Ivan’s gaze narrowed. ‘What do you want with her?’
‘Irrelevant. Do you want the money or not?’
‘She is...very valuable,’ Ivan said slowly. ‘Athena likes her and whatever Athena wants, Athena gets, you know this.’
Athena was the Vasilievs’ second daughter, spoiled and pampered as any princess. Ares didn’t know her since she’d been adopted after Naya had died, but it was clear Ivan was only mentioning her because he’d sensed the resolution in Ares’s tone and had decided that now was a good time to drive a hard bargain.
Ares’s anger twisted inside him.
Ivan would be wrong.
‘If she’s so precious to Athena, then why are you selling her?’ Ares asked idly.
Ivan took another swallow of his vodka, his gaze flickering. ‘Athena is too attached, and the girl is a servant. Athena needs friends from her own social station.’
Ares wasn’t interested in what Athena needed. He was interested in Rose and whatever information he could get out of Ivan about her. ‘And the girl? What can you tell me about her?’
Ivan shrugged. ‘There’s nothing to tell. She has no memory of anything before coming here. I don’t know why. She was uninjured when she came to me, so it’s not physical.’
A tightening sensation shifted behind Ares’s breastbone. He ignored it. ‘Nothing? What about family? Anyone who may potentially come looking for her?’
The older man shook his head. ‘I have no idea. I don’t go investigating the backgrounds of my servants. No one knows who she is and neither does she.’
She has no memories. She has no one. You know how that feels.
Well, he used to. Now, he felt nothing, though he suspected that wasn’t the same for Rose. ‘So Rose is not her name?’
‘She couldn’t remember her real name, so Athena gave her one.’ Ivan frowned. ‘I didn’t intend to purchase her, that was a mistake. And I could have got rid of her, but I didn’t. I kept her and gave her a safe home.’
This was clearly supposed to be admirable somehow, but Ares didn’t find it a compelling argument. ‘I don’t care what you intended,’ he said. ‘It is of no interest to me. I will take the girl and I will take her tonight.’
Ivan’s expression darkened. ‘Tonight? But I haven’t—’
‘As I said,’ Ares interrupted flatly. ‘I will pay double for her. And if that is not to your liking, then I will pay you nothing and take her anyway.’
It wasn’t something he would have chosen since he didn’t relish getting one of his team in to storm his father-in-law’s house, especially without going through the proper channels. He was meticulous about obeying the laws of whichever country his team happened to be in at the time. Then again, maybe he should storm the compound. Perhaps Ivan had bought other people that Ares didn’t know about.
His father-in-law’s expression had darkened still further. Ivan was not used to giving ground. Still, Ivan had never tested himself against Ares; mainly, Ares suspected, because he knew his son-in-law was more influential and far more powerful than he himself had ever been.
Ivan wouldn’t let it come to that unfortunately. He knew he wouldn’t win that battle, that diplomacy was the only way he could get what he wanted from Ares.
Pity. Ares hadn’t had a decent battle for years. Still, Ivan would keep.
And sure enough, his father-in-law finally lifted a negligent shoulder. ‘Very well, you may take her. But if you’re leaving tonight, then there are some more important things I need to discuss with you.’
Ares was in no mood to discuss anything with Ivan. ‘Not tonight,’ he said curtly, before downing his vodka and rising to his feet. ‘I’ve stayed too long as it is. As soon as the money is in your account, you will release her to me.’
He didn’t wait for Ivan to respond, striding from the room and ignoring the older man’s grumbling protest, filled with the sudden need not to spend any more time in the man’s presence than he had to.
Ares organised the transferal of funds, gave a few orders regarding Ivan to one of his teams who specialised in financial investigation, then packed his bag.
It didn’t take long, but it was full dark by the time he made his way to the compound’s helipad.
The Hercules Security chopper was waiting for him, its rotors already spinning up as it prepared for take-off.
He ducked into the machine to find the little maid already tucked into the seat next to him with a headset on. She was still in her uniform and appeared to have no luggage about her person whatsoever, not even a handbag or purse. Her expression was steely, yet she was also pale, and he thought he could see fear glittering in her wide, golden eyes.
Once, he’d been the kind of man who’d taken his wife in his arms to comfort her after a nightmare. Who’d stroked her hair and told her he’d protect her from all harm. Once, he’d been a man who’d cared about such things.