The Texas Renegade Returns

A promise from Alex del Toro?

Maybe someone had some swampland in Florida to sell her, too.

* * *

Cara’s eyes closed as she took her first bite of shrimp scampi. The shrimp and the linguini were perfectly cooked. Garlic and olive oil made everything better. The evening was perfect, right down to the best pairing of wine to accompany the meal and the pink-gold blaze of light setting over the river.

Leave it to Alex to make it all so memorable...even the second time around. But there wouldn’t be any offering of engagement rings or talk of happily-ever-afters tonight.

“It’s delicious,” she said.

She waited for Alex to say something pertinent. He had explaining to do. But instead, his gaze flowed over her like warm honey, shifting from her hair to her mouth. Cara squirmed in her chair, aware of his eyes on her. If only she hadn’t agreed to come here with him.

Was he remembering the last time they’d made love? Was he remembering how she’d seduced him, practically in his sickbed, the day after he was released from hospital? Fools in love do stupid things. She’d actually thought getting naked with him in his home would rocket from his groin to his brain and he’d remember her.

She closed her eyes and banished the memory.

“What is it, Cara?”

“Nothing.” Everything. “Alex, you brought me here to explain. I haven’t heard any explaining yet.”

He set his wineglass down. “Where should I begin?”

“You lied to everyone in Maverick County. That’s a start.”

He began nodding. “Okay, okay. You’re right. It all started with my father.”

“The king of Del Toro Oil.”

“Yes, he’s the president and owner. He built his company from the ground up. When we were children, he worked long hours and there were days my sister and I never saw him. He’s a man who wanted greatness, but he always wanted to protect his family. When Gabriella and I were kids, my mother...my m-mother was kidnapped as a result of his huge success and wealth. She was held for ransom. It all went badly and she was killed.”

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry.” How awful. Her heart ached for the little boy who’d lost his mother in such a violent way. “How old were you when it happened?”

“Eight, and Gabriella was just four.”

As harsh as it was, it only cemented her feelings about Alex. A fiancée should’ve known about her future husband’s hardships as a child. She should’ve known about his family, but Alex had hidden his past from her. He wasn’t the man she’d fallen in love with. She didn’t know this Alex at all.

“My father was obviously distraught over my mother’s death. After that incident, he hired bodyguards for my sister and me. We went nowhere without protection. Mexico City can be a dangerous place, especially if you’re the child of a wealthy, powerful man. Finally, when I was older and working exclusively for Del Toro Oil, I convinced my father to let me keep an apartment in Mexico City. I always felt like I was being watched, though my father would deny it. Then one day, he approached me about his plan to gather information about Windsor Energy. I would live in Maverick County and become an entirely different person. To come to America and pose as Alex Santiago, a business tycoon. I saw it as an adventure and my chance to rid myself of the danger in Mexico and finally be free. No one here in the U.S. would know I was Alejandro del Toro, Rodrigo’s son.

“To my father, loyalty is everything. He was giving me this chance to prove myself in his eyes. He was pleased when I agreed.”

“And over two years ago, you came and settled here.”

“Yes, I became Alex Santiago.”

“You ingratiated yourself into West Texas society. You were embraced by your neighbors. You were invited to join the Texas Cattleman’s Club.”

“I made friends, yes. Good friends. I made money here, on my own, and then...then I met you, Cara. And everything changed.”

Her heart wanted to hear what he had to say, but her brain scolded her for listening.

“How? How did it change? You knew I worked for my father. I’m the director of marketing for Windsor. The only change that I could see is that I gave you the outlet to find out more information. You dated me for months and pretended to care about me.”

It was love at first sight. She’d never believed it possible, but the moment she’d laid eyes on this tall, brown and handsome man—the second she heard the deep, rich timbre of his voice at a function at the Texas Cattleman’s Club—Cara was done for. She’d been seeing Chance McDaniel at the time, and she broke it off instantly to be with Alex.

“I do care about you. I always have. When I met you, yes, I’ll admit I thought it would make my task easier to get close to you. But if you think back and remember, I didn’t ask anything of you, my love. I never questioned you about the company.”

“You didn’t have to. I was pretty good at coughing up information. I’d tell you all about my day, the ups and downs. How the company was faring against our competition and what I was doing about it. I’d tell you my strategies for marketing and get your opinion.”

Bile rose in her throat. She hated that she’d been so naive with him. She hated that she’d been played for a sucker. Rehashing it all put a sour taste in her mouth. She pushed her plate away, fighting the burn behind her eyes. Her pride kept her tears well hidden. Crying was the last thing she wanted to do in front of Alex. His betrayal crushed her like a tiny ant under his Italian loafers.

“I can’t make up for the past, for the decisions I’ve made. But Cara, once I realized how important you were to me, I was through with the charade. Right after we were engaged, I’d planned on convincing my father not to go after Windsor Energy.”

Her shoulders stiffened. “Am I really supposed to believe that?”

“Yes, you are. Because the truth comes straight from my heart.”

Cara glanced away, over the candlelight and past the roses, out into the dusky night sky. Gurgling waters lapping over jutting rocks filled the silence. It was so peaceful here. At any other time, she’d be happy to be here. This was her favorite spot on earth.

“Cara, look at me.”

Her gaze shifted to his face. Alex by candlelight was something to see. Her life could’ve been so perfect.

“Soon after we got engaged, I was driving home late one night. I had a surprise for you waiting at my house. It had just been delivered and I was going to pick it up and bring it to you.”

She swallowed. Under the table, her hand went to her tummy.

“But I never made it to your house. While I was driving I noticed someone tailgating me. I drove faster to lose him. But he sped up, too, and continued to hug my tail. From what I could tell, there were three big men in the car. The next thing I know, they’re pulling up beside me and ramming my car. I was jolted from the sideswipe and realized these guys meant business. My car skidded off the road. I hung on to the steering wheel and tried to maneuver the car back onto the highway, but the driver never let up. Their SUV swiped my car again, staying neck and neck with me, until finally I couldn’t outmaneuver them. I remember the crash. My car almost hit a tree and then I went spiraling down an embankment. The air bag deployed and protected me. A second later, I was yanked out of the car and beaten until I passed out.”

The scene played out in her mind. She didn’t need to hear all the details to know it must’ve been horrendous for him. “Alex?”

He began nodding. “It’s all true, Cara. I must’ve been drugged, because when I woke up I was in an abandoned house. There was nothing around, no furniture, no food. I was groggy and disoriented, but I remember the stench of that place as if it was yesterday. I didn’t know exactly where I was, but I knew I wasn’t in America. My attackers left me there. I don’t know if they planned on coming back to kill me or not, but I wasn’t going to stick around to find out. I couldn’t figure out why I’d been abducted but it seemed as though somebody paid them to rough me up and get me out of town.”

Cara let that information sink in. Nothing was as it seemed with Alex, but he’d gone through a horrible ordeal. She believed that much. He wasn’t that good an actor. Something in his eyes spoke of genuine fear. “This is all so bizarre, Alex. You could have been killed.”

He nodded. “I didn’t know who to trust. I got out of there pronto. I found out I was in Tijuana. I used my gold watch to buy my way on a truck smuggling immigrant workers into the U.S. They packed a bunch of us inside and I tried my best to blend in with them. I’m Mexican, after all. I didn’t look like a millionaire, and though some workers eyed me with suspicion, I kept my head down and pretended not to notice.”

“You took a big chance with your life.”

“I had no choice. I had to get outta there.”

The truck Alex had been traveling in was sideswiped by a car and had careened onto its side. A dozen migrant workers had spilled out onto the road, Alex included. She’d heard it was an awful scene and there was a lot of confusion. A paramedic who’d showed up at the wreck recognized Alex, which was a good thing because the blows to his head during the accident stole his memory.

Alex took a few bites of his food while Cara sat silently, picturing what he’d gone through and wondering about this man who at one point she’d thought she’d known so well.

“When you left town, people started speculating about your disappearance. Chance was suspected of having something to do with it. I left him for you. Dropped him like a hot potato, and some believed Chance was insanely jealous. I never believed that for a second, but it looked suspicious to those who knew us.”

“Chance’s name needs to be cleared. I plan to get to the bottom of it. Chance is in love with my sister and they deserve a clean start. Someone had me shanghaied and I’m going to find out who it was.”

Cara sighed as her guard came down a little. She never wished Alex any harm. She still didn’t, but his abduction had little to do with her. It didn’t make up for the fact that he’d betrayed her. “After all you’ve told me, it’s a miracle that you made it home in one piece.”

“I almost didn’t. It was a stroke of luck that Piper was the paramedic on the scene and recognized me. I didn’t know who she was. Hell, I didn’t know who anyone was, but I’m grateful that she took charge and made sure I got the medical care I needed.”

“And now you know who you are. So what’s next?”

“I try to make amends with everyone I hurt. I try to pick up the pieces.”

A waiter in tuxedo tails and white gloves took their plates away. Another waiter came by to scrape crumbs off the table and replace the cutlery.

“I want to move past this, Cara.”

Easy for him to say.

“I’m asking only one thing from you.”

Coffee was poured from a silver pot and domed dessert dishes were placed on the table, one for her, one for Alex. On Alex’s nod, the waiter walked away, leaving them alone. Cara didn’t want dessert. She didn’t want to be here with Alex. Memories rushed in and carved out another slice of her heart.

Alex leaned over the table to pick up the dome and reveal her dessert. Her eyes lowered to a square wedge of rich chocolate brownie garnished with fresh whole raspberry mounds.

My favorite.

This time white frosting written on the dessert didn’t ask, Marry Me? like before. But at this point in her life, the question scribed on the brownie meant almost as much: Another Chance?

Her lips quivered. She put her head down.

Alex reached over the table to take her hand, and the melting force of his warmth wasn’t something she could fend off right now. “Before you say anything, remember how much we loved each other. Remember the happiness. And laughter. Cara, do you remember how we celebrated our engagement after I put the ring on your finger?”

Cara’s lips lifted as her gaze shifted toward the river. How could she forget? It was one of those memories that would stay with her until her days on earth were numbered. It was a memory she wouldn’t share with another soul. A snapshot moment she would always cherish.

With moonlight guiding them and hands entwined, they’d christened the quiet waters with their naked bodies, diving into the river and coming up with big grins, the heat of their love cloaking them from frigid temperatures. They’d splashed around, silly with joy, and laughed until their bellies ached.

“I remember,” Cara said, her voice sounding whimsical to her ears. “It was the best.”

“Yes, it was.”

Their eyes locked and they stared at each other. But Cara wasn’t going to be a fool again. Sweet memories only made the loss of their love harder to bear. It only reminded her of what could have been if Alex hadn’t been deceitful. His little plan had backfired. She couldn’t eat the brownie or stay here another second. She wasn’t in the mood for decadence. She wasn’t in the mood for forgiveness. Cara released his hand and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Alex. I can’t give you what you want tonight.”

His mouth puckered as he nodded. “I understand.”

Do you really? She doubted he knew how much pain he’d caused.

“Will you take me home now?”

“Of course.”

He rounded the table and pulled out her chair. As she stood, he took her hand. Steady on her feet, she looked into his eyes. They could be cold at times, like when Alex was determined to close a big deal, and she’d always wondered about his drive and determination. Now she knew exactly where those traits had come from. He was his father’s son. Any man who’d send his only son to another country to assume a false persona and spy on a rival had to be ruthless. But in Alex’s eyes tonight, she found only warmth and apology. He wasn’t happy with her decision to leave so early, but true to his promise, he agreed to take her home.

Kudos to Alex.

She’d give him that much. But the one thing she wouldn’t give him, the one thing she wasn’t ready to share with him, could very well change everything between them.

Cara carried his child.

Two

Cara entered her cottage on Windsor Farms and tossed her purse down on the sofa. Her hand touched her stomach reflectively. Turmoil wasn’t good for the baby. And she’d certainly had that today with Alex showing up at her office. Was it seeing Alex and hearing about his kidnapping that churned inside her? Or was it a case of morning sickness hitting her in the evening? She didn’t know. She’d never been pregnant before.

How could she label the queasiness that gripped her stomach?

The history on her computer screen would alert anyone checking that she’d been boning up on symptoms of pregnancy. Only a short while ago she’d discovered she was carrying Alex’s child and since then, she’d kept her eyes and ears open to anyone who mentioned “baby.”

Leaning against the top of the sofa with one hand, she spread her fingers wide across her belly with the other. According to her cell phone app, the baby was the size of a strawberry. That put a smile on her face. Imagine that? Protective instincts kicked in for her little strawberry and her tummy gushed with warmth. She’d do anything to keep her child safe, including keeping him away from his father until she was certain she knew what kind of man Alex del Toro really was.

Right now, she hadn’t a clue. His touch still did things to her. He wasn’t a man she could easily forget. She sent a quick glance heavenward. “Thank you,” she remarked to the love gods. Alex hadn’t tried to kiss her tonight.

“Darn him,” she mumbled. Had she secretly wanted him to kiss her?

She exited the living room and strode down the hallway that led to her bedroom. As she passed her workout room, she shook her head. “Nuh-uh.” Her limbs felt like Jell-O. She didn’t have the energy for her regular stair-climb program. She continued down the hall, passing the guest bathroom, certain now that her tummy was beginning to settle and she wouldn’t be making a quick trip to the toilet to purge her meal.

She reached her bedroom and wiggled off her heels, slipped out of her blazer, blouse and then unzipped her skirt and shimmied out of it. She pulled on a comfy gray sweat suit she’d lived in since her college days at USC, then barefooted her way to the kitchen. She hadn’t had much to eat today. Period. What to Expect When You’re Expecting didn’t have to tell her the baby needed nourishment.

She knew she needed to eat, but the problem of her Alex-or-baby-induced queasiness was the issue.

She clicked on the light and blinked against the brightness. White cabinets and stainless-steel appliances wowed her. Her state-of-the-art kitchen kicked culinary butt and put a glow into her heart. She’d had the place overhauled to fit her lifestyle. Her four-bedroom cottage on the hills of her father’s land at Windsor Farms had gone from country to contemporary after an extensive overhaul.

She loved walking in here. Almost as much as she loved comfort food, but sweet-potato fries, mac and cheese or double-nut chocolate ice cream weren’t on her agenda today. She was in baby mode and didn’t mind the sacrifice.

Opening her fridge, she pulled out a bowl of fresh-cut berries. She dumped them into her Cuisinart along with a banana, added two dollops of plain yogurt and a few ice cubes, then pushed the puree button. She got an earful of grinding noise and then the machine purred while whipping it all together. Voilà, the perfect smoothie was born. She poured herself a tall glass and took a big swallow. Icy chills raced straight up to her brain. “Oh.”

Once her brain thawed, she took another sip and actually tasted it this time. Delicious! And just what the doctor ordered. There was no rebellion from her tummy, no nausea. A quiet hum coursed through her body. She’d done a good job of mothering tonight. Baby came first. She could get used to smoothies for dinner.

She brought the smoothie with her as she walked into the living room and plopped down on the sofa. Under her, cushions of chocolate leather creaked with newness. Aside from the updated kitchen, the living room was her second-favorite place in the cottage. She closed her eyes and guzzled down the rest of her smoothie.

Briiiing, briiing. She had the only cell phone in the world that rang with an ordinary ring. She didn’t want to think about what that said about her. Reaching into her purse, she grabbed her phone and answered on the second ring. “Hello.”

“Hi, Cara. It’s me, Gabriella. I hope you don’t mind me calling this late.”

“Hi, Gabriella. I don’t mind at all. I’m up.” Cara stared blankly at the remnants of her fruit smoothie riding up the sides of the glass sitting on the cocktail table.

“That’s good. Are...are you alone?”

There was so much hope in her voice, Cara hated shooting Alex’s sister down. “Yes. I’m alone.”

“Oh,” she said. Then there was silence on the other end.

Had Alex told Gabriella about his plans to hijack her from the office today? “Alex still doesn’t know about the baby. I didn’t tell him.”

“I, uh, I understand. Alex said he had something special planned for you tonight, but that’s all I could get out of him.”

“I’m sorry, Gabriella. I know he’s your brother and that you’re concerned about him, but I can’t tell him about the baby right now.”

“Cara, I—I want you to know I’m not pressuring you. I’m very excited about my niece or nephew and, well, I’m so happy now. More than I ever thought possible. I’m so deeply in love with Chance that I want to see everyone happy, especially you and my brother.”

“Oh, Gabriella, I wish things were different, but the facts will never change. You know how complicated it is between Alex and me. What he did to me, the way he betrayed me...”

Gabriella’s voice lowered to a whisper. “It’s unforgivable. Sí, I know. If it wasn’t for the innocent child you carry, I would understand if you never forgave him. But he’s my brother. And you’re my friend. With the baby on the way...it should be a happy time for both of you.”

“You’re a good sister, Gabriella. And a good friend to me.”

Gabriella’s friendship was important to Cara, and they were becoming closer each day. Though no two people could’ve started out any rockier. Gabriella had walked in on Cara crying on Chance’s shoulder when she’d found out she was pregnant with Alex’s child. Cara had thought herself the biggest fool for sleeping with him right after he was released from the hospital and right before his true identity was revealed to the world. Twice she’d been fooled.

Gabriella found Cara in Chance’s comforting arms and assumed the rancher she’d come to love was playing with her heart. She’d run off and Chance had to do some fast talking to convince Gabriella he wasn’t still in love with Cara.

Only Gabriella and Chance knew about her pregnancy.

“That means a great deal to me, Cara. I want so much for us to be good friends and I thank you for your trust in me.”

Trust she didn’t dare give to Gabriella’s brother. “I know you had no part in the deception. You explained it all to me.”

“Sí. I am angry with my papa. He kept me in the dark about Alejandro. He never told me my brother lived under an assumed name. He never told me what my brother planned to do, only that business took him away from Mexico.” Gabriella’s voice trembled. “Alejandro almost died, though. It is hard for me to stay angry with my brother.”

Cara saw her point. “We can be friends, Gabriella. We won’t let Alex come between us. If you forgive him, it won’t change our friendship. I am grateful to have you to talk to now that you are with Chance.”

“My papa is not happy I have moved into Chance’s home. He feels like he has lost control. And he worries. I have been sheltered most of my life, but now I have grown up. I have a good man. I will not let him go.”

“Chance is a good man. And he’s lucky to have you, Gabriella. I wasn’t the right woman for Chance, but you are.”

“He had nothing to do with Alejandro’s kidnapping.”

Cara pictured Gabriella as a four-year old child growing up without her mother. How sad for her. How devastating for the whole family to lose a woman they all loved to murdering kidnappers. She understood why Gabriella couldn’t stay angry with her brother. Learning of his disappearance had to rekindle horrible memories for her. “I’d bet my life on it. Chance isn’t made that way.”

Gabriella’s sigh of relief carried over the phone line. “I’m glad you believe it.”

“Will you promise to keep my secret a little longer, Gabriella? I know it’s asking a lot of you, but...I’m not ready to—”

“I understand. When I lost faith in Chance, I didn’t know where to turn or what to do. Time will help you decide. We will keep your secret. Chance and I... We will not betray you.”

That made her the only del Toro who wouldn’t. Cara didn’t hold Gabriella’s bloodlines against her though.

“And remember, I am here, whenever you need me.”

“Thank you, Gabriella.”

The conversation ended, and Cara clicked off her phone. Tonight, Alex had revealed to her that he’d regained most of his memory and, on the drive home, he’d asked for her promise to keep it a secret. If he believed it would help him clear Chance’s name and find out who’d had him kidnapped, Cara wasn’t going to stand in his way.

It was one more secret to keep.

A quiet sigh blew from her lips. If only she’d fallen head over heels in love with Chance McDaniel. Life with him was easier. He was a good, honest, simple man.

Unfortunately, only Alex del Toro put butterflies in her stomach. Among other things. It was getting crowded in there. Butterflies and babies.

Cara laid her hand over her plank-board belly where a little strawberry grew.

And a teeny-weeny smile emerged.

* * *

“You know, your sister is a much better rider than you are,” Chance McDaniel said over his shoulder.

Alex nudged his horse, and the mare caught up to Chance’s mount as they traveled the McDaniel land, far into the hills. “That’s because while she was out learning French and English and taking riding lessons on our land with only the best horsemen in all of Mexico, I was busy learning the family business.”