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

Chapter 41

41

Evie

London,

We visit Marshall every day. His heart is fine, they’re not sure about his blood pressure. It’s still not right, and they don’t want to release him. He was very dehydrated and stressed. My crazy exit from Mexico, and him rushing to get to me, leaving behind a stressed Irish family, has caused his body to take a break. They’re unsure about diabetes and keep testing him. He’s getting very annoyed and is on the verge of bolting. I decide to take the twins to see him today. To cheer him up.

I’m armed with my double buggy, which on the streets of London is a problem on a good day. But today is not one of those days. Some idiot has also released a story about my being here with the twins. How I’m causing trauma to my husband and his lover by leaving them high and dry in Mexico. I can’t win. So I’m subjected to stares and some brave people stopping me to talk. Some are supportive, but some—which Tommy had to deal with—are not. I feel like I did when I was pregnant with the twins. Hunted. Prey for a bloodthirsty mob.

I reverse into the room, dragging the buggy in behind me, trying to hold the door with hip then bum cheeks and manoeuvre through it as I mumble to myself. “I’m buying baby tasers.” I continue talking as I enter the room backwards, struggling not to smash the buggy into anything or run over my own foot. “I’m training these two plus the Purcells to taser people who ask intrusive questions. Oh, and stupid ones.”

I stand up, swinging the buggy round to face Marshall in the bed, and stop dead. Kellen and Xander are here, one on each side of Marshall, who looks well guilty.

They don’t say anything, neither do I. The only noise is coming from the buggy, where I hear a bit of a squeal, and Sorley puts his arms up, followed by Lochi. They want out. And they spot people who would carry them around in an instant. Both men have their eyes locked on me. Kellen only breaks the stare to look down at his sons, moving forwards as if in a trance. I hear Xander make a strangled noise, and he too moves towards us.

I step back. No. They’re not coming for me. They stop moving instantly. My lungs have stopped working. I must be going blue with the lack of oxygen in my body. My head is swimming.

“Evie, please, we need to talk,” Kell says, his voice low and desperate. His eyes haunted.

I shake my head, it’s all I can do. I’ll cry and break down if I say a word. I waft at the twins and go to move out of the room.

Marshall opens his mouth as if he’s going to shout my name, and I stop in my tracks.

“I’ll leave these two and come back in a while.” I don’t look up, or look at them directly. I don’t turn to face up to any of them. I close my eyes and stumble towards the door. Finally getting out in a rush, “It’s fine, Marshall,” I leave them to it.