I stopped midway through pulling off my shoe. “Why?”
“Her father has enemies too but they’ve not exactly been going after her. These attacks only began after you came into the picture.”
I turned to look at him. “I’ve been thinking that too, but if they wanted to get to me then why not target me directly?”
“Maybe whomever it is has been waiting for the right moment. It’s not exactly easy getting to you.” I could hear the sadness in his tone as he spoke. “Maybe the point is not to just hurt you directly, but to hurt the entire conglomerate. Any harm coming to Freya on your watch will literally turn everything upside down and set off a war between our two fathers. Our two families being joined together is a terrifying prospect for many. It doubles your power and reach … unthinkably.”
“Hmm.... That narrows down the possible suspects to everyone we know.”
“It could also be for revenge,” he said. “Maybe you hurt someone’s family member along the way and now they’re coming for yours through her.”
“Then why don’t they come after you too?”
“Again, it won’t be as bloody. Painful for you but, turns little upside down. Freya’s father however will burn us to the ground, or at least try. We could both destroy each other. Imagine what a vacuum we would leave then.”
“They want to hurt me with someone else’s sword. Perhaps this person doesn’t have enough resources.”
“Yes, that’s what I would think. Anyway, I came here to tell you that this is exactly the reason why it has to be solely Freya’s choice to get with you. Not as a duty, or favor to anyone because it is definitely not going to be a rosy path. I understand why she is so against it and I don’t blame her at all.”
“I’m not forcing her.”
“Her father is.”
“I can’t do anything about that. That’s between them.”
“Do you want her, Maxim? Not a means for growing the business, but as a woman.”
I looked away from his probing eyes. “Yes,” I admitted.
“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear. We’ll talk more tomorrow. Now you better get to bed and I better get back home. I had to sneak out after Bianca fell asleep. It will not be a good morning for me if she wakes to find me gone. No surprises! That’s the rule of our relationship.”
That made me smile despite myself and as he left, I found myself gazing after him with just the twinge of envy. If only, Freya… A pair of defiant green eyes and a tumble of wild fiery hair crashed into my mind and I couldn’t stop the excitement that coursed through my system.
No woman had ever been able to rent even the least bit of space in my mind before, but Freya Fedorov seemed to very easily find her way in and out at will. I didn’t much care for the vulnerability and frivolities of love, but perhaps a woman who made my cock jump with just one look would not be too bad of an acquisition.
Chapter Thirty-One
Freya
I was walking down the subway stairs when the call came in.
“Hey, Freya, it’s Bianca.”
My heart began to beat faster and I knew it was because of her close relation to a pair of piercing blue eyes that haunted my dreams.
“Hey, Bianca,” I answered as casually as I could.
“I was thinking of checking out some jewelry today. Would you be available anytime today?”
I was suddenly even more excited. “I’m yours.”
“Great,” she responded. “I’m just waiting on an early afternoon appointment for our wedding venue. So after that I’ll be right over to you. Let’s say about 2.00 p.m.”
“Perfect,” I responded.
As soon as the call was over I phoned Britney and told her about the proposition.
“Oh my God! That is freaking amazing,” she cried excitedly. “Their wedding will be full of paparazzi and the crème de la crème of society so our jewelry on her is going to get a ton of exposure. Is their wedding sponsored in a magazine or something, do you know?”
“I doubt that very much,” I replied. “It is elite, but a completely private affair, I imagine. If anything, the Ivankovs shy away from publicity.”
“Hmm, either way it’s a good opportunity for us.”
“Yes, it is,” I agreed happily, as the subway car arrived.
At about a quarter to two Bianca called again.
“I’m so sorry, Freya, but I have to push our appointment. I just got the call to come inspect the venue now. But I’m having a dessert tasting this evening at our apartment. Perhaps you could come by and eat with us while we look at jewelry.”
“Oh, uh sure,” I replied and wanted so badly to ask… about him… but I didn’t dare. Almost. Before she cut the call though, I grew some balls. “You … er … you’re having some friends over?”
“Oh, just my best friend Aldie, and Levan if he’s back by then.”
“Oh, okay,” I said, and couldn’t help feeling disappointed. “Sure, I’ll be there. As well as some pieces that I think you may like, I’ll bring our new catalogue as well. There are designs in there that no one has seen yet.”
“Oh yes, definitely do,” she replied.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Maxim
It was just a little bit after eight in the evening when Levan popped his head through my office door. “On my way home,” he said.
I wondered why he was informing me.
“Bianca’s having a dessert tasting tonight. For the wedding. Want to come?”
I returned my gaze back to my computer without a word and he laughed in response. “Of course you don’t. At least I offered. She invited Aldie, and Freya’s also coming over to show her some jewelry. I’ll have fun alone with them then.”
Bastard, I swore silently at the way he had slipped her name into the fray, but I didn’t dare give him the satisfaction of my sudden interest. So I held myself back as he shut the door. I tried to return to my work but even the words on my computer had blurred. I sprang to my feet and grabbed my suit jacket.
I called him as he waited for the elevator doors to open. “I sent Otari and Viktor on an errand so you’ll have to give me a ride home. “
“That’s not happening,” he said. “I’m already late, and last I checked you knew how to drive.”
Fucking bastard.
“If you leave without me I'm going to hurt you,” I said and his mocking laughter haunted me to the depths of my being.
His town car pulled up in front of the building and I got in the passenger seat. “So am I driving you to your house or mine?”
“Fuck you, Levan.”
He laughed.
As we neared his apartment my palms grew sweaty, and the blood in my veins began to simmer in anticipation. Before we could even arrive at the door Bianca had already opened it. She gazed at me with a secret smile, as though she had expected to see me and I felt more exposed than I ever had.
“Maxim,” she said in her best hostess voice, as Levan’s arms enveloped her. A second later they were lost in a kiss.