‘I performed there once,’ Ella replied slowly, ‘but I didn’t get a chance to look around the city.’ She hesitated, feeling her heart splinter. Earlier, she had fled from Vadim in tears, and after an hour of soul-searching she had reached the conclusion that she could not continue her relationship with him knowing that, while he was the love of her life, his heart belonged to Irina.
Why not enjoy one last trip with him? whispered a voice in her head. She would love to go to Prague with him-but then she’d happily fly to the moon with him if he asked her, she acknowledged heavily. She had always known their affair couldn’t last, but she hadn’t envisaged that ending it would feel as though her heart was being ripped out.
‘As a matter of fact I really need to go back to London. Marcus phoned yesterday evening while you were in the shower,’ she explained, flushing as she uttered the lie. ‘He told me that rehearsals for the film score we will be recording have been brought forward.’
Vadim’s eyes narrowed on the twin spots of colour that flared briefly on her pale face before they faded again, leaving her looking like a fragile ghost. She had seemed unwell for the last few days, but had dismissed his concern, saying merely that she was tired. It was a reasonable explanation, considering that they frequently made love several times a night, he conceded. But it wouldn’t hurt to insist that she see a doctor.
‘Why didn’t you mention your conversation with Marcus last night?’ he queried.
‘I…I forgot.’ Ella dropped her eyes from his. ‘Give me ten minutes to pack and I’ll catch a lift to the airport with you. I’m sure I’ll be able to book a last-minute flight home.’
‘I told you-the maid has packed a case for you.’
The edge of impatience in Vadim’s voice exacerbated Ella’s tension, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. ‘I need to pack my own clothes, that I brought with me.’ She paused and then said quietly, ‘I’ve been in touch with Uncle Rex. He’s found a flat big enough for me to keep my piano, and I intend to move out of Kingfisher House as soon as I get back to London.’
Vadim regarded her silently for long, tense moments which stretched her nerves to snapping point. ‘This is all very sudden,’ he drawled. ‘What has triggered this unexpected urgency to return to London, Ella?’
‘I’ve been thinking about it for a few days,’ she mumbled untruthfully.
‘Really? So every time we made love recently you were plotting to leave me?’ he queried coldly.
‘It’s time we moved on,’ Ella said desperately, when anger blazed in Vadim’s eyes. ‘Our affair was only ever a temporary arrangement, to last as long as either of us wanted it to.’ She reminded him of his words when they had first become lovers.
Vadim could feel his heart slamming against his ribs. Sure, he remembered what he had said when he’d laid down the rules of their relationship, but he had never expected that he would want to change those rules-and he’d certainly never contemplated that Ella would be the one to call time on their affair.
‘You know as well as I do that this isn’t over,’ he said harshly. He pulled her to her feet and wrenched the edges of her robe apart, ignoring her startled cry as he stared down at her naked body. ‘Do you want me to prove it to you?’ he demanded, moving his hand to his belt. ‘I could make love to you right now, Ella, and you wouldn’t stop me.’
‘No!’ The flash of fear in her eyes stopped him in his tracks, and he flung her from him, frustration boiling up inside him.
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‘Why?’ he bit out, nostrils flaring as he sought to control his temper and suppress the fear churning in his stomach. He didn’t want to lose her. Hell-where had that thought come from? he asked himself as he raked a hand through his hair.
‘Being here with you has been…fun,’ she told him, praying he would not hear the tremor in her voice. ‘But music is my life, and I need to focus exclusively on my playing to succeed in my career. I don’t have time for distractions. I thought you would understand,’ she said tremulously when his jaw tightened. ‘You admitted that you felt the same drive and determination when you were building your company.’
It was the truth, but he did not like having the tables turned on him, Vadim thought grimly. Ella had a fantastic career ahead of her, and to achieve the success she deserved she would need to dedicate herself utterly to her music. He had no right to try and interfere with the life she had mapped out. But the thought of letting her go tore at his insides. These past weeks at the villa had been the happiest of his life, and he was shocked to realise how much he had enjoyed the time away from his work schedule. He had finally mastered the art of delegation, and had handed tasks over to his chief executives so that he could spend more time with Ella. It was bitterly ironic that she was citing the demands of her career as the reason why she wanted to end their relationship.