Chapter 9
BENEDICT
So we keep seeing each other, covertly in the evenings, after we’ve finished at our respective offices.
After spending my entire childhood feeling unsettled and anxious and powerless, I told myself I’d never allow myself to be in that position again – so what the hell am I doing risking everything I have for a fling with the most inappropriate woman in the world?
I know I’m walking on a knife-edge, but I don’t seem to be able to stop myself.
I guess I’m actually finding the danger of it exciting – which is really unlike me.
I’m normally so controlled, so strategic, but this thing with Maya is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
It’s both thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
And it makes me feel alive.
With these thoughts still racing through my mind, I’m just about to turn off my computer and leave the office the following Friday evening when Maxim’s number shows up on the screen of my mobile.
A rush of adrenaline makes my heart thump like a hammer against my ribs.
Has he found out about me and Maya?
With a dark sense of foreboding I answer the call. ‘Maxim. What can I do for you?’ I ask, cursing the shake in my voice.
There’s a short pause on the end of the line before he says, ‘I’d like to invite you over for brunch at my place tomorrow. Eleven o’clock suit you?’
Is it my imagination or does he sound more terse than usual?
Or am I just projecting my anxiety about this thing with Maya onto him?
Well, whatever’s happening here, I know I have to turn up and face the man.
Even if it means being forced to explain what the hell I’m doing messing around with his daughter.
The story Maya told me about what happened to the last associate of Maxim’s who got involved with her slams right to the forefront of my mind as I think this.
Not that I’ll let him just push me around like he did that guy.
Maya and I are adults, after all, and we can make our own decisions.
But I could really do without a complication like this at the moment.
‘Yes, eleven o’clock is fine,’ I reply, as evenly as I can.
‘Great. See you then,’ Maxim says, and rings off.
I sit staring at the phone for a few seconds, wondering what the hell I’m going to walk into there.
Shrugging off my concern, I get up from my chair and, sliding my phone into my pocket, stride out of my office and lock the door behind me.
I’m not about to let Maxim Darlington-Hume intimidate me, that’s for damn sure.
If that’s what he’s intending to do.
I shake off the final bit of tension in my shoulders as I approach the lift and stab at the button to take me down to the lobby, determined not to let it get to me. There’s no point worrying about something that might never happen.
Anyway, I’ve faced worse and come through it fighting.
I can handle whatever life’s about to throw at me next.
* * *
I turn up at eleven o’clock on the dot and am greeted at the door by Maxim himself, looking imposing in sharply tailored trousers and a dark grey shirt which is open at the neck.
I think it must be impossible for Maxim Darlington-Hume to look anything but impeccably turned out, even in casual wear.
I, in sharp contrast, am wearing faded jeans and a casual V-necked jumper today, but he doesn’t seem to care, ushering me inside with a wave.
‘Ben, thanks for coming at such short notice.’
I shake his proffered hand – Maxim seems to be a great believer in a firm handshake – then follow him deeper into his large hallway.
‘I’ve invited my daughters to join us today,’ he says as we walk towards the dining room. ‘I think it’d be good for you to talk to April about your plans for the future of Ergo-i, since she’s my right-hand woman and will be the person to contact when I’m not available.’
On the one hand this is good news, because it points towards him not having found out about me and Maya, and is therefore still on board with blessing my business with his expertise and influence, but on the other it’s bad news – because ‘daughters’ means that Maya’s here too.
We’re going to have to watch ourselves, because we could easily give everything away if we’re not careful.
‘Ben, how lovely to see you again,’ April says as we enter the room, standing up to greet me.
I shake her cool, firm hand – she’s her father’s daughter through and through – and return her smile, then turn to glance around the room.
There she is, Maya, sitting at the other end of the table, looking poised and beautiful. My stomach twists in knots. It’s worrying how she always has such a discomposing effect on me. It isn’t going to make this easy.
‘Maya, good to see you,’ I say amiably, hoping she’ll play the game.
‘Mr Chivers, marvellous to see you too,’ she replies, in such an overly polite tone I’m afraid she might give us away.
‘Do sit down, Ben,’ April says with exaggerated friendliness, as if to try and cancel out what she clearly thinks is her sister’s rudeness.
She points to the chair next to her, which I feel forced to take.
In my peripheral vision I see Maya shift in her chair, raising her knee to prop her foot on the edge of her seat, and for one crazy moment I wonder whether she’s flashing me again.
My body reacts instinctively, my blood rushing hot through my veins and my cock springing to attention.
I push the ridiculous idea out of my head and force myself to relax.
Of course she’s not going to do that with her father and sister here.
Is she?
I don’t dare look.
The housekeeper comes in then, and delivers us each a plate containing a full English breakfast. I keep my focus firmly on my food, tucking in immediately at Maxim’s insistence, grateful for the distraction.
There’s a short silence while we all swallow down our first mouthfuls.
To be honest, I’m having trouble getting the food past my throat because I’m so aware of Maya’s presence close to me.
She, on the other hand doesn’t appear to be eating at all, I realise, when I sneak a glance at her.
Instead, she’s staring out of one of the long picture windows, which affords a magnificent view of the lush, neatly manicured garden.
‘Where’s Juno? I thought you said you’d invited her,’ April asks her father, who’s sitting on the other side of her.
‘She’s in Italy,’ Maya chimes in, causing us all to turn to look at her.
April responds with a scowl. ‘What’s she doing in Italy?’
‘You mean who’s she doing?’ Maya quirks a waggish eyebrow. ‘Sandro Ricci, hopefully.’
‘Ugh! Maya, for goodness’ sake, can you talk about something other than sex for once? Anyone would think you’re fourteen, not twenty-four!’ April spits back.
‘Jesus, don’t be such a bloody prude, April. It’s just sex – everyone does it.’
There’s an infinitesimal pause during which the two women glare at each other. April looks away first.
‘Well, maybe not you,’ Maya adds in an undertone that we all hear very clearly.
April rolls her eyes, but I notice her shift in her chair, as if she’s been made uncomfortable by the comment. Judging by the tense way April always holds herself I wonder whether Maya’s comment is actually accurate. She certainly gives the impression she needs to loosen up a little.
April flashes me an apologetic smile, then proceeds to ask me a comprehensive slew of questions about my future plans for the new software we’ve just launched.
I spend the next twenty minutes talking about the state of the market with her, acutely aware of Maya sitting at the other side of the table, not saying a word.
Maxim joins in every now and again with the conversation, and doesn’t seem at all put out by Maya’s silence, nor bothered by that fact she’s being completely ignored by everyone.
As soon as we’ve all finished eating and the plates are cleared away Maya excuses herself. I watch her go, out of the corner of my eye, but she doesn’t look back at me.
April keeps me talking for another few minutes and I struggle to keep my agitation in check. I want to go and find Maya, smooth things over with her, but I’m not sure how I’m going to manage it with April and her father around.
I’m about to excuse myself to the bathroom and go to try and find her when the housekeeper re-enters the room and whispers something into Maxim’s ear.
‘I’m sorry to break up the conversation, but we’ve had a call from David in New York, April, and he needs to speak to us urgently.’ He turns to fix me with his lofty stare. ‘If you’ll excuse us, Ben? We need to take this.’
‘Of course,’ I say, standing up as they do, relieved for the excuse to get away. ‘Thank you for inviting me over.’
Maxim gives me one last handshake and leaves the room. April shoots me a friendly but tight smile before following in his wake.
I leave straight after them and go to look for Maya. I find her in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water.
‘You’re still here, then?’ she says, without looking at me.
I ignore her question, though it doesn’t really sound like a question – more like an accusation.
‘Sorry I didn’t get an opportunity to talk to you over brunch,’ I say, leaning casually against the counter next to her, watching as she pops two painkillers out of their plastic pockets and swallows them down with a gulp of water.
She lifts one shoulder in an indifferent shrug. ‘Don’t apologise. You and my sister clearly have a lot in common. Much more than you and I do. We just have sex, but you can talk business with her, right?’
Does she feel inadequate compared to her sister? I suppose I can understand why she might. April is a very successful businesswoman, and Maya is only at the beginning of her journey with her own venture.
‘So I take it you and April don’t get on, then?’ I say, injecting humour into my voice to try and lighten the mood.
‘My sister is a bitch from hell,’ she says bluntly, and I can tell from the sharp way she looks at me that I’ve hit a nerve.
‘It’s that bad between you?’