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She refocused her attention as the auctioneer’s voice penetrated her thoughts. Whatever happened now she had to hold her nerve; this was one bid she was going to win. She’d promised Grandfather she would do whatever she could to find the bracelet, and now that she had, there was no way she was going to let him down.
She took a deep breath as the hammer came down again and the gentle hum of speculative voices filled the room as the bidding on a gold brooch was completed. Movement at the side of the room caught her attention and, as she looked, every nerve in her body tingled with something akin to fear.
Liev Dragunov. What was he doing here? She’d already politely and professionally refused to represent his company. Not just because it would create a conflict of interest with Dario’s new launch, but because he set off alarm bells in her head. He had such an unmistakeable aura of power about him and had continually proved that he didn’t take no for an answer.
Why he was here at the auction of some of the finest jewels wasn’t worth thinking about right now. She wasn’t going to let him distract her, not when she was so close to getting the bracelet. Her grandfather’s happiness rested on winning the next bid, and as public bidding and jewellery shopping were not one of her most favoured pastimes, she needed to concentrate. There would be time enough later to deal with Mr Dragunov’s persistence—once and for all.
She smarted with indignation as he had the audacity to look over at her and smile, as if they were old friends. But she wasn’t fooled. Even from this distance she could see that the smile hadn’t reached those icy grey eyes and her feelings of mistrust deepened. Just what was he up to?
The hammer banged down again and she drew in a sharp breath of shock. Damn him. He’d almost distracted her, almost made her miss the bid. She focused her attention on the auctioneer, determination rising up from within. She would get this bracelet, no matter what.
‘The n
ext item, a stunning piece of craftsmanship, is a silver bracelet set with diamonds and emeralds.’ The crisp voice of the immaculately suited auctioneer almost sliced through her nerves. She kept her focus on the wooden stand on which the auctioneer leant, looking out at the serious bidders in the audience.
The bidding started and subtly she nodded her bid, alarmed to see the price rising rapidly. Not that it mattered. Her company was one of the most successful in her field; she didn’t need to panic just yet, although she had to have this piece. Thankfully the bidding slowed and she breathed a sigh of relief as her bid remained the highest.
Just as the hammer was about to fall, the crowd gasped as a new and outrageously high bid was entered, pushing the price far too close to her top limit. She wanted to look around the room. See who it was who was denying her grandfather of one of his final requests, but in true Bianca style, she remained devoid of emotion and totally focused on the task.
As her heart thumped anxiously in her chest, she increased her bid, satisfied it was enough to dissuade even the most avid collector.
The crowd gasped again as the figures displayed on the screen rose steeply. Who was doing this to her? She bid again and glanced around the room, unable to locate the bidder. Then she saw Liev Dragunov nod at the auctioneer, outbidding her once again by a ridiculous amount. What was he doing?
Anger fizzed around her and all rational thought left her mind. She had to have this bracelet. Nothing else mattered. She bid again—her final bid—and already beyond her planned limit. She glared a warning at Liev. His face remained as if sculpted from ice, barely acknowledging her. To her outrage he bid again, not with the customary nod of his head but with bold and heavily accented words. He’d doubled her bid. Doubled it!
She reeled in shock and for a second nothing else existed, until the bang of the auctioneer’s hammer completed the sale—and her loss. Her failure. How could she have let that happen?
The applause which followed Liev’s insultingly high bid finally quietened, but the thumping of her heart didn’t. She couldn’t even move. She’d failed her grandfather. Allegra had told her all she needed to do was bid and she hadn’t even been able to do that. Not getting the bracelet had never entered her head. Much less that Liev Dragunov would outbid her.
When sense finally returned and she left her seat, the humiliation of the moment burning on her cheeks, Liev was nowhere to be seen. Settling his debts, no doubt.
Suspicion slipped uncomfortably into her mind. Had he bid for the bracelet to force her hand into representing his company? It was so far-fetched it was ridiculous, but there was only one way to find out.
Confront him.
* * *
Liev waited. His patience had served him well, as had the overheard snatch of conversation with her sister about the bracelet. Now he was finally about to get what he wanted. Bianca Di Sione dancing to his tune.
He stood outside the auction room and watched her leave, glancing around her. From the furious expression on her face, she was obviously looking for him, the person who had deprived her of her latest little trinket. Just like a woman to have her head turned by a piece of expensive and sparkling jewellery.
There was no need to pursue her now, to cajole her into agreeing to act for his company. His sources had done well. Her discreet enquiries about the bracelet, which had been scheduled for auction, had allowed him to move in swiftly, persuade the vendors that his interest was genuine and under no circumstances should they accept any offers before the auction, that whatever happened he would double the bid.
Now he’d proved his bank balance was worthy of New York society and up to such a bid, he wanted to put his name among the elite of the business world and he would do exactly that through Bianca Di Sione. He had her much-longed-for bracelet, the one she would do anything for, and was sure she would fall in line with his new request.
He no longer only needed her to represent his company to get the information for the revenge he so badly wanted. He now had much bigger plans. She’d stood in his way, slighting him and his business, and now she would pay for that. Not only would he use the Di Sione name to open the doors of society which had remained firmly closed to him—a self-made Russian—he would ensure the Di Sione family never forgot his name.
‘How could you?’ Bianca’s furious tones alerted him to her presence, even if the zip of energy which rushed through him hadn’t.
He turned to face her, anger glowing on her cheeks and sparking in her eyes. There was more yet, of that he was sure, and he stood silently against her anger.
‘You are unbelievable. You’ve just done this to get at me, because I wouldn’t represent your company. I knew you were trouble, knew you couldn’t be trusted.’ Her hissed tirade continued, attracting the attention of passers-by. The fury in her face and the exasperation in her stance brought a smile to his lips. She looked quite beautiful, stunningly passionate, with her eyes sparking so wildly that he wanted to kiss her into silent submission.
‘I had no idea you wanted the bracelet quite so badly.’ He raised his brows speculatively as he looked down at her, sure his smooth tone was as irritating as the fact he’d bought the bracelet, belittling her as much as she had him in the bar in Geneva when she’d refused to represent his company. He could feel the heat of her anger burning him.
‘You saw me bidding. You as good as stole it from me.’
Now his anger matched hers, but whereas hers was red hot, his was ice cold. Nobody branded him a thief and got away with it. ‘Think what you like of me, Ms Di Sione, but never call me a thief.’
