had played his last card.
Attempting to achieve in death what he’d been unable to achieve during his lifetime…by organizing his affairs to have his only son return to Sydney and take control of his business interests.
‘I respectfully suggest your decision regarding the Alexander Conglomerate is paramount,’ the lawyer posed, and Wolfe inclined his head in agreement.
There followed a rundown of Darius’ personal and business assets, together with those of Suzanne…untouchable until both estates went to probate, which could, given the complexity of assets, take several months.
Lara rose to her feet as the consultation came to an end, and walked at Wolfe’s side to Reception, collected her coat and crossed to the bank of lifts.
There were numerous issues regarding Suzanne’s personal effects, but for the life of her she couldn’t think of them now.
The lift arrived and she entered it and stood in silence at Wolfe’s side as it descended swiftly to ground level.
In such small confines, his height and breadth of shoulder made her increasingly aware of her petite stature.
The contrast between them was marked. Wolfe’s dark hair, sculptured bone structure and dark, slate-grey eyes owed much to his late mother’s European ancestry. Whereas Lara possessed ash-blonde hair, fine-boned features and brilliant sapphire-blue eyes…the antithesis of his own.
The lift reached ground level, and they walked out onto the pavement to witness the rain replaced by weak sunshine.
Lara paused hesitantly as concern vied with the stark reality of what she could possibly arrange regarding her outstanding debt to the ominously threatening loan shark.
There was a palatial home she could live in upon probate…but not sell or rent out. A generous annuity in perpetuity paid into her bank account each month upon probate. Shares worth a small fortune…to be held in trust and not sold, from which she’d derive a very sizable income…again, upon probate. Suzanne’s jewellery and personal effects which she’d choose to treasure and never sell. A restaurant she’d have to walk away from any day soon if serious financial help wasn’t forthcoming.
Assets, none of which were liquid…ensuring she was asset rich, but cash poor. With no hope in hell of raising the large amount of cash needed by midnight to pay off the loan shark.
Even if she presented copies of Darius’ and Suzanne’s wills, no bank would come to her aid with such a large amount within hours.
Could she…dared she…approach Wolfe, explain her predicament and request his financial assistance?
Ice entered her veins and chilled her body.
There was no other way.
None.
So what did she have to lose…except her pride?
CHAPTER TWO
‘CAN we talk?’ Stark, minimum words that cost her dearly, and incurred a probing look.
‘There’s something you want to discuss?’
His voice was a faintly inflected drawl, and she suppressed an involuntary shiver.
Lara spared him a quick glance and gleaned little from his expression. Assertiveness was the key. ‘Yes.’
‘In that case, let’s do so over lunch.’
Share a meal with him? She really didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary… Time was something she didn’t have!
He sensed her hesitation, and his eyes narrowed slightly. She looked too slender, her features too pale, and she resembled a cat on hot bricks.
Grief, without doubt, had to be taken into account…but why did he have the feeling it was more than that? A broken romance? There had been no boyfriend evident to lend support during the funeral service, nor to attend the gathering afterwards.
He told himself he didn’t care…and knew it to be untrue. For, despite the intervening years, he still retained a vivid recall of her teenage crush, and the method with which he’d dealt with it. The surprising sweetness of her young mouth; her reaction to his touch; the way she’d felt in his arms, and her uninhibited response.
It had affected him more than he’d imagined possible, and left him with a lingering sense of frustration in the knowledge he could have taken her. What had held him back? Remorse? Guilt? At the time he’d refused to contemplate it might be anything else…and he’d grasped opportunity with both hands soon after by relocating to New York, where he’d focused on forging his own fortune.
During the following years he’d met up with Darius in various parts of the world, and during infrequent appearances in Sydney, where he preferred hotel accommodation to staying as a guest in his father’s home. Dinner invitations that had included Lara…who’d stoically refused to ignore him, yet had treated him with such incredible politeness it had made him want to shake her.
Not unlike the feeling he entertained now.
‘We both need to eat,’ Wolfe ventured silkily.
Did she have a choice?
‘A sandwich and coffee,’ she conceded, aware it was all she could afford.
‘When was the last time you ate a decent meal?’
The question came out of left field, and she stiffened at the underlying censure. ‘In case you’ve forgotten, I spend my time in a kitchen cooking professionally for a living.’
‘For clientele.’
‘The nature of the business,’ she responded, and incurred his dark gaze.
‘An hour or two enjoying a leisurely meal in my company is abhorrent to you?’
Difficult. Unnerving. But not abhorrent. She closed her eyes, then opened them again. ‘Of course not.’
They were walking along a busy city-street, and she hesitated as Wolfe indicated a restaurant she knew to be ruinously expensive.
‘Relax.’
Sure. Like she could do that!
The maître d’ took one look at Wolfe, determined an aura of wealth, and ushered them to a well-positioned table.
Within minutes the drinks waiter elicited their order, and Lara opted to stay with chilled water, as did Wolfe.
The menu offered a superb variety, and she perused the selection with care.
‘Do you have a preference?’
Oh God, she didn’t want to do this!
‘I’m not very hungry.’
Wolfe cast her a brief glance over the top of the menu, then went ahead and ordered bruschetta, two entrées, two mains and intimated dessert could wait until later.
She
