Love Thief: The Greystone Family: Stolen Hearts

Chapter 32

Chapter

Thirty-Two

Fucking Becker. How dare he tell me to get lost, and take my wife out to dinner. I’m sitting in my big lounge, the sun is shining, the beach looks warm and breezy, a balmy Californian day. I turn on the messages from James. I need to distract myself from the situation I’m in, and that fucker Becker, worming his way into her life.

The heartbeats are first up, my go to. I sit and listen to them. She looks ridiculously good. Why is she out with them? She’s fucking pregnant, she should be home. The heart beats continue to throb out through my speakers.

I hit the next message. Little Eamonn, looking so like Bug at that age, no wonder he and Evie love each other. I try to zoom in on the movement of the babies, but I can’t see it.

My phone pings and I groan. I know it will be him.

James

Come home, Dad. I don’t like Kasey Becker.

James

Come home, Dad.

Attachment:

25 week picture.

James

Come home, Dad. Someone tried to push her over. Sort it, or I will.

I raise my brows at that, not sure other than a statement what I can do.

I FaceTime Tim. “Hey, I need to kill the rumours that those babies are not mine. Evie is getting physically pushed around.”

He stays silent, then says, “Well, that’s easy. Go home and be with her.”

I sigh, scrubbing my hand down my face and pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers in disbelief. No one is fucking listening.

I look to the sky for patience. “Very funny, Tim. Can you just put out a statement saying they’re mine and to leave her alone. Include something about how online trolling of a pregnant woman is vile as are the people who do it. I think we also need to put the frighteners on Lauren. Let”s legal her up. Most of the shit comes from her.”

He sighs, he’s been at my house, he’s seen the women here.

“They’ve been gone a few weeks now,” I tell him, “but we need her to stand down.”

“Why won’t you go? You want to, I know you do. Xander wants to go.”

I’m exasperated with them all. “What if I go and then something happens to her? I’ve told you, I’ll make that happen, I know it. I need to stay here, Tim. Why won’t you all listen to me.” My fear is paralysing me.

“Marcus, you are not jinxed. It’s probably some weird hormone thing. You never got anything checked out. It may not have even been you. I know you don’t want to think about Caroline badly, but it may have been her, a gene in her. All the babies were boys, and you don’t know if it was something to do with that. You just buried your head in the sand and blamed yourself.”

“I don’t fucking care. I will not be the reason she loses those babies. And I cannot lose her. I can’t. That will be the end, finito.” My heart is hammering in my chest and my brain is misfiring just saying those words.

He throws his hands up. “You’re staying away, missing out again, for some unprovable reason. Go the fuck home, Marcus.”

I shake my head. “Put out that statement. Protect my wife and children.”

I hang up. I reckon I’ve got a few weeks before Xander leaves me. I hope I can hang on, I need to hang on, for her, regardless of the cost to myself. I’m scared I’m going to lose everyone, but my fear of losing Evie and the children drives me to risk it all and stay.

Xander is battering me daily to put out statements or go home. To go on television and talk about Evie and my children or go home. To announce my impending fatherhood via a few radio stations or go home. He finally storms out, threatening he is going home.

Devon is everywhere. The fucking internet is full of it. Pinky, Crocket and Tubbs, Marshall even. I bet they could get their own show. Evie At Home, according to Xan via Jonno. They’re being inundated with offers. Interior shows, family shows, farming, building. People are desperate for a glimpse, them and me both. They are charming, uncensored, real, all the things we love about them. But Evie is something else. She comes across fun-loving, genuine, caring, drawing a crowd more than Pinky. She always did.

I consume everything I can see, and the pictures keep coming. James, is next level.

James

Come home Dad,

Attachment:

week 27 picture

I look at the woman carrying my children. They are huge and she looks tiny. I file it away with the other gallery of pictures. I need to stay strong. If I go, something will happen, I know it. I need to stay away.