Page 35 of Thick as Thieves
I nod and hand one over. Black again, identical.
He showers in the little room off the office, coming out with his hair greased back the same as mine. He seems to have recovered a little.
“Xan, it’ll be fine, don’t worry. It will all be fine.” I think he’s trying to convince himself as much as me. “Fuck, you look good in that suit. If she stays…” he trails off.
What a nightmare. Have I done the wrong thing? I don’t think so. If he would have said one thing in that room full of sex, she would assume Marcus was trying to get her into his ‘lifestyle’, ergo anything goes. She would have been more upset. I know this is the right thing, whichever way it goes.
Dad walks into the room. “Marcus, here at last. Do you need to eat? Most everyone is royally plastered already.” He hugs Marcus to him. “Has Xan told you about Evie?” He stares at Marcus upfront and candidly.
Marcus draws in a breath and looks at me, shocked. “You told your dad?”
I shrug. “He already knew.”
“You boys are about as subtle as bricks. If you actually follow your own careers, your behaviour is pretty easy to pattern. You’ve been hiding in plain sight for years, so I just told Xander what I thought. But I think she’s bothered by what people will think, even if you aren’t.” He holds his hand up as Marcus starts to talk. “You know how these things go. She’ll be the one pointed at, not you two. Her children will be questioned. She’ll be the woman with two men in her life. Not you two with a boyfriend and a wife.” We look at each other.
“I know,” I say, sighing, “we need to protect her and them as much as possible. If she comes, of course.”
“Is she still in her room?” Dad asks me.
I nod. “Not moved. Even Betty seems worried.” He rolls his eyes at that.
“Look, get ready, go meet and greet your guests, business as normal, and what will be will be.”
I stand, looking out the window towards the Loch. I can see people milling around, moving towards the tent as a siren sounds. Fuck, it’s 11:00 p.m. It’s dark out, but no rain. For once in Scotland in the Highlands, it’s a dry night. A wind is whipping off the Loch and the moon is full. It looks beautiful. Ethereal. A night the fairies could be out and about.
Dad leaves the room and Marcus comes over and stands behind me. I can feel his hard body on mine. “You smell good, I missed you.” He touches my arse, and moves his hand around me. When I turn my head back, he kisses me, and I turn full round, grab his head, and kiss him hard.
“Happy fucking birthday. Thirty-eight. God, you’re old.” I laugh at him as he pouts.
“Fuck off,” he snaps.
“Whatever happens, I?—”
He puts a finger to my mouth. “Don’t say it, Xan. I don’t want to even think about it.”
Kissing me again, we then walk out.
“Let’s start with a few shots. We’re way behind, and I need some courage,” he says, morphing into Marcus Russell—Rockstar. Trying to numb out anything else.
Everyone is coming over to see him. He loves this, being the centre of attention. It’s who he is, what he does this for.
“Where’s my sister?”Jude demands, ambushing us. Isobel is holding onto his hand for grim death. They’ve twinned with clothes and masks. I raise my eyes at the new development. Clearly Jude has been convinced by her stories.
“Upstairs sorting out the babies,” Marcus lies smoothly.
Jude looks at us both, his brows pulled down into a scowl, but says nothing else.
“Is Jonno here?” I ask him, trying to deflect him off the topic of Evie.
“No. Lucky for you, he’s still in Ireland with Marshall. And Jackson’s in the US, so just me to watch you two fuckheads,” Jude snaps but then smirks at us.
I shrug. “Watch away, but I’m sure Isobel will keep you entertained. Who’s your single?” I grin back at them both.
“We’re not having one. Issy isn’t bothered about it, so—” He nods towards Issy, but his face looks altogether pissed off.
I fake smile at her. Funny how someone who you’d been so involved with for years growing up, now wishing you never bothered at all. I see Issy for what she is, always did. I knew she could be a nasty piece of work, just didn’t think she was a potential murderer as well. I’m downright amazed that she’s managed to bamboozle Jude into being her boyfriend. She must have worked fucking hard on that one.
But Marcus always made a fuss of her, too. At least until the revelations of almost a year ago. She’s definitely on the outs with him. Somehow, he’s strategically distanced her without causing himself issues with his mother.
