His Forever (His #3)

by Octavia Wildwood

  “No thank you,” I said coolly when Henrik offered me a drink.

  He shrugged dismissively and took a sip of it himself. “How much did you hear?” he asked.

  “Not much,” I replied honestly.

  “Hayden and I have never exactly seen eye to eye,” he informed me. His tone was one of exasperation but if I really concentrated and made an effort to look beyond that, there was a definite sadness there as well. “He blames me for the divorce. He blames me for taking his mother away.”

  “Did you?” I asked. I was emboldened by the slight show of vulnerability I’d seen in Henrik. “When you turned up in Jamaica you said you know where Hayden’s mother is. You said you’ve always known. What’s that about?”

  Henrik regarded me with an undecipherable expression on his face. For a moment I wondered if he was going to admonish me for butting in where I really had no place. I was, after all, a guest in his home and had no right to demand answers from him.

  But he didn’t get angry. Instead, he cocked his head to the side in the same way Hayden did when he was pondering something. “You’re different from the other girls,” he said, apparently declining to answer my question.

  “Pardon me?”

  “Hayden never brought his girls around,” Henrik said before pausing to pour another drink. “But that didn’t mean I was in the dark. He tried to shut me out but I had my ways. I looked into them – it’s a father’s job to look into his son’s girlfriends, especially with such a massive fortune on the line.”

  I stared back at Henrik thoughtfully, the wheels in my head turning. Maybe I’d been hasty in thinking that Henrik was pure evil personified. I’d based that analysis mostly on the things my boyfriend had told me. Hayden maintained that his father had never cared about him or taken an interest in his life. But Henrik’s words didn’t sound like those of an indifferent, uninvolved father. Could it be that Hayden was mistaken?

  “Hayden’s women were Fawns and Bunnies, bar dancers and so-called actresses. They were floozies with no substance, just out to have a good time and run up Hayden’s charge cards. But you…you’re not a dancer or an actress – although that little performance of yours on the plane was impressive.”

  “Performance…but…but…oh…” I blushed hotly and began to stutter, deeply embarrassed to realize that Henrik hadn’t been fooled by my feigned illness. He’d seen me going into the bathroom with his son and if he knew I wasn’t actually sick then… Oh God. I was mortified beyond belief and at a total loss for words. What must he think of me?

  Henrik waved his hand dismissively. “No need to say anything. I was young and smitten once too, you know. Hayden probably wouldn’t believe me if I told him but I loved his mother dearly in the beginning.”

  My mouth felt dry but I looked at Henrik inexplicably feeling deeply grateful that he wasn’t going to dwell on my inappropriate behavior aboard his jet. “What happened?” I asked, partly due to curiosity and partly in an effort to steer the conversation in another direction as quickly as I possibly could.

  “We grew apart…or maybe our relationship was doomed to fail from the beginning. She said I worked too much. I thought she complained too much. When I found out she was abusing prescription pills I gave her an ultimatum: stop or walk away. She chose the pills,” he shrugged. “So I made her leave.”

  “Leave the house?” I asked, leaning forward in my seat.

  “No, the country,” he replied. “My old man was an alcoholic. He’d beat us kids black and blue without any provocation when he was on one of his benders. I wasn’t about to have history repeat itself with Hayden. I told Hayden’s mother she was never to contact him again and, in return, I’d pay her living expenses. I’m still paying her rent to this day.”

  I cringed at Henrik’s words, simultaneously horrified and saddened by what he’d just told me. “Do you think Hayden’s mother would have hurt him?” I asked, afraid to hear the answer.

  “Probably not on purpose,” Henrik conceded. “But it was only a matter of time until she crashed the car with the boy in it or did some other incredibly stupid thing. I wasn’t about to have him find her cold dead body after an overdose…although some might say I coddled him too much.”

  What I was hearing was incredible, really. I knew for a fact that Hayden would never in a million years say that his father had coddled him. He’d say that Henrik had abandoned him, shipping him away to boarding school so as to avoid being inconvenienced by him. I understood that in Hayden’s mind and heart, that was exactly what had happened and the betrayal had cut deep. But hearing Henrik’s version of events was opening my mind to new possibilities.

  I hadn’t been sure what to make of the man but I’d been leaning toward detesting him. Now, though…now I wasn’t sure. For the first time since I’d met him, he seemed human to me. It didn’t mean I agreed with his decisions concerning Hayden – because I didn’t – but I was beginning to understand that Henrik had issues of his own. Maybe his misguided attempts at parenting Hayden over the years had been the best he was capable of given his own tumultuous upbringing.

  “Don’t you look at me like that, with pity in your eyes,” Henrik sneered, instantaneously morphing back into that snide, overly-confident billionaire I’d initially met. Yet I could still tell he was guarded – it was in his eyes. In some ways the resemblance between him and his son was uncanny. “I don’t need anyone’s pity.”

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  He looked amused then, if not a little surprised. He set his empty glass down on the desk with a thud, his eyes trained on me as though I was a riddle he wanted to solve. “Okay?” he repeated as though he thought he may have misheard me.

  I nodded. “I don’t pity you. Hayden would tell me I shouldn’t believe a word you say.”

  Henrik chuckled. “That does sound like something he’d say. But you do believe me, don’t you?” he pressed. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re a smart woman, Daniella. I think you can recognize the truth for what it is. You’re a teacher, aren’t you?”

  “I was a Sociology instructor, yes,” I replied, feeling a twinge of sadness as I thought of the life I’d left behind. I’d thought the pull to be in the classroom would dissipate as time went on but if anything it had just grown stronger. I missed teaching. To me, it was as essential to my well-being as breathing.

  “Perhaps you might be interested in my library,” Henrik offered, standing up and opening his office door. “Collecting art is my primary passion but I’ve also built up quite the selection of books. You’re welcome to them, if you’d like. You’ll find the library at the very end of the corridor.”

  Apparently that was my cue that our discussion was over. I stood, thanked him and walked out. I was oddly pleased that Henrik had offered me use of his library. Not only had he correctly deduced that I loved to read, but in a way it also felt like he’d made a peace offering in his own peculiar way.

  “Daniella,” Henrik called me back at the last minute.

  I stopped in my tracks and turned. “Yes, Mr. Slate?”

  “Join me for drinks again tomorrow afternoon,” he commanded. “And call me Henrik.”

  Chapter 04

  “Here you are,” a familiar voice behind me said the next day, cutting into my thoughts.

  I looked up and blinked, feeling a bit dazed. A glance at the window told me it had grown dark outside. The daylight had faded and I hadn’t even noticed. I’d been so engrossed in what I was doing that I’d lost track of time…and everything else. I tended to get that way sometimes when I was absorbed in my work.

  “Hi,” I greeted Hayden, happy to see he seemed a bit less tense. He looked as sexy as ever in a light grey suit, black button up shirt and royal blue silk tie. But then he looked good in everything – with a body like that it was no wonder! His muscles just seemed to go on for days I thought to myself hungrily.

  “You were gone when I woke up this morning,” I told him as my eyes roamed longingly over his buff physique. �
�I missed you.”

  What I didn’t say was I’d missed waking up to our morning lovemaking, our bodies entangled in the sheets as we began our day in the sweetest way imaginable. I hoped those days weren’t behind us, perhaps abandoned in Jamaica… Part of me hoped Hayden would read between the lines and take me right then and there, but I quickly saw he was distracted.

  “Sorry. I had an early business meeting to attend with my father – a condition of living here with him,” Hayden rolled his eyes. “I didn’t want to wake you because you looked so peaceful, but I left you a note on my pillow.”

  “Uh huh, I found it.”

  “What are you doing holed up all alone in the library?” he asked, then he smacked his forehead as though that was the stupidest question ever. “Actually, I guess I can’t say I’m surprised. Knowing you, this is exactly where I’d expect to find you. I should have tried looking for you here first.” Clearly he was frazzled if he hadn’t thought of that until now.

  “Your father has the most incredible library I’ve ever seen,” I breathed. Even though I’d been in there basking in its gloriousness for hours, I was still awestruck. I felt like a little kid who’d stumbled into a candy factory, wonderstruck and on a delicious sugar high. I hadn’t felt that way in a long, long time.

  The library was two entire floors of wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling books. They just seemed to go on forever. In fact, I’d had to use a ladder to access some of them. And Henrik’s collection wasn’t comprised of just any books, but high quality, fascinating and surprisingly relevant ones. It was truly incredible. I could lose myself in there for hours – and apparently I had.

  “What are you reading?” he asked curiously, moving behind me and peering over my shoulder.

  “Actually,” I said a little sheepishly, “I found some books that would be perfect for my research. I’ve just been sitting here taking notes for…I guess it’s been hours now. I know it probably seems silly to you but I’d really love to finish my research project even though…” I trailed off then, but Hayden read my thoughts.

  “Even though you’re no longer a college instructor,” he finished for me sadly before sitting down in the immensely comfortable overstuffed armchair across from me. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as he studied my face intently. “You miss it, don’t you?”

  We both knew it wasn’t really a question given how obvious the answer was.

  Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded. I missed it terribly. I missed it more than I could ever put into words. I’d had no closure and I wasn’t coping with the loss well. It felt like a part of me had died, or at least been abandoned. It felt like giving up a child.

  “I’m not sure applying to teach at one of the colleges out here would be safe,” Hayden pointed out, his concern for my welfare evident. “The logistics of arranging for security on a campus…it would be tough…maybe impossible. What about teaching online courses?” he asked hopefully. “Would that scratch the itch?”

  I loved him for caring so much about what was important to me solely because it was important to me. I loved him for wanting to move mountains to give me everything my heart desired. But let’s face it: mountains aren’t movable. And besides, in recent days I’d come to understand it wasn’t just teaching I loved – it was teaching in Burlington on the campus I adored that made me come alive inside.

  “I don’t think teaching anywhere else would be the same,” I confessed, wishing that wasn’t the case. I hated to be difficult. I didn’t want to be dismissive of Hayden’s attempts to help me do what I was born for. But I couldn’t help the way I felt.

  Hayden looked at me apologetically. “I hate that you had to give your teaching position up,” he said. “It was your passion, I know. I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to find the bastard behind the death threats. I don’t understand why communication has just stopped completely. It doesn’t make sense.” His frustration was evident. “I thought by now life would be back to normal...I bet you wish you’d never met me.”

  “That’s not true!” I interjected, impassioned. “Meeting you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. If I had a hundred chances to choose between you and my career, I’d pick you every time, Hayden. There’s no question about it.”

  My words were meant to comfort him, but he didn’t look placated. Instead, he looked sad. “Daniella,” he sighed, shaking his head like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. “You’re missing the point. You shouldn’t have to choose.”

  In that instant I realized I missed Hayden terribly. It was a strange realization because we were living under the same roof. Only a short while ago we’d been lying on the beach, me in his hammock, his hot skin pressed against mine. I could taste the seawater on his lips and feel the electricity in his veins. But that seemed like a lifetime ago.

  Now we were back in America and I missed him.

  “Where have you been all day?” I asked. I knew his meeting couldn’t have taken the entire day.

  “I went to visit Steve to see if he knew anything that could help me get to the bottom of this damn mystery. He tried hard to help but he really doesn’t know any more than we do, so it was an exercise in futility.”

  “Oh…how is Steve?”

  “He’s homeless and destitute,” Hayden replied, his sharp tone making it clear he was still irritated with me for questioning Steve Martel’s integrity. “He’s been sleeping on the street downtown and looks a mess…and it’s all because he was trying to help me. It kills me to see him that way, Daniella. I feel so guilty and Steve doesn’t deserve to live like that. Not that I expect you to care.”

  I sighed, feeling like we were going around in circles. It was dizzying, a ride I’d never wanted to be on in the first place. “I care,” I assured him. “When I questioned Steve’s motives I was just playing devil’s advocate, trying to offer some perspective. I didn’t mean to imply he’s a bad person.”

  “If you say so,” Hayden replied, sounding unconvinced.

  I chose to ignore his tone. “Were you at least able to give him some money?” I asked, hoping to steer the conversation in a slightly more positive direction.

  “No. All I was able to give him was my watch to sell. My father wouldn’t tell me where to find him until I handed over all the cash I had on me. Can you believe that man? He takes my mother away and then he takes Steve away.” Hayden was practically seething with anger. “He’s such a twisted control freak!”

  I said nothing. I’d always been outspoken but I sensed that now wasn’t the time. Hayden didn’t want to hear about my eye opening conversation with his father or attempt to appreciate a different perspective. He wanted to vent. So I let him.

  “Can you believe he had the audacity to say my mother was an addict and he was trying to protect me from her when he sent her away?” Hayden spat. I could practically see the rage coming off him in waves. “How dare he?”

  “Do you think the addict part was at least true?” I asked cautiously.

  “No,” Hayden replied immediately. “Well…maybe. I was pretty young but I do remember she was sick a lot. She’d always tell me she was taking her medicine…” He trailed off then, looking pained. “Maybe she did abuse prescription pills,” he finally relented. “But that doesn’t make what my father did right, cutting my mother right out of my life with no warning and then sending me off to boarding school.”

  “You’re right,” I agreed. “It doesn’t. Do you think maybe he believed he was protecting you?”

  “Who knows? Ugh,” Hayden said, standing and beginning to pace. “Being back here close to my father just makes me so crazy. I feel like I’m coming unhinged. But you always have a way of putting me back together when I fall apart, Daniella. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “I’m the one who insisted we come here,” I reminded him guiltily. “Do you think we should go? If you want to leave, just say the word. I’ll follow you anywhere.”

  “I’d love to tell you I thi
nk we should leave,” Hayden said, laughing bitterly. “Believe me, I want out of here! But if I’m to be completely honest, I think you made the right call, Daniella. This is where we’re safest, and I’ll do anything to keep you safe – even put up with my father.”

  I climbed to my feet then and stood in Hayden’s path so he’d have to stop pacing. He came to a standstill in front of me, his tall frame towering over me. He put his hands on my arms, stared into my eyes and then leaned down, kissing me like he never wanted to let go. And that was fine by me.

  As our lips and tongues engaged in a slow, sensuous dance, I made up my mind. Regardless of my own reservations and cautious nature, I knew that Hayden cared deeply for Steve Martel. I knew that seeing his one true father figure destroyed financially and in reputation was painful for Hayden. And I knew that I’d do anything to take Hayden’s pain away.

  So I was going to do what Hayden couldn’t.

  Chapter 05

  “I can understand what Hayden sees in you. He’s made a lot of stupid, immature choices in his life just to spite me but you’re not one of them. Finally, it seems, he got something right.”

  Once again I was in Henrik Slate’s office, only this time I’d accepted the drink he’d offered me. I’d reasoned that drinking with him would encourage him to indulge more. That’s what I was counting on, anyway, because I hoped that once his inhibitions came down I could put my plan into motion.

  It seemed Henrik’s inhibitions certainly were coming down. I was surprised to find that Drunk Henrik was complimentary, not in a creepy way but in a manner that simply made his high opinion of me known. He regarded me thoughtfully from across his desk as he absentmindedly stirred a martini. His words were slightly slurred but the sentiment came across loud and clear.

  Blushing, I looked away, unsure of how to respond.

  I’d never imagined I’d come to enjoy having drinks with Hayden’s father, but I found myself looking forward to that time. It offered me a glimpse into the childhood and psyche of the man I loved. Considering my tendency to overanalyze everything, it was invaluable to me.