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

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       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 СКАЧАТЬ