Submitting to the Billionaire(21)

One of the boys offers me a biscuit. I take it and thank him. Clutching  the scissors, I hurry back to the bed chamber. I shake Pavel awake. He  rubs his eyes and makes a groaning sound. I clap my hand over his mouth  until he opens his eyes and looks into mine.

I put my finger over my mouth and he nods.

I make him sit up and give him the biscuit. While he is eating it, I  hack off as much of his hair as I can. To my horror, he doesn't look  bad. His eyes look even bigger and his little face looks angelic. I run  my hands under my shoes and smear the dirt on his face.

"What are you doing?" he asks with such perfect innocence I become terrified all over again.





Chapter Twenty-Seven





Star





In less than an hour we cover the most important parts of the main house.

"You can explore the rest at your own leisure," Celine says, closing the  door of the pool room. "Now let me take you to the breakfast room. Mr.  Smirnov should already be there."

The breakfast room is east facing. There are three sets of doors and  they are all open. The view is amazing, but the only thing I see is  Nikolai sitting at the table reading a newspaper. He is dressed in an  oyster-gray suit, a light-gray shirt, and a white tie. He looks aloof  and unreachable. I can't equate this immaculately groomed man with  either the sexually experienced one who took me on the coffee table or  the furious beast who shattered my phone.

I take a deep breath and step into the room. He raises his stunningly  silver eyes from the story he is reading, and lets them sweep down my  body. He folds the newspaper and places it on the table.

With impressive timing, Gregorios comes in. Silently, he moves towards  the chair next to Nikolai. He pulls it out and waits for me. I walk  towards it and he seats me smoothly.

"Good morning," Nikolai greets.

"Good morning," I reply awkwardly. I put my phone on the table. "Thank you for my new phone."

He nods.

"You didn't need to get something so expensive."

He frowns and seems annoyed. "Don't be coy."

My back becomes rigid. "I wasn't being coy. There was absolutely no need  to buy something that expensive. A replacement phone would have done  the trick nicely. I don't need expensive toys."

A smile curves his lips. "Ah, but I want to spoil my little butterfly. Shower her with beautiful things."

"Why?"

He shrugs. "It's probably a control thing. I like knowing that everything you wear, eat and own has been provided by me."

Gregorios takes a step forward. I have been so involved with Nikolai I actually forgot he is standing just behind me.

"What would you like for breakfast?" Nikolai asks.

"What's on the menu?"

"Anything you desire?" His eyes gleam.

I find that I can't hold his gaze without blushing. I avert my head in  confusion. "Then I'll have an English breakfast, please," I tell the  hovering Gregorios.

"Syrniki for me," Nikolai says. "And bring me another coffee."

As silently as he entered Gregorios leaves with our orders.

Nikolai looks at me with a considering expression. "With all the possibilities you ordered an English breakfast."

"That's right, and you ordered a Russian dish while in England."

He chuckles. "Touché."

For some weird reason I feel pleased that I made him laugh.

"So you've had your tour of the house. Did you like it?"

I nod. "It's a beautiful house. You're very lucky."         

     



 

His lips twist. "Luck? I made my own luck little butterfly."

I look at him intrigued. "You made all this money in one lifetime?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I was willing to do what other men weren't."

"What do you mean?"

His eyes flash. "Exactly what you are thinking."

"Like when you took me from Nigel?"

"Exactly. Another man would have hesitated. He might have allowed his  conscience to trouble him, or turned it into a question of morality. Me?  I considered nothing. I wanted you and I plucked you right out of your  husband's careless hands."

"Would nothing have stopped you?"

He looks deep into my eyes. "What do you think innocent little Star?"

I stare at him. I've never met a person who is so open about their immorality. "What about if you had to kill someone?"

He lifts one shoulder carelessly. "Everyone has to die at some time. So  what if it is a day, a month, or  …  even twenty years earlier? In the  scheme of earth's history, billions of years, what does it matter?"

I frown. "You've killed a human being before?"

He smiles. A tiger's smile. "If I had, and I'm not saying I have, I certainly wouldn't be confessing the deed to you."

Breakfast arrives. My dish seems ordinary compared to his.

"What are you eating? Are they pancakes?" I ask curiously as Gregorios leaves the room.

"These are Russian dumplings. They are made from cottage cheese, flour, eggs, and eaten with jam or sour cream. Want to try?"

I lick my bottom lip. He fed me yesterday and even the idea brings to  the fore all kinds of things I don't want to feel. "No. I'll try it  another day."

"As you wish," he says, and reaches for the cream,

"How old were you when you met Nigel?" he asks casually.

I shift in my seat. I don't want to tell him. I pretend to chew the eggs  for a bit longer. "We were both very young," I say finally.

He smiles mockingly. "Nigel is a year older than me. He couldn't possibly have been very young. How old were you?"

"Sixteen," I say as casually as I can.

His eyes remain carefully veiled, but his eyebrows rise. "The pervert."

"He's not a pervert," I defend hotly. "And I resent the accusation. This  is the second time you alluded to it. As a matter of fact I was very  mature for my age. I didn't look young at all."

"You look barely legal now."

"I was an early developer," I insist aggressively.

"Yeah? The first time he met you how were you dressed?"

I feel myself cringe. "None of your damn business."

"I thought so."

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Do you want to bet I know what you were wearing?"

"I could lie."

"You're not a liar."

Unable to meet his knowing gaze I scowl down at my plate.

"I'll bet the dress you're wearing. If you win you keep your dress on. If you lose you lose the dress."

"That's a very one-sided bet," I say.

He laughs darkly. "Those are the kinds of bets I like."

"I don't want to discuss my personal life with you anymore," I say, cutting into my sausage.

"How strange that you would protect such a pervert. If there's one thing I hate, it is men that interfere with children."

Anger rises in my stomach. I concentrate on laying the knife down  calmly, as if he has not infuriated me so much I want to stab him with  it. "Stop calling him that," I say quietly.

"Why not? It's the truth."

"It's not the truth. I was not a child."

"You were wearing your school uniform."

I swallow hard. I can't look him in the eye. How could he possibly have  guessed that? When Nigel arrived at the party I had not gone up to  change yet. Both Sara, Nigel's niece, whose birthday it was, and I, were  still in our uniforms eating ice lollies in the kitchen. He had come in  and something in the way he looked at me while I was sucking my lolly  made me blush.

Irritated that he guessed right I glare at him. "But I didn't look like a  child. If you think you can make me feel revulsion for Nigel by calling  him vile names you can stop right now because it won't work. My father  tried that and it had absolutely no effect on me."

"So your father agrees with me," he pounces.

I take a deep breath. God, give me strength. "While my father's first  instinct as a parent was to protect me he doesn't think that anymore. He  has since realized that Nigel is a good man." I cross my fingers under  the table.         

     



 

"Hmmm  …  I'll have to revise my opinion of you."

I frown. "What opinion?"

"You are capable of lying."

I sip at my coffee. "Why would you think that I wasn't? Everybody lies. I've told some massive corkers in my time."

"When was the last time you lied?"

The last time was when I told him I didn't want him. I shrug. "I can't remember now."

"Hmm  … " He lapses into silence and only turns his attention to me again  when he finishes his food. "Do you plan to see your father today?"

"No, I'll go tomorrow. My grandmother is visiting him today." I smile  cynically. "I had to lie to her. She thinks I'm not very well and I'm at  home with Nigel."

As usual the mention of Nigel makes his face darken. "I'll be away most  of the day but you are welcome to explore the grounds, ride, swim, find a  book in the library or catch a movie in the cinema room. Do anything  you want. I'll be back for dinner."