Her right hand fists. She doesn’t like hearing me use that name. She darts her gaze to her mother and understands why I did it. When our gaze meets again, she offers me a weak smile before walking over to the sofa to join the other women.
It’s twenty minutes before my guard knocks and announces in Spanish that Friedrich is here. I respond in Spanish too, telling him to let the man in. I checked out Heidi’s social media last night, so I knew who to expect. He’s sliding his ID back into his wallet as he walks in. He looks over his shoulder as he adjusts his suit coat once his wallet’s back in place. He looks a bit befuddled after the pat down I know he got.
“Heidi!”
Friedrich rushes forward, and Heidi hurries toward him. He engulfs her in his arms and lifts her off her feet. Neither cares who’s around when they kiss. It’s not inappropriate, but it’s certainly passionate. He puts her back on her feet and brushes hair away from her face. They keep their voices low, but I get thegist of their conversation. He asks if the men outside forced her in here. If they patted her down too.
He looks toward me and asks if she’s afraid of me. She reassures him that everything is fine—as good as it can be. She insists we’ll explain everything once Bastian arrives. She refuses to go through it twice. At first, I think Friedrich thinks she just doesn’t want to be bothered repeating herself. Then he senses it would be too difficult for her to say it or hear it twice.
Liesel introduces him to me, and we shake hands. I sense his hesitation, but there’s no resistance. They sit together on the sofa after he greets Gretel.
It’s another twenty minutes before Bastian arrives. He looks more ruffled than Friedrich when he comes in the door. He glares at the man who handed his ID back. He recognizes me immediately, and I can tell he’s pissed I’m the one here. Did Liesel mention her suspicions about me stalking her?
He pulls her in for a kiss when she hurries over to him. I see her relax against him, welcoming that kiss. It’s—sweet. It’s not anywhere near as passionate as Heidi and Friedrich’s.
It still makes me want to puke.
I noticed Gretel watching me, so I plastered a smile on my face as he walked in. I force my posture to remain relaxed as every ounce of possessiveness in me vibrates like a tuning fork.
When they pull apart, Liesel brings him over to where I still stand near the dining table. We both extend hands, and this isn’t the casual but curious greeting I got from Friedrich. He tries to crush my hand, but he’s unprepared for my grip. I’m careful since I know he performs surgery when he’s on his Doctors Without Borders missions. But I make sure it’ll sting for a few minutes. I’m clearly larger than him, so I don’t know what made him think I wouldn’t be stronger than him.
He hates it. His bearing puffs up like a pissed off peacock. Liesel watches the exchange, understanding what’s happening.She’s staring at Bastian, the warning clear on her face. She knows—I believe she knows—I won’t rescind my help just because Bastian’s being a douche. But she doesn’t like it.
“Anne, you will explain what’s going on. Now.”
She shoots me a quelling look. Bastian doesn’t miss it, and it only pisses him off even more.
“Who are you? Why do you have guards?” He turns back to Liesel. “Did your mom and sister really spend the night here?”
She opens her mouth to respond, but I cut her off in German. He probably thinks I don’t speak the language past the introductions. Surprise, motherfucker.
“This isn’t the time to accuse your girlfriend of cheating. It’s insulting. Who I am is a venture capitalist and accountant from New York. I have the means to provide private security for you, Anne, and the others. I’m well connected with the best and worst of society around the world. I’m the person who can get answers to what’s going on. I suggest you let Anne explain the situation without interrupting. It’s been a difficult day and a half for her mother, her sister, and her. Be nice.”
I inhale at the end, letting my chest expand to its full breadth. Liesel practically flinches before desire sparks for a moment. Bastian doesn’t quite wilt, but he certainly backs down. He nods, so I gesture toward the sofa and armchairs. It’s my turn to practically flinch when he sits in a chair and pulls Liesel onto his lap. I sit in the other armchair as though it’s my throne.
I’ll let Liesel explain as much as she can, but I’m ready to step in if she needs me. I’m certain I will when Bastian pitches an inevitable fit. I sense it. She looks at me, and I nod. I see Bastian’s hand tighten on her hip. He doesn’t enjoy her deferring to me about anything. He hasn’t seen us together long enough to have a reason to doubt her, so he’s threatened by my mere presence—hell, my mere existence.
As he should be.
“When I returned from lunch yesterday, there was a box on my desk. I was entirely unprepared to open it and find Papa’s hand in it. I’m certain it was his because of his wedding ring. He’s never taken it off.”
“What the hell, Anne?! You didn’t think you should tell me that?”
I clear my throat. My gaze locks with Bastian’s, and everyone knows I don’t approve of his tone. Friedrich’s far smarter than his friend.
“Heidi, did you know this?”
“Not until I got here. Anne didn’t tell the truth, but she was wise not to.Muttiand I would’ve freaked out. We wouldn’t have handled it well and probably would’ve made everything worse.”
“How could it get worse?”
Bastian’s demand earns him an equally scathing look from Friedrich, who lets go of Heidi’s hand and wraps his arm around her shoulders. She sinks against him, burrowing her face against his chest. Liesel picks up as though there was no interruption.
“Someone dropped a note in my lap while I was at the park. I didn’t understand what it meant, but now I know it was a threat against Papa. It warned me something was coming, and I wouldn’t be ready for it. I got back to my office, and there was the box. It was terrifying. I called Jorge because I know enough about his family to understand the influence they have in the global economy. I also knew if I needed resources, he’d have them.”
“So, this is about money. We’re not without means.”
“We don’t have six million euros lying around, Bastian. So, unless you’ve been hiding it under our mattress and didn’t tell me, you couldn’t help the way Jorge can. It’s not about his lending us the money. It’s about him understanding the consequences of someone demanding six million. It’s about him knowing people who can help us investigate what’s going on.”
