Read Online The Only Woman to Defy Him by Carol Marinelli - Free Book Online

never going to make much selling her artwork, but it felt good to be using that part of her brain again—working with colours, adding details that possibly didn’t matter but which to Alina mattered a lot.
    As for Roman’s room...
    ‘God!’ Libby came up behind her. ‘Did the cleaners miss this?’
    ‘It’s to stay like that.’ Alina borrowed Demyan’s words. ‘If a guitar on the floor and a few chewing-gum wrappers are going to dissuade anyone, then they are not serious about buying.’
    ‘Can I bring someone through on Saturday?’
    ‘Someone?’
    Even Alina blinked when Libby said a very famous couple’s name. ‘They’re in Australia now but only till Sunday.’
    ‘I’ll check,’ Alina said.
    The door to Demyan’s bedroom was closed when she returned to the hotel and, glancing at her phone, Alina realised she had missed a text from him, telling her to book him in to see his dentist tomorrow.
    She wanted to knock so badly.
    More than that, she wanted to go in and it had nothing to do with finding out his dentist of choice!
    Instead, she called Marianna. It was the early hours of the morning in the States.
    ‘I’m so sorry.’
    ‘Why?’ Marianna said, because she was far more used to Demyan’s strange world than Alina was.
    ‘I’m to book Demyan in for the dentist tomorrow. He just didn’t specify which one.’
    Marianna actually laughed. ‘Of course he didn’t.’
    It was the most ridiculous conversation of her life but Demyan had meant what he’d said that first day and did not want to be bothered with minor details.
    ‘Dr Emerson.’ Marianna gave her the number, not the number of the receptionist but Dr Emerson’s number. ‘Oh, and Demyan will want to be seen at eight a.m.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Alina called the number and got voicemail, and she smiled just a little to herself as she wielded some of Demyan’s power. ‘This is Demyan’s PA, Alina. I’d like to make an appointment for him tomorrow at eight—a.m.,’ she added, because Demyan could no doubt have both. ‘If you can confirm, that would be great.’
    He called to confirm two minutes later and Alina sent Demyan an email to bring him up to speed before she went home, though she’d have loved to linger.
    She wanted to be behind that bedroom door and loathed that tonight someone else might be.
    She could not stand that thought.
    * * *
    Demyan woke close to midnight.
    His mind was black.
    He felt like ringing Nadia or his lawyer and demanding to know the location of his son.
    If he was his son.
    Demyan dragged in air, but it did not calm him.
    He picked up the phone to call Nadia, but what purpose would that serve? Maybe he should just go around there, but wouldn’t Nadia just love that.
    She was probably half hoping for it, baiting him to do just that.
    Sex with your ex or a night in a cell for breaking her door down? Your choice, Demyan.
    He might head to a casino.
    He walked out to pour a drink and checked his email and saw, amongst many, that there was one from Alina.
    He opened hers first.

    I hope you had a nice rest.

    Demyan found himself smiling and then raised his eyes as he read on because it would seem he had European royalty visiting his house at the weekend.
    Go, Alina!

    Libby agrees that the main bedroom is too masculine. I have a large watercolour painting that would look very nice on the main wall opposite your bed. It is too big for my apartment and lives in the wardrobe. I’ll bring it in tomorrow, but please don’t worry if you don’t like it, I shan’t be offended in the least. The colours are nice, that’s all...

    Demyan blinked as he read on—it was a magnum opus of an email.

    I was thinking about Roman’s bedroom. Again, please don’t be offended, I might not be being very sensitive or politically correct. Why don’t I take a photo of it with my phone, tidy it up and then put it all back, exactly as it was?
    I have made you an appointment for the dentist tomorrow at eight a.m.!

    Demyan