The moment there is suspicion about a person's motives, everything he does becomes tainted.
-Mahatma Gandhi
Leandro Salazar's POV
I tried to concentrate on the words written on the paper in my hands and yet I couldn't understand anything—it's as if, it was written in Latin. The main reason for my distress was the fact that my wife left again for the three consecutive days after we went home from our little vacation.
I asked her last night over dinner how's her trip to the city. She just smiled at me while looking straight into my eyes that she's fine and had a wonderful time shopping for her new sets of wardrobe.
Deep in my heart, I knew she was lying through her teeth but I just let it go. I want to trust her. I knew I could trust her but I couldn't help to wonder where the heck she's doing in town for three straight days.
I sighed and put down the papers I've tried to read for hours now. I decided to bring my work here to the estate so I could spend more time with Leila but I guess that's not possible now. Once again she left just after lunchtime. She told me that she would shop again for maternity clothes because she couldn't find a perfect fit for her yesterday.
It makes me wonder what's with this mysterious trip of hers in the city that she hides from me. I knew that I shouldn't have thought too much about it. She always took Diego with her so if she's doing something my trusted bodyguard would report it to me immediately.
I glanced at my twitched watch three more hours before dinner so that means three more hours before Leila would be home. What can I do to kill time while waiting for her to arrive? I already knew that my work can't do that.
A light knocked from my study room drew my attention. "Come in," I asked, stretching my feet in front of me.
"Do you have a moment?" Natalia asked as soon as she enters my study room. As always she dressed at her finest even though she's only spending her time inside the palace opposite of my wife who still wore her favored casual outfits despite my constant protest.
Before I could stop it my lips twitched with a smile thinking about my protest to Leila about her outfits that only fell on deaf ears. So I gave up on my quest and let her do whatever she wants here at the estate. She's my wife, after all. I want her to feel at home here.
Forcing myself to be back at the present I looked at my sister-in-law who patiently waiting for me to reply. "Yes, Natalia. What do you want to talk about?"
She looked around and folded her arms in the middle of her chest. She smiled cynically. "I see that this wife of yours went to the city again. Is she bored here in the estate that she misses her city life?"
I slowly closed my eyes before I focused my gaze back at her. So this was not a social visit, then? "What are you implying with your words?"
She shrugged then smiled knowingly in my direction. "Nothing." She said with such innocence in her voice. "I'm just making an observation here, Leandro. An untamed woman like her would never settle to live in a hacienda. She would always go to the city to find her entertainment."
My eyes narrowed at her words. "Are you saying that my wife is having an affair in the city? Need I remind you that Diego was with her always?"
"I'm not saying that, Leandro." She held up her hands like a silent surrender. But I couldn't miss the way her eyes sparkled with delight. "All I'm saying is that maybe she's already bored here in the hacienda that's why she always spends her afternoon in the city."
"That's not true." I defended Leila's action fervidly. "Leila is just looking for a new maternity dress in the city. She's not bored here. I could see it in her eyes that she loves this place."
She nodded but I could see the way her eyes shot pure venom in my direction. I don't have any idea why does she bother to come here just to annoy me. "You seemed to be fallen hard to this woman." Her tone suddenly changed. "I thought you said it before that you will not fall in love with any woman in your lifetime?"
"She's different." I looked away from her accusing eyes. "Leila is different from the women I've been within the past. She's the only woman who made me chase her like a madman. She's the only one who kept me on my toes. The only one who shouted at me when she's fumingly angry at something no other woman ever did that to me." I hid my smile remembering those days when I first saw her fiery temper. "I knew from the moment we met in that bar in Seville that I want her in my life."
Natalia snorted moving closer to my study table. "Then you are not in love with her. You just see her as a novelty to the women in your life. She doesn't want to please so badly you like the others."
"And she never will," I answered her ruefully. "She made it clear to me that she wasn't born to please any man in her life. That role is just for foolish women."
"Can't you see that she's so wrong for you?"
I shook my head and gave her a warily smile. "I don't think so. I think she's perfect for me. A marriage life with her would be full of adventure and no boring days."
I knew when a woman's motive changed. She ran her finger on the edge of my table slowly while her eyes followed the movement. "If she's perfect for you then how come she often left you here to be in the city alone?"
"Maybe she thought that she's such a distraction to my work that's why she leaves for the city every day," I informed her while focusing my gaze on her face. "Don't worry, I will tell her later this dinner that she isn't a distraction to me. I don't mind her if she would distract me from my work once in a while."
She smiled seductively at me. "Don't you wonder if that the heck she's doing in the city every day?"
"Shopping," I supplied for her.
"Shopping?" She replied with an acid smile on her face. "Your little wife is known from buying clothes good enough for the whole year in a single expedition. Don't you think it's quite suspicious that these past three days she doesn't have a single shopping bag in her hand, Leandro?"
"Are you saying that my wife is lying to me?" I scowled in her direction as I stood from my chair. "I trust her and Diego is with her. I knew that my trusted bodyguard would report something to me immediately if there's something wrong about my wife's behavior."
She stood straight and stared back at my growling form. "Yes. Can't you see, Leandro? You're clearly blinded by that woman. And for all, we know she already uses her charm to your bodyguard. That man was probably working under her right now."
"Enough, Natalia!" I snarled at her as I never did in the past. From the looked on her face she's stunned by my outburst. I cannot blame her. This was the first time I let my anger ruled me. "We're done with this conversation. Please leave me alone."
She recovered fast enough from her shock and sent me a disdain look. "Very well, Leandro. But I will show you your wife's true color and in no time you would believe me that you cannot trust that evil woman."
"Natalia..."
"Just wait and see." She said threateningly. "I will reveal her true colors right before your eyes. And by that time you will understand that I only want what's best for you. I care for you, Leandro since the time I first met you."
I didn't answer instead I look away from her and waited for her to leave me alone in my study room. Once she left me alone I sighed deeply and decide to ask Leila about her trips to the city the moment she arrives and this time I intend to know the truth.
Lucia Salazar's POV
I watched my sister-in-law march happily to the foyer of the mansion while I hide at the dark corner in the garage area. I want to have a private conversation with an exasperating man who happened to be my brother's bodyguard.
They were back from their trip to the city. It's not surprising since it's almost dinner time for the past three days that's their routine...
"Didn't your parents tell you, Señorita..." Diego said dryly, as he moved closer to where I hide to ambush him with interrogation. "...not to wander alone in dark areas of your palace because a wolf might attack you?"
My heart jumped when I realized that he's already right in front of me. When did he move here? How did he know that I was here? Those were only the question that riot inside my head. "H-how...how did..."
My knees buckled when he suddenly closed the distance between us. He pinned me between the pillar of the garage and his body. "Don't you think I didn't know when someone is spying on me, Señorita?"
I gave a slightly forced laugh as I tried to push him away. Wrong move. My hands got a contract with the hard contour of his body. "You are hallucinating yourself, Mister. I'm not spying on you. Dios mio, you are so full of yourself!"
"Really?" He whispered dangerously soft to my ear. "Then what are you doing here, princess. Little girl shouldn't be alone in the dark it's dangerous."
Little girl? He just really called me little girl? This man was unbelievable! I glared at him trying to push him with all my strength. Goodness, why his body does needs to become so hard. It was as if I am trying to push a rock. "Let me tell you something, you arrogant man! I'm not a little girl anymore I'm already a full-grown woman."
"Ah, yes..." My brother's bodyguard answered leisurely, running his gaze all over my body. I silently squirmed at his looks. What's wrong with him? He wasn't this aggressive before. I used to be ignored by him all the time. "Sì. I can tell. A beautiful woman, indeed."
My heart jumped in my ribcage at his words. "Very well," I said still trying to push him away from me but failing miserably. "Now let go of me. I want to go inside the house now."
"Not until this naïve woman learns never to wander in the dark." He said placing both of his hands on the stone pillar behind me practically trapping me. "A hungry wolf might attack her as prey."
Did he mean himself? I asked myself silently as I stared at his glittering eyes in the moonlight. He's so different from that straight-laced bodyguard of my bother. How is this dangerous man in front of me? I should better show him that I'm not scared of him so I laugh and stared deep into his gorgeous eyes. "A wolf? I don't think so. Besides who would attack me here in my family's estate when everyone here is so scared of my brother? Well, except his wife, of course. So your warning does not affect me."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." He drawled in a bored tone. "Let me tell you something, Señorita. The condesa is not the only one who is not scared of your brother."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes," He answered me gladly, his gazed focus on my lips longer than necessary for my opinion. "Absolutely, do want to test it?"
Before I could formulate my next reply he lowered his head towards mine and claimed my lips for a hot kiss. Oh my God! I automatically placed my hands on his broad shoulder because my feet couldn't support me anymore. He invaded my mouth like he has the right of doing so his kisses turned aggressive that left me breathless.
After a moment or so he finally removed his mouth from mine. I couldn't tell who was more shocked about what happened between us. It was his who first recover. "I'm sorry, that's shouldn't happen. I've gone so far."
With that, he left me alone staring at his retreating form. Once I've recovered from his kiss. I touched my slightly swollen lips. Damn you bastard, I thought fumingly. I will not let you get away from me easily after kissing me like that. I would make you pay for it. Just wait and see, Diego Suárez.