Russian's Ruthless Demand

by Michelle Conder

  Before tonight Lukas had intended to put off visiting his UK offices until after the ice hotel was completed. Now he decided it was the best thing he could do if for no other reason than to regain some of that iron-clad self-control his business rivals complained about. And maybe he’d rid himself of some of his pent-up sexual frustration with a woman who would appreciate it. ‘Oh, I intend to,’ he said before he turned and strode out of her apartment.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ONLY LONDON WASN’T the solace Lukas had hoped it would be. It was grey and tedious. So was Germany and so was Switzerland. And so were the women he had contacted and subsequently turned down.

  He drummed his fingers on the walnut conference table and listened to his Swiss team talk about some of the exciting projects they were planning for the following year.

  He should have been giving them his full attention but his mind wouldn’t focus. Instead it kept drifting to a conversation he’d had with Petra an hour ago.

  ‘The hotel is finished and everything is in place for the big party tomorrow night. The crew are all going out to celebrate tonight.’

  He flicked a discreet glance at his watch. Were they already celebrating? It was still early but they’d just pulled off an impossible build that had taken long hours, including weekends, so he knew they’d have a lot of steam to let off. ‘I hope you told them everything is on the house,’ he’d told Petra.

  ‘That’s very generous.’

  He’d heard the smile in her voice and grunted. Then he’d been unable to help himself. ‘And Eleanore? Is she going?’

  ‘Of course. The men all insisted. I think they’ve all grown really fond of her. She’s a real trooper.’

  Really fond of her... Lukas stewed on that. He knew she and Greg had worked closely together these past two weeks to finish the project. But how close? Were they even now clinking glasses and toasting each other. Smiling and getting a little tipsy. Tipsy enough to take their business relationship into the personal realm?

  ‘Mr Kuznetskov? You look like you disapprove the idea?’

  Lukas glanced up. ‘Nyet, nyet...I didn’t say that.’

  His finance manager smiled broadly. ‘So it’s a go? Frankly we wondered if we weren’t pushing it a bit but the risk isn’t that big.’

  Knowing he couldn’t tell the guy that he hadn’t heard a word he’d said Lukas cleared his throat. ‘Just, ah...just send the details through to my PA before you finalise things.’

  ‘Right.’ The man scrawled himself a note. ‘Now the head of HR has some exciting...’

  ‘Sorry,’ Lukas said, rising to his feet and buttoning his single-breasted jacket. It was time he stopped kidding himself about where he wanted to be. ‘I’ve just realised I need to get back to St Petersburg. I apologise for leaving early. Email me that exciting—’ What had he said? News? Plans? ‘—information and I’ll look at it over the weekend.’

  * * *

  Eleanore stared down at her shot glass of vodka. The men around her were chanting for her to down it and she rolled her eyes. ‘One and one only,’ she reiterated to the burly workmen around her with their beaming we’ve-just-finished-a-beast-of-a-job faces.

  She crinkled her nose at the glass and tilted her head back. She had never been the shot glass kind of girl, not even at university, preferring beer or wine, but when in Russia... She held her breath and swallowed the clear liquid in one go.

  Her co-workers cheered and someone clapped her on the back when she started coughing. Her throat burned and reminded her of the last time she’d accidently downed tequila a month ago at Glaciers. Then she’d been about to visit Lukas in his hotel room.

  And why was she thinking of him again? She hadn’t seen him for two weeks. Two weeks of peace where she and Greg had been left alone to complete the hotel. It had been bliss.

  Of course she had kept Lukas apprised of what was going on. Short, professional emails that had matched the equally short and cordial tone of his.

  Just the way it should have been between them all along. And thank God she’d come to her senses when she had. If she hadn’t...if she hadn’t... She didn’t let her mind wander any further down that track. It was pointless. Career and men went together as well as lip gloss and windy weather and right now she was completely focused on the former.

  Though there had been one good thing to come out of that night because Lukas’s comments had prompted her to write a lengthy email to Isabelle outlining how she felt and what she wanted. She’d never done that before. At least not with Isabelle, but that was because she admired her so much and hadn’t wanted to bother her. She never had done.

  Back when they were kids Eleanore had been the pesky younger sister begging Isabelle to play dolls, or build Lego cities. Unfortunately Isabelle had been more interested in talking business with their father—even then—so Eleanore had often played alone or with Olivia when she’d had time. It had established a hero worship style of relationship between her and Isabelle that was probably well past its sell-by date.

  And so far the only response she’d received to her email was that Isabelle would talk to her about it when she got to St Petersburg. Eleanore hoped the succinct reply had been because Isabelle was busy and not because she had pushed too hard.

  ‘Another Stoli, Eleanore?’

  Eleanore turned toward big Dominic and raised her hand in the universal sign of stop. ‘Absolutely...’ The word not stalled in her throat as she saw Lukas wind his way between all the raucous bar crowd toward them. He was casually dressed, like everyone else, in low-slung jeans and boots, a black sweater and matching puffer jacket and he looked long and lean and lethally attractive.

  Lethally male.

  All Eleanore’s feminine hormones spiked at the sight of him and she told herself to forget about it. Told herself to forget how he kissed and how he tasted and how he smelt. Told herself to remember her goals.

  ‘Why not!’ she said, the insane devil on her shoulder popping up at just the wrong time to take over her decision making.

  Someone slapped her good naturedly on the shoulder and a glass was placed in her hand. Before she could bring it to her lips Lukas reached them and a cheer went up as everyone greeted the top. Over the weeks Eleanore had seen the admiration the men held for Lukas and it wasn’t just because he was a generous boss. They respected his fairness and easy authority when it came to solving issues.

  Contemplating the glass in her hand instead of the man in front of her, Eleanore blinked with surprise when Lukas reached out and removed it. ‘One coughing fit is probably enough for one night. Don’t you think?’

  He smiled and Eleanore ignored the lift in her heart at the sight. So he was still the best-looking man she had ever seen. What did that mean anyway? It meant... She had no idea what it meant other than the fact that she had missed him. Missed him teasing her and challenging her and kissing her. Missed his sharp intellect. Not that she’d tell him that. No, she would be professional and polite because if there had been no point in encouraging the attraction between them two weeks ago there was even less when she was due to leave in two days’ time. ‘You took my drink.’

  ‘You didn’t really want it.’

  ‘How would you know that?’

  His mouth quirked at the corner. ‘You crinkled your nose when you looked at it.’ Eleanore’s eyebrow rose and the quirk turned into a smile. ‘You do that when you’re not happy with something.’

  ‘I do?’

  ‘Da, listen.’ He seemed slightly flustered and Eleanore couldn’t remember seeing him like that before. ‘Do you want a beer, a wine instead?’

  Eleanore shook her head. ‘Nothing. I...we weren’t expecting you back until tomorrow.’

  He leant his arm casually on the bar, as if he had nothing he’d rather be doing than talking to her. ‘Change of plans. I wanted
to congratulate everyone tonight since most of the men won’t be around tomorrow.’

  ‘Oh, right.’ Of course his being at the bar had nothing to do with her, she knew that. And why would she even think that it had? ‘How was London and Germany and Sweden?’ she asked brightly.

  ‘Switzerland.’

  ‘Right. Switzerland.’

  ‘Boring.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘How was it here?’

  ‘Great.’ It occurred to her that she was trying too hard to appear normal but she kept the cheery smile on her face regardless.

  ‘I haven’t stopped at the hotel yet but...you pulled it off. Well done.’

  Eleanore felt a puff of pride inflate her chest. ‘I told you I would.’

  ‘Yes, you did.’

  Her smile relaxed into a genuine curve and Lukas felt a possessive tug inside his chest. He should never have walked away from her that night. Why had he? It seemed a lifetime ago and he couldn’t remember what had put him off. Certainly not her, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And really there was only one thing to do about the chemistry between them and walking away from it wasn’t the answer. She flicked her gaze from his to encompass the room and he wondered if the hunger that had him strung tight was too intense for her. He took a deep breath and pulled himself back when all he wanted to do was grab her by the hand and drag her somewhere private. ‘So, have you decided when you’re heading back to New York?’

  She nodded. ‘Sunday night. Isabelle is due to fly in tomorrow for the opening night party and then I thought I’d show her around the following day before we leave.’

  ‘Any news of your promotion?’

  Oh, God, this was torture, Eleanore thought. She hadn’t expected him to show up like this and she couldn’t seem to get her balance. She felt like a rat scrambling on a wheel thingy, running full pelt but getting nowhere. And her heart...it wouldn’t stop beating a mile a minute. She felt so strung out she was getting a headache. How was it even possible to be so aware of one man in a room full of many? And what had he just asked her about? Oh, her promotion.

  ‘Isabelle said she was going to talk to me tomorrow night. I’m quietly confident.’

  ‘I’m sure once she sees the hotel she’ll be impressed.’

  ‘That’s the general idea.’ It had also been the general idea at Glaciers, she thought, only now realising how tense she was that her sister might not show up tomorrow night. ‘Well...’ She let out an exaggerated sigh. ‘I think I’ll call it a night.’

  ‘Have you eaten?’

  ‘No but...’

  ‘Come to dinner with me?’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I’m hungry and so are you and because I hate to eat alone.’

  ‘You could ask any number of people at the bar to dinner and they’d go with you.’

  He paused and Eleanore’s heart thumped heavily inside her chest. ‘I don’t want to go with any number of people. I want to go with you.’

  The look he gave her made it impossible to say no.

  * * *

  Because it was late Lukas took her to a hole-in-the-wall supper club that was discreet and unpretentious but stocked vintage champagne for those who knew about it. Lukas just happened to be one of those clients and he raised his glass in a toast. ‘To a successful venture.’

  Eleanore clinked her glass with his. ‘I can’t believe it’s actually over. A couple of times I didn’t think we were going to make it.’

  She’d seemed to relax her guard with him over the course of the meal and opened up about her life in New York and her volunteer work at her local animal shelter.

  He smiled as he recalled how at one point he’d thought she would bore him witless. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  ‘What are you smiling at?’ she asked, a little self-consciously.

  Lukas had never been accused of being a foolish man and he wasn’t about to prove the pundits wrong by admitting the truth now. ‘The three-tiered ice chandelier?’ he said, recalling one of the brief updates she had sent him via email.

  ‘Please don’t mention the chandelier.’ She groaned. ‘It fell twice during construction and Mikhail only just finished it this morning. I hope it’s still hanging there tomorrow for opening night.’

  ‘It will be. As will the horse-drawn sleighs and husky sleds out the back. Or did you think you’d managed to slip those past me?’

  Her quick grin told him that that was exactly what she’d thought. ‘It’s a good idea. Everyone thinks so.’

  ‘Everyone thinks the sun shines out of you. They wouldn’t dare say anything else.’

  She tried to pull off an innocent look but it only made him want to laugh. ‘Are you upset?’

  His eyes lowered to half-mast. ‘Do I look upset?’

  Eleanore’s pulse sped up. ‘Sometimes it’s hard to tell with you.’

  ‘I’m not upset. Have you been on one yet?’

  She shook her head. ‘I haven’t had the time.’

  ‘Maybe you’ll have to visit our fair city again sometime.’

  ‘I’d like that. It would be great to visit in the summer when the sun rises at four in the morning and sets at midnight. I can only imagine that everyone is completely exhausted the whole time.’

  ‘You get used to it but heavy blackout curtains help.’

  She laughed. ‘New York is a little more civilised. The sun doesn’t wake us until about six in summer.’

  ‘You seem eager to get home.’

  She hesitated, unsure how she felt about going home. ‘I guess I am. It’s been a while since I was there and it will be nice to see the city again. To spend time with my sisters.’

  ‘You sound close?’

  ‘Yes...’

  ‘But?’

  Eleanore thought about what he’d said about her sisters being talented because they shared her genes. She felt herself blush under his weighty gaze and forced her mind to concentrate. ‘But we don’t see one another nearly enough. No matter what though, they mean the world to me. What about you? I remember you said your parents are no longer here, but do you have siblings? Brothers or sisters?’

  This was why Lukas never usually probed the women he dated for personal information. They usually probed right back. ‘None that I know of.’

  ‘Oh.’ She tilted her head and her shiny ponytail slipped over one shoulder. ‘That doesn’t sound good.’

  Lukas took a swig of his champagne and found his usual reticence to talk about these things strangely absent. What would she think if she knew the truth of his heritage? Would she be put off as he knew many other society heiresses would be? ‘I didn’t know my parents.’

  ‘Not at all?’

  ‘I was a street kid, Eleanore.’

  ‘You lied to me.’ She stared at him wide-eyed. ‘When I asked you, you said...’ She frowned as if she was trying to remember what he’d said.

  ‘I think what I said was that you had a good imagination. And you do.’

  She crinkled her nose but she didn’t look away. Nor did she look disgusted. ‘I’m sorry. That must have been really hard,’ she said quietly.

  Again his usual reticence to talk about his past deserted him. ‘It was. It was also cold. And scary.’ The words were out of his mouth before Lukas had time to check them and it made him a little uneasy. Not even Tomaso knew the intricate details of his early life. No one did.

  ‘Can I ask what happened to your parents?’

  It was the softness of her tone and the unwavering compassion behind her gaze that undid him. ‘My mother left me on a train to Moscow.’

  ‘Oh, that’s terrible. She must have been heartbroken.’

  It took Lukas a minute to realise that of course she would think it hadn’t be
en deliberate and he nearly laughed. ‘It was deliberate, Eleanore. She meant to—how do you say?—ditch me.’

  ‘But...’ Her brow furrowed as if such a concept was completely alien to her and perhaps it was. He was fast learning that far from being a shallow heiress she was a woman who felt things deeply. Which gave him pause although he couldn’t figure out why.

  ‘But...why?’

  He realised he would have to finish the story even though he didn’t want to he gave her the brutal honesty of his early life. ‘My mother was a washed-up, drugged-out beauty queen and presumably my father was one of her many lovers. By the time I was five I was a liability she didn’t want. We were living in squalor anyway so finding myself on the street wasn’t that much of a stretch.’

  ‘Except you were alone on the streets!’

  Yes, he’d been alone. He’d been alone for a long time now.

  ‘Before you morph into some kind of agony aunt,’ he drawled, ‘let me remind you that I am one of the wealthiest men in Russia. My mother did me a favour when she discarded me.’

  Shock was etched into her wide hazel eyes. ‘But how did you survive?’

  ‘Like many of the thousands of other kids out there. You rob, you steal, you scrounge around in trash cans and sleep in train stations and drains. I was put into an orphanage at one point.’ But that had been even worse. Full of people who looked at him with a mixture of pity and wariness. He’d lasted only a few months until he’d hit the streets again in search of his mother. Like Eleanore, something inside of him had still believed back then that it had all been a terrible mistake. That his mother hadn’t meant to leave him alone and starving. He’d found out the truth soon enough.

  ‘My life wasn’t pretty but when I was sixteen Tomaso convinced his brother to give me a ride on his container ship. I didn’t know much back then in the way of books and schooling but I knew enough to recognise an opportunity when I saw it and the rest, as they say, is history.’

  ‘Survival of the fittest,’ she murmured, repeating his earlier words. ‘But what about the police? Couldn’t you go to them?’