Obviously she had drunk far too much of her father’s excellent wine with her meal, because Rafe hadn’t so much as hinted this evening, by word or deed, that he was in the least interested in kissing her goodnight!
No, his offer to escort her home had obviously been made out of politeness, and possibly even as a sop to her father’s obviously old-fashioned manners.
‘That is very gentlemanly of you, Rafe.’ Surprisingly her father was the one to answer the other man before Nina had a chance to do so.
‘My daughter has become far too independent, after her years at university, for my liking.’
Rafe saw the flash of irritation in Nina’s eyes before it was quickly masked. As evidence that she didn’t particularly enjoy, or want, to have those bodyguards following her about day, and possibly night, too? He would well imagine it could feel extremely stifling, as well as being a complete downer on her personal life.
Which posed the question, did Nina have a man in that personal life? Rafe would imagine it would take a very determined man to date the daughter of Dmitri Palitov, let alone put up with the oppressive presence of those bodyguards every time the two of them went out together. And as for moving on to anything more intimate, well, it must be a logistical, and emotional, nightmare!
It also begged the question as to why Nina put up with it. She was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties, obviously intelligent to have obtained a degree from Stanford, and her comments during the conversation this evening had been both learned and considered. She was also well qualified, and possessed a true talent for design, if those beautiful display cases in the east gallery at Archangel were an indication of her work, so why did she continue to allow her father to limit and watch her movements in the obsessive way that he did?
Another part of the unanswered mystery that Nina Palitov was fast becoming to him...
A mystery, the more time he spent in her company, Rafe found he wanted answers to.
‘Nina?’ he prompted huskily as he moved to stand behind her chair in preparation for leaving.
‘Fine,’ she bit out tensely. ‘I have no objection to your coming down to the next floor in the lift with me, and walking me to my apartment door, if that’s what you want to do.’
Rafe raised his brows. ‘You live in this building?’
‘Yes.’ Her eyes glittered bright with challenge as she looked up at him.
Well, that certainly explained her comment yesterday when Rafe had asked if she lived with her father.
‘I see,’ he said slowly.
Her mouth tightened. ‘Somehow I doubt that very much.’
‘Nina,’ her father put in reprovingly at the sharpness of her tone.
She closed her eyes briefly, drawing in two calming breaths before opening them again, her smile now one of stiff politeness. ‘Thank you, Rafe, I would appreciate your walking me to my door,’ she said tightly as he held her chair back for her to stand up, before she moved round the table to kiss her father warmly on the cheek. ‘I will see you tomorrow, Papa.’ Her voice softened noticeably.
‘As always, maya doch.’ He touched her cheek affectionately before turning to Rafe. ‘It has been a pleasure to meet and talk with you this evening, Rafe,’ he added formally.
‘You too, sir.’ Rafe nodded distractedly, his concerned gaze fixed on Nina as she swept from the dining room without so much as a second glance at either man.
‘My jewellery collection is very precious to me, Rafe.’ Dmitri Palitov spoke quietly beside him.
Rafe turned to look at the older man. ‘It’s very impressive,’ he acknowledged slowly, uncertain as to where this change of subject was going.
‘Each piece is priceless.’ Dmitri nodded. ‘But, beautiful as my collection is, valuable as it is, I value my daughter far above any rubies or diamonds.’
Ah...
‘As such,’ the older man continued hardly, ‘I will always do anything and everything within my power to ensure her health and happiness.’
‘Understandably,’ Rafe answered non-committally.
‘Yes?’ Dmitri Palitov spoke with that same hard challenge.
It was the first time that Rafe had ever been warned off a woman by her father, but, yes, he believed he understood this for exactly what it was.
‘Nina is a big girl now, Dmitri.’ He spoke evenly.
‘Yes, she is.’ The older man nodded. ‘But even so, perhaps you should know that I will not look kindly on any man who chooses to hurt my daughter. Whether it be intentionally or unintentionally.’ Those green eyes, so like his daughter’s, glittered in warning.
Pretty succinct and to the point—and unmistakably Dmitri Palitov’s way of warning him off.