Disbelief, together with emotions she was loath to name, coalesced into anger she fought hard to control.
The burning question had to be why had Alexei Delandros hired accredited investigators to delve deep into Roman Montgomery’s business affairs and his personal life?
Why expend so much time, effort and money?
To do what?
Blackmail?
Her father? Her?
On the surface, such conjecture appeared unconscionable.
It took considerable effort to remain relatively calm, when her overwhelming desire was to toss both folders onto Alexei’s desk and walk out, take the elevator down to basement car park level and exit with a squeal of tyre rubber.
Not the best idea...but incredibly satisfying. Provided she maintained control and didn’t crash the car. Or worse, suffer an injury or three.
Her eyes darkened as they fused with his own.
‘What do you intend to do with this information?’
Alexei regarded her thoughtfully, noted the tension evident in the way she stood, the straight back, squared shoulders, her eyes fixed intently on his own.
‘That depends on you.’
The only visible indication apparent was a slight narrowing of her eyes, followed seconds later by an increased pulse-beat at the base of her throat.
A vivid reminder of past occasions when he’d touched his lips to that pulse, savoured it, before kissing it gently with his mouth. Her soft husky groan followed by a faint gasp as he used his teeth to tease and nibble a little.
Almost as if his body remembered, he felt its damning response, and silently cursed as he shifted position, using the moment to transfer a slim document and pen from his desk and extend it towards her.
Natalya’s eyes flashed with fine fury as she recognised it as a duplicate of the contract she’d just destroyed.
‘I have no intention of attaching my signature to a document representing any company involving your name.’
‘That’s your final decision?’
‘Yes.’
‘You might care to consider the fallout if I disclose the information I have on your father to the relevant authorities and the media.’
He’d do that?
The answer was clearly apparent in the chilling darkness in his gaze, and her mind reeled at the impact the exposure would have on her parents, their lives, her mother once Roman’s infidelity became known.
Anger burned her throat. ‘You bastard.’
‘Language,’ Alexei chided mildly.
For a brief moment she wanted to cause him physical harm, unaware how well he was able to read her.
Silence filled the room...ominous, intrusive, threatening.
‘Decision time, Natalya.’
The silky warning apparent in his voice acted as a reality check, and earned him a baleful glare.
‘I need to consider my options.’
‘There are two.’ His gaze seared her own. ‘You sign, or you don’t.’ He waited a beat, then added with irrefutable inflexibility, ‘It’s a simple no-brainer.’
Her father’s indiscretions made public. Worse, much worse...her mother’s humiliation and heartbreak.
The mere thought of the snide whispers, the disdain as the social elite tore her mother’s marriage, her very life to shreds...
A silent curse rose and died in her throat. She couldn’t do that to a caring, loving woman who in no way deserved such denigration.
Natalya subjected Alexei to a killing look which should have felled him on the spot, and gritted her teeth in sheer frustration when he displayed no reaction whatsoever.
‘Give me the damn paperwork.’
Seconds later she tore it from his extended hand and began reading the various clauses. Carefully checking no word or phrase had been changed from the contract she’d initially signed.
Every detail was clearly defined, stating as his PA she’d be on call twenty-four-seven when necessary, and available to accompany him on business trips within Australia and overseas. The contract would be valid for one year...renewable by mutual agreement.
While a term of one year had seemed perfectly reasonable, now it stretched way too long. ‘I insist renegotiating the one-year term down to three months.’
‘No.’
His unequivocal refusal ramped up her anger to boiling point. ‘Revenge or blackmail?’ she demanded tightly. ‘Which?’
‘Neither.’
He expected her to believe that? ‘And the moon is a ball of blue cheese,’ she offered with deliberate disparagement.
If he displayed so much as a glimmer of humour, she would hit him and be damned to the consequences. Only a forward flash of reality provided her saving grace, and she forced herself to mentally calm down, breathe, and stick to the basics.
‘What guarantee do I have you won’t go public?’
Alexei spared her a steely look. ‘My word.’
‘Not good enough,’ Natalya dismissed with a retaliatory edge, and glimpsed his eyes harden at her temerity.
‘The original certified documentation is held in a bank’s locked security box.’
She didn’t hesitate in issuing a cool demand. ‘Copies?’
‘Returned to the bank’s security holding after you’ve signed a new employment contract.’
‘I’ll require a certified bank receipt in confirmation.’
He leant back against the desk, seemingly relaxed, but only a fool would ignore the restrained power apparent, or doubt his intent to use it. ‘Done.’
Her eyes silently warred with his own, her mouth tight as she fought for a semblance of control as Alexei handed her a pen.
A mesh of angry pride caused her to hesitate for a few seconds before taking it from him.
‘Just for the record... I hate you.’
‘An emotion which should make for an interesting relationship.’ His voice was a smooth drawl which did little to improve her anger level.
‘Business-related only.’ The emphasis was fiercely stressed with finality as she attached her signature to a copy of the contract, watched as
