Thick as Thieves (The Greystone Family: Stolen Hearts #3)

Chapter 27

27

Evie

I hear the noise of children. Xander is up, and as usual he gets the breakfasts sorted.

“Evie, do you want to feed them here this morning?” He’s come into the bedroom, where Kell is still asleep at the side of me, and I shake my head.

“I’ll come through, let him sleep a bit more,” I whisper back and slip out of bed, putting on a robe. I feel confident, and rested. Ready to take on the new day. The boys' noise level goes up when they see me.

Xan’s smile of love at them makes my heart bloom. “Is it Mummy? Yes, she loves you,” he coos at Sorley as he brings the boy over to me.

I get comfy in the chair as Valentina brings over Lochi, nodding and smiling at me. Their beautiful grey eyes lock on me. Sorley puts his hands near my collar bone, his little fingers stroking my skin. Xander kisses their heads, smiling at me, then kissing me. He loves this time in the morning, watching the boys, watching me with them.

“I think I’ll stay here,” I tell him, “and not come to the gig. It’s easier than carting all the stuff, especially if we need to make a quick getaway. We’re not that quick or invisible these days.”

He nods at me. “We can get there, do the gig, and then come straight back. Do you think you’ll be fine?”

I nod positively, bolstered by my confidence this morning.

“Yep.” I mull over things whilst the boys are feeding. “Where do you think the information came from in the UK?” I ask. “Have you seen it? What was said?” Curiosity is killing me.

“No, I haven’t had a chance. But we should see a bit today.”

Kell’s phone is on the worktop, buzzing and lighting up constantly. Xan looks at it and laughs out. “Rowena,” he says. “That’ll please him. She’s probably seen the papers. She never bothered ringing before.” He shakes his head. “Maybe it’s time to help her find another hobby, other than Marcus. A husband maybe?” He’s laughing at that.

“Who needs a new hobby?” Kell comes out of the bedroom, rumpled hair, PJ bottoms hanging low on his hips, his tattoos on show, muscles on show. Both Xander and I go quiet. He stops dead and glances at us both staring at him. He smirks and pushes his hands more through his hair, mussing it up into the bad boy look. Then he stretches his arms above his head, clasping his fingers together and stretching out, elongating his body so the bottoms drop even lower.

I look up at Xan, who is looking at Kell with total lust.

I lean back and bite Xan’s ear and say, “Do it for me.”

Xander looks down at me, desire in his eyes. I nod at both the boys and whisper to him, “Come back and tell me.”

I know this will wind him up even more. His pupils blow open wider, and Kell stands smirking at him before turning and strutting back into the bedroom. Checking where Valentina is before pushing his bottoms lower on his arse so only we can see his very toned arse cheeks. The cheeky git even wiggles it a bit.

Xan kisses me and moves after him down the corridor, slamming the door shut.

Valentina appears in the kitchen, looks over at me. I shrug at her and she giggles, “Magnifico.”

“Si,” I agree with her.

Texas knocks at the door a bit later. “Can I help with anything this morning, Evie? Buen dia, Valentina.” She smiles at us all.

“Buen dia.”

“Aren’t you going with Gabe to the gig?” I ask her in surprise. She is here for Gabe, after all.

“Well not if you need help. I’d rather stay and be with the twins and you. Candy can go with him.” I raise my eyebrows at her and she shrugs. “He’s agreed if you do.” She’s obviously teed it up with Gabe already.

“Well yes, we’d love to have you. We’re just doing city stuff this morning. And later Valentina is having another dinner near some boats in the south of the city. Again, family, so if you want to come along to everything, you’re welcome.”

She practically claps her hands together in glee. Taking Sorley in her arms, she holds him, chattering to him. “Are you going on some boats?” She’s kissing his face, cooing, “Are you going on the river?” She gently sways with him as Valentina comes and takes Lochi.

“I’ll get some tea. Can I get anyone a cup?”

We discuss plans for the next few days over tea. Tommy comes in and we talk security. I think I’m trying to block out the fact that we’ll be hassled, we’ll be chased around, we may be pushed and shoved a bit. My apprehension levels are ramping up.

“What time did you book us for, Tommy?” I’m trying to sound nonchalant.

“I picked the afternoon, after the twins’ lunch. It’s booked for 2:00 p.m. They may be asleep, but if not they’re happy in the pushchair at that time, so…” He chucks Lochi under the chin, and the little boy smiles and puts his arms out to him. “Come to your uncle Tommy,” he says to the boy.

“Are you claiming them, Tommy?” Asks Kell, coming into the room in only his sweats. He looks at me and grins.

“Oh my god, pack it in.” I shake my head at him and his grin gets wider.

“Pack what in?” asks Xan, also coming into the kitchen in sweats only, no shirt. They’re both grinning at me. They’ve done it on purpose. I can see Texas with her tongue hanging out, staring at the beauty parade on show.

“I’m ignoring you both,” I tell them, trying but failing to sound confident in the lie.

“Really?” laughs out Kell. He starts doing stretches, and crazy lunges.

“What are you doing?” My voice rises higher and higher as my pulse starts to pound faster.

“Stretching. I’m off to the gym, we need to work out. Xander’s not as fit as he thinks he is.” He winks at Xan.

“Fuck off,” Xan says, coming to stand behind me at the kitchen counter. “I’ve got a story to tell you, Evie, you need to listen to it.”

His voice is so mild but his intentions are not. He looks like the devil, enticing me into hell. The most gorgeous blue-eyed, black-haired devil. And probably the best hell I’ve ever been enticed into. I’m panting at him as he lays his finger over my neck where he can see my pulse pounding. He rubs his thumb over it, moving my scent into the air. I see his nostrils flare, and his eyes change to a darker blue. I can hardly breathe or look away.

Tommy clears his throat and Xan smirks at him. “Sore throat, Tommy?”

“No, I need to sort the itinerary. Mick’s on his way up to sort yours.”

Xander has not moved his finger from my pulse point, and he’s still staring intently at me. No one says anything else.

“Can it wait?” asks Xan in the same conversational, casual tone, but his stare is anything but.

“No, sorry, you’ll be gone in an hour,” Tommy asserts.

“Shame,” says Xander. “I’m a good storyteller. In fact, I’d even say I’m one of the best.” He leans forwards saying, “Hold that thought, Kitten. Keep focusing on it while we’re away.” He then licks up the side of my neck. Nobody has moved. They’re all watching this ridiculous show. Particularly Texas, who’s avidly watching from Xan to Kell to me and back.

He turns my head and looks into my eyes, and then moves them to Kellen, who looks like he’s happy to go back to the bedroom. “Better get dressed then,” he says lightly, kisses me, and then moves to kissing the boys before walking into the hallway.

“Do I have time for the gym?” Kell asks.

“No,” says Mick coming through the door. “We’ve got a plane sorted, but we have to be away in less than an hour. But we can keep it and come back more or less straight after the gig, so we’ll be back tonight but really late early hours.”