by Diana Fraser
Mark half-laughed and shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “Back to the concert, of course. The second act should be starting soon. Believe me, I don’t want to miss that.”
He’d made a promise to Taina to control his temper. No more fights. No more violent outbursts. But his blood pounded with an anger so fierce he could hardly think at all. He advanced on his prey, just as he was sure Mark had done to the woman Daidan loved more than life itself. He wouldn’t let the old primitive instinct take over. He wouldn’t. He’d give Mark one last chance to make amends.
“Okay, have it your way. You can leave now, if you like. Take your girlfriend and get the hell out of here.”
“You’re making a mistake. I’ve done nothing wrong. Twelve months ago I simply saw a chance with Taina and took it.” Mark tried to side-step Daidan but Daidan wasn’t inclined to move an inch. Mark shrugged and grimaced. “You know what women are like.”
“You tell me.”
Mark was so egotistical, he’d obviously lost the ability to pick up danger signals. And Daidan was sure he’d been giving off enough of them.
“What can I say? I have women throwing themselves at me all the time. She came on to me. Reckon she’d been drinking a bit, taking a few drugs, and was having a bit of fun, a bit of laugh with everyone. You know how it is…”
“Do I?”
“Yeah, sure you do.” He shrugged. “You know how women get, touchy feely, putting their hands on your arm and all that. You know if they’re up for it.”
“Because she touches you on the arm, you think she wants sex?”
“Hey, it was more than that.”
“Tell me what happened next.”
“You really want to know?”
“Yes, I really do.”
He shrugged. “Not much to say. And, look, I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but I did what any man would have done in the same situation. What you’ve been doing with my wife for years.”
Daidan frowned. “Amelia?”
“Yeah, I know you loved her.”
“That was over years ago. Before I even came to Finland. Before you’d even met her. But no doubt you told Taina.”
“I may have done. Can’t remember.”
“Tell me what you can remember, then.”
“Hey, you don’t want to go there. Come on, let’s get back to the girls.”
“I want to know what happened.”
“Why would you care? Everyone knows your marriage is a sham, just a commercial arrangement jacked up with Taina’s father.”
Daidan took a step forward and Mark took one back, slamming himself against the stone wall of the castle keep. “Tell me what happened,” Daidan repeated.
“We had sex, what do you think happened?”
“What do I think happened? I know what happened. I just wanted to hear you admit it. You raped her, you bastard and you’re going to pay.”
“Rape? No way. And you dare lay a hand on me and you’ll be finished.” He barked a cruel laugh. “What am I saying? In a few minutes you’ll be finished anyway.”
Daidan tried to count to ten, tried to control the rage that burned in his gut. Mark must have taken his silence for agreement. And that’s when he made his final mistake.
“She’s a tart, just like all the others. She’s not worth us falling out over. A rough diamond that stayed rough. Just like her mother before her, from what I hear.”
Mark could insult Daidan, he could reduce his business to rubble, but there was no way he could insult Taina.
“Didn’t anyone tell you that diamonds are made beautiful under pressure?” Daidan moved away and saw Mark relax, just as Daidan swung his fist into Mark’s face. Mark hit the floor with a dull thud and Daidan walked out, down the narrow staircase and out into the auditorium.
At that moment the music began—the music they’d selected to open the short promotional video clip. Daidan glanced at the screen and then froze. The image was different.
Taina raced along the stone corridors of the castle, trying to get to the projection room as quickly as possible. That comment Mark had made, it had to do with the presentation. He must have tampered with it. And with the Russians behind him, God knows what he’d done. Was it the video he’d claimed he’d made of him raping her while she was drowsy with drugs? Footage which would scandalize and damn them. Or was it cobbled together lies about their mines? It wouldn’t matter if the footage was of their own mines, or the Russians, the seeds of doubt and controversy would be sewn in the minds of their influential audience and the future Daidan had worked so hard for would be ruined.
She ran panting into the makeshift projection room. “Stop the film,” she shouted at the surprised operator. The man looked up at his boss who nodded.
“But we’ve already begun it. We’re under strict instructions from the Prince to—”
“I don’t care what’s been said.” She glanced at the images that were beginning to appear on the screen—images that she’d never seen before, of a mine that wasn’t theirs. “It needs to stop.” She rushed up to the computer screen and was about to press a button—any button, when the supervisor spoke to the operator. “Go ahead, do as Madame Mustonen requires.”
With a few swift keystrokes the strange images morphed into a blank screen showing simply the company’s logo and the same music.
“It’s the wrong film. The wrong film! Find the original one, the one that my husband gave you yesterday. Find it!”
She looked over the supervisor’s shoulder, at the different versions of the video. Mark had even named his video the same as theirs. “Check the date.”
She scanned down the details of the files. “There, that one.” It was dated yesterday, at the time she’d made the final changes to it. “Run that one immediately. But filter it in slowly, like this was meant to happen.”
The supervisor took over and created a swirling effect from which emerged the logo once more. He changed the music so it rose to a crescendo and then began the video. Taina went over to the ruins of the window which overlooked the stage and watched the film being projected onto the vast screen above the stage, and held her breath. The mists cleared from over a watery, wooded Finland and formed their logo. So far so good. And then the landscape changed into the glamorous and lush fabrics upon which diamonds spilled and then the images panned out to a vibrant, bustling New York. It was the right video. Everything was on track. She returned to the supervisor and looked around.
“Where’s that operator gone?”
The supervisor looked up and Taina could tell from his expression that he was innocent of what had happened. He looked around. “He shouldn’t have gone anywhere.”
“Who was he? I hadn’t seen him before.”
“He’s new. My usual operator was sick.”
She nodded. It all fitted. “Give me the memory stick with the wrong presentation on and delete it from the computer. I don’t want any more mistakes.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know how it happened. There won’t be any more mistakes.”
She’d make sure there wouldn’t be. She took his phone and rang security and soon a couple of burly men had been briefed and were in place. She glanced at the presentation which would be over in a few minutes. She and Daidan had to get back for their big moment when they took the stage and the evening concluded.
She swept up her gown in her hands and ran through the ruins back to where she’d left Daidan and Mark. There was no one there. Just a trail of blood that went down the stairs. Christ! Was it Daidan’s or Mark’s?
But there was no time to think about it. She had to get down to the stage before the music ended. She ran through the back corridors, empty except for the occasional security guard who looked at her with distant professionalism and nodded respectfully as she flew past. Suddenly she slammed into Daidan.
“Daidan! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“What happened to the video? Where have you been?”
“There was a p
roblem—” The music played and she took his hand which was gripped into a fist and pulled him onto the stage. She smiled and he formed some semblance of a smile. She lifted their joined fists as they’d agreed but saw blood on his. She felt her smile waiver and she pulled it back to their sides once more.
She was furious that Mark had not only tried to ruin her marriage but also that he’d nearly managed to ruin the culmination of her and Daidan’s hard work. She knew how much it all meant to Daidan. Then she took Daidan’s fist again, blood stained and all, and held it aloft in the air. Let everyone, including Mark, wherever he was, see that she and Daidan were strong and wouldn’t be defeated.
Suddenly Daidan pulled away and she felt her heart freeze by the doubt in his eyes when he looked at her. He backed away a couple of paces and took his place before the microphone, framed by the logo and the image of a simple trailing diamond necklace she’d designed. He took one last look at her and then turned to their guests, spread out before them, shaded by the low evening sunshine by the castle walls. The spotlights which ranged along the castle walls were focused on the stage. And Taina stepped back so she could see better. Daidan filled the stage with his presence. His dark beauty was stunning against the bright lights and glittering diamonds. His eyes flashed with confidence and authority and his deep voice filled the auditorium. She couldn’t take in his words, but she knew what he’d planned to say so it didn’t matter. Then suddenly, too soon, he stepped aside and looked at her. He didn’t look at her with invitation, but a wariness which broke her heart. But it wasn’t time for her to fall apart. It was time for her to be strong.
She walked into the bright spotlight, cameras flashing as she looked out at the crowd which shimmered under the light of its own jewelry. It was a spotlight she’d been at pains to avoid all her life. But she was ready for it now.
She began the prepared speech, thanking everyone for coming, referring back to her family history—the good bits anyway—and to the land of her birth from which the diamonds were being mined. Then she halted, caught by the shimmering light, arrested by what really filled her heart. She turned to Daidan and reached back and held out her hand to him, imploring him with her eyes to come to her. She didn’t need him to make her feel strong because she felt strong already. She reached back because she wanted him—not needed him—to share the moment with her.
“And I’d like to thank my husband for having faith in me, and, I hope, trusting in that faith now, more than ever.” She kissed his bloodied hand. “The future,” she said into the microphone. She stepped toward him. “Our future,” she said to him alone. He nodded slowly. “Our future?” he repeated tentatively. Then he pulled her to him within full view of everyone and kissed her tenderly on the lips. When he moved away he sighed. “Our future,” he said again, this time with a certainty that was missing before. Suddenly she was aware of the uproar of clapping and whistling from the audience. Their distinguished guests were showing very undistinguished approval of their kiss. She turned to the audience and laughed, suddenly remembering her last duty on stage—to announce the second performance by the soprano. She leaned toward the microphone while Daidan kept her hand firmly within his. “Ladies and gentleman, Karita!”
On the wings of the rising applause Daidan and Taina left the stage. She looked at his hand, covered in blood and beginning to swell. “Come with me. Now!” He looked like he couldn’t believe she was ordering him around. “Now, Daidan. We’re going to get this business cleaned up once and for all.”
He raised his bloodied hand. “This, you mean?”
“Everything. There’s never going to be any bad blood between us from now on.”
Without stopping to hear his answer Taina took his bloodied hand and led him to the caterer’s vans which were hidden around the rear of the castle. She walked into one of them to be met by three shocked and bewildered expressions. She ignored them and spotted the sinks. “This will do.” She looked at the staff. “If you wouldn’t mind?” The expressions continued to be bewildered. “Please leave us.”
The bewilderment turned to relief as the washing-up staff shot out of the caravan. Taina turned on the running water and took Daidan’s hand in her own. He winced as the water hit it. She washed it in silence as words tumbled in her mind in confusion. In the end the silence continued as she dried it. “No cuts, just badly bruised.” She eyed him fiercely. “I guess you hurt him.”
He shook his head. “I can’t get the two of you going off together out of my head. You and him. Alone.”
She dried her hands on a tea towel and put her hands on her hips. “Mark and I together. Yeah. And that’s what I wanted. Any idea why?”
“Because you wanted to be alone with him?”
“Exactly. Because I knew he was up to something. He wasn’t here only to taunt me, only to make you crazy. There was something else and I had to get to the bottom of it. And I did. He’d switched sides, Daidan. He was in bed with the Russians.”
Daidan’s eyes widened. “The Russians? What? How did you figure that out?”
“It was something he said. I knew there had to be more than his jealousy. And he couldn’t wait to boast about it. ‘Playing with the big boys’ is how he described it.”
“Is that why you ran off as soon as I’d arrived? I thought you were afraid of me. I thought…”
“What?”
“That I’d interrupted something you didn’t want me to know about.”
“You thought wrong,” she said severely. “How can you have so little faith in me?”
“It’s not faith in you that’s missing. It’s faith in myself to keep you.”
She sighed. “Oh, Daidan! The only reason I left was because the video had just begun and it was wrong. Mark had swapped presentations. Between them they’d put together clips of the failing, slipshod Russian mine, not ours. And, apparently clips of me… and Mark. You see he drugged me. It made me look… willing.”
“And he was going to show that?”
“Yes. But I got to the control room in time. Mark had planted an operator there. He left as soon as I arrived. We managed to fudge the beginning and replace it with our presentation.”
“It could have been the end. Not only of your reputation, but mine, the company’s, our whole future.”
“Forget it.” She clutched his arms tightly. She could see the fury about what might have happened flame in his eyes. “Forget it, Daidan. Forget him. It’s over. But we have to get back. We have to finish this event off.”
Daidan nodded and opened the door for her. “Let’s go.”
Hand in hand they ran down to the side stage. There they stopped. They turned to each other. “Do I look okay?” she asked.
“You look stronger and more beautiful than I’ve ever seen you before.”
He took her face in his hands and kissed her, just as the music ended. They pulled apart. “Ready, Madame Mustonen?”
She smiled. “More than ready, my Prince.”
“Just one more thing.” He took the diamonds from his pocket. “Turn around.” She did as he told her and he lifted her hair and fastened the original kielo necklace around her neck while removing her own. Then he took her hand and together they walked onto the stage to great applause. The low sun illuminated them, shining off her silk dress, making her diamond necklace sparkle.
It was late before Taina waved the last of their visitors off on the boat back to Helsinki and to their luxury hotels. She and Daidan would be joining them later for supper. In the meantime, they had a few hours by themselves. She turned away from the calm waters of the gulf and looked to Daidan. He stood watching her, hands on his hips, a smile on his lips.
“That’s the last of them.”
“And thank God for that. It went well though, didn’t it?”
“Thanks to you. We’d be in a very different position now if you hadn’t worked out what Mark was up to.”
“And not just Mark. He was just the puppet. I’m still worried about the Russian
s.”
“No need,” said Daidan pulling her into his embrace as they walked back to the house.
Taina stopped abruptly and stared at him. “What do you mean, no need? They almost destroyed our new business!”
“I spoke with Nikolai—Vadim’s father.”
“Vadim? Who took Rory’s estate from her?”
“That’s the one. Well, it seems Mark had suggested this little ploy to them and they’d gone along with it. No risk to them. But we’ve come to an arrangement. Or a truce. They have their market, we have ours and we’ve agreed not to encroach on each other’s territories.”
“For now.”
“For now is good enough for me.” They stopped at the long veranda that fronted the house, floating above the water.
“There’s nothing better.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
He grinned. “Just as well we have a few hours before we go to the city to join the others.”
“Just as well.”
She squeezed his hand and she caught a slight wince in the corner of his eye. She held up his hand and inspected it. “That was some punch you gave him, wasn’t it?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Maybe.”
“I’m glad you hit him.”
“What?”
“I’m glad. He had it coming to him.” She paused. “What are we going to do about him? No doubt he’ll still have copies of the video.”
“I’ll contact Amelia and tell her everything. She’ll get someone to check his files and clear them out. She doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore. She’s told me that she’s finished with him. Between the two of us, he’s ruined. He’s no longer of any use to the Russians. They know that a deal with us will be more beneficial than working with someone like Mark, who didn’t do what he’d said he’d do.”
She shook her head and sighed. “It’s the end, isn’t it? The end of all of this.”
“Nearly.”
“Nearly? You don’t still believe I returned to Finland to use you?”
“As it happens, I do, because it’s true. You wanted the company, you wanted the child.”
