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Cas didn’t answer at first, navigating the car around the twists and turns leading to the secure carpark under Anna’s building before parking in the allocated place. The engine died, and he didn’t move.

“Maha’s the best of us. I don’t ever want her to be hurt. And that’s craziness talking, because she’s been hurt in the past and will be hurt in the future. That’s life. But if she lets herself love Antonio, it will be with her whole heart and soul. She deserves to be given the same. No shadows lurking in corners.”

“You love family, kids. Why aren’t you married Casildo?”

“A misspent youth.”

And the woman who claimed to be carrying my child lied to me.

He’d doubted the child was his. His relationship with Monique had been volatile. He’d made the mistake of thinking volatile equalled passionate, equalled monogamous. He’d taken precautions, but mistakes happened.

The dates worked.

Cas had been punch drunk, desperate to avoid a messy scandal that would shame his parents, and planning the wedding, when Maha and Hunt had locked Cas in a room and told him being honourable when the baby wasn’t his was lunacy. Monique had been seeing at least one other person at the pertinent time. Social media didn’t lie. The graphics were also explicit enough to identify some of Monique’s companions.

Prenatal DNA testing confirmed Cas wasn’t the father of Monique’s child.

A flaming argument, with him largely silent, exposed the ugly truth. Monique had seen his parents’ home and decided he was the better long-term breadwinner.

“What does a misspent youth mean?”

“Sometimes people are more interested in what my family has to offer than in me.”

And what idiot just confessed that?

“Are you saying you’ve had girlfriends who assumed you’d inherit that”—she gestured over her shoulder in the direction they’d come from—"and that was what attracted them to you?”

“That’s a blanket statement. But yeah, I’ve dated the odd woman or two who turned out to expect sparkly presents and exotic holidays.” Or a trust fund for her and her unborn child.

“I’d laugh, except you sound so serious. Are you saying all those women whose heads turn when you pass are interested in your bank balance?”

“Forget it.”

“You can’t seriously believe you’re only what your family has to offer?” She sounded dismayed.

“Once upon a time I did.”

Saying the words made Monique past tense. And that was a relief and a new shock. Kissing Beatriz changed everything. There was no turning back after he’d tasted Beatriz. After her warmth had burned through him. Beatriz was the perfect antidote to Monique’s double-dealing. The final stain from that time was the disappointment he’d seen in his father’s eyes, but he was working on fixing that.

“Past tense is good. You’re the attraction, Cas. You’ve got it all. Brains, body, and the emotional intelligence to see a woman as a person. I could list the number of women in our professional circle who’d love to date you. Dolly’s completely genuine, and she’d adore to be seen on your arm.”

“No disrespect to Dolly, but she must be twice my age.”

“But genuine.” She nudged him with her elbow.

“Why aren’t you married, or hooked up or involved or something?” He circled a finger in the air.

“Dad had an industrial accident after I joined TBR. His recovery was slow.” Her voice dropped lower. “To be honest, he’s still not completely recovered.”

Cas had the answer for why she’d disappeared from the scene for a while. And why she’d been more careful around people when she returned.

“I’m sorry. It hurts to discover your parents aren’t invincible.” He leaned across her to push open her door and caught a whiff of her delicious scent. Having her close helped to exorcise the sad memories that had joined them in the car. “Time to head upstairs. Want hot chocolate?”

“Your mother’s dessert was so rich I couldn’t even consider it.”

“Tea and a debrief?”

Beatriz cocked her head to one side. “Okay.”