Thank God. Very soon, she could stop trying to.
‘Remember, Sev?’ Allem prompted.
‘I remember coming up with the design...’ Sev shrugged.
‘It would have stayed a design without my money behind it,’ Allem pointed out.
‘True,’ Sev admitted.
‘So how did you get your start?’ Naomi asked, when she would have liked to kick him under the table for being so distant and rude.
It was like pulling teeth sometimes to get Sev to open up.
‘You got a scholarship, didn’t you?’ Jamal asked, and Sev nodded. He hated, more than anything, talking about his past. That was the problem with people, they always wanted to talk—he’d far prefer a night in, cracking code.
‘There was an old computer in the office where I lived,’ he reluctantly explained. ‘When I was thirteen they were going to throw it out...’
‘Office?’ Naomi frowned. ‘Where you lived?’
‘I mean the office at the school,’ Sev said, and he shot Allem a warning look.
Allem knew a little, but Sev chose not to go into his past. It was too dark, too messy, and he’d moved far, far away from all that.
‘I pulled it apart and...’ He shrugged, dismissing the hours and hours he had put in to rebuilding it, scouring markets and dumps, finding parts, and then, when he’d got that one running, he had moved straight to the next.
And the next.
‘The scholarship helped but really...’
It had been the hours and hours spent poring over machines and books.
Any book at first.
Fairy tales, romances, biographies and crime. Whatever the staff bought in, whatever he could find, Sev had read, often again and again. Then one day he had come upon a computer programming book that had become his first bible.
His fascination remained to this day.
He didn’t say all that, though, even though everyone at the table would have loved to know.
‘Remember you liked that princess...’ Allem grinned. ‘Do you know,’ he said to Naomi, ‘Sevastyan hacked into the palace webpage then told them the loopholes in their system and that he could fix them.’
‘I used to do that in the days when clients were thin on the ground,’ Sev conceded.
‘And did you get anywhere with the princess?’ Naomi asked, and Sev gave her a smirk. ‘Stupid question.’
She looked at him, and he looked at her.
And both were hurt, not that either would admit it.
‘When you come to Dubai...’ Allem said, looking from one to the other and noting again the tension. He’d seen Sev’s eyes follow Naomi when she had gone to the restroom and he could hear too the little digs at each other... It was the first time he’d seen this with Sev.
Always, if Jamal had been present, Sev had had a date.
Like Sev, he could never remember their names.
He liked Naomi and he wanted to see Sev happy for once.
‘This time, we want to take you out on the water, both of you...’
‘I’m not coming over for a holiday,’ Sev said. ‘You can take Naomi.’
Naomi rolled her eyes. ‘Because I do nothing all day.’
‘Just take a day,’ Sev said. ‘Get some sun.’
He thought of her smooth, creamy back and then he looked at her pale cheeks and remembered the day they had met, how they’d burnt just as they were starting to catch fire now.
He wanted Jamal and Allem gone. He wanted to go back to where he and Naomi had left off.
Right now he wanted to put his hand beneath the table and part her thighs and the oddest thing was he thought she might let him.
Not that he would.
Hell, did pregnant women even like sex?
Sev hadn’t a clue.
‘We would like to see a show while we’re here.’ Jamal said.
‘Well, you’re in the right place.’ Sev was still looking at Naomi. ‘You love the theatre. Maybe tomorrow we could all—’
‘I’ve already got plans.’ Naomi said quickly.
‘What plans?’
‘I’ve told you, I’m babysitting for my father.’
Sev said nothing.
It was far safer not to.
He wanted to point out that she’d upended her life, moved here to spend time with her father, and apart from a couple of babysitting jobs, looking after his kids while he and his wife went out, she never saw him.
Yes, it was safer to call for the bill.
* * *
Sev’s driver first took Allem and Jamal to their hotel and then it was a quiet ride back home. As they walked up the stairs towards the foyer, Sev decided that he’d had a gutful of safe.
‘Can you call your father and say you can’t make it tomorrow night?’
‘Why would I do that?’
‘Why wouldn’t you?’ Sev asked. ‘I’ll pay for a nurse or something to look after the children.’
‘A nurse?’ Naomi blinked. ‘Sev, what planet do you come from?’
‘One without babies and children. A nanny, then.’
‘I want to help out.’
‘Help?’ Sev checked as they walked to the elevators. ‘More like be trampled over.’
‘They’re my sisters.’
‘Half-sisters,’ Sev said, and they stepped into a very small space with a whole lot of tension between them. ‘And that daddy-o pie of affection isn’t one that’s divided equally when it’s the second or third time around.’
‘Don’t go there.’ Naomi had heard enough. ‘Don’t try and tell me how to handle my family when you’d lie about your own mother’s health.’
At the tenth floor she went to get out of the elevator but he halted her. ‘Naomi, I really do need someone to come with me.’
‘Then find someone, Sev,’ Naomi said. ‘It’s close to midnight. You called me at six this morning. That’s eighteen hours that I’ve worked today. I’m not getting this coming weekend off. Surely I can have one evening to be with my family?’
Fire me now, her eyes pleaded.
Can we just get this over with? her mind begged.
‘You can have tomorrow evening off,’ Sev conceded.
Sev stood there in an unmoving elevator for a moment as she walked off.
Fine.
He’d find someone.
Sev didn’t have to look very far.
He pulled out his phone and by the time he’d reached the top floor he was already calling her.
‘Hey, Felicity, remember Allem and Jamal?’
His ex-PA knew them well and, what the hell, she was gorgeous, blonde and, bonus points, not pregnant with someone else’s child!
CHAPTER FIVE
‘SO, HOW ARE THINGS with Derzhavin?’ her father, Anderson, asked.
It had been a very long day in the office.
Sev had been brooding and silent and Naomi was very relieved that he was going to Washington early tomorrow and that she wouldn’t have to see him now until Friday.
She wasn’t in the mood to chat about him but, really, Sev was the main topic of conversation between herself and her father.
Naomi sat watching as Anderson gave Amelia, her tiny, four-month-old little sister, a cuddle and kiss before handing Judy the baby to settle her for the night.
Half-sister, as Sev would say.
Oh, she never wanted to be as cynical as Sev but she also wasn’t the pushover that he thought she was.
Naomi knew why she was here in New York.
She wanted to give her relationship with her father a proper chance and it hurt to watch as Judy took the baby from her father’s arms only for them to be refilled instantly as three-year-old Madison clambered onto his knee for her goodnight kiss.
Naomi had been younger than Amelia when her mother had gone back to the UK, taking her with her.
She had seen her father only once since then.
When she’d been eighteen the plan had been for her to come over for a month but her father’s second ma
rriage had been on the brink of collapse. The time she had scraped and saved for had been spent in a hostel, seeing the sights, and she had met her father just for the occasional lunch.
This marriage seemed a happy one, though.
‘Derzhavin,’ her father prompted, and Naomi gave a little shake of her head as she dragged herself back to the conversation her father kept pursuing.
‘He’s as difficult as ever,’ Naomi said.
‘Did you give him my business card?’ Anderson checked.
‘He’s got his own attorneys, Dad,’ Naomi said. ‘I’m not going to be working there for much longer—I handed my notice in yesterday.’
‘You what?’ Anderson frowned. ‘Why on earth would you do that?’
‘The hours are impossible. Some days start at six and end at midnight and that’s if we’re here. It’s even worse when we’re overseas. We go to Dubai on Saturday and then it’s off to London.’ Naomi shook her head. ‘And that’s where I get off. I’m looking for my replacement this week.’
‘But it’s an amazing opportunity that you’re letting go.’
‘I’m not here to further my career, Dad,’ Naomi said.
‘Are you going back to live in London?’ Anderson asked, as Naomi tried to ignore the little glance that took place between him and Judy.
‘No, no.’ Naomi shook her head. ‘I’ve told you—I’m here for a year. I’m looking for another job, hopefully one that has more regular hours. It might take a while but I’ve saved quite a bit these past three months. I might take a few weeks off.’
‘But what about the apartment?’ Judy checked.
‘I’m looking for somewhere,’ Naomi said, ‘though, I have to say, it’s proving harder than I thought.’
They said nothing, or rather they suddenly noticed the time and said that they had to go and then told her to help herself to nibbles and that they wouldn’t be too late.
‘What are you seeing?’ Naomi asked.
Anderson rolled his eyes and told her the name of the musical they were going to. ‘Judy loves them.’
So do I.
And she could have been there tonight with Sev, Jamal and Allem.
Naomi felt like the hired help.
Or rather the free help.
She was that awkward extended family member that everyone grimaced when her name came up or the invitations went out.
But then she thought of her three little sisters, all so blonde and gorgeous and happy to see her. Especially Kennedy, the eldest. She was very sweet and so happy to have her big sister here.
‘I like it when you come and look after us,’ Kennedy said as Naomi tucked her into bed.
Even that hurt.
Naomi wanted to be here, spending time with them, getting to know them, not reading a note, as she tipped the last of Kennedy’s bedtime drink down the sink, asking her to remember to turn the dishwasher on.
Perhaps she was expected to wipe down the bench tops, Naomi thought. Or fold some laundry.
Instead she went and sat on the couch and looked out the window to the rushes and the water beyond.
Long Island was so beautiful and they had a huge sprawling home. Oh, Naomi could understand that maybe they hadn’t wanted her here when Amelia had first came along but now...
Yes, it was too far to commute for very long. But even if they had just said that she didn’t need to rush to find somewhere to live and that she could have a couple of weeks here, it would have been enough for Naomi.
She thought about Sev and their row last night. She actually wasn’t angry with him for what he had said, even if it had seemed that way to him.
Naomi was angry with her father.
Sev was right and Naomi knew he probably thought her pathetic but she wasn’t.
She was here to find out for herself.
Growing up, she had felt like her mother’s biggest mistake. Naomi was quite sure that her mother had set out to get pregnant in the hope of saving her marriage and blamed Naomi that it hadn’t worked. Her childhood seem to have been spent waiting for the postman or phone calls that had never come.
He had paid child support and her mother had even resented that. Anderson had performed his legal duty towards his daughter and no more.
As a teenager Naomi had once picked up the telephone and called her father out on his shortcomings. He had listened and then listed his reasons for hardly getting in touch over the years.
He’d said that he hadn’t wanted to cause friction between Naomi and her mother.
Work was another reason he had given.
Then there had been pressures with his then wife, who hadn’t wanted to hear about his daughter in England.
That marriage had long ago broken up and now he was with Judy.
The excuses were running out but Naomi wanted to know for herself. She didn’t want to rely on her mother’s bitter, jaded opinion of her father.
And that was why she was here to find out for herself if he wanted her to be a part of his life.
Naomi turned on her tablet to read her horoscope, and laughed to herself as she thought about how she had lied to Sev at her interview...about many things.
‘Tensions are at an all-time high tonight for all the star signs...’ the astrologer warned, and Naomi read how some cosmic event meant that there was friction everywhere and arguments breaking out and, the astrologer advised, if you didn’t have firm plans, then it might just be better to stay home.
Naomi rolled her eyes and checked the date.
Surely the astrologer was referring to last night, Naomi thought.
How wrong she was!
Her father and Judy were back just on midnight and, though they didn’t shove her out the door when they came in, it was obvious that they would prefer she soon left. Judy kept yawning and saying how tired she was and there was no suggestion that Naomi have one of the brandies that Anderson was pouring and stay the night.
Or maybe she was just a little too used to Sev!
‘I’ll try and get over before I go to Dubai,’ Naomi said as she did up her coat.
‘Oh, but you’ll be far too busy for that,’ Judy said. ‘Don’t worry about visiting us, we’ll still be here when you get back.’
‘But it’s your fiftieth birthday on Friday, Dad.’ Naomi looked at her father and then back to Judy, and she watched as their false smiles froze.
‘How did you know?’ her father asked.
‘Because I always remember your birthday,’ Naomi answered, and struggled to keep the edge from her voice because he hadn’t remembered a single one of hers. ‘What are you doing to celebrate?’
‘Nothing!’ Anderson snapped.
Judy guided her out to the hall and had a quiet word. ‘He really doesn’t want a big deal made about his birthday,’ Judy said in a low voice. ‘I think it’s the middle-aged thing, what with me being so much younger. He just wants it to pass unnoticed so, please, Naomi, don’t make a fuss and just leave it. We’ll see you when you get back.’
The car was freezing and took for ever to warm up and then she got stuck on the bridge for ages.
Naomi turned on the radio for company and tried to sing along with a song, but who was she kidding? She was crying her eyes out. All she had ever wanted was a family. Parents who cared and said things like, ‘Oh, my daughter Naomi is good at that.’ Or who passed a shop window and thought, Naomi might like that. Maybe it was why it had taken so long to end things with Andrew. She’d kept hoping he’d turn into the real deal and she could make a family of her own. It hadn’t and so she cried and continued to do so all the way back to her apartment. And then, just when the night couldn’t get much worse, as she dashed through the foyer, there at the elevators she saw him.
Sev.
And he was standing there, getting very friendly with Felicity, her predecessor.
They both looked stunning. Sev was in a suit and a heavy grey coat. Felicity was all blonde and gleaming and Naomi, wearing jeans and flat boots, felt incredibly drab. S
he was tempted to turn and wait till they had gone, but that would make it more awkward if she was caught walking off. They were laughing at something but the smile faded from Sev’s face when he turned and saw Naomi walking towards them. He dropped Felicity from his generous, given freely and regularly to any suitable female, embrace.
‘Hi,’ he said by way of an awkward greeting, but then he saw her red eyes. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Never better.’
It was the most excruciating elevator ride of her life. Felicity kept trying to get off with Sev and rubbing up against him like a cat wanting to be fed, and so when the elevator doors finally opened Naomi practically flew out.
She let herself into her apartment and found that, no, she didn’t feel like crying now, she was furious instead.
Felicity!
She knew that he’d slept with her in the past and she knew he had simply gone out and replaced her tonight and not even with someone new.
Lazy bastard.
Hell, yes, she was angry. Naomi stripped off and got into her dressing gown and, rather than thinking of them bonking their brains out a few floors up, she went under the sink and pulled out a bottle of red wine.
New York was possibly the loneliest place in the world, Naomi decided.
It had been when she’d been here at eighteen.
Oh, it was the most beautiful busy city in the world but sometimes she felt as if it could swallow her up and make her disappear and no one would even notice that she had gone.
All she wanted was a home.
And then there was a knock at the door.
She ignored it. Maybe it was next door and they had forgotten where they lived...
There was another knock and then came Sev’s voice. ‘Naomi, it’s me.’
Oh, this she so did not need.
If he’d forgotten his keys he could get the doorman and she’d tell him that.
‘It’s the middle of the night,’ Naomi said, as she opened the door, but then she saw the slap mark on his cheek.
‘What happened?’
‘Felicity didn’t like it when I told her she really needed to understand that when a man says no, he really means no...’
Damn him, Naomi thought, he could still make her laugh.
‘She’s gone home.’
‘Sev, what are you doing here?’ Naomi asked.
The Cost of the Forbidden (Irresistible Russian Tycoons) Page 5