Jason circled Minka's waist and pulled her against his chest. "Not really." For rea.s.surance, he placed a lingering kiss on his fiancee's lips.

Blake cleared his throat. "Sorry, Minx." He furrowed his brows together. "Let me go over the rules for the concerned fiancee." The guys muttered under their breaths, voicing their displeasure. "QB gets the ball and either keeps and runs with it, hands off, or pa.s.ses in order to get to score. Defense stops these plays from happening." He struck the palm of his hands against one another. "Enjoy!"

In other words, tackle the h.e.l.l out of each other. The men seemed pleased with the rules. As they separated into their respective teams, Lily and the others made their way to the stands.

"You think they'll be all right?" Minka asked with obvious concern.

Before Lily could answer, Adam's body banged against Zander and Max, making the sound of a train crashing into two planes. She felt Minka wince next to her. And even though Lily grew up with siblings wrestling around her and was used to boys playing rough, her body still shook a little at the hit. Adam hoisted himself up from the ground, wiped his lips with the back of his hand and tossed the ball in an impervious manner to her brothers. First down.

"That's your one hit," he yelled over his shoulder to her brothers. "Now all's fair."

For the next hour, Lily watched her brothers try to go to war with her fiance and his friends. The problem was, war always failed to determine who was right-only who was left barely standing. Instead of simply yanking the flags as they were supposed to, each team tackled the h.e.l.l out of each other, then s.n.a.t.c.hed the towels off their opponents, thrust it with great triumph in the air and fist b.u.mp their teammates. A simple flag football game was now a pulse-pounding event.

"Nothing good can come out of this," Minka murmured, her tone full of worry.

At that instant Zander tackled Jason. Rafa jumped in just for rea.s.surance. Minka flinched. Blake signaled them to play on. Apparently the late hit rule also didn't exist.

"They are beating the h.e.l.l out of each other." Claire leaned forward, fully immersed in the battle of muscles.

"I'm glad Blake isn't playing." Keely shivered after Max tackled Forrest.

"Jason might lose a tooth," Minka said partly to herself just as Jason grabbed Zander and brought him face down to the ground.

On the last play, Lily didn't take her eyes off Adam. He lined up on the far right of Forrest, who was their quarterback. Knees bent slightly and leaning forward, he zoomed down the field, caught the ball thrown by Forrest and dashed to the end zone. The steady pounding of her brothers' footsteps echoed in her ears as they chased Adam down. She watched hard bodies collide and when Adam hit the ground, she put a hand over her mouth to stifle a scream.

She held her breath until Adam pushed himself up to his feet, spit out some dirt and gra.s.s and spiked the ball on the ground as a sign of victory. They won by one point. His teammates high-fived him and pulled their shirts over their heads. Her brothers did the same. All of them stood shirtless and covered in sweat oblivious to the cool autumn air. Keely and Claire let out a low mercy sound. But it was the scribbling in black ink on Forrest's forearm that caught Lily's attention. An infinity tattoo similar to Claire, but his appeared to have words scribbled, only he was too far away for her to decipher the d.a.m.n thing.

After handshakes were exchanged, all seven men made their way to the stands. Adam kept his gaze on her the whole time, then flashed a victorious grin. Lily walked straight into his arms and kissed him. She didn't care her brothers were right there or that Adam was covered in dirt and sweat.

"Aren't you supposed to be some sort of European pretty boy?" Rafa asked. His voice was void of the anger from yesterday, even from one hour ago. He wasn't warm and fuzzy, but less angry was always a step in the right direction.

Adam laughed. "I have many talents."

Rafa shook his head. "Do you always have to point out you get to see our sister naked?"

"How did you get that from what I said?" Adam shook his head. "I say let's go to Vapor for beer and food. Our treat to the losing team."

"We lost by one point, that barely makes us losers," Zander muttered.

"We have the W and you have the L," Jason teased. "So yeah, that makes you the losing team."

"Claire," Rafa called. "You're coming too?"

Lily turned to Forrest. "Can I see that?" she asked with a smile. "Your tattoo." She added when his eyebrows creased in question.

He smiled. "Sure. At times I almost forget it's there."

He extended his large muscular arm and she peeked a little closer to the tattoo on his forearm. The words in black bold letters-We were and in that moment I swear infinite-curved seductively in the form of the infinity symbol over his skin, permanently glued to him. Holy c.r.a.p. Claire had the same infinity tattoo; maybe not the words, but Lily hadn't been able to get that close. The tat was always strategically hidden underneath the layered bracelets she wore, but the infinity symbol was etched in the inside of her wrist. She looked back at Claire and was surprised to find the other woman watching her. She searched her friend's face for some clue, but Claire's eyes told no story.

"Claire?" Jason asked "No," Claire answered. "I will pa.s.s."

Forrest drew his breath and released it before speaking. "Why?" His voice was thick with frustration, emotions.

Claire's eyes wavered from Lily to Forrest. "I..."

"You have to leave," Forrest cut her off. "You always have to leave. Not tonight, Claire. Come with us."

An awkward silence settled within the group. No one moved until Zander's phone started to ring. He retrieved the phone from his pocket and frowned. "I have to take this," he said and walked away.

"I'll come for a little while, but I can't stay," Claire said to the group.

Zander returned quickly. Lily examined her brother; his big, muscular body was now rigid with tension. He picked up his shirt and put it back on, then smiled warmly at her.

"Is everything okay?" she asked her brother. He had a dangerous job, and she always worried about his safety.

He nodded. "Yeah, it was work."

"Beer or not?" Adam asked.

"Beer." The men answered.

"Shower first," Max said, which generated a cough from Adam.

"Fine, pretty boy," her fiance teased, laughter in his voice. "See you all in about one hour."

Hand in hand, Lily walked back to the Maserati with Adam and everyone just as a black Ford pulled up. The same reporter jumped out of the car and hurried toward them. Adam stopped and held her close to him.

"I am seriously contemplating getting a restraining order," he said under his breath.

In the fear of the moment, time stood still and yet it raced. Her brothers watched with curiosity. Zander leaned against the Range Rover with his arms crossed over his chest, quietly taking in the event. Jason, Forrest and Blake looked ready to attack.

"Pereira Cooper," the man said smugly.

Lily glanced at Adam. His eyes twitched. A new, uncomfortable perplexity began to invade her.

"What do you want?" he asked, tone stern.

"You already know what I want. The truth."

"No interview."

The man looked at Adam then gave Lily a quick once-over. She stared back at him as he moved closer.

"You should know who you're going to marry," he warned.

"Leave her out of this," Adam growled low in his throat.

But Lily released his hand and stepped forward with one desire and that was to protect Adam from whatever this man had over him. "I'm with my family. I'd appreciate it if you'd leave."

"You don't know him."

She knew he was a big puzzle with damaged pieces, but nothing they couldn't put back together. Yeah, some pieces might bend, curl at the end or have to be squeezed back into their spots, not fit as they once were, but none of that mattered. No one was perfect, and she loved Adam with all of his perfect imperfections. Lily smiled. "I know enough."

But the man looked over her shoulder to Adam then whipped his head to the others watching like hawks. Even her brothers seemed guarded. Finally, Zander stepped forward, placed his hand over the stranger's shoulder.

"I don't really care about him." Zander motioned to Adam. "But my sister seems to care." He flashed the man a warning smile. "I suggest you leave now or if he chooses to rearrange your face, all of us might join him."

The man sneered. "Is that a threat?"

Zander shrugged casually. "Yeah. And don't worry, I always deliver on my threats."

Lily looked at Zander. He gave her a rea.s.suring nod. Whatever reservation he had about her relationship with Adam had taken a back seat. He and the other imposing figures all ready to attack, except Rafa. He leaned back watching the whole scene unfolding.

"I can take care of my own business," Adam said to Zander.

"Yeah, I see that," her brother responded in a calm tone.

"Show is over," Adam announced. He pulled gently on her hand. "Come on, let's go home. See everyone in one hour."

They drove in silence to the house. From time to time she glanced over at Adam's profile. His face was set in a stony expression, completely shutting her off. Or at least trying to.

Once inside, Adam stripped out of his clothes and went straight to the shower. Lily dropped her purse on the floor, kicked off her sneakers and sat on the bed, listening to the sound of the water running. Her stomach spasmed for Adam. Another reminder behind his smile was a hurting heart, filled with torment.

Her phone buzzed. Lily fetched it from her purse and glanced at the text.

I'm still in love with you. Nate.

Frustrated, she blew out a breath and texted back.

Please Nate. Not now.

And let her body fall back on the bed with her eyes fixed on the ceiling. When the door opened and Adam stepped into the bedroom, she turned to look at him. He stood stark naked for a moment, then walked away to retrieve a pair of black boxer briefs and slipped them on.

Silence clung to the room.

"You're shutting me out again," she said into the silence.

"Not my intention." He came to stand at the side of the bed, eyes dark and personal. "Ask me the questions and I will answer."

Lily brought herself to a sitting position. "Who was that man? What's his name?"

"Marcos Souza." Adam lowered himself to the bed and sat next to her.

"Why don't you give him the interview and move on?"

"It's my story, my past. I don't feel like sharing it with the world. My parents have two years of my life pretty much sealed. From age eight to ten. They wanted to give me a chance to create my own path without being judged."

She gripped his hand and held on. His gaze rested on their connection.

"I think," he started again, his voice thick, "the Internet states I was an orphan until the age of ten when I was adopted. I don't know for sure, I never really looked." His jaw clenched. "Souza is digging for that. He'll get what he's looking for soon enough."

"The accident with your birth father is not public?"

He turned and held her gaze. "It wasn't an accident, Liliana. I shot him. I took his life. I had no right to do that, no matter how much of an a.s.shole he was."

She looked at his profile, so harsh and wounded. "You were eight and beaten down." From what she'd learned physically and mentally. "Eventually you have to take a deep breath and let it go. Sometime the way to do that is to face it head on." He taught her that lesson that night he found her crying.

No response.

"Anything else I need to know?" she asked into the echoing silence and tried not to think of worst-case scenarios. But then again, what could be worse than taking the life of your own father?

"Not really." He raked a hand through his wet hair. But there was an edge in his voice. "My father was taken to the hospital where he died of exsanguination. Severe blood loss," he explained. "My lawyer was able to convince the jury that I acted in self-defense." He shrugged. "So I walked. I was under psychiatric care for a while. Went to a few foster homes and eventually was adopted by my parents."

Lily let out a breath and tried to process everything she'd learned, but she was too physically and mentally exhausted. And sad. Too d.a.m.n sad. "You've been through so much," she said with tears in her eyes. "Just too much."

"I survived."

He lay on the bed and pulled her into his arms. She cuddled against him and ran her fingers over his solid wall of male chest.

"And who is..." she paused, unable to remember the first part of the name the reporter mentioned. "Cooper."

"Pereira Cooper."

She nodded.

"My birth parents' surnames," he said thickly. "Maria de Lourdes Pereira and Timothy Cooper."

"Cooper is your last name."

He nodded. "Once upon a time I was Adam Pereira Cooper. My parents dropped them once I was adopted." He ran his hand over her arm. "How come you never asked about that?"

Her hands gracefully moved to his waist, slipped beneath his briefs gripped his virile masculinity. "Many reasons."

He waited.

Her entire body was now vibrating with need, but tried very hard to stay calm and give him the security and comfort he needed. Because those things were part of loving someone. "Because that's your past. Not who you are now."

"My past shaped me."

She tilted up and kissed his chiseled cheekbones. "Yes, a part of your story. A couple of chapters in your life." She lowered her lips to his chest where his heart beat. "Don't give it too much power."

"And this is all okay with you?" he asked. His hands slid to her hips and stayed there.

"What you went through as a child will never change how I feel about you. It's the man you've become who has a hold on me."

With a sweeping motion, Adam pinned her under him. He pulled her to him and kissed her with a hunger so strong it made her knees wobble. "I'm going to make love to you very slowly," he promised against her lips.

"Aren't we going to meet everyone?"