Page 18 of All Mine (The All Mine #1)
Etienne
He lounged against the prepping table while he ate, licking his fingers and smacking his lips as he finished.
‘Good night then?’ Mickey asked, his knife a blur as he chopped vegetables for the day.
Etienne had to agree. He felt better this morning, reassured on two counts. Firstly, Fox and Walker had been certain he’d have the chance to put things right with Alex. And secondly, that his cock was in perfect working order. Or it was for Isabella Tucci, that was for certain.
He’d seen her at the bar and the well-concealed roll of her eyes as Andy started to talk to her.
He’d strolled over there fully expecting to go in as the hero, the protector.
But she hadn’t needed anyone to save her.
She’d been direct but not rude, plain speaking but helpful, and he hadn’t needed to say a word.
He only chipped in at the end because he wanted her to see him there.
He wondered when she might text. She didn’t seem like one of those game players who left it a certain number of days before messaging, to show they’re in control or not that bothered.
From last night’s performance, she seemed like the kind of woman that could handle herself and would message when she wanted to.
A flicker of doubt went through him, which was unusual when it came to women. What if she didn’t text? She’d already turned away from his mouth on her skin. What if she simply wasn’t interested?
‘You all right, mate?’ Mile End Mickey said. ‘You’ve gone a bit pale.’
Etienne shook his head, clearing it. Of course she’d be interested.
‘Fine,’ he insisted. ‘Absolutely fine.’
At that exact moment, his phone buzzed with a text.
‘Even better now, in fact.’ He grinned, picking it up and waving cockily over his shoulder as he went through to the empty restaurant.
He flicked to messages. But it wasn’t Isabella.
Alex : I want to come home. But it might be dangerous.
Etienne sank down at a nearby empty table. His fingers trembled and he was glad of autocorrect as he quickly typed a reply, desperate to keep the conversation going.
Etienne : I can help. Tell me what you need me to do.
He would do anything to put this right. It was his fault that he hadn’t been able to see his brother for all this time. It was down to him that his twin had had to run because Etienne had let him down when he needed him most.
Alex : I don’t want to bring trouble back to you.
The reply felt like a kick in the gut to Etienne. He’d take all the trouble. He’d face it for Alex, like he should have done all those years ago.
Etienne : I’m in. What kind of trouble are we looking at?
Alex : The Dougalls still need paying back.
Etienne inhaled sharply. So, the rumours were right.
When their parents died five years before, Alex and Etienne were in very different places in their lives.
Etienne was set on a path of owning a restaurant and immediately decided to use his inheritance to buy The Bistro.
Alex was following his own path of playing the online slots, picking a horse or two at the weekend and finally moving on to local poker games.
Not the ones for fun and sharing a bottle of whisky with the boys.
The ones in back rooms of the local pubs, where the doors were locked and the stakes were high.
Too high. When Alex got his share of the inheritance– a small fortune, enough to set him up in the business of his choice for the rest of his life– he instead decided to bet it on a full house which he thought was a sure thing, only to have Mason Dougall turn over a straight flush.
Which would have been fine if he’d stopped then. But Alex was a gambler.
Etienne : How much do you owe them?
The wait was excruciating, longer than between the last messages.
How much over the inheritance had Alex gone?
He knew it must be a significant amount to have to run.
The rumours said it was worth a chopped-off hand or a kneecapping unless it got paid back.
Etienne had also heard that the Dougalls made you choose which hand you wanted them to cut off, and then always took the one you wanted to keep.
Etienne felt his eyeballs drying out as he stared at his phone. Finally, another message.
Alex : 50k.
His stomach dropped. He didn’t have enough to cover that. He was sure of it. He shook his head. He’d have to find a way.
Etienne : Leave it with me.
Alex : It might have to be cash. Or a transfer. They haven’t said yet.
Suddenly Etienne felt like he was in some kind of gangster movie. This was way outside his normal life of cook, serve, sex, sleep. But he’d do anything for Alex and the chance to bring him home. It was his fault he’d had to leave in the first place.
Etienne : Are you still gambling, Al?
Etienne stared intently at the screen. He had to ask.
Alex : Haven’t even played bingo since I left.
Etienne breathed out slowly, but the next message jolted him to standing.
Alex : How’s Kiera?
Etienne : Long gone.
He shook his head at the complete and utter waste of the last four years.
If only he’d picked up the phone when Alex called.
He could have paid the money there and then.
The papers weren’t yet signed on The Bistro.
He could have given him the money and put him into some kind of gambling rehab.
Alex wouldn’t have had to run and live on his own with no friends or family. They could have been together.
But it wasn’t as simple as that. After living through Alex’s addiction over the years, he’d learned the hard way that addiction trumps family– every time.
He’d lent Alex money in the early days for him to pay off someone he’d lost a bet to, only to find out Alex used the money to try double or quits.
The debt always doubled. Another time, he’d given him his entire month’s wages, to try to help Alex out without their parents knowing, only for Alex to take it to the local casino and put it on black.
So, when Alex rang that night all those years ago, and Etienne saw his name flashing on the screen, he ignored it because he’d finally got his latest crush, Kiera, to go out with him after a few weeks of thinking she’d be the love of his life.
As it was, they only actually dated for a month.
But that night, as they kissed, he missed frantic message after frantic message from his brother, asking for help, begging for money, and finally explaining he had to disappear.
And Etienne had blamed himself ever since.
So this time, he’d take the risk. He’d give him the money. He had to.
Alex : I’ll contact the Dougalls. And I’ll arrange how to get them the money.
Etienne could imagine how terrifying typing those words must be.
The Dougall family name was feared across south London where they used to live.
They were notoriously violent, and people would cross the road rather than risk getting in the Dougalls’ way.
He’d first heard of them when his parents’ car got stolen and the police confirmed a car theft operation run by the Dougall family.
Later, when he was at university, the Dougalls seemed to run a loan shark operation preying on skint students needing a quick cash flow.
They didn’t know what they were getting themselves into and ended up owing more than they ever borrowed.
It seemed that the Dougalls had fingers in lots of illegal pies, because it was also them who organised the illicit poker nights across the city, acting as a bank until someone like Alex owed them too much and they wanted it back ? with interest.
Keep in touch. Etienne didn’t want the conversation to end but knew he had to leave Alex to do this part alone.
Love you, bro , Alex said and Etienne’s eyes squeezed shut.
Visions of Alex sprung into his mind. The two of them with their arms around each other’s shoulders, spinning in circles in the back garden.
Fiercely objecting to being dressed the same.
Wrestling in the pool on holiday. Kicking each other’s legs under the table during tea.
Standing side by side at their parents’ funeral as the coffins were lowered in the joint plot.
A million memories. Always together. The Twins.
Love you too , he typed, never meaning anything more in his life.
Etienne’s chest was hurting as he let his phone fall to his side.
This was love. This was what he’d risked by trying to have a relationship with a woman. And that’s why one-night stands were all that he’d allowed himself ever since.