by Joanne Walsh
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Agapimenos, do you have everything you need?” Dimitri placed a chilled bottle of mineral water on the low table in front of the couch.
“Um, let me see. Phone, laptop, book, remote control and refreshments…yeah, I think I can cope.” Sally grinned at him from where she reclined, propped up by pillows. “Mm, I think I could get used to this being waited on hand-and-foot lark.”
He took a bow. “At your service, madame.”
“Mm, it’s nice being spoiled like this, but you know, I feel like I’m ready to roll again. The bruising and stiffness are nearly all gone,” she glanced down at her tummy, “and the babe’s doing great too. I have the urge to get going again, do something.” She stretched. “So my plans for today are to call Frankie about going back to work, and later, drop by the store, see what’s happening there.”
“There is no need.” He flicked her a glance. “You know that everything is under control and Hector and his guys are on course to finish soon.”
“You’ve been fantastic while I’ve been recovering, taking care of me and everything at Sally’s,” she replied, pushing herself upright. “I’m so grateful. But I think the time has come for me to get back in the saddle.” She gave a decisive nod.
His coffee-brown gaze meshed with hers. “About that. I was hoping to talk with you.” He gestured to the sofa. “Can I sit down?”
It felt as if, in an instant, his mood changed and now there was an edge to it. Had something happened with the shop that he hadn’t told her about? Swinging her legs around, she made room for him. “What’s up?”
“The events of last week,” he said slowly, his gaze now fixed in front of him, his fingers steepled, “they shocked us all, and we have to recognize that changes are needed. There are bad people out there, and you need to consider that if you return to the store, you’ll be putting yourself and the baby at risk again—”
“Okay,” she leapt in briskly, putting a reassuring hand on his arm, “you’re having one of your overprotective daddy moments. Remember how you’re getting the new, state-of-the-art security system fitted? As for that guy last week, it was horrible, but he was no more than a random, pathetic chancer. What happened was most likely a one-off. Even the police said that.”
He exhaled, an odd sound, as if there was something pent up inside him. “All the security in the world won’t stop someone if they are intent on harm.”
Tilting her head on one side, she stared at him curiously. “This really has knocked you sideways, hasn’t it?” She paused. “Dimitri, you’ve done everything you possibly can to keep me safe—”
“Not quite everything. I can ask you to stay home.”
“Stay home?” she repeated. “I can’t do that. There’s loads still to do before the store reopens.”
“I have a team who can take over. I’ll keep liaising with Hector until the construction is finished, and I’ll ask the guys at my office to pick up any outstanding work with the suppliers—”
“But the stock will be arriving soon, and it’s all got to be put out before the grand opening, which has to be organized as well—”
“Christina can deal with the arrangements for Ochi day, and I’m sure a couple of my estate workers would be glad to be paid extra to fill the shelves evenings and weekends.”
“So, when do you think I should go back?” she asked, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice. “After the grand reopening?”
“I would prefer that you stay here and become a full-time mother where you’re safe. We can entrust the day-to-day running of the store to someone else.”
“What?” Scrambling forward, she leapt to her feet. “You are kidding me!”
“Sally, listen to me,” he gritted, looking up at her, “I want you to take this seriously. Last week, a stranger nearly took my world from me—”
“No,” she said fiercely, “no! You’re being ridiculous. You know how much the store again means to me.” She crossed her arms. “I refuse to quit!”
*
After he’d gone to work, she skulked around the house. After she’d said no to quitting, he’d got up from the couch too and, after throwing “We will talk more tonight” over his shoulder, left her fuming. Why was he acting like this? The incident at the store hadn’t been pleasant, but it could have turned out far worse, and he’d done everything he could since, security-wise. It didn’t make sense. Heading for the kitchen, she went to the giant sliding windows and gazed out at the estate drowsing in late-summer sunshine. Leaning her forehead against the glass, she trailed a finger down it. All his talk of bad people and strangers. Where had that come from? The Dimitri she knew was optimistic and brave, would never let things stand in his way. If he was prepared to talk more tonight, then he needed to explain just what was going on in his head, and she had to make him realize that keeping her captive here was not a solution.
Breathing out a heavy sigh, she turned and padded over to the fridge to peer inside. There was steak and salad stuff, and she could make homemade fries to go with them; his favourite dinner, which, with a glass of wine for him, would set the scene for a chill evening and a proper heart-to-heart.
She set about gathering ingredients and utensils for prepping the steaks, only for the sound of a car skidding across the gravel of the driveway outside to distract her. Glancing at the small security video screen in the corner, her mood dipped: Selene—again. Returning to the counter, she focused on finding a bowl, chopping board and knife from the drawers and shelves below; she had an important meal to prepare, and Dimitri’s deputy could take herself to the office.
“Kalo apogevma!” The greeting, accompanied by rapping on the windows, had her shooting around. Selene was outside on the terrace, looking as sleek as ever in a lightweight white pant suit and lots of gold jewellery, and holding what looked like a file.
Sally went and opened the window a fraction. “Good afternoon,” she greeted lightly. “If you’re looking for Dimitri, he’s somewhere out on the estate. Or perhaps Cristina can help?”
“It’s you I need to talk to. Did Dimitri not mention I was coming by?”
“No.” Frowning, she shook her head. Why would Selene want to speak with her, and why hadn’t he said anything? Perhaps it was something to do with her debt repayments, and he’d been in too much of a mood this morning to mention it.
“So, may I come in?” Perching her oversize sunglasses on her head, Selene looked meaningfully over Sally’s shoulder into the room.
Reluctantly pushing the window back, she stood aside to allow the other woman to sweep by in a cloud of musky perfume.
“I brought the job description that Dimitri asked me to create yesterday for the new hire at the store,” Selene announced, placing her designer purse on the table.
“New hire?” Sally gasped.
“Yes, the replacement shop manager.” Selene retrieved a piece of paper from her file. “As time is tight, I wanted to run the criteria past you in person, rather than by email, before it goes to the employment agencies I have in mind and we source candidates for interview. I thought we might spread our net to Athens, see if we can tempt someone with experience who wants to relocate to the islands.” Running her hand down the glossy ebony ponytail that hung forward over her shoulder, making the thin bangles she wore jingle and clink, she smirked. “You are looking puzzled. Oh, dear, I guess he didn’t discuss his intention with you to get the new manager in place as soon as possible either?”
Her stomach roiling, Sally grabbed the edge of the nearest chair. He’d gone behind her back yesterday—before he even spoke with her—and asked this woman to set about recruiting someone to replace her at the store as soon as possible?
“Are you alright?” Selene’s voice floated over to her. “Is it the baby?”
“It’s fine. I just need to sit down for a minute.” Avoiding the other woman’s gaze, she yanked the chair out and sat down on it heavily.
“Let me get you some water.”
Without asking for directions, Selene jingle-jangled her way over to the cupboard containing glassware.
Sally watched her draw filtered water from the tap. So Selene even knew how the kitchen was arranged. “Thank you,” she said stiffly when the glass was placed in front of her.
“Oh, poor you. You look so pale. Looks like we need to get on with hiring as quickly as we can,” Selene pronounced sweetly, sitting down and pushing the job specification towards her.
Sally glanced down at the document placed in front on her and the print swam as her eyes filled with moisture. What the hell did Dimitri think he was doing? Swallowing hard, she blinked away the tears. “I think I should go lie down for a bit. Can you leave this with me?” She could tell by Selene’s triumphant smirk that she was coming across as a feeble, hormonal mess—which would no doubt be relayed to Dimitri—but she didn’t care; she just wanted the woman out of here.
“Of course.” Selene gave a satisfied nod. “It is time-critical, so by tomorrow, please. I daresay you have no experience of professional recruitment, so, if there is anything you do not understand, just give me a call. I’ll be happy to help.”
When she was sure Selene had pulled away, her car’s tyres spinning and scattering more gravel, Sally put her head in her hands and let her tears fall. He’d humiliated her. No, deceived her, just as Manos had with his double-dealing. She really was Twice-Stupid Sally.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Dimitri rushed home as soon as he could after receiving Selene’s call telling him Sally was unwell. He was highly irritated with his deputy for jumping the gun on the store recruitment. He’d run the idea he’d had of getting a manager in past Selene yesterday morning because he’d wanted her opinion on the hiring process, not for her to actually draw up a job description and show it to Sally, for Christ’s sake. He stabbed the entry code into the keypad. It was practically unheard of for the ultra-sharp and efficient Selene to make a mistake. Why did it have to happen now? It was proving hard enough to convince Sally that things had to change but she wouldn’t want to talk to him after this. Stepping into the entry hall, he threw his car fob down on the console table, that horrible feeling starting up again of the ground crumbling beneath his feet. He set his jaw hard against it. There was a way to handle all of this without digging up the past. How everything was snatched from him once before was so something utterly private to him and he wouldn’t—
What was that noise? It sounded like sobbing, upstairs. Taking the stairs two at a time, he made for the master bedroom. “Sally, agapimenos, are you okay—?” The question died on his lips when he opened the bedroom door and saw she was bent over a holdall, folding clothing into it.
Straightening, she spun around to stare at him, her mouth trembling and her eyes red and swollen.
“What is this?” he demanded, shock making him bark out the query more forcefully than he’d intended. “Where are you going?” he enquired in a softer tone.
“Back to Alison’s.” She returned to the holdall. “I need some space.”
“Wait—” He paced rapidly forward, wanting to pull her into his arms and hold her tight. “I’m sorry about Selene. She—”
But she immediately stepped backwards out of his reach. “I won’t stay here and be taken for a fool, by you or her.” Her chin rose.
“I didn’t intend for Selene to draw up the job spec or come here today. She misunderstood—”
“Whatever. You told her to write it without consulting me.”
He rubbed a frustrated hand across his forehead. “I didn’t tell her to do anything. I merely asked her about the hiring process for a replacement.”
“But you spoke with her yesterday before talking to me.”
“No,” he said wearily, “I asked for her professional opinion because I wanted to know the process before we had our discussion this morning.”
“We didn’t discuss anything,” she responded quietly. “You told me what you want, but I didn’t agree to it.” She stuffed another garment into the holdall and closed the zip.
The ripping sound slashed at him like a knife. “You cannot leave.”
“Watch me.” Her fingers curled around the bag’s handle. “You seem to think by sticking a ring on my finger that you own me. But the truth is, I can do anything I wish, including work in my store. You may have bought the building, Dimitri, but you didn’t buy me or my business. As far as Sally’s goes, who gets to manage it is purely my call.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Dimitri sat on the patio cradling a glass of wine. He should have been at Artemis AK with his brothers enjoying their customary Friday evening get-together, but he’d cried off. He didn’t feel like dealing with the inevitable questions Nik and Sergei would have about why he’d been lying low all week. He hadn’t yet told them about Sally leaving, but they’d be sure to work out something was amiss, would want to know all the details, and he wasn’t yet ready to share, so crammed was his head with clashing emotions.
Sally. He hadn’t seen her since she’d taken a cab to Alison’s last Monday evening. He’d tried calling but she didn’t pick up. He swallowed another mouthful of his wine. He was missing her so much he thought his heart might break in two. Tilting the glass, he emptied it in one gulp. He’d been so naïve to think a marriage proposal would be the key to them living happily ever after.
The entry system buzzer sounded, and he exhaled. It couldn’t be Sally because she knew the code to let herself in. He put down his glass and went into the house, making for the front door. Sergei’s image loomed on the video screen—so much for avoiding his bros.
“Brat!” Sergei offered his Russian greeting when he opened the door, stepping forward to envelop his older brother in a bear-hug. “You’ve been elusive these past few days, and then we got your message that you won’t be joining us at the bar this evening. Something’s up.”
Taking a pace back, he managed a shrug. “I’ve a lot on my mind,” he dismissed, “it’s been a difficult week. The estate is behind with orders and the roses are frying in the heat.”
“Fried roses, eh? Very unappetizing. And the fact that you and Sally aren’t speaking has nothing to do with it?”
“How do you know about that?”
“Hannah got it out of Sally that she’s gone back to Alison’s because you had a falling out. Care to invite me in and tell me your side of the story?”
“Not really.”
“Davay zhe, come on, brat, this is not like you. Hiding away because of woman trouble. The Dimitri I know deals with it.” Sergei moved past him anyway into the hall. “I’m here to listen.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” he glowered. But then it occurred to him that his younger brother might have the news of Sally he was so desperate to hear. He gestured towards the back of the house “Alright. There’s an open bottle of red on the patio table. Want to join me for a glass?”
Once Sergei had settled with his drink, Dimitri asked, “How is Sally? Is she okay?”
Sergei fixed him with a narrow-eyed stare. “What do you think? She’s upset and confused. Also very angry about Selene.”
He raked a despairing hand through his hair, the bunch of conflicting feelings suddenly overflowing. “Serge, I love her so much, and all I wanted to do was protect her and our baby, but it’s turned into one huge bloody mess.”
Sergei’s mouth quirked into a rueful smile. “Okay, let’s cut to the chase. Calliope.”
Startled, he surveyed his shrewd younger brother for a few seconds but said nothing, instead leaning forward to top up their drinks.
“You have to explain to Sally about her, brat,” Sergei urged, taking his refreshed glass. “She can’t understand why you’re being like this.”
His head jerked up. “Because I need to protect her and our child after what happened, that’s why.”
Sergei rocked the dark red liquid around in his glass looking thoughtful. “I’m no psychologist, but this isn’t just about that incident with t
he Italian thug, it’s to do with Calliope.”
“That was years ago—”
“But, it’s in your brain regardless, festering,” Sergei cut in softly. “How your mama lived and died, and what people in the village said about her afterwards.”
“Okay.” He shrugged. “So maybe I have been thinking about her a lot since the attack at the store.” He swallowed. “Serge, knowing the way she was taken from me… If I were to lose Sally and the baby too—”
“Finally! Brat, I get it,” Sergei sighed, “but it’s no good letting yourself feel that way. You cannot let Calliope’s ghost haunt the rest of your life. You have to figure out how to come to terms with it and live your life. Otherwise, you will lose Sally, and your future with her, for good.”
“I may already have,” he mumbled miserably. “Selene—”
“You need to wise up about Selene too while you’re at it,” Sergei put in.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s in love with you, bro. Always has been.”
“What?”
“Why else would she be willing to work by your side twenty-four seven? Stroking and patting you at every opportunity? She doesn’t do that to me; she just does my accounts.”
Dimitri’s eyes widened as, suddenly, something struck him, clear as day. “She didn’t misunderstand about that job description, did she? She tried to break me and Sally up.” He huffed out an angry breath. “She never makes mistakes.”
Sergei shrugged. “Maybe. The details I got from Hannah were scant, but if Selene was feeling desperate—”
“Thee mou.” Dimitri scrubbed a hand down his face. “I have been so blind.” He fixed his brother with his gaze. “I need to cut ties with her.”
“Good.” Sergei gave an approving nod. “That’s one thing dealt with. Now, what about Sally? What are you going to do to make things right with her? You’ve invested so much in helping her fulfil her dream with her shop, so why stamp on it now when she’s in touching distance?”
