NERTHUS
The dinner is lovely, and I can see how much thought and planning they put into everything, and I absolutely love it.
I also love the thought that I was a direct recipient of all this as I’m invited as myself, being Arawn’s girlfriend, and not just the company who happened to be booked for the evening.
After dinner, and the children being put to bed by the nanny, we are sitting in a heated winter garden. We are chatting happily while the wine flows and the men are smoking cigars.
I’m enjoying my tiramisu while being cuddled against Arawn’s side in a cozy lounge.
“You can stay overnight if you want. We have enough guestrooms,” Harvey offers, making me look at Arawn with big eyes.
He chuckles, tearing his eyes from me. “Don’t look at me like that! I told you we had to go back to the City after dinner.”
“You could leave right after breakfast,” Emily adds, making me giggle.
Arawn groans as I scoop another bit of the delicious dessert into my mouth. “Why don’t you all make your plans without me and then tell me what you have decided?”
“Come on, Arawn. You work too much. You should have a little bit of fun once in a while,” Harvey says, making me pout at Arawn.
Laying his hand around me, he kisses my head before sighing. “Okay, but we will leave right after breakfast.”
“Yes!” I celebrate pulling my arm back.
I’m just about to say something else as I see Emily concentrating on something outside. I follow her gaze, my breath hitching in my throat as I spot a shadow stalking closer to the house.
“There is someone,” Emily says finally, getting Harvey and Arawn to look at the figure as well.
“What the hell,” Harvey mumbles.
I wet my lips with my tongue, setting down my cup with the tiramisu. “Is that Goldman?”
My whispered question gets Arawn to jerk up. He stands, opening the sliding door of the winter garden.
“Arawn,” I whisper-shout, as the cold air breaking in from the outside envelops me, sticking directly to my bones.
Slowly, the figure comes closer, and we release our breaths as the shadowy figure steps into the first ray of light, revealing its face to us.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” Laurent taps his forehead theatrically as if he was tapping the visor of an invisible hat. “Ladies.”
While the men are clenching their jaws, Emily and I practically answer in unison. “Good evening, Laurent.”
After a few moments, Emily gets herself out of the group paralysis and gets up. “Can I offer you something to drink?”
“Oh, no. Thank you very much, Emily dear,” Laurent declines with a sly grin. “I was just nearby and had to say hello.”
“How nice of you. You have a property nearby?” Arawn asks with an annoyed tone.
Laurent grins up at him, nodding proudly, “Yeah, something like that.”
Before anyone can say anything else, he lifts his finger towards me, taking a deep breath. “You know what, I hope you don’t take it as an insult, but I couldn’t get your wife’s eyes out of my head.”
My heart does a painful flip as I stare up at Arawn, biting my tongue while he fights to not lose his last resolve. “I beg your pardon?”
“Not what you would think, old chap,” Laurent provokes further, laughing stupidly.
I shift in my seat, clearing my throat. “What’s with my eyes then?”
“Oh, they just made me think about someone I met many, many years ago.” He grins up to Arawn before setting his eyes back on me. “A man named Ezio Di Mattei.”
He seems to study my face as I lift a brow at him. “Does that ring a bell for you, Amber?”
“Not really, no,” I answer, chuckling awkwardly, making him nod repeatedly.
“What a pity,” he continues to gloat, causing my heart to sink into my stomach. “Was a great chap. They used to call him ‘Leone’. It means lion because he was always shouting around, always having a big mouth.”
He laughs sickeningly as he lets his eyes roam over the room he has under his spell. “He never left the room without saying his opinion. Had fire in his veins. You really remind me of him.”
We stare at him dumbfounded, my stomach churning as I begin to recognize where he wants to get at. I suppose Arawn must have reached the same conclusion as he balls his hands into fists. I would like nothing more than to get up and hug him to comfort him, but I seem to be glued to my chair.
“He was a businessman from the West Coast, but who am I telling this. What a few less people know is that he had to carry out a few business transactions in Ohio… I think it was Columbus.”
“Is there any reason why you are telling us all this, Laurent?” I ask, fighting hard to keep my voice from shaking.
He spreads his arms, tilting his head as if he was telling me that it was obvious. “I’m sorry, I tend to get lost in my own stories. Even worse when they are from the past.”
“Don’t worry. Everyone is a sucker for stories from the past,” Arawn retorts, apparently having regained his cool.
Laurent taps his shoulder playfully, laughing. “Right?! Anyway, you probably understand that it made me think that your spouse was his daughter, as a man of your calibre certainly would marry someone highly respectable.”
Oh, God.
He isn’t only provoking.
He knows exactly what he is talking about, and he uses his words specifically.
And he must have figured out everything about me already.
I keep myself from gasping, gulping down the bile rising in my throat.
“Anyway, poor guy. He died a gruesome death in early 1996. May I dare to ask you what year you were born, Amber?” he asks with a stupid grin.
I laugh awkwardly, putting my hand on my chest. “Oh dear, I’m flattered that you would guess myself at such a young age. But I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. I’m a ’92 and my father’s name is Andrei Rogers. And I have pictures to show you that I got my eyes from my mom. Right, darling?”
“Oh, yeah. She is pretty proud of her Yankee descent. I would apologize, before you hear her roar,” Arawn mocks, making us laugh theatrically, and I feel that no one really finds it funny.
Laurent throws his hands up, laughing as well. “Oh, I didn’t mean any harm. I hope you will accept my apologies and forgive me, Ms. Rodberg.”
He bows deeply, my heart squeezing painfully, “Already forgiven.”
“I’m glad. Then, ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the interruption, and I wish you a pleasant evening.”
I wave at him while the others murmur their goodbyes lowly and Arawn closes the door behind him.
We stare at his back as he retreats off the property silently. Only as he is out of sight, Harvey pushes out a breath, “Di Mattei?”
Arawn scratches his chin, still standing at the door, staring into the darkness.
“What in God’s name was that?” Emily asks while I continue to stare at Arawn, unable to catch my breath.
My heart jumps against my rib cage as he finally turns to look at me. It seems like the room blanked out, leaving just him and me. “Did you ever hear that name?”
I shake my head slowly, making him take a deep breath. “Has your mother ever talked about your father?”
“No, I told you! My mother always told me that she didn’t know who my father was. And my grandparents did the same thing,” I answer, gulping painfully.
“Are you from Ohio?” Emily asks lowly, getting my attention back on her.
I nod, smiling at her, “I was born in Columbus.”
“The Di Mattei family?” Harvey shouts again, but Arawn ignores him, stepping towards me.
“Get your bag! We are leaving. Now!” He says while walking back into the house. His tone is calm but somehow it is freaking me out.
Standing up, I hurry to hug Emily, “I’m so sorry. Have a good night!”
I shake off their worried gazes and run after Arawn.