Page 23 of Vienna Bliss

Damn him. Damn him for being who and what he was.

And damn her for loving him.

“I have a list of conditions before I agree to be arrested.”

“Arrests don’t require that the criminals consent.” Alexander might have been hard to read, but Rolf was not. He was pissed, and she wanted nothing more than to poke at him, prod him, until he cracked.

“And I’m a criminal now? Not a consultant for Interpol?” Alena tapped her lips with one finger. “How interesting. It would make a lovely article, wouldn’t it? And I’m sure my friends in Beijing—”

“Options.” Alexander’s voice cracked like a whip.

She ignored him, wandering down the length of the long dining table, which could easily seat sixteen, towards the window. From here, instead of the familiar view of the water, there was a view of the countryside, the pale gray ribbon of the road cutting through the flat sweeping green landscape.

“You mean, for what to do with Ms. Moreau?” Rolf asked.

“No.” Alexander’s voice was chilled, but not cold. Alexander-the-CEO. “Options which satisfy the needs of all parties.”

She heard chairs being pulled out as the men took their seats, but she stayed by the window. She would let this cold feeling entomb her for as long as possible. None of her other defenses would work, least of all her confidence, which was in tatters, along with her heart.

“One option is to arrest Ms. Moreau. Most likely on charges of breaking and entering. Again, we don’t want Absolon to think any information that might expose him could have been compromised, so it would be best if the breaking and entering was explained as an act of revenge by a jealous lover.”

“Corporate espionage is more logical.”

“It is,” Rolf acknowledged, “but, once again, that might make Absolon either withdraw, or refrain from acting for several months.”

“Is there a timetable on this?” Alexander asked.

“No. The only potential downside would be Ms. Moreau’s time in prison, but we may be able to compensate her.”

“My spending months in prison is only a ‘potential’ downside?” Now she turned, arching a brow.

Alexander was frowning. “She would not remain in prison for that time.”

“It would be—”

“No.” Alexander slashed a hand through the air, the motion so vehement that it startled her. “Alena will not spend any time in prison. Unacceptable.”

That shouldn’t make her want to cry. It shouldn’t make her think of him as her knight, riding to her rescue.

“Then we are back to a domestic dispute, sans the arrest.” Rolf glanced at her, and despite their antagonism, she would have sworn he looked relieved that Alexander was putting his foot down.

“Explain.”

Alexander, her quiet man, who never used two words, when one terse order would do.

Not yours. Never yours.

“You return to Vienna, and explain to your household staff that Alena was a former lover. You met again by chance, invited her to your home, and she took advantage of that invitation to exact revenge.”

“What sort of revenge?” Alena walked towards them, trailing her fingers on the table. “I do hope you’ve picked something fun.”

“Property destruction would be the most clean-cut option. Do you have a piece of art or furniture you’d be willing to sacrifice?” Rolf asked.

“No,” Alena said.

“Yes,” Alexander countered.

Rolf nodded quickly. “The destruction explains the presence of RTW—either the act itself set off an alarm—”