“More threats?”
“Common decency should be enough to convince you to better behavior, but it is not. Threats will have to suffice, but please remember. I never bluff.”
“I know you don’t.”
“Good.” Basilio took a firmer grip on his temper. Never before had he been moved to violence outside his time in the gym, where it was part of training his body. “You will sign a gag order, promising never to comment on the incident of five years ago again, other than to support the story that the Madison family in no way blames, or has ever blamed, Miranda Smith, née Weber, for the tragic but unavoidable accident. You will release a press announcement to that effect, as well.”
“No way. If I do that, people are going to start asking why. Someone is going to figure out that Tiffany lost track of Jamie.”
“Lost track of would imply she was watching him at all, and evidence is not in her favor.”
“I can’t let this destroy my family.”
“You were happy to destroy Miranda’s family.”
“We never attacked her father or grandparents.”
“Her father had to change schools from the place he’d worked most of his adult life. Her grandparents faced the jackal reporters you set on Miranda. None of this is negotiable, Carlos.”
“You know I prefer Carl.”
“That matters less than nothing in this moment, but let us be clear. I do not approve of the way you’ve divorced yourself from our father by taking the name of your stepfather and Americanizing your name. I find your attitude to family and honor contemptible.”
Carlos flinched as if struck. “I’m your older brother. It is not your job to correct me.”
“Someone needs to. Had you and Gracia been allowed to spend time regularly with our father, instead of being raised in America by your mother and stepfather exclusively, perhaps you would not be so entitled and lacking in character.”
“You don’t need to be so offensive. Our father was the one who had an affair and married his bit on the side.”
“That bit on the side was my mother and she suffered the same indignity and yet did not turn that into an excuse for me to live without a conscience.”
“I’m sure your business rivals would not say the same.”
“Integrity is part and parcel of every deal I’ve made, no matter how brutal I’ve had to be in the business arena. You cannot even begin to say the same thing.”
“All of this stuff you want me to do for Miranda is going to destroy my family and cause serious issues for the Madison Realty Group.”
“You should have considered the fact that there are consequences to every action, good or bad.”
“It’s your job to help your family.”
“And if you hadn’t shown up acting like a loudmouthed buffoon, Miranda would have agreed to cancel the interview. Now she’s set to let us all crash and burn.”
“And you’re going to let that happen? The Perez name is going to be dragged through the mud, too, and we both know how important that is to you.”
“I am aware.” He had to hope that once her temper had cooled some, Miranda might consider her actions and the impact they would have on Jamie and Grace. “She won’t back down on my behalf, or even yours, but Miranda has more compassion in her tiny finger than you and the entire Madison family has in its collective body.”
Carlos looked at him wonderingly. “You’ve fallen for the little gold digger.”
“Excuse me?” He didn’t care about the accusation that he’d fallen for Miranda, but no way in hell was he tolerating more name-calling on her behalf.
An aha expression crossed Carlos’s features. “I mean Miranda.”
“She is no gold digger. She never had any expectation of a lasting relationship with me.” Only now did he realize, after she’d walked away from him with such finality, that perhaps he wished she did.
“She’s a saint,” Carlos said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
“Es verdad, she is something very special.”
“You have fallen for her!”
“I never denied it.”
“Never mind what she’s set to do to our family, which apparently you no longer care about, but you can’t have a relationship with a woman like that! You could do so much better.”
“There is no better.”
“You cannot be serious.”
“You think not? When have you known me to joke?”
“She’s a nobody!”
“She’s a woman who dedicates her life to the welfare of children. What could be more laudable?”
“That right there should tell you that she feels guilty about what happened to Jamie. That she is guilty.”
“Don’t be more stupid than you can help.” Miranda had said something else had sparked her desire to go into social work.
Basilio hoped that there was still a chance she would tell him what that was. Though that hope was slim. Basilio was no quitter, though. And that was something the little spitfire would learn.
“So, even without the promise of her canceling the interview, you want me to basically throw my family under the bus.”
“Sí. If you do, there is a chance, slim as it might be, that she will agree to back out of the morning news show.”
“I can’t do that, Baz. If you think with your brain and not your dick, you’d realize that.”
“I don’t care which brain you use. Just use it to consider what I will do to you and your company if you don’t follow through on what I’ve asked.”
“Gracia brought you over to help us, not make things worse.”
“Gracia asked for my help on the basis of a series of lies. You are lucky I’m even giving you the choice to take a less damaging path than full disclosure.”
“Thank you so much,” Carlos said with bitter sarcasm. “When your girlfriend plans to reveal everything anyway.”
“That was her hurt and anger talking.”
“You think you can seduce her into backing down?” Carlos asked with clear hope.
“I believe her own sense of compassion and concern for others will be enough.”
“Now who’s being stupid?”
“Still you.” Basilio shrugged at his brother’s huff of offense. “You asked.”
“Tell me at least you’re going to try to seduce her again. It worked once. It could work again.”
“Oh, I’m going to get her into bed again, but I won’t be trying to convince her of anything but accepting me back into her life.”
“You’re lovestruck! I never would have thought the great Basilio Perez could be brought down by a mere woman.”
“I am in no way brought down.” He was the same man he’d always been. The problem here was that his brother had never actually known that man. “If you knew me at all, you would be aware that I do not believe in the concept of romantic love.”
Growing up with a father who fell in and out of love so easily and quickly, how could Basilio believe that emotion was anything but a temporary burst of endorphins responsible for some of history’s worst decisions, especially the most immediate history of his family?
“And yet you are willing to devastate the family you have never shown anything but loyalty to for the sake of this woman. How is that not love?”
“The fact I will not support the destruction of an innocent life—for the second time, no less—is hardly some kind of proof I believe in fairy tales.”
“Whatever you say.”
“I hope for your sake that you mean that.”
Shaking his head, Carlos stood. “I need to talk to Tiffany.”
“I expect to hear from you or a media rep within forty-eight hours.”
“You really are a cold bastard, aren’t you?”
“So it has been said.” Basilio thought of something else
he realized needed to be put in place. “You and Tiffany will sign a contract for a visitation schedule for your children with Papá and myself in Spain.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Your children deserve to have adults in their lives who will teach them the meaning of integrity and true family loyalty.”
“You can say that after what you are making me do?”
“Without a single doubt, sí.”
“You can’t force me to give you visitation with my children.”
“Can’t I?”
Once again, Carlos’s naturally olive complexion paled. “Forced visitation isn’t going to endear you to them.”
“You assume they will not enjoy their time in Spain with a doting grandfather.”
“And you? They’ll be terrified of you.”
“They are not afraid of me now. You will do and say nothing to change that, either. Not if you want continued business connections with the Perez group.”
“You’re big on the threats.”
“They should not be necessary.” Basilio allowed every bit of disgust he felt for his brother show in his voice.
The older man winced like he’d gotten the message. “I should have made a bigger effort to be a brother to you. You wouldn’t be doing this if I had.”
“It’s doubtful, but maybe. However, the past is the past and cannot be changed.”
“Maybe we could work on being brothers now.”