Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter Book 2)

by Melanie Martins

  With raised eyebrows, he asks, “Where Julia got married?”

  “Yep.”

  “Oh, so the bishop of Den Bosch is marrying you?” His tone remains just as surprised.

  “Do you have a problem with that?”

  He cocks his head to the side, uneasiness written all over his face. “Sebastian is behind it, huh?”

  “Julia suggested it,” I point out. “And he endorsed it just as fast.”

  “Be careful with them.”

  “I know.” Blowing out a breath, I say, “Sebastian made it clear if Tess steps out of line, consequences are to be expected.”

  “Does Petra know about it?”

  The question leaves me just as uneasy as he is. “To a certain extent…”

  But Dad seems to be determined to know all the details inside out. “Does she know what you and her dad did?”

  “Of course not,” I promptly snap. And I hate Roy for not keeping his mouth shut about that incident to my dad. Jeez! He had been thirty-five, and yet he couldn’t stand not telling the truth to his dear mentor. “She just knows her mom is blackmailing us.”

  “And she’s okay with that?” Dad seems surprised, and I must say, I’m also surprised that she is.

  “So far,” I add. “Petra trusts me a lot.”

  “And once her mom decides to press charges against you?”

  Another question that makes me tense up. “I hope it doesn’t come to that,” I tell him, but I can’t hide the concern in my voice. “But I hope she will stick by me even then.”

  “For better or worse, huh?”

  And I can’t help but say, “That’s the idea.”

  Petra Van Gatt

  As Mona shows me around the house, I must say, what a nice refuge Hendrik has built here in Bermuda. His villa is not only spacious and cozy, but it also has an impressive backyard, with a large pool, terrace, bar area, and gardens. The only thing I didn’t expect is for the place to already be full of people. Mona invites me to the bar, and we pass through a big crowd that is now dancing to the rhythmic music of the live band, lit by a string of gold-colored lights hanging above them.

  “What do you want to drink?” Mona asks over the noise.

  “Um, any nonalcoholic cocktail is fine,” I tell her. Then I look around at the live band, the singer setting the crowd on fire as she remakes a classic of Charles Bradley’s, “Ain’t It a Sin,” and the crowd shouts and applauds in excitement. It reminds me of my dad’s galas and his old vinyls that are religiously stowed in my atelier. Reveling in the funky energy of the evening, I can’t help but say, “This place is surreal.”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty nice.” As we wait for the cocktails to be served, Mona is the first to break our silence. “What brought you here by boat? We have an airport, you know.”

  I crack a laugh at her question. “Um, sailing is pretty nice too. And it gave Alex and I five days filled with great memories.”

  The waiter puts the two drinks on the bar counter; a margarita for Mona and a nonalcoholic mojito for me. We take our respective glasses, and Mona raises hers in a toast. “Well, to your stay in Bermuda.” And we clink our glasses.

  After taking a quick sip, I decide to get to know her better. After all, Alex mentioned he’s known her for over eighteen years, and Hendrik literally said she’s the angel of his life. “Who did you meet first?” I ask. “Alex or Hendrik?”

  “I met Hendrik first. I used to work as an interior designer for properties and hotels. Hendrik wanted to change the decoration of his villa, and I took on the project. We got along pretty well, and um, he was such a charmer, you know…”

  I love seeing Mona slightly blush as she talks about him. And I can’t help but agree with that. “Yeah, he and Alex are so alike, it’s frightening.” Then another question comes to mind. “Have you ever met the rest of his children?”

  “No, just Alex. He’s the only one who ever comes here.”

  I try my best not to gape, but damn, after living here for nearly twenty years, no one has ever come to visit him except Alex? While I don’t know much about Hendrik, it must be pretty tough not seeing his daughters and to have never met his grandchildren. “Oh, um, I didn’t know that.” I switch to a less sensitive subject, focusing on her. “Have you always lived here in Bermuda?”

  “I’ve lived a bit of everywhere. As an interior designer, I used to work for many international companies, so I lived in New York, London, Sydney, Hong Kong… Despite now living here with Hendrik, the world is still my playground.” The great energy that radiates from Mona is so contagious that I can’t help but smile at her.

  “Wow. Your life must have been so exciting.” Then I squint my eyes and wonder, “But wait, um, how old are you, if I may ask?”

  As she returns the smile, she leans closer to my ear and says, “I’m fifty-six, my dear.”

  What? I mean, she’s nearly my mom’s age. Yet I wouldn’t have said more than thirty. “Oh, wow. Well, that’s really inspiring. Is it just good genes, or is there any recipe for your perfect skin and toned body?”

  “I guess a fair amount of good genes, and discipline too.”

  The ringing sound of an iPhone breaks through our conversation, and in a quick move, Mona puts her phone against her ear. “Yep?” As she takes her call, I let myself revel in the current music and electrifying vibe. My eyes are on the singer, fully invested in the moment, her vocals drifting into a soaring soul groove. And while I usually hate parties, especially the ones I have been to in New York, the energy of this one is so authentic, genuine, and unpretentious that, to my greatest surprise, I can truly enjoy it without my anxiety kicking in.

  Mona hangs up and looks at me. “Hendrik would like to talk to you.” Hendrik? Did I hear her correctly? “Shall we?”

  Sounds like I have no other option. “Sure…” I finish my mojito in one sip and leave the glass behind.

  Mona leads me into the villa, and as we cross the long hallway, I look both ways, but I don’t see Alex. Then my attention alights on Hendrik, who’s standing in the doorway of a room.

  “Petra,” he greets me with a warm smile. “Are you enjoying the party?”

  “Oh, it’s amazing, yeah. And the singer is fantastic.”

  “Ah, yes. She has got a great voice,” he promptly replies with a pleasant tone. “May I have a word with you?” He’s already gesturing for me to come in, regardless of my answer.

  And I barely mumble a quick, “Sure” as he welcomes me into a traditional study—Chesterfield sofa and armchairs, polished wood floor, walls filled with books, and a decent-sized rug in the center, resting below a low glass table. My gaze turns to my right, and I raise my brows at the nude portrait hanging there. It looks like Mona, but I don’t dare ask him about it.

  “Have you met some people already?” His question makes me blink, and I turn my head in his direction.

  “I was just chatting with Mona,” I say, a smile on my lips. “She’s such an inspiration.”

  “True, she’s a wonderful woman. We have known each other for eighteen years. Her aunt is also here. She’s a soothsayer. I mean, I don’t believe in those things, but the girls love it.” My lips part in astonishment. Is it just a mere coincidence? Jeez, that reminds me of my mom’s friend. And anything that reminds me of her is not something I have any interest in. “I’m gonna serve myself a drink. Do you want anything to drink?”

  “Oh, um, just water if you have it.”

  Hendrik gestures for me to sit in the armchair while he goes to the bar. I quietly take a seat, my mind already ruminating about the soothsayer. What is the likelihood of Mona’s aunt being one? Does Hendrik know things I don’t know? If I remember correctly, I’ve never told Alex about my experience before.

  “You know, after ten years, I really thought Alex would settle down with Amanda.” His totally unexpected revelation startles me, making my heart squeezing tight, and I wonder if he said that to get something off his chest or to provoke a response from me. But I
keep my lips in a flat line, indifferent. Hendrik’s directness shouldn’t surprise me. After all, Margaret is just like that.

  “Oh, you know Amanda?” Not sure why I asked him that. If Margaret knows her, obviously Hendrik does too! What a dumb question.

  “Of course I do. She is Mona’s daughter.”

  WHAT! My jaw drops immediately, and I can’t hide the astonishment on my face. Why didn’t Alex tell me that? Oh my God, that means Amanda is like family to Hendrik. And he and Mona were most likely looking forward to a wedding between their children. Oh jeez, and Amanda must have told them that I called her a witch. I swallow dryly, feeling like an intruder. Ironically, at the same time, Hendrik extends a hand toward me with a glass of water. And as I take it, I force myself not to drink it all at once.

  “I mean, they seemed to be very happy together. I even asked him, ‘Son, why haven’t you proposed yet?’” I give him a polite smile as he sits beside me on the sofa. “Oh boy, I’ll never forget his answer…”

  Curiosity tickling my tongue, I ask, “What did he say?”

  “Well, Alex said…” Hendrik takes a sip of his drink while my heart pulses faster with every second. “‘Because she’s not my soul mate.’” And my heart tightens hard upon hearing this. I press my lips together, picturing that moment in my mind and Alex’s voice. “I cracked up laughing. I took it as a joke, you know. I mean, c’mon, after ten years together? So I asked him, ‘Then who’s your soul mate?’” I breathe slowly in and out, doing my best to tame my emotions and remain as stoic as possible. “And that’s when he told me about you.” Hendrik pauses, observing me, and a smile escapes him before he takes another sip of his drink. Not sure if he can tell the state I’m in, but I hope not. “I was seriously worried. I mean, the fact that he gave his heart to his once seven-year-old goddaughter was freaking me out. But I guess he’s good at keeping his promises.”

  “Promises?” I squint my eyes in confusion. “Um, what promise are you referring to?”

  “He didn’t tell you?” Since my eyes keep squinting at him, he says, “That he’d never love or marry anyone but you.”

  Huh? He promised me that? But… if I recall properly, except for the fact that Alex was extremely embarrassed by my request at the time, no one had ever mentioned that he had actually agreed to it. So, wait! Does that mean Alex actually said those words to my dad and Amanda? Letting out a quick chuckle, I act like I already knew about it. “Ah, yes, he did.”

  Hendrik keeps smiling at me, most likely reveling in my uneasiness with the whole conversion. “I’m sorry to tell you all this, but I thought you had to know.” Liar.

  I might be young, but I’m not that naive. There is an underlying reason why he’s sharing these stories with me out of the blue. He either wants to create friction between Alex and me, or he wants something in return. There is no free ride. Obviously, Hendrik was truly looking forward to his son’s wedding. But it was not with me. Jeez… If Margaret made me feel nervous, Hendrik makes me feel like a total intruder. I have no words, no answer to offer him in return. I genuinely thought he liked me, and my disappointment makes me want to throw up. My mind is totally blank. After a few more seconds, though, I take a deep breath, hold his stare steadily, and ask, “Why are you telling me all this?”

  He blinks twice, taken aback by my question. “I just think it’s important to be frank with each other. I’m sorry if Alex didn’t tell you that himself.” And he ends his comment by taking a last sip, finishing his drink.

  So apparently Hendrik wants to create tension between his son and me. That’s his goal. But why though? Is it some sort of punishment for Alex leaving the family office to start his own hedge fund with my dad? Or is it because he left Amanda? “I…” My mind keeps searching for words, any words. “It belongs to the past anyway. And, um, I believe Alex has got his own reasons for not telling me who Mona was and how close you are with his ex-girlfriend.”

  “And you still take his side no matter what,” he states, not sure if it’s a praise or not. But he seems genuinely surprised. “You do really trust him.”

  “I do, yes.” And I don’t really see why I wouldn’t. “Doesn’t Mona trust you that way?”

  There is a side smile growing on his lips, and a few beats of silence ensue. It seems like his answer is not as straightforward as I thought it would be. “I hope this little talk can stay between us.” He doesn’t even bother to reply to my question. It seems like the truth was too harsh to face.

  After leaving Hendrik’s office, I’m still baffled at everything we discussed. From his relationship with Mona and Amanda, to Margaret, I feel like I was his confidant, but I can’t discern why he would confide in me so easily. Is it because of my loyalty toward his son? If that was the case, though, then why did he ask me to keep our conversation strictly between us? The fact that he never answered my question about Mona, who he’s known for eighteen years, is quite surprising to me.

  As I walk down the hallway, I follow where the noise is coming from and find myself in a vast dining and living room combo filled with only unknown faces. Some are having dinner, others are sitting on the sofa chatting, and still others are standing around in circles.

  “That was a long meeting.” Alex emerges from nowhere among the crowd, and my lips curve up instantly upon seeing him. As I look at the man standing in front of me, I can’t help but be drawn to him. No matter how many times I have seen him, he always makes my heart pound faster when he is around. In that moment, I realize that if I had met Alex for the first time right now, it would’ve been love at first sight. “Are you alright?”

  “What would have been the chances of us meeting each other if you were not my dad’s associate?” I ask casually.

  His eyes widen a smidgen at my unexpected question. “That’s what you are thinking right now?”

  “Yep…” I step closer to him and run a hand over his open collar, fondling his skin. “Do you think we’d have ended up meeting at some point? Or do you think you would’ve married someone else?”

  Alex just chuckles in return. “Alright, I see. My dad told you who Amanda is.”

  Wow. Am I that easy to read? But I don’t want to talk about Amanda, so instead I say, “You didn’t even answer my question.”

  Alex keeps his gaze steady on mine, his face glowing as he says, “I don’t want to think about a world where I’d have never met you. Sounds way too terrifying.” I know he’s speaking from his heart, and I feel exactly the same way—a world without him is too terrifying to even think about. Because I know it all too well. “Thank God you are here.” His hands go up to cup my face, and my eyes shut tight as he leans in and presses his lips to mine. Finally! The first kiss since we arrived in Bermuda… gets interrupted with the ringing sound of his iPhone.

  Alex reaches down to his pocket, and after a quick glance at the screen, he says, “It’s my attorney.” I feel a bit anxious as he takes the call, moving a few steps toward the door to avoid all the surrounding noise. After a few seconds, though, I hear Alex calling me over and saying, “My attorney is with Emma.”

  Emma? I immediately trot over and take his phone just as fast. Then Alex leads me down the hallway and to a quieter part of the house, where I can hear her properly. “Emma?”

  “Hey! How are you?”

  “Oh my gosh!” The sound of her voice sends a wave of emotion bursting through me, but I force myself to calm down. “How are you?”

  “I’m good, um, just planning my next trip. I received your message, by the way. And, um, regarding your mom, with all due respect, I kinda felt during the meeting that she was a manipulative bitch.”

  A chuckle escapes me at her usual bluntness, but I’m glad she saw through my mom. Then I promptly ask, “What about Eric? Did he say or do anything against you?”

  “Ha, that lil motherfucker…” She lets her words trail off, leaving me anxiously waiting. “That dude, I swear…”

  “What happened?” I promptly ask, my curiosity mixed w
ith fear and nervousness rising.

  “He struck a nerve…”

  “Gosh, tell me!”

  “Well, when your parents showed up with your friend Matthew and his dad, I invited them in for a quick chat in the living room. You know, they were polite, super worried about you, so they asked some questions that I answered, and it was all good. But after our meeting, since no one got the info they wanted, Eric requested to speak privately with me.”

  “What?” I can’t contain my outrage.

  “Yeah, I was so stunned by his question. Like, what the fuck? Where does he get off? I swear, that dude was out of his mind. Obviously, I refused and even chuckled, then I simply instructed them to leave.”

  “And then?”

  “He didn’t appreciate that. And while everyone was leaving the room, he stood there like a pitiful dickhead and asked the same questions, but without your parents and his son around. I said I was done, and that’s when he crossed the line…”

  My heart is racing with every word coming out of her mouth, and my nerves are boiling. “What did he do?”

  “I was gesturing for him to leave, but he was stepping closer to me, and he was, like, ‘You know lying to a public servant is a criminal offense,’ and then he asked if he should call the cops to make me tell the truth.”

  My mouth remains wide open in total awe. “What the hell?” I can’t believe this is the same man Matthew introduced me to. He seemed so polite and well-behaved.

  “Yeah, that dude is insane. So, at that point, I was losing my shit, and I asked him to leave before he would regret it.”

  Now I’m blinking twice. “You really said that?”

  “Of course! He’s a fucking idiot who only got into my house because he was with your parents.”

  “And then?”

  “He left, but he said I would hear from him soon.”