Love Thief: The Greystone Family: Stolen Hearts

Chapter 12

Chapter

Twelve

Iwake with two men in my bed. What on Earth!

Xan is on top of the bed covers on one side, and Kellen on the other underneath the covers, both asleep. This is major for Xander as he never sleeps. He’s practically an insomniac. They’re both spewing heat like boilers on full gas, and I’m overheating quickly.

I wonder when Xan came in. I never even noticed. Maybe he was there from the get go. I heard them talking, but was too tired to look up.

Not wanting to move and wake them, I reflect on my bolting from Vegas. Feeling a bit of a fool. Grace Simpson, of all people, got me so twisted out of shape. But was it just her? I should have stayed and fought. I should have told them to get lost. I should have?—.

“Don’t do that, you won’t be able to make sense of it.” Xander is watching me.

I shuffle up the bed and stick out my arms and pull the covers down. “I’m so hot,” I huff and puff. “And I know, but I feel like an idiot. I should’ve just waited for you and Kell to come and then ask to go or sort it out, but I ran. I was so angry and upset. I’ll have to apologise to Tommy. I flipped out on him. I’d no one to talk to. She was my only friend.” I can feel myself starting to get upset again.

He brushes the tears away. “It hurts when friends do shit. We probably haven’t told you half the stuff that’s happened to us. It’s a long list of crap. People selling us out, recording us—admittedly doing ridiculous stuff, but still we trusted them. I had someone clone my phone so they could sell my messages. He’d been with us for four years, decided we didn’t pay him enough, and voila, money, money, money.

“Kellen had it worse. When his wife miscarried, they tried to get pictures of her bleeding. When she was pregnant again, they constantly filmed her, hassled her, filmed Kell in the hospital and tried to sell it.” He’s calmly stroking my hair as he talks.

“How have you managed? Because to be honest, I feel like I’m not hanging on well.”

He gives me a sad smile. “We kept each other close, Gabe and Levi as well. We discuss things and we don’t lie to each other no matter what. You can come to us Evie. Don’t leave. Stick around and we’ll keep you safe.”

I look into his face knowing he is totally sincere. “But this is only for six months tops. What happens when you both leave? I fear my life will be in tatters and I’ll be rebuilding with limited resources.”

“Six months,” he chuckles. “No chance. If you and Kellen want to go your separate ways, fine. But it doesn’t mean we won’t be around. You have children together, and?—”

“I don’t want a divorce in six months. If you need to hear it now, I’m telling you I don’t.” I turn to look at Kellen and wonder how long he’s been listening to us. “I told you I want to give things a go, a real go. I’m happy, Evie. I don’t want a divorce. However this started out, I don’t want that.” I nod at him and I can”t speak. “I love you, Kitten. I know I don’t say it a lot, but I do. I always fucking have. I don’t want you to go. We’re better with you.” He points at himself and Xander.

“I’ve actually slept more for the first time in years, so I’m happy with no divorce,” Xan adds grinning.

“Xander, I’m not having you in bed every night,” I laugh at him.

“Spoil sport,” he laughs back at me, kicking himself out of bed still fully dressed. “I’ll put coffee on, don’t rush.” He grins at us and leaves.

I turn and look at my husband, his beautiful green eyes are rimmed with black and are shining at me bright and clear. Totally focused. “I love you, Kellen Russell.” I lean in and kiss him. “I won’t run off, I’ll stay and talk it through.”

“Thank fuck. I can’t take much more abuse from Xander, our sons, and your brothers. I’m being ganged up on.”

I smile into his mouth and he pouts as he kisses me.

He deepens the kiss, but then pulls back and holds my face. “I love you, Evie Greystone. I didn’t want any of those women, not one. Just you. I came off that stage at the club hard as rock and the only person I thought of was you. I want you, Evie, always. Let me show you how much I love you.”

I’m so surprised. He’s never said anything like that before. Jesus, I’m going to cry again. I plunder his mouth, gasping at the intensity of his kisses. What the hell is wrong with me?

I shove off all the blankets and stroke him, his cock twitching at every caress. Wriggling out of my sleepwear, I sit astride him so I can watch his face. Positioning myself over him and lowering onto him, he hits every spot, moving his hips to make sure.

“Move baby, feel me so deep.” He holds my hips and pushes me backwards and forwards. Sitting up so we’re nose to nose, he holds me around my back. I love the feel of him like this, so deep and holding me so close.

He moves my legs, wrapping them around his waist so my ankles cross behind him, and he thrusts up into me. My head falls back as he bites at my throat then licks up the column. Lowering his head, he sucks my breasts into his mouth, one then the other. Slow, so slow, pushing in harder and harder. He holds my hair and tugs on it, giving me a bit of pain. I smile at that and he laughs

“You’re a savage my love. No nicely nice for you.”

It’s lunch time before we make an appearance in the kitchen. Xan is sitting outside watching the world go by. He looks up at us both and smiles as he points at my neck.

“All good then?” I smile at him and he stands, coming over to hug me.

“He may not tell you often he loves you, but I’ll tell you every day, Kitten. Every fucking day.” He kisses me on top of my head. “Let’s get sorted and see these boys.”

The boys come over followed by my brothers and lastly Kasey Becker turns up. My brothers are a bit star struck, especially Jackson, who I’m teasing mercilessly for his lack of words. As per usual, cards and whiskey follow. I sort dinner out as the boys have requested spaghetti again. Jude is in charge of food, as Nikki is still in Devon. I’m helping with any tasks and ensuring the players have drinks.

The table’s been set up outside on the terrace as the weather’s fine, and not raining. I was going to use the courtyard, but I could tell they were getting competitive, especially Xan and Jonno, and don’t really want to go far. I can heat the terrace if it drops cooler.

“Do you want to talk about Vegas?” Jude asks me as we work together. “I’m happy to listen.”

I shake my head and sigh. “It’s pointless. Grace showed her true colours. Better now than later, I suppose. It just hurts. I’ve known her for a lot of years, thought she was pleased for me, but she was just pissed it wasn’t her.”

He puts the spatula down and moves towards me, taking me in his arms. “You did nothing wrong. You never flaunt what you have or how you work for it. I think she saw this apartment before Vegas, probably thinks Kellen bought it for you. She knows how we live in Devon, but she didn’t know you own Farm Cottage. Those girls probably told her that the day you battered Kellen with a whip, and their food with a baseball bat. She’s been there, she knows how huge that house is.”

He moves my hair, touches my face in comfort, and goes on. “Then you go to Vegas and a man she clearly wants ups and marries you. She’ll think it was so quick, spur of the moment, we know it’s about twenty-seven years in the making. I think she saw what you have and couldn’t handle it, which is why you’ve probably never told her.

“Let’s be right, why have you never told her stuff? You should be able to share your success with your friends, right? But you didn’t, not ever. Neither her or Lauren. You hid who you are, and were who they wanted you to be. They didn’t like it when they finally saw who you are. But you probably already knew that.”

I look at him in amazement. It’s true, I never told them who James’s dad was. Should you not share that sort of thing with best friends? I never told them everything about Devon. The cottage, Cornhill, the dockyard—when I think about it, I shared very little, all fluff.

I look down, realisation hitting that I never fully trusted them, and wasted my time on people who didn’t deserve it. I’m disappointed in myself for not facing into it earlier. For not culling them quicker.

“Hey, it’s not you, it”s them. Don’t you dare get upset over them. They couldn’t handle it. To be honest, they struggled anyway. You said they told you that you drew people in and got chatted up more than them. They didn’t like that either. Kellen was just the final straw. You’re well shot. And you need people who lift you, not try to tear you down.”

He has hold of me, whispering all this into my ear while I rest my head on his chest. I sneak a look over at the table and see Xan, Jonno, and Kell all watching. Jude rubs at my eyes and smiles at me.

“We’ve got you, baby sis. I know we’re men, and shit at talking, but between the three of us, surely one might say the right things. Or four if you count Jake, and, to be honest, he is probably the best. He told me way before Christmas you weren’t right. We thought you were slightly off your stride, but you perked back up and we shrugged it off.”

I nod. I know he’s right. “It’s just hard right now, but I’ll get over it.” I smile up at him, feeling more confident. “Don’t burn that sauce, or you’ll have mutiny on your hands.”

A cheer goes up from Bucky and I look over at him and James. They’ve won again. “I can see that A level geography is going to be well useful, Buck,” I say to him.

“I’ll be a two times millionaire if I keep playing with this lot.” He grins at me, comes over, and kisses me. “All okay, Mum?”

“Perfect, baby. Help me carry the bread. And don’t eat any.”

“As long as you put extra in my dish,” he says to Jude. Raising his voice, but pretending to whisper into Jude’s ear, he shouts, “Give Jackson less. He needs to diet.”

I hear Jackson choke a little. “Bucky, you little shit, I’m not getting fat.”

“He’ll be telling us it’s muscle next,” puts in James as Jackson goes to grab him.

“You pair of shits. Shall I tell your Dad how you played him for two days?”

They both stand and grin at Kellen. “God, he was so easy,” says James, shaking his head. “All he ever said was, ‘I don’t know, ring your mother.’ We programmed it as his ringtone,” he says between bursts of laughter. ”When he calls us, that’s what it says.”

They’re both laughing uncontrollably now, and Kellen gets up and grabs him. “You pair of gits, I knew it. Come and give your dad a kiss.” He grabs James into a hug and kisses him.

Bucky looks horrified and goes to move, but Kellen drops James and moves for Bucky, hugging the boy and kissing him. Bucky’s stuck, unable to defend himself because he doesn’t want to drop the bread. “Got you Bucky.”

They’re smiling at each other, and my heart swells. Regardless of anything else, I do believe he loves these boys.

We spend a lovely evening out on the terrace and turn the heaters on later to continue sitting out. I put on a sweatshirt and keep getting drinks for everyone. Kasey is great company, regaling everyone with gossip from his latest set, a film about a political assassination set in London.

He asks if I mind letting him stay at the apartment for the duration and I agree. He seems to fit in well with everyone, and he’s taken the numbers for my brothers as they’ll be in London the longest.

We’ll be shipping out very soon. Kellen and Xan are off to Devon to record for a week and then onto the south coast for a festival. I don’t need to go until the festival, so I’m staying in London to ensure most bases are covered before I head out. The boys will spend a bit of time this week in London then go to Devon and out on tour, most of it coinciding with Kell’s, but not all.

I”m on another drinks run when Xander comes up behind me and spins me around. “Don’t have Kasey here if you don’t want him. He can be a lot, he’s on best behaviour at the minute.”

“Do you think I shouldn’t?” I look at his face, the left side of his mouth is slightly pulled up. If you didn’t know him, you’d think it was a smile as it shows off a dimple. But it’s not. He does that when he’s worried about something. His ‘tell’.

“It’s just, Kell and I won’t be here. Can’t you come to Devon with us?”

I shake my head. “Not straight away. I want to be able to come on tour and try and stay there. If I come early to Devon, I might have to come back to London when I don’t want to.”

He moves the hair out of my face, staring intently into my eyes, checking out my face, watching for my ‘tells’. “I don’t like leaving you here.”

“I’m hardly alone. The boys are here, and I can always call one of that lot over to stay. They’re desperate to stay over. In fact, if it makes you feel better, I’ll do that.” I smile at him. “You worry too much, Xan. You always did.”

“Yeah,” he sighs out, “I just?—”

“What’s up?” Jonno comes up to us both.

“Xander’s worried about me being here alone with Kasey.”

“Yeah, I agree with him. Want me to come and stay with you and the boys as well? We can make some shit up, but at least it’s someone else here.”

“Christ, is he that bad? I would never have offered it if I thought it was an issue. Someone should’ve said.” I’m looking from one to the other.

“He’s a good guy, but he has fewer boundaries than these two,” says Jonno.

Xander scoffs, “I resent that coming from you, Jonno. Remember, I’ve been out with you.” They’re pushing each other now and laughing.

“Idiots.” I chastise goodnaturedly as I walk out with the drinks, deposit them on the table, and sit on Kellen’s knee.

“All alright?” When I nod, he lowers his head to my ear and says, “Has Xan said anything about Kasey?” I nod again, and as I close my eyes, he licks my ear.

“Plan sorted,” I whisper.

He smiles and continues to nip at me. “I might have to come home to London. I’ll never last a week without you.”

I shake my head at him. “It’s one week.”

“Forever!” He drops his head back in helplessness.

“Better get some time in then,” I whisper to him, eliciting a smirk at me.

“Are you lot staying? Or going?” he asks my brothers bluntly. It’s so random, they all look at him and then burst out laughing.

“Subtle as a brick as usual,” Jackson says. “We’re all going, but the boys are staying. Don’t traumatise them.”

“He’s already tried that,” says Bucky, and everyone laughs except Kellen and Xander.

“It traumatised us,” says Kell, and shivers.

The next few days see Kell and Xan go to ‘The Cottage’ in Devon to record and work out sets for the festivals. I don’t ask who’s at the cottage with them, but I can guess. I say nothing. I don’t want to turn into someone who is constantly suspicious. I just have to trust.

Kasey is a maniac, and I can see what they meant. He is the most flirtatious man in the world. I don’t think he even knows he’s doing it, he’s been doing it that long. By mid-week, he says he’s bored and wants to go out. He talks me and Jonno into going, but the boys are on the last exam the next day so have to stay in with a take-out.

I call ahead to Vincenzo’s when we’re on our way and Vinny is cock-a-hoop at Kasey coming. He promises to get us a fab booth with no one bothering us. As long as he can get a photo and signature for his mamma in Italy, and the wall of course. Kasey is happy to sign when I explain to him about Vinny’s wallpaper.

We’re well into our favourite pasta dishes when someone comes up to the booth. Apparently the baseball cap and sunglasses Kasey’s hiding behind have not made him as incognito as he thought. I don’t look up, assuming one of Kasey’s fans has finally ferreted him out.

When he says nothing, I finally look up. It”s Grace. And surprise, surprise, Lauren. Totally focusing on me, they don’t even notice Kasey in the corner next to Jonno.

“Well, well. Out and about with no superstar tonight? Has he dumped you already? It”s been over a week since you got married.” They smile nastily at each other. “Heard he’s fucking other women in a recording studio. Is it your own home, Evie? ‘The Cottage’.” Grace puts air quotes around the name.

“Why don’t you fuck off,” says Jonno conversationally. I try not to smile at that, but say nothing.

“Becky phoned me. Said she had a threesome with him and Levi. Old dog, no new tricks,” Grace jabs at me, ignoring Jonno.

“Why don’t you fuck off,” Kasey exclaims, whipping off his sunglasses and hat. He certainly goes for the big reveal.

They both gasp when they see who it is. I still say nothing.

“Are you fucking him now? You’re such a celebrity chaser, Evie. You’re pathetic,” Lauren spits out. She has jealousy written all over her face.

“There’s only two people at this table who are pathetic, and it’s you two.” I look past them and Kell’s standing there.

He pushes them aside, no apologies offered, and pulls me out of the booth, nearly knocking them both over. “Hey, Kitten. Missed me?”

If his completely ignoring them doesn’t get his message across, the full-on kiss he plants on me should. He attacks my mouth, and does not stop. When he finally pulls away, he brushes his thumb across my lips and whispers, “I missed you, so fucking much.”

Grinning at me, he goes to move me back into the booth and looks around for Mick. “Deal with these two, will you, Mick? They’re bothering us.”

Grace decides to go for broke. I can see she’s annoyed that her plan’s been thwarted. “Becky told me about your threesome with her and Levi.”

“Did she?” He huffs out incredulously, looking totally pissed off that she’s here. He then sits and acts as if she doesn’t exist and starts talking to Kasey about his film. A total brush off.

The two women try to bat Mick off, but that’s an impossible situation. Tommy moves in to help, as they’re starting to wrestle and shout at the same time.

“Just so you know, I’ve got pictures from Vegas of you with sex toys, Evie. You’re going to look like a real slut when they get posted.”

I smile at her, like I’m enjoying them being there. “Oh, I don’t think so, Grace. I’ll probably get an endorsement deal out of it, so post away. The sex industry is massive, and lucrative. Last time I checked my stocks, anyway.”

Fuck them, both of them, they can have it, both barrels. Jude was right. I may have played down what I have and who I am, but no more.

Kasey starts to laugh. “What toys did you have, Kitten?”

Kellen’s head shoots up at the name, but I touch his leg to tell him not to react.

“I have no idea. Kell bought them for our wedding night. I had to do a quiz to find out what they did.” We all start to laugh, clearly not the reaction the girls were going for.

Jonno picks up his phone and begins to tap at the screen, an evil glint in his eyes. Oh dear, I think Grace just signed her computer”s death knell.

Before things can get more out of hand, Kasey says, “Look ladies, we’re trying to have a lovely dinner. Did you come by for an autograph or something?” He smiles his full Hollywood smile at them before striking the final blow. “I’m sure Evie will sign something for you if you ask nicely.”

They look like they’re going to explode. I grin at him, he winks at me, Kellen scowls at him, and Jonno grins at all of us.

Thanks to the commotion my former friends stirred up, a few people spot our booth, stocked with a film star and a rock star. People come over and elbow the girls out of the way.

It’s over an hour later that the booth is finally cleared of fans, and I can see a crowd outside. Some I recognise from the restaurant, but clearly word has spread beyond the diners.

“Can I get a tiramisu? Kasey, you need to try it. You’ll have to do an extra workout in the morning, but Kell can do it with you, save me a job.”

“You’ve been working out with him?” Kell is scowling even more now.

“Not really. He’s been running and stuff. I was walking at a snail’s pace on my treadmill, he just likes to chat.”

Jonno is grinning ear to ear as it’s obvious Kellen is getting annoyed. Kasey is oblivious.

“Right, let”s go home, Kitten,” Kasey says to me.

And Kellen has finally had enough. “Stop calling her that.” He hisses viciously at Kasey, although I detect the laugh underneath it.

“Why? You call her that, as well as Xander. I think it’s a nice name for her.”

“It is, but not to you.”

Kasey just smirks. “Now, now Russell, I’ve been a perfect house guest, haven’t I, kitten?”

Jonno bursts out laughing. “Let’s go before there’s a fight. I’ll go home tonight if Kell’s here. Are you off again tomorrow?”

“Yes, but later in the afternoon,” Kell confirms sullenly.

“Why do they all call you Kellen? Your name’s Marcus. But I heard them calling you that the other night. Xander, too. But I’ve never heard anyone else do it. I’m sure in LA Xan always referred to you as Marcus.”

“They do, no one else does. A bit like calling her Kitten. Xan, Bug, and I do. No one else,” he deadpans at Kasey.

Unfortunately Kasey doesn’t care. “So cool, I’m glad to be included. I’ll have to think of a name for myself that only you call me, Kitten. I’ll work on it.” He sits back and waits for Kell to explode.

“You fucker, leave my wife alone.”

“Haven’t touched her. As I said, perfect house guest. I’ve even been invited to Devon, by the boys. Can’t wait to meet Marshall and the famous Pinky.” Kasey is really going for it now.

“Pinky’s also mine. She won’t want anything to do with you.” Kellen is practically beaming now. “She’s a Greystone female, me only.”

I shake my head at him. “Well, that’s not strictly true. Mr. Tubbs is before you,” I get in.

“Oh well, yes, I suppose,” Kell muses.

“And maybe Crockett,” Jonno reminds him.

“Well, I’m first human then.” He grins at me and pulls me in for a kiss. “You better not like Mr. Tubbs more.”

“No absolutely not, you’re definitely first human for me.”

Kellen stays in my bed at the apartment at my docklands buildings for two nights, and he can”t seem to leave.

“If you don’t go back, Xan will come here and then I’ll have the band on my arse. I’ve not gone on tour yet. I need to get on with people.” He’s stroking my skin and moving his hand down my body.

“Fuck them, I need you. Come to Devon.”

“No, I’ve got calls today and tomorrow. Then I’ll be ready to come so we can get ready for the Isle of Wight. Let me do this, Kellen.”

He looks at me from under his long lashes. “Will you come to Xander’s dad’s for Xan’s birthday? He wants to fly straight up from the Isle of Wight then back down for Glastonbury. He wants you to come.”

“I can. Is it the place in London?”

“No, The Highlands. His dad doesn’t come to London much these days.”

“I’ve been thinking of a gift for him,” I tell Kellen. “I bought some stuff the other day from a lovely shop I passed. What are you getting him?”

He pauses slightly then shrugs. “Same thing I get him every year, whatever he asks for.”

I screw my face up at that. “What, he has to ask you for his gift?”

“Yep. It’s something we started years ago. He asks for something and I give it to him, whatever it is. He always got gifts he never wanted. His mother did it on purpose, she was a horror. So I promised him then, I would only ever give him things he wanted, but on the proviso he told me what it was so he was never disappointed.”

He smiles widely at that and I struggle to breathe, he takes my breath away. His love for Xander shines through his smile. The fact that he made that promise to his childhood friend, knowing the pain he may have been going through, every year. And to keep it going to obliterate the bad memories and only create lovely new ones going forward. I’m overcome with emotion.

I eventually get out, “Ingenious and cunning.”

He pulls me to him, rubbing his scent onto me, marking me physically as he did mere moments ago. Gentle strokes of my skin, loving every inch.

“I’ll only ever ask you for this, us” he tells me. “Like this together.” He’s nuzzling his face into my hair, breathing me in deep. His arms locked around me, holding me, protecting me, loving me. “I’ll think it’s my birthday every fucking day.”

I touch his hair and whisper, “Me too.”

We spend the morning together until Mick arrives to drag him back. He’s still kissing me as he gets in the car. “Ride with me until we get to the airport. Get Tommy to follow us. I want to be able to smell you on me all the way.”

“You are getting weirder,” I sigh, but I get in the car as he puts up the privacy glass. True to his word, he fucks me in the back of the car, making sure his face and hands are covered in me. He rips my top, kneels over me, and comes on my tits, rubbing it into my skin.

“Now you’ll have me on you. Don’t wash until later. And FaceTime me from the shower.” He walks me to the following car, kissing me deeply after guiding me down into the back seat. “Fuck woman, you’re gonna kill me.”

He nods at Tommy saying, “Look after her, Tommy,” and he’s gone.