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She bows her head and smirks, and when she moves away from me this time, no one tries to stop her.
“If she’s nothing and a nobody, what does that make me?” I spin my head towards the staircase, the same direction Evie is headed, and see James standing there, staring at me.
Not again, no, not again. Please, no.
All the Greystones move as a pack towards Evie and James, flanking them.
“Evie, stop please. Don’t leave. You know I didn’t mean that. I was angry. You know I don’t mean it.”
She’s level with James now, facing away from me while he faces me dead on, unflinching anger in his eyes. I see them touch hands and my heart hurts. I’m not bothered that the room is full of people, that they will hear everything I say to them, but if I don’t fix this fuck up, I’m certainly history for good.
“It makes you the same as her, James—absolutely everything. You both are everything to me. Evie, a long time ago we promised not to lie to each other, but we’re using it to tear into each other. I want to be a part of this family, not the thing that drives it apart. I know you don’t like me and my life, I get it, but I… we were friends once. More than friends, but certainly friends first. I can’t be at odds with you, Kitten. I can’t. It just won’t work. I need you. I need you to help me with James, figure out how to be a proper parent. No one else can.”
She looks up at James. No words are exchanged, she merely studies him for a time and cocks her head to the side, eventually slipping into a smile that brings literal tears to my eyes.
No one moves a muscle in that room, no one says a word. I can see their hands touching, and I remember the boys and her doing that when we were young—talking without talking. I remember her and I doing it, her teaching me some of their language. All I can do is stand there and hold my breath, waiting for the outcome.
She nods. “A truce then, Kellen.” She looks over her shoulder at me, then back up at James. “Friends.”
And she walks away.
I sprint to James and grab him before he can disappear into the house.
“Thank you, Son. Thank you. I love you, James, you are everything to me.” I pull him into a hug and thank the lord the boy hugs me back.
“Last chance, Dad. I don’t think I can save you again. And if you ever speak to her again like that, I won’t want to.”
I nod my head. There really is nothing left to say. Surveying the room, I take in the destruction my actions have wrought. Again. Isobel is crying. Orla and Anthony have their arms wrapped around each other.
Xander stands and says, “Marcus, you are a total wanker,” and walks towards the doors to leave.
Anthony gets right in my face to tell me, “Marcus, I love you, you are my cousin, my family. But if you ever speak to Kitten like that again, I’m disowning you.” He always was her man, lock, stock, and barrel.
I nod at him and address the room with a sigh. “Let’s go.” We troop out of the house, down the steps to the pavement below, waiting for the three cars to come get us.
When Anthony kisses James and asks him to get the boys, James tells him he’ll fetch them home later. They're still playing on the Xbox, and can stay for food. Orla kisses him and smiles with tears in her eyes.
I look to the heavens, hoping for divine intervention. Tim, Isobel, Levi, and Gabe get into one car to go back into central London. Xan and I are intending to go to the record label, while Anthony and Orla are going home to the London house. Tim and the boys have just pulled away and Xan and I are getting sorted in the car. I look over and see Anthony just about to open the car door for Orla, when the front door of the house is flung wide open and a whirlwind in stocking feet runs down the steps.
“BUG!” She runs and jumps into his arms. He’s a colossus of a man, but she’s hanging onto him for dear life, crying that she’s sorry for leaving him. I can see Anthony hanging onto her as much as she is onto him. She finally moves down his body and turns to Orla, pulling her into a hug. The two women cry and hug and Anthony pulls them both into a bear hug.
They stand there for ages, talking. Anthony eventually shuts the car door and he and Orla follow Kitten back inside the house, Kitten with tears rolling down her cheeks, Orla in bits, and Anthony looks like he’s been hit with a sledgehammer.
I smile at them all from the car and turn to look at Xander, who has a matching smile on his face.
“You’re such a calculating bastard. But you didn’t know how that would turn out. You didn’t mean that shit you were spewing?”
“No, I lost my temper. She’s the biggest pain in the arse, but I knew if she saw Bug I’d have a chance going forward. She never could resist Bug. Well, it's game on Kitten. Game on.” I sit back and look out of the window as both Xander and Mick shake their heads at me.
“Lucky bastard,” Xander mutters under his breath, and I don’t miss the faintest hint of humour in his words.
Over the next few weeks, I’m careful with my calls and texts. The invites to my party have gone out, and I pull Xander in to discuss tactics.
“I want her to come,” I tell him as he walks into the big room in my house in LA.
He opens the doors to the pool and outside space, but lingers in the doorway. “Why, Marcus? There’ll be loads of distractions. You don’t want her there to witness that shit. You’ll end up pissing her off and be back to square one.”
“I won’t want anyone else if she’s there,” I say belligerently.
