We stand there, past and present curling around us like smoke. I remember being sixteen, when we would steal kisses in the shadows behind the house, the rush of sweetness and danger tangled together. I also remember waking up to find that his father had shipped him off to Sao Paulo. The man always showed a hatred toward me, and I did wonder back then if he knew of our hook ups and if that was the reason he sent Pedro away.
“Pedro, why are you back here?”
He hesitates. “There’s been some trouble. The Marins. They’re making a move on Gabriel’s holdings in Leblon. They say your father’s empire is rotting from the inside.”
“Huh. He has never mentioned it, neither has Enrico.”
“I think he’s been keeping you in the dark until he ensured you were back in the fold. I think he considered that you would take sides, and it wouldn’t be his.”
Interesting, but he’s not wrong. I actually don’t give a shit what happens here. It’s not my problem, but it makes me sad for Pedro that he has never escaped this life. The sun finally starts to dip below the edge of the world, leaving the sky a soft lavender bruised with rose. I focus on the spot where the sun was, contemplating just packing up and going home.
“You okay?” Pedro asks, touching my arm gently.
I look at him and see the concern in his eyes. Aside from Lucas, I can’t think of anyone else who gives a fuck about me.
“I’m good. Listen, I’ve got to get back for dinner with my father.”
“Come on, I’ll walk you back up.”
“How sweet of you,” I joke, and he play punches me in the arm. We walk leisurely back up to the house and Pedro catches me up on his life. He has a partner at home and is happy. His father died two years ago and it set him free to live his life. Nobody knows he is with a man, as this is not the most welcoming workplace for anyone not in the heterosexual category. But he’s happy and I’m happy for him.
22
SIMON
T he sun has now set, as I stand here leaning against the balcony rail adjacent to my room, and I watch the well lit gardens
below. The night air is heavy and humid, along with a strong smell of the flowers that adorn the huge landscape.
Somewhere in the distance, I can faintly hear the murmur of a running fountain, too peaceful for a house like this.
Behind me, Lucas stands, leaning against the open balcony doors, looking like a statue carved out of stone. He’s a quiet guy that speaks with purpose, but I’ve noticed how devoted he is to Carlos. How familiar they are.
“How long have you known Carlos?” I ask. Lucas glances sideways to look at me before focusing back on the gardens.
“Since we were kids, maybe sixteen years old? That's when my father joined Gabriel's guards, so it was natural I became friends with Carlos to then work alongside them too.”
“What is Gabriel like?”
Lucas hesitates before stepping closer and talking in a low voice.
“Gabriel doesn’t yell, he speaks once and people move. You make a mistake or cross him and people disappear.”
“He certainly has a presence.”
“Just be aware around him. Gabriel is charming but calculating. He smiles like an angel, but thinks like a butcher when it comes to his family. To his work. There is nothing he wouldn’t do.”
“What about Carlos? Is he like his father? Has he always been like he is?”
Lucas frowns at my question, contemplating how to answer.
“Carlos is different in some ways. He never wanted the life Gabriel carved out for him. He’s always resisted control, but needed to have it over others. He wanted out, to be his own man. But Gabriel…he doesn’t let go of what he owns. Not people. Not blood, and certainly not his heir. You could say that's where Carlos is like his father. Obsessive and possessive. Ruthless. If I'm honest, I’m surprised Carlos risked coming back here.”
I let out a long breath, unsurprised by what Lucas has told me. I know Carlos is a complex guy. While sexy as hell and commanding in all parts of his life, there is a darkness that surrounds him. It's easy for me to spot when I live with a house full of crazed men with not a normal human emotion between them. But that appeals to me rather than repel.
“This place is weird. I didn’t know what to expect, but it's like being on a movie set. It's beautiful and extravagant, but at the same time, I feel like I’m in a graveyard. Haunting and tense.”
“It is like that. This house is built from the bones of dead men. It's the nature of the business.”
