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dent him, but the insinuation that without Kolovsky he was nothing was the thing that truly galled him.
    ‘You have no idea what you are doing.’ Aleksi stared at his mother. ‘Follow your plans and the Kolovsky name will be worth nothing in a few years.’
    ‘These are tough times Aleksi,’ Nina stood to leave. ‘We have to do what it takes to survive.’
    He just sat there when she had left.
    ‘Is Kolovsky in trouble?’ Kate couldn’t help but ask.
    ‘It will be.’ Aleksi shook his head in wonder. ‘We are doing well—but she strikes fear where there is none.’ He rested his elbows on his desk and pressed his fingers to his temples. ‘Belenki has suggested these off-the-peg bridal gowns and the bedding range. It is supposed to be a one-off—just for a year—with ten percent of the profits going to both our charities: his outreach work in Russia and the orphanages my mother sponsors.’ He looked up to her. ‘What do you think, Kate?’
    He’d never asked her opinion on work before, but before she could reply he did so for her.
    ‘It sounds like a good idea,’ he said, and reluctantly she nodded. ‘But I know it will be the beginning of the end for Kolovsky. Belenki surely also knows that; exclusivity is why Kolovsky has survived this long. I don’t like him…’ He halted, then frowned when Kate agreed.
    ‘You said you didn’t trust him.’
    Aleksi’s eyes shot to hers. ‘When?’
    ‘The night before the accident…’ Her face was on fire. ‘When you came to my home.’ But clearly he was uncomfortable with the memory, because he snapped back into business mode.
    ‘Get the figures ready for me,’ Aleksi said. ‘The real figures. But don’t give them to Nina until I’ve gone through them.’
    ‘She’ll know if you change them.’
    ‘She couldn’t read STUPID if it was written in ten-foot letters on the wall,’ Aleksi said. ‘Just get them ready for me.’ As she turned to go, he called her back. ‘You’re in or you’re out.’
    ‘I’m sorry?’ Kate turned around.
    ‘You’re on my side, or you pack your bags and go now.’
    She frowned at him. ‘You know I’m on your side.’
    ‘Good.’ Aleksi said, but he didn’t let it drop there. ‘If you choose to stay, and I get even a hint that you’re looking for work elsewhere, not only will I fire you on the spot, don’t even think to put me down as a reference—you won’t like what I say.’
    ‘Don’t threaten me, Aleksi. I do have rights!’ Her blush wasn’t just an angry one, it was embarrassment too, because, given the conversation they’d just had, she’d already decided her night would be spent online, firing off her résumé. But he had no idea what she was going through right now—no idea just how dire her finances were at this moment.
    ‘Exercise your rights.’ Aleksi shrugged. ‘Just know I don’t play nice.’
    ‘I don’t get your skewed logic, Aleksi.’ Kate was more than angry now. ‘All you had to do was ask that I stay, but instead you go straight for the jugular each time!’
    ‘I find it more effective.’ He looked over to where she stood. ‘So you weren’t considering leaving?’
    ‘Not really.’ Kate swallowed. ‘But if Nina does win…’ She closed her eyes. ‘Not that she will—but if she does…’ Hell, maybe she wouldn’t get an award fordogged devotion to her boss, but it came down to one simple fact. ‘I’ve got a daughter to support.’
    ‘Then back a winner.’ Aleksi said. ‘Are you in or out?’
    God, he gave her no room, no space to think. But that was Aleksi—he hurled his orders and demanded rapid response.
    ‘I’m in.’
    ‘Good,’ Aleksi responded. ‘But if I find out—’
    ‘Aleksi,’ Kate broke in, ‘I’ve said that I’m in, that I’m not going to look for anything else. You’re just going to have to trust me.’
    His black smile didn’t even turn the edges of his mouth. ‘Why would I?’
    She just loathed him at times.
    Back at her desk, she