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Thirty-Two
Kellen
I get back to the chateau from the ATVs to find it's filled up fast with friends from home and industry. People I’ve collected to do with work, but aren’t necessarily musicians. It’s a real eclectic mix, but it always seems to work. There will be about a hundred people all told. A great turnout, for sure. But as Xander always says, ‘What’s to say no to?’
I’m talking, laughing, drinking with everyone, catching up with people I haven’t seen for a while. Women begin filling the place up, mostly in robes from the spa, but I don’t see her. She said she was going to go to the gardens and outbuildings, but what she says and what she actually does are two very different things. I know this better than most.
I start to get a bit worried when I spot Grace, Orla, and Levi’s girlfriend, Becky, all together, but no Evie. I wave at Orla to come over, trying not to make it look like I’m hunting Kitten down by being too obvious.
Clearly I’m failing as Orla says straight away, “She’s not with us. Hasn’t been all day.” She points to Grace, who’s working her way over to us with Becky. “Grace is getting a bit worried.”
Grace approaches me shyly to kiss me. “It's lovely, Marcus, totally amazing. I can’t thank you enough for inviting me, I—” She’s practically fanning herself.
“You haven’t seen Evie yet?” I interrupt her. “She said she was going to find you and her brothers, around two this afternoon.”
She shakes her head, averting her eyes and looking down. “No, we haven’t seen her at all. But we heard about the rooms. Who knew a spa would be a hotbed of gossip.” All three of them laugh at me.
Becky divulges, “She did right not to come into the spa. It would have been a massacre. And from what the girls have said about Evie, I don’t think it would have been hers.”
I look at my watch as they move on to go get ready. It’s nearly 5:30 and the bar is emptying out. Where the fuck is she? I start to look around the room and see Jude talking to Isobel of all people.
“Jude, you seen E?” I call over hopefully, but he shakes his head.
Walking towards me says, “Not at all today. Thought you were keeping her busy?”
I start to move from room to room, but no sign of her. I keep moving, calling out to people as I go so I don’t get stopped for too long. Where is she?
I find Xan talking to a couple of models who were in our last single shoot. “Have you seen Kitten?”
“No, you’ve not lost her already, Marcus? Jeez, brother.” He’s laughing but stops when he sees my face.
“She’s no fucking where to be seen. No one’s seen her, not even her brothers.” I start to look around, pulling at my hair a bit and rubbing my neck nervously.
“You checked your rooms?” he asks logically.
“Yeah, empty.”
“You better check the outbuildings. You know what she’s like for old stonework.”
I go to move, but the two models try to stop me, blocking my exit, and touching my chest.
“Stay, Marcus. We’ve not seen you for a while,” one purrs, her hand moving around my body, down my back, landing on my arse.
I smile at her but say, “Maybe later, darling.” knowing there’s not a chance that is happening.
I fix Xan with a determined stare, not even hiding the grit in my voice. “You coming, Xan?”
He gives one of the models a sloppy kiss and smacks the other’s arse. “Definitely later, darlin’.” He laughs and we move on.
Having covered most of the rooms downstairs, I’ve picked up my band mates now, along with Tim and Jude, as well as a few onlookers. Still no sign of the woman.
“Where the fuck is she?” I’m shouting at everyone. “How can she disappear? She better not have left. Has someone said something?”
I’m running scenarios in my mind, down through the worst fears checklist, when I spot Angie the party planner in the corner of the room. Trying to hide and looking a bit guilty. “Angie, come over here.” She walks up looking like she’s about to be hung. “You got something to tell me?”
“Well, it’s not a lot, but Phillipe the gardener was with Evie today at lunch and some guys harassed her. One of them had hold of her. Phillipe says she held her own, but then she left for the village.” Angie rattles the last bit off quickly as she can see I’m about to explode.
“Who had hold of her? In what way?” What the fuck! “I leave her for a couple of hours and she gets into trouble. She’s a pain in the arse.” I take a breath. I’m starting to panic. What if they’ve said something and it's upset her. I just sorted out the groupie situation, now someone else is getting involved? Why can’t they all just back the fuck off and leave me alone? Leave us alone.
