He looks around hopefully.
‘Going once. Going twice.’ He nods at Oliver who has just raised his hand. ‘Thank you, Sir. We have £11,500.’
I smile sweetly at Oliver. All eyes are on us and we are both playing the part of a couple deeply in love.
‘Any more bids for this rare and magnificent pair of earrings?’ The auctioneer raises his hammer. ‘Oh, looks like a new bidder has entered the fray. £12,000.’
Both Oliver and I turn around to look at the new bidder and I freeze. My stomach drops. I cannot believe my eyes. Noah is sitting at Alexander Malenkov’s table.
Sweet Jesus. He is the one who bought that last ticket this morning!
There must have been a reshuffling of the table seating. Someone on the table must have exchanged places with him. Our eyes meet. And I can’t tear my eyes away. Lost in his gaze I don’t even hear the rest of the world.
Then I see him lift one finger and I hear the harsh indrawn breath Oliver takes. I tear my eyes away from him and stare unseeing at the drama unfolding on the stage.
£13,500 becomes £15,000. £15,000 becomes £20,000. £20,000 becomes £25,000. I feel Oliver shifting with irritation beside me. He doesn’t want to lose face, but the price will soon become too high for him. With a tight smile he nods, and nods, until the auctioneer’s hammer hits the gravel at £75,000!
Noah has won the earrings.
Oliver pretends to smile graciously. He is actually shaking with fury. He turns to me and kisses me on the lips, slowly and leisurely. His mouth is cool and smells of the orange liqueur drizzled on his chocolate dessert. When he takes his mouth away my gaze flies helplessly towards Noah. His eyes are blazing and his jaw is clenched so tight there is a white line around his mouth.
I drop my eyes. Over on the stage, the next item is being described by the auctioneer. My stomach swims as I turn blindly towards the item being displayed.
After the auction, they give away awards to some people who seem very grateful to receive them, then the dance floor lights come on and the DJ introduces himself.
I quickly excuse myself to go to the Ladies. As I get to the corridor, I see Noah leaning against the wall. He is with a woman, a beautiful redhead. It makes me want to gag. I can’t. I can’t even look at them together. The thought of him doing to her all the things he did to me is unbearable. It’s like molten lava pouring in my gut. Oh God. I spun a spider’s web of lust for myself. Now I sit trapped like prey in its silken ropes. As I stand there burning, rooted to the spot, he sees me, excuses himself, and walks over to me. His stride is relaxed and prowling.
My knees are trembling.
Noah Abramovich
I notice her engagement ring immediately. It’s a dazzling thing. Big, ostentatious, and fucking ugly. She didn’t wear it last night when she came to me. I fight the urge to rip it off her finger.
‘Fancy meeting you here,’ I say.
‘I thought all you had to do today was sleep,’ she taunts, but her voice shakes.
‘I thought all you had to do was boring stuff.’
She bites her bottom lip. ‘Did you know I would be here?’
‘What do you think?’
‘How did you know I’d be here?’
‘Let’s just say I’m a friend of Alexander and I knew you were in the committee organizing this event.’
Her eyes widen. ‘You know Alexander Malenkov?’
‘Sure. I used to work for him.’
She can’t imagine how I might be connected to a world famous pianist and her smooth brow knits. ‘Really? As what?’
‘It’s not important. It was a long time ago.’
‘Oh. Why did you bid for my earrings?’
‘Why does anyone do anything?’ I can’t get the image of him kissing her as if he owned her out of my mind.
‘You did it to make my life a little bit more miserable.’
‘No,’ I say harshly. ‘I bought them because you belong to me. Every woman in that room had her jewelry bought back for her by her man. That was my right. I’m your man.’
She looks at me with wide, wretched eyes.
The question slips out before I can stop it. ‘Are you sleeping with him?’
She shakes her head.
‘I want to see you again.’
She swallows hard. ‘I don’t know. That was not part of the plan.’
‘Fuck the plan.’ My voice is harsh.
‘You don’t get it. My father will have you killed if he finds out about us, and the more times I see you, the bigger the risk that somehow he will hear about it.’
‘Come to me tonight.’
‘Did you hear what I said?’
‘I’m not afraid of your father.’
Her eyes widen. ‘You should be. He is a very dangerous man.’
‘I’ll be waiting for you.’
‘I can’t. I—’
‘There you are, darling. I was wondering where you’d got to,’ Oliver says smoothly. He turns towards me. I feel him sizing me up. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce me to your … friend?’ The pause is not lost on me.
‘Lord Oliver Jarsdale, Noah Abramovich. Noah Abramovich, Lord Oliver Jarsdale,’ Tasha says. There is a guilty tremor in her voice and I feel him stiffen with suspicion and anger.
‘Ah, another Russian,’ he says, and there is a wealth of meaning in his words. A deliberate snub, which surprises me because from what I have heard, Jarsdale is one of those slippery men who doesn’t insult you to your face, he’ll do it behind your back anonymously. My manager has a good term for that phenomenon. Twitter balls.
He looks at her, his nose raised as if there is an offensive smell about. ‘A friend of your fathers?’
I feel Tasha’s whole body contract. I know she never wanted me to come to her father’s attention.
‘Actually, he is a friend of Alexander Malenkov,’ she says, her words stumbling over each other.
Something cold flickers in his eyes. ‘And how do the two of you know each other.’
‘We are old friends.’
‘Really?’ he drawls. ‘How interesting.’
I smile as casually as I can. ‘Yes, we Russians all tend to know one another.’
‘It would seem so,’ he says in a tone of someone who is suddenly bored by the conversation. ‘Anyway, we should be going. Enjoy your earrings, Mr. Abramovich.’
I say nothing.
‘Nice seeing you again, Noah,’ Tasha says softly. Then Oliver places a possessive hand on the small of her back and leads her away. My gut burns with jealous fury, but a cold logical voice inside me says, Look around you Noah. This is not the fucking place or time. Let him think he’s won.
I stride out of the venue and go stand outside. I light a cigarette and take a drag on it. What I really want to do is go back inside and choke the fucking breath out of Jarsdale. Someone comes to stand next to me. I don’t have to turn to know who it is.
‘You’re asking for an all out war,’ he says in Russian.
I take my box of cigarettes and offer it to him. He takes one and I hold the flame of my lighter under his cigarette. He cups his hands around the flame and inhales. The fire illuminates his face and long, elegant fingers. Strange, all those years not once did I see these digits as the fingers of a gifted pianist. He lifts his head and I withdraw my lighter.
I’ve loved this man like a brother for years. We’ve seen each other through thick and thin. Everybody calls him Alexander now, but to me he will always be Zane, my brother in arms.
I take a drag of my own cigarette and exhale it. ‘I’m not afraid of him.’
He blows a puff of smoke out. ‘If I was a betting man I’d have to put my money on him,’ he says quietly.
I turn to look at him.
He meets me in the eye. ‘Simply because Nikita is hindered by neither fair play nor honor. While you are still pondering the ethics of killing the father of the woman you want, he will bury you.’
I frown. Zane is right. I’ve though
t about it and I can’t inflict any kind of hurt on her.
‘What you did today was reckless. If you truly want this woman, don’t let your dick think for you again.’
‘I’m not letting my dick think for me. I shook the tree. I wanted to see what fell out.’
‘Nothing good can fall out of this tree. What’s your plan?’
‘Stay out of this, Zane. This is my affair. You’re out of this cesspit. Stay out. Take care of your family.’
Tasha Evanoff
Oliver curls my hair around his index finger. ‘Why do you think that Russian gangster wanted your earrings so much?’ His voice is soft, but hostile.
I look at him with surprise. ‘I don’t know, but why do you care? I thought you didn’t mind what I did as long as I was discreet.’
In his eyes something ugly rears its head. ‘To start with, it doesn’t look like you have been too … discreet. It doesn’t take too many brain cells to figure out what was going on tonight.’
He smiles nastily.
‘Secondly, I might have been a bit hasty. I didn’t care then, but since then I have become rather … fond of you, and I certainly don’t appreciate another man throwing it in my face that he has got into your pants.’
My skin crawls, but I resist the intense urge to edge away from him. ‘What are you saying?’
‘I suppose I’m saying the rules have changed. From now on I expect my wife to be faithful to me.’
I look at him coldly. ‘And this rule is obviously only applicable to me, since you are obviously not faithful, nor do you plan to be anytime in the future.’
‘Play your cards right and that could be arranged,’ he lies, his lips grazing my neck.
I close my eyes. I’ve got to do something fast about this situation I’m in. I can’t go on like this. I know now that I could never have sex with Oliver. Maybe before, but not anymore. Not when I am in … love with Noah.
‘You don’t love me and I don’t love you,’ I say softly.
‘What’s your point?’
‘Should we really be getting married, Oliver?’ I coax. If I could just get him to call off the engagement there won’t be a thing Papa can do.
He looks at me strangely and then bursts out laughing. ‘Are you getting cold feet? Let me tell you, sweetheart, it’s much too late for all that.’
‘No, it’s not.’
‘Aww … you really thought you could persuade me to break off the engagement. Sorry, no can do.’
‘But you don’t really want me.’
He smiles strangely. ‘On the contrary, sweet Tasha, I very much want you.’
I stare at him in horror. ‘No, you don’t. You have other women.’
‘They are bodies. Bitches and prostitutes. I can barely remember their names. No, Tasha Evanoff, you are the prize.’ His lips twist. ‘I choose you to be my wife and the mother of my children.’ He takes my wrist and suddenly crushes it.
‘Owww, you’re hurting me.’
He squeezes harder and I grit my teeth. ‘Did you imagine ours will be a marriage in name only?’ he taunts.
I stare up at him defiantly.
‘I will fuck you hard and often. As of today I expect to be the only cock going into your tight little cunt.’
I gasp in shock.
‘You can tell that Russian dickhead that his little performance has just made your life that much more complicated. Tell him to bang good and proper now, because I expect purity from my wife. So if you are getting any smart ideas of taking on lovers, I should warn you now that I’ll put a fist through your lusty hole before I allow that.’ He makes a fist with his hand. The gesture is violent and lewd.
I become rigid with shock. This is a side of Oliver I never suspected.
‘Have I made myself clear, or do you need a demonstration of what to expect?’
I stare at him in disbelief and he grabs my hip and pulls me towards him, his erection pressing into my belly as his hand goes up my skirt. Suddenly, I wake up from my daze.
‘Yes, yes, I understand,’ I whisper urgently, my voice shaking with fear.
He tightens his hold on my hipbone until I cry out in pain. With a taunting little laugh he lets go and I close my eyes, swallow hard, and try to calm myself. I open my eyes and he is watching.
‘You really are very, very beautiful, Tasha. So white and perfect.’
Tasha Evanoff
By the time I get home the fear has receded to the back of my mind. As soon as I open the front door, Sergei, who is waiting patiently for me, goes mad with joy. His excited yelps and barks echo loudly in the mausoleum-like-silence of our house.
‘Let’s go see Baba,’ I say.
He licks my face.
I stand up. ‘Race you,’ I challenge, and start running up the stairs, but he overtakes me easily and waits for me at the top. I tickle him behind his ears.
‘You win,’ I concede.
He nuzzles the back of my knee. With him following at my heels, we go down the corridor.
As I have done ever since I was a child, I don’t knock but simply enter. In my life Baba is the only open book. I have seen her naked, I have seen her sick, I have seen her cry. When she fell and broke her hip, I didn’t want her to be embarrassed by the nurse or maid changing her nappies or cleaning her up so I did it all myself. She never hides anything from me and I don’t either. Not for any length of time, anyway.
She is already in bed reading a book. She peers at me from over her glasses and smiles. ‘What a lovely surprise, Solnyshko? Did you have a good time tonight?’
I go and sit on the side of her bed and Sergei curls up at my feet. ‘Yeah, it was okay, I guess. I auctioned my emerald earrings and they fetched £75,000 for the charity.’
‘Who bought them?’
‘Guess?’
‘A frog would turn into a hog faster than Oliver would pay £75,000 for a pair of earrings so it won’t be him,’ she deduces shrewdly.
‘You’re right. Oliver was outbid by someone else.’
Her eyes widen slightly. ‘Well, well,’ she says softly.
I stare at the pretty little piece of nail art on my big toe before looking up at her. ‘Baba, I need to go and see him tonight.’
She takes off her reading glasses, closes the book, and puts it on the bedside table.
‘Say something, please.’
‘What can I say, Solnyshko? Forbidding you to see him will only fan your desire to see him even more.’
‘It’s not just desire. I miss him, Baba. I miss his voice, I miss his face, I miss his touch. I even miss the sound of him breathing. He’s waiting for me. I have to go see him. I’ll go mad if I don’t see him tonight.’
She looks at me anxiously. ‘It is dangerous for you to be out alone this time of the night. I cannot condone such risky behavior.’
‘Baba. There are so many security guards outside every house on this street that it must be the safest place on earth.’
‘Still,’ she says, her eyes full of worry.
‘Even before I get to the main road a minicab will be waiting for me. I did it yesterday and it was fine.’
‘What if it is not fine today?’
‘Oh please, Baba. I’ll be careful. I promise I’ll be very, very careful.’
She sighs heavily. ‘I’m not happy about this, Solnyshko, but go with God and don’t be careless. You hold so many people’s lives in your hands. It’s an ugly world out there and the consequences of your actions could be great.’
I stare at her. ‘There won’t be consequences. I just want to see him one more time,’ I cajole.
She smiles sadly, because we both know I am lying. There will be consequences. I’m planning on changing everything. One more time? A three-year old kid can see through that piece of fiction.
‘Your father has gone out, but I don’t think he will stay out all night so be very careful. No matter what time you want to come back in just call me.’
‘I won’t wake you until after four.’
/>
‘I can sleep anytime. Call me when you are ready.’
‘Thank you, Baba.’
‘Wear your jeans today. The weather forecast said it might rain tomorrow.’
I grin at her. ‘Did you know I’d go to see him?’
She grins back. ‘If I was your age, I would do the same.’
I laugh. ‘Can I leave Sergei in here? I don’t want him to be lonely two nights in a row.’
‘Of course. Bring his bed in here and put it over there by the wall.’
I stand up and kiss my grandmother’s cheeks. When I am very close to her ear, I whisper, ‘His name is Noah.’
‘It’s a good, strong name,’ she whispers back.
‘I love you,’ I say, and run out of her room.
In my own room I change quickly into jeans, a T-shirt, and sensible shoes. I find a cardigan and throw it over my T-shirt. Then I fill its pockets with dog treats. Standing in front of the mirror, I take down my hairdo and tie my hair into a ponytail instead. I make the bed with the pillows arranged to look like a sleeping person, then I call the minicab company and arrange for them to pick me up in ten minutes at the end of my street.
I look around me. Everything is as it should be. I pick up Sergei’s bed and his toys and call to him. ‘Come on, you’re sleeping with your grandma, tonight,’ I tell him. He looks at me reproachfully so I hug and tell him that one day, one day, I will take him to meet Noah.
Switching off the light, I close the door and go back to Baba’s bedroom. After I have settled Sergei and bade my grandma goodbye, I run downstairs. The house is quiet and still, and the soft soles of my shoes make no sound as I go out through the side door that locks after itself. I walk quickly towards the back of the house. The Rottweilers come to me, triggering the security lights; they make quiet whining noises.
‘It’s only me,’ I tell them, giving them little liver treats.
After I have sent them away I watch the moths fly towards the bright security lights. Just before they switch off, I start to count the seconds for the camera to come back around. The lights die and I carry on counting the seconds.
Blackmailed by the beast Page 21
