Authors: EMME CROSS
Marcus leant forward. “But Mrs. Larsen — Sunny — was this a shock given that you must have been pregnant when you found out?”
Careful, she told herself. “I’d call it a happy surprise. Sven and I always wanted a big family. I couldn’t love Liam more if he was my own child.”
The camera caught the teenager tearing up as he leant over to kiss Sunny’s cheek.
“Sven, I won’t ask how this happened. But when and how did you find out?”
“There was an accident at a soccer game. Liam is a star of the city league. You should see him play; he could turn pro if he wanted.” Sven played the proud papa card without a second thought. “But when the blood tests came back the issue of paternity was raised. We just recently got all the results. Where are my manners?” He got up, mindful of the cords and cameras and brought a visibly shaking Astrid into the shot with a smile.
“I want you to meet Astrid Olson, Liam’s mother. We have known each other for, how long?”
“Since university,” she answered in a soft, hesitant voice.
“Since university,” Sven agreed. “We dated off and on for years. Hell, we dated for decades. Astrid was one of the reasons I was always so eager to return home. She means the world to me,” he said to her face and then turned to the camera, “and now she means even more. She’s the mother of my eldest child. It was a shock after all this time, but such a welcome surprise. And it’s nice to have one offspring who is pure Scandinavian. No mussing up the bloodlines with that Canadian and French nonsense.”
Sunny giggled. Sven had warned her he would say something like that to dispel any tension.
“Whatever the bloodlines, we are all thrilled to find out the facts after all this time,” she added.
She remembered Sven’s advice. ‘Don’t say ‘the truth’ because that made it sound like there was some kind of secret or conspiracy and the press would be on it like a dog on a bone.’
“Astrid, how are you with all this? A former lover so happy with two kids and now you find out he’s your son’s father as well.”
“They’ve all been so warm and welcoming, especially Sunny.” The latter’s eyes widened in surprise at this. “I’m grateful Liam will have a chance to know his other family.”
“And you, Liam?”
“How many kids want just one parent, one family? I have two families and another Dad.”
“Doesn’t hurt that he’s a movie star?”
“No. He still makes me take out the trash.”
The interview was over.
“Good job. All of you. Sven, I owe you. This is going to be big; it’ll go international. It doesn’t need much editing so I thought we’d air it on the supper hour news.”
“Thanks, Marcus. I appreciate it.”
Sven turned to Astrid.
“You did wonderfully. Really. Now, how can I reach that son of a bitch Nils to set up a meeting for later today?”
“I was surprised to hear from you at last. I figured I’d have to resort to lurking outside your house.” Nils stepped into the hotel suite.
“Go near me or mine and I’ll set my dog on you. Besides, I wouldn’t dirty my house by inviting scum like you inside.”
“Oh, listen to the big man talk. There really is nothing like a reformed sinner. Now you’re all noble and, from what I hear, monogamous. A different story from the past couple of decades. Drugs. Threesomes with your former best friend Clyde. . . who disappeared under such mysterious circumstances. Now that might be an avenue worth pursuing. You read such vicious things in the tabloids, it’s a wonder you never sued for slander. But then, of course, you couldn’t: the stories were all true.”
“Yep. Every single one of them. I was a bastard. I was careless and selfish and unfeeling. But I never forced a woman to steal for me.”
“Astrid told you about our history?” Nils adjusted the crease in his pant leg. “I guessed she would try and play the poor, pitiful put-upon female. She was more than willing to go along with my schemes. Not a bad bed partner either, though you know that. A little pedestrian for my tastes, but pretty enough to look at.”
“You’re an even bigger bastard than I used to be.”
Nils merely raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of bastards, how is little Liam?”
Sven had to hold onto the desk to prevent himself from wiping the smug look off the face of his visitor.
“Liam is not a bastard; he’s my son. And he is a wonderful boy, no thanks to you.”
“We’ll put it all down to genetics, shall we? After all, you can’t take any credit for raising him. Why do you keep looking at your watch? Got a plane to catch? Or is Astrid going to appear all of sudden, eyes red from weeping, begging me to reconsider? She’d have to resort to other tactics at this stage. Even sex won’t work anymore. I’m bored. Give me my money and I’ll be on my way so you can get back to your new family.”
“Not just yet. Astrid is not joining us. Neither is Liam. But I do have a couple of people waiting to say hello.” The bedroom door swung open to reveal Linus and Barry. For the first time, Sven saw Nils’s composure slip. A bead of sweat appeared at his temple and slowly started making its way towards his sharp cheekbones. Sven had to admire the guy; he sure had guts.
Barry spoke first. “I can’t say it’s nice to see you again, Van Dries. I don’t believe you’ve met my father, Linus Craig.”
“It’s not a pleasure. No, don’t get up,” he added. Nils looked ready to bolt. Barry moved to the door and locked it.
“What now? Are you going to beat me up? Go ahead. That will make my story really believable. With a few photos of fresh bruises I’ll get even more money from the tabloids, all about how the cuckolded movie star, the billionaire and his idiot gullible son ganged up on an unarmed man who was only seeking restitution for all the money, time and love he poured into a boy who turned out not to be his own.”
“You fuck!” Linus had to hold Sven back.
Barry was calm, looking at Nils like a curious child examining an unfamiliar bug. “While I’d like nothing more than to do just that, let’s watch TV instead.”
Barry reached past Nils and used the remote to turn on the television.
“Oh good. Just in time for the evening news.”
Marcus’s face flashed up on the screen. “Tonight, an exclusive interview with Norway’s first Oscar-winning actor.”
“So? Are we gonna watch you posing for baby pictures? Forced the little woman out of her nursing bed to show off your legit son and get a jump on all the bad publicity?”
“Not exactly.”
The interview unfolded on the screen. Sven, Bliss, Sunny and Lennon all looked relaxed and happy.
“Why are we wasting our time with this? Give me my money and—”
He broke off, as Sven’s taped voice announced that he had another son. Liam walked into the shot. Sven smiled at how confident and unperturbed the young man appeared, as if he’d been appearing on camera his entire life.
Nils sank back into his seat, eyes glued to the screen as Sunny and Sven welcomed Liam into the family and then Astrid joined them all.
Barry clicked off the television.
“Nothing to say, Van Dries?”
“It doesn’t change anything.” Nils was sweating visibly.
“It changes everything,” answered Linus. “There’s nothing to blackmail Astrid or Sven about. Which leaves us with the little matter of eight million euros. I want my money and no, I won’t take a cheque.”
“I don’t have the money now. I was going to get it from Sven or the tabloids. You idiot. Now you’ll never get your cash back.”
Linus laughed coldly. “As if I would have seen a single cent of that. I happen to know you’ve a flight booked to Brazil; you were going to skip town. Besides, I wouldn’t have accepted money obtained through blackmail.”
“You won’t go public. You can’t. It will damage your son’s reputation in the market.”
“I don’t think so.” Linus tossed a folder onto the desk. “That’s a list of your scams going back more than twenty years. The list of companies you’ve stolen from is impressive and pretty well global. Barry wasn’t your first victim but he will be the last. You’ve hoodwinked a lot of veteran players over the years, but nobody has been able to make any of the charges stick. Until now. Rather than damage my son’s reputation, this will make it. Barry will be the guy who finally cornered Nils Van Dries.”
Nils looked at the three men. “You’re wrong. Sven, if you let him do this, I will tell such stories about Astrid. The mother of your son! That she was a slut and a cunt—”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence before Linus slammed a fist into his jaw and Nils fell in a heap.
The three men looked down at the prone, bleeding figure on the floor. Barry spoke first, sounding a little put out. “Father, I really think I should have been the one to do that.”
“I have better lawyers. Inspector Ainslin?”
A tall dark man with a stoop emerged from the bedroom. “Got it all on tape. That, plus the files should put him away for a long time.” He bent down to haul up Nils. “Gee, it looks like you slipped and hit your face on the desk. That’s a shame. You really should be more careful.” With a nod he dragged his suspect out of the suite.
Linus went over to the bar, pulled out beers for Sven and Barry and poured himself a scotch.
“I’m glad that unpleasantness is over.”
“There will be a trial.”
“Barry and I will be happy to testify. I doubt Nils will say a word about the blackmail plot. He’s in enough trouble without adding extortion to the list. Your family and Astrid are safe.”
Barry got up to leave. “I’m a little shaky. I think I’ll call Rachel to hear her complain about morning sickness.”
“Barry. . .” Sven shook his hand. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“Hey,” he said with a grin which transformed him instantly into a younger version of Linus. “I know what lengths dads will go to in order to protect their kids.”
Sven and Linus finished their drinks in silence.
“I’m always having to thank you for rescuing my family. It’s getting to be a habit.”
“Your family has a habit of ending up in harm’s way. But it wasn’t your fault. Or Liam’s. Or Astrid’s, poor woman. They all did well.” Linus nodded at the flat screen. “Liam’s quite an actor.”
“Maybe he got something from me after all. He’s a good kid, and it’s all down to Astrid.”
“She looked pretty fragile.”
“I know. But she’s tougher than she appears. She’s had to be.”
“Still . . .”
“Why all the concern? Wait a minute. Astrid?”
“What?”
“You’re interested in Astrid! What is it with you and my women?”
“It’s the only thing I admire about you.”
“Hell. Sunny and Astrid are just the cream of the crop. If you’re really interested in my women there’s a pair of sisters in Silicon Valley . . .”
“Don’t say any more, you son of a bitch. I was just starting to, well not like you exactly, but tolerate you.”
“What do you want? Before Sunny I was no choir boy. She knows that. Everybody knows. As for Astrid, like I was gonna marry my college sweetheart?” He paused. “You did, didn’t you? You married your college sweetheart. Christ.”
“It didn’t turn out that well in the end; we were too young.”
“And now?” Sven sipped his beer and put his feet up. “Hypothetically, of course.”
“Hypothetically, I want something . . . real.”
Sven remembered saying those very words. And he’d found his ‘something real.’
Linus waited for a sarcastic comment and was surprised when it didn’t come. Sven even seemed thoughtful.
“I know what that’s like. Wanting something real, something bigger than yourself. Barry and your other kids are part of that.”
“Yes, but—”
“They’re not enough.” Sven nodded. “They should be, but they aren’t. I get it.”
“So how is Astrid?”
“Let me tell you a bit about her.” Sven was suddenly serious. “You see a beautiful woman, but there’s a lot more to her.” He waved away Linus’s protests. “She was raised as part of a very strict sect. Despite our reputation, not all Scandinavians are sexually liberated. Her family didn’t believe in premarital sex and she broke with them when she got pregnant. My being Liam’s father will not go down well with them. Also, Astrid doesn’t believe she has anything to offer but beauty and she is conflicted about her looks. She was the beautiful swan in a family of ugly ducklings and was made to feel awful.”
“I don’t understand,” said Linus. “Why would her beauty make her a pariah?”
“Some shit about how it was a temptation to sin,” Sven answered with a scowl. “And she’s also convinced that her looks are all she has to offer.”
“That’s crap! She’s a strong woman, a loyal person and she raised two children on her own. She obviously has a lot to offer.”
“Good,” Sven said with a nod, “I’m glad you recognize that.”
“Where is she?” Linus continued.
“Last I heard she was going to go home to be with her son, Johan, the youngest. She didn’t want him watching the broadcast alone.”
“Isn’t anyone with her?”
“I think Liam’s still at our house. Why?”
“You asshole. You’ve only had to deal with all this for a couple of days. She’s had to live with this hanging over her head for a couple of years. Couldn’t you see she was coming apart at the seams?”
“What was I supposed to do? Sunny would have asked her to stay.”
“Sure. Palm your problems off on Sunny.”
“Hey! Been a little busy here what with my wife needing emergency surgery, a premature baby and that son of a bitch Nils.”
Linus relented. “Give me her address.”
“What are you going to do?”
“What any decent person would do. I’m going to make sure Astrid’s okay.”
* * *
Linus pushed past three photographers anxious to get a shot of Sven’s other woman. A tousled haired boy answered the door.
“Mom’s on the phone and I can’t let in any strangers.” He glanced past Linus towards the men at the end of the walk.
“Good for you. Johan, right?” A wary nod.
“My name is Linus.”
“Like in the Snoopy cartoons. Mom met you at the hospital when Sunny had the baby.”
Linus edged closer to the door. Inside he could hear the sound of quiet weeping.
“Your mom sounds upset.”
“Grandma was shouting at her on the phone.” The boy looked at his shoes.
“About the television show; your brother and Sven.”
He had his mother’s pale blue irises ringed with black.
“You know about Liam.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
Astrid was sitting on the couch, her head in her hands.
Linus sighed. For the second time in a week he was comforting one of Sven’s women.
“What are you doing here?”
“I brought you dinner.” He gestured to the hamper on the floor, steak et frits ordered from the hotel. “I’m starving. Where’s the kitchen?”
Astrid stood and smoothed down her skirt, trying to regain her composure. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to.” Linus found the plates and cutlery and set the table, serving her the larger share of the food and pouring her a big glass of wine. He split his own meal with Johan who was watching him with wide eyes.
“Have you spoken with your brother?”
“He’ll be home later. He’s with his other family.”
Astrid groaned.
“I’m sorry, Mama. Don’t cry again.”
“It’s nice to have an extra family,” Linus observed as he cut Astrid’s steak and absentmindedly fed her a forkful. She chewed and swallowed like an automaton. “You have two families. There’s your dad and then there’s your mom and Liam.”
“Yeah. . .” Johan brightened slightly, turning the idea over in his mind. “Do you think Liam’s going to move to Hollywood?”
“Well, he may visit but Sven lives here, too. Why?”