Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,141

loyalist is someone who stands for someone or something until the end, no matter what.”

“I doubt that Emma wouldn’t talk if she knew Petra was in danger.”

“She organized their engagement party,” Roy tells me. Wow. Petra had had an engagement party? Knowing she hadn’t invited me to such an important event in her life makes my heart squeeze even more. Fuck, I thought I was her friend. I try hiding my pain with an unbothered attitude, but it’s easier said than done. “Emma supports them. Tess is right, she’ll never say a word.”

“Maybe there’s another way…” I look at my dad and ask, “What if you contact your colleagues at the bureau?”

“We don’t need to get the FBI involved,” Roy interposes, his tone pressing. “I will call Alex…” He takes out his phone, but instead of calling him, he says, “He just sent me a voice message.”

“Play it,” Tess snaps at him.

Roy remains undecided for an instant, but since Tess keeps insisting, he pushes play. He raises the volume, and we hear Alex’s voice coming from the phone. “Hey, Roy…” His tone is not threatening or harsh, like I expected it to be, but rather tired and maybe even a bit melancholic. “It’s me… your former best friend, you know, the one you built a business with, and the son of the man who gave you the opportunity of a lifetime.” There is a pause while Alex takes a long breath in and out. “I suppose by now you are looking for Petra. Most likely with Eric Bradford, your new bestie.” What the heck? How does he know that? “Rest assured, she’s with me, and she’s fine. But if you and Tess don’t leave us alone once and for all, believe me, neither of you will ever see her again.” Tess puts her palm over her mouth to contain a gasp, but I hear it even so. “Oh, and save yourself the hassle of inquiring about where we are, because no one knows. And I’ll never tell you. Goodbye, Roy.” And that’s it. That’s the message.

I put my hand on Tess’s back, giving her some comfort, but I can only imagine what she is going through. She was damn right. He literally kidnapped her. Jeez, I boil with rage at not having seen it coming. I should’ve locked that door. But fuck, I never thought Petra would run away either. And as I look at my dad and he at me, we both know it’s not the police or the bureau we need to get involved. It’s his entire office. Looking at Petra’s mom, I say, “Tess, you can trust us. My dad will find him, have him arrested, and throw him in jail.”

Chapter 35

Atlantic Ocean, October 24, 2020

Petra Van Gatt

Sunlight beams through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting light across the whole bedroom. Waking up, I prop myself up on my elbows and fill my eyes with the sight of the impressive blue sea blending with the sky. I didn’t dream this; I’m really sailing away with my fiancé. Then I recall how I left Matthew’s house yesterday in the middle of the night, and I wonder for an instant how he is doing. Maybe I should send him a text wishing him a happy birthday. Before doing anything, though, it’s better to check with Alex, as I definitely don’t want to do something that could compromise us. Since he’s already left the bedroom—a terrible habit of his that I can’t help but despise, I decide to get out of bed, and head to the bathroom. After showering, I go back into the room and stand in front of the mirror. There, I drop the towel and observe my naked body attentively, before applying some lotion on my skin. My neck bears four red hickeys from last night, and unless I put a scarf around it, I have no makeup that can cover this. Then I turn my lower back and bottom toward the mirror, searching for where the pain I’m feeling is coming from. I narrow my eyes at the dark mark at the end of my spine, right on my tailbone. Damn, it’s a bruise! That’s why it was hurting so much when I tried to move in bed. From the reflection in the mirror, I can see a black box resting on the nightstand behind me. I remember Alex’s instructions about what I’m supposed to do before going to breakfast. Jeez, I can’t believe I’m gonna have to