You can read Alexei, Her Russian Billionaire free below.
Blurb:
A Russian man, billionaire, thriller, marriage and pregnancy romance novel. Photographer Maya’s world is transforming for the better. After moving on from a toxic boyfriend, her career is flourishing, and she’s determined to continue an upward trajectory. When she goes to one her usual haunts, a local art gallery, she had no idea her life was about to change!
Alexi Petrov is the gallery’s new enigmatic owner, and orders Maya’s favorite piece removed. And Maya isn’t having any of it. Their initial clash unexpectedly kindles a fiery attraction, leading them into a whirlwind romance.
But when she starts to fall in love and becomes pregnant, Alexei distances himself, burdened by his own troubled past. Can Alexei overcome his past in order to create a bright future together with Maya? And is Maya not ready to let go of her own? Get answers in this European man, pregnancy romance book by Erica A Davis.
Chapter 1
Maya Featherstone settled back in the armchair and cupped her freezing hands around her mug. She took a sip and closed her eyes in content.
“That’s delicious.” She sagged further into her chair. “God, I needed that.”
“Same here.” Jenny Rogers put more sugar into her cappuccino and stirred. “That was a hard shoot. That wind was punishing.”
“Tell me about it. I could hardly keep myself upright.” Maya sipped at her hot chocolate before reaching for a marshmallow and dunking it. She took a big bite out of it. “The models did well considering they were in tiny trunks.”
That was the problem with being a model. When you worked a seasonal shoot, modeling clothes for a particular season, it had to be done the season before. So the swimsuits the models had been wearing were for the summer collection but it was late February and the weather was biting cold with a strong, sharp wind. A couple of the models had complained about it, which Maya would have taken exception to, but this time she couldn’t blame them. As the photographer she had to grace the same conditions, albeit with more clothes on and she often got to stay dry, and she managed to cope.
This time, however, barely anyone managed to cope. Even Jenny, who worked in the makeup department in the trailer, had said it was freezing.
But it was over now and they were in their favorite coffee shop, taking a moment to warm up before they headed home. They were now off for the next three days unless something last minute came up. With their irregular hours, both would either be on regular shoots or getting ready for fashion shows so it was nice to spend time together.
Maya was certainly looking forward to it.
She sighed and dunked the rest of the marshmallow.
“I still wonder how I got into this.” She spoke around a mouthful of marshmallow. “I can’t stand some of those divas.”
Jenny laughed.
“There weren’t that many divas there today. Male models don’t strop as much as the women do.”
“I’m glad in that weather it was just the men.” Maya rolled her eyes. “The amount of testosterone that was hanging around would have had the female models swooning.”
That was another thing Maya had a rule on; focus on the job first, flirt later. She had no problem with any of the models hooking up but not while they were working on her time. That had come after Maya had caught a couple having s*x in their dressing room when the female model was late to her set. Maya had a set of rules that didn’t seem unfair to her and most of the people she worked with went along with them, even the more difficult models, and this one got added right to the top along with timing and no backchat.
Sometimes, however, Maya felt like a schoolteacher. And compared to the eighteen and nineteen-year-olds, she felt old. She was approaching thirty in July and the realization was slowly dawning on her.
“You stand those people because you’re one of the best photographers we’ve got in the city…”
“Not just the city.” Maya reminded her. “The world.”
“Whatever, Big Head.” Jenny batted this away. “Plus the models love you. Make the most of it while you can.”
“I plan to.”
Photography at this level was very good pay. Maya could easily retire in ten years if she wanted to. But she loved photography and wouldn’t change it for the world. The locations were incredible, the people she worked with were great and even the hectic schedule she got around fashion week was worth it. Photography was her life.
For now. There was only one thing that could top it and that was a family. But Maya was single and had been for a while. She wasn’t prepared to be a single mother but nobody seemed to be the perfect choice for her.
That would certainly round things off nicely for her.
Jenny sipped her coffee and let out a sigh.
“Well, I can say we had some good eye-candy. I know the models are supposed to be good-looking but…wow!”
She fanned her face. Maya laughed.
“What is it with you and models? How many have you gone through now?”
“I’ve only been out with two and the last one was two years ago.” Jenny shook her head. “You make it sound like I make a habit of it.”
But she certainly got a lot of them flirting with her. Jenny was beautiful. Petite, long blonde hair and wide purple eyes, she was like a little doll. She was tough as well and nobody messed with her at their peril.
“Besides, models always flirt with me.” Jenny grinned. “They flirt with you as well. I think they think they’ll get special treatment from you.”
“No chance.” Maya snorted. “But one did give me his cell phone number as he was leaving and suggested that I give him a call sometime to set up a date.”
“Really? Wow! Which one was it?”
“Jonny Widecombe.”
That was brazen. Maya always made it clear that she was off-limits. That didn’t stop the flirting, however. Most of it was harmless and Maya was happy with that. It was when it went too far or they tried asking her out that she put her foot down.
“Jonny Widecombe?” Jenny looked like she was about to swoon. “Oh, he’s gorgeous. You should do it.”
“Jenny, you know my rule. I don’t date the models.”
That had come after Maya started dating a model when she first started out as a photographer and things had been volatile. Maya had almost lost her job and the model eventually lost his agency and sponsorship after he hit her one too many times. There was no chance of Maya doing the same thing again.
Once bitten, twice shy. And Jenny knew that. She had been the one to pick up the pieces.
“Fair enough.” Jenny grinned. “But would you mind if I took a swing at him?”
Maya laughed for it.
“Go for it if you like boys. He’s just turned twenty.”
“What?” Jenny shrieked. She nearly dropped her mug and put it down hurriedly. “He told me he was twenty-eight.”
“I think we would’ve noticed him around long ago. We know all the models.”
“How did you find out?”
Maya grinned.
“I’d been talking to his agent Caroline and she warned that he often tried to pass as over the drink limit but he wasn’t so he was not allowed any alcohol.”
“That would explain why Tracy wouldn’t give him any champagne.” Jenny shook her head. “What does Caroline say about it?”
“She says it gets him into trouble and she’s always telling him to stop it. But his response was he does it so he can pick up women. Most women won’t date a twenty-year-old.”
“He’ll get into trouble one day doing that.”