Fallen Roses (Romanovs #4)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

ANA

T he Rose Foundation is the only thing on my mind right now. What happened last night has been relegated to the past because when I woke this morning, it was just a dim memory. That’s what happens when you drink three vodka martinis and then pass out on the bed after an extremely bad decision that I always knew I was going to make.

I had been planning it ever since I learned of my mission. It was my golden opportunity to indulge the wicked side of my soul, and it was a long time coming. The fact we never actually finished the experience is probably a very good thing because then I would feel worse than I do already.

As I wait in reception for the woman from HR, I shake off my regret and concentrate on the real reason I’m here.

My father was murdered .

In his own home—at the dinner table in front of his horrified wife.

Despite being one of the most powerful men in Russia and certainly heavily guarded, he was still murdered and my family will not rest until we discover the identity of the person responsible.

The trail has led us to The Rose Foundation, and it is my job to sift through the threads holding it together to find the one that connects it to our family.

When the job opportunity came up, we wasted no time in making certain I was the only woman for the job.

Unraveling information and digging for shit is a specialty of mine and now I have the freedom to put my skills to the test, away from my domineering brothers and the prison I have called home for my entire life.

I traveled to Los Angeles and it may as well be the promised land, because my excitement is the driving force behind what happened last night. For the first time, I was free and determined to make it count, and the sexy stranger who obliged was more than happy to play my game.

I’m disappointed we never got to finish what we started, but shit happens and I’ve experienced my fair share of it. Now my mind has shifted to business and when you grew up as a Romanov, it’s the only thing that counts.

“Miss Starling.”

An elegant woman walks toward me with a welcoming smile and I stand, offering her my hand as she draws close.

“Miss Prendergast.”

As we shake hands, my grip is firm and my manner cool. I am not here to make friends and ingratiate myself with the staff. There will be no gossiping in doorways and after hours drinks to enjoy. I am here for only one thing and it’s important the staff realize that from the start.

Her broad smile wavers as she extricates her hand and says quickly, “Please, follow me. I’ll show you to your office so you can take care of the mountain of paperwork that drowns our new starters.”

We walk toward an elevator and as we step inside, she presses the button for the fifth floor. I understand there are thirty floors in this building and The Rose Foundation is not the sole business occupying the space.

It prompts me to ask, “How many floors does the business operate from?”

“Only one.” She seems surprised at my question and I remind myself that not every business is as successful as my family ones, of which there are several. We never share business premises and occupy every floor, so it makes me certain that I will be able to wrap this up quickly. They are obviously a small operation which will enable me to dive deeply into their files and hopefully be home before they get suspicious.

The door opens and we step out into a sterile corridor that stretches into the distance, the smell of fresh paint hanging heavy in the air.

She stops at a door in the middle and I ask, “How many employees work here?”

“Ten.”

I raise my eyes.

“Is that all?”

“It’s enough.” She regards me with rather a stern expression. “We are a charity, Miss Starling, and are mindful of that. We employ the bare minimum required, so the donations we receive are used for the exact reason they were given in the first place.”

“Of course.”

She opens the door and guides me into a large light-filled open plan office where four desks are set behind privacy screens. She stops at the one nearest the door and smiles. “Welcome to your new home. I hope you will be happy here.”

The space on offer is big enough for one desk, a filing cabinet and nothing more. Picturing my huge office in the Romanov financial building, I struggle to disguise my concern. I glance around and sense the curious gazes of three other people in the room, and Miss Prendergast smiles happily.

“This is Ana. She has replaced Rachel as the junior accountant. I hope you will make her extremely welcome.”

I glance at my fellow workers who nod and smile their welcomes .

“I’m David.” A man in a pinstripe suit stands and heads toward me. “I’m the manager of this section, and you will be reporting to me.”

I take everything in and note the way his gaze drags the length of me and the appreciative gleam in his eye irritates me rather than flatters, causing me to say coolly, “I’m pleased to meet you.”

He points to a woman in the cubicle behind me.

“This is Gretchen. She’s German and the most efficient woman in this building.”

I forgive his sweeping statement and offer her a rare smile because efficiency is something I most admire.

“I’m Ana.” I step forward to shake her hand and her curious gaze tells me she is assessing me and then she nods and says in a thick accent, “Welcome to The Rose Foundation, Ana. I am responsible for the public donations.”

“And I’ll concentrate on the corporate side?” I ask, although I already know the answer to that.

David nods. “And Eric over there is responsible for the payroll and general expenditure. So, you can see we’re a tight team, but we work hard and play even harder.”

The look he shoots me leaves me in no doubt of how hard he’d like to play with me, and I pointedly ignore him and smile at Gretchen.

“I hope you won’t mind me asking you many questions while I get to grips with how things work around here. ”

She nods and then turns to her computer screen and sighs, an irritated gleam in her eye that has her tapping away on her computer in seconds.

Eric peers around the divide and grins cheekily. “I’m also available for information, although I’m most known for the best places to eat in town and if you love to gossip, I’m your man.”

David rolls his eyes. “Ana is here to work and not gossip, Eric. If you paid as much attention to your spreadsheets as you do the gossip pages, you would have my job by now.”

“I disagree.” Eric winks. “I’d be sitting where James Warner is now because there is not a man alive, or a woman, who is as clued up as me on gossip.”

David shakes his head as Miss Prendergast rolls her eyes and says, “Now you’ve met the team, I hope you stay long enough to fill out the many employment forms required by law that are waiting in your inbox. The details are in a folder marked induction on your desk top. If you have any questions, I’m in office three sixty, two doors down.”

“Thank you.” I allow her a brief smile and then place my purse in the filing cabinet and take a seat at my cramped desk.

She nods and turns to leave and as I stare at the blank computer screen, I prepare myself for the reason I’m here in the first place.