“Oh jeez…” Well, if Eric got his little ego smashed, no wonder he might want to avenge himself in some way.
“I’m not sure what he is up to. But my parents already made a few phone calls to put him in line.”
“You think he will get fired?”
“I dunno. It’s not easy to fire a state attorney general. But we have some people tracking him, and they will find a way to get him to resign.”
“Damn, Emma. I’m so sorry for this…”
“Babe, it’s all good. Um, I’m gonna head somewhere warm and have fun.” I smile, thinking how that’s exactly where I am right now. “And then I’ll see you in December for the wedding.” I let out a quick sigh, realizing we are only a month and a half away from it. “Still happening, right?”
“Of course,” I reply just as fast. “Emma, be careful. There’s only one Emma Hasenfratz in this world.”
“I know. My parents told me exactly the same thing.” She then pauses for a beat. “By the way, um, can I be your maid of honor?”
My brows raise at her question. Since Julia said she’d take care of the organization of the wedding, I hadn’t even thought about it. “Yes, of course.” I’ve got no idea what it means to be a maid of honor, but why not if that makes her happy?
“Perfect, well, I’m gonna have to go. Alex’s lawyer has been patiently waiting for his phone. Thank Alex for me.”
“I will.”
We say goodbye to each other once more. And thank God I got to speak to Emma tonight.
After hanging up, a huge weight slips off my shoulders, and I blow out a breath, more relaxed and calm now knowing my Emma is safe.
“Is she alright?” I turn my head in his direction, and I see Alex has been behind me the whole time.
“Yeah, she is fine.” I give him his iPhone, before putting my arms around his neck and whispering, “Thank you for that.” I pause, smiling at him. “I know how much is on the line, but I’m really glad I could speak to her.”
“Hey! Finally, there you are!” We hear a female voice, and I see Mona walking toward us. “There’s someone I would love to introduce you to.” Oh gosh, don’t tell me Amanda is here! “Have you ever met a soothsayer?” she asks with excitement in her tone.
“Oh, um, no. I haven’t.” Jeez, I don’t want to talk to a soothsayer. I’ve got no interest in knowing what the future holds for me. Honestly, after my mom’s friend foresaw my death, I prefer to know nothing and live in peace.
“Oh, you haven’t met Auntie Louise yet?” Alex asks.
The fact that he calls her Auntie Louise bothers me more than I’d like to admit. After all, she’s not his aunt, she’s Mona’s aunt. I shake my head in response, but it’s hard getting used to the fact that Hendrik has a new family here—Mona’s. And even though they are not married, after eighteen years together, it’s normal that Hendrik—and consequently, Alex—knows her family well. I’m at least glad her daughter is not here. It’d have been such poor taste.
“You should. She’s really a sweetheart,” Alex insists. A sweetheart? Maybe, but she’s also a soothsayer!
All of a sudden, though, Mona takes me by the hand and drags me to the other side of the living room. There, I see an older lady with very short gray-white hair, glasses, cherry lipstick, and silver hoops in her ears sitting on the sofa, and surrounded by younger women. She seems to be the oldest of them all, but also the wisest. Her smile is so kind and warm that it’s obvious to me that, as Alex just said, she’s a sweetheart. We stand a few steps away from her, and I observe how this lady, with her enigmatic presence and warm energy, is describing what she sees in the palm of the woman she is talking to. Then she gives her a hug like a grandmother would to a granddaughter.
“Do you want to try?” Mona asks me. And before I can say anything, Mona is already calling, “Auntie?” As the soothsayer looks in our direction, we step closer, and Mona says, “Petra is Alexander’s new girlfriend. Can you read her lines, please?”
All the women glare at us like we should wait in line. And I just want to run away from here, hating being the center of so much unwanted attention. Damn, I don’t even want to do this. Louise’s gaze lands on me with real genuine empathy, and she slowly takes my hand between hers. “I know you are going through a lot. It’s alright, don’t be afraid.” I’m left speechless, totally gaping at her words. How does she know that? Then she gently turns my hand over, looking at my palm. “Mmm, I see money and love are in abundance…” Her voice soothes me, and I give her a warm smile in return. “But deep troubles with family and acceptance.” Well, that couldn’t be more true. And I wonder how she come to that conclusion? Her smile then quietly vanishes, and her face turns into something more sinister and gloomy.
“Is there something wrong?” I ask immediately.
“Um…” And I can tell she’s not comfortable telling me the truth in front of all these people. All of a sudden, though, Louise just stands up, excuses herself, and silently walks away. Everyone starts whispering among themselves as we all remain in shock at her behavior. I hate to be the center of attention, and right now, with all these women staring at me and wondering what I have done to make Auntie Louise leave, it feels like I’m living my worst nightmare. And although I didn’t want her to start reading my palm, now I can’t help but wonder what she saw and why she left. I decide to follow her as she crosses the living room, then the entryway, all the way outside to the parking area.
“Ma’am, please,” I plead, before running in her direction.
But Louise doesn’t react; instead, she keeps walking toward her car, ignoring me.
Speeding up my pace, I get close enough to reach her shoulder, and say once more, “Ma’am, please.” As she turns around, her face is stern, yet laced with torment that petrifies me. “Please,” I plead. “Tell me the truth.” Then I extend my right hand once more, showing her my palm lines. Her eyes dart down for a second, observing them briefly, before looking up at me. “What do you see?”
After a beat of silence, she finally exhales a loud rush of air and says, “I only see death and misery, Miss.” My heart stops at the sound of her voice, and my eyes widen in shock. “I wish I could tell you otherwise. I’m sorry.”
She turns again, taking her car keys out of her purse, but I have more to ask. “Why? I… I don’t understand. I had an accident earlier this year, but I survived.”
Her head lowers for a moment, and while I can only see her back, I know her eyes are closed. I remain still, patiently observing her. Louise looks over her shoulder and mutters, “This relationship…” She pauses, shaking her head. “It won’t end well. Now, I must go. Good night.”
Her words were said with so much conviction that I remain baffled and barely breathing.
I hear the sound of her car engine, but I don’t dare look at her and wave goodbye.
Returning inside the house, I’m left with not only a wave of shock, but also a big mental mess. This woman doesn’t even know me, yet she said the same thing as the one who spoke to my mom. Then I wonder why Mona insisted so much for me to meet her. Was it just in good faith? Or did she know what Louise would tell me?
“Hey, I was looking for you.” But I don’t even look at Alex coming in. “Are you alright?” he asks, rubbing my arm in a failed attempt to soothe me.
“Yeah, I was just speaking to Louise.” I force myself to put on a smile and brush that incident from my mind.
“What did she tell you?”
“Oh, nothing that matters. Don’t worry about it.” My ears perk up, recognizing one of my favorite songs now playing. I put on a joyful expression, and, grasping his hand, I try to lead him to the outdoor terrace, where everyone is dancing to “Sway” by Michael Bublé. “Shall we? I love this song.”
“Petra…” But Alex doesn’t even move; instead, he just pulls me closer to him. “What did she tell you?” he repeats, this time a bit slower.
Lost in his blue eyes, I contemplate if I should tell him the truth or no
t. Since lying again doesn’t feel like a good option, I say, “Well…” Then I clear my throat as I think of the best words to say it. “She said as long as we remain together, my life will be filled with death and misery.” He widens his eyes in surprise. “But my mom told me the same thing last year. And yet here we are, happy and healthy.”
His face remains unreadable, but not his gaze. “I will never let anyone hurt you or us.” Cupping my face in his hands, he stares intently into my eyes. “No one.” I give him a quick smile in a failed attempt to silence my torment. “Look, from now on, I’ll always introduce you as my fiancée, and I’ll never travel again without you by my side.”
“Really?” Now that’s something I wasn’t expecting!
“Yeah, I have no idea how far your parents would go to tear us apart, but I do know they are capable of going pretty far to do so.”
My encounter with the soothsayer might not have been the most joyful moment of the evening, but knowing that from now on Alex will no longer introduce me as his goddaughter, but rather as his fiancée, certainly is.
The party seemed to last forever, but fortunately, at midnight, the music finally stopped and most of the guests started to leave. Then Mona apologized to me for her aunt’s behavior, which I insisted wasn’t her fault regardless of how badly she felt about it. Even after the party ended, Alex and I stayed to chat with some of Mona’s friends, and I must say, everyone was incredibly polite and friendly, which kinda surprised me, since they all knew Amanda had been Alex’s girlfriend for ten years. But no one brought it up—not even Mona. After saying good night to everyone, Alex finally leads me to his bedroom. As we step inside, my eyes immediately go to the wall on my right, which consists entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows with a sliding glass door leading to a private balcony and then to the beach. Turning my gaze to the bed, I can’t help but hear Hendrik’s voice echoing in my mind, I mean, they seemed to be very happy together. And my heart tightens horribly knowing they fucked there. Yep, they did. Jeez, I shouldn’t think about it, but it’s a reality that’s hard to swallow.
“Is everything okay?” I hear him asking.
I flatten my lips and cast my eyes down. “I’m sorry, um, it’s just… it’s just weird knowing you slept here with someone else.”
Alex doesn’t say a word as he lets my answer sink in. Then he just stares at the bed and again at me. “Do you want to go back to the boat?”
“No, it’s fine.” I never thought I’d admit it, but I miss Margaret’s rule that didn’t allow him to sleep with a woman he didn’t intend to marry under her roof. Pity Hendrik was not like that. “It’s okay, really.”
But Alex doesn’t seem convinced. “I’m sorry. I should’ve thought about it.” His soft tone makes me feel even worse that I give a crap about it. “If it makes you uncomfortable, we can go back to the boat…”
“No, it’s okay.” And deciding to open up, I say, “I just didn’t know Amanda was so close to Hendrik.”
“I didn’t want to make you feel more anxious or apprehensive to meet him. And I didn’t know my dad would tell you about it. I’m sorry.” I soak up the sincerity of his words. It’s not that I’m mad at him, but the truth is, I never expected his relationship with Amanda would affect me like this until I realized he had shared ten years of intimacy with her, to the point that Hendrik, Mona, and everyone else thought they’d get married. It might sound silly, but I feel like an intruder in their lives. Like I’m the one who stepped in and messed up their relationship and their happily ever after. As I remain lost in my thoughts, Alex stands before me and starts stroking my hair. Then our eyes lock, and he says, “She belongs to the past. You are my present and future. You know that.”
“I know, I just…” I pause for a beat, pursing my lips together. “I just feel bad cause I can tell she loved you. Like, a lot.” Or at least that’s the impression Hendrik gave me. And I wish I’d have ended the conversation there. Curiosity getting the best of me, I add, “Why did you spend ten years with her if you didn’t intend to marry her? It sounds so selfish.”
He chuckles, before shaking his head in displeasure. “I was always honest with her about what type of relationship she could expect from me. Marriage and kids weren’t part of it.” And meeting my gaze again, he just says, “She was okay with it until she wasn’t.”
“Well, after ten years together, I guess she thought she could change your mind…”
“But she didn’t.” And I obviously know why. It’s a pity that Alex had never told me that he’d promised the seven-year-old me that he’d never marry anyone but me. Why did I have to learn it from his dad? Is he ashamed to have said that? But I’m just too tired to ask any further.
Wanting to lighten the mood, I slide a hand under his open collar, and, after wetting my lips, I say in a whisper, “You know, I should get some kind of reward for tonight.” My voice is sweet and innocent, and Alex smirks in return, his blue eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “After all, I spent the whole evening with a big plug in my butt.” He heaves a rush of air in amusement, but I keep going. “Don’t you think?”
Chapter 38
Bermuda, October 30, 2020
Petra Van Gatt
The sound of waves swaying back and forth on the shore is the perfect morning melody to wake me up. As I timidly open my eyes, the amount of light present in the bedroom makes them sting, and I shut them again just as fast. Jeez! It must already be so late. I blink my eyes a few more times, getting used to the strong brightness. Then, I instinctively look around to find where the light is coming from, and that’s when I notice the sliding door that leads to our terrace is wide open. I look beside me to the empty side of the bed, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where Alex has been. Grabbing a bikini and a pair of denim shorts, I put them on in a blink, slide my iPhone into my back pocket, and head outside to meet him. Standing against the baluster railing, I rest my forearms on the surface and bend slightly to observe the most handsome man swimming far out to sea, like he’s competing in speed and performance against himself. I didn’t know he was such a fine swimmer, but I’ve come to the conclusion there is still a lot about him I don’t know. As Alex leaves the water and returns to the shore, I observe him like he is moving in slow motion. The way his hips sway, his eyes surveying the white sandy beach, his hand running through his wet hair, his presence, his body, everything about him demands attention in every sense, causing my heart to hammer against my ribs. As I observe him walking through the beach, his muscular body covered in the salty water of the Caribbean Sea, I can’t help being drawn to him. There is so much beauty in him that I grab my phone and discreetly take a few pictures of him to keep selfishly to myself. I’m too far away for him to notice anyway. A silent breath escapes my lips, and I chew my bottom lip. Loving him has been quite a hard battle. A battle filled with so much pain and suffering, but now, it seems like it has all been worth it.
His gaze travels to the terrace where I’m standing, and as our eyes lock, I see him picking up his pace to climb the stairs that connect our terrace to the beach.
“Hey,” I greet as he stands before me, my eyes lingering a bit lower than they should.
“Sleep well?” The sound of his voice makes me bat my eyes twice, bringing my attention back to his face and pulling me out of lusty land.
“Yeah, pretty good. How is the water?”
His lips twitch into a naughty smile. “Let me show you.” And in a sudden move, Alex lifts me off the ground and carries me like a baby from the terrace.
“Alex!” I barely have time to hold on to his neck before a shiver shoots down my spine and goosebumps coat my arms in enthusiasm. Then a rush of adrenaline begins beating through my veins at the realization that he’s gonna drop me into the water… along with my iPhone and my newly taken pictures! “My phone!” As he carries me through the sand and toward the sea, I manage to throw the iPhone on the beach cabana that stands beside us. Not the best place, but still better than in the water
or sand.
“Ahh…” A quick sigh escapes me at the contact of my warm skin with the fresh water. Alex keeps walking deeper into the water until our bodies are totally immersed.
“I’m not too heavy?” A stupid question, but I couldn’t help but notice how he managed to carry me all the way from the terrace to the water without straining or breaking stride.
Alex doesn’t restrain his loud chuckle. “You? Heavy?” Shaking his head in amusement, he then asks, “So, how is the water?”
“It’s perfect.” My voice comes out nauseatingly sweet as I let myself float in his embrace. Then, as I release him, I realize I can no longer stand here like he can. So, keeping my arms wrapped around his neck, I press my lips hard to his and put everything into our morning kiss. And as we look into each other’s eyes, I tell him, “I can’t believe I’m here with you. It feels too good to be true.”
He kisses me in return, and after smiling at me, he says, “Thank you for not giving up on us. Even after I had to leave.”
“I just couldn’t,” I tell him sincerely. Then, as I observe him attentively, I notice that Alex already looks so much tanner since we left New York. It’s incredible how he doesn’t get burned in the sun like I do.
Following our lazy swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, we go to the beach cabana, where I find two towels and two cushions for lounging, and my precious phone—alive and well. I remove my soaked shorts, and after Alex lies on the mattress, I lie on top of him and start kissing and sucking his sun-kissed neck. My chest heaves, blood pumping rapidly through my heart as I trace a line of soft kisses from his collarbone down to his torso and abs. A little grunt escapes him once I press my lips against his belly button, and I feel his hands on my hair, stroking it while my mouth keeps going down. His skin tastes just like the sea. As I reach his pelvis, I’m about to push the waistband of his swim shorts down, but Alex stops me instantly. “Petra, not here.”
Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter Book 2) Page 38