Page 38 of An Inconvenient Marriage
Javier had almost reached us when a group of women swarmed around him. They all tried to speak at the same time while shoving postcards and who knew what else at him to sign.
“That’s Esteban Alvarez.” Natalie’s surprised gaze snapped to mine before shifting back to my brother.
“Esteban is his stage name.” I waited until her attention was on me again. “To me he's just Javier.”
Her mouth popped open, her red lips forming a perfect little O. “How?”
I raised my brow, and she shook her head.
“I mean, how does no one know the two of you are related?”
“Because that’s the way we wanted it.” I lifted my shoulder. “When Javier chased after his dream, I’d already made a name for myself with my first casino, and he—rightfully so—didn’t want to be in my shadow.”
Natalie’s attention was back on Javier and his swooning women. “Surely some reporters have figured it out?”
“I paid a lot of people an obscene amount of money to make sure we can never be linked to each other.”
“But why?” Those big blue eyes were on me now. “Would it matter if people knew?”
The short answer was probably no, it wouldn’t matter. But by doing things this way, I made sure my brother could build a future for himself without his past following him wherever he went.
I wanted freedom and happiness for him. Not the bitter, lonely life I’d condemned myself to.
And because I had no intention of telling Natalie any of that, I simply shrugged and squeezed her hand. “Here he comes.”
Javier had expertly extracted himself from the women and reached us a few moments later.
“Zacharias,” he said again and stuck out his hand.
I didn’t like the way my gut twisted when I had to let go of Natalie’s hand to shake Javier’s. That feeling was thankfully replaced when my brother pulled me into a hug that ended with a slap on my back.
“It’s been too long,” he said in Spanish when he stepped back.
I nodded and smiled. “And yet you haven’t changed at all.”
“What can I say? I’m a hot commodity.”
I laughed. “And completely full of yourself.”
I was very aware that we were having a conversation in a language Natalie didn’t understand. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I spoke in English this time.
“Javier, this is my wife, Natalie.”
As my brother’s gaze moved between Natalie and me, something flashed in his eyes. It looked a hell of a lot like recognition, but it was gone again so fast, I thought I’d imagined it. Especially when Javier aimed a dazzling smile atmy wife.
“I never thought I’d see the day my brother settled down and played house.” He held out his hand, and when Natalie took it, he flipped it over and pressed his lips against her knuckles.
My fingers curled into tight fists at my sides. I refused to believe I was jealous of my brother kissing Natalie’s hand, but the sudden need to commit murder had me believing otherwise.
Even worse, when Javier amped up the charm and thickened his accent: “Natalie,bella chica, such a pleasure to meet you.”
If he didn’t get his hands off her in the next three seconds, I was going to wrap my fingers around his throat and squeeze the life right out of him.
Three.
“And you.” Natalie’s voice was soft and sweet.
Two.
