Elliot's Return

[TelephotoMarigold]

Chapter 90

Roman woke slowly inhaling deeply, as he smelt food cooking. He grinned and climbed out of the bed pulling on a bathrobe tightening the belt around him. He walked into the kitchen and grinned as he saw Ella cooking.

“Hello sleepy!” she said to him smiling.

“Can I help it if my sexy wife wore me out?” he said mock grouching at her. He walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist peering over her shoulder at the pan. He saw stir fry and grinned.

“Does it suit master?” she asked leaning back in his arms.

He kissed the back of her neck.

“It looked delicious.” He said not altogether talking about the food.

“Want a beer?” she said trying to control the blush on her face.

He gave a little chuckle and moved over to the fridge. Opening the door he looked inside and frowned for a moment before reaching for the beers. He opened both and handed one to her.

“What’s up?” she asked him now frowning herself.

“Nothing.” He said and grinned. “Just thought there was more in the fridge earlier. Maybe I’m imaging things.”

She gave him a look before looking in the fridge herself.

“Well you have stranded us here for two weeks what do you propose we eat?” she grouched putting her hands on her hips.

He grinned.

“They are actually coming back in a week with supplies.” He confessed giving her a little boy grin.

She glared at him then before closing the fridge and going back to the cooker.

“El?” he asked.

“I can’t believe you sometimes Roman Harris.” She said in a tired sounding voice.

“I know I’m arrogant.” He said still smirking at her. “But I really thought that we could talk and sort through things and that if it didn’t work out I’d go.”

“Is she pregnant?” El asked.

Roman nodded.

“And are you the father?” she asked him.

He shook his head.

“Are you ready to listen El?” he said quietly.

She raised her eyes to him and he saw hurt and anger and distrust in them and a sadness that he suddenly knew whatever explanation he gave to her wouldn’t take away. He would have given anything to be elsewhere in that moment than to see that look on her face.

“El?” he asked quietly.

She nodded and moved over to the sofa sitting down abruptly.

“Ok.” she said.

He eased down into the chair pulling it opposite.

“I set her up.” He began. “I got Pete to meet her telling her that he was me.”

She looked at him and waited.

“She told him that I was the father, or rather he was. I was sitting on the next table and she didn’t even recognise me.” He added. “Then we confronted her later and she admitted that she left the club the same time as me but nothing happened.”

Ella looked at him and breathed out slowly unaware she had been holding her breath.

“There’s more.” He said after a moment.

She looked up at him waiting.

“I’ve given her some money towards the baby and we’ve sorted her out an apartment so that she and the baby will be ok.”

She gave him a smile.

“Really?” she asked.

He nodded.

She flung herself into the armchair on his lap and put her arms around his neck clutching him tight.

“El.” He said her name quietly.

“I love you for taking care of her.” she said.

“You believe it isn’t my baby?” he said.

She nodded.

“And that I didn’t sleep with her.”

She nodded again.

“I needed to know you were right, but if you ever do that again El I think I will do something violent.” He muttered. “You gave me a ring promising forever and always and you took that away.”

She eased back.

“I had to. You weren’t sleeping you weren’t eating and you had stopped talking to me. All we were doing was.” She stopped her gaze going over to the bedroom door.

He gave a slow smile.

“I was avoiding the issue.”

“And how long would that have lasted?”

He gave a slow grin.

“For another few weeks.” He said.

She shook her head.

“I’m sorry El I shouldn’t joke when it so hurtful. I don’t know, is the answer. I was in the hotel room the night you kicked me out and I didn’t believe that you could mean it. I thought a few nights and I would be back home. I never gave a thought to how you were feeling.”

She eased back and looked at him.

“And if you think Nic meekly told me where you were well you’d be wrong.” He shook his head grinning as he remembered talking Nic into revealing Ella’s whereabouts.

She stood up and drained the bottle of beer.

“We’re not getting back together.” She told him.

He looked over at her feeling a familiar surge of anger at her words before letting them sink in.

“What do you suggest?” he asked after a long silence.

“Being apart for a while. Roman I love you.” She said quietly. “But your anger has frightened me and well with the Elliot stuff I need some space and time.”

He stood moving over to her.

“What do you suggest?” he asked again.

“That we date.” She murmured.

He grinned.

“Date?” he said still smiling.

“You know romance and stuff.” She pointed out.

“Romance?” he asked. “Like candles and fizzy wine and flowers?” he murmured with a grin.

She looked at him and gave a slow smile.

“And dinner out. Going to movies. Picnics.“ She told him.

“We haven’t done that for a long time.” he admitted.

She nodded.

“Not since before I was ill.” She told him softly.

He gave a small shake of hi head.

“Roman I don’t want to be with you because I can’t function without you I want to be with you because I love you and being with you is wonderful. And the romance stuff works both ways.”

He gave her a smile at the last part of the statement.

“Like candles on the beach.” he said.

She nodded.

“I hurt you that night didn’t I?” he sighed.

She looked at him before taking hold of his hand.

“Yes you did. I’ve never.” She stopped flushing a bright red. “Well I’ve never felt the need to fake it before but that night I felt pressured. That somehow it was symbolic and I couldn’t enjoy it because you were so angry.”

“I know.” He said giving her hand a squeeze. He avoided mentioning the attack or Gardy but knew that must have been in her mind that night and instead of asking him to stop she had let him think that she had enjoyed it. He felt a surge of guilt.

She looked at him them and gave a slow smile.

“But I think we are lucky. We’ve been married a long time and we are still in love and still want each other.”

He gave a small nod before pulling her into his arms.

“I do love you Ella and I understand what you are saying.”

She gave him a grateful smile before moving into the kitchen and fetching their dinner. She sat on the sofa and he sat next to her accepting the dish from her. He leaned over and kissed her before eating the food.

“It’s quiet.” He commented.

“The island or the lack of children?” she asked him.

“Both.” He grinned at her.

“Well there is the music centre.” She pointed out.

“Does this place have a back up generator?” He questioned.

She gave him a curious look before nodding.

“It’s for emergency’s although the solar panels provide all the electricity. There is a stream that provides the fresh water.” She gave him a smile. “It’s an eco-cottage.”

He smiled nodding.

“I noticed the fire place. The wood is round the back.”

She looked at him.

“We are getting picked up in two weeks aren’t we?” she asked suspiciously.

He gave a small chuckle.

“Yes.” He confirmed placing his empty bowl on the floor. “I just noticed some storm clouds gathering outside when I woke up.”

She stood and moved to the door looking out over the horizon.

“Oh.” She gasped.

He chuckled moving to stand next to her.

“See.” He said pulling her back against him. “I think I’ll get dressed and fetch some wood in to light the fire.” He told her softly.

She gave a sigh.

“Hey, fires are romantic.” He told her.

She nodded.

“But so is frolicking naked on the beach!” she told him with a grin.

He pressed a kiss to the end of her nose before going into the bedroom to get dressed. He checked that Ella was out of eyeshot before moving over to his bag and getting out his pistol. Checking the safety was on and the ammo clip was in place he tucked it in the back of his trousers and pulled his T-shirt down covering the bulge at the back keeping it loose so to disguise it. He placed a small torch in his pocket and slipped outside. His eyes scanned the gathering darkness before he checked the ground for tracks. The blowing wind had shifted the sands covering any signs of trespass and he cursed silently.

He continued moving to the woodpile keeping a look out as he filled the basket with logs. He caught sight of a piece of silver foil on the ground nearby and carried on with his task looking like all he was doing was collecting the wood. He knew that his suspicions were correct and his gut felt that old familiar feeling of dread mixed with a curious excitement. He made out he dropped one of the logs from the basket bending down and looking at the foliage near the foil wrapper from a candy bar out of the fridge. They were Ella’s favourites and he’d brought them over himself. And Ella was way too conscious about the environment to drop litter. He noticed bent leaves and a broken stem further along the path. Putting the log back in the basket he moved into the house.

Ella was sitting on the sofa with a wrap around her shoulders as she read her book from earlier. He gave her a smile before unloading the wood by the fireplace, picking up the basket he went outside again and refilled it before closing the shutters and securing them. He carried the second basket of logs inside before moving to the veranda and pulling down the shutters there.

“Where is the generator?” he asked Ella moving into the room and closing the door behind him.

“You think we are in for a bad storm?” she asked.

He gave a small tight nod and caught her brief look of puzzlement before she stood and moved over to front door and opened it. She pointed to the end of the veranda and the door that led to the utility room.

“Good so we don’t have to go outside to get it going.” He said and then smiled at her.

She still looked puzzled and he put his arm around her before giving her a kiss. He forgot about the gun nestling in the small of his back and flinched when he felt her hand touch it as she put her arm around him.

“Roman?” she asked slowly.

She moved quickly, faster than he expected tugging up his shirt and grabbing the gun from his waistband. She looked at the gun and within a moment instinct took over and she cleared the weapon and checked the safety before dropping it to the floor. He gave her a look of horror as she starred at him.

“Is it your baby?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“But you slept with her.”

Again he shook his head but she picked up on his hesitation.

“And why the gun Roman?” she asked. “Why were you so desperate that you would lie to me tonight? Who is after you now?”

“Elliot.” he said. “It can only be Elliot.”

“How? Why?” She muttered. “Although I know the why don’t I?”

“When I got the boat over here he mentioned that he…”

She looked at him.

“You bastard.” She said softly. “You complete bastard. It’s a lie you had the gun already. You knew he was here and what did you do?” she glared at him. “You had me naked on the beach and all the time he was out there watching. He saw us making love. And you let him.”

Ella gave him a last look before heading into the bathroom. He heard her start to be sick and then the shower come on and knew in the pit of his stomach that they were really over she wouldn’t believe anything he said now.

She came out after an hour looking pale and haunted.

“I’ll be going ahead with the divorce and you can petition to see the children but I’ll fight you. I want you out of our lives. Call the boat over I want to go get the children.”

He looked up and nodded.

“I swear I didn’t know he was here. I just suspected.” He said softly.

She glared at him.

“You suspected?” she asked her voice like ice. “You suspected and you put on a nice display for him didn’t you? Maybe I should take up a career in the porn industry. Do you think I got him off with my antics?”

“Ella.” He said looking at her. “I swear until tonight I didn’t know he was here.”

She shook her head and moved into the bedroom away from him.

He bent down and collected the gun loading the clip again ensuring the safety was still on. He walked over to the radio and tried to call for them to come out and collect them. He tugged the radio from the housing and opened it up to see the insides were gone. He gave a small curse before heading to the bedroom pausing at the door. He gave a small soft knock and opened it seeing Ella lying dry eyed on the bed. He moved over to the wardrobe and pulled out his bag. He took out the satellite phone and started to make the call to Jacko.

[TelephotoMarigold]

Chapter 91

Ella lay dry eyed in the bed listening to the first rain drops on the roof. She sat up and moved into the lounge. Roman had lit the fire and was sat up in the chair beside it. He was reading the book she had discarded earlier and he looked up at her.

“I swear if..” he began and trailed off when he saw her expression.

“When are they coming?” she asked.

He shrugged.

“After the storm.” He told her. “Apparently they had it bad up the coast.”

She gave a shirt abrupt nod and moved over to the cupboard opening it up and taking out the only bottle of alcohol in there and unscrewing the top she took a long swallow.

He watched her with narrowed eyes before standing up and moving over to her.

“You hate whisky.” He said trying to take the bottle from her.

“I hate you more.” She retorted and snatched it from him turning and moving into the bedroom. The door crashed shut behind her and she crawled into the bed tugging the covers over her as she drank from the bottle. She treated it like medicine to get it down her needing to feel numb because if she thought about what they had just gone through she would fall apart.

Roman stood outside the bedroom door for a long time before opening it and moving over to her in the bed. He pulled the bottle out of her hand and took it into the kitchen where he began pouring it down the sink.

“Stop controlling me.” She screamed at him. “I want a drink.” She’d moved out of the bedroom and was standing beside him.

He turned looking at her.

“You don’t drink this.” He told her. “Remember?”

She glared at him hate in her eyes, hate and a deep hurt.

“I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to think about you or what we did on the beach or anything.”

“Well you aren’t doing it that way.” He muttered picking up the bottle to empty the rest of it.

She lunged forward and grabbed for the bottle. It fell from his grip and smashed in the sink. Her co-ordination shot from the amount she’d already drunk she couldn’t stop her hand connecting with the broken glass. It sliced into her hand and then part of her arm. She gasped at the first pin pricks of pain then gave a sick moan as the blood seeped from the wound. It began travelling faster until it was almost gushing from the cuts. She moaned again and tried to snatch her hand away from him as he reached for her.

“Ella.” He cried out.

She shook her head at him her face paling as she looked at the blood. He ran into the bathroom and yanked at a towel running back into the kitchen. He wrapped her arm and hand in the fluffy white towel noting with horror how it turned pink and then crimson.

“First aid box.” He muttered.

She looked at him and then moved her head in the direction of the bathroom. Putting his arm around her he led her into the bathroom and sat her on the side of the bath. He opened the cupboard doors rapidly looking for the first aid kit. He found it at last surprised to realise his hands was shaking. He took a steadying breath and opened the kit sighing with relief when he found a suture kit. He put it to one side before carefully unwrapping the bloodstained towel from her arm. He looked at the cut on her hand first noting that it had almost stopped bleeding and knew it would require at least a couple of stitches. Next he looked at the deep cut in her arm. He let out a small moan as he probed it gently. There was a glass sliver inside it and he reached for the tweezers trying to be gentle but from the way she gave a moan knew he was hurting her. He finally got it and pressed down with a new towel to stem the residual bleeding.

Taking the antiseptic from the kit he unscrewed the bottle and looked into her eyes before tipping the contents over her arm. She let out a scream as the sharp lotion connected with the two cuts.

“I’m sorry.” He said.

She closed her eyes rejecting his words with that small gesture.

He looked at her before pulling on the sterile gloves and opening the suture kit. Within half an hour he’d sown the two cuts and put a dressing on her arm. She stood and moved out of the bathroom into the bedroom. Lying on the bed she closed her eyes and willed herself to go to sleep.

Roman cleaned up the bathroom putting the kit away in the cupboard. He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and felt tears leaching into his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat pulling himself together with difficulty and moved out checking the room. He added more wood to the fire to combat the sudden chill in the room before cleaning up the broken glass.

After a few minutes he sank back in the chair and focus back on the book. Outside the wind howled and the rain came down in sheets. He could hear the waves crashing on the shore and he prayed that the storm would abate so he could get Ella to safety. His eyes becoming heavy he felt them closing before sleep claimed him.

A loud crash woke him and he shot upright frowning as the lights flickered before failing. He moved quickly lighting some candles and going into the bedroom. He gasped when he saw the window smashed in and the room empty. He moved quickly seeing broken glass on the floor by the window and a tree branch through the window.

“El.” He whispered.

He heard a whimper and turned in the direction of the wardrobe.

“Are you ok?” he asked.

“Yes.” She said.

“I have a candle her come out and hold it for me.” He instructed.

She crawled out of the wardrobe and scrambled over to him.

Roman looked at her and gave her a brief smile before handing over the candle. He reached for the mattress off the bed and dragged it to the other room coming back after a minute for the covers and pillows.

He led Ella back through to the lounge, closing the door firmly behind him and went round lighting the aptly named hurricane lamp before the numerous candles taking the one from her shaking hands. They provided a soft glow around the room as he set up the mattress on the floor in front of the fire.

“Come on.” He said softly.

She climbed into the makeshift bed and he tucked her in before lying on the covers next to her.

“I promise to keep you safe.” He whispered stroking her hair back form her face.

“Keep away from me.” She said after a minute turning away from him.

He gave a sigh and moved back to the chair.

“Why the wardrobe?” he asked after a while.

“Because it was the one place my mother didn’t find me. She wouldn’t let Michael see that she was hurting me.” Ella told him in a quiet voice.

“That is twice now I’ve found you in there.” He murmured.

“You’re angry.” She said.

He flinched.

“You think I would hurt you like that?”

“You’ve hurt me every way there is.” She told him.

“But you think I would beat you.”

“I hid from Elliot and he found me.” She said after a long pause not answering his question.

“We’re really over aren’t we?” he found himself asking.

She nodded.

“I don’t want you anymore.” She said in a normal tone of voice all the more chilling for it’s normalcy. “I’m going to take the kids and go a long way away. I never want to see or hear your name mentioned.”

He covered his mouth to stop himself from saying anything and focused on staying awake the rest of the night watching over her.

[TelephotoMarigold]

Chapter 92

Ella woke in the half-light of dawn. The rain was still coming down although had eased off from how it had been before. She sat up and winced, looking at the arm she’d cut the night before.

“Morning.” Roman said quietly.

She half turned and looked at him.

“When are they coming for us?” she asked.

“They aren’t sure. Probably not until tomorrow.” He said softly. “Unless the weather breaks they can’t make it from their end.”

She glared at him before standing and moving off the makeshift bed.

“You should go see if you can find Elliot. He may need help after last nights storm.” she said to him as she moved into the bathroom.

Roman looked at her before she closed the door and grinned for a brief moment. Before taking the mattress and putting it up against the wall out of the way. He moved into the kitchen and put water onto boil having gone out early and switched the generator on. He thought about making breakfast but she would reject what he made and he didn’t feel much like eating himself.

He turned at the sound of a door opening and paled when he saw Elliot standing in the bedroom doorway a gun in his hand.

“Hello Hardcore.” He murmured.

“Elliot.” he said loudly.

The man looked at him and put his head to one side.

“Hoping to warn the Mrs?” he asked grinning. “Thought you suspected it was me last night. She always hid in the wardrobe to get away from me.”

Roman looked over at the other man and felt a surge of loathing. He almost groaned when Ella came out of the bathroom at that point.

“Elliot.” she said quietly. “I thought you were done with this.”

“Not yet.” Elliot said. “I thought it was done. I could see you loved him Ella but he’s a killer.”

She took a step towards Elliot.

“Please move I want to get dressed.” She said with a quiet dignity.

Elliot gave her a look before stepped over to one side and letting her though the bedroom. She nodded at him before selecting clothes and moving back into the bathroom, her movements calm and deliberate.

She left the door ajar as she dressed the other side of it. She collected a clean bandage from the first aid kit and came out after a moment and moved over to Roman with her hand outstretched.

He looked into her eyes and then over at Elliot before accepting the cotton gauze wrapping and began to slowly redress her arm. She gave him a couple of safety pins and watched as he placed them securing the end.

“Thank you.” she murmured, using the exercise to slip Roman a scalpel from the medical kit. He managed to put it in his pocket surreptitiously.

“What do you have in mind now Elliot?” Roman asked.

“I thought a nice little run through the jungle just like the one you gave me.” He murmured slowly sitting down in the armchair.

Ella looked at them both before making a cup of coffee for herself. She took it over to the sofa and picked up her book beginning reading.

“Now how is that for cool?” Elliot asked moving the gun to his other hand.

“My wife is amazing but you didn’t come here for that?” Roman asked folding his arms across his chest. “Or did you? Did you hope that she would come to you?”

Ella gave Roman a brief look before focusing on the book again. She missed the look that Elliot sent her way, but she didn’t miss the way Roman looked at her.

She took a sip of coffee and gave a small sigh.

“Is it still raining?” she asked.

Roman moved to the door and opened it and the sound of the falling rain got louder.

“That would be a yes then?” Ella answered her own question.

Roman nodded looking at her.

She gave a small tight smile and looked over at Elliot.

“You’ve won.” She told him.

Elliot smiled looking from one to the other noting Roman’s puzzlement.

“Haven’t you guessed yet Hardcore?” Elliot taunted.

Ella stood up and folded her arms across herself wincing slightly as she forgot about the cut on her arm.

Roman watched her ignoring Elliot.

“He’s taken me away from you. The thing you love most and he’s destroyed it.” She murmured and saw Roman pale.

“No.” he denied.

She nodded.

“He knew what to do, you see. He kept turning the screw until we fell apart.” She said.

Roman moved and sank down on the sofa looking over at Elliot.

“Your Achilles heel Hardcore. I couldn’t break her as Beth so I brought her back and let you think you had got her from me.” He murmured. And I pushed and pushed watching as you started to fall apart.”

Ella stood and walked to the door looking out on the rain.

“He let it be known he was here so you would come here ready to take care of him. Forcing us into another last argument.”

Roman gave a brief bitter sounding chuckle.

“So what now Elliot?” he asked the other man. “Are you going to finish the job?”

Ella shook her head.

“He doesn’t have to. Do you?” she addressed Elliot.

“Nope.” he confirmed placing his gun on the floor. “You get to live in a world knowing the Ella will never be with you again. And more than that Hardcore, you’ll probably have to watch as she dates and fall in love with someone else.”

Roman leant back against the sofa and gave a little sigh. He looked at Ella and then Elliot.

“So what now?” he asked talking as much to Ella as Elliot.

Ella gave a small smile.

“I’m going to go pack and we should clean up the glass in the bedroom.” Ella said moving past Elliot.

Elliot gave Roman a small victorious grin.

The storm stopped suddenly and within minutes the sun was shining again. Ella sat on the veranda and looked out at the dock waiting until she saw the boat pull up. She moved toward it quickly and saw Jacko and Pete climbing off.

“Girlie.” Jacko said when he saw her.

She gave him a quick smile.

“Take me first and then come back for them.” she said handing Jacko her bag. He put it on the boat and then turned to her.

“Girlie?” he asked.

She looked at him and then Pete.

“It’s over. It’s finished.” She said putting her sunglasses over her eyes and stepping into the boat.

Pete climbed aboard the leaving Jacko on the Island. He pulled away slowly and watched as Jacko moved toward the house.

“Hardcore?” Jacko called out.

Roman moved out of the house and saw Ella on the boat as it pulled away in the still blue water. She was standing so her back was to the Island. He gave a small smile before turning to Jacko.

“Elliot is here.” He said quietly.

Jacko looked at him and then went into the cottage. He saw the other man sitting on the chair and swore softly under his breath before turning to Roman.

“So what happened?” he asked him.

“He won.” Roman said. “He took away the most precious thing in my life.”

The End........

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