All The Way

by Tricia Jones

  He sneered. “This I don’t doubt. I have first hand knowledge of your chummy relationship with the police. I still have the scars to prove it.”

  His comment seemed to break the final thread of her self-control and, not caring who heard, she lashed out. “I hate all this, Niko. I hate that you keep pushing that in my face, I hate the way you treat me, I hate that I have to be here with you, in this place… and mostly I hate that my sister is—”

  “Stop this.” He gave her a small shake. “Stop this or I’ll put you over my shoulder and lock you in the bathroom until you see sense.”

  “You arrogant pig. If you think I’ll—”

  Before she knew it, she was hoisted into the air and flung over his shoulder, just as he’d warned. With fisted hands, she batted at his back as he strode up the stairs.

  “You let me go, you arrogant jerk.”

  “Pig, jerk, bastard. How inventive you are, milaya.” At the top of the stairs, he opened doors until he found the bathroom. Once inside, he put her down where she immediately made for the door. He blocked her exit and shut the door behind them. “I suggest you calm down.”

  “And I suggest you go and screw yourself.” Unsure what to do next, and knowing she wouldn’t get past him while he blocked her exit, Grace took a few cleansing breaths as she let the anger abate. When she felt clearer, she folded her arms as if to comfort herself. “I hate you for this, Niko. You don’t know how it is to feel impotent, to feel like the world is crashing around your feet and everything you thought was solid actually isn’t. You don’t know how it feels to be powerless.”

  He said nothing for long moments, then he eased her down to sit on the side of the bath. “I know of these things, angel, and I’m sorry you feel this way. But you must trust me. If never before, you must trust me now.”

  “Why? What are you going to do?”

  He crouched down in front of her. “I’m going to get Leah back, but first I have to talk with Leo. He has information that may help.”

  “What information?” Now that the storm had passed she felt calmer, able to see how she might just have made things more difficult. “I’m not trying to be difficult. It’s just that I need to do something. Anything.”

  He rose, drawing her up into his arms. “There’s nothing to be done right now. Leo is old school and distrusts…people he doesn’t know. He will only talk with me because of my association with Vadim.”

  “You were going to say he distrusts women.” When he only smiled, she wanted to renew her demands to go with him, but she knew it wasn’t going to happen. She had to look at the big picture and what was at stake. She wouldn’t let her pride get in the way of helping Leah.

  Besides, she’d asked for Niko’s help and he was giving it. If, at the same time he could protect his business interests from Pavel’s treachery, she could hardly blame him for it. Without Niko’s help, it was hard to imagine where she might have started looking.

  “Try not to worry.” He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. So tender, so gentle, she felt her throat catch. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “That man, is he to be trusted?”

  “Leo?” He smiled, ran his thumbs across her cheek. “Vadim has known him since they were children together. He trusts him, so I trust him.”

  She nodded, reached up and touched her mouth to his. “I should hate you.”

  His smile was reflective. “Perhaps.”

  He kissed her again then left, closing the bathroom door behind him, Grace sat back on the edge of the bath. She lifted her hands in front of her, saw that they shook a little. Weird. She’d never felt the need to worry about Niko before, but the feeling sank into her heart and twisted it a little. It seemed she now had two people to concern herself about.

  Two years ago she’d felt justified in giving him up to the authorities and while she knew he’d be furious she had never worried for his welfare. She knew he could look after himself. For all she knew, he could have gone to jail. God. She couldn’t bear to think about it now.

  The tap at the door distracted her from working through her feelings. Gabrielle stood with her arms crossed and a venomous expression darkening her green eyes. “Vadim has put your bags in the room along there.” Her tone wasn’t exactly friendly either. “You have a nice view of the sea.”

  “Thank you.”

  She nodded. “If you want anything, I’ll be downstairs.”

  With that she was gone, leaving Grace to consider if she should take a really long bath and spend the time until Niko came back keeping well and truly out of Gabrielle’s way. The woman made it clear she wasn’t exactly Grace’s number one fan. She probably knew what Grace had done to Nikolai.

  She went into the room Gabrielle had indicated and found her and Niko’s bags on the ottoman at the bottom of the bed. She unpacked one of her less soiled tops and pushed her nose into the cotton. Satisfied it would do for now, she grabbed her toilet bag and went back to the bathroom. There were huge fluffy white towels on the stand by the bath and pretty little bottles of bath oils and shampoo. She wondered if that was Gabrielle’s doing.

  After her bath, she changed into fresh underwear and pulled on the top and the same skirt she’d worn that day. She bundled up her soiled clothes and pushed them back into her bag.

  At the door to the kitchen she saw Vadim and Gabrielle at the far end by the sink looking out the window. Neither seemed aware of her presence.

  “I can’t believe they released him,” Gabrielle said as she dropped her head onto her husband’s shoulder. “After everything Niko did to make sure that couldn’t happen.”

  “He’ll deal with it,” Vadim said as he snaked his hand around his wife’s waist. “It’s the girl he’s worried about.”

  “Merde,” Gabrielle said. “What a mess. Do you think she’ll be okay?”

  At the reference to Leah’s safety, Grace jerked. She must have made a sound as the couple turned from the sink and looked in her direction.

  “Sorry to disturb you,” Grace said quickly, trying to disguise the fact that she’d been eavesdropping and was now trembling at Gabrielle’s enquiry about Leah’s safety.

  Gabrielle stepped over to the stove where coffee was brewing. “If you have any clothes you would like laundered, the washing machine is over there.”

  Grace rubbed her arms and looked at Vadim. “How long will we be here? When can we leave?”

  Vadim leaned back against the sink. “It is hard to say. We’ll know more when Niko gets back.”

  Stepping into the kitchen, Grace went to Vadim. “Shouldn’t you be with him?”

  Vadim smiled. “He prefers I remain here with you.”

  “He doesn’t trust you not to go off on your own,” Gabrielle snapped, from where she stood currently arranging three mugs on the worktop. “As if he doesn’t have enough to worry about, now he has to concern himself with you.”

  As much as she appreciated everything they were doing, Grace felt the short fuse she was holding onto rip and she rounded on Gabrielle. “Look, I don’t know what your problem is, but I don’t take kindly to being spoken to like I’m some inconvenience who can’t be trusted.”

  “You can’t be trusted,” Gabrielle all but spewed. “That is the whole point.”

  “Gabrielle!”

  “No, Vadim. She should hear the truth.” As her husband walked toward her, Gabrielle waved him away and loomed at Grace. “You demand his help now, after you stabbed him in the back? Shameful. I prefer he’s with that vacuous mannequin, at least Nanette does not have the brains to hurt him as you did.”

  “Gabrielle. That’s enough.” Vadim stepped between his wife and Grace. “This is Niko’s business. Not ours.”

  Gabrielle glared at her husband, huffed, and turned back to the counter. Vadim faced Grace, his smile a little sheepish. “We’ve sent out for food. I hope you like pizza.”

  What? She had to concentrate really hard on what Vadim was saying as she was still focused on the me
ntion of Nanette. Who the hell was Nanette? Niko hadn’t mentioned he was currently seeing someone and perhaps it was unrealistic to think that he’d be without female company when he didn’t have to try very hard to snag a woman. But he could at least have mentioned it to her, seeing as they had slept together.

  Vadim threw a glance at his wife, then went into the garden. Grace saw him walk down the path toward the sea and light a cigarette. With a thump, Gabrielle placed a mug of coffee in front of Grace.

  “Look. I know you don’t like me and in your position I probably wouldn’t either, but I could really do without the attitude right now.”

  “I behave as I please,” Gabrielle said placing the milk and sugar on the table with equal aplomb. “And you are right, I don’t like you.” She shrugged as if resigned. “But Niko has asked for my help, so…”

  She raised her shoulders again then motioned Grace to sit. Gabrielle fetched her own coffee.

  When she sat at the table, Grace took it that Gabrielle had held out an olive branch, of sorts. Perhaps she should do the same. “Who does this house belong to? Leo?”

  Gabrielle nodded. “Why, I don’t know. He has enough money to buy twenty places such as this.”

  “It’s kind of him to let us stay.”

  “Oui. He is loyal to Vadim and would do anything to help. Despite his appearance and his old-fashioned ways, he is a sweetheart.”

  Hmm. Not exactly Grace’s impression. But if he could help…

  “He has information that could help find my sister, I hope that’s true.”

  Gabrielle looked at Grace from over the rim of her cup. “He has…connections.”

  Grace didn’t mistake the subtext. Apparently she was being told that she couldn’t be trusted with any further information. “I’m not about to jeopardize Niko getting my sister away from Pavel.”

  “And yet you give him grief about leaving you here.”

  “He thinks he knows best all the time.”

  Gabrielle smiled. “Ah, oui. He does, but usually he is right. He does not go into anything without thinking it sideways and back.”

  “I know that.” Grace shoved a hand through her hair, still damp from the shower. “But he takes control all the time. Drives me crazy.”

  “Most worthwhile men have that effect on a woman.”

  Grace watched her as she sipped her coffee. “When I came into the kitchen, you and Vadim were talking about my sister. You said Niko was worried.”

  Gabrielle tapped her chin. “He feels responsible, that is all.”

  “Do you know where she is? In Marseilles?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Even if I knew, you think I would tell you?”

  “I’m not exactly in a position to go off on my own, despite what Niko believes, but this waiting is making me insane. No offence, but I don’t want to be here.”

  “Nor I, but things are as they are.”

  Grace took a breath, aware that Gabrielle had been shoved into a situation not of her asking. The least she could do was try and be civil to the woman. “I assume I have you to thank for the towels and oils in the bathroom? It was very kind of you.”

  She gave that nonchalant shrug. “All Leo had was carbolic soap.”

  Footsteps echoed down the hallway and Grace rose as Niko stepped into the room. “Have you found them?”

  He ran his hand down her arm. “Not yet. But Timo is with Leo and they are pursuing a lead.”

  “I was thinking that maybe if I try her phone again.” When he hesitated Grace pushed on. “I’ll just remind her that she promised to keep in touch. See if she answers.”

  He thought about it for several seconds as he continued to rub her arm. “Don’t mention that we’re in Marseilles. As far as they’re concerned, you are back in London.”

  She nodded and pulled the phone from her bag, stabbing the speed dial before he could change his mind. As she waited, she noticed the look he exchanged with Gabrielle. With no option but to ignore it, she focused instead on the steady beep of the calling tone. All hope sank when she realized that Leah wasn’t about to answer and she held tight to the phone as Niko took it gently but firmly away from her.

  He slipped it back into her bag, then touched her cheek lightly with his fingertips. “Why don’t you go upstairs and get some rest. You look tired.”

  Grace felt it. Bone tired. “Why is she doing this? As far as she knows I don’t intend making trouble for her and Pavel. I let her stay with him, for God’s sake. Why is she doing this to me?”

  Gabrielle came across to join them. “If she is infatuated with Pavel, she likely sees nothing else. Calling her sister is the last thing on her mind.”

  Grace nodded as the woman put into words what she already knew, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

  Nikolai took her hands as Gabrielle moved away. “Go have that rest. I need to speak with Vadim and then we’ll arrange for supper.”

  She gave him a weak smile, remembering his food preferences. “Vadim ordered pizza.”

  When he grimaced, she felt too tired to laugh. “We can do better than that. Now go. I will be up shortly.”

  Later, she might think how obediently she walked from the kitchen and up to the sparse but airy bedroom. Gauzy curtains blew from the breeze at the open French window, beyond which a balcony overlooked the sea and the sheer drop down the rock face. She saw Niko and Vadim at the far end of the iron railing and strained in vain to hear what they were saying.

  She almost fumbled for the bed and closed her eyes as she sank onto the welcoming duvet. Her body groaned with relief but her mind just wouldn’t be quiet. Mentally, she replayed her conversation with Leah back in Greece, trying to remember if she’d given Leah any reason to believe Grace might change her mind and demand Leah return to London with her.

  When it became apparent there would be no respite and she would rehash that damn conversation over and over, she rose from the bed and walked out to the balcony. There was no sign of the men.

  The door opened behind her and she turned to find Niko walking in. “You can’t rest standing up.” He frowned as he came to her. “Why don’t you at least try and switch off your mind for a short while.”

  “I can’t. I can’t stop thinking that I might have said something to her that would…that I actually gave her permission to stay with—”

  “Enough.” He coaxed her around to face the sea and wrapped his arms around her waist as he stood behind her. His warm breath brushed her ear. “You’ll wear yourself out.”

  It felt lovely to stand there sheltered in his arms, the scent of him mixing with the warm air and the smell of the sea that drifted around them. For a moment it was easy to forget the worry and concern that over the past days had become an almost constant companion.

  As he tightened his hold, she laid her hands on his arms. “I suppose there’s no point in rehashing the past, is there? It doesn’t matter that you wish you’d done things differently, said things differently.”

  When he remained silent, she turned her head and looked up at him. His reflective look told her he had taken her inference. “No point at all.”

  Still in his arms, she turned to face him. “Does that mean you’ve forgiven me? For what I did back in London?”

  “You did what you felt you had to do. I understand that.”

  She swallowed as she gazed up at him. “That’s not really an answer.”

  His silence said more than words and she felt her heart dip to her toes. With a wiggle, she tried to free herself, but he held on tight.

  “This works both ways, Grace.”

  She reached behind and tried to pry free his fingers linked at her back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Forgiveness for me, trust for you.”

  “You’re talking in riddles. Will you please let go? I need to go to the bathroom.”

  He held on as she struggled. “You want me to forgive you for shopping me to the authorities, but still you don’t trust me
. You think I’m involved in God knows what, that I skirt the law. That I associate with, what was it you called Leo? A lowlife?”

  “You don’t exactly give me reason to—”

  “Think anything different? It’s not about giving you facts, Grace. It’s about the kind of man you think I am, the kind you feel I am. It’s about you knowing me, trusting me.”

  “How the hell am I supposed to do that when you tell me nothing?”

  She felt his hold loosen a fraction. “If you have to ask me that, then there’s nothing more to be said.”

  She took a step back and shook her head. “No. You don’t do that. You don’t make this a failing of mine because you’re so bloody paranoid you can’t let your guard down.”

  He pushed his hands in his pockets. “And it’s no failing of mine that you want to know every damn thing whether it concerns you or not.”

  “Oh, excuse me. I thought this did concern me.”

  He turned toward the bed and flung the duvet aside. “Get in, for God’s sake. You’re tired and you’re cranky.”

  “Why not throw in hormonal, too? Let yourself completely off the hook.”

  He stood at the side of the bed and stroked his hand across the back of his neck. “I don’t have time for this.”

  About to throw back an appropriate retort, Grace hesitated. She wasn’t the only one who was tired and cranky. So wrapped up in her own thoughts and feelings, she hadn’t noticed the strained expression on Niko’s face or the tightness in his shoulders. Her irritation dissipated as she watched him rub his neck, roll out his shoulders.

  “Perhaps you should take your own advice and rest for a bit. You look exhausted.”

  When he looked over at her, she saw the tiny lines of tension fanning out from the corner of his eyes toward his temples. “Is that an invitation?”

  “No. It’s an observation.” She returned his wry smile. “Sex uses up energy neither of us seem to have right now.”

  The glint in his eye indicated he didn’t agree. “I can rustle up energy when the enticement is right.”

  Weirdly, she felt like she could, too. Slowly, she trailed her fingers along his arms. He responded by pulling her into his arms and sealing the impromptu deal with a hot and lingering kiss. When they broke free, Grace could hardly feel her knees and her heart gave an amazing flip at the predatory look he aimed at her.