Four men of varying ages...three of whom she knew by reputation. And Jason Tremayne, son of one of the city’s wealthy scions, who’d come on to her in the past...charming in company, the reverse in private, as she’d discovered to her cost.

The tension racked up another notch.

‘Natalya.’ Jason’s voice was almost as fake as his smile. ‘How fortunate you were able to score the position of ADE CEO’s PA.’ He waited a beat. ‘But of course, you’re old friends.’

The subtle emphasis didn’t escape her, yet she managed a cool smile as she took a seat and ordered sparkling mineral water from an attentive waiter.

The evening’s focus was business, and she assumed the expected role for which she was employed. A pleasant meal, during which her conversational input would be minimal. A few hours, then she’d return home.

Simple.

Except she hadn’t factored in Jason’s slightly raised eyebrow, the faint curl of his lip on occasion in a subtle reminder of a reckless mistake in judgment. Hers to have accepted his invitation almost four years ago at a time when she was most vulnerable.

Sydney’s social elite were intensely active, organising and attending numerous charitable events for various reputable causes. A scene her parents had once been a part of for as long as Natalya could remember. Roman had considered Jason’s late father as a business and social equal. There had even been talk at the time that a marriage between Natalya and Jason would prove a valuable business advantage. Something Natalya had refused to contemplate.

Until one evening, a few too many flutes of fine champagne, a starry night, and a determined need to move on with her life...the result had been a close encounter of the not wanted kind, ending with Jason’s harsh words, a few hurtful bruises, and her desperate escape.

Something Jason had never let her forget, nor Roman’s fall from grace in the business sector.

Alexei’s reappearance in Sydney and his coup in acquiring Montgomery Electronics raised conjecture... So what if Alexei was flavour of the month and the rumour mill shifted up a gear?

Beating herself up about it wasn’t going to change a thing.

‘Indulging in a little mind-wandering, Natalya?’

Without pause she spared Jason a measured look and recounted a concise review of her condensed notes. ‘I believe that covers it?’

She offered the three men a brief smile as the waiter appeared to request a preference for tea or coffee.

It was impossible to ignore Alexei’s presence, or the effect it had on her emotions. A contradiction in terms given she had every reason to hate him...and she did. Unequivocally.

So why this simmering awareness? For no matter how strong her denial, her body possessed too many vivid memories to be easily dismissed.

Alexei Delandros was in her face...encroaching her space during working hours, and invading her dreams at night.

She was over him. At least she’d thought she was...until a few weeks ago when she entered the new CEO’s office and discovered she’d walked into a living nightmare manipulated by a man she’d once loved so deeply, nothing, no one could possibly come between them.

So much for blind faith.

It was a relief when Alexei called time on the evening, and issued instructions to summon his driver.

‘I’ll take a cab,’ she managed quietly.

‘Not an option.’

Why, when the meeting was done and she was on her own time?

With the practicalities taken care of, Alexei’s guests exchanged courteous pleasantries and made their way from the restaurant.

Natalya gathered her satchel. ‘An emailed copy of my notations will be available on your laptop prior to the start of tomorrow’s business day.’ Professional efficiency delivered with firm politeness could hardly be ignored...surely?

Alexei pocketed his smartphone as he moved from the table and indicated the main exit. ‘My limousine has just pulled into the kerb.’

‘I’ve ordered a cab.’

He turned slightly and shot her a measured look. ‘Cancel it.’

‘No.’

If he brought up the twenty-four-seven thing again, she’d be strongly tempted to verbally lash out at him. It had been a long day, fraught with delays and interruptions beyond her control...throw in Jason Tremayne, and her composure was beginning to shred. More than anything she wanted the familiarity of her home and a blissful night’s sleep.

‘Do you particularly want to cause a scene?’ His voice was a dangerously soft drawl, and she silently challenged him for several seconds, unwilling to capitulate.

The sight of a cab swooping to a halt directly behind the limousine proved perfect timing.

‘There’s my ride,’ she indicated with polite civility, only to see Alexei cross to the cab, pay the driver, then return to the waiting limousine and indicate the open rear passenger door.

If a look could kill, he should have collapsed onto the pavement. As that didn’t happen, she had to content herself with a flame-fuelled stare...one which, much to her mounting anger, he met with glittering dark eyes and held for what seemed a ridiculous length of time.

‘Get in the car.’ His voice was quiet. Yet only a fool would ignore the steel beneath the deceptive calm.

She tilted her head a little, for even in killer heels her height didn’t come close to his own. ‘You neglected to add please.’

Are you crazy? The answer had to be a definite yes.

He held the balance of power, and thwarting him to any degree was the height of folly.

For years, hell, most of her life, she’d complied, content to fit in. Happiness equated to family, good friends, satisfying job, and a pleasant lifestyle. Not that she didn’t possess views, nor was she afraid to voice them when the occasion warranted it.

Easygoing, fun, joyful...until five years ago when everything had fallen apart.

Since then she’d toughened up...on the inside. Outwardly there appeared little change in her demeanour. As far as anyone knew, she’d survived and regained her former easygoing persona.

Only she knew it to be a protective shell. There were nights when vivid dreams haunted her sleep, occasionally so painful and stark she’d awake with tears dampening each cheek, emotionally and mentally exhausted by painful images.

‘Natalya.’

Okay, enough with the hissy fit. One of them had to give in, and it was clear it wasn’t going to be Alexei. Conceivably, how long could they remain standing here, Paul and the limousine waiting, in a deliberate face-off?

She gave Alexei a look that should have seared his soul.

‘Go to hell.’ The words were quietly spoken, but there was little doubt of the heartfelt meaning as she moved past him and slid into the rear seat, reached for the seatbelt, fastened it, and steadfastly ignored Alexei’s presence as he joined her.

Silence is golden?

Really? It felt like a thick fog encompassed the car’s interior as it moved quietly through the city streets.

She wanted to lash out at him in verbal rage...so much so it became a palpable entity.

‘Nothing further you’d like to add?’

Natalya spared him a hard brief glance. The temptation to tell him precisely what she thought of his macho tactics was almost irresistible. ‘Not at the present time.’

For a millisecond she imagined the gleam of humour in his dark eyes, and her own narrowed at the thought he might be amused.

She was tempted to take him up on it. Although the joke would be on her if it could have simply been a trick of reflected light in the car’s dim interior.

Focussing her attention on the passing traffic, the bright neon billboards, worked for a few scant minutes, until unbidden memories rose to the surface.

Remembering too well vivid images of his mouth on her own. The way his tongue sought, teased in wicked exploration, and possessed until she became totally lost in the magic of his touch...and the response it evoked as she matched the sensual fervour to a point when foreplay ceased to be enough...

The images came to a sudden screeching halt as her mind went into involuntary shutdown.

She was so not going there.

Couldn’t, if she was to retain a shred of sanity.

At least she managed to exert strict control during her waking hours...

Now he was there, five days out of every seven, invading her space, a constant reminder of what they’d once shared.

A deliberate manoeuvre in his plan for revenge.

Against her father...without question.

Her? How many times had she lain awake in the dark of night emotionally agonising for a possible answer?

Too many times to count.

Alexei had done his homework too well, ensuring Natalya’s one way out would involve irreparably breaking her mother’s heart, and she hated him for it.

Worse, the all-consuming emotional war was gradually tearing her apart.

Had that also been part of his plan?

It said much for her resolve that she managed to regain a semblance of apparent calm until Paul turned off the main thoroughfare and eased to a halt outside her home.

Natalya unclipped her seatbelt, offered a polite goodnight, and made her exit, assuming a normal pace as she walked the path to the front door, inserted the key, entered the foyer, then closed the door behind her.

Inside the car, the driver spared his employer a questioning glance via the rear mirror. ‘Seaforth, Alexei?’

He inclined his head, and issued a brief affirmative. Home was a beautiful mansion high on a promontory with enviable views. Professionally decorated and furnished, with staff to cater to his slightest whim.

Hard work, long hours, a penchant for electronic design...add the three Ds, determination, dedication and desire...had seen him succeed beyond his wildest dreams.

Some of his contemporaries had described him as driven. Only he knew the true reason why he’d deliberately chosen to bring Roman Montgomery to his knees, and make Natalya pay.

There was a personal need to push the boundaries...which surprised him. So, too, did Natalya’s concerted intention to become the quintessential PA.

Absent was her smile, replaced by an efficiency he couldn’t fault.

Had she changed so much from the beautiful young woman in mind and spirit with whom he’d once fallen in love?

Haunting memories teased his sleep on occasion, and left him wondering if there was a missing link he’d failed to discover.

Yet he’d employed one of the best investigative teams to uncover fact, down to the most minuscule detail.

For a brief second he considered calling one of the few young women he’d dated socially, each one of whom had pressed a note with their smartphone number into his hand, issuing a sultry smile and breathing an inviting call me, any time.

Sex for the sake of it?

He’d taken his share. Indulged in short-term relationships that weren’t destined to go anywhere.

Alexei checked his wristwatch, noted the time, aware the workforce on the other side of the world had begun, and there was data he needed to check, calls to make.

‘Yes,’ he conceded.