Page 46 of Thick as Thieves
“Fuck. Really? What’s going on with him?” asks Kell in disbelief.
“Marcus, you’re so thick at times,” Levi says, pointing at him. “He wants you. He always fucking has, and you know it. You should’ve told him a long time ago about you and Xan. I knew. I'd seen you once. But he didn’t. He tiptoed around you for fucking years.”
“I always told him no, no to a relationship. Always. I never said I would. He's as bad as those fucking women who never listened to me. I just didn’t think about him like that, and I told him that. What a fucking mess. I’ll go talk to him,” Kell says, scrubbing his hand down his face. I can see he feels guilty.
“No, leave him. I’ll talk to him tonight. You can do it later, when it's not so charged an atmosphere.” Levi pulls Kell in for a hug.
I hear Evie’s laugh ring out into the night sky, and I turn to see Tamzin getting a bit touchy feely.
“We need to go,” I say to Kell, and nod my head in that direction.
“You pair of fuckers, finally getting a taste of your own medicine. Everyone’s after your woman.” Levi starts to laugh, “I can’t wait to watch this.” He sets off in the direction Gabe went, and we move to collect Evie out of Tamzin’s clutches.
“I’ve promised Evie some lessons for you, Xan,” she says to me.
“No need. If she wants any, I can teach her. But generally it’s me with the whip, not her. Or him.” I thumb towards Kellen.
She laughs. “Lucky you. Well, keep in touch, Evie. I’ll see you later.”
As Tamzin saunters away, Evie turns her concerned eyes on us both. “Is Gabe okay? He seems upset.” I can tell she’s worried about him. She cares about everyone in our band family, and I love that she cares so much.
“He’ll be fine,” says Kell, unconcerned, deflecting her from the subject. “Come, it’s getting late, and we need to move.”
We’re stood on either side of her as Bug and Orla come over, kissing us all. Bug is grinning ear to ear as he pulls Evie to him, and I can see him whispering in her ear.
She looks at him with tears in her eyes. “Love you, Bug,” she tells him, hugging him tightly.
Orla is just shaking her head at them. “He’s hoping for a girl, Evie,” she tells us and rubs at her stomach. The two women are hugging in celebration. We didn’t know Orla was pregnant.
“Well, you’ve got your own experienced medical team with Eamonn,” I tell her. “He’s a pro. Coolest head in the room.” I pull them both into a hug.
“He’s nonstop talking about the twins. We can’t wait to see you in the holidays,” Orla says.
We three move away from Bug and Orla towards the house, picking up glasses of whisky enroute to my room.
I can see Kell is not fully with us, his mind elsewhere. What the fuck is wrong with him? “Kell?” I raise my eyebrows at him as I open the door to my room. It’s the largest bedroom on this floor of the house.
“Gabe,” he says in answer. “He’s bugging me. I’m gonna go find him. I know Levi said not to, but I just don’t want this to break us up. I’m fucking happy, I just don’t want him unhappy. I don’t know, I can’t just leave it.”
“Do you want us to come with you? Or just Xan and you?” asks Evie, concern on her face.
“No, you both stay. I’ll go. It’s me he’s got the issue with. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He kisses Evie as he moves towards the door of the room. I stop him, touching his arms and hands. “I know,” he says and kisses me. “Look after Evie. I’ll be back soon.”
20
Xander
I watchas Kell leaves the room. He’s worried, but I’m annoyed.
“Will he be alright?” asks Evie, her concern for them perceptible in her voice.
“Who?” I retort, pissed off at the entire situation.
“Gabe,” she says quietly.
I nod in response, my temper dissipating the instant she gently takes a hold of my hand.
