Chapter Seven
Juli couldn't believe where Daniil had brought her for dinner, although in hindsight she should have expected something this fancy. She'd never been to the super exclusive, super fancy Italian restaurant Flamma Oceano, which sat on the coast right next to Bondi Beach. Since she could see it from the surf on Bondi Beach, she'd certainly checked it out plenty of times, but she'd never even considered that she might be able to afford to dine here. And not only had Daniil managed to get them a table at the last minute, but they were out on the deck, in a secluded corner that afforded them some privacy.
"How did you get a table here on such short notice?"
A horrible thought had the blood draining from her face. She hoped he hadn't hurt someone in order to obtain it. After him scaring off her attackers in some mysterious manner, and the causal violence he used against Rodger, she wasn't sure what to think about how he got jobs done.
He gave her a smirk. "Nothing as nefarious as you're thinking, I'm sure. I went to school with the owner. Nico and I are friends, so I simply called and asked for a favor. He delivered."
She was fairly certain they weren't merely friends. From what she'd seen so far, Daniil didn't seem like the type to have innocent friendships. A waiter came and delivered entrees they hadn't ordered. Juli raised an eyebrow in question.
"When I booked the table, I placed our order. If you don't like what I've selected, I can get something else prepared for you. I don't like to be bothered with waiters while I'm trying to enjoy my night, so prefer to pre-order my meal when I can."
She nodded, because really, what could she say to that? How rich was this guy? Was he really the Mr. Mikhailov?
"So, your last name is really Mikhailov?"
He gave her another smirk. "Yes, Julietta, I am really the Mr. Mikhailov behind Mikhailov Corp. I gather you've heard of me? Or at least my company?"
That made her roll her eyes with a chuckle. "Of course, I’ve heard of you and your company. I just didn't know what you looked like to realize it was you." She shook her head. "I have no idea what you want with me. I'm nobody, with barely a cent to my name, while you … hell, you're richer than God!"
He reached across the small table and cupped her cheek in his palm. "A person's wealth does not equal their worth. And you, solnyshka moto, are a rare and priceless gem in this world."
He ran his thumb over her lips before releasing her to return to eating his entree. Meanwhile, it took Juli a full minute to be able to breathe again, then another minute before she could focus enough to lift her fork and eat. She ate on auto pilot, barely able to register what she was eating with the way her mind spun. He was treating her like a princess, while he was clearly ruthless with everyone else in his world. What would he be like when he got angry with her? Would he get violent? She'd overheard what he'd said to Rodger, how by raising his fist he'd lost any right to her. Did that mean he himself wasn't violent toward women?
"I can see you have questions, krasivaya. Ask me anything."
She swallowed the last bite of her entree and lowered her fork. Where to start?
"I have so many, I’m not sure where to begin.” She paused for a moment to wipe her mouth on her napkin. “Why did you give me a bodyguard? I thought you handled those two thugs last week. You told me not to worry about them."
He set his own cutlery down and within seconds a waitress appeared and cleared the table. Wow. Now that’s service!
"It is true that you won't ever have to worry about those particular thugs again. But, because I interfered and saved you, then took you to my home, it's become known that you are important to me. And in my world, there are those that will happily use you to hurt me. So, for your protection, I arranged for you to have a bodyguard. They have been instructed to stay back and not interfere unless you require their aid. Like today."
She rubbed her temples. She was struggling to wrap her head around all he’d just said.
"And to think I was grateful you saved me, but it turns out I'm in more danger now than I was before."
She'd mumbled under her breath, but the way he stiffened in his seat indicated he'd heard her. She winced. Oops. Offending him probably wasn’t in her best interest.
"You are now safer than you have ever been. Tell me, Julietta, what would have happened today if Viktor wasn't there to stop Rodger?"
Anger rose up. "He only came after me today because he'd seen your men around me all week."
He tilted his head at her, as though she'd somehow just confirmed his point. When she hadn't.
"So he's been watching you for at least the past week. Personally, I suspect he’s been doing it for a lot longer. Did you know your ex has quite the gambling problem? At a guess, he's run out of money, so came to you in the hopes you’d give him more. Or perhaps he is truly stupid and wanted to ransom you to me for the money he needs." He shrugged. "Either way, he won't be doing it again."
She clenched her hands into fists on the table. "What did you do to him? Actually, first, tell me what you did to those men the other night?"
He sighed and closed his eyes a moment. "I don't believe you really want to know, nor do I think you should know. But since you keep asking me, I’ll tell you. I killed them, then had one of my men help me dispose of the bodies. They were nothing but scum, and the world is better off without them. Your ex is still breathing, for the moment. However, he will now find gambling in Sydney rather difficult no matter how much money he has."
Juli's mouth hung open at his brutal words. He spoke of death with such casualness. A tremor ran through her, and suddenly she wanted to leave, wanted to never see this man again.
"I need to go now."
****
She pushed back her seat, but Daniil was at her side by the time she stood. He’d been expecting her to react badly to what he’d done to save her. With a hand wrapped around the back of her neck, he brought her forward until she was pressed against him. She raised her palms, pressing them against his chest, but no way was he going to let her shove him away from her.
"Don't run from me, krasivaya. I will never do you harm. I only hurt those who deserve it, never an innocent. I will not ever get you mixed up in my business, and I will never again tell you when I have had to get my hands dirty. I only told you about those men because you seem to be obsessing over it, and I refuse to lie to you. I want you in my bed and in my life. I want to explore this chemistry we have between us."
Before she could tell him some other bullshit reason she couldn't be with him, Daniil lowered his mouth to hers and devoured her, loving her taste and the way her scent filled his lungs and made him feel lighter. Nipping at her lower lip, he pulled back from her.
"When I was a young boy, my mama told me that when I met the woman who was meant for me, I'd know. I thought she was crazy at the time, and I didn't understand what she meant until I saw and spoke with you at the markets." He paused to rub his thumb over her kiss-swollen lower lip. "You need to understand, krasivaya, a man like me, in my position, does not willingly take on a weakness, yet here I am. Doing whatever I can to have you stay with me. And make no mistake, Julietta, you are already my biggest weakness."
A cute little frown wrinkled her brow. "How in the world did you come to that conclusion? We barely know each other. And if you're so worried about being seen as weak because of me, the solution is simple. Let me go."
Daniil growled at her. Didn't she understand? He couldn't do that, and even if he did, it wouldn't matter. Word would have spread by now that he'd shown interest in her. Even if he never touched her again, she would be targeted.
"You don't make me look weak, Julietta, but are a weakness. I have no family that I hold dear. I don't even have a pet. Those who want to get to me have been waiting a long time for me to show them a way to hurt me, and by rescuing you, taking such an interest in you, I've done just that. So, even if I could walk away from you, it wouldn't make any difference. You will be a target now."
She stilled and tilted her head, the action made him nervous enough he loosened his hold on her. What was she thinking now?
"No family? At all?"
He shook his head. "None."
"Neither do I."
She whispered her words before stepping back and sitting in her seat. Daniil followed her lead and returned to his seat. Within moments a waiter brought out their main course, and they stayed silent until the man left. He wanted to ask how she came to be alone, but wasn't sure how to word it so she didn't shut down on him. He knew about her mother’s death, but she didn’t know he knew. And he couldn’t find anything on her father when he’d researched her background.
In the end, he decided he'd just eat his meal and let her decide when to speak. They'd nearly finished eating when she did finally break the silence.
"Is your family back in Russia?"
He finished his mouthful before responding. "I have relatives back in Russia, but no one I'm close with. My parents immigrated to Australia when I was four years old. Then, when I was twelve, they were in a car wreck that killed them both. I have no siblings, so now it's just me."
He hoped she didn't ask for more details about the years after he lost his parents. But as he watched the expressions flit over her face, he knew she would. He took another mouthful of food to postpone the inevitable.
"What about a foster family?"
He took his time chewing, trying to find a way to word things.
"I wasn't in the system long. The family I was placed with wasn't a good fit." Understatement of the year. That family had been horrific. Both parents and the older teenage boy had treated him like a convenient punching bag. He cleared his throat. "I ran away and lived on the streets. Doing what I had to, to survive."
He'd worked his ass off to rise up from nothing to what he had now. He wasn't ashamed of where he'd come from, but he suspected his sweet Julietta wouldn't appreciate the fact he'd sold drugs and gotten his hands very dirty over the years to get where he was. But it was worth it. Every single nasty thing he'd ever done. Because he knew, he'd never again go hungry, never again not know where he was going to sleep at night and whether it was safe. It also put him in a position to be able to provide everything required to keep his family safe and cared for, when he had one. He really wanted Julietta to be part of his family.
He finished the last of his food, and after putting down his cutlery, looked up to hold her gaze. She had tears in her eyes. He frowned. Were they for him? The fact she was upset over his childhood floored him, and made him desperate to get the focus off him and back onto her.
"Ah, krasivaya, don't cry for me. I'm fine. I survived, and it made me who I am. What about you? Did you grow up in the system?"
She shook her head and blinked away the unshed tears.
"I was raised by my mum. I have no idea who my dad is. Mum, she, ah. Well, she always had an eye on the door. Waiting for something better to come long. Kind of ironic really, that the first time a man shoved her aside for someone else, she reacted by taking her own life."
Shock had him swallowing his mouthful of wine wrong, and he started coughing. She spoke about her mother's suicide and the reasoning behind it as though it was no big deal. As much as he’d read that the woman had taken her life, he’d never have guessed the reason behind it. Once he got his breath back, he looked up at her to find her calmly eating the last of her meal with her gaze locked onto her plate.
"Julietta? Look at me. Please. Did I hear you right? Your mother took her own life? How old were you?"
He needed her to tell him all the details, so then he wouldn’t have to worry about slipping up and admitting to knowing things she hadn’t told him. With slow steady moves that showed him she was not calm at all, Julietta set her fork down and wiped her mouth on her napkin.
"You heard me right. Mum's last boyfriend dumped her for a younger model. She took it really hard, and I found her in the tub. She'd downed an entire bottle of sleeping pills. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. I was eighteen."
He knew from her license that she was currently twenty-five, so she'd been alone for seven years. He shook his head, not wanting to end their night on negative thoughts.
"I'm sorry for your loss, krasivaya, and I must say, I'm impressed at how you've kept your positive outlook after all you've been through."
That was the truth. He certainly didn't see the world as she did. Even after everything, she appeared to only see the good in the world. Until meeting her, Daniil hadn't believed there was any good left in the world for a very long damn time. He'd seen and done too much evil to have ever had that particular illusion in his life.
As he ran his gaze over her, from her purple-blue hair, her sexy little pink dress, to her neon blue nails, he had the thought that she was the light to his dark. That if he could work out a way to keep her, she might just be able to breathe some life back into his cold heart.