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CHAPTER FIVE
TWENTY-FOURHOURS.
HEHADNOplans to agree to that, of course.
But it bought him time without anticipating that she would do something foolish, like attempt to throw herself out of the SUV transporting them from the private airport to his estate. Or flee in the middle of the night.
She was extremely wealthy in her own right now, thanks to his purchase, and had the means to vanish if she so wished. Not without a trace, of course, because he simply wouldn’t allow that to happen. Not with his child in tow.
But a lot could happen in twenty-four hours. So he curbed his satisfied smile and watched from the corner of his eye as she tried to hide her awe at the surroundings.
Cardosia’s beauty was soul-stirring, and it wasn’t just because it was the country of his birth. As a young boy, he’d often wondered how cruelty could exist in such a magnificent place. As a man, he knew humanity’s brutality needed very little kindling to ignite.
Did such a kindling exist in him?
He pushed the chilling thought away and forced himself to look around too.
Cardosia rivalled its onshore neighbouring Argentina and Chile in dramatic soaring mountains, world-class wineries and thoroughbred horses royalty and billionaires vied for.
But there was one resource that set it apart on the world stage—Cardosia’s deep, priceless diamond mines. Cardosian diamonds were a rare deep purple not found anywhere else on earth. A resource that turned covetous eyes on his country.
That he had personally had a hand in elevating Cardosia’s standing was a source of inner pride. But that pride had been severely dented in the last decade, especially when that exposure had led to exploitation by his uncle, serving only to fatten the older man’s greed.
His smile dimmed at the reminder of why he needed to do better before his beloved homeland was decimated economically and ecologically to the point of no return.
Not just for him and his people, but for his unborn child.
She leaned forward to catch another view of yet another striking landmark and he took the opportunity to observe her closer. Her flawless profile. The curve of her breasts. Her flat belly where his child was resting and growing. And every last tinge of guilt melted away.
He was doing the right thing.
At the very least hisabuelawould be happy once he delivered the news. After years of her despairing quietly over him, he was returning with news that would win him mega points.
‘Unless you possess X-ray vision, I fail to see why you’re staring at my belly.’
His gaze shifted up to meet hers.
Despite her curt tone, her face was flushed and her breathing was a little elevated, no doubt at his blatant scrutiny of her body.
Seve restrained the wanton need prowling through him and shrugged. ‘I should warn you to prepare yourself for more of it,pequeña. My seed is growing inside you. I find that a singularly primal experience and I won’t apologise for revelling in it.’
A light quiver took hold of her bottom lip before she drew it between her teeth, making him stifle a groan. ‘I would never have taken you for the primitive type. My research said you’re an ultra-modern man who thrives on forward thinking, and yet here you are, talking like a Neanderthal.’
A smile curved his lips, surprising him. ‘I’m multi-dextrous in my thinking. I can be many things without losing who I am. And you really shouldn’t believe everything you read online.’
Any response was halted when their SUV drove through the tall Valente-crested iron gates guarding the entrance to his estate. Although she tried to feign boredom, her gaze swung left and right, taking in the tall cypress trees lining the long driveway, and the rolling pastures beyond, and in the far distance the beach where his yacht was moored.
She glanced to her left, her breath catching faintly when she spotted the horses grazing half a kilometre away.
Seve knew that were he to ask in that moment if she loved horses, she would’ve denied it, just to be contrary. But he made a mental note to introduce her to his favourite stallion.
He watched as she finally looked forward to the sprawling villa that was his favourite place on earth. The home he’d built for his grandmother after years of enforced estrangement by his parents, who’d forbidden hisabuelafrom seeing him because she’d had strong views of their shortcomings.
Seve was bitter about a lot of things regarding his childhood, but the deliberate shattering of his relationship with his grandmother would cut deep for ever.
The good thing was she was fully installed in his life now.
He held up a staying hand when his driver alighted and reached for Genie’s door. ‘Before we go in, there’s one thing we need to establish. My grandmother. She’s made of stern stuff but I still don’t want her to be upset by any of this. Whatever is happening between you and I stays between us. Is that understood?’
