Savannah’s eyes filled with tears and she pulled her sister close. ‘We’ll talk later.’
Alex’s father called out to Richie just before he left the room. ‘You seem to have forgotten something, Richie.’
Richie spun on his heels, looking at Robert expectantly.
Alex’s father looked him dead in the eye and said calmly, ‘You didn’t make us.We made you.’
Richie left this time, with a lot less bluster.
After he had gone, all the eyes in the room turned expectantly to Alex. But it was his mom who spoke first. ‘So… You’re not together, you and Ellie – it was all a ruse?’
His shoulders slumped and he flopped down into a nearby couch. ‘Yes, at first. But now I wish we were together. More than anything. I love her, Mom… and I’ve ruined her life.’
Alex’s dad sat down beside him. ‘Then go get her, make it right. I’m not allowing you back into this house until you make Ellie one of us. Understood?’
Alex could barely turn his head to look at him. His chest ached with every breath. ‘After everything that’s happened? I’ll be surprised if she ever speaks to me again.’
Liam leaned down in front of him, and placed both hands on his shoulders, until Alex raised his eyes to meet his. Liam repeated the same words that Alex had said to him on his wedding day: ‘You can do this. Everything is going to be okay. Okay?’
Alex stood, wrapped his arms around his brother, and squeezed him tightly. His family were finally supporting him in the way he’d always wanted, with love and acceptance.
Now, all he needed was Ellie, and for once he wasn’t going to give up.
‘I’ll bring her back to us,’ he said firmly. ‘I promise.’
Chapter Thirty-Five
Someone was banging loudly on the shop door.
‘For fuck’s sake, when will they get the hint?’ snapped Mark, taking an angry swig of his coffee, while his leg twitched uncontrollably beneath the kitchen table.
‘I wouldn’t have any more coffee if I were you,’ Ellie said quietly, fully aware she wasn’t in any position to give medical advice, considering she was suspended and awaiting full investigation.
‘Love…’ said her mum carefully, glancing at Mark before she continued, ‘Mark and I have been talking and we think you should speak with one of them. One of the nice ones, at least.’
Ellie snorted. ‘Nice ones? Are you mad? They’re all a bunch of sharks.’ She hadn’t mentioned the NDA. She was ashamed of signing it, of accepting the hush money. She hadn’t even deposited the cheque yet – how could she when they were trapped inside?
The banging came again, louder this time, and they all looked at each other huddled in their snug like it was the Blitz, the curtains drawn and a blanket of fear wrapped around them.
‘I don’t get why they’re still here,’ said Nanna helplessly.
‘They want a story. They’ll get bored soon.’ Ellie huddled further into her dressing gown. She’d not dressed in days, and had only showered when Nanna insisted.
‘They want an explanation,’ growled her mother ‘We all want an explanation.’
‘I told you. We made a pact to fake-date. That’s all it was, just an act to make Alex look better in front of his ex. This was never meant to happen. The press has twisted everything, but eventually they’ll move on.’
Her mother bristled and threw down a tabloid article with Ellie’s bum plastered across the cover. A new wave of nausea washed over her. ‘He can move on. We’ve got to hide from the light of day like a bunch of cockroaches. What possessed you to ruin that poor girl’s wedding—’
‘Angela!’ snapped Nanna, with an angry shake of her head.
Ellie’s bottom lip trembled. ‘Why do you believe the papers over me?’
‘No… I…’ Her mum lowered her head for a moment and then added defensively, ‘You should have realised how dodgy this set-up was from the start.’
‘Why?’ asked Ellie bitterly, already knowing the answer.
‘Men like that are not interested—’
