How long had she been in the water? Half an hour?
A quick glance at the wall clock revealed longer, and she hastily emerged, dried off, then pulled on the towelling robe. Ten minutes should be sufficient to return to the suite, shower and dress before room service delivered their evening meal.
Alexei was already seated in one of the lounge chairs as she entered the room, and she met his gaze, rolled her eyes, lifted a hand in a silent gesture and hurried towards her bedroom.
Oh, hell, emerged as a silent condemnation as she caught a glance at her mirrored reflection. Bright lights enhanced her damp hair...rats’ tails was an apt description...bare face...great!
So what? He’s seen you in less...a lot less. But that was years ago when things between them had been different.
Way different.
Suck it up, girl. Take the fastest shower ever, dress and wind wet hair into a knot on top of your head, add lip gloss and go.
Food, perhaps a shared wine, followed by coffee and a recap of the day’s business at hand. An hour, maybe two. Then she could escape to her room, duty successfully executed for the evening.
Three hours, slightly more to be exact, Natalya perceived, as she checked her laptop, read and discussed pertinent points, gave her opinion when asked, and provided a requested overview from her perspective.
‘Honesty? Or circumspection?’
Alexei leaned back in his chair. ‘Both.’
‘They want the deal on their terms.’
She was good, he conceded, aware just how well she’d covered for her father during the past few years. Without her, Roman’s business would have crashed and burned way before it had become vulnerable to a takeover.
Family loyalty...or desperation? Maybe both.
‘Not going to happen.’ A statement, no wiggle room.
Of course not. Alexei held the power, and was unafraid to use it.
‘You’ve decided on a predetermined figure,’ Natalya ventured. ‘I imagine they will offer ten percent lower, then prepare for you to negotiate.’
‘Astute.’
She inclined her head. ‘Thank you.’
‘Did your father request your opinion on any of his business dealings?’
Now there was a question. ‘Occasionally.’ In a befuddled alcohol-infused state, only to resort to something totally different in the light of day.
‘Yet he rarely implemented them.’
The truth hurt, in more ways than one. At peak, Montgomery Electronics could have sold at almost double what ADE had paid for it. ‘No.’
‘Did you resent that?’
This was becoming upfront and personal. She was a daughter, not the son Roman envisaged Ivana would dutifully bear him.
‘Is there a point to this?’
His eyes took on a watchful quality. ‘It fills in a few blanks.’
She drained the coffee in her cup, closed her iPad and stood to her feet. ‘I think we’re done for the evening.’
Alexei silently commended her efficiency, enjoyed the challenge she presented...and wondered what it would take to crack the shell she’d erected to protect herself.
From him? Or men in general?
It shouldn’t bother him.
Yet it did.
She offered a polite goodnight and crossed the room to her bedroom suite.
‘Sleep well.’ His faintly mocking voice curled around her nerve-ends as she reached for the door handle.
What she wouldn’t give to best him at something...anything, just for the satisfaction of doing so.
A feeling which continued as she undressed and made ready for bed, rearranged pillows and settled comfortably with a current paperback.
Two chapters, then she’d close the bed lamp and sleep.
Except an escape into blissful oblivion didn’t appear to be happening anytime soon, as Alexei’s compelling image filled her mind and refused to disappear, no matter how hard she fought to dispel it. Nor her ability to evade dreams of their shared past. The intimacies...erotic, all-encompassing, as she became alive beneath his touch in a mutual gift of passion in all its guises. Lost, so completely lost she had no recollection of anything other than Alexei.
Magical. Transcending to a place where heart, body and soul became one...until the dream began to fade into a reality where she slowly woke to discover her body damp with sensual heat. Bereft, wanting...with silent tears slowly drifting down her cheeks.
Her breath hitched for a second before she caught hold of the now, and the need to shower, dress and face the day ahead. As well as the man who managed to slip through her subconscious and invade her heart.
* * *
Their shared morning breakfast was interrupted by the ring tone of Alexei’s smartphone, and Natalya lifted her head to witness his eyes darken.
Trouble?
Undoubtedly, as Alexei’s voice hardened during a conversation with, she assumed, a spokesman representing the group with whom they’d shared dinner the previous evening.
It didn’t sound promising, as Alexei firmly refused to consider any further negotiation.
He ended the call, calmly drained the rest of his coffee and refilled his cup. ‘They’ve requested a two-hour extension. A delay with their bank.’
‘In a bid to gain more time.’ She made it a statement, not a question.
And you have no intention of playing into it, Natalya conceded. Nor would I, in your position. ‘So we wait.’
We...a slip of the tongue, and a throwback to the days when she prompted her father, whenever he required it...more frequently than it should have been.
‘They have my number, flight departure time,’ Alexei stated. ‘The ball is in their court.’ He checked his watch. ‘I’m catching up with a friend for an hour or two. During which time I need you to complete a few shopping items on my behalf.’
Natalya’s eyes widened. ‘Shopping?’
‘Is that a problem?’ There was a hint of wry amusement in his voice, and she met his gaze, held it.
‘I gather you intend to supply a list?’
‘Note it will be business combined with family while we’re in New York,’ he enlightened, as she retrieved her iPad.’
Natalya attempted to ignore the slight blip in her heartbeat, and stilled the temptation to tell him to choose his own gifts.
Yet if she displayed the slightest hesitation...
‘I guess I can add it to my job description.’ Just don’t make a habit of it, she added silently. Helping the boss choose family gifts came under personal...and personal wasn’t ever going to be in the picture.
‘Your mother?’
‘Books.’
‘That’s really not helpful,’ Natalya offered. ‘Fiction? Fact? Romance...modern, historical, suspense, crime? Shall I elaborate further?’
‘Romantic suspense.’
This could go on for a while. ‘Favourite authors? Or don’t you know?’ She named a few, which presumably didn’t strike a chord.
‘Scarves,’ he added. ‘To add to my mother and sister-in-law’s existing collection.’
‘Any particular designer?’
He named a few, then handed over a credit card.
Safe choices, Natalya mused, and two hours later she had acquired numerous gifts beautifully wrapped and placed in a clutch of glossy carrier bags.
Ignoring the occasional brief...very brief moment, she recalled other occasions of shared shopping excursions. A time when Alexei would place an arm across her shoulders and catch her body close to his own. The dark emotion evident in his eyes, and the silent promise of how the day would end.
The memories shouldn’t affect her...except they did, and she mentally struggled to put them back into a figurative box, and throw away the key.
She re-entered the hotel foyer to find Alexei standing to one side, newspaper in hand as he appeared seemingly engaged in reading an article.
Alexei’s smartphone beeped as she drew close, and he moved aside to take the call, kept it brief while Natalya checked her watch, noted they had an hour and a half to pack, check out, and reach the airport to make their flight.
‘The deal has been accepted,’ Alexei relayed as he returned to her side.
Of course, she acknowledged silently. Had there been any doubt?
CHAPTER NINE
A FEW HOURS later they disembarked at Sydney’s major airport, collected their bags, and were met by Paul in the passenger lounge.
‘Welcome back,’ Paul greeted with a smile. ‘A successful trip?’
Natalya inclined her head as Alexei answered in the affirmative as Paul took hold of their bags, and began leading the way towards the exit.
Confirmation documents digitally signed in ADE Conglomerate’s favour had been recorded. Another deal settled, Natalya acknowledged as Paul eased Alexei’s limousine away from the terminal.
No matter how many domestic and international flights Natalya had made over the years, the return to Sydney inevitably invited the pleasure of familiarity, the buzz of city traffic, famous landmarks.
Mission accomplished, she acceded...admitting it was good to be back. Within half an hour of her own home, free of an insidious awareness pervading her senses with every passing day.
A temporary madness, she dismissed, due to being in Alexei’s presence a minimum of eight hours five days a week...more, if you counted business dinners, travel.
She didn’t feel comfortable with it. Didn’t condone he had managed to manoeuvre her between a rock and a hard place by robbing her of choice...aware there was only one choice she could make.
It made her want to rail her fists against him...except she didn’t do tantrums. Couldn’t remember throwing any, even as a child. Not that there had ever been a reason for her to do so.
A faint smile curved the edges of her lips. Except one incidence as a child in first grade when a boy...she couldn’t even recall his name...grabbed hold of her single hair braid and pulled it so hard her eyes had watered. The taunt of ‘cry-baby’ had made her so mad she didn’t hesitate to kick him...inadvertently where it hurt him most. An act which earned both children a demerit point, a lecture, and a phone call to each of their parents.
A forgotten incident...until now.
The limousine eased to a halt outside her home, and she emerged from the door Alexei held open while Paul removed her bag.
It was a simple expedient to offer Paul a polite word in thanks, reach for her bag, only to have Alexei collect it and accompany her to the front door, wait as she extracted her keys.
‘I can take it from here.’
For a brief moment she imagined she glimpsed a tinge of amusement in his dark eyes. The temptation to execute an expressive eye-roll was uppermost. She selected the appropriate key, unlocked the front door, reached for her bag...missed by a mere second or two as Alexei placed it in the hallway before exiting without so much as a backwards glance.
An unladylike swear word slipped quietly from her lips, followed by another as she transferred her bag into her bedroom, tossed her satchel, then dug out her smartphone and rang Ben.
‘Okay if I call over and collect Ollie?’
‘Sure. He’s antsy. I think he heard the car and your key in the door.’
‘On my way.’
And there was Ben waiting for her with Ollie in his arms. ‘Good trip?’
The fluffy cream seal-pointed cat squirmed with delight at the sight of his mistress, purred as Ben transferred him to Natalya, and she smiled as Ollie smooched his head into the curve of her neck, lightly nipped her earlobe in mild protest at her absence and followed it with another smooch.
‘You missed me, huh?’ Natalya acknowledged, and received a soft plaintive meow in return.
‘Thanks, Ben. I appreciate you taking care of him.’
‘No problem. Any time.’
He was a great neighbour, and looked out for her like the brother she didn’t have. ‘We’ll catch up. Soon,’ she added, meaning it.
‘No rush. Whenever.’
She smiled, aware his life was even more hectic than her own. ‘We’re good.’ And they were, for the pet minding thing was reciprocal... Ben owned an adorable sad-faced pug named Alfie, whom she looked after on occasion. ‘Talk soon.’
‘Look forward to it,’ Ben bade as she crossed to her adjoining apartment.
Time spent with Ollie, smooches, head-butts...the feline equivalent of an adoring, Welcome home. I missed you, and food...always a clincher.
After which she changed into comfortable sweats, unpacked her bag, set up her laptop, checked the agreement, itemised the salient points and sent the data to Alexei. Resisting adding an expressive emoji...only to send it separately minutes later.
Time for a light meal, shower, then hit the bed with Ollie curled up beside her, maybe view a television programme.
Surprisingly she slept well, woke early, checked her email...no response from Alexei...then fed Ollie, collected the morning newspaper, made breakfast, then she poured a second cup of coffee and began skimming the daily headlines.
Normally she might have missed the article, except the bold print caught her eye. So, too, did the capitalised name—ADE CONGLOMERATE SCORES MEGA DEAL—together with a photograph of ADE’s CEO, followed by brief details.
An approved press release from ADE? Doubtful, given she would have known about it. Unauthorised, damage control would ensue via a statement from Alexei in the late afternoon news.
Exactly as Natalya predicted, followed by a phone call from her father voicing a conspiracy rant, insisting she must have had advance knowledge the deal was about to go public. Concluding with a spiel alluding to the victory should have been his.
Any attempt to defuse the situation proved unsuccessful, and Natalya simply concluded the call, aware a reality check would prove a wasted effort.
* * *
Their return resulted in invitations to social events supporting various prominent charities arrived, requesting Alexei Delandros’ presence and partner.
Back in the day of Roman’s excesses and largess, almost all such invitations were accepted, including Natalya’s attendance with her parents from the age of eighteen when she’d adapted to sharing the glitz and glamour as the social elite worked the ballroom.
Natalya checked each of the invitations, listed a few she warranted would benefit from Alexei’s presence and probable donation, and placed them on his desk.
‘I’ll organise for an acceptance when you’ve made your choice.’
Would he decide to appear solo...and if not, whom would he choose as his partner?
Like she cared?
Yet deep down she did, and for a brief few seconds she considered attending with her parents...just because.
Only to have the decision taken out of her hands when Alexei summoned her into his office prior to an event.
Natalya took a seat, opened her iPad with her fingers poised to tap in an update, schedule or reschedule a meeting...and glanced up when he failed to begin.
It was the end of the day, and he’d removed his jacket, loosened his tie, aiding a casual look that succeeded in ruffling her composure.
‘Ensure you’re available for Thursday evening’s charity event,’ Alexei began.
She schooled her expression and met his steady gaze. ‘I’m sure you have a few young women on speed dial who would jump at the chance of an invitation.’
‘None of whom possess your observation skills and diplomacy.’
‘Assuming their total focus would be on charming you?’ Natalya queried sweetly,
sure she caught a faint smile at the edge of his mouth.
‘Consider your presence a necessity as my PA.’
Be seated at his side throughout a lengthy dinner? Play nice, when privately she wanted to hit him? An inconceivable action in public view. Something more subtle...an elbow in his ribs, perhaps? Accidentally, of course.
‘Business-oriented,’ she clarified in droll tones. ‘I’ll ensure the mini-recording device will fit in my evening purse.’
‘You’ve attended several events in the past. I doubt tomorrow evening’s event will be any different.’
A number of the people present were repeat guests at several of the city’s charity events throughout each year. Wealthy, influential, dedicated in donating funds to worthy causes, active on the social scene...and most familiar with Roman Montgomery’s fall from grace in the finance sector.
The fact Roman’s daughter would be seated next to, and to all intents and purposes partnered by, Alexei Delandros would be viewed with interest and a degree of speculation.
* * *
Poise and sophistication were an acquired façade, and qualities in which Natalya excelled...on the surface. Education in one of Sydney’s highly respected private schools and world travel had ensured she could handle almost any situation without falling in a heap.
This evening’s charity event would be no different. So why the edgy onset of nerves as she put the finishing touches to her make-up prior to Alexei’s timed arrival at her home?
Her expressed insistence she meet him at the hotel venue had been dismissed out of hand, and for twenty-four hours she’d considered defying his edict with a last-minute text...only to abandon the tempting plan.
Instead she visited one of her favoured boutiques and purchased a new gown in champagne silk with an overlay of matching lace.
Dressed to kill, she observed as she added a diamond pendant on a slim gold chain, attached a single diamond tennis bracelet to her left wrist, adding discreet diamond ear studs...each of which had been gifts over time from her late grandmother.
Natalya ran her fingers over her hair, plumping the loose waved tendrils touching each collarbone, and reached for her evening purse.
Alexei's Passionate Revenge Page 8
