The Tycoon's Toddler Surprise (10 page)

“It won’t happen because I’ve taken measures to ensure that the bitch who kept us apart will be prosecuted.  And when she gets out of prison for mail fraud, I’ll not only make sure she is unemployable, but I’ll bring down so many civil suits that any money she actually earns will be taken from her for the rest of her life.”

Kristen was in awe of his anger and the plan he’d set on course to destroy a woman’s life, the same woman who had tried to destroy theirs.  But it was a bit scary.  “Why?  What happened in the past that made you hate women so much?”

His anger suddenly dissipated and he looked down at her.  “I don’t hate women.  I completely enjoy them.”

She shook her head.  “No, you use them.”

“I never used you.”

“
I don
’t think you did it intentionally.  But you treated me like a doll
, dressing me up and giving me fabulous jewels, none of which I really wanted.  I just wanted you.  And that was something you weren’t able to give me
.
  Back then, I was more of a possession than anything to you.
 
You never gave
me credit for being strong and capable of being a full partner.”

“I knew you were strong and capable.  I never would have married you if you weren’t.”

She considered that for a moment, then nodded.  “This time I want your trust and your love.”

He glared at her for a long moment before shaking his head.  “I want you in my bed, Kristen.”

“And I want to be in your heart.”

He was stunned, unable to respond.  A moment later, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him as the cold air rushed in around her. 

Chapter
5

Kristen pushed gently on the ground slightly soft with the melting snow and ice.  The movement pushed the swing, causing her to sway gently in the night air.  She sighed and looked up at the diamond dotted sky, her herbal tea held between her fingers to give her a small amount of warmth.
 
The day had been amazing, with Victoria thrilled to be the center of attention for her birthday, all her cousins running around their tiny house and her friends eager to play with her new toys.  Mikhail had been a trooper through the whole thing, but Kristen knew he was completely dumbstruck by the whole affair as well as the amount of pink that had decorated the house. 

He’d been picking Victoria up each morning and taking her to special places around the city.  They’d now been to every museum, had played indoor golf, been snow tubing and he’d even had a private instructor teach her how to ski.  Kristen came home every night to feed and bathe an exhausted but happy Victoria. 

“That’s the sigh of a woman in love,” her sister joked from the doorway.

Kristen smiled but
didn’t
take her eyes away from the night sky.  “I don’t know what’s going on.”

Debbie
snorted and plopped down on the bench, causing everything to jump and become jangled, including her tea.  “You’re so graceful,” she said sarcastically to her sister after the swing settled back down. 
“Where’s Missy?” she asked, trying to distract her sister from whatever she wanted to ask.  Questions Kristen wasn’t sure she could answer. 

Beth pushed them back to swinging as she grinned.  “I’m always graceful
.  Missy is the klutz and she’s inside with the boys
,” she quipped back.  “You should see me on the slopes.”

“God help the other skiers.”

Debbie
chuckled.  “They get out of my way quickly enough so they’re safe.”

Kristen didn’t respond but continued to look up at the stars. 

“What’s on your mind baby sis?”

“Mikhail?”

“You mean that hunk of a man you’re completely in love with?”

Kristen shook her head. “I don’t know him.”

“I don’t think the heart plays jeopardy with one’s life mate.  It sort of decides for you, doesn’t it?”

There was a long pause while Kristen contemplated her sister’s statement.  “I suppose that’s true.  But that doesn’t mean I have to follow him.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for Victoria if you at least lived with him?  She’s a pretty confused little girl right now.”

Kristen’s head  dropped to her chest.  “I know.  She’s been wonderful, but I need to be careful or she’s going to be hurt.”

“You need to watch out for yourself too.” 
Debbie
waited for a moment, the silence absorbing their thoughts.  “But you need to watch out for yourself first.”

“I’m trying.”

“What’s the issue?”

“I don’t trust him,
Deb
.”

“What’s not to trust?” she turned slightly to face her younger sister.  “You told me the woman who caused this problem in the past has been in jail.  Isn’t she going on trial for a felony?  Messing with
someone’s
mail isn’t a nice thing to do.”

“There are lots of issues with that and a good lawyer could get around the felony charges.”

“Aren’t Mikhail’s lawyers better?”

Kristen shrugged.  “She’s not really the problem though.”

Debbie
chuckled and took a sip of her own tea.  “I know that.  You’re just dancing around the subject you don’t really want to face.”

Kristen grimaced and turned to face her sister.  “If you’re so smart, what would you suggest I do?”

“I don’t really understand what the problem is.  You’re married to the guy, you love him, your daughter loves him.  Seems like a pretty simple issue to resolve.  Just jump in bed with the guy and let the rest take over.”

“The
rest,” Kristen countered, “i
s what got me into this situation in the first place.”

“How so?”

“We never talked.  I don’t understand why he’s so prickly at times.  And why in the world would a man from
St.
Petersburg
hate the cold like Mikhail does?
  I would think it would be normal for him.  Even comforting in some odd sort of way.  A bit reminiscent of his homeland.
”

“Have you asked him?”

Kristen was quiet, wondering if she’d ever find the courage to jump back into a relationship with Mikhail and find the answers to her questions.  “I never did in the past.”

“Why not?”

“Because every time I tried to talk to him, he’d make love to me.  And then he was working so much that I’d only see him when he came to bed and night, and then we’d have sex until I was so exhausted I couldn’t see straight.”

Beth giggled and shook her head.  “No wonder Tory came along so quickly.”

“
Stop
it,” Kristen nagged, smacking her sister lightly on the shoulder.  “I’m serious.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied, turning serious.  “Why don’t you just talk to him?”

“I did.  About three weeks ago, the day he showed up, I put the ultimatum to him that I wouldn’t jump into bed with him until I understood him better.”

“And how did that turn out?”

Kristen snorted.  “Well, we haven’t had sex.”

“But not for lack of him trying?”
Debbie
asked, and Kristen could hear the smile in her sister’s question. 

Kristen shook her head.  “Did I mention that part about what happens each time I try to talk to Mikhail?”

“Okay, so maybe try to talk to him while you’re out to dinner or
someplace
public so he can’t attack you?”

She thought about that for a moment, then nodded.  “
What
would I say?”

“You could start with telling him that you love him.  I know he’s been dying to hear that from you.”

“But then he wins.”

“There’s no winning in relationships. 
There are only losers
.”

“
Well
, I definitely don’t want to be a loser.”

“Definitely not.”

“So you think I should just jump in and ask him why he is the way he is?”

“Do you know of a better way?”

“I could send him a text.”

“That’s the
coward’s
way out and you’ve never been a coward.  Besides, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the man holding a cell phone or blackberry.  Doesn’t he have fifty assistants who tell him what is happening with his business interests?”

“More than that,” she said grimly.

“I don’t know about you, but personally, I really wouldn’t like one of his assistants telling him that his wife wants to get to know him better.”

“You have a very good point there, big sis.”

“You should jump his bones first though.”

Kristen laughed and shook her head.  “I think I should get to know him first.  I tried it the other way around first.”

“Yes, but you know you can ask for anything when a man is satisfied.  I bet you could even ask for a diamond necklace…or three or four, after you’ve had sex.”

“You’re horrible,” she laughed, standing up and stretching.  “We should go back inside and rescue our husbands from our children.”

“Really?”
Debbie
replied reluctantly.  “I don’t think they’ve had enough of a taste of their children.”

“You know Jim is probably pulling his hair out by now.”

“No he’s not,”
Debbie
said as she pushed open the door to her house.  “He’s probably sitting in front of the television with a beer.”

“Nope, tonight Mikhail brought scotch so they’re sipping thirty year old brew right about now.”

“Ugh.  Mikhail is spoiling my man.  I can’t let him get used to the good life.  Otherwise there will be no living with him.”

Mikhail listened as their voices faded into the house, absorbed by the chaos of children playing, women chatting and the television broadcasting a football game. 

“So are you going to give her the diamond necklaces?” Jim asked, chuckling as he took another sip of the scotch. 

Mikhail smiled slightly and shook his head.  “I never kiss and tell.”  A warmth was invading him in ways he didn’t understand, but wasn’t about to fight.  It felt good knowing that the woman he’d trusted so many years ago continued to prove that his judgment had been right on target with that woman.  She was perfect.  He liked that
s
he’d laughed at the diamond necklaces
comment
.  In fact, he’d tried to give her one when they’d first been married but she’d made him return it.  Apparently signs of wealth made his wife feel ostentatious. 

“You just haven’t been around us long enough.  Stick around, dude.  We’ll convert you. Besides, me and Tony would really like to be spoiled by you even if you’re wife doesn’t like it.
  Harmon and Greg probably would as well, but they’re holding out until their baby sister gives them the sign that you’re okay.  They like you though.  No worries there.
” 

Mikhail
frowned as Jim walked back inside to supervise his children. 
He knew Jim was joking because, no matter what he offered to help out this family, he’d been rebuffed.  Apparently, they preferred making it on their own, a trait he sincerely respected and his respect for his brothers’
in law grew by leaps and bounds
the longer he hung around
them
.  They were completely different from his executives who were as cutthroat as he was.  But Jim and Tony
were general contractors
had an innate sense of honesty that was invaluable, and what kept their customers coming back to them time and again for home renovations. 
Greg was an accountant who still hadn’t settled down with a woman, but loved kid-sitting all of his nieces and nephews, demanding equal time.  Harmon, the second oldest brother who had two kids and was married to Laura, was a computer guy who owned his own company, creating software for various businesses around the city. 

Mikhail could see Tory as she played blocks with one of her older cousins so he wasn’t concerned at the moment but he wasn’t willing to look far away from her.  He’d missed too many of these nights watching his daughter and he enjoyed her innocent wonder with even the smallest change to her world. 

The dilemma with his wife wasn’t good though.  He was relieved that she still loved him and was at least willing to admit it to her sister.  But that didn’t help him a great deal.  He still wanted her with an intensity that discouraged any kind of communication.  And trying to get that need out of his system hadn’t work in the past.  He’d tried hard to get enough of her lovely body during the first six months of their marriage and hadn’t succeeded.  In fact, it had gotten worse as he got to know her body, learned her likes and dislikes, of which there were very few dislikes when it came to him touching her, he thought. 

Damn!  He wanted her right now as he watched her walk up the stairs to the large great room of her sister’s house.  He frowned into the darkness as he contemplated the conversation he’d just overheard.  He hadn’t meant to be eavesdropping, but he’d already been out here watching Kristen before her sister had come out.  And when they’d started discussing him, there had been no way he’d back out.  Jim had heard the last of the conversation, having come outside for a few moments of fresh air so he hadn’t heard the beginning, only the part about the sex and the necklaces.