Page 108 of Love Thief

“What would I say?” His voice cracks, pleading with me to understand. “Yes he's fine, when he wasn’t and isn’t. He’s drunk, drugged up, and a mess. How could I have told you that every day for the past four months? It was just too depressing, even for you.” His hands rove over my hair, my face.

“Have you been well?” I ask him, looking into his eyes. He’s shaking his head. “I saw you out alot,” I say, looking down, closing my eyes.

“Means to an end. Not great, but I’m better now. I can’t believe you’re here. How far on are you?” He’s changing the subject, and his hands go towards my stomach, but he retracts them.

“Thirty-one weeks on Wednesday. I’ve only got six weeks left.”

His smile is gentle, his face full of love. “Well, I’m here to stay. Even if Kell doesn’t come home, I’m not going back until you have those babies.” Determination to stay rings in his voice.

“Do you think he won’t come back?” I ask the dreaded question, my voice quiet. I don’t really think I actually want a straight answer. I feel as if my chest might burst open.

“I think he will. He’s got it in his head that if he comes back something will go wrong, that he’s bad luck. He thinks he needs to stay away until after they’re born.” He’s shaking his head in disbelief. “We’ve all tried to convince him otherwise, but he won’t have it. I actually believe he thinks in some weird way he’s protecting you.” His eyes are taking me in constantly, assessing me.

I stand and stare at him, taking that in, and remember the words Kellen shouted at me. That I was never loved. He was talking about my family, maybe them, him and Xan. I wasn’t sure. But it had still hurt. I knew he was just blindly lashing out. Hitting the mark he intended. My heart.

Xan is still intently watching my face, and starts to shake his head more vigorously. “No Evie, he didn’t mean that. You know deep in your heart that they were the most untrue words he’s ever spoken.”

I look down, tears sting my eyes. “I don’t. After everything he’s done to hurt me deliberately, I don’t know that, Xander.”

“Did you never love him, like he said you didn’t? Did you do it on purpose to get another baby?” He puts two fingers under my chin and pulls my face upwards to look at him.

“No, I never told him I did that. I told the truth, though. I did love him, I told him I did. But things happen. And when he refuses to wear a condom, things go wrong. Or right, depending on your point of view. So I refuse to be blamed totally for this. He has to take some responsibility. If he doesn’t want kids, he needs to ensure he doesn’t put himself in that situation.”

“He did every other time, other than with you,” Xander defends him.

“No,” I say deliberately. “No, he's had four other children, so he did it four other times as well. That’s not taking control of your life, it’s blaming others for your faults.”

“Did you think I didn’t love you?” he asks me, touching my hair as he speaks, his eyes sparking love, roving over my face.

I shrug. “I don’t know what to think anymore. No one came, no one phoned. Jonno came to the scans, even James made me take him to one, but neither of you’ve seen any.” I’m trying to get control of myself. All this hurt is not good for my babies.

He huffs out a dark chuckle at that. “Oh we’ve seen them alright. You have a very ruthless son, who plonks things in your face and makes you look, and look and look. James is a stubborn man. We’ve seen scans, he sent audio of the heartbeats. I know he’s still sending them to Marcus, every chance he gets.”

He pulls me closer to him, putting his hands on my shoulders. “And I do love you, so much. I’ve missed you, the family, so fucking much. I’ve wanted to come back for a while, but I couldn’t leave him. He’s too broken. And the people around him weren’t right.” His voice cracks with emotion as he closes his eyes, looking back into the horror of the past few months.

I bark out a harsh laugh at that, and my lip curls in disgust. “No one came though, regardless of all of that.”

I turn to go back to the house, feeling things are still unresolved. “Eamonn is here with me. He’s been asking for you and Kellen. He’ll be pleased to see you.” I grin at him. “He’s helping me with the build, and he’s onto Bug every night with tales of fairy buildings and water horses. Bug is threatening to come get him back.”

He smiles at that. “He won't. He loves it that you have Eamonn, he loves the connection you have with his son. It feels the same as you did with him.”

He looks down and chuckles, as he’s clearly thinking about Bug and I as kids, before peering at me from the corner of his eye. His lips slide into a knowing smirk, and I can see him peeking at me thoughtfully through his long lashes. “There’s another event here in a few days, another event for you to cause trouble at. Samhain. Are you staying for that? We have a big event in the evening and there’s lots going on the next two days for All Souls. If you can stay that long.”

He’s staring at my tummy again. “I can’t believe how big you are. It blows my mind.” He’s trying to move us to a more comfortable footing. Lighten the tension of their leaving me.

“Yep, well, they’re putting on weight now they’re ready to go. So, getting bigger every day.”

He takes my hand as we walk slowly back up the drive, threading his fingers in mine. Touching my fingers constantly. He looks jagged, like he’s trying to get his skin to fit. Well, welcome to my world, I’ve felt out of my skin for months.

“The Fairy house looks great. I can see your drawings in it, it reminds me of you. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner, or call. I just didn’t know what to say.” He turns me to him on the drive and kisses my cheeks. “I love you, Evie. I always have. Please don’t let what Marcus said taint anything between us. You’re both very good at hitting where it hurts the most.”

I look into his unblinking beautiful blue eyes and see only love there. It burns bright and hits me full force. I nod my head slowly, maintaining eye contact all the while. His lips tip up into a smile that comes straight from his heart, and it lightens my soul to see it. We start walking again, with him gripping my hand for dear life.

“Uncle Xander.” We hear the shout go up, and Eamonn flies round the side of the building, covered in shavings. He runs like a guided missile straight for us and leaps into Xan’s arms. “You have to be nice to my Aunty Kitten, or my dad will get you. He told me to tell you if you came home.” He touches Xan’s hair then looks at his mickey mouse watch. “Time for our biscuits,” he says, having delivered his message. “Grandpa Tarron said to tell you that.”

“Grandpa? When did he start using that title?” Xan asks.

“Yesterday. When he told me I was part of his Clan,” Eamonn answers.

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