The Dare Collection November 2018. Christy McKellen

      Vadim shook his head. ‘It’s an insult that they will not deal with me directly.’

      I exhaled. ‘Let me be blunt. The contractors won’t deal with you because you’ve missed more than a few payments.’ I raised my hand when he spluttered a protest in his mother tongue. ‘These things happen, we all know that. But your interior ministry won’t proceed unless a third party oversees the subcontractors. This is where my company comes in. You still get paid and save yourself the time and energy of having to deal with subcontractors.’

      ‘For an extra fee for you, of course.’

      ‘The Mortimer Group isn’t a charity. And I think, for a three-billion-pound profit, you can withstand a small insult, correct? Just think, two years from now, when we’ve built the most impressive stadium-and-hotel complex the world has ever seen, you get the last laugh.’ I gritted my teeth and shamelessly stroked his ego, knowing the subject of money and prestige never failed to win him over. ‘So how about we get this deal done?’

      He lifted his shot glass, his movements slower, expression circumspect.

      I decided to play my ace in the hole. ‘One more thing. I have it on good authority that if this deal isn’t completed by the end of this week, you’ll receive a notice officially withdrawing the tender on Monday.’

      He jackknifed upright, the complacency gone. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

      ‘Feel free to look into it. I’m just trying to save us both time, but my company will be happy to wait and deal with the next person who wins the tender.’

      His smile evaporated. ‘They dare to give me an ultimatum?’

      I shrugged. ‘I’m just giving you the facts, plain and simple. Five of your companies are fitting out the hotels and leisure attractions attached to the stadium once they’re built, with a further two running them for the first ten years. That was our deal.’

      ‘Okay, I’ll think about it. Now, it’s time for lunch. Your chef has promised me a feast of the best lobster. You will join me for caviar and champagne while we wait for him to delight us, da?’

      I hid a grimace and followed him out of my office, grateful for the state-of-the-art gym on the lower deck I used twice a day to keep fit. ‘Sure, why not?’

      His gregarious smile reappeared. ‘Wonderful. Leonie will join us, too. I want to hear more about this beautiful boat.’

      The skin of my nape tightened. ‘Do you now?’

      ‘Da. I really like it. I’m hoping to soften her up a little bit so she will renegotiate the price. If we can reach a suitable agreement, I will take her home with me.’

      Acrid bile boiled in my stomach. ‘I’m assuming you’re talking about the yacht?’ I bit out.

      Vadim paused, a look of surprise on his face. ‘Of course. Wait, you think I mean Leonie?’ His head tilted, then his smile grew. ‘I’m not stupid, my friend. I know when to keep my hands off what doesn’t belong to me,’ he said, reconfirming the integrity that had stayed me each time I’d been tempted to walk away from this deal.

      The acid receded. ‘I’m glad we’re agreed on that at least.’

      Vadim clasped my shoulder. ‘You worry too much, my friend. Relax. We will agree on other things, too.’

      I stopped myself from demanding his agreement now, just so I could move on to other pressing matters.

      Leonora would be worth the wait.

      We exited the lift to sun-splashed splendour. As usual, Vadim’s right-hand men were present. Although he partied with his entourage, Vadim only dined with his cousins and their wives, none of whom spoke English. It’d turned out to be advantageous since I’d learned one or two things about Vadim’s business.

      Despite his billions, he was leveraged up to his eyeballs and in urgent need of a fresh cash injection. Which meant his stalling tactics were just for show. And frustrating as hell.

      A different set of unsettling emotions whistled through me when I spotted Leonora leaning against the railing, her eyes on the Croatian coast that had come into sight early that morning. I took a moment to run my gaze over her, reacquainting myself with her gorgeous body.

      The tailored crew uniform she’d chosen to wear since we came on board did nothing to hide her killer curves and spectacular legs. If anything, like that Armani suit, it stoked my hunger, a hitherto unknown proclivity for a woman in uniform taking me by surprise.

      I lingered on the heart-shaped arse cradled in the black knee-length pencil skirt, the memory of caressing those firm globes redirecting my blood south. The neat little waist I’d pictured my hands gripping as I thrust over and over into her from behind was cinched with a utilitarian black belt while a short-sleeved white shirt hugged her top half.

      Knowing I risked broadcasting my filthy thoughts to the Russians, I paused at the bar and poured myself a glass of wine.

      Leonora executed a perfect pirouette, reminding me that she’d also been a gymnast. Bloody hell, my fantasies grew dirtier. I schooled my features as she approached, that cool, professional smile pinned in place.

      ‘Good afternoon, Gideon.’

      ‘Hello, Leonora.’

      Her gaze met mine, paused for a brief, saucy second, then flicked past me to Vadim. ‘How are negotiations going, Vadim?’

      Vadim shrugged. ‘A little give, a little take.’

      ‘And a whole lot of stalling,’ I grated.

      Vadim smirked. ‘He’s impatient, this one,’ he said to Leonora.

      Ocean-blue eyes reconnected with mine as she tilted her head. ‘I don’t know, Vadim. He strikes me as being infinitely patient if he really wants something. But if you want my opinion, I’d say don’t wait too long. There’s a fine line between playing hard to get and batting yourself out of contention. It’d be a shame for the latter to happen. Especially since, according to the Financial Times, this is considered to be the deal of the year.’

      Vadim shrugged again, but I caught a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as he pulled out his chair.

      ‘If you’ll take your seat, your servers will be here momentarily with the first course. I hope everything is satisfactory so far?’

      ‘Da, everything’s fine,’ Vadim said.

      I was struggling to wrap my head around what had just happened. With a few clever words she’d placed enough doubt in Vadim’s mind to make the Russian ponder the real possibility of losing this deal.

      In the past few days, I’d caught several glimpses of why she was a success at such a young age. She worked hard. But beyond that, she worked intelligently and with a sharp insight to what her clients needed without being a pushover. Even when she said a firm no to the most outrageous demands from Vadim’s entourage, they still walked away with a smile.

      When Vadim turned to rattle off a stream of Russian to his cousin, I approached her. ‘You clever, clever girl,’ I breathed softly in her ear.

      She rewarded me with the faintest blush and a little pleased shiver without losing the professional smile. ‘I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr Mortimer.’

      ‘Of course you don’t.’ I poured another glass of wine and offered it to her. ‘Here, have a drink.’

      She grimaced. ‘No, thanks, I don’t drink when I’m on duty.’

      ‘There’s a difference between having a glass of wine at a business lunch and getting pissed, Leonora.’

      The look she gave me told me she was remembering how our last business meeting had ended. All the same she nodded and accepted the glass. ‘Thank you,’ she said, her voice a shade huskier than before.

      My