Modern Romance Collection: January 2018 Books 1 -4. Dani Collins
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‘GIVE ME A few minutes, then send her in.’
Alexei ended the call, slid the smartphone into the inside pocket of his jacket and stood in reflective silence as he studied the scene beyond the tinted plate-glass window.
Viewed from a high floor in an inner city office building, it appeared picture-postcard perfect with sparkling blue harbour waters against a backdrop of partially dark shrub-covered rock face showcasing glimpses of expensive real estate.
Sydney. The iconic Opera House, the expansive harbour bridge.
A large cosmopolitan city he’d departed beneath a deliberately fabricated cloud.
A city he’d vowed to return to in vastly different circumstances.
Which he had.
With a plan.
One which covered all the bases, and every possible contingency.
Five years ago he’d stood in this office space, denounced and discredited by Roman Montgomery, the owner of Montgomery Electronics, for daring to conduct a covert affair with Roman’s daughter, Natalya.
A young woman who had enjoyed a life of wealth and privilege since birth. Intelligent, having graduated from university with an MBA degree with honours...savvy, and employed as her father’s PA.
A life in which a thirty-year-old American nobody of Greek origin could never be a contender. As an added insult, Roman Montgomery had laughed at Alexei’s expressed honourable intentions, written out a cheque in lieu of notice and issued an immediate dismissal, adding the rider Natalya had merely been amusing herself with a temporary fling. What followed became an orchestrated farce as Alexei’s calls, emails and texts to Natalya were ignored, and within a matter of hours he discovered all her contact numbers had changed to an unlisted category.
Security guards posted in the main lobby of her apartment building ensured Alexei was denied access, and a determined attempt to reach her involving mild force resulted in a Restraining Order issued against him.
Which Alexei disregarded...to his folly.
The appearance of two police officers at his apartment with an arrest warrant provided a sobering experience at best. Invoking his right to legal representation ensured Alexei’s incarceration was brief.
The desire to vent at what he perceived to be an injustice had been eased...slightly...by a harsh soul-destructive session with a punching bag at a local gym. He could still recall the cautionary shout from a fellow member nearby...‘Hey, man, you aiming to kill that thing?’...resulting in one final vicious hit before he steadied the bag, tore off his boxing gloves, then turned and strode towards the changing rooms without so much as a word.
‘Better a punching bag than Roman Montgomery’s jaw,’ he muttered beneath his breath as he stood beneath a hot shower to dispense the sweat from his body before switching the dial to cold in a bid to cool off physically, mentally and emotionally.
Within a matter of days Alexei had boarded a flight to New York, reconnected with his widowed mother, his two brothers in Washington and worked every waking hour, prepared to do anything within the bounds of the law—and a few that hovered on the fringes—in order to establish the foundation of an empire to rival others in the world of electronics.
And he had, exceeding his own expectations, aided by a new invention embraced worldwide that had elevated him to billionaire status.
During the past five years success and wealth had provided Alexei with much. Real estate in several countries, including a Paris apartment, a vineyard nestled on the slopes of northern Italy, an apartment in Washington, a Santorini villa inherited from his paternal grandfather.
Women? He’d bedded his share...a selected few of whom he continued to regard with affection. Yet not one of them had captured and held his heart.
While innate ruthlessness had ensured Alexei gained control of Montgomery Electronics, Roman Montgomery’s daughter fitted another category entirely.
Five years of planning, negotiating, dealing, had been with one goal in mind. To make Montgomery Electronics his own via the Australian arm of his global ADE Conglomerate.
No money had been spared in implementing state-of-the-art equipment at the electronics plant situated at one of Sydney’s industrial sites, together with complete refurbishment of downtown city offices previously leased to Montgomery Electronics.
The media had featured the coup, speculated on the new owner’s identity, and relayed Roman Montgomery’s failing health, financial mismanagement and the global recession as the reason for sending Montgomery Electronics to the wall.
CVs and performance reports of existing employees had been examined, decisions made, with employment contracts prepared...currently in the process of being offered by Marc Adamson, Alexei’s legal advisor, to selected employees for signature.
Among whom was Roman Montgomery’s daughter, Natalya.
An act of vengeance?
Against Natalya’s father? Without doubt.
Natalya?
The decision was personal.
Make that very personal.
THE MEETING WITH the new company’s CEO was a mere formality, Natalya assured herself as she left Marc Adamson’s office and made her way along a wide corridor with strategically placed alcoves featuring magnificent floral displays on glass-topped stands. Professional renovations, individual reception areas bearing luxe new carpeting, expensive leather seating, artwork gracing the walls.
A major upgrade from the old-school style her father had favoured.
A faint smile curved her generous mouth. New owner, new vibe.
From a personal perspective, there was a sense of satisfaction in having been offered the position as the new company owner’s PA. The plus aspect being a very satisfactory salary package.
It would be interesting to discover how many office staff employed by her father had been retained.
As yet the new owner’s identity hadn’t been disclosed, with one media-projected rumour referring to an American-based billionaire.
If correct, she mentally sketched him as being over fifty, maybe older, with access to inherited family money. Of average height, possibly bearing a paunch, together with thinning hair or a toupee.
A new broom sweeping clean...or perhaps a figurehead content to delegate and spend time schmoozing at various functions with the city’s social elite?
Whatever...first impressions were key, and she tamped down the faint onset of nerves as she approached the CEO’s executive area.
‘We’re not fully operational until Monday. Just knock on the door and walk right in,’ Marc Adamson had instructed.
Okay, no problem.
She had a signed contract as proof the position was hers. All she had to do was smile, be professional and relax.
What could possibly go wrong?
Natalya curled fingers into her palm, rapped a firm double knock against the open heavily panelled door and entered a spacious office containing high quality furniture, floor-to-ceiling bookcases along one wall.
A quick glance revealed a wide custom-made desk bearing a laptop, various electronic devices, in front of which there were four single studded leather chairs spread out in a spacious semi-circle.
Within scant seconds it made a statement—wealth, excellent taste and power.
It was then she registered the tall