Page 41 of Love Thief

“Mick,” I shout over. “Get Jase on the phone. Grace recorded a conversation at the boxing match. Delete it from every device she has. And check she’s not sent it on anywhere for future use. In fact, get Jonno to stop her sending anything, anywhere.”

I hear Mick talking to Jonno, and then the team in Vegas. They’ll get it sorted. I have bigger issues to deal with here and now.

“Do you want to lay down?” I ask Evie. When she shakes her head and moves in closer to us both, I recline our seats a bit and we settle down. I ask the stewardess for a blanket, knowing it’s going to be a long flight.

Becker has collapsed, and is snoring loudly. I cover Evie and us all up and wait and see how things work out. Get my head together. It’s mashed at present.

People need to back the fuck off, always up in my business. As things on the jet quiet down, I can see what’s happened and close my eyes as it all comes together. Her best friend—she thought—has turned on her. And considering I think Grace was her only real friend, no wonder she was going crazy. I’ve seen it so many times. When things change, people get weird. Especially if they think it’s better than they’ve got.

Clearly Grace has missed who Evie really is and what she has. I bet she never told her anything about her life. A bit of privacy in a world for her with no privacy. And now me, the world’s most transparent man. Everything laid bare. She's been dragged from the shadows and the first casualty was someone who she thought she could trust. Her best and only girlfriend. A harsh lesson, but one we learned long ago.

Mick comes over. “Sorted on the recording. Kenny has her under hotel arrest until we can make sure it’s all contained.” He looks at Evie who’s now asleep. “Tom said she went mad, tried to jump out of the car. He’s never seen her so upset.”

“Her friend fucked her over. It’s hard.”

I touch her hair, looking into the most beautiful face I have ever seen. Even in sleep, she’s dazzling. I can see the slight blotches from her tears. The worry lines that haven’t dissipated even in slumber. I want to smooth them all away. Protect her from this shit show that is my life. But I can’t let her go, I’m way too selfish for that. I fucking need her. We need her. I can’t go back to life B.E. I won’t allow anyone to let that happen.

“We need to take better care of her, Marcus,” Xander says, stroking her skin. “She’ll go, she’s tried tonight. We can’t let it happen again.” Xander voices all my fears.

“I know. We will.”

Mick looks at her, holding onto Xan’s and my hands. “She did nothing wrong, other than marry you, of course,” he prods me. “She shouldn’t have to pay with her friends.”

“Yeah, but you and I know that if not now, when? Because she would have done that at some point. She was no friend.” I can’t be bothered to think about fucking Grace. What a total bitch.

“I’m fucked. Wake me before we land. We might need to sort exiting out, especially if people know Becker is on this flight. It could be crowded.”

“We get in around 10p.m. UK time. It’s a long haul home. Are you going to stay in London?” Mick asks us.

“I think we should,” says Xan. “Let’s go to Evie’s flat, it’s not far from the airport. If we fly into London City, can you sort with Becker’s crowd?”

“Will do,” he confirms before moving off.

“She’ll feel better if she has her own stuff around her. Are the boys there? Or at the Greystone house?” Xan asks

“I dropped them with the Greystones. They were a nightmare. I don't know how Evie does it.”

“I think you were being played, Daddy,” Xan laughs. “I saw the pictures they were sending her."

“Little shits.” I break out in a huge smile. “We’ll just be us tonight and get them to come tomorrow morning.”

In the end, Kasey Becker comes with us, at Evie’s insistence. It seems there’s some huge political event on and all the best hotels are booked. Kasey’s staff have fucked up, but he comes with us and is knocked out by the apartment. Evie sets him up in the guest wing while his security go with Mick and Tommy to ‘the pods’ downstairs.

“I can’t believe I’ve slept on the plane and am still tired.”

She says no to coffee, or she won’t sleep, and gets Kasey some tea. When he goes to stand outside, she puts the heaters on for him and we all sit out on the chairs watching London by night.

“I’ve got an early call tomorrow at the studios,” he tells us. “I need to be away by 7am. Is that ok, Evie?”

“Yeah, I’ll be up and get you sorted. Do you want food here or will you get it at the studio?”

“Studio will do it, don’t go to any trouble. I’m thankful you let me stay. Do you want me out tomorrow or…?”

She shakes her head. “No you can stay on. I’m not sure what we’re doing?” She turns to Xan and I.

“We’ll sort it tomorrow, Kitten. Don’t worry now. Come back here, Kasey, and I’ll let you know what our plans are," I tell him.

“I’ll say goodnight then. Thanks, stowaway.” He kisses her and waves at us and leaves.

---