his jaw flex, and I felt the muscles of his thighs once again tense as it contracted away from mine.
“Oh, I can see how it pains you. I’m delighted to see it,” she celebrated with a bright smile and a juvenile clap of her hands. She was giddy with her slow tease. I realized in the moment I’d never known her.
“Perla, do you know what this place is?” She asked with a gleam in her eye. I shook my head, ‘no’, glancing around the expansive room.
“This is Playa de Perlas. It’s your estate. He built this for you.” She said. I heard him clear his throat. I turned to look at him. His cheeks and neck reddened by mortification. I looked around once again for evidence of her revelation.
“No. There’s nothing about this place which reflects me.”
“You haven’t seen the entire place. You’ll see his master bedroom . . .” Aida exposed.
“What have you smoked to give you such a delusion, Aida?” He stated gruffly. Fury coated his face as he ground his fists on his knees.
“Well, this is your refuge . . . paradise in the home country of Perla’s mother. Didn’t you hope to bring her here once you conquered her heart after taking her away from my brother?”
He shook his head, gulping down his words.
“Aida, this is just a coincidence. Brady is a family friend from long ago. I’m sure this all means nothing.”
“If you think fifteen acres of prime beach property in a resort town is nothing or a coincidence, you are more gullible than I thought.”
The confusion in my face prompted her to laugh. When she contained herself, she continued to explain the history of Playa de Perlas.
“You see, he’s been building this place for years, for much longer than the plans to take over Parisi or Liberty, or even to build Pentagon. He bought this land many years ago for development. Once he planned to develop it for the two of you, he concocted his plan to win you away from Ben,” she informed. He went to jump her and with my whole body, I turned and held him down with both arms.
“It’s okay,” I said to him softly. After a few moments, seething while I repeated my consoling words, he looked at me and shut his eyes tight.
If Aida had been trying to humiliate him, she’d succeeded. A mixture of emotions went through me as I watched him. My memory raced back to when Brady was known to me as Shay. He was such a sweet young teenager, caring and attentive. Before me was a man battling with disgrace and submission when he only ever held power.
“He planned to present you this paradise when you accepted him as a lover. He was hoping to court you and whisk you away from poverty, but the doctor got in the way. You should see the texts and emails Brady wrote about him. I’m surprised he didn’t meet a terrible death . . . yet,” she concluded. I gasped, holding my hands to my mouth.
“No. I would never hurt Matt. He’s like my brother,” Brady assured, touching my shoulder. I recoiled. “Why would you believe her? She’s playing with us,” he whispered.
“The problem is Brady, you’ve been the one playing everyone, so why would any of us believe the truth coming from you. You’re a master manipulator. Your success is a great indication of the lengths you’d go.”
“Really, Perla. Don’t listen to her. She’s the one who faked her own death and kidnapped you. Her credibility is nil.”
“Playa de Perlas. What does it mean? Tony?”
“Pearl Beach,” Tony replied gruffly. I turned to him and he looked disinterested in being involved.
“Pearl? Perla? Doesn’t Perla mean Pearl?” She directed at me. I didn’t respond. “Doesn’t it!” It was more of a directive to answer than a question. I nodded. “Why would a man name this very pricey estate on the water Pearl Beach if he didn’t love a woman name Perla?” Her attention was still on me. “Why did you name this place as such, Brady?” He didn’t respond.
“It doesn’t matter. The question is, why are you here on my
“Oh, I can see how it pains you. I’m delighted to see it,” she celebrated with a bright smile and a juvenile clap of her hands. She was giddy with her slow tease. I realized in the moment I’d never known her.
“Perla, do you know what this place is?” She asked with a gleam in her eye. I shook my head, ‘no’, glancing around the expansive room.
“This is Playa de Perlas. It’s your estate. He built this for you.” She said. I heard him clear his throat. I turned to look at him. His cheeks and neck reddened by mortification. I looked around once again for evidence of her revelation.
“No. There’s nothing about this place which reflects me.”
“You haven’t seen the entire place. You’ll see his master bedroom . . .” Aida exposed.
“What have you smoked to give you such a delusion, Aida?” He stated gruffly. Fury coated his face as he ground his fists on his knees.
“Well, this is your refuge . . . paradise in the home country of Perla’s mother. Didn’t you hope to bring her here once you conquered her heart after taking her away from my brother?”
He shook his head, gulping down his words.
“Aida, this is just a coincidence. Brady is a family friend from long ago. I’m sure this all means nothing.”
“If you think fifteen acres of prime beach property in a resort town is nothing or a coincidence, you are more gullible than I thought.”
The confusion in my face prompted her to laugh. When she contained herself, she continued to explain the history of Playa de Perlas.
“You see, he’s been building this place for years, for much longer than the plans to take over Parisi or Liberty, or even to build Pentagon. He bought this land many years ago for development. Once he planned to develop it for the two of you, he concocted his plan to win you away from Ben,” she informed. He went to jump her and with my whole body, I turned and held him down with both arms.
“It’s okay,” I said to him softly. After a few moments, seething while I repeated my consoling words, he looked at me and shut his eyes tight.
If Aida had been trying to humiliate him, she’d succeeded. A mixture of emotions went through me as I watched him. My memory raced back to when Brady was known to me as Shay. He was such a sweet young teenager, caring and attentive. Before me was a man battling with disgrace and submission when he only ever held power.
“He planned to present you this paradise when you accepted him as a lover. He was hoping to court you and whisk you away from poverty, but the doctor got in the way. You should see the texts and emails Brady wrote about him. I’m surprised he didn’t meet a terrible death . . . yet,” she concluded. I gasped, holding my hands to my mouth.
“No. I would never hurt Matt. He’s like my brother,” Brady assured, touching my shoulder. I recoiled. “Why would you believe her? She’s playing with us,” he whispered.
“The problem is Brady, you’ve been the one playing everyone, so why would any of us believe the truth coming from you. You’re a master manipulator. Your success is a great indication of the lengths you’d go.”
“Really, Perla. Don’t listen to her. She’s the one who faked her own death and kidnapped you. Her credibility is nil.”
“Playa de Perlas. What does it mean? Tony?”
“Pearl Beach,” Tony replied gruffly. I turned to him and he looked disinterested in being involved.
“Pearl? Perla? Doesn’t Perla mean Pearl?” She directed at me. I didn’t respond. “Doesn’t it!” It was more of a directive to answer than a question. I nodded. “Why would a man name this very pricey estate on the water Pearl Beach if he didn’t love a woman name Perla?” Her attention was still on me. “Why did you name this place as such, Brady?” He didn’t respond.
“It doesn’t matter. The question is, why are you here on my
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