"And how are you doing, with her, I mean?"
He grimaced, then stared off toward the church.
"She still refuses to tell me who my biological father is. It's like she's protecting me from something. I just don't get it." Frustration tinged his voice. "She's admitted so much; why hold back on this?"
"Give her time, honey. She's got a lot on her mind. It took courage to admit what she'd done. And without any real evidence against her, she could've skated on the charges. Yet she chose to do the right thing. That took guts."
Christian looked deep in thought as he put his arm around her. He led her toward the church, walking at an unhurried pace.
"Yeah, that it did. But knowing what she did still hurts too much. Maybe I'm the one needing a little time."
She stepped in front of him, bracing her hands on his elbows. Standing before him, Raven gazed into his expressive eyes, cherishing the miracle of his existence.
"And I'm so glad you have it, that we have time. I thought for sure that I'd lost you. Now every minute we have together, it's a gift, Christian."
"You make it sound like I'm living on borrowed time." A lazy smile graced his handsome face for an instant, then faded. "My life had been balanced on a single point in time. I couldn't move forward and I couldn't go back and change it. I'd been held hostage to that one dark moment. But now, I feel more alive than I ever thought I could be. And I have you to thank for that."
He pulled her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her. The subtle fragrance of his cologne fused with the irresistible scent of his skin, filling her senses. He lowered his lips to hers. Raven shut her eyes, wanting to feel every nuance of his kiss. Slowly, his lips explored hers with an unrivaled sweetness. But his tender show of affection soon gave way to hungry need, matching her own. She belonged to Christian as surely as he carried the mark of her love. Raven had never felt so loved.
Father Antonio walked briskly through the breezeway with only the soft rustle of his cassock and the sound of his footsteps to keep him company. Morning rays of sunlight filtered through the arched windows along the corridor, suspending dust particles in the warm light. A change of season from winter to spring always lifted his spirits.
Movement from the cemetery below caught his eye. He stopped for a look. Squinting into the light, the priest grinned at the sight of Christian and Raven in each other's arms. The moment of deja vu gave him a feeling of contentment. Everything had come full circle.
He was pleased to see Christian standing in the light of day. The significance of this was not missed on him. Death no longer haunted his new friend. A woman's love reflected in his eyes now.
"You've awakened the voice of your heart, Christian. Perhaps in her eyes, you'll find the peace you've been looking for. I hope so, my friend."
Eager to share the significance of this day with his friends, he turned to leave. But the sight of two strangers compelled him to stop. An elegantly dressed man in a long, dark coat stood in the tree line along the wrought-iron fence. A stunning young Asian woman stood by his side. Her face looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. A feeling of dread slowly crept into his mind, tainting his optimism.
After his unfounded misgivings about Christian, he should have dismissed the silly notion about these strangers. But the man and woman held his attention with their peculiar behavior. Intent on only one thing, they stood along the periphery of the cemetery, with eyes fixed on Christian and Raven. They had no interest in any of the headstones, nor did they hold any tokens of remembrance in their hands. And their eyes had not wavered. They continued to stare at the lovers. He furrowed his brow, then breathed a sigh.
"Not very charitable, Antonio." He shook his head, chastising himself as he turned from the window. Had he not learned a thing about standing in judgment of another human being?
Jasmine's gaze drifted toward the man by her side. Staring beyond the shadows, Nicholas stood with his hands in the pocket of his overcoat. His jaw flinched in controlled anger.
"And how did you know he would be here today?" His voice lacked emotion, but Jasmine knew otherwise.
"The birth date on the tombstone for John Delacorte. I suspected Christian might pay his respects to the man who—" She cut herself short, unsure how he would take her presumption. "Today is the man's birthday."
"You know I am not pleased that you kept this little bit of information from me—the fact that I have a son."
Slowly, his eyes found hers. Normally, his expression disclosed nothing of his true nature, but today, he allowed an unbridled contempt to rise to the surface. His look of disdain shot through her like a deadly jolt of electricity.
She swallowed, fighting against the lump in her throat. In all the years she had known him, Jasmine had denied her affection and dependence on a man as ruthless as her Nicky. But perhaps deep in her mind she knew this day would come—when she could no longer deny the love she felt for him. Love meant vulnerability, a weakness she could not afford.
"I was concerned for you, actually," she postured.
Her bold move captured his complete focus.
"Oh?" His glare was tinged with curiosity. "How so?"
"Such sentimentality is beneath you, Nicky." She hoped her curt remark would be enough explanation. Jasmine stared straight ahead, avoiding his eyes.
Slowly, he raised his chin and returned his attention to the sight of Christian leaving the cemetery with the police detective, heading for the chapel.
"You may be right," he agreed. Jasmine ventured a look, catching the subtleties of his smile. But Nicky was not done. "I would never be suitable father material, but I resent the implication that Fiona concurred. She never allowed me to come to my own conclusions on the subject. And that, my dear, is inexcusable."
Jasmine's worst fear was realized; Nicholas would not let this go.
Calmly, she slid her arm into his. Ever the gentleman, he allowed the gesture. He escorted her back to his limousine parked on the street.
"What will you do, Nicky?" She found herself holding her breath.
"Revenge is an act of passion, Mantis." A haunting laughter rolled from his chest. "And as you know, I am a very passionate man."
Jasmine knew exactly what he meant.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For me, this book focused on family—a foundation we all share in one fashion or another. My grandfather Ignacio was the historian and writer in my family. I sometimes feel him with me guiding my hand, particularly with this story. But I feel others too. My grandmothers, Pearl and Hortense, both had green eyes like mine that sparkled with good humor. And according to my dad, he will always love me more than I love him. To him, home is wherever he's at. Can't argue with that. The latest news is that my mom has her own version of e-mail that's faster than bandwidth. It's called t-mail. She invented it. We're still working out the bugs. It seems that whatever news goes in, turns into something else by the time it's delivered via a quick phone call from her, but at least it happens fast. And don't get me started about the rest of my fam-damily. My zany relatives up north have taught me there's no subject matter off limits when it comes to poking fun. Believe me, we have tested the boundaries of good taste. And my sibs—Ed, Ignacio, Debbie, and Denise—had shaped my world growing up. One thing I can say with certainty: If I was bad, it was always their fault. If they think otherwise, let them write their own book. Simply put, we are all products of our life's experiences and those who have come before. Our own piece of immortality—or justification. And despite what I have previously stated, I feel blessed in that regard. You can quote me.