Modern Romance Collection: January 2018 Books 1 -4. Dani Collins

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СКАЧАТЬ did. Eventually. Only it took a while. And later, towelled dry, he took her to bed, drew her close in against him.

      She couldn’t find the words—not the right ones. The extent of Roman’s intervention devastated her, and merely confirmed the extent her father was prepared to go to in order to rule not only his company, but his family.

      ‘There’s something you should know,’ Natalya said quietly. At the time she’d borne the heartache in the light of day, and let the tears fall during the dark of night when she was alone. Until there were no more tears to shed, and she gathered the resolve to get on with her life.

      ‘I discovered I was pregnant.’ She faltered in an effort to find the right words, and her mouth trembled as his hands shaped her face. His eyes were dark, silently questioning, and she couldn’t look away.

      ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

      Her features paled, her eyes dark with an edge of pain, and he swore softly beneath his breath.

      ‘I drove to your apartment after work.’

      A lump rose in her throat, momentarily preventing speech, and she swallowed compulsively in an effect to allow her voice to emerge. ‘You weren’t there.’ The words tumbled out. ‘I rang your phone. No answer.’

      Alexei stilled, his eyes almost black. ‘When did you ring?’ His voice was hard, urgent. ‘What time?’

      ‘Is time so important?’

      ‘Yes.’ He bunched his hands into fists. ‘Dammit.’ Yet he already knew. ‘Think...please,’ he added in a strained voice.

      ‘After six...maybe six-thirty.’

      He closed his eyes briefly in silent anguish at the hand of Fate. Ten...fifteen minutes after the police had taken him from his apartment, arrested by the hand of her father. His phone confiscated.

      ‘Theos.’ The soft imprecation left his lips with the realisation she’d had to cope without his knowledge, or the benefit of his support.

      Silent anger consumed him, together with the imminent need to take Roman Montgomery apart with his bare hands.

      Her words hurt like a stab to the heart as memory surfaced in vivid Technicolor detail.

      The anger...helpless rage at Roman Montgomery’s manipulative machinations.

      Natalya felt his lips rest against her forehead, then trail gently down her cheek to rest at the edge of her mouth, soothing the trembling seam as he held her close.

      Roman, Natalya determined fiercely, was about to be called to account. She’d call and invite him to share lunch with her, then calmly...surely she could do calm several hours from now?

      ‘He’s going to pay.’

      ‘Natalya,’ Alexei cautioned, and she shook her head.

      ‘You don’t understand.’

      But he did. All too well. The silent rage that had almost destroyed him, the desire to succeed beyond measure.

      Not the least of it, to throw that success in Roman’s face. As he had with deliberate intent, using his business nous to prove he could. Then plotted his revenge against the man who’d wielded God-like power...using Natalya as a weapon.

      Ill-founded, as he discovered...and beat down the rage simmering beneath the surface.

      How could a father do that to his own daughter?

      As easily as Roman succeeded in deceiving his own wife. A self-absorbed narcissist who put his own needs first and foremost...without exception.

      Alexei wanted to slam a fist against something...for a few brief seconds he almost did. Just for the hell of it.

      Almost as if she knew, she lifted a hand to his cheek.

      ‘Natalya...’

      Her eyes seared his own, steady, obdurate. ‘There’s nothing you can say to stop me confronting my father.’

      He waited a beat, then offered quietly, ‘Think it through,’ he advised gently, and watched her eyes narrow.

      ‘He doesn’t deserve consideration.’

       CHAPTER FOURTEEN

      THERE WAS A need for planned strategy. An assemblage of irrefutable facts. Cool, sans anger. Absence of a public scene.

      In Roman’s true sense of style, he’d vetoed a small restaurant in favour of one of his favoured upmarket haunts noted for its fine cuisine.

      Natalya entered the boutique restaurant several minutes past the appointed time, for, in truth, she wanted her father to be seated and waiting.

      It helped that he was there, charming the wait staff in his typical style. The smile, a flirting tease in his eyes...just enough not to offend, but holding a silent invitation, should it be accepted.

      Natalya touched a hand to Roman’s shoulder to catch his attention, and he turned at once, offering a warm greeting as he caught her hand and lifted it to his lips.

      ‘Darling girl.’ Ever the showman, he gave the waitress a knowing smile. ‘Better late than never.’

      Did he ever stop? And to think she’d always put his teasing down to his consummate charm.

      ‘Have the sommelier choose the finest champagne and have it brought to the table,’ he instructed the waitress in a grandiose manner, ‘A celebration.’

      He might think otherwise by the time their meal concluded.

      ‘Problem with traffic?’ Roman enquired as Natalya slid into the chair opposite.

      ‘Parking,’ Natalya enlightened, and when the champagne was presented, checked, approved and opened she instructed, ‘Just a small amount. I have to work this afternoon.’

      She waited, sipped superb champagne and exchanged small-talk as she selected an entree, refused a main, and settled for a lemon sorbet to follow.

      The waitress served coffee, and Natalya added milk, sat back and mentally directed...now.

      She kept it brief, citing irrefutable fact with admirable restraint...and took some satisfaction as her father stiffened, blustered a little, then paled as she relayed knowledge of each pertinent detail...the coincidence of her lost smartphone and its replacement with a different provider and new number.

      Coinciding with Alexei’s disappearance from her life.

      ‘Don’t,’ she cautioned as he attempted to speak, ‘attempt to justify your actions. Your manipulative meddling was unforgivable.’

      ‘I wanted the best for you.’

      She battled with anger, and fought to contain it.

      ‘Without СКАЧАТЬ