Julie arrived promptly at eleven and took a seat next to me, across from Roman’s desk. She gave me a polite nod in greeting, but the tightness of her smile set my nerves alight. I fidgeted in the chair, shifting back and forth, until Roman frowned at me.
“I’ve asked Julie here today to discuss a change in the terms of your employment.” The resonance of his voice soothed my anxiety, although his stern expression didn’t help at all. His attention shifted to her. “Julie, Rourke and I have decided to embark on a personal relationship. I need to ensure that she’s protected from any backlash by the other employees. Also, I’d like to have the terms of her employment contract revised to her satisfaction.”
“Okay.” Julie didn’t look at me or give any indication of surprise, just nodded in affirmation. “I can make that happen.”
“And double her salary.”
My jaw dropped. “No. Roman, that’s insane. You can’t—”
“I already did.” He leaned back, smirking at me. “Is there anything else?”
During the course of his speech, my palms had begun to sweat. “No. I don’t think so.” I licked my lips and cleared my throat. “Except…are you sure about this?” He cocked his head, dark eyes assessing me. “I don’t want people to think I’m getting paid to sleep with you.”
“I don’t care what other people think, and neither should you. Lots of people work together and have a relationship outside of the office. As long as we’re upfront about the situation, there aren’t any clauses in the company handbook preventing us from seeing each other.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Julie nodded, but her voice carried an odd quaver. Her fingers gripped the arms of her chair, knuckles white. “Technically, you’re not an employee of the corporation, so the parameters of her job exist outside of the company structure. I’ll make sure the situation is handled with the utmost discretion.”
“I appreciate that.” Roman’s expression remained somber, but the corners of his eyes crinkled. “That’s all. We’ll see you when we get back from Edinburgh.”
I shifted to stand, but Julie remained in her chair. The color drained from her face. “Um, if you don’t mind. There’s something I need to speak with you about.”
A knock rattled the study door. I opened the door. Ivan lurked in the hallway. “May I come in?”
“We were just finishing up here,” Roman said.
“Actually, Ms. Baker and I need to speak with you,” he said. “It’s a matter of some importance.”
“Okay. Sure. What can I help you with? Is something wrong?” Roman settled back in his chair and narrowed his eyes at his two closest employees.
“I’m going to go finish up a few things,” I said, intending to leave, but Ivan stopped me with a light touch to my shoulder.
“Please stay, if you don’t mind.”
Something in the tone of his voice made me hesitate. He’d always been quiet and authoritative, but a hint of insecurity ghosted his posture. I closed the door behind him and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Well, spit it out, Ivan,” Roman said. “You’ve got my curiosity going.”
Ivan swallowed hard before taking a stance behind Julie’s chair. “Ms. Baker and I—Julie—we’re going to have a baby.”
Silence blanketed the room. I bit the inside of my cheek, my gaze bouncing between the odd couple and back to Roman several times before I overcame the shock.
Roman steepled his fingers over the desk and stared at the pair for a long moment. Finally, he lifted an eyebrow. “Ivan, you sly devil.” A slow grin illuminated his face. “Congratulations.”
“Julie, I’m so happy for you.” I dropped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. She flinched then turned a deep shade of scarlet. “When are you due?”
“February.” With shaking hands, she pushed the hair away from her face. “I’d like to work as long as I can before taking leave.”
Ivan stepped forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. The gentleness of his touch brought the sting of tears to my eyes. “We’d like to move in together, if you don’t mind. It’ll take some accommodation. My apartment is too small for her and the child both.”
“Absolutely. Anything you need.” Roman stood and pulled him into a hug. The smile on his face warmed my heart. He rarely smiled and never to this degree, but his genuine happiness for his friend and chief of security spoke volumes about his capacity for caring. “I’m thrilled for you, old friend.”
Later that evening, we boarded Roman’s private jet for the overnight flight to Edinburgh. I’d never experienced such luxury. Four beautiful flight attendants met us at the cabin door, wearing smiles and matching blue uniforms. The jet’s interior echoed the opulence of his penthouse. White carpet and black leather furnishings stretched from wall to wall. A dining table for eight and a master suite with king-size bed topped the list of extravagances.
Roman led me straight to the bedroom after takeoff. Ivan and two security men claimed seats behind the cockpit. As soon as the door shut behind us, Roman began to undress. I sat on the edge of the bed, fingers gripping the soft coverlet, and watched him strip out of his shirt.
“We’ve got to talk about Nicky,” he said without preamble. “There are things you should know about us before we can go further with this relationship.”
“You brought me to your bedroom to talk about Nicky?” I asked, trying to grasp the direction of the conversation.
“Our bedroom,” he corrected and paused long enough to drop a kiss on my forehead. “First, we talk, and then I’m going to ride you within an inch of your life.”
“Oh.” A heated blush crawled up my neck. “Get on with it then.” I started to unbutton my blouse, but he stopped me with a shake of his head.
“No. I’ll do that. You just sit there.”
“You certainly are bossy,” I said, feeling lightheaded from the combination of altitude, his cologne, and the sight of his rippled abdomen.
He shook his head, but one corner of his mouth twitched in amusement. “Anyway, as I was about to say before you rudely interrupted me, Nicky and I have a difficult history. When I was eighteen, I went off to Yale, and I met a girl there, Claudette. She was beautiful and smart and from a good family.” At his praise, a twinge of possessiveness tweaked my composure. He smirked. “Ah, there’s that jealousy. We’re going to have to work on that.”
“Is there a point to this conversation?” I asked irritably.
“Yes.” Deft fingers unbuckled his belt, the button of his trousers, and slid down the zipper. “I fell head over heels in lust with her, and a month later she told me she was pregnant.”
“I don’t like this story.”
“Don’t worry. It gets better.” His trousers fell to the floor. He stepped out of them and kicked them aside. “I asked her to marry me and invited Nicky over to meet her. They hit it off immediately, which I thought was great.” The mattress shifted as he sat beside me. “I wanted to get married right away, but she kept dragging her feet, making up excuses. I tried to blame it on pregnancy hormones and the stress of planning a wedding, but deep down I knew it was more than that. We finally set a date, and a few days before the wedding, she came to me in a mess of tears and confessed that she’d fallen in love with Nicky. They’d been seeing each other on the side, behind my back, for weeks.”
“How awful.” I slid my hand into his and squeezed. The constant power play between the two men suddenly made sense. No wonder Roman had been incensed over Nicky’s mischief.
“You can imagine how angry I was. There’s nothing I hate more than betrayal, especially from the people closest to me. Back then, I had a terrible temper.”
“Back then?” I snorted, summoning a chuckle from him.
“Believe it or not, I’ve mellowed over the years.” I rolled my eyes. He flicked open the top button of my blouse, his gaze setting sparks to my desire, and pressed a kiss above the notch of my collarbone. “I threw a fit and cut both of them out of my life. Except for the
baby.” His eyes softened. “Milada arrived a few months later, and she was the love of my life. We arranged shared custody of her. Eventually, Claudette saw Nicky for who he really is, and she came crawling back to me, saying she’d made a mistake and still wanted to marry me.”
“But you said no, right?” I shifted toward him, entranced by the story, wanting to hear more about the mystery of his past.
“I said hell no.” He smiled and flicked open another button. “I set up a reasonable support payment for Milada and made sure she had everything she wanted, but it just wasn’t enough for Claudette. My rejection had wounded her pride. And Nicky never got over the way she came running back to me. Ever since then, he’s made it his life’s mission to steal any woman I might show an interest in.”
I took his hand from my breast and pressed it against my cheek. “I’m sorry about the way they treated you. Not all women are like that, you know?”
He drew my hand to his lips. “I know.”
“So now Claudette is punishing you by hiding Milada?” I’d never understood the way parents used their children as instruments of torture against their exes. Claudette rose to the top of my shit list. If I ever met her in person, I’d have a few choice words for her. “Do you have a picture of her—of Milada, I mean?”
“Sure.” He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and scrolled through the photos with his thumb. “Here she is. My angel.” The first picture showed a naked infant in Roman’s lap. He was young and smiling, his face unlined but still handsome. “This one was on her seventh birthday. I bought her a pony.” I watched the light grow brighter in his eyes as he flicked from one picture to the next, telling small anecdotes about his daughter. It was the last photograph that made my breath catch. A close up showed Milada as a pre-teen with a wide smile, light brown hair and stunning gray eyes—Nicky’s eyes.
“She’s beautiful.” I bit my lower lip, holding back the obvious retort.
“Yes, she’s gorgeous and self-centered and spoiled rotten, but I love her to the ends of the earth and back.” With a heavy sigh, he powered off the phone and set it on the nightstand. He took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted my face to his. Dark blue eyes searched mine until I wanted to squirm. “She may not be mine by blood, but she’s my daughter in every other way.”
My respect for him grew a thousand-fold in that moment. The resemblance between Milada and Nicky was undeniable. Anyone with a pair of eyes could see the truth, yet Roman accepted her as his own, without question.
“Does Nicky know?” I asked when I finally found my voice.
He shrugged, his gaze shuttering for a brief moment. “How could he not? But Nicky doesn’t care about anyone other than himself. And he knows I’ll be a better father to her than he ever could.”
Chapter 31
Rourke
While Roman attended his meetings, I took the opportunity to explore Edinburgh. I quickly fell in love with the convoluted streets of the old city, the stunning architecture, and its air of mystery. My legs ached from climbing the steps and exploring the length of the Royal Mile. Eventually, I found a bench in the Prince’s Street Garden and took a minute to rest.
In the shadows of the Ferris wheel and the Sir Walter Scott monument, everything hit me at once. Aunt May’s deterioration. Nicky’s betrayal. The absence of my dearest friend. The back-and-forth with Roman. A strangled sob escaped. I clapped a hand over my mouth. Even though I was happier than I’d ever been, it was too much, too fast.
A strand of hair blew over my eyes. I brushed it away and blinked at the appearance of my Prince Charming. Roman strode toward me, shouldering his way through the crowd, looking strong and untouchable. The wind ruffled the lapels of his suit jacket. His long legs ate up the distance between us. Suddenly, I couldn’t stand another minute away from him. I sprinted toward him. He caught me in his arms and held me to him, like he never wanted to let go.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he massaged the length of my spine. “You’re shaking.”
“Just hold me. Please.” I burrowed deeper into his embrace. If only I could make this moment last forever.
“Okay.” The tip of his nose nuzzled through my hair and along the curve of my ear. “Is it me? Did I do something wrong?”
“No. It’s not you. You’re perfect. It’s me.” The more I held him, the harder it was to let go. “I never said I love you, but I do. I love you.”
His lips curved into a smile against my neck. “I love you more.”
“Wait.” I pulled away, searching his face. “What are you doing here? Your meeting isn’t over for another hour.”
“They found her,” he said. The joy and excitement on his face made me forget my worries, because nothing meant more than his happiness. “Milada. Ivan took the jet to get her. They’ll be back tonight.”
When the door opened on the jet, I had no idea what to expect. Roman stood next to me, his fingers threaded through mine, our sweaty palms pressed together. He pursed his lips and let out a long exhale. Ivan appeared at the door, tall and imposing.
Two seconds later, the round face of a young girl appeared through the opening. She sprinted down the steps and raced toward us. Her long brown ponytail blew in the wind. “Daddy!”
Roman let go of my hand just in time to catch her in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist. I backed away, not wanting to intrude on their moment, and blinked back tears. This display of unguarded emotion added a new and unexpected layer to his convoluted personality. My perception of him constantly changed. It would take a lifetime to figure him out, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.
“Baby girl, let me look at you.” He clasped her face between his large hands and inventoried every inch of her from head to toe. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, Dad. I’m fine.” With an exasperated roll of her eyes, she wriggled out of his grasp.
“I missed you so much.” He enveloped her in his arms once more, despite her protests.
Over Milada’s shoulder, a tall, shapely woman stepped out of the plane. The tails of her white scarf fluttered over her shoulders. Dark sunglasses hid her eyes. A sleek blond chignon framed an oval face, high cheekbones, and full lips. I ran a self-conscious hand over my windswept waves, wishing I’d taken a few extra moments to tidy up before arriving. She strode toward us on sky-high heels, a trench coat draped over her arm.
“Well, Roman, I hope you’re happy with yourself. You ruined a perfectly wonderful vacation.” Her husky voice carried a hint of French accent. She thrust her coat and purse into my hands. Roman took them from me and shoved them back at her.
“Claudette, Milada, this is Rourke, my girlfriend.” As he spoke, he tugged me into his side.
“Hi.” Milada turned shining gray eyes to mine. For the second time, I was struck by the similarity between her and Nicky.
“It’s nice to meet you both.” I smiled at Milada and offered my hand to her mother. Her grasp was cool and hesitant.
“I’m so sorry. I thought you were an employee.” Claudette’s gaze ran up and down my figure.
I stood up straighter and lifted my chin.
“She’s also my personal assistant,” Roman said.
Her laugh rang across the tarmac. “Dipping your pen in the company ink. Priceless.”
“Actually, it’s not,” I said, finding my voice again. “He’s a perfect gentleman.”
“To you maybe.” With a toss of her hair, she turned up the wattage on her smile. “So, where are we off to?”
“The three of us are going back to the hotel,” Roman said. “I have no idea where you’re going. Ivan will get you a cab to your destination.”
“You can’t be serious.” The smile slipped off her face. She wasn’t nearly as pretty with her forehead puckered and lips drawn into a sneer.
“But I am.” He draped an arm around Milada’s shoulders and another around my waist. “Have your lawyer give my lawyer a call. Whenever you’re ready to be reasonable, I’m
happy to talk.”
I’d booked a three-bedroom suite at the Waldorf Astoria because Roman liked to have a lot of space around him, and a separate, smaller room for myself. Ivan and the rest of the security had rooms a few doors away. We hadn’t discussed staying together, and I hadn’t wanted to press the matter.
“That’s hardly fair,” I said, dropping a hand to his forearm. “Let me call and see if I can get her a room.”
“Do you think it was fair for her to take our daughter out of the country for four months without a word to anyone?” He kept his voice low, directing his words away from Milada. “I don’t owe her anything.”
“Look, I know you’re angry at her, but she is Milada’s mother. Do you really want her wandering the city at night, looking for a room?”
His shoulders rose and fell with an exasperated breath. “Fine. You’re right. She can stay in your room, and you can stay with me.” With a light fingertip, he caressed the curve of my cheek. “This is why I need you around. To keep me honest.”
“It’s turning out to be a full-time job.” I tried to keep my tone reproachful, but I couldn’t hold back a smile.
Chapter 32
Roman
That night, I tucked Milada into bed, despite her protests that she was too old for such nonsense. As she chattered about the places she’d seen during her travels, I marveled at all the ways she’d grown in such a short time. Pretty soon, she’d be thinking about boys and dating. The thought drove me to the brink of madness. How could I possibly protect her from all the dangers of the world when I couldn’t even keep her in the same country?
The ache in my chest continued to grow as I turned out the light and made my way back to the master bedroom, where Rourke waited for me. Before Milada had been born, I had no idea that love could be so all-consuming. Now, with Rourke, I’d been exposed to a new and different kind of love. She smiled at me from the bathroom sink, a toothbrush in her hand. A pair of cotton drawstring pajamas hung low on her hips, the ones patterned with pigs, and fuzzy red socks covered her feet.
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