best for her son. Because Milo could provide the best, she had given him the right to have the child baptised Alexei Drakos, rather than Kazan, her original intention.
Milo had also demanded the right to provide for his son’s expensive education, with the stipulation that Alex made regular visits to him in Athens and his holiday home on Corfu. When the boy was young these were experiences eagerly anticipated by both father and son. After the shock of his grandfather’s revelations, teenage Alex still kept to the agreed visits to his father because his mother was adamant that he should, but he spent most of his time there either swimming in the pool in Corfu, or in Athens glued to the latest thing in computers Milo had bought his son in an effort to win the hostile boy’s approval.
Thus began Alex’s early passion for technology, which in time led to his development of innovative software which made him a fortune. He had still been at the famous British school his father had insisted on mainly, Alex knew, to prevent him from becoming a ‘mother’s boy’ as Milo feared would happen if his son was left to grow up with only female supervision once old Cyrus died. But Alexei had a parting gift ready for his father during their final holiday together. Due to a stomach bug he left Corfu after only a few days, and at the airport handed Milo a cheque whichcovered the full amount expended on his education over the years. ‘Now I owe you nothing,’ he told his father, and left Milo standing stricken as his son boarded the plane. These days Alex felt more regret than satisfaction at the memory, and quickly shut it out by contacting Theo Lazarides to say he was about to dock.
Eleanor was so deeply immersed in her article she almost jumped out of her skin when someone hammered on her door. She flung it open and stared in shock into the dark and angry eyes of Alexei Drakos.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he demanded, his accent more pronounced than usual.
‘I might ask the same of you,’ she retorted. ‘You frightened the life out of me.’
‘I damn well hope I did. You threw open the door without even checking to see who it was. After what happened last night are you mad, woman?’ He glared at her. ‘I rang Theo Lazarides when I was on the ferry and he said you’d gone. Why the devil didn’t you stay on Kyrkiros as arranged?’
‘Once the intruder was in custody it was unnecessary.’ Eleanor’s chin lifted. ‘In any case, why are
you
here? Sofia told me you weren’t coming back to Kyrkiros.’
He shrugged impatiently. ‘That was the original plan before all the melodrama yesterday. But after sorting everything with the police, and the rush to get my mother over to the ferry on time this morning, I forgot to tell Sofia I was returning to the island for a while after all. Look,’ he added more reasonably, ‘Must we discuss this outside? Let me in.’
Eleanor shook her head. ‘I think not.’
He made a visible effort to control his temper. ‘
Why
not?’
Her chin lifted. ‘Because you’re angry with me.’
Alexei closed his eyes for a moment, as though praying for patience. When he opened them again he stepped backa fraction and raised his hands. ‘Ms Markham—Eleanor—I come in peace. I have no intention of harming you in any way. I’m here to take you back to Kyrkiros to make sure you come to no further harm than you’ve already suffered. There I can keep you safe. Here it is impossible. My mother would never forgive me if anything happened to you that I could have prevented.’
Eleanor frowned, perplexed. ‘But I don’t need to be kept safe now the kidnapper’s locked up.’
‘The man who hired him is still out there.’ His mouth tightened.
‘Look, Mr Drakos …’
He raised a mocking eyebrow. ‘It’s a bit late for formality!’
She shrugged. ‘Alexei, then.’
‘Alex.’
‘I have a much simpler solution to the problem—Alex.’
‘Which is?’
‘I forget the
Milo had also demanded the right to provide for his son’s expensive education, with the stipulation that Alex made regular visits to him in Athens and his holiday home on Corfu. When the boy was young these were experiences eagerly anticipated by both father and son. After the shock of his grandfather’s revelations, teenage Alex still kept to the agreed visits to his father because his mother was adamant that he should, but he spent most of his time there either swimming in the pool in Corfu, or in Athens glued to the latest thing in computers Milo had bought his son in an effort to win the hostile boy’s approval.
Thus began Alex’s early passion for technology, which in time led to his development of innovative software which made him a fortune. He had still been at the famous British school his father had insisted on mainly, Alex knew, to prevent him from becoming a ‘mother’s boy’ as Milo feared would happen if his son was left to grow up with only female supervision once old Cyrus died. But Alexei had a parting gift ready for his father during their final holiday together. Due to a stomach bug he left Corfu after only a few days, and at the airport handed Milo a cheque whichcovered the full amount expended on his education over the years. ‘Now I owe you nothing,’ he told his father, and left Milo standing stricken as his son boarded the plane. These days Alex felt more regret than satisfaction at the memory, and quickly shut it out by contacting Theo Lazarides to say he was about to dock.
Eleanor was so deeply immersed in her article she almost jumped out of her skin when someone hammered on her door. She flung it open and stared in shock into the dark and angry eyes of Alexei Drakos.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he demanded, his accent more pronounced than usual.
‘I might ask the same of you,’ she retorted. ‘You frightened the life out of me.’
‘I damn well hope I did. You threw open the door without even checking to see who it was. After what happened last night are you mad, woman?’ He glared at her. ‘I rang Theo Lazarides when I was on the ferry and he said you’d gone. Why the devil didn’t you stay on Kyrkiros as arranged?’
‘Once the intruder was in custody it was unnecessary.’ Eleanor’s chin lifted. ‘In any case, why are
you
here? Sofia told me you weren’t coming back to Kyrkiros.’
He shrugged impatiently. ‘That was the original plan before all the melodrama yesterday. But after sorting everything with the police, and the rush to get my mother over to the ferry on time this morning, I forgot to tell Sofia I was returning to the island for a while after all. Look,’ he added more reasonably, ‘Must we discuss this outside? Let me in.’
Eleanor shook her head. ‘I think not.’
He made a visible effort to control his temper. ‘
Why
not?’
Her chin lifted. ‘Because you’re angry with me.’
Alexei closed his eyes for a moment, as though praying for patience. When he opened them again he stepped backa fraction and raised his hands. ‘Ms Markham—Eleanor—I come in peace. I have no intention of harming you in any way. I’m here to take you back to Kyrkiros to make sure you come to no further harm than you’ve already suffered. There I can keep you safe. Here it is impossible. My mother would never forgive me if anything happened to you that I could have prevented.’
Eleanor frowned, perplexed. ‘But I don’t need to be kept safe now the kidnapper’s locked up.’
‘The man who hired him is still out there.’ His mouth tightened.
‘Look, Mr Drakos …’
He raised a mocking eyebrow. ‘It’s a bit late for formality!’
She shrugged. ‘Alexei, then.’
‘Alex.’
‘I have a much simpler solution to the problem—Alex.’
‘Which is?’
‘I forget the
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