Alejandro and his father shared a look that I couldn’t quite fathom but then they quickly changed the subject and started talking about the plans for the upcoming wedding of one of Alejandro’s cousins.
We lay in bed, my head on Alejandro’s chest and him tracing his fingertips up and down my arm. This was my favorite post-sex position, our warm bodies pressed together – his hard and mine soft, and nothing to do but fall asleep.
‘I had no idea you were raised by your grandparents,’ he said softly.
‘Well, why would you? I think we’ve already established you know very little about me, Mr. Montoya,’ I said as I ran my fingertips across the tattoos on his chest.
‘There’s nothing about that in any of your bios.’
‘You read my bios?’ I looked up at him and laughed softly.
‘Yes. I always research people I’m going into business with,’ he said with a flash of his eyebrows.
‘Well, your research into me was pretty shocking to say the least. Everyone knows those bios are a crock of shit.’
He ran his thumb across my lower lip, pulling it downwards so my mouth was open slightly. ‘Careful, princess,’ he warned. ‘So, why don’t you tell me what I’m missing then. Who is the real Alana Carmichael?’
I blinked at him. I wasn’t sure I wanted him to know. That would feel like the last of my defenses were gone. ‘Who do you think she is?’ I purred as I ran my hand down his chest towards his groin.
He grabbed my wrist, stopping me from going any further. ‘Stop trying to distract me with sex. Why did you live with your grandparents, and why is that a secret?’
‘It’s not a secret. Anyone who actually knows me or my family knows the truth. But living with my grandparents is just not something that my family advertise, that’s all. My dad is all about the importance of family so it was just better for his campaign not to mention it.’
Alejandro frowned at me. ‘You mean politically, he’s all about family?’
‘Not just politically,’ I snapped.
‘But, he sent you to live with your grandparents? Not to mention he …’ he shook his head and trailed off.
‘I loved living with my grandparents. They were the best,’ I said, feeling annoyed that I felt like I had to justify my childhood to him. ‘My mom and dad travelled a lot on the campaign trail. My grandparents were able to give me stability and security that travelling with my parents wouldn’t.’
‘That sounds suspiciously like a sound bite,’ he said.
‘It’s not a sound bite. It’s true,’ I insisted. ‘My grandma and grandpa were the best.’
He reached up his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. ‘You already said that. Besides, I’m not suggesting that they weren’t. I’m just shocked that your father bleats on about how family is so important to him, yet he dumps his only child on his parents.’
‘He didn’t dump me,’ I snapped. ‘It was for my own good.’
‘Yeah, you keep telling me that. But I don’t buy it.’
‘You’re an asshole,’ I said as I tried to push myself away from him but he held me tight.
‘You keep telling me that too. I don’t doubt that you had a great childhood and your grandparents loved you very much, but you said you never had any money either?’
‘I said we never hadmuchmoney. We had enough. Not everybody grows up in a gated mansion, Alejandro.’
‘I know that,’ he frowned. ‘But your parents have always had money.’
‘Not always. They’ve always created the illusion of having a lot of money, but when I was growing up, most of the money went on my father’s campaigns.’
He nodded as though something suddenly made sense to him. ‘Why are you so loyal to a man who would give you away – twice?’
‘He didn’t give me away!’ I snapped. Why was he being so cruel? ‘He had no choice.’
‘Is that what he told you?’ he scowled at me.
‘Isn’t that true?’ I hissed.