Page 55 of Thick as Thieves
“Hey, no need for that,” Xan reassures me. “We love you. But we probably need to be more considerate of you. I’m sorry, Evie, you just blow my brains out of my head,” he explains.
“And mine, but you know that,” says Kell, laughing in my ear.
“Am I too much, Kitten?” asks Xander looking worried. “I know I get a bit overbearing, especially in the bedroom.”
Kellen starts to laugh. “You can say that again.”
We all start to laugh, but tears are leaking out of my eyes. Oh God, are my hormones running amok again?
“Jesus, I, I’m so sorry Evie, I’ll try not to b?—”
“No, Xan. I don’t want you to change. I know what you are. Or should I say I’ve heard and now seen a bit. I just think I got in my head a bit. It’s okay.” I touch his chest gently, roving my fingers up to his worry-filled face, resting my fingertips on his lips.
I start to lift my hand and move it lower, his cock still pressing into my stomach, but he grabs my hand, halting my effort. “No, Evie, you don’t have to. I’m good. I love having you here, both of you.” He reaches behind me, stroking his fingers along Kellen’s arm and across his chest. “Let’s get some food and we can just talk.”
“Did you saytalk?” Kell’s voice has a laugh in it. “Who are you? And what have you done with Xander Barclay?” He pushes at Xander’s shoulder while he pulls me away from him and into his chest, sinking into the huge soft mattress of Xander’s bed and wrapping his legs over mine, as if he’s protecting me from Xan. “Check his eyes, Kitten. Maybe the fairies have got to him.” He’s grinning like a lunatic.
Shuffling nearer to Kell, I point at Xan. “Can you remember the time he told Jude there was a fairy ring in that weird clearing in Rookwood. Jude stayed out for months. He’d rather walk an extra mile than cut through the clearing.”
“Well, he can’t talk.” Xan laughs as he rats out Kell. “He recorded fairy sounds from a TV show and we waited for hours for Jude to come and then played them. I’ve never seen Jude run so fast.” My mouth drops open as I scoot myself back away from Kell.
“It was you two?” I poke at them. “Jude went on and on about it for weeks. Asked Jonno and I to stake it out. Jonno bought him fairy dolls for Christmas for years.” I’m laughing now, tears streaming down my face.
My entire self—body, mind, heart and soul—responds to them.
Xan meets my eyes and his voice gentles as he spills his whole self out to us. “Do you know I’ve never held a conversation in bed with any type of lover. Ever. And it’s one of the best experiences of my life. Having you two here with me—in my room, at my home—it’s life.”
Things only get better as we all reminisce about the ridiculous tricks we played on each other, deepening the bonds that hold us all together. When Xan hops up and grabs the tray of food, I watch him with a positive glow growing in my chest. I steal food from their plates, and drink their drinks. It's second nature to me. I realise I move between them effortlessly. Showing affection and love in equal measure. I don’t think it’s a conscious decision, it’s how we’ve all always been. Only this time, we’re all naked, our souls laid totally bare along with our bodies. And it is the most ecstatic feeling in the world. Better than any sex, because this is love.
24
Xander
South America
We head backout on tour while Evie and the twins go back to Devon. Marshall, however, is still in Ireland, at his family's home and distillery, with Jonno. What the hell are they still doing there? I decide to ring Marshall to have a chat to see if he’s alright.
“Barclay, is everything ok with midarlin’?” are the first words out of his mouth.
“All good, Marshall, just checking in that you’re okay. She’s gone to Devon to see you, but you’re still there. Are you going to be a while? We want her to come out on tour with us again. Until June." I'm explaining our plan in a bit of a rush, the words tumbling out on top of each other.
“Yeah, I’ll be another month at least, I think. My brother Seamus is not well, and he runs things here. His daughter is running our American operation, so I’m helping my nephew out. Jonno’s upgrading all the security and sorting some of the systems out, and generally getting on everyone’s nerves.” I hear the grin in his voice at that.
“That sounds like the norm. I’ll ring him to annoy him then.” We both laugh.
“Russell phoned me as well, so yes, I think it’s best if she comes out to you. James and Bucky out there?” He’s so practical, so calm. I know why Evie loves him so much.
“Yes, some of the time. We should be back with them in May and then right through til June.”
“Has she got rid of that nanny yet?” he asks me, his concern obvious in his tone.
“I think she’s going to. Why? Has she said something to you?” Christ, how long has she been worried? My brain is working over time. I won’t have Kitten upset, the nanny’s got to go.
“She did very early doors before Christmas, but she didn’t want to make a decision as she thought she may be making it for the wrong reasons,” he explains patiently.
“Well, she wasn’t wrong, the nanny needs to go. If Evie comes on tour, she can get rid, citing that.” I take a breath. I need to tell him about us all. “Marshall, I need to tell you?—”
“No, Xander, you don’t. Kellen and Evie have both been on the phone. I know what the situation is. I wondered how things might go.” He pauses as I let the fact that he knows sink in. “I’m pleased for you all. She was miserable without you. I think if I’d not taken her phone at Christmas, she would have harassed you to death.” His calm voice soothes me down the phone. “Evie wants you all to live with me in Devon. Can you cope with that?”
