Read Online A Bride for Kolovsky by Carol Marinelli - Free Book Online

was loathsome, horrible and arrogant, and she was mad to even consider fancying him. In fact she refused to—so she checked her horoscope instead.
    The stars are urging you to take the advice being given…
    Fat lot of help that was—some advice on pompous, tall, dark and handsome bosses would be nice.
    â€˜Lavinia.’
    With a jolt she looked up, and for a second was confused. But Iosef always did that to her, given he was Aleksi’s identical twin. Though he had plenty of the Kolovsky dash, he was a smudge more down-to-earth than Aleksi, who wore only the best suits and had his hair trimmed weekly.
    Iosef was in black jeans and a T-shirt, and didn’t look in the best of moods.
    â€˜Is he in?’
    â€˜He is!’ Lavinia smiled up at Iosef—he had always been her favourite of the Kolovsky brothers, and they’d shared a little flirtation in the past—well, till he’d fallen head-over-heels and married Annie.
    â€˜How is it going?’
    Lavinia rolled her eyes.
    â€˜What are you doing at this desk?’
    â€˜I’m the new PA!’
    Iosef actually laughed, and for a moment so too did Lavinia.
    â€˜What’s he like to work for?’
    â€˜He makes the rest of you look positively docile. I’ll just let him know that you’re here.’
    â€˜No need.’ Zakahr was at the door, his expression boot-faced. ‘Carry on surfing the net, Lavinia.’
    Zakahr closed the door. Iosef was already sitting down, and Zakahr was rattled that he hadn’t waited to be asked, at his clear familiarity with the place.
    With Lavinia.
    For now he pushed that from his mind.
    â€˜How are things?’ Iosef asked, not remotely embarrassed at being overheard. Arrogance was a strong genetic trait. ‘How are you finding it?’
    Zakahr did not answer.
    â€˜How’s Lavinia doing as PA?’
    â€˜Are you here to make small talk?’ Zakahr could not be bothered with small talk.
    â€˜I have just come from visiting our mother.’
    â€˜ Your mother,’ Zakahr corrected. ‘Her choice,’ he added, because from the day she and his father had abandoned a newborn baby in Detsky Dom she had no longer been his.
    â€˜I spoke at length with her psychiatrist yesterday. She is in a fragile mental state.’ Like Zakahr, Iosef did not mince words. He did not want to be here—he understood completely his brother’s take—but always with family there was a strange sense of duty. ‘I was not going to come to you with this, but I’ve spoken with my wife and we now agree you should at least be told. What you dowith the information is up to you. Nina wants to meet with you, to speak with you…’
    â€˜And then it will all be okay?’ Zakahr sneered. ‘I would check this psychiatrist’s qualifications—because if she is in such a fragile state does he really want me to say all I have to? All I want to? Does he think I am going to walk in and forgive her?’
    â€˜He has warned her how damaging this confrontation could be for her at this stage of her treatment—but still she is desperate to see you.’
    â€˜Tell her it’s too late,’ Zakahr said. ‘Thirty-six years too late.’
    Iosef nodded and stood to leave. He had not come here to argue or to plead, and he had known this would be difficult—that Zakahr wanted nothing to do with them.
    When he got to the door he changed his mind. ‘Annie and I are having Annika and Ross over on Saturday for dinner. It would be good to see you…’ Iosef hesitated. He knew so little about this man who was his brother, and was trying hard to do the right thing. They actually weren’t having Annika and Ross over, but if Zakahr would only agree he knew his sister and her husband would come. ‘If you want to bring anyone…’
    â€˜You still don’t get it.’ Zakahr leant back in his chair. ‘I am not here for a