Take My Breath Away

Megan and Emmett held out their hands to hold Valerie's arms. "Wait!" she said to them. She used to think she knew Carlos, but right now, she wasn't so sure. He was more aggressive and more arrogant than she was. She couldn't change his mind, but she could change the subject. "I have something else I want to talk about," she said in a softer tone.

Carlos didn't say anything. He didn't see the point. He had figured out what it was, and it turned out that he was right.

Valerie took a deep breath and continued in a concerned voice, "You know, Lewis is your cousin. You two are blood. You even sprang to get him back here from France. You shouldn't be fighting over a woman." She paused, waiting for a reply.

Carlos sneered. He rubbed his forehead and looked at Wade and Miranda. "What do you guys think?"

Surprised by his sudden question, the couple fumbled to come up with an answer. They came up short.

They knew what Lewis did. After a moment, Wade wanted to say something, but Miranda stopped him by pulling his sleeve. Then she told Carlos, "Lewis is spoiled. That's why he can't keep himself out of trouble. If you need to nail him to the wall, just do it. Just remember he's our kid. We won't get involved in this, but cut him some slack every once in awhile."

The room was quiet again. Miranda's attitude surprised everyone, including Carlos.

Valerie stood up from the bed abruptly and started scolding Miranda, who was stone-faced, "I don't believe you! Lewis is your kid. Stand up for him, and don't let Carlos be rough on him. What kind of parents are you?"

Last time in New York, Carlos had beaten Lewis so badly the lecherous man had ended up in the hospital for a couple weeks. Carlos had also fired him and thrown him out of ZL Group.

Now, Lewis had pissed off Carlos once again. If no one got involved, Lewis might end up much worse off than last time.

The expression on Carlos' face was so cold it looked as if it h

she was with Carlos, she could soften Carlos' heart, and she'd sacrifice to make him happy.

That was the ideal relationship. The best you could hope for. Those two would live a long, happy life.

Miranda helped him clear things up, and his headache finally subsided. "I get it. Thanks, Aunt Miranda."

"Good." As if that were enough emotion for tonight, Miranda's expression melted back to indifference. She turned and left.

Lewis rolled up in front of the manor an hour later. Too afraid of Carlos, he tried to stay in the car. It took two robust bodyguards to haul him out, trying to pry his hands off various parts of the vehicle so they could get him inside.

Carlos went downstairs and met him in the living room.

At the same time, James and Tabitha came back inside. Valerie, Wade, and Miranda all gathered in the living room when they heard the clamor.

Both Carlos and Lewis were pale. Carlos from pain and Lewis from fright.

When the elders took their seats, Lewis was pleading, hands out in front of him. "It's not what it looked like, Carlos, um... er... it wasn't my idea. It was Portia. She asked me to sleep with Debbie."

Carlos' face darkened. 'Portia?'

Emmett was also confused. "But Kasie was in the room," he said. 'How did that happen?' he wondered in his mind.