Truly, Madly, Greekly: Sizzling summer reading

by Mandy Baggot

  She could see he was gritting his teeth, his lips thin and brutal, his cheek pulsing. She was glad. He deserved to feel that way and worse.

  ‘And I don’t regret a single moment of it. I very nearly got every single penny back,’ she spat.

  He grabbed her arm then and used his other hand to point a menacing finger at her. ‘As soon as my advisers have finished unpicking every single thing you did I’m going to the police.’

  ‘I couldn’t care less. Let go of me.’

  ‘I’m going to make sure you’re prosecuted and then I’ll make sure you’re struck off that accountancy register and can never practice again,’ he hissed.

  His fingers were pinching her so tightly she could feel her bones bruising under the pressure. She couldn’t let him see he was hurting her. She had to stay in control.

  ‘Let me go,’ she repeated.

  ‘Get your ‘ands off my daughter!’

  * * *

  Yan had never seen such a large bodied man move so fast before. When he’d finished telling Al everything about Ross and what Ellen had done, he was exhausted. It had been so hard finding the right words, explaining it in English so Al understood, but he’d managed it. Then Al had got off the sofa and started moving at pace, out of the lobby and down the path towards the entertainment area. And they were here not a moment too soon.

  ‘Are you deaf? I said get your ‘ands off my daughter!’ Al’s words were like bullets, firing from his mouth loud and fast.

  Ross let go of Ellen’s arm and she put her other hand to the sore skin to soothe it. Yan wanted to step forward to her, move her away from Ross Keegan but he couldn’t. Not yet.

  ‘Dad, it’s OK,’ Ellen started.

  ‘I’ll agree to differ on that one. What the ‘ell d’you think you’re doing ‘ere?’ Al looked at Ross as if he were a stain on a much-loved shirt.

  ‘You must be Ellen’s father,’ Ross remarked. ‘We’ve never met.’

  ‘Cut the crap, son. I know everything,’ Al stated.

  Yan swallowed as he felt Ellen’s eyes move from her father and Ross to him. The intensity of her stare penetrated him. He shrank into himself a little. He felt he had done the right thing, the only thing, but her look made him unsure she was going to thank him for it.

  ‘Everything,’ she mouthed, so softly it nudged at his insides.

  ‘Your daughter has been relieving me of thousands of pounds worth of assets,’ Ross informed. He stood up straighter, puffing his chest out a little more.

  Yan didn’t know how he had the nerve to do that. He was behaving like an innocent, like a victim, like he had no shame.

  ‘Is that so?’ Al said calmly.

  ‘Dad …’ Ellen began. ‘It’s true.’

  Yan could hear the tears in her voice and he knew instinctively how she was feeling. She would hate that Al knew what she had done. That’s why she had never told him in the first place.

  ‘I know it’s true.’ Al looked to Ellen. ‘I also know what ‘e did to you.’

  Al’s voice was not quite so calm now and he was levelling a stony stare at Ross, his breathing laboured.

  ‘‘ow dare you steal money from my daughter? Steal money ‘er mother left for ‘er!’

  As Al’s voice rose in volume Yan felt Ellen’s eyes on him again. He looked up, connecting with the gaze and seeing what lay there. Her expression was questioning, silently asking why he had exposed her secret.

  ‘I ought to kick you right into next week! I don’t know ‘ow you can stand there like you’re the one who’s been mistreated. Takin’ everythin’ my girl ‘ad, leavin’ ‘er with no job, makin’ ‘er leave ‘er ‘ome!’

  * * *

  Ellen heard her dad’s voice falter a little and she was overwhelmed by the feeling of shame that settled over her. Despite what Ross had done and how she had chosen to deal with it, the worst thing of all was keeping it from Al and Lacey. How could she have been so silly? There had been nothing courageous about it. She wasn’t a martyr, she was just plain stupid.

  ‘And now you’re ‘ere, chasin’ ‘er to Corfu acting spurned and vengeful.’ Al waved a fist at Ross. ‘I won’t ‘ave it. D’you ‘ear? I won’t ‘ave it!’

  ‘Dad, it’s OK. I’m going to take the rap for what I did,’ Ellen broke in. She had to do something. She didn’t want Ross turning any of his anger onto Al. He had only just heard about everything, she certainly didn’t expect him to take any of the responsibility.

  ‘We could maybe take seat?’

  At the sound of Yan’s voice making a calm suggestion, everyone stared at him, including Ellen. The voice of reason. The soothing influence. The person who had divulged to her father everything she’d told him in confidence.

  ‘I don’t need a seat. I need to ‘ear that ‘e’s packin’ up his suitcase again and getting on a plane back to where ‘e came from. You’ve got no business ‘ere,’ Al yelled.

  ‘I disagree. She’s taken thousands of pounds of Keegan Manufacturing’s assets,’ Ross reminded.

  ‘The business you started from what you took from ‘er? Is that right? The company you kicked off with stolen money? ‘er money! From the mother she lost?’

  ‘Dad! Calm down! Let me do the talking. It’s not good for your blood pressure,’ Lacey said. Her sister appeared, wading in and taking hold of Al’s arm.

  ‘My blood pressure is just bloody fine. Or it will be once ‘e pisses off out of it!’

  This was all going downhill. She’d been wrong to think she could have a half-sensible conversation with Ross. He was always going to think he was blameless. He was always going to put a hundred per cent of everything on her. Had she really expected to be able to get him to feel any guilt for what he had done or any empathy at how that situation had made her feel? Even now he still didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. In his eyes she had gone back on what he thought she’d promised by starting a relationship with him. He had truly believed that money was destined for him and when she had said no to marriage, he had just taken what he’d really wanted anyway.

  ‘How much does that money mean to you, Ross?’ The words had come from Ellen almost without her knowing it. ‘Is this about the money or is it about saving face?’

  Ross looked to her then, the person she’d lain next to so many times, the eyes she’d gazed into, the lips she’d kissed, all merging into something hard and ugly.

  ‘That money is just a drop in the ocean now you’ve sold your idea. It isn’t about the cash, is it? It’s about power. It’s about me getting my own back and you not liking it.’

  A snorting sound came out of his nose and Ross turned away from her.

  ‘Urgh!’ Lacey exclaimed. ‘You really are gross.’

  ‘I can tell you right now, this ain’t goin’ any further. You try and prosecute my daughter and I’ll come after you with everythin’ I’ve got. And I can tell you, I’ve got friends in very ‘igh places.’

  ‘Dad …’ Ellen said, touching his arm.

  ‘Is that a threat, Mr Brooks? Ross asked.

  ‘You’re windin’ up the wrong person, son. You’d better leave right now because if I get started there ain’t no unbreakable packaging gonna save you.’

  Ellen held on tight to one of her dad’s arms, Lacey at the other, bracing him hard in the hope that he wouldn’t throw a punch or worse still, think about using the table as a weapon.

  Ross made to step closer to Al and Ellen’s breath caught in her throat. A dozen spinning thoughts moved through her mind. What was he going to do? Would he hit her father?

  * * *

  Yan moved fast. He clamped a hand on Ross’ shoulder and drew him backwards, firmly but with finesse – a defensive action rather than an aggressive one.

  ‘I think you need to go,’ he suggested.

  Ross turned towards him, his body language tight and threatening. ‘Oh you do, do you? And you’re going to make me?’

  ‘Listen to yourself! You’re a dickhead. If he doesn’t make you bugger off
then I will!’ Lacey yelled.

  Yan stood his ground, not feeling the need to say anything in response.

  Ross’ face was contorted, determination and steely stubbornness there for all to see. Then, breaking the tension, came the deafening strains of someone attempting ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ on the karaoke.

  Ross’ shoulders lowered and he raised his hand, pointing a finger at Ellen. ‘This isn’t over.’

  ‘Yes it is! That’s exactly what it is. It’s over or you’re in for the fight of your life,’ Al yelled.

  ‘Move,’ Yan said, guiding Ross forward, his hand at the base of his spine. ‘Do not say more.’

  45

  A tiny little Polish man was doing a reasonable job of a Frank Sinatra number on the karaoke. The bar staff were clapping along, watching him, while Ellen clamped her lips around a plastic cup of neat brandy.

  Lacey had taken Al to sit down. He’d looked visibly shaken by the encounter with Ross. And so was she. But it was over. For now.

  When everyone got back to England, what would happen then? She may have got her angst out tonight but he was still in control. He was still finger-poking and shirking all blame. Was that how she wanted things to be?

  She slapped at her arm and a mosquito carcass stuck to her skin. She brushed it off with her fingers. Another blood-sucking parasite that needed putting in its place.

  And that’s what she should do. She shouldn’t let Ross leave Greece with that power he thought he still held over her. She needed to be the one to tell him how things were going to be when they got back to the UK.

  She drank down the brandy and, without looking to seek out Lacey and Al, she headed out of the entertainment arena on a mission.

  * * *

  Ellen raised her hand and knocked on the door of Zeus 206. Despite coming here at the last minute, Ross had insisted on a five star room. She knocked again.

  The door swung open and there he was. His shirt was open at the neck, not tucked into his trousers, his hair a little dishevelled. Perhaps her words had struck some kind of chord.

  ‘What do you want?’ Ross said, leaning his weight against the door.

  ‘I’d like to talk,’ she replied, with a confident nod.

  ‘The family floorshow not enough for one night?’

  She didn’t respond but stood her ground, waiting to see what would happen next.

  He shifted his weight, dropping his hands to his sides. ‘Come in.’ He opened the door a little wider.

  Ellen stepped inside a replica version of her and Lacey’s room at the other side of the complex. Two of Ross’ perfectly crisp formal shirts were hanging in the open wardrobe. As if sensing her scrutiny he walked towards it, then closed the door.

  She watched him turn back to face her. He folded his arms, adopting a look of irritation. And then he spoke.

  ‘Why did you do it, Ellen?’

  Her mouth fell agape at his tone. He sounded like he was about to stamp his feet and cry in frustration.

  ‘What did you think I was going to do?’

  ‘Nothing. And certainly not this. Do you know how much this has cost me?’ He threw his hands up. ‘It isn’t just about the money you took, it’s about all the independent accountants and auditors, legal teams, you name it, I’m going to have to call them in.’

  ‘And what about my money?’

  He shook his head. ‘I was going to give it back.’

  ‘What?! You liar! You didn’t answer my phone calls or my emails. That’s the behaviour of a thief, not someone who borrowed something with honourable intentions.’

  ‘If that’s what you really believe, why didn’t you contact the police?’

  Ellen shook her head. ‘You knew I would never do that. Not out of any loyalty to you but because of my dad. Because I couldn’t bear for him to know that the only thing I had left of my mother was gone.’

  Ross put his hand to his hair, twisting a piece around his finger. ‘I needed that money, Ellen.’

  ‘Most people apply for a loan rather than try the fraud route.’

  ‘I’d exhausted those avenues already. I knew the business was going to take off but you know what it’s like. When you start something up there are always unseen costs. I had to work at gaining contracts and the first few months is always about paying out more than what’s coming in.’

  She swallowed. ‘Was that the only reason you proposed to me? To get your hands on my money?’

  ‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘Is that really what you thought?’

  ‘You as good as admitted it during the floorshow.’

  ‘I was angry.’ He met her gaze. ‘I still am angry.’

  ‘And you have no right to be.’

  Ellen closed her lips, shocking herself with the volume and intensity of her tone.

  Ross dropped his body down onto the edge of one of the twin beds. He raked his fingers through his hair before turning his attention back to Ellen.

  ‘I don’t know, Ellen. I just thought marriage was the next logical step.’ He placed his fingers over his mouth, making a steeple. ‘We worked well together.’

  ‘We networked well together.’

  A flicker of a smile appeared on his lips. ‘You make that sound like a bad thing.’

  ‘It isn’t a bad thing, it’s just not enough.’ She paced towards the patio doors at the end of the room and looked out at the view. ‘We only ever talked about our business future.’ She sighed. ‘There’s so much more to life than that.’

  ‘My God, I don’t believe you just said that,’ Ross responded. ‘You’re the woman who fell asleep with a copy of Accountancy Age over her face.’

  She turned back to face him. ‘And you left me like that all night.’

  ‘I thought maybe it was a new absorption technique.’

  She shook her head. ‘We were never meant to be forever.’ She looked directly at him. ‘You know that.’

  He shrugged. ‘I know I’m single-minded and I’m definitely not perfect but I did think we could make something together.’

  ‘A business. Your business. You said so to the strains of Paul McCartney.’

  ‘Yeah,’ he answered softly.

  ‘If you really felt anything for me you should have asked for my investment.’

  He looked up, toying with this fingers. ‘I knew you’d never give it to me. You’d earmarked that money for your accountancy practice and …’ He paused. ‘I knew how much it meant to you.’

  Tears were pricking her eyes but she kept herself in check. ‘And that’s why you should never have stolen it.’

  He dropped his eyes to the floor, looking pitiful.

  Ellen pulled in a long breath. ‘So, this is how it’s going to go.’ She waited for him to look up then she pointed a finger. ‘You are going to call off your auditors and your investigators and whoever else you’ve employed to scrutinise what I’ve done.’

  ‘I don’t think …’

  Ellen stopped him. ‘No. You don’t get a choice.’ She waited for her words to sink in before continuing. ‘You are going to go back to England and you’re going to call a halt to all of this. I don’t care what you have to tell your board members but I’m not being held accountable for what I’ve done and I’m not asking the charities for that money back.’ She took another breath. ‘As far as I’m concerned we’re even now, it’s finished, for good.’

  She swallowed, holding her frame steady as inside, her heart pulsed with adrenalin.

  Time ticked by so slowly then, finally Ross nodded.

  Ellen blinked away her tears, hardly daring to believe that she had done this. She pressed the corners of her eyes. ‘We’ve both made mistakes, Ross. It’s time to move on.’

  He raised his head first, then inched himself upwards until he was standing, looking a little defeated.

  He held out his hand to her, a visible tremor there. ‘To moving on.’

  She nodded, still trying not to let emotion get the better of her. She clasped his hand and sho
ok it firmly. ‘To new beginnings.’

  46

  Ellen’s heart was still thumping when she joined Lacey and Al at a table near the back of the entertainment arena.

  ‘Where’s the drinks you promised us?’ Lacey greeted as Ellen sat down.

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Lucky I got two rounds in. Here.’ Lacey indicated a plastic cup of brandy and Coke.

  ‘Next, we have singer from England! Welcome on stage … Lacey Brooks. Applause!’ Sergei announced.

  Lacey put her cocktail down on the table. ‘Shit. I didn’t think I’d get called up yet. I won’t go, Dad.’

  ‘Lacey Brooks, everybody!’

  Ellen looked at the stage and saw Sergei waving his hand in the air, beckoning Lacey towards him. ‘Go.’

  ‘What?’ Lacey looked confused.

  ‘Go up. Go and sing.’ Ellen smiled. ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘Take That. Thought I’d give the real Gary Barlow a try.’

  ‘Go on then. Before Sergei has a hernia,’ Ellen said, pulling her up out of her chair.

  ‘Do you mind, Dad?’ Lacey looked to Al.

  He shook his head and raised his glass of whisky to her.

  ‘Lacey Brooks from England, everybody!’

  Ellen watched Lacey rush past the tables towards the stage. Once there she jumped onto it and grabbed the microphone Sergei offered.