Born to be Bad (International Bad Boys Book 3) (10 page)

“They might just get it,” Roman warned.

He looked around his penthouse. He had put it on the market, but it hadn’t sold yet and he decided to knock off a million, he just wanted the place gone.

“Kate and I want to come over tonight and speak with you . . . ” Isaak started, but Roman was in no mood to play happy families tonight.

“I don’t want visitors.”

“Roman, there is something that we need to discuss with you. It is complex.”

It wasn’t complex, Roman knew—it was very straightforward. His uncle had been having an affair with his mother and tonight he guessed Isaak wanted to break the news to him that Ivor was in fact their father.

“I don’t want to speak with anyone tonight,” Roman said. “I’m going to the casino and then I’m going to get laid . . . ”

It had been far, far too long.

The press would fall over themselves laughing if they knew that bad boy Roman Zaretsky hadn’t had sex in months.

Not since . . .

Roman shook his head, he so wasn’t going there in his head again. He well remembered the night back at the hotel after the wedding when he had left Milly his swipe card and as for her hanging up on him in Russia.

He couldn’t even pay her for sex . . .

Only that wasn’t right, Roman knew.

It was the fact that he had paid her that had upset Milly so much.

God, he wanted to go and see her, but he didn’t trust himself in this current mood.

“We’re coming over tonight,’” Isaak was insistent. “Or we can come over now, but we
are
having this conversation.”

Roman hung up on his brother and paced around the penthouse. He rang the estate agent and told him to get on with it.

He wanted it sold now.

Roman prowled the luxurious space like a caged tiger. Going from room too room, opening the wardrobe that still had Ava’s things and ripping them from the shelves.

Then, he went into the bathroom, and all her perfumes and toiletries were still there and with one hand-swipe he cleared the shelves. Roman had never cried since he was a baby, but he was fighting not to now. Not in anger but in despair, because Milly had been right when she said she didn’t believe him—he was grieving Ava! Yes, he was furious with her, but that a twenty six year old woman had died, was gone, just removed from the planet, hurt like hell.

Over and over, that night he went.

Should he have handled it better? But how?

Could he have stopped her walking off into the night?

Maybe he should have hidden her car keys?

The cord was pulled and there was a chain saw going in his head as he opened the spare bedroom and saw the little silver musical box that he had bought in Dubai for the baby.

Roman closed the door to what would have been the nursery and took out his phone that was ringing and saw that it was Isaak.

He would rather ignore it but he knew he had to face Isaak and discuss the truth that had been unearthed.

He would do it with Milly there, Roman decided, it was the only way he knew how.

She soothed him she calmed him and he trusted himself enough that there would be no handing over his room swipe card.

Making love was far removed from the sex that Roman wanted tonight.

“Isaak,” Roman said to his brother when he answered the call. “Meet me in the Club room at Ravello’s after six. I’m checking in there, I’ll sign you both in as guests.”

“I don’t want to discuss our family business in a public,” Isaak said but Roman refused to be swayed.

“Be there, or it will never be discussed again.”

“M
illy!”

Clifford was at his smarmy, disgusting best and Milly’s heart sank when she saw that he was back and he told her that a trial had commenced.

“It looks as if it will be a long one,” Clifford smiled. “Though I don’t mind, if it means that I get to see you in the evenings.”

“I’m going to be working in the mornings from now on,” Milly sweetly smiled and watched as Clifford’s face fell a little.

Yes, there would be that consolation to doing the breakfast shift for the next eight weeks, she wouldn’t have to fight off an increasingly drunk Clifford each night.

“He makes my skin crawl,” Milly said to Simon in the kitchenette. “He can’t keep his eyes off my breasts.”

“Well, they are looking pretty spectacular,” Simon smiled as he headed back out there. “New bra?”

Milly said nothing. Soon she would have to tell work that she was pregnant. The only part of that that fazed her was that it meant Simon would know that Roman was the father.

Oh, she liked Simon a lot, but she didn’t want him knowing, when not even Roman did.

“Milly.” Simon came through the door again. “I’m just giving you the head up that Roman is here and, let me tell you, he’s not at his sunniest.”

“When is he ever sunny?” Milly attempted to sound casual, but she knew that her face had gone pale. “Is he staying here again?”

“Apparently he checked in a couple of hours ago. He told me that he’s got two guests coming to meet him here tonight.”

If Roman was staying here, then she would have to leave her job, Milly knew that.

Soon her pregnancy would be showing, but more than that she simply couldn’t take the mind games with Roman—the want and the refusal of want at the same time.

“Can you serve him for me?” Milly asked, but Simon shook his head.

“I just asked if I could get him a drink and he said that you know what he likes.” Simon gave her a tight smile. “I wouldn’t take him apple juice if I were you though.”

“I won’t.”

Milly took his vodka from the freezer and poured a measure into a cold glass. Roman got a generous serving, not because of who he was, more that her hands were shaking, but she took a deep breath and headed out to him.

“Here you are, Roman.”

He nodded and took his drink.

“I have two guests joining me . . .”

“Simon told me.”

“Isaak and Kate think they are going to surprise me with the news that Ivor is my father, so hopefully it won’t be a long visit when I tell them I already know.”

“I thought you were close to your brother?”

“I don’t want to be close to anyone.”

She heard the warning, and as Milly went and refreshed his drink, she knew then that she wouldn’t be telling him about the baby. Maybe some day, sometime in the future, but not now. Instead, she would resign tonight and get on with her life as far away from Roman as possible. She didn’t want his darkness, nor a man who didn’t want to be close to anyone, in her child’s life.

Milly brought Roman his drink and then made a plate of canapés and took them over to Clifford.

“Oooh, you do spoil me . . . ” Clifford said.

“Because she’s paid to!” Roman said rather loudly and Milly’s shoulders stiffened. She glanced over to Simon who was looking rather concerned and he gestured for her to come over.

“Keep an eye on him.”

“He’ll be fine,” Milly said, although she wasn’t convinced. Roman was a tightly coiled spring and she actually exhaled in relief when she looked over to the door and saw that Isaak had arrived, along with Kate.

“I’m here to meet with my brother, Roman Zaretsky,” Isaak said and Milly nodded.

“This way, please,” she said and let them to Roman’s table.

Roman knew he had been right to do this here. It helped that Milly was here for this, even if neither she, nor his brother, knew that.

He willed himself to stay calm as he ordered drinks. “Two vodkas.” He glanced over to Kate who certainly looked a lot less tense than she had on her wedding night.

“I’d like a glass of wine.” Kate smiled to Milly. “A Shiraz, please.”

“So, how’s married life?” Roman asked once Milly had gone.

“We’re very happy,” Isaak replied.

“Good.” Roman shrugged, but he was actually confused because his brother did look happy. And unlike the wedding, where Kate had clearly been a reluctant bride, there was a natural ease between them.

“We found out something when were in Paris,” Isaak said. “It didn’t seem right to speak with you after the funeral, but I don’t know when the time will ever be right, so I’ve decided that we need to share what we have found out with you.”

“You don’t,” Roman said, not that it stopped Isaak.

“It will come as a shock, but I know it has always concerned you that you might be like our father or grandfather . . . ” Isaak took a breath. “Ivor is our father.”

“I know,” Roman shrugged. “So, you can go now.”

“How do you know?” Isaak asked.

“Because our father, or rather, Boris told me,” Roman said and glanced up as Milly put their drinks down on their table. “He told me when he was dying that he’d always known that neither of us were his children.” Roman glared at his brother. “Did you think I’d be pleased? Did you think that I’d be relieved to find out that the wonderful Ivor is really my father?”

“Roman keep your voice down,” Isaak said.

“Why should I keep my voice down?” Roman challenged. “Unlike my uncle I don’t have anything to hide. Don’t make Ivor a saint here. Not only did he screw his brother’s wife, he left his own children to be beaten over and over by that man.”

“Roman,” Kate attempted. “It’s more complicated than that. There’s a letter for you from Ivor . . . ”

“I don’t want to see it.” Roman stood. “Are we done? As I said, I’m hitting the casino tonight.”

“Roman, sit down,” Isaak ordered. “There’s more.”

Roman didn’t want there to be more, he wanted out of this place, he wanted away from Milly now, because his temper was blacker than the night outside.

He could see Clifford leering as Milly walked towards him. He was openly staring at her breasts and Roman was quite ready to jump the table, but instead he sat down and let out a breath.

“What?” Roman asked. “What else is there to know?”

“You know how I told you that there were jewels.” Isaak handed Roman a ring. It was the ring Kate had worn a few weeks ago and Roman glanced at her hand and saw that she was wearing a different ring now. “Kate and I entered into a marriage of convenience,” Isaak said.

“I knew that too.” Roman said. “Can we be done now?”

“It was marriage of great inconvenience at the time.” Kate smiled but Roman didn’t return it.

“We’ve fallen in love,” Isaak said and Roman breathed out. He didn’t want to hear about love, he didn’t want to be sitting with a couple who were so evidently happy when he felt so raw.

He glanced over and saw Milly and he wanted to walk over, to just lead her to his bed and lose the world for another night. But to save her from himself, instead Roman sat there as Isaak spoke on.

“This ring was given to Ivor by our grandmother Danya. That is how he got his start and moved to London. There was money too and other jewels.”

“No way,” Roman said. “They had nothing.
Nothing
! Our grandfather was in and out of jail, they couldn’t afford to feed their own children . . . ”

“Roman.” Kate’s voice was soft and clear. “One of the times that your grandfather was in jail, it would seem that Danya, your grandmother had an affair and her lover gifted her with these jewels . . . ”

“Do you know,” Roman broke in as everything in Roman’s world shifted but not in a good way. “I’m starting to understand why our father was so angry now. And I’m referring to the man who raised us, who did his shit best to put food on the table. Did anyone in our family not cheat?”

“Roman you need to hear this,” Isaak said, but Roman had had enough. He looked over and saw that Milly had dropped something and was bending to retrieve it and that the filthy old goat had noticed.

Perhaps aware it was her last night here, Clifford took his chance—his hand moved and Roman watched in fury as it disappeared up Milly’s skirt.

Milly let out a shocked gasped.

She stood upright and then turned, absolutely stunned by what had just happened. When she saw Clifford smiling she froze, unsure what to do. She wanted to slap Clifford, to confront him, but beyond shocked, Milly stood, paralyzed for a moment. Then, before her brain could properly process what had just happened there was a bellow of rage and the sound of a table being upended as Roman crossed the room and grabbed Clifford by the lapels of his jacket and lifted him from his chair. Roman pushed Clifford into a wall and lifted his fist, about to take a swing at him but he stopped midway, though he did not release his grip on him.

“Roman!” Isaak shouted, because he hadn’t seen what had happened to Milly. “Leave him.”

“Lucky for you you’re an old man,” Roman said, but he had not finished yet. “You look at her again, you touch her again and I won’t care how old you are . . . ”

“Roman,” Milly said. “It’s fine.”

“It is so far from fine,” Roman said, releasing Clifford from his grip and looking around. He could see that Simon had just come off the phone. “You know,” Roman faced Simon. “Instead of ringing security to come and deal with
me
, why don’t you address the fact that a member of your staff just got assaulted?” He looked then to Milly. “If you don’t want to see me then that’s fine, but you can have a job anytime in one of my hotels. At least there,” Roman said and glowered in Simon’s direction, “we don’t leave our staff to the mercy of a paying guest.”