‘Actually, I’ve booked a table tonight at this fabulous place I know, up in the hills of Provence, away from all the paparazzi and stuff. I thought maybe we could have a bit of a chat about what we’re going to do after all this. I can’t bear to imagine my life without you, to be honest.’

Sitting on the beach, her blonde hair and kaftan caked in sand, Natalia started to relax once more.

Under the vine-covered trellis on the terrasse of the bustling restaurant, nobody was taking too much notice of Natalia and Ben in the corner, except perhaps to murmur sotto voce what an exquisite couple they made. Ben had instructed the crew on Natalia’s yacht to sail to St Maxime, where a driver had been waiting for them. Thence they were taken up winding lanes, past huge trees of vividly yellow and highly scented mimosa, until they reached Plan de la Tour, a little village surrounded by oak and pine forests, all narrow sloping streets, terracotta rooftiles and ancient churches.

On the restaurant’s terrasse the lights were low, but enhanced by candles on every table and the extraordinary sight of fireflies glowing almost fluorescent in the distance.

‘This is beautiful,’ said Natalia, smiling and radiant in the candlelight as the cicadas decided as one to up their volume. ‘I thank you.’

‘So are you.’ Ben was aware he was being cheesy but he couldn’t help it. He had never been in love before and was now relishing every soppy minute of it.

He wasn’t stupid. Given Natalia’s age, nationality, extraordinary sexual skills and enormous wealth, he realized it was highly likely that prostitution had featured at some stage in her past. It wasn’t rocket science; she was being blackmailed, for fuck’s sake. But he couldn’t bring himself to hold it against her. In fact, he rather admired her for making the most of herself and hauling herself out of what must have been seriously grim beginnings.

But he was worried about her. Blackmail was no joke.

‘So do you really think you could come and spend some time with me in LA?’ Ben laid his hand on Natalia’s arm. ‘I should be able to travel a bit once I’ve finished filming, but I’m pretty tied up until then.’

‘I … I don’t know, sweetie. I can travel, for sure, but I think maybe it would be wrong for you to be mixed up with me. You don’t know much about me. You are about to be international superstar. You still not know why I am being blackmailed, though it is possible you have heard rumours about me, yes?’

‘Not really. But I think I can guess. Listen, Nat.’ He lowered his voice. ‘I don’t give a fuck if you were the most notorious hooker in the entire Eastern Bloc. It’s something you had to do and you used your best assets …’

‘What?’

‘… your body and your brain. Anybody who has made as much money as you have, from nothing, has to be really fucking clever in my book. And you know how much I lurve your body.’