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“My mother doesn’t work — she looks after the family home. My father has a successful advertising company which I’m now CEO of. He had a bad heart scare last year and he’s been forced to take it easy. He plans on retiring soon, not that I expect he’ll go quietly. I haven’t exactly indulged him in all the problems with Tre’sor Seattle, but it’s only a matter of time before he finds out.”
“Parents can be stubborn,” she says.
“Especially when they’re pig-headed and Russian,” I mutter.
I want to know all about Imogen and her family. She already mentioned her strained relationship with her mother. “What about you?” I say. “Do you have any siblings?”
“I have a step-sister, Anna, but we’re not close. She and my mom like to pick sides. We’ve never had a great relationship. My mom preferred to put her time and effort into snagging a rich man. When my step-dad — well, he’s the only dad I’ve ever known — fell on hard times some years back, my mom showed her true colors. He climbed his way back up the corporate ladder, and my mom stuck it out, even though I suspect she was having an affair.”
“That’s terrible. I’m sorry.”
She shrugs. “She’s selfish. I wish I could say I have a wonderful relationship with the woman who birthed me, but sadly, that won’t ever be the case.”
“And yet your father adored you.”
She smiles sadly. “He was a wonderful man. The father I always dreamed of. Kind and patient. My mom was jealous of the closeness we had, even though she had no intention of bettering herself by being a kinder person. I miss him…” She trails off, her eyes glazing over.
I place my hand over hers. “I’m lucky to still have my parents,” I say. “But I know of loss, Krasavitsa.” I pause. Is it too soon to tell her? Yes, you fool. Nobody but Doris knows the truth about Nina. “I have lost loved ones in the past. It never leaves you nor does it get easier. Especially when they’re taken so suddenly.”
She takes another sip of her wine and I brush my thumb over her knuckles.
“He didn’t suffer,” she goes on in a small voice. “I should be grateful for that. I just wish… I wish they weren’t doing this to me.”
“Doing what to you?”
She shifts in her seat. “My mom is contesting the will, and pending the outcome she’s likely going to sue me for the money my dad left me, even though he left his entire estate to her, and more to Anna.”
I frown. Her mom is suing her? “Do you have a good lawyer?”
She shifts in her seat. “I’m… I’m still working out my options.”
Does that mean no? I mean, I know she’s camping out at Lukas’ place, so she may be light on cash.
I prod a little more. “I know a really great one if you need a contact.”
She laughs without humor. “I’m sure I can’t possibly afford one of your lawyers, Khristian.”
“Well, that just goes to prove you don’t really know me well at all, doesn’t it?”
She can have my fucking lawyer, free of charge. She can have anything she wants. To see her this upset about her predicament, it makes me want to do very bad things to the people hurting her. I’ll rectify it immediately.
“I don’t know you.” Her eyes meet mine. There’s fierce determination there that I love, but also a sadness in her frown that hits me deep inside. I thought my heart was cold and dead, but apparently it still thuds hard in my chest for this woman.
“Isn’t that what we’re doing?”
“You don’t have to pay for my lawyer.”
“Sometimes you have to learn not to be so stubborn. Not when I have the means to help.”
She looks at me and frowns. “You don’t have to do that, Khristian. Please. I can handle this myself. I only told you because I wanted to be honest.”
“Which I appreciate. But I don’t want you to have to worry, not when I have a perfectly good attorney sitting around scratching his balls.”
She wrinkles her nose and I laugh. Taking her hand in mine, I lift her knuckles to my lips and press a kiss on every single one.
“I can tell you’re a decent man,” she says, her voice small. “But it’s important to me that you know I don’t want your money. I don’t expect any kind of charity.”
“You’re overthinking it. It’s just a name, Imogen. Just talk to him.”
