The Billionaire's Secret Love Child(141)

''You're going to be a journalist, so you'll need a good pen.'' Typical Nicki, generous and thoughtful.

''So what's the plan now, once you've unpacked all your elephants,'' Lela asked.

''Will you help me? I have so much to tell you about my experiences, and of course, I want to know what you've been up to. How many men have you brought back here while I've been away?'' she asked playfully.

''Only a handful,'' Lela lied, unable to count the actual number.

After an hour, Lela couldn't find anymore room for the last few two elephants. ''Where do you want me to put these? There's no room.''

''Leave them on the bed, I'll find somewhere.''

''Perhaps you could sell some of your Mills and Boon books. You don't need to keep all those trashy romance books, do you?''

''I love them, I don't want to part with them. I split up with Nathan last night.''

Nicki said it suddenly with no warning of any kind, and it shocked Lela. ''Why?'' she asked in a Sherlock Holmes kind of way.

''Because we aren't compatible. He's too different. He likes to be messy and casual, and I like to be neat and tidy and plan things. I felt sick when I got into his car yesterday. He hasn't cleaned it out for years.''

''But surely a messy car can't be the reason. I thought you guys were the real deal,'' Lela said as she picked up a book with a half-naked hero on it.

''No. It's more than that. I realized in Moscow that we aren't right together. I don't love him. I want to feel heat in my lower half when I think of my boyfriend.'' Lela nodded in agreement. She'd been out with so many men, and not one of them had set her alight. ''All I think of when I think of Nathan is chaos,'' Nicki added.

''How did he take it?''

''Badly. He called me some nasty things and dumped me at the door. I guess I deserved it. I said it so suddenly, it must have been a shock for him.''

''You're so intelligent and beautiful you'll find someone at the drop of a hat.'' Lela picked up another book, this time, the hero was holding a blonde woman who was looking at him as if he'd saved her from certain death. ''Look at you. You're tall and thin. Your waist is invisible and up top, you've got a really nice pair. Your ass is the envy of all the girls in the class, and your eyes are stunning. Don't worry you'll have men flocking to you once they know you're single again.'' Suddenly Lela's eyes lit up. ''Or have you already got some dark Russian prince?''

''No. I haven't and can you believe it? I was a very good girl in Russia. Not once did I entertain a man in my chamber.''

''You're chamber? You're definitely reading too many of those ridiculous historical romances. So what are you going to do now? Have you applied to any newspapers yet?''

Oh no not you as well. Why didn't people understand? She wanted to be a freelancer. ''No, don't you remember, I want to go freelance.''

''But.....''

''No buts. I had enough that from Nathan on the way home. He doesn't think I'll be able to make a go of it. He thinks editors won't buy my stories.'' Nicki pulled the trunk on her pink elephant and twisted it in frustration. ''I'm going to do it. It's very important to me. I want to work for myself, not some ego inflated editor. And as for them not wanting to buy my stories, I'm going to tackle such daring subjects that they'll be forced to buy from me.''

Lela cocked her head to one side. She had a habit of doing so when she didn't believe what she was being told. ''Okay. If it's so important to you, I really hope it works. But where are you going to start. I mean you need a story, you'll graduate soon, and your students loans will stop.''

''Maxim Sokolov.''

''What? He's a murderer. He killed the judge presiding over his trial. What was his name? '' Lela asked.

''Hudson. But he was acquitted. In the eyes of the law, he's not guilty. Simple. But after he came to Brighton Beach, New York, back in the nineties, he set up a vast empire of extortion, drugs and trafficking. I'm going to write about it.''

''You'll get yourself killed,' Lela said without hesitation. ''Do you know how many journalists have been killed by Russians? They are masters at it. As soon as you go sniffing around he will put an end to you. Don't do it.''



*****





Nicki pulled her collar up higher. She was glad she'd worn a scarf. The wind was blowing off the ocean and whistling between the restaurant buildings on the sea front. Only the gulls were enjoying themselves as they surfed the gusts high in the sky.

The Crab and Lobster seemed like a nice place to eat. On the sea front, it looked like a giant beach hut. The wooden boards in the facade painted yellow and the small cross bead windows, white. The door was maroon and contained a ship’s porthole. There was a balcony running the length of the building where clients could eat in summer, and its roof was adorned with lobster pots and pieces of fishing net.

Nicki climbed two steps to the front door and looked through the porthole. Inside, it was as cozy looking as outside. There were about twenty round tables, all with red and white checkered table clothes, and a long bar down the left-hand side with wooden stools in front. The ceiling was covered in sailing paraphernalia. Oars, lobster pots, fishing net, anchors, even a brass ship’s bell that hung down from the ceiling into the middle of the room.