”
“Actually, it’s more than I can handle on top of my present responsibilities. I’m going to propose she let the two of us help her. She won’t trust anyone else to have our children’s best interests at heart. It would be temporary. As much or as little as she wants to delegate. She can fire us and take over whenever it suits her.”
“You want me to work for Scarlett. Help her manage Dad’s money.” Val showed the rocks in his palms. “These really are going in my pockets while I take a long walk off that short pier. You have a bigger pair of rocks than I ever gave you credit for.”
“You love irony,” Javiero cajoled. “What better revenge could we possibly dream up?”
“He would roll over in his grave, wouldn’t he?” Val let the rocks fall away and dusted his palms. “Hell, it would put both our mothers into an early one. There’s a selling feature.”
“Mine’s halfway there. When I tell her I’m married and she wasn’t invited but you were...?” Javiero blew out a breath. “I’m stepping on your brand.”
Val snorted, then said without heat, “Scarlett doesn’t want me at her wedding. Why do you?”
“Scarlett needs to know I can put all of this behind me.”
“Wow.” Val scratched under his chin. “You’ve got it bad, haven’t you?”
“Oh, you don’t?” Javiero chided, prickling at having his deepest vulnerability poked at. Still, he wouldn’t flinch from showing his heart. Not now. Not ever again. Scarlett was too important to him.
Which didn’t mean he was above some old-fashioned fraternal ribbing when he saw the same in Val.
“I knew you were sunk that day at the hospital, when you backed down for Kiara’s sake. She’ll feel better if we agree to a truce. Especially if it means Scarlett will have the support she needs.”
“You can’t snow the snowman.” Val’s eyes narrowed. “I was raised on emotional manipulation. I can smell it a mile away.”
“This isn’t a snow job. It’s past time we put our swords down,” Javiero insisted. “For the women we love. For our kids. For ourselves.”
Val’s disobliging profile turned to focus on the far side of the lake.
At least Javiero could tell Scarlett he’d tried, he thought grimly.
Behind them, a high voice called, “Papà? Do you and Tio want lunch?”
They turned to see Aurelia loping toward them. She let go of her nanny’s hand and ran the rest of the way across the sand.
“Kiara must be worried we’re not playing nice.” Val scooped up his daughter as she reached them. He threw Aurelia high into the air, making her scream with laughter, then caught her and hugged her close.
She curled her arms trustingly around his neck, then lifted her sweet, happy, innocent face and pointed at Javiero. “Tio got hurted.”
After a surprised beat, Val said, “He did.” His tone was somber enough to resonate like a cold bell inside Javiero’s chest. Val turned a flinty look on Javiero, saying cryptically to his daughter, “He’s what we
