CHAPTER ONE
‘GALEN.’HISPAplaced a large take-out coffee on his desk, though it went unacknowledged for he was deep in his work. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but Costa keeps calling—says you were supposed to be meeting him and Leo for dinner at V’s?’
The restaurant was opposite Galen’s head office in Kolonaki Square, a very upmarket neighbourhood in Athens. Both he and Costa had bought, and now worked from, the once dilapidated building. Their businesses were separate entities, though—Costa was into property, and Galen’s passion was technology. And right now, he was exceptionally busy.
‘No,’ Galen said. ‘I’ve told him I can’t make it.’
‘Sure.’
‘Kristina!’ Galen called her back. ‘The care home called this morning with the treatment regime?’
‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘It’s on the report.’
‘I just saw.’ Galen took a breath. Had she told him about Yaya he would have gone over today. Then again, he had insisted on not being disturbed and the care home did call alot. ‘Let me know if it’s regarding treatment.’
‘Noted.’
He heard the slightly tired edge to her tone, reminding him that she was heavily pregnant. ‘Go home?’ he suggested.
‘I don’t need favours.’
‘It’s not a favour. We’ve got a busy weekend coming up and I want you fully on board.’
Galen was by most accounts brilliant...mathematically, technically, fiscally... As for his looks...he was way more than the requisite tall dark and handsome, with intense hazel eyes and an incredible body. His thick black hair, when he had time, was superbly cut. Even by Athens’ high standards, he dressed impeccably.
Not that he cared for fashion. His mind was filled with more important things.
Numbers. Food. Sex. Or numbers. Sex. Food.
Most of the time it was just numbers.
Charts.
Code.
Programming...
Galen didn’t notice the lights going off outside his glass office—he had blacked out the glass. Nor them coming back on as the cleaning team arrived—they knew not to come into his office when he was deep in work.
There were many satellites that orbited Galen’s world—legal, admin, social media, maintenance... The list went on, but Galen loathed all the distractions they created so, in as far as it was possible, they orbited his world offsite.
Onsite, though, aside from the developers, quants, programmers and such, was a small vital army who, apart from one very lazy exception, worked away all the days and nights so that Galen and the team could immerse themselves in tech.
And, yes, while Galen’s brilliance might pay an awful lot of wages, at the core they were a very loyal and exceptionally devoted team to their aloof, at times arrogant and rather remote boss.
A short rap on his door had him frowning, but he remained immersed in work until he heard his name. ‘Galen.’
‘What?’ Galen sighed when he saw that it was Costa. ‘I already said I can’t get there...’ Though come to think of it he was a little hungry. ‘Maybe a quick dinner.’
‘Galen, it’s almost midnight.’
‘Oh!’ He had long since lost track of time.
V’s generally did not do take-out, but there were always exceptions, and Costa handed over a container. ‘Here.’
‘Thanks.’
The chef would probably weep as his carefully prepared lamb tenderloins drizzled in his signature sauce, with delectable baby potatoes and a delicate side salad, were all scooped onto a piece of pitta and rolled up as Costa asked, ‘How’s it all going?’