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“Dad!” he bellows. Jesus, he’ll wake the dead.
“Dad!” shouts Bucky, and I grin at that. To be honest, Evie classes them both as her kids, so maybe I should. I stand at the car door and Mick comes round to my side to greet the boys.
James drags me into a hug and says in my ear, “You smell like my mum.” He steps back and smirks at me.
Bucky moves to hug me, and slaps me so hard on the back I cough. “You gonna catch your plane?”
I nod and shake hands with the other boys. “4:30 take-off.”
“Okay, better let you go then.” James stands back to let me sort out the car door and shakes hands with Mick. “Take care of him, Mick.”
“Always, James,” Mick says, smiling ear to ear at the boys.
“Make sure, Mick, you get my room ready,” Bucky adds, hopping around us.
I pull both boys in for a joint hug and tell them, “I’ll see you in a week or so. Look after your mother.”
“Always, Dad,” James says, mimicking Mick.
“Everyday,” Bucky agrees.
The car is heated, but I feel colder than ever. They all stand at the side of the pavement and wave as I pull away. I don’t say anything and neither does Mick. I don’t trust myself to speak.
We pull up to the private entrance of the airport and go through customs in record time. Joining Xander and Jase at a table in the lounge, I ask the waiter for a whiskey.
Xander looks me over. “So that’s where you shot off to.”
“Where?” I ask him, giving him a fuck off look.
“Evie’s. Am I right, Mick?” he asks as Mick pulls a chair up, handing a soft drink to Jase and keeping another for himself.
“I’m just the driver, Xan. You know that.”
He’s moving his head from side to side, assessing me. “I can’t decide if you look better or worse.”
“Fuck off, Xan. I can’t be bothered tonight.” I may as well have waived a red flag at him. But he surprises me and changes the subject to James.
“Did you see him before you left?” He smiles as he asks.
“Yes, just. Him and the gang. James called me Dad. Oh, and so did Bucky.” We laugh at that.
“Seems you’ve ended up with a group of kids, not just one,” Xan muses.
“Seems like it. When can we board?” I ask. I’m starting to feel like I’m coming out of my skin, l need to move.
“Now, by the looks of it,” Mick says, moving his head for us to all get going.
As we board the plane, what a surprise, it’s the same attendant as on the way out. Her eyes light up when she sees me, eating me up greedily. Clearly the rumpled look does not deter her.
She starts as soon as I’m sat down, touching me, eye fucking me, giving me drinks. I totally ignore her. Xander and Mick are exchanging looks as I dismiss the woman trying desperately to suck my cock on the way home.
“Wake me up when we’re landing.” I put in my earbuds and recline my seat to full bed.
I lay awake for most of the flight, but face away from everyone, constantly feeling like I’m just this side of having a full-blown panic attack. My chest is tight, and my mind is spinning. I need to get a grip. No relationships. Even if it is Evie fucking Greystone. None, no way. It’s my mantra to keeping me alive. It’s worked for nearly two decades. I don’t think I have anything left to give anyway. I’m numb, after every call that came in, every hit I took, it stole my ability to feel. I don’t want to feel, not real emotion, it’s just too fucking hard.
I need to get right back into my life. It won’t be difficult in LA. A call to the right people and parties and women will be everywhere. It’s what I need. I need to sort out stuff for James and the band to do when they come out. That won’t be strenuous task. They’re young lads, so basically my lifestyle but with younger women, with a few activities thrown in.
I’ll speak to Gabe on my return. A bit of play time may be required to get my head back on straight. Plan sorted, it’s time to move on. Now I just need to get my heart and my head on the same page.
