Chapter 54
CHAPTER 54
ARMAN
I t’s good to be home, it always is, and this time it’s more meaningful because I am returning with somebody incredibly special to me.
I can tell she’s nervous. I expected that and as mama stares at her with curiosity; I hold my breath that she approves of Ellie. It would mean the world to me and to Ellie. For a woman with no family, it’s important mine accepts her and makes her feel part of it.
“Your girlfriend?” Mama’s eyes shine as she smiles her welcome to Ellie and then pulls her into her arms for a hug.
“Welcome, honey. I must say I should send my sons away more often because there’s a trend developing here.”
Ellie appears confused and I add, “Two of my brothers have recently brought girlfriends home. It appears that when one falls, we all follow like dominoes.”
“Not all of us.” A deep voice cuts through my words and I glance toward it and notice my brother Titus heading toward us.
As always, he is the epitome of arrogance as he fixes me with an amused smile.
Ellie’s mouth drops open as he heads toward us, and I can tell she is nervous. Titus has a habit of doing that. He is a surly bastard most of the time and not much splits a grin on his face.
He reaches us and stares at Ellie with a curious nod and says in his husky voice, “Welcome to Russia, Ellie.”
“Um, thank you.” She swallows hard and I can tell she is overwhelmed already and she hasn’t even met the rest of my family yet.
I wish Ana was here to reassure her because my sister does an extremely good job of lightening the dark atmosphere the men in this family creates.
Mama obviously senses it too and turns to her and smiles.
“Come, I have arranged refreshment. You must be exhausted after your flight.”
We follow her into the living area and as we take our seats, I relish being home.
I travel for most of the year and appreciate the time I spend here.
Home is where the heart is, they say, and mine is definitely with my family. The fact an important one is now gone forever makes it harder to be around the familiar, but I have the fallout of that to occupy me and now I have Ellie.
“How did you two meet?” Mama asks with a bright smile and Titus studies her reaction as I take Ellie’s hand and throw the grenade into the room.
“Ellie is my assistant. Things moved on from there.”
“I see.”
Mama smiles, which fades as soon as I say casually, “It turns out Ellie’s mom knows you, mama.”
She raises her eyes. “Who is she?”
“Marsha Steele.” I drop the name like a bomb and study her reaction carefully.
“I believe you attended Two Points together.”
“Yes, we did.” Mama has a wistful expression in her eyes and says sadly, “We were four young, impressionable girls and forged a strong friendship. Marsha was the most outgoing one of all of us and managed to involve us in many scrapes.”
She laughs lightly and stares at Ellie. “Tell me Ellie, is she well?”
“Not really.” Ellie shrugs. “She was murdered a few days ago.”
We all stare at mama for her reaction and the blood drains from her face as she starts to shake.
“But, what…”
Her voice trails off as she turns whiter than snow and Titus says softly, “I’m sorry for your loss, Ellie.”
“Don’t be.” As expected, Ellie is dismissive of his condolences.
“I never knew her and she did everything to avoid me in life, so why should I mourn her now?”
Mama looks up and something in her expression is chilling as she whispers, “Please, Ellie, don’t be so cruel. Your mother was a hard woman, but she did what was right for you.”
Ellie says nothing and I waste no more time and say gruffly, “Marsha came to see me in my office in New York. Ellie was there.”
Mama bows her head, effectively disguising her expression, and I continue. “When she learned Ellie was in the room, she was afraid and broke down.”
“She was right to be afraid.”
Mama’s voice shakes and I notice her hands are too. I share a look with Titus, who nods and I continue.
“She told us that Ellie’s father was looking for her and under no circumstances was she to be found. She begged me to hide her and told us he had wanted her to get rid of the baby when he discovered she was pregnant. He paid Marsha a significant amount for her termination, but she kept the money and her baby.”
Mama places her head in her hands and you could hear a pin drop in the room before I carry on relentlessly.
“Ellie’s grandmother kept a diary and mentioned a visit from a woman who wanted to buy Ellie.”
Mama looks up and I note the shock on her face as she gasps, “Who?”
If anything, that makes me feel better because it appears she wasn’t personally involved and I shrug.
“We don’t know. Only that Ellie’s father is Russian and Marsha met him at a party that you all attended. Can you fill in the gaps, mama? Tell us what happened at Two Points?”