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For a moment, he didn’t speak as a storm of emotions stirred in his eyes. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stared at the trees as though remembering something dark.

“You don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready.” I touched his arm gently.

His eyes bore into mine. “If I weren’t ready, I wouldn’t have brought you here.” He ran a hand down my cheek, and heat soared in me. “Besides the groundskeepers, no one has been here but me.”

“What about your grandma?”

He shook his head. “She knew that I’d bought the house and had it updated, butshe hasn’t been here since she left Brazil.”

Love overflowed in me.

He let out a slow sigh. “Each of those trees represents a man who was involved in my father’s death. I’ll plant the third tree when the third person is dead.”

I furrowed my brows, not truly understanding what he said. People usually planted a tree as a remembrance of a loved one. Didn’t he hate his father’s killers?

“I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t plant those trees to commemorate them. That would be blasphemy. Witheach man’s death, I gained closure. With every ending, there’s a new beginning. The fruit tree was the beginning for me. The fruit is delivered to the BaMBu center, and my employees include them with other food and supplies that go to the local shelters.”

“You’re feeding the needy. That’s a beautiful gesture, Forrest.”

“I can’t let this fruit go to waste.”

I felt honored standing beside him. “Do you know that you’re the essence of your name?”

“Explain.” He flicked something off my bucket hat.

“A forest provides a lot to the Earth. It’s the home to animals and plants. It provides oxygen and keeps the natural cycle of life going.” I didn’t know why, but emotions surged through me. Tears rolled down my face as I choked, “It’s a giftto the world—a gift to me.”

“Oh, baby.” He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight.“The beautiful way you see me has the power to heal the devil.”

“Can you tell me what happened to your father?”

He led me to the stone bench with a carpet of gorgeous moss. Pretty flowers dotted the surroundings, along with rocks and exotic shrubberies. I kicked off my boots and socks, then stepped onto the soft vibrant green moss that made my feet sigh. I loved the way it kissed my bare feet.

“Sit here with me.” I patted the spot next to me.

He also kicked off his boots and socks, sitting beside me. Like kids, we wiggled our toes into the moss.

“Three thugs dealing drugs framed my father. My parents were harmless and hardworking citizens. They loved nature and offered free herbal treatments to schools, and in exchange I got to learn English for free as a kid.”

He told me how a rival gang member from the Anacondas had hidden drugs in his dad’s groceries. There were several local gangs trying to dominate the drug business in the small towns. His dad had been a victim of those rival wars.

“They refused my dad’s explanation and shot him. I’ll never forget that day. Those men were monsters. They changed my life. The people feared the Anacondas because they were ruthless. As I grew up, I searched for them.” He turned and met my gaze. “I made them pay.”

My breath hitched as the meaning of this admission swirled in my mind. I understood what pushed him to that level.

His gaze never left mine, as though he wanted to know my reaction. “The areas where they once ruled are now thriving. The local government saw how I’d improved the community, and they supported my business expansion, which provided jobs and affordable health centers.”

“Why didn’t the authorities do anything back then?” I asked.

A flash of temper lit his eyes. “Money is power. There’s corruption everywhere—even in the States. If you know the right people and pay the right amount of money, they can look the other way. They won’t care what happens to the citizens.”

My stomach clutched. I knew what he was doing—revealing all the shadowy parts of him to me. Not only was I not afraid, I admired his courage, persistence, and his heart. He was a brilliant billionaire, but more than that, he had a good heart. An intelligent man without a heart is nothing but an empty shell, with nothing on the inside.

I stared at him for a while, remembering what he’d told me prior to making the trip.So I need you to know the true Forrest Navarro.This was a man eradicating evil so people could live without fear. I loved him more for it.

“You said there were three men. Where’s the third?”