“Thirty minutes left to go, sweet cheeks.”
“He’ll call,” she said with false confidence.
What if Tomás couldn’t get the money together? He had told her a month ago it was the only option to get her hands on cash—a last resort to save the business, if push came to shove. This was shove.
As if on cue, her phone rang. Mikey picked it up and checked the screen. “Dr. Henk Bouwer.” He looked at Rod. “What now?”
Lourdes’ heart sat in her throat.
“Take it,” Rod said. “And no funny business.” He showed her the knife.
When Mikey pressed the answer dial, Lourdes said, “Hi Henk,” her voice a croak.
“Lourdes, are you unharmed?”
Mikey narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
“Yes,” she said.
“I’ve got the money.”
Her eyes widened. What the... How did Henk know? Had Dirk somehow gotten hold of him? “How?”
“I’m not doing this by transfer,” he said. “I’ll hand over the money when I see you in person.”
Mikey grabbed the phone.
“Who’s this?”
“Dirk’s brother. Who are you?”
“None of your business. The only thing you should worry about is your brother’s cute little girlfriend.”
“I’ve got what you want. You’ll have it if she’s unharmed.”
“You have thirty minutes,” Mikey hissed.
“Then stop playing around and give me the address.”
Mikey gave him Dirk’s address and cut the call. “Not a bad day, Rod, considering we’re getting double what Tony asked for.”
“Shut your mouse trap,” Rod yelled.
After that, Mikey was quiet until the intercom buzzed on the wall next to the fridge. If she could chew through the cord holding her wrists, she would have done it. She sat on the edge of the seat while Henk announced himself, minutes ticking by like hours as he traversed the distance from the entrance to Dirk’s flat. Please, please. She rocked forth and back. If Henk got hurt... When the knock came on the door, both fear and relief washed through her. Rod pulled his knife, and Mikey a pistol, before answering the door.
They both did a double take.
“Who are you?” Mikey said. “Dirk’s double or something?” He nudged Rod. “Like a stuntman, hey bro?”
“Whatever.” Rod waved the knife at Henk. “Step inside.”
Henk didn’t waver at the weapons aimed at him. He lifted his hands, a sports bag slung over his shoulder. “I’m unarmed.” His eyes immediately searched out Lourdes. “Are you okay?”
She could only nod.
Mikey pulled him inside and shut the door while Rod checked the window. Studying Lourdes for a second more, Henk turned to Mikey. “It’s half of the money. The other half’s our insurance policy.”
Rod laughed softly. “Then neither of you two are going home, stuntman.”
“The amount in this bag is what your boss asked for.” He dropped it to the floor. “The rest of it, I deposited with him. So now, you can go back to your boss and explain why you doubled his price. Doing some backhanded gambling of your own?”
Rod went pale. Mikey raked a hand through his hair.
“Rod,” Mikey said, “we’re in trouble, man.”
“Shut up,” Rod said. “It was for the boss. A nice surprise,” he said, trying to convince himself.
Henk held his hand out to Lourdes. “Come here.”
She didn’t hesitate. She scrambled to her feet and ran into his arms.
Henk moved her behind his body and backtracked to the door. “We won’t have the pleasure of meeting again. Tony will make sure of that.”
Whether he meant Tony would kill them for the betrayal, or Tony had promised that his men wouldn’t bother her and Henk again, she didn’t know. Apparently, neither did Rob or Mikey. They both stared wide-eyed at Henk, Mikey hitting a fist against his forehead.
As soon as they reached the door, Henk steered her outside and closed it behind them. They didn’t linger. He bolted for the lift, pulling her behind him. He didn’t even stop to untie her hands until they were in the lobby.
“Here, sweetheart,” he said, pushing her up against a wall. “Give me your hands.”
She held them up to him. Instead of trying to undo the complicated knot, he took a knife from his pocket and sawed through the rope until it gave way. He bundled it into his jacket pocket and took her arm.
“My car is nearby. So are the cops. I want you out of here before they storm the building.”
Outside, a detective in civilian clothes waved his badge at them. “My car’s here.”
“I’ll take her,” Henk said in a non-negotiable tone. “She’s been through enough.”
The man nodded stiffly. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Henk led her across the street to his Triumph and moved her into the passenger side, swiftly taking the driver's seat. He drove fast, and they didn’t speak until he stopped in front of his house.
His jaw was tight as he turned to her. “There’s a detective in the house and a doctor who’d like to make sure you’re fine.”
The shock set in, making her shake. His arms went around her and pulled her close. His nose was in her hair, his mouth on her temple.
“Thank God, you’re unharmed.” He held her at arm’s length. “You are, aren’t you? Please tell me they didn’t hurt you.”
“I’m fine,” she said in a shaky voice. “Just scared.”
He seemed to pull himself away with difficulty and then came around to help her out of the car. The detective who had parked behind them waited at the door. Once inside, a doctor asked to examine her, but Lourdes assured her the only injury she had sustained was the chaffed skin on her wrists. After the doctor left, she told the detectives everything that had happened. Henk gave the police the rope for forensics. An hour later, she found herself alone with Henk. She sank down on the sofa, exhausted.
He was at her side with a glass of amber liquid. “Here”
“What’s this?” She took the tumbler from him.
“Scotch. For the shock.”
“How did you know?”
“Trudy called me. She told me where you were and what you had asked for, and I knew what had happened. I managed to get hold of Dirk on his mobile phone. He only took the call because of his predicament, not knowing what to do and how to save you. He told me he owed them fifty grand and gave me the number of the loan shark. Realizing the schmucks who held you were overcharging, I called Tony and cut a deal. I left fifty grand with him and fifty with his men.”
“Henk, these people are dangerous. I’m afraid we won’t be safe, ever again.”
He took the untouched drink and left it on the coffee table, pulling her close. “The money is marked. The police have been after Tony and his gang for a while, and this will help to put them behind bars.”
His arms were soothing. She leaned closer and rested her head on his chest. “Dirk?”
“I booked him into a hotel. He didn’t want to come here.”
“I suppose he doesn’t want to face me,” she said bitterly, knowing Dirk would have deserted her.
He pushed away to look at her. “I’m sorry for the position I’ve put you in. I had no idea.” His hand smoothed over her shoulder, down her arm. “If they had harmed you ... I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“You couldn’t have known,” she said, staring up at his blue eyes, so similar and yet so different from Dirk’s.
His hands moved up to cup her face. “If you were mine Lourdes, I would never have let you go.”
His thumb brushed over her bottom lip. Her heart raced to a crescendo as his lips came down to gently brush over hers. This was so wrong, but it felt so right. The light pressure of his caress stirred intense feelings within her. She wanted to melt into his arms and stay there, safe, even if only for tonight.
Abruptly he pulled away. “I should take you home.”
“Of course.” He stroked his hand over her hair, pulling her head back to his broad chest. “You can stay as long as you like.”
They sat like that until her body relaxed, the tenseness easing from her muscles.
Henk lifted her chin. “Let’s go make you some dinner.”
Her tummy grumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. “Thank you.”
She sat at the kitchen table, sipping the Scotch, while Henk whipped omelets together. They ate in the kitchen in companionable silence. When they were done, he said, “Would you like to take a warm bath, or a shower? We could go back to your place and fetch your clothes if you’ll feel more comfortable in your own things, or I could lend you some of mine.”
It was a long drive back to her place, and right now, all she wanted to do was collapse in the aftermath of the earlier adrenalin. “Your stuff will do just fine.” She smiled at his consideration.
After showing her to his guest bathroom, Henk gave her one of his T-shirts, a pair of boxer shorts and sweat pants. Lourdes filled the bath to the brim and lay back in the soothing water. She blamed herself for having been blind to Dirk’s addiction. How could she not have known he was mixed up in a dangerous mess? She realized with some guilt that she had never called Trudy back. She would be worried. As soon as she was done, she’d let her know what had happened.
When the water had cooled, she got out, dried herself and pulled on Henk’s clothes. It smelled of him–of pine forest and mountain air. She rolled the pants up several times so as not to trip. Padding barefoot to the lounge, she found Henk in front of the television, watching the news.
“Come here.” He moved over, making space for her on the couch. “What would you like to do? Watch a movie? Or are you tired?”
She didn’t want to close her eyes, not just yet. Frightened that the nightmare would play itself over again in her mind, she said, “A movie would be great.”
“What do you like?” He switched from the news to the movie menu. “Action, thriller, comedy or classic?”
“No thrillers. A classic.”
“Here.” He handed her the remote. “You choose.”
She scrolled down the list and paused on ‘Gone with the Wind’.
“Seriously?” he said, grinning.
She shrugged. “Sorry.” She knew guys hated that movie, but it was a long one. She could put off going to sleep.
“I love this one,” he said with approval. “I do a pretty good Clark Gable imitation. Want to see?”
She laughed. “No, please. I'll take your word for it.”
“All right,” he said with a mock serious face. “But you don’t know what you’re missing.” He took back the remote and pressed the rent option. Lourdes watched him get up and disappear into the kitchen. For a minute, she worried that he would let her watch it on her own, but he returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. He had changed from his formal pants and shirt into faded jeans and a gray sweatshirt. Like her, he was barefoot. He poured two glasses, offered her one, and then settled back on the couch with one arm casually around the back.
For the first hour, Lourdes was stuck to the screen. By the time her glass was empty, she felt warm and fuzzy and leaned into him. Henk took their empty glasses and left them on the table, his arm moving from the backrest of the couch around her shoulders. His fingers played up and down her arm in a comforting tune. Lourdes realized with a little jerk of her heart that this was what she had always wanted with Dirk, but never had. They had never shared a quiet moment in front of a movie, doing nothing. It was not a useless moment or a waste of time, but beautiful and precious, because Henk was giving her what she needed most–comfort. Feeling indebted to him, she rested her head on his shoulder and allowed his warmth to seep through her body and into her soul.
A long time later, Lourdes awoke with her head in Henk’s lap. The movie was close to the end. Henk played with her hair, brushing his fingers over her scalp. She wanted to stay like that forever and pretend there was no company to take care of, no business on the brink of bankruptcy. But then she remembered Trudy and shot upright.
“What is it?” he said gently.
“Trudy! I never called her to tell her I was all right.”
He touched the tip of her nose. “Done.”
“You called her? When?”
“While you were in the bath. I figured you had enough to deal with for one day.”
“Thanks.” She breathed a sigh of relief and settled her head in his lap again.
Too soon, the credits rolled over the screen. She turned her face to look up at Henk. “Thanks for saving me. The money ...”
“I don’t want you to think about the money. If it wasn’t for me, you’d never be there. It’s over now. Forget about it.”
“Dirk?”
“I’m seeing him tomorrow.”
His expression seemed so vulnerable, she wanted to wrap her arms around him. “Then you’ve accomplished what you’ve set out to achieve?”
“Not yet, but I hope to.”
She nodded.
“Time for bed,” he said, sounding reluctant. “You’ve been through an ordeal.”
He took her hand and led her to a room down the hallway. “Guest room.” He opened the door for her. “I’m upstairs. Just shout if you need anything.”
“Thanks. For everything. For letting me stay.” She went on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. His stubble pricked her lips, but it was a masculine, welcome feeling.
Emotions played across his face as he looked down at her. Without warning, he took her face between his hands, his lips meeting hers for a tender kiss. It was a slow, undemanding kiss, but one that melted her insides and made her knees shake. When he pulled away with a final peck on her nose, his gaze was serious.
“Your eyes are the color of a forest,” he said. “Deep green, like moss. Except when you cry. After your tears, they shine like emeralds. You have the most perfect eyes I have ever seen.”
Her heart swelled with something she couldn’t explain.
“And despite how beautiful they are when you cry,” he continued softly, “I don’t ever want to see real tears in them.”
There were no words in her mind, nothing to form a sentence with.
“Good night, Lourdes March.” He turned and walked away.
Lourdes watched him until he turned the corner, wanting him to stop, but feeling like she couldn’t ask him to stay. She went to bed and lay awake for a long time. What was happening to her? Was it wrong to fall for Dirk’s brother? It was over between Dirk and her. She was free. But how would Dirk feel about a relationship between her and the brother he believed had taken everything away from him?
~ * ~
The smell of bacon hung in the air when she woke up. She sniffed with appreciation, threw the covers back and followed the odor to the kitchen. Henk stood in front of the stove, flipping pancakes. He looked all showered and fresh in dark jeans and a white T-shirt, his curly hair damp.
“Good morning,” she said, pulling at the hem of the over-sized T-shirt.
When he turned to look at her, she almost faltered at the heat in his eyes. “Morning.” He grinned as his eyes traveled over her. “Sleep well?”
Instead of replying, she took a seat by the table. She wasn’t sure where last night’s kiss left them. Maybe she was making a big deal out of it. Henk removed a plate from the hot drawer stacked with bacon.
“Hungry?” He served her some pancakes without waiting for her answer. After pouring them each a cup of coffee, he took the chair next to her.
Definitely nothing, she decided, or he would have said something or kissed her good morning. Probably one of those weird kisses guys dished out after a girl had been held hostage.
For now, the food dominated her attention. It had been a while since she'd had pancakes and bacon for breakfast. She added a few
strips of bacon to her plate and dribbled syrup over everything. She became aware of Henk staring at her after she had taken a few enthusiastic bites.
“What?” she said, taking a big gulp of coffee.
“Nothing. I just enjoy watching you eat.”
She shrugged. “I’m a breakfast person.”
“That’s good to know. So am I.” He tugged a strand of hair behind her ear.
The intimacy of the act made her freeze with her fork halfway to her mouth. Or was his cuddling meant to soothe her? Her heartbeat picked up, and in a second, the atmosphere between them became charged.
As if sensing the change in mood, Henk swiped his thumb over the corner of her mouth. “You look cute when you wake up.”
A flush of heat crept up her neck. She hadn’t looked in the mirror, but she knew her hair had to be a tangled bird’s nest.
“You have an unfair advantage,” she said. “You showered and brushed your hair.”
His eyes turned a darker shade of blue. “We can remedy that.”
Before she could contemplate the meaning of his words, the intercom buzzed. Immediately his expression turned apologetic. “I didn’t have time to tell you, but that will be Dirk.”
She almost choked on her coffee. “Dirk is coming here? Now?”
“He called early this morning and said he needed to see me.”
She got up so quickly she almost knocked his mug over. “I’d better give the two of you some privacy.”
“Please,” he laid his hand on her arm, “sit. Finish your breakfast. I’m sure Dirk has a lot to say to you.”
The food got stuck in her throat. She sat down again slowly, not sure she was ready to face Dirk after the coward had left her to the mercy of those bastards yesterday.
Henk answered the intercom, opened the gate for Dirk, and then left to wait by the door for his brother. A short while later, the two men entered the kitchen, Dirk with hunched shoulders, Henk tense.
When Dirk spotted her at the table, he dashed forward and grabbed her into his arms. “Lourdes, baby, thank God you’re safe. If anything had happened ... I’m so sorry. I’ll make it all up to you. I promise. I love you so much.”
From over Dirk’s shoulder, she saw Henk turn his face away, his jaw clenched.
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