Love Thief: The Greystone Family: Stolen Hearts

Chapter 22

Chapter

Twenty-Two

Ican’t get into my bus to get changed, and I’m still in the same outfit I went round the festival in. The three Purcells are asking me to come with them to put them to bed. How do I say no to them? I love them, and they’re the cutest set of kids I’ve ever seen. Bug is laughing at me as I fake protest, but they plead a bit more, and I give in.

I go with Orla to sort them out as Bug, James, and Bucky wait for the lads to get back. A bar has been set up outside our bus, and I grin when I see who my boys are talking to. John Clayton’s turned up, and I know Kell and Xan will go apeshit if he tries anything. The strumming of guitars drifts over and I look back to see James, Bucky, and John playing some tunes, Bug egging them on.

Once we get the boys washed, sort of, dressed for bed, sort of, and in bed, sort of, I pull Orla in for a hug. “All good today, Orla. Don’t worry about a thing.” She’s still upset about it all, the chaos and the drama, and I hope she takes my words to heart and lets it go.

“They were so nice earlier, but tonight you would’ve got cut to ribbons on their glares. What is wrong with them?”

I don’t usually spill my guts, but I tell her about Grace in Vegas. I tell her about Lauren at the first meeting. “Becky, not sure what her issue is. I think it’s because she wanted to get married to Levi in Vegas, but he said no way. They’re pissed off that it was me who got married, so I’m hated.”

“It’s crazy. They’ve got Levi and Gabe, and they”re hardly hard up in the looks departments. To be honest, Levi is so cool, with his locks and tats.” She fans herself.

“Do I need to report you to Bug, or does he need to get a few tats? Don’t forget, my loyalty is Bug first,” I tell her, laughing.

God it feels good to laugh with a woman who’s not trying to catch me out, to use anything I say or do against me. It feels so comfortable to just be myself. Orla knows what I have, what I do. She knows lots of things about the family in general. And she’s not jealous, or trying to take it from me.

Wow, what a difference it makes to not be judged. To have a friend who is actually a friend for friendship’s sake. I think I could love her as much as I do Bug.

Switching gears to move on to happier topics, I ask her, “Do you know what the entertainment is? I’m a bit worried it’s the toxic trio, and with it being Xan’s belated birthday party, he’ll be the object of their entire focus.”

She nods and says, “Well, I’m sure Xan won’t mind. Becky was going on and on about him today, how fantastic he is in bed. I think they had a thing in Devon. Well it wasn’t bed exactly, I think he tied her up somewhere.” She rolls her eyes, “He does like to dance on the dark side, so they say.”

I don’t say a word, but force a smile onto my face. He can do as he pleases, but I hate the three of them. They are messing with me, and I don’t like it. I will not let them take my life, not a cat in hell’s chance.

“Well I’m not letting them upset me anymore. I was so upset in Vegas, I ran. But no more. They better bring it if they think they can take what’s mine.”

“Ahh, there’s my Kitten,” says Bug as he comes into the bus. “We’ll back you if it comes to it, no doubt about that,” he reassures me and pulls me in for a comforting kiss.

“Thank you. If nothing else comes out of this mess, the fact I have you two, and the absolute cutest kids in Britain in my life, would be enough.” I hug Orla, tears spring to my eyes, and I can almost feel the love as a physical thing as I squeeze her tightly.

Pulling back and looking into her trusting face, I tell her, “Look after my Bug,” as we leave and join the party that we can hear has kicked into full gear.

My men are outside the bus, people milling all around them. Well, I say people, I mean women. I spot Kellen first and head towards him. I can’t quite believe I’m relieved that I don’t know any of the women clearly hanging around for Kell to notice them.

I smile inwardly, as he reaches out for me the instant he spots me. I take his hand and he brings it to his lips, ignoring everyone around us. My confidence soars as his big hand swallows mine.

“Well, my love, all okay? God, you smell good.” He drags me closer and I can see his eyes dilating as he takes me in. I don’t think I’m going to survive tonight at this rate, and my suspicions are confirmed when he laughs and pulls me onto the bus.

It goes downhill from there. Xan pulls Tim aside into a quieter corner of the bus, and Tim goes paler and paler as Xan keeps talking about the entertainment for his birthday.

Tim’s eyes go to me with Kellen, then he looks at my sons, currently making a fuss of their dad, and scrubs his hand down his face. In the end, he nods and moves to talk to Mick, Tommy, and Jase who are standing at the sides of the party, watching.

I make sure I’m with family at all times—Bug, Orla, James, Bucky, Xan or Kellen—while others come and go as the party ebbs and flows. Good company and drinks flow freely, then the music cranks up.

A woman I’ve never seen before walks up the steps of the bus dressed as a circus ringmaster. Red coat, black top hat, long blonde hair in waves cascading down her back, black satin bustier and black fishnets, skyscraper heels. I’m impressed she manages to walk anywhere in them. Make up so perfect, contoured, on point, beautiful. But a harshness about her that I can’t put my finger on where it would come from. She’s also holding the longest, black leather whip, caressing it as if it’s her pet.

She announces she wants all the band outside and cracks the whip over our heads in a practised and expert manner.

Levi and Gabe jump up and rush down the steps of the bus. Kellen and Xan stay put at different ends of the bus, but I can tell they’re having a private conversation across the room.

My stomach drops. They’re worried. Or if not worried, they’re convinced whatever happens next will not be fun for me.

Well it’s showtime boys.

Plastering a fake smile on my face, I stand, holding James’s hand. My suspicions are confirmed when Tommy comes to stand directly behind me. I flick my eyes to him and he nods in acknowledgement. Jesus, what is going on?

Abandoning the bus, the band are now all sat in chairs in the middle of the field with everyone encircling them. The ringmaster, I see, has helpers. What joy—three of them, all dressed in similar clothing, but no top hats and no whips, as yet.

People are whooping and hollering at the show. As some crazy music starts, helper number one—Lauren—goes down the line starting with Gabe, because they know he won’t stop them, and whips his T-shirt off. He’s toned, his abs on show, and he has a few tattoos on his back and shoulders.

Helper number two—Grace—then gets involved, tying his hands behind him around the back of the chair. He can hardly contain himself. He leans towards her, his blond hair flopping forward, trying to get to her breasts. She pushes him back roughly and the ringmaster cracks the whip near him. He stops dead, looking at her with heat in his blue-green eyes, and I’m certain he wants the lash on his body.

They move down the line performing the same task. I look at Kell, and he shrugs at me as they strip and tie him and then move to Xan to do the same.

Then comes helper number three—Becky. She’s clearly cast herself in a starring role. Starting at Levi, a smirk on her face, she makes a show of unzipping his jeans. She’s brushing his cock at every opportunity and he’s groaning out, thrusting himself towards her. The show has definitely taken a different turn. Not so much fun laughter now as anticipation, the women in the crowd creating a buzz of conversation. They certainly can”t wait for her to get down that line.

I start to breathe heavily and my bees have started to swarm in my stomach. How far will this go? What am I going to have to do to shut them down?

Jude comes to stand next to me. He looks down at me, saying in my ear, “I’ll stop this at any point you want. So will Mick, Jase, and Tom.”

I nod at him and turn on my fake unconcerned smile.

She’s left Levi covered, just, with his boxers on full show, but there’s no doubt about his state of arousal. Becky the siren does the same to Gabe, and again everyone can see evidence of her games.

She licks her lips as she moves to Kellen. Jesus, I’m torn between rushing in, shoving her away, and walking away from them all.

But then Kellen surprises us all as he shouts, “Stop,” and every eye focuses in on him.

Gabe rolls his eyes. “Marcus she isn’t going to touch you, man.”

“Evie,” he calls out, “you do it.” All those eyes turn on me and I feel Jude push me forward. What’s he doing?

I stumble a bit as I go towards Kell. Oh, fuck it.

Standing in front of him, I make a show of hemming and hawing before I finally unzip his jeans, making it slow and tortuous.

Smirking at him, I turn around to the waiting crowd and shout, “Saving the big guns ‘til last.”

Then I grab his hair and kiss him until he can hardly breathe.

When I let him up, he has an enormous erection. “Told you!” I shout out, and the crowd all start to laugh.

I step back towards my brother and sons, flicking my hair and throwing Becky a serious fuck you stare. It doesn’t put her off at all, as she moves towards Xan with an even bigger lick of her lips.

“Birthday boy,” she says in a ridiculously husky voice she clearly thinks is sexy as fuck.

Stopping directly in front of him, she’s just about to reach down and unzip him when he growls out, “Keep your hands the fuck off me.”

His deadpan face halts her in her tracks. His eyes, blue chips of ice, pin her in place. He’s deadly serious.

The avid onlookers take in a collective breath at his dismissal of her as Levi laughs, “No way, brother.”

Becky’s face is the picture of fury, and embarrassment. She’s so angry at his disrespect and dismissal, she almost goes towards him regardless of his demand.

“Evie, you do it.” He’s staring at me, the ice has totally melted from his gaze, and in its place is blue hell fire. He’s daring me to dismiss him, challenging me to see how far I’m prepared to go with him.

I look at him, then at Kell, my face showing nothing, but my brain going ninety miles an hour.

Holy shit, he did not just say that.

Jude and James laugh. Jude nudges me out again and James says, “Made your bed momma,” and the crowd all murmur around us.

I look at Xander, the challenge still in his eyes, and I turn and rub my chin in contemplation, full on theatrics mode.

“Moi,” I say coyly.

Kellen starts to laugh. “You’re for it now, Xan,” he says loudly, trying to lighten the mood.

I slowly strut back over. “What do you think, ladies? Oh, and gents of course. Well, anyone really?” I shout to the crowd.

Xander is shaking his head, laughing at my theatrics, like he can’t quite believe the level of entertainment I’m ramping up.

From where I’m standing in front of him, I can see Becky steaming with anger beside me. I’ve stolen their thunder. Well, too bad for them, I’m just getting warmed up.

Touching his face, but looking at Kell, I grab Xan’s hair and roughly yank his head back. “Do you like that Xan?” I breathe into his ear, all the while continuing to look at Kell.

“Too fucking right,” Xan laughs.

When I let go of his hair and touch his stomach, his cock jumps in his jeans. “Easy boy, don’t peak too early,” I purr at him, smirking all the while.

Some girls behind him are calling out suggestions of what I should do to him, where to touch him. “Can I, Xan,” I ask him, looking into his beautiful blue eyes.

“Be my guest, baby, I trust you,” he says, dropping his head backwards to give me full access.

Emboldened by his permission, I touch him everywhere they ask, none of it too X-rated, mostly for fun. I constantly keep glancing across at Kell, watching his reactions as I touch Xander. Everyone can see Kellen’s reaction, his cock is getting bigger. I smirk at them both as I undo Xan’s Jeans. There’s no doubt the level of enjoyment he’s feeling, and I step away, knowing it’s blatantly obvious to everyone surrounding us.

I flick my hair and sashay back towards my sons, who are catcalling the band fit to burn.

Kellen’s laughter rings out above the noise, halted only briefly when he shouts out to me, “Insane, Kitten. Infuckingsane. I fucking love you.”

Turning, I smile at him and blow him a kiss. A brief perusal of the crowd reveals Tim with his head in his hands, John Clayton, staring slack-jawed at me, and my boys both pissing themselves with laughter.

Jude grins and yells, “Give ‘em hell, Evie,” before gesturing at Xan and Kell, cupping his hands around his mouth, and shouting, “you pair of twats.”

Bug has Orla’s eyes covered, and I hear him tell her, “It’s fine she hasn’t killed them yet,” before he breaks down into a fit of laughter.

I step forward, confidence oozing from me, my natural self-assurance amped up to full power. I can feel the crowd and my men willing me on, so I shout out to Becky, Grace, and Lauren. “Over to you three. But let me be perfectly clear,” I point between Kell and a grinning Xan, “those two are mine.”

Channelling my brothers’, husband’s, and sons’ swagger, I saunter over to the circus ringmaster, run my hands down her whip, and say loudly enough for the crowd to hear, “Be gentle with them. I want them back in one piece.”

She looks at me and laughs. “You’re a ballsy bitch. They never said that about you.”

I turn to the three stooges, who look like they’ve been turned to stone, and say, “I’ll see you and raise you.”

I’m surprised by the genuine shock on their faces. Do they not even know me? Did they think I would curl up and die? Run along and give them what they want? Play the prude they think I am? And in this moment I realise no, they don’t know me. Not really, anyway. Not the real me. Only the version I presented to them.

I hear Kellen call out, “You’re turning me the fuck on, Evie. Whip me again, baby.”

The crowd starts to laugh and the atmosphere changes back to more banter than porn film. While James, Bucky, and Jude try to direct the ringmaster who to whip first, Tim implores her not to get their faces—they have a photo shoot in a few days—and to stay away from Levi’s back as he needs it to drum.

The poor woman has more instructions to consider than enough, and she cracks the whip to silence the list of demands coming her way. It whistles past Tim, whose mouth clamps shut, in case she decides to go for him first. She’s very accomplished. I’m impressed.

She rolls her eyes at the baying crowd, reaches into a satin bag at her side, and pulls out a beautiful bejewelled crop with a large piece of black leather on the end. It’s not much bigger than the one I hit Kellen with, before Vegas. But she wields it beautifully as she treats the boys to a bit of play.

Kell starts to complain after a few strikes from the ringmaster. “Evie, you do it, it was better, just channel your tractor-time energy, baby. Xan, turn around so she can hit you. She’s fucking amazing with it.”

Everyone is laughing at his antics. I know he’s mocking himself by putting himself on show. He’s such an exhibitionist, ramping it up, revving me up, diffusing the situation and distracting from what was really supposed to happen—this was supposed to be the three witches’ show.

“Ringmaster, give her some lessons with that big whip and I’ll buy it for her,” Kellen shouts to the blonde. “Kitten, grab it and let’s go.” The crowd is falling about laughing as the blonde comes to me.

“Seems like they underestimated you, my dear, but I haven’t. Here, let me show you.”

Deciding to take over the show again, give them all a little bit more of who they underestimated, I shout out, “Any willing victims? Oh, sorry, I meant volunteers.”

The onlookers all laugh as Xan and Kell are shouting out for it to be them, each trying to get out of their chairs first. Gabe is claiming it should be him since he brought the ringmaster in, and the four devolve into a free-for-all, trying to kick each other’s chairs and push in front of the other. It’s chaos.

The next thing I know, John Clayton runs out of the crowd and kneels down in front of me. “Do me,” he pleads, his hands clasped in front of him in a full-on beggar”s stance as the crowd are now guffawing at the antics.

“You better not,” Kellen shouts frantically at me, struggling like mad to get out of his binds. “Don’t you do it, Evie. I’ll fucking kill you. Don’t you dare.”

I look over at James, and he has tears of laughter in his eyes. I’m relieved. Thank god for my boys. They love the drama as much as their dad. Their support, bolstering my antics, is all I need to turn it up another notch. I turn to John with a devilish grin, spinning him around so he’s facing the boys and can’t see who’s behind him.

“Evie, don’t you fucking dare,” Xan’s voice joins Kellen’s, amping the volume and the intensity. “I’m warning you, don’t you whip anyone else.” He’s trying to give John a kick now, and everyone is crying with laughter.

“I need to practise,” I tell them as I crack the whip with a too-practised air.

The blonde looks at me with a raised eyebrow. “Impressive,” she states.

“Lots of practice,” I call out to the crowd. “They,” I point at Kell and Xan, shouting louder so everyone can hear, “are very naughty boys.”

The crowd are hysterical now, and Gabe and Levi have literally fallen off their chairs laughing. I hand the whip to the ringmaster and point to John, opening my hand in a gesture of be my guest as I step back, grinning.

The blonde’s swing is beautiful, the movement graceful and effortless, as she flicks him three times. He looks like he’s died and gone to heaven. The flogger she brings out next is so soft to touch, and she rubs his back with it. He closes his eyes, ecstasy etched on his face.

Xan and Kell are watching him, grinning at him. He opens his eyes and I can see he’s trying to goad them, making them jealous. He thinks it’s me that’s whipped him. They side eye each other, their eyes alight.

“You better look who it is behind you,” Xan tells him.

Confused at first, he spins and sees blondie, grinning at him. Not missing a beat, he jumps up and begs her, “Marry me.”

The whole crowd is in hysterics, except for the toxic trio. I stand my ground and look at them. Hatred, resentment and hostility, and total fucking jealousy is staring back at me. Not breaking my stare, despite the glares they’re sending my way, I see them for who they are and what they were trying to do.

Knowing I’ve made my point, I pull my attention from them and walk over to Xan and Kellen. They look up at me, sat upright, still tied to the chairs. “Fuck woman, I’m going to come in my jeans,” Kell groans.

“I already have,” says Xan, chuckling maniacally

Showtime done, I finally let them loose. James and Bucky come over and are ribbing them. Jude is calling them every name under the sun in mock contempt. He can’t believe they went along with it. Isobel stands at the back of the crowd, her eyes wide with amazement.

Orla comes over to me and says, “You are magnificent. Well done. I would’ve shrivelled up and gone home.” She hugs me tightly.

A voice over my shoulder grabs my attention. “I’m happy if you want to get together,” the ringmaster says to me.

“Back off our woman,” Kellen replies in a playful tone before I can get a word out.

Her laughter is seductive, with a beautifully melodic quality. “I meant she could come with me and we could do some serious damage.” She has a cheeky grin on her face.

I like her, her attitude is so amazing. She seems like a genuine person. If not a bit wild with that whip. I wink and say, “I’ll get your details.”

“Christ no, she’s lethal enough with no training,” says Kell. “She’s flayed me once already.”

Gabe and Levi come over, laughing at Xan and Kell. “You two are useless,” Gabe cackles. “No wonder Evie runs rings around you both. I’m asking the ringmaster out on a date. Do you think she’ll want to come on tour?”

“I’m asking her,” Levi counters with light in his eyes. “She’s amazing.” They start pushing and shoving each other like schoolboys as they go over to try to persuade the ringmaster to come on tour instead of marrying John.

Xan bends to pick his shirt up, but I swipe it up before he can. “Leave it off. And you,” I point to Kell. ”The jeans can stay open. May as well have some benefit for my efforts.”

A group of girls laugh behind me as they come up and start talking to me, completely ignoring the boys. I’m amazed. I can hardly string a sentence together, never mind hold a conversation, when they’ve no shirts on.

I hear Jude telling them to get dressed.

“We can’t,” Kellen laughs. ”She’ll get that fucking whip back on us.”

Tim comes over to me, smiling for the first time since the celebration began. “Well, well, you’re full of surprises, Miss Evie. Quite a show you put on. I always thought this lot were the craziest people I knew, but I reckon you may give them a run for their money. I heard about the Ferrari, the dining room, oh and the pony in the pool, but tonight took the cake.” He grins at me, says, “Good work, keep it up,” and walks over to the bar. In seconds, he’s taking the mickey out of John Clayton, who is drowning his sorrows as the Ringmaster said ‘no.’

As I turn to move, I feel a hand on my arm, and as I pull in one direction, it tugs really hard in the other. The toxic trio are standing shoulder to shoulder, facing me.

“You think you’ve won, don’t you? Taken over, made us all look invisible,” Becky snarls at me. “Well just you wait ‘til your sordid fuckfest with all of them hits the papers. Let’s see who likes to be invisible then. What will everyone think of pure, upstanding Evie Fucking Greystone?” She goes to push me backwards. “We’ll do an interview and say we left ‘cos you fucked them all in one night in one go.’” Her eyes are alight with wickedness.

Unable to keep her trap shut, Lauren pipes up with, “We recorded the whole thing. A bit of clever editing and you’ll look just like the slut you are. I’ll post it on my blog, watch it go viral.”

I stand and stare at them. “Don’t you know slut shaming doesn’t play well these days? We’re all empowered women, but if you want to turn it into something sordid, just remember, if I’m in the recording, so are you. And who did you have actually recording it? You were all in on it, taking their clothes off, wanting your own shot.”

“Your brother”s girlfriend,” Grace says smugly. “She’s with us, and she’s the best director any of us could have ever wished for,” she hisses.

“Who, Amelie?” I play dumb, knowing exactly who they’re talking about, but needing to hear them admit it. “How has she recorded it? Did she and Jackson pop by while I was otherwise occupied?”

“Hardly,” Grace scoffs. “Try Jude’s Isobel. “She hates you more than we do, and she knows an awful lot about you and your family.” Grace finishes with a flourish.

I shrug. “Don’t care.”

“You will when this comes out. Isobel,” Becky shouts over to her.

To her credit, Isobel looks absolutely terrified. She throws a scared glance towards the vans where Jude is standing.

“Show her the recording,” Becky demands.

“I-I can’t,” she stammers out.

“Of course you can. And you’d better, you’ve agreed. You know our terms.”

Blackmail. By Grace. What a woman she’s turned into.

I start to laugh. “I don’t care what you’ve all done. Go ahead and post away. You lot will be old news. Not even a comment on their lives.”

“If anyone is old news, it’s you, Evie,” Lauren snipes at me. “Everyone knows he’ll be bored of you quickly. Get tired of you being tired and fucking old.”

“Yeah, right,” I counter. ”You couldn’t even get in on your own merit. You needed Becky. Age is but a number. You never even registered on his radar, Lauren,” I hit back. But I am so over these women, I can’t even be bothered to trade insults.

But they’re obviously not done. “We’ll be waiting for him to move on,” Grace sneers. “Levi told us he’s getting bored with you already.”

I smile at them all. “Get on with your lives. I know I am.”

“Show her or we’ll tell Jude,” Becky persists, pointing at Isobel. Trying desperately to keep me engaged and worried.

I laugh. “If Jude brought her, he knows how bad she is and doesn’t care. So I wouldn’t hold your breath on the blackmail attempts.” I pause and look around at them all, expecting more theatrics.

“It didn’t work, I couldn’t get it to record,” Isobel finally gets out.

“Looks like your dirty work has backfired.” I smirk at them, shaking my head in utter contempt at their pathetic excuse to hijack an event. “Stay away from me, all of you. Otherwise you might not like how we fight back.” I spin on my heel and strut away laughing. No way am I backing down again. Everyone better start to realise that.

I spy two Greystone men staring at me, and it seems as good a time as any to get some things straight with them, too. “Jonno, stop asking me why, and do as you”re told.” I kiss him. “Good to see you, little bro.”

They both look at each other, Jude jumping in first. “Evie.” I stop and look at them. “We love you, Sis. Isobel, she?—”

I hold my hands up to stop him. “None of my business, but don’t involve me again.”

I turn to Jonno. “I might need Fort Knox on the internet after tonight”s antics. They’re going to try and spin a tale that makes me look like god knows what. Not that I’m that bothered. But it’s just annoying.” I sigh, looking up to the stars. “Why me?”

“They may be crazy, but you’re insane, baby sis,” Jonno says, looking proudly at me.

I grin at him. “Taught by the master, Obi-wan.”