Guests stayed until four in the morning. Valerio and Lucrecia were so tired that they couldn't wait to see them all gone. After aunt Sara and her husband left, Maya started cleaning up. Valerio came to her and took her hand.
''Go to bed and finish this when you wake up.''
''I can't. If your aunt comes back in the morning and sees this. She will not be happy.''
''And I will tell her I sent you to bed.''
''Thank you Valerio, but we both know this is my job.''
Lucrecia gave her a sad smile. She looked at Valerio and he nodded. They both came to the living room and started picking up plates, glasses or remains of the catering and they carried it to the kitchen. Maya didn't expect that from Lucrecia. She knew Valerio was capable of that, but not young Miss. Montesinos Hendrich. It took them about an hour to get everything in order. Valerio then kissed Maya's forhead and smiled.
''You don't have to get up early tomorrow. Have a good rest and then get out of bed. We are going to bed too. We haven't slept for a long time and I think she is jetlagged.''
He turned to point at Lucrecia and found her asleep on the table.
''Yes, Miss. Lucrecia is really tired. Go help her to her room and I will see you later.''
''Good night Maya.''
He came to Lucrecia and put his hand on her shoulder.
''Lu, let's get you to bed…''
She just nodded and turned a bit so he could lift her from the chair. Maya was surprised to see him that affectionate with the other girl. She knew that siblings didn't spend that much time together and she was glad they grew closer. She knew that boy needed someone in his corner when it comes to his family. She prepared guest room for Lucrecia that was in the ground floor of the house and she was surprised to hear voices from the direction of the stairs. Valerio carried Lucrecia to his room and put her on the bed.
''Let's get you ready for bed Lu…''
He took off her shoes and put them on the side. She was awake but just barely.
''You don't have to do that.''
''I do… You are tired Lu.''
''So are you… You did so many things today Val…''
''So did you…In those heels.''
She smiled at him.
''My feet are killing me.''
''How about we take a shower and then I can massage them?''
''You don't have to.''
''I know…but I want to.''
He helped her off the bed and she turned her back to him. He unzipped her dress and let it fall on the floor. She stepped out of it and then she took off his shirt and pants. They walked into his bathroom and he prepared the water for them as she was removing her makeup. He watched her do it and he was being even more fascinated with her. She was tired, she was jetlagged, she could barely stand but she was gorgeous to him. Sometimes simple moments like this made him amazed by Lucrecia. They didn't get many chances to share moments like this. Carla and Polo slept at each other's houses, had clothes in the bedroom of the other one, had their things all over the room of the other person…but all they had were secrets and very few moments they could share…so they made best of it. Carla and Polo had million chances to brush their teeth together or be in simple comfy pajamas. They didn't have that. They had few nights, few moments where Lucrecia tried to look her best. A lot of satin, lace and all that men love was on her body. She was sure she never had something cotton on her body when Valerio was near or at least in town. That is why those simple moments were huge to both of them. She threw cotton pads in the trash and smiled at him.
''Is the water ready?''
''It's ready for you my lady.''
''Well, thank you my sir.''
She stepped in and he stepped after her. They took their shower together and then ended up in his bed.
''I thought you were tired?''
''Oh, I am… But I would never miss an opportunity to be with you. I know they don't come often, so I cherish every chance I get to have you close Val.''
''I love you so much Lucrecia.''
''I love you too.''
His head was on her chest and he was listening to her heartbeat and breathing getting calmer. To be honest, they deserved another shower after what just took place in Valerio's bed, but now they were really spent and gone and there was no chance for them to move. Her hands were in his hair and she played with his curls. He lifted his head from her chest and noticed she was pensive.
''What is it Lu?''
''We are going to hell for this Val… This thing between us is not normal…We are not normal… I am scared of what will happen if or when someone finds out.''
''Someone knows and nothing happened.''
''Yes, Miss Bedouin and Carla's boy toy are keeping their mouth shut, but they give us dirty looks and I know Samuel will try to cash his knowledge soon.''
''You think he will ask for money?''
''I don't know what he will ask for, but he will ask for something.''
Valerio was quiet and Lucrecia knew something was cooking in that head of his.
''What is it Val?''
''Do you want people to know?''
That was one of the hardest questions he could ask.
''I don't know how to explain it. It's complicated… I want to tell my friends that there is someone in my life who treats me as a queen and loves me with all my faults. I think that at our age is very rare to find someone who really loves you for who you are. You know who I am as a person and what I did…and you still stand by me and love me. I wanted people to know that there is an amazing men in my life who gives me wind to keep moving and reason to get out of bed….even just to bicker and banter with you… or for you to get on my nerves.''
He smiled at that.
''But then I remember who is the person who I love and I don't want anyone to know… I don't want to give anyone more ammunition to use things against us. The love we share is everything to me and I don't' want to let anyone try to diminish it or label it as something…sick or bad.''
''But it is in a way Lu. No matter how we see it, society doesn't agree with us…''
''And our dad…''
''He is another story.''
There was a small evil smile on Lucrecia's face.
''You know… Sometimes I wish for people to learn about us just to harm all high and mighty Ambassador Montesinos Hendrich. I hate him so much sometimes. I was tempted to leak something just to see him sweat and wonder who knows what and how things got out?''
''Why, you are his princess... He even calls you like that.''
''I think that era is over after the stunt you pulled at the dinner.''
She glared at him.
''I admit, it was not my finest moment….and I apologize.''
''What hurt more than that humiliation were the things you said.''
''At that moment I meant them. I was so disappointed and hurt for what you did to Nadia that I believed I was finished with loving you and believing there is good in you. You can be very cruel and self-centered without seeing consequences of your actions. She could have been killed for that. What if her family believed in honor killing? Her father could kill her and Omar without consequences if he took them home.''
To be honest, in her anger she did hope something like that would happen. Later, she didn't want Nadia dead, but just humiliated and hurt just as she was. She was thinking of what to tell Valerio when he looked at her again. She heard him breath out and the way he looked at her changed. He looked scared and shocked.
''You knew? You knew what might happen?!''
''I did hope for a moment she will end up stoned to death and I wished I threw at least one of those stones, but later I stopped wanting her dead…I just wanted her to feel the pain I felt.''
''Did you love him?''
She knew he was talking about Guzman.
''I did…in a very beginning…But he could never compare… I never loved him as I love you.''
''Why then? Why fight to save that relationship?''
''Ego… Mostly my pride and ego… But… I hoped that at one point my feeling for you would turn into what they should be… That I would see you as my brother…And I hoped he would turn them off…''
Valerio understood. He did the same thing with few girls in his school before he came back.
''I understand… I did the same… But none of them is you. You had Guzman, I had drugs…And it didn't work.''
She felt her eyes were wet.
''I am in pain Valerio… I am in horrible and constant pain. I want to be with you, I want to shout it from the rooftops that I love you and that I am loved… But then…then I remember that all this is happening with my half-brother… This is not good or normal…It could have consequences we are not even aware of. If this goes on…We can't get married, we can't have children, we have to hide for the rest of our lives and everyone will judge us if we ever speak up about who we are to each other. And let's not start with our families… They would… I don't know. Dad would kill us.''
''Don't worry. He will send me away somewhere as soon as this is over.''
''No!''
''Yes, he will and you know it. He will make compelling arguments and blackmail us with something… Good old dad will not disappoint. He will tell us that it's for the best that we spend time apart and that we will forget our silly infatuation soon enough.''
She knew Valerio was right but she didn't want to think of that now.
''Val…''
''Maybe he is right… Maybe being away from me would give you a chance of a normal life and relationships.''
''Who wants normal? I remember SOMEONE asking me that not that long ago?''
He gave her a small smile.
''I still think that… But I think you crave normal…Because you want to feel normal…That is also one of the reasons you tried to save the relationship with Guzman. Your relationship was picture perfect of relationships of the social class you belonged to sister dearest… Just like his parents, your parents, Carla's parents… Carla and Polo… No love, good faking and trying to paint picture perfect in public. But on the inside just emptiness filled with outside dick and expensive jewelry.''
''So, now you are my outside dick?''
''Not really… We are complicated… But Christian was to Carla… She and Polo are perfect match. Their parents work together, merging the companies would bring a lot more money to both families and what is better way to do so than to have kids date and marry one day?! That is how it works. We haven't really moved on from some middle ages when marriage was a way to make alliances. We pride ourselves with money and our family names, but we are no better than people who lived centuries ago. As I said, Carla and Polo are perfect example. They are together, they got bored and there comes Cristian. He had sex with both of them, he spiced up their boring relationship…but when it got bad, Carla and Polo are a team. And when Polo killed Marina, Christian payed the price and Marquisate and Polo are protecting one another and pretending they have no feelings.''
''So, you say that dad will do the same to me?''
''Yes, he will get you to date someone who is good for his secret buisneses and things he does under the cloak of ambassador.''
''I hate that.''
''We all do Lu, but that's the price of being Miss. Montesinos Hendrich and part of high society. All the money in the world couldn't erase the sadness from the girls like you are Lu.''
''What does that mean?''
''It means that you are sad, lonely and like bird in a golden cage.''
He kissed her stomach and kept talking.
''It means that because of who our father is every step we make could end up in some gossip magazine. If we had anonymous parents, maybe we could have gotten away with being together just without children or adopting one or you having IVF with a donor…or something… But since we are his kids…Every step we make could be watched and tomorrow on some front page… Our cleaning lady could tell the press that they found your lacy panties under my bed or in it… A lot could get out just because they know who we are. I wouldn't be surprised to see press at my mom's funeral. After all she was Ambassador Montesinos Hendrich's lover that gave birth to their lovechild… ''
It was already six in the morning. Lucrecia's head was all over the place, but at least her body was working for her and she felt like she might faint from how tired she was.
''Let's sleep Val… We have to get up soon.''
He got off her and got to his side of the bed. It didn't take long for her to end up in his arms and to fall asleep like that.
Around noon, Maya got a call from Sara and Tomas saying that they will be in the house in an hour and she asked her to wake Valerio up. They had stuff for funeral to finish and they needed him as her son to be there. Maya went to Valerio's room and when she opened the door she was met with the sight of siblings naked in bed cuddled up to each other and their clothes all over the floor. She sighed at the sight and that woke Valerio up. He saw the mix of disgust, shock and surprise on her face. She closed the door. He heard her trying to calm down. His very tense body woke Lucrecia up and she just looked at him waiting for explanation to what is going on. It was clear to her what happened when she heard Maya's voice.
''Your aunt is coming in an hour. I made breakfast…''
Now horror on her face mirrored hers.
''She knows….''
Valerio just nodded at her and fell back to his pillow covering his eyes with hadns.
''We didn't lock the door… Of course she would enter the room and see us.''
''Well, now it's too late Val.''
''Now we have to deal with this.''
''Do you think she will tell your aunt?''
''I don't know… I just know I never saw that look in her eyes.''
''Well, this must be shock to her.''
''It is… But more than that, I saw disappointment. Maya is a good Catholic… She will not be ok with this.''
Lucrecia got out of the bed and put on Val's shirt.
''Now, it's time to do what our people do best.''
''And what is that? Kill Maya?''
''No, do the damage control.''
''Oh, she is screwed… Don't be mean to her. I care about her…and she will not accept bribe to keep quiet.''
''Maybe she doesn't care about money, but she cares about you. She will not do anything to hurt you… No matter how much she doesn't agree with it.''
With those words she went to bathroom to shower and change. Valerio watched her emerge from the bathroom not as his sweet Lu, but as Lucrecia Eugenia Montesinos Hendrich, daughter of Ambassador of Mexico in Spain. Her hair was in a perfect bun, her dress was perfect, makeup on point. She was a woman on a mission.
''You get ready and I will take care of Maya thing.''
''Lucrecia.''
She turned to him and kissed his cheek.
''You should put on that deep red shirt with those black pants.''
She left the room and he stayed there to get ready and hope she will go easy on Maya.