AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think we’d better head straight to the castillo, don’t you?”
“Are we running late?” she asked, her voice a little breathless.
“No, but we will be if we stay here a moment longer.”
Color and warmth flood her face. She hadn’t been wrong about that look in his eyes. His comment was the closest he’d come to breaching his word, after that last time she’d allowed things to get out of control.
Rina forced her lips into a smile. “We’d better get along then, hadn’t we?”
The journey in Rey’s car was short and as they approached the ancient fortress, Rina was struck by the idea that a single family could have called the bastion home for so many generations. It spoke to a permanence and durability she had little concept of. As a family, they must have toiled long and hard to continue their hold on the building and the land surrounding it over the past many centuries. It spoke to a tenacity and sense of unity quite rare in a modern world.
“This is quite some home,” she commented as they drove in through the gate set in the outer walls.
“Impressive, isn’t it?”
“I don’t think impressive is quite the word,” she answered, awestruck by the floodlit battlements.
She heard Rey’s low chuckle beside her. “It has that effect on people.”
“You must be incredibly proud of your lineage.”
He gave a sharp nod. “Sí, we all are. We would do anything to protect what is ours. Anything.”
Rina felt a frisson of caution run down her spine. Was it her imagination or was there an implied warning in Rey’s words? Instantly thereafter he flashed her an engaging smile, sending her worries to the back of her mind.
“Come. If you think the exterior is daunting, just wait until you see inside.”
Rey came around to the passenger side of the car and opened her door before taking her hand and helping her from the low-slung vehicle. She was grateful for his steadiness. The black patent leather heels she’d chosen from Sara’s shoes were higher than she usually wore, bringing her almost eye level with Rey’s hazel gaze. He placed his hand gently at the small of her back. From the heat he radiated she could almost imagine the imprint of his fanned fingers upon her skin.
He guided her up the stairs that led to the impressive front door to the castillo. They were opened as they approached. “Buenas noches, señorita, and Señor Reynard,” the liveried man at the door welcomed them. “Please, come in. The others are waiting in the salon.”
Rina’s eyes grew huge as she passed through the arched stone portal and into the flagstoned entrance hall. Rey was right. It was incredibly daunting. A massive wide staircase curved up one wall, the wall itself lined with gilt framed portraits. Even from this distance she could discern a strong family resemblance. Rey followed her gaze and murmured in her ear.
“I’m lucky, I take more after our mother’s side of the family.”
Rina laughed. “Lucky? I doubt your brothers would see it that way.”
They continued down a corridor toward another arched doorway. Inside she could hear the low murmur of conversation. As they entered the room, Loren rose from her seat and took Rina’s hands, reaching up to kiss her cheeks.
“I’m so glad you could come tonight. Now, we are a real family. Come and sit by me and you can tell me what you’ve been up to since we saw you last. I hear Rey has you enslaved in his office, of all things.”
A pang of guilt lanced through her at Loren’s words. A real family? It should be Sara here tonight, not her. Rina forced a smile to her lips and murmured something vague, allowing Loren to draw her over to the others.
Somehow she managed to make conversation, glossing over the time she’d spent helping Rey and letting him steer the conversation toward the changes they’d been discussing. This ignited a lively debate between Alex and Rey as he brought up the proposed changes at the resort. Eventually, Alex concurred with most of what had been suggested.
“So, you have hidden talents,” Alex said directly to Rina. “Maybe you should stay on in Rey’s office. Goodness knows he could do with a fresh take on things.”
