Page 62 of Thick as Thieves
“Do we need to do it now, or can we think about it?” asks Marcus.
“I want to talk to Evie, James, and Bucky, probably Jonno as well,” I say, trying to be present and think a little. “Then we’ll decide. Gabe and Levi will need to be there as well. We need a united front, whichever way we go.” I pause then say, “I think, fuck em. If it’s the end of the band, it’s the end. If no one wants our music just because I fell in love, then fuck them as well.”
Tim smiles at me. “Xander, I’m with you. It’s been a good run, but we have to protect them as much as possible. We can talk around the issues. Either way, it’s going to be a feeding frenzy. But on a positive note, thank fuck for the Greystones. Never did I think people actually did this shit for a living, but they really do.” He laughs. “I nearly died when I saw that police escort. Miguel is a god in my eyes. I've invited him VIP to our concert in a few days, and any of his boys. Sign anything they ask.” He slaps us both on the back.
We walk out of the room again and make our way upstairs, where the twins are centre stage. A police captain is carrying them around while Valentina’s passing out tacos, the table groaning with all the food on show.
I look over the room, searching for her, and see her with James, his arms banded around her, whispering in her ear. She has tears in her eyes, and so does he. I can read his lips, telling her how much he loves her, and he pulls her head to his chest. He looks up at Marcus and I, unsmiling, over the top of her hair. Fuck. Is he annoyed? But he moves his head slightly for us to come over.
I touch Evie’s back, as I stand next to her. Marcus touches her hair. She smiles at us both, but doesn’t move out of James’s embrace. And he makes no move to release her.
“Jonno’s told us about the other stories about you all,” he says, not beating around the bush. “They’re working the paternity angle for headlines and then sliding into the slutty behaviour of my mother with two men.”
He raises his eyebrows at us both. I close my eyes, anger bubbling up, I knew they’d go this route. Always the same.
Evie goes to move, but again he holds her, shaking his head at her, and she moves back into him.
“We can talk about it after everyone leaves,” Marcus says. “Decide which way to go. We’ll do whatever is best for you and the kids, Evie.” He kisses James on the cheek and Evie on the head. “You okay baby?” he asks her tenderly, touching her face.
She nods at him, her eyes clear and damned beautiful.
He smiles at us all before moving away to talk to Miguel, schmoozing the police captain. I keep my eyes on my wife and my son. Because that is what they are to me, how I think of them. They are fucking mine, and no one will take them.
“Don’t look so worried, Papa,” James says, smiling gently at me. “It’ll work out. But I think it’s going to be painful in the media. Everyone loves this sort of story. You’re tabloid gold.”
I move in closer, but to the other side, away from the crowds. I need to feel her skin on me, her hands in mine. She drops her hand instinctively from James to take hold of mine, entwining her fingers and holding me tightly. She knows I need physical contact. She’ll be able to smell my desperation.
“I’m thirty-eight years old in a few weeks’ time. I have never loved anyone else my whole life. I’ve never been in love with anyone else. Just you, Evie, and Kell. I feel so protective of you all. I love all the children, even the big two.” I grin at James. “I’ll do what I have to, to make sure you’re all alright.”
Evie looks into my eyes as she pushes off of James. “That won’t be leaving us then, will it? As I can tell you now Xan, that will make it worse not better. It won’t make it right or us alright.”
“No it won’t,” James concurs. “You do that, Papa, and you’ll have me to deal with.” He grins at me. “And I can make Jonno look like the tooth fairy.” He drops Evie and pulls me into him. A nineteen-year-old kid, giving me comfort. My son. “I love you, Papa. Stay with us.”
He moves away to add to the schmoozing. We both stand and watch them, James and Marcus, good looking, the ultimate in charm. Regardless of what is swirling around us, my heart is full of love.
“They have the whole room in raptures,” I tell Evie as she watches them and me.
“Yep, and you’re just as bad. Well, we need some of that now. We need our friends in our corner. But if they choose not to, then whatever, it won’t change my mind.” She smiles at me, her confidence shining through. “You better go try and retrieve your sons. I think Captain Miguel may run off with them, and Texas at this rate. Gabe will lose another one.”
I roll my eyes. “Fucking Gabe with his women. They’ve caused so much trouble. Why can’t he meet one or two that are ok? If it’s not Marcus they want, it’s James. You’d think he’d be bothered, but he really isn’t.”
“He’s Gabe. I don’t think you’ll change him now.”
“I don’t know. Marcus and I are changed men.” I scowl at her as she laughs.
“Not really. If this story is anything to go by, you’re hardly normal, are you? Hardly sedate.” She grins and leaves me standing, gaping at her.
Valentina comes to feed her. The woman is as fussy over Evie as she is the babies. It’s great to see someone else help and support her, as she does for everyone else.
It’s late in the evening, we’ve fed everyone in the house and half the Mexican police force it feels like. Valentina and her daughter, Luna, are staying over to cook for everyone. Evie has not let the boys go to bed. She has them laid on her, dozing, snuggling in. I go over and take Sorley from her. He snuffles a bit, but I kiss his head and hold him close. I feel everyone watching me, and I don’t fucking care. I sit with my boy on my chest. James comes over and takes Lochi as Marcus pulls Evie into his lap.
He nods at Tim, who takes a deep breath. “There are two stories running. The one here, about who is the father of the babies, definitely started from the girl who left. The other story is out of the UK, about paternity, but also focuses on the fact you’re all together. That story has gone global, and is being reported everywhere. We don’t know where it originated yet, but we will. I’ve asked Jonno to find out as well.”
He pauses, letting that blow land. “We need to decide if we want to do anything or not, as we obviously don’t have to. You’re not obliged to discuss your lives or explain yourselves to anyone.”
He takes another breath in, like he’s steeling himself and needs to be there for us. Clearly he’s worried about us all, his brain running around all the scenarios. By the worried look on his face, he doesn’t think any of them are easy.
“I’ll support your decision either way, but we need to go through pros and cons. We’ve been around long enough to know how this will play out. We can already see the slants that are being put on things.”
