The Greek Tycoon Box Set: The Complete Serial: Books 1-10 (14 page)

“What do you want?” he hissed. “Why are you doing this?”

“In a minute you are going to put this phone into your pocket so I can still hear you. If hang up, Dios dies instantly. You will go back out to Carla and tell her that you know she is still in love with Brian because of the letter she’s written. The letter she’s reading now.”

Atreus swallowed.

“And that it is a good thing,” Brian continued. “For both of you. You believe in true love. That is why you are reuniting with your ex-wife, your
true love
, Serene. She is the one who has taken Dios. You are both going to return to Greece with your son and get remarried. You will never see Carla again.”

It would be torture for these lies to pass his lips, for his heart had become so intertwined with Carla’s that he doubted he could remain apart from her for even one day. Yet he had no choice. His son’s life was at hand.

“And take her engagement ring and bring it to me,” said Brian.

“What?”

“You heard me!” Brian snapped. “Now are you ready or do you want your son to die? I
promise
it will be excruciatingly painful.”

“I’m ready,” Atreus whispered.

“Good. When it is done you will find Onella outside the hotel room. Let her in and make sure she stays there with Carla. Then pick the phone back up for your next instruction.”

“Okay,” Atreus said.

He felt like a broken man as he slipped his phone into his pocket.

He went back into the bedroom.

“I didn’t write this,” Carla said, rushing over to him. “Brian must have done it. I don’t know how he got in here but I know it’s him. He’s taken Dios!”

Atreus averted his eyes.

“There’s no need to lie, Carla.”

“I’m not lying!” she said. She put her hands on both sides of his face and turned it to face her. “Atreus, it’s me. You
know
how much I adore you. I would never ever consider leaving you for Brian. We’re together forever.”

Atreus felt a lump rise in his throat.

“No,” he said. “I love... I love Serene.”

Carla pulled away from him and her voice trembled as she spoke.

“What? Atreus, what are you saying?”

Atreus strode to the window and stared out of it, despising the words that came out of his mouth.

“I love Serene. She just called me to let me know that she was the one who picked up Dios.”

“No,” Carla said. “No, this can’t be happening.”

He wished that he could turn around and embrace her, pulling her close to his chest and whispering in her ear that she was his one and only until the end of time, but he was keenly aware of the phone in his pocket. His heart ached as he thought how she must be feeling. Perhaps the same way he did, like the world was closing in on him.

“Please, darling,” she said, her voice thick with tears. “We love each other. She doesn’t love you. You don’t love her. Why are you doing this?”

He thought he might cry himself, but steeled himself for his little boy. His tone became harsh and clipped and he hated the sound of it.

“Give me the ring.”

She let out a high-pitched cry that stabbed him right through the heart.

“Atreus, why?”

“Give me the ring,” he said more forcefully, hoping she could past the words he said.

She threw herself down on the bed and wept into her arms. He could not bear it anymore. He just needed it to be all over.

He went over to the bed and grabbed her hand. She cried onto his arm as he tugged at the exquisite diamond ring and her tears felt like acid burning into his skin. When the ring was off her finger he pocketed it. He leaned down and parted her thick blonde waves at her ear.
 

“Sorry,” he whispered in little more than a breath.

He thought it was quiet enough to be unheard by Brian but he still regretted it immediately. One wrong move could cost him dearly.

Without a second look he opened the hotel room door. Sure enough, Onella was there, her eyes wide with terror.

“Go inside,” Atreus said. “Do not come out of the room and
do not
let Carla come out either.”

She made a phone gesture with her hand and pointed in her pocket.

So Brian was listening in on her, too.

“Okay,” she said, a little louder than was necessary. “I’m going in.”

After locking the door as Brian had instructed, Atreus retrieved the phone from his pocket.

“I’m here,” Atreus said.

“Well done,” Brian said. “Next, you will go downstairs to the hotel reception and demand that no one disturbs your room. Tell them it is a matter of national security and that the police will be in touch with them. Then go outside and hail a cab to the private airport terminal at Gatwick. Your plane will be waiting.”

“And you will return Dios to me?”

“If I feel like it,” Brian said before hanging up.

*****

Chapter 2

“Carla?”

 
Carla lifted her tear-stained face to see Onella standing at the doorway, her face creased with concern.

 
“She’s taken Dios!” Carla wailed.

 
“Who?” Onella said. “Who’s taken him?”

 
“Serene!”

She’s in on this, too?
Onella thought.

She slammed her hand against the wall.

“That bitch! She doesn’t even want him. I can’t believe that.” She paced the room and pinched her temples. “I have to lie down.”

Carla looked up at her in disbelief.

How could she relax at a time like this?

Onella put her finger to her lips and crept into the bathroom. Carla heard the bathroom door close with little more than the sound of a tiny click and Onella came and sat by her side.

“I was being listened to,” Onella whispered. “Through my phone.”

“What?” Carla said. “By who?”

“Brian,” Onella said. “Could he and Serena be in on this together?”

 
“I don’t know what’s going on. Nothing makes any sense,” said Carla. “Look at this.”

She thrust the letter at Onella, who began to read aloud softly.

“
Dear Brian, I love you more than words can say. I have never stopped loving you. I adore everything
— oh blah, blah, blah, who wrote this drivel?” She flipped the letter over. “You didn’t write this, did you?”

“No, of course not!” Carla said louder than she should have. It pained her to even have to listen to the words. “Atreus must have written it so he could go back to Serene looking like the good guy.”

The mere thought of Atreus was torture. Her love for him lay around her feet in ruins, broken and devastated but present nonetheless. She had been deceived, betrayed, and she just could not understand it. It took all that she had not to sink her face into the pillows and sob for her lost lover, her lost best friend, her lost knight in shining armor.

Onella froze.

“What are you talking about?
 
Atreus is back with
Serene
?”

Carla wanted to scream out in frustration.

“Apparently. He says they love each other. She is the one who took Dios.”

“I can’t believe that,” Onella said. “And, if that’s the case, what’s Brian got to do with it all? Why does he want to listen in on everything I say or do? No, something doesn’t fit.”

“You can never be sure with Brian,” Carla said.

She could not stop thinking that he had something to do with Dios’ disappearance, despite what Atreus had said about Serene taking him. But why would Brian even care to do this? And how could he know Serene? Were they in on it together? Working out a plan to fool Atreus into taking her back so she could get his money?
 
She stood and paced the room.

“But still,” she continued. “this just isn’t making sense to me. Why did Atreus have Serene come here and take Dios when he could have just taken Dios himself?”

“I don’t know,” Onella said. “All I know is that Serene is a conniving bitch and Brian obviously has a screw loose. So, if they’re working together, we’ve got a big problem.”

“You know what?” Carla said, running to the sofa where she had laid down her purse. “That’s enough. I’m going to find out. I’m going to Brian’s.”

“No!” Onella said as firmly as a whisper would allow. “You can’t leave. Atreus told me not to let you out of here.”

Carla swallowed, trying to prevent tears from falling again.

“I don’t care what Atreus says. Until I hear otherwise from
his
lips,” she paused to take a deep breath, “he is Serene’s, not mine.”

She held her head high and stalked toward the door.

Onella scrambled from the bed and jumped in front of her.

“Please, Carla, don’t. I know my brother and he must have a good reason for telling us to stay here. I think we should trust him. He may be as much of a victim in this as Dios is.”

Carla’s eyes filled with tears.

“How can I trust him now? You didn’t hear what he said to me. I’m sorry, I just can’t stay.”

She tried to skirt past Onella but the hallway was narrow and her path was blocked.

“Carla,” Onella tried again, “
please
.”

“Let me pass!” Carla said firmly.

“Shh!” Onella said. “Remember, Brian’s listening!”

“That’s
it
!” Carla shouted. “I have heard enough about Brian!”

She stormed into the bathroom and picked up Onella’s cell.

“
Brian
? This is Carla.”

There was no answer. The only thing she could hear was a baby gurgling in the background.

“Dios?” she whispered.

Her heart felt torn in two, for as much as she loved the little one and had come to see him as her own, she doubted that Atreus would ever let her see him again.

But if Dios wasn’t with Serene, why had Atreus said he was? Things were not making sense and there was no way she was staying cooped up in that hotel room when Dios’ life was at stake.

She put the phone down and returned to the main room, a plan forming in her mind.

“Fine, I’ll stay,” she said to Onella, fanning her face with her hand. “But I need a drink.”

“Well, that’s easy enough. Check the minibar,” Onella said.

Carla bent down and did so. Her eyes scanned the assorted miniature liquor bottles and cans of soda and sparkling water looking for what
wasn’t
there.

“No,” she said. “I feel like champagne.”

“Champagne? At a time like this?”

“It helps me calm down,” Carla lied. “And it’s the only alcoholic drink that doesn’t make me sick.”

She crossed to the phone and ordered a bottle from the hotel reception. Her hands shook as she returned the receiver to the cradle. She hated lying to Onella but it was for Dios’ sake.

“This is terrible, just terrible,” said Onella.

“I know,” said Carla. She sat down next to Onella on the bed and put her arm around her. Guilt tugged at her conscience. “But we’ll get through this together and Dios will be safe.”

“If Serene is somehow back in the picture and Atreus is stupid enough to go with her, I’ll fight for custody of Dios myself. I
am
his Godmother,” Onella said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe.”

Carla wondered if any of the story about Serene was actually true as the women settled into an empty silence. They stayed there, in each other’s comforting embrace, until they heard a knock on the door. Carla sprang to her feet and hurried over to open it, trying to appear casual.

“Oh, thank the Lord,” she sighed, opening the door.

“Your champagne, Madam,” the hotel staffer said.

“Thank you. Please take it inside,” she replied, stepping to the side so he could pass.

As soon as the man had entered the room, his delivery cart blocking the path to the door, Carla dashed through the doorway and down the softly-lit corridor, slipping off her heels as she went. She was light on her bare feet as she darted along the plush burgundy carpet. When she finally reached the elevator, she hammered on the button, casting nervous glances back toward the room all the while.

“Carla, what are you doing?” Onella called from behind her.

“I’m sorry, Onella,” Carla replied, still pounding on the elevator button, “but I have to find out what’s going on! For Dios.”

The elevator was so slow in coming that she ducked into the stairwell instead and fled down the stairs. When she reached the hotel lobby she sprinted to the exit, abandoning any pretense of nonchalance. The uniformed doormen bowed ceremoniously anyway and slowly pulled the heavy glass doors open while she waited anxiously. Once the tiniest sliver of space was available, she pushed her way through it and hailed a passing cab.

*****

Atreus sat in the back of a black London cab and watched the lights of Gatwick Airport.