Page 126 of Thick as Thieves
Xander
My daughter is stunning. Her gorgeous blue eyes seem to follow me everywhere. I thought the twins were magnets, but she is pulling everyone in. To meet her is to fall under her spell.
My dad carries her around twenty-four seven. The only time he puts her down is to pick up the twins or Eamonn Purcell.
I reiterate my desire to marry them both here in Scotland. Kell just grins and taps his nose. I notice his ring finger is missing a ring. Evie hasn’t had her rings on for weeks. Her hands were swelling and the ring Kell gave her when they got married was taken off for safe keeping. She didn’t want to have it cut off. But it’s never gone back on.
We’re still up in Scotland towards the end of April. I’m looking for my wife and baby when I hear a little cry in Dad’s study. He’s taken her again. I smile as I stride into the room, ready to chastise him for stealing my daughter. But a look to the side reveals Kell and Evie sat together on the comfy old sofas. Dad, of course, holding a sleeping Rio.
“Ah, Xander, I was just coming to find you. We have something to discuss.” He points to the sofa and I sit down, kissing Evie, and touching Kell's leg.
I put my arm around the back of the sofa, pulling Evie in close to me as my fingers brush the back of Kell's neck. I see the hair start to stand up on his neck, and he shivers. I grin, my touch like a fire starter for him.
Dad looks at us all, and his eyebrows raise, but he just shakes his head.
“So, what’s going on?” I ask coolly.
“We thought we’d set the date for the wedding,” Kell states, leaning forwards and grinning at me.
My face lights up. Wow. Really? This is really happening.
“Wow, okay. When are you thinking?” My thoughts go towards the summer and potentially my birthday. The weather will be better. The nights longer.
“Beltane,” Dad states.
I spin my head towards him. “Beltane? I don’t want to wait until next year.” Beltane is only a few days away. We celebrate it beginning on May first. There are lots of events from May first all the way to a party at the house and in the village ending on the fifth.
“Not next year. This. This Beltane. I’m ready,” Dad tells me, looking down at Rio. Cooing at the child.
I look from Dad to Kell to Evie. “This year? Wow. In a few days? I—” I’m in shock. I didn’t realise Kell had been so busy.
“I’ve got the rings sorted.” He smiles at me as he pats his jeans pocket. “I’ve had mine and Evie’s doctored. And I’ve had yours made and delivered.”
I remember the kerfuffle on the rings he had made. Platinum bands for both him and Evie, with a red diamond and rubies running around Evie’s to represent the red string theory. Well that’s apt for all of us—lovers separated but never taken apart, allowing them to come back together at a different time and place. And now on Beltane. Where red cord is used to tie the knot, binding the lovers together.
I get a lump in my throat as I consider all the symbols and signs that meld together to make us whole.
“Yes, Beltane will be perfect.” I kiss Evie and pull Kell in for a hug. Wow, is this really happening?
James and Bucky join us and we finally have our full nuclear family in one place as friends and other family start to arrive. Our security team, who are basically family at this point, are with us as always, as are Valentina and Maria. The Purcells turned up over a week ago and haven’t left. Bug spends as much time with Evie as he does his wife. It’s a good job that the women love each other. Our bandmates, Levi and Gabe, jet in from the States with Tim. Jackson arrives from LA, while Jude and Jonno come back up from London, they’d only been gone about a week, bringing Pat, Pete, Jake and his daughter Sofia Greystone. Marshall arrives with Nikki and Jurgen. The biggest surprise however is Rowena. She glides in, the perfect polite façade on display, oozing poise and elegance.
“Mother, how lovely to see you. How well you look.” Marcus has donned his Lord Stockton hat, kissing both her cheeks as if she was expected. My dad scoots forwards to welcome her to his home.
“Xander, how lovely to see you looking so well.” Rowena comes forward to kiss my cheek.
She turned up at the hospital in London after that fateful dinner. Apologised fully and sincerely to Evie, Marcus, and I. I don’t think I’d ever seen her look so contrite. But here, now she’s back on top form. The Dowager Countess in full theatrics. Beckoning forward her family to greet her. James and Bucky. Lachlan and Sorley. I see the chink in her act when she looks at our daughter. I even think I see a tear at the corner of her eye. She’s going to be in a fight to the death with my dad over Rioghnach. Little Rio is a bundle of joy, spreading love to anyone who holds her.
The even bigger shock, however, is her reaction to Evie. It’s nearly a gush. She practically knocks poor Orla out of the way to kiss Evie and thank her for the invite.
Marcus’s face is a picture of shock and awe. He thought my dad had invited her. But yet again, Evie Greystone has surprised us all. Extending the olive branch and keeping the family together. Kell can hardly contain himself. He pulls Evie into the speak-a-word room as soon as Rowena sweeps away like a ship under full sail, an entourage of family trailing in her wake. I've got to hand it to her. She's way more of an exhibitionist than Marcus, grabbing the limelight at every opportunity. No question about where he gets it from.
“I fucking love you, Kitten. Thank you for asking her. I know she doesn’t seem like she’s bothered, but that, for her, is amazing.” He’s kissing her face, and hugging her until she’s nearly blue.
I stride over and kiss her. “Thank you. I was thinking of asking her, but wasn’t sure what to do.” I laugh.
“You both should have said. I don’t want conflict and hassle. It’s hard enough as it is with the outside world watching us. We need our close family with us. We need their love and support.”
I smile at her. She never holds grudges. And whilst she may have a go at us—well, mainly Kell—I know it comes from a place of love.
