Page 31 of An Angel’s Share (The Greystone Family: Greystone Brothers #1)

He looks straight at me as he states it. His eyes going from chocolate to molten, and I can hardly get my breath. Someone is going to notice if he doesn’t stop it.

Marshall clears his throat, and I look down. Clearly he has. My dad also must, as he engages Jonno in inane conversation as I try to break his intensity and head into the house for drinks.

“Do you want to start with the plans tomorrow?” I ask Evie when she appears a good while later.

“Yep, if you both have nothing on, we could get cracking.” She obviously is very well informed, as she looks at both Christy and myself.

“Christy, are you getting involved?” Maggie asks her in surprise.

“Yes, Aoife’s asked me to run the café, and—” Christy starts off happily before being rudely interrupted.

“How are you going to do that with the kids? I’m not sure you’ve thought this through,” Patrick pipes up, clearly exchanging incredulous expressions with her mother.

I see Evie clock the situation and turn on the charm. I’m so bloody impressed. “Oh I thought Christy was the architect of the plan?” She looks in confusion at me, and I play right along.

“Yes, she is. Well, we both are. Christy runs the house, so we thought it would be good for her to oversee the café. Put all that skill to even better use. If it gets too busy, we can commandeer some staff from the offices. I overheard some of them saying at the dining room table how ‘unbusy’ they were. We can remedy that and get Christy an assistant. Two birds.” I beam at Christy and hear Jonno try to stifle a laugh.

“Yes, Patrick,” Christy jumps in. “I am overseeing it all. Afterall, I ran your office, your diary, your life. In fact, I am still doing that bit, as your assistant seems too preoccupied. We even saw her in town—on a lunch time—not long ago. Not sure how she’s time for that.

It takes nearly thirty minutes to get there. ”

I pull a face at her, trying to telegraph her to rein it in. Whoa Christy, you might give the game away. Clearly she looks a bit upset, and her mother is staring at her outburst. Patrick looks shocked. Good, you deserve to be shocked.

He starts to back track, or at least pacify her.

“I didn’t mean you couldn’t, of course I know how organised you are.

It was just the workload.” He tries to dig himself out of the hole.

“And obviously it's a different type of work. You’ll have to deal with outside agencies, and you’ve never had to—” He’s just fallen back in the hole again. He never learns.

“Really Patrick? I deal with the outside world every day. I organise this whole house.” She gestures at the grand old huge house behind us. Her mother, as ill-advised as mine, snorts at that. “What was that for?” She turns on her, and Maggie wilts as all eyes swivel towards her.

“Er well, I…” She stammers and stops as she takes in the face of her outraged daughter.

I step in to support Chrisy. “Christy does organise the whole house. The food, laundry, she might as well run a hotel with the number of people we are feeding and cleaning for. Not to mention all the cleaning services she runs for all the people on the estate. It’s practically a resort she’s running.

” My jab at Patrick and his ridiculous levels of generosity hits as expected.

“Well, yes, I never thought about that. I’m sorry, darling. I suppose I’m just used to you being there for us. I never?—”

“Yes, that’s about right.” She curls her lip at him.

“Take me for granted. Expect that I’ll always be where you expect me to be.

Well you had better start getting used to me not being there.

I’m involved with Evie with the building plans.

I’m involved with Aoife with the business plans.

Involved, involved, involved.” She’s wafting her hands around in a slightly manic fashion.

None of them have seen her so animated in years.

They all have varying degrees of shock on their faces.

Evie grins at her, and asks, “Do you think we need to overhaul the existing café, Christy, or do you think a repurpose is all it will take?”

“Oh God, not more people to fuel the refurbishing plans?” Liam walks out onto the terrace. The man is completely self-obsessed and full of his own importance. He hasn’t picked up on the tension swirling around the conversation. And to top it off, at the end of the day, he isn’t even family.

I watch Jonno go from mildly amused to hard, cold edges. Evie swivels her head and her body stiffens. She really does know everything. Even the security guy, Tommy, lifts his head from his phone.

Liam clearly thinks he’s funny and is now the centre of attention, a position he loves. Patrick, trying to cover for him, starts to laugh heartily. But he’s as fake as a Rolex bought from a dodgy market stall.

“Liam,” I don’t bother getting up to greet him, or make any attempt at an acknowledging kiss. I just point at him. “My fiancé.” The edge in my voice is unmistakable.

He looks at me then, as if he’s just noticed I’m sitting at my own table and chairs, and comes over to kiss me.

I can tell by his obsequious manner he’s going in for a full snog.

I turn my cheek toward him, clamping my lips together so he gets the message, then add quickly, “This is Evie and Tommy.”

I gesture towards Evie. Her uber polite face is on show, but her eyes are like flints of grey sea glass. Tommy’s face is blank, but still manages to be a bit intimidating .

“Oh, I thought you were married to a rock star. You’re not here to announce you have yet another man in your life.

” He throws his head back and laughs without restraint or clearly any thought.

“What’s the rock star’s name again? Marcus something.

” The moron smiles at her, clearly expecting her to be guffawing at his crappy and insulting joke.

I see Jonno’s face blank out, and Marshall’s go red. Oh shit.

But I needn’t have feared. Tommy stands up, putting his hand out to be shook.

Liam hesitates for a second, as his eyes are level with Tommy’s muscled chest. And they just keep travelling upwards, across his muscled pecs being restrained by his polo shirt.

His neck muscles pop up at him as if on cue.

The grip Tommy has on Liam’s hand is plainly causing blood restriction, as his limp hand is white.

Finally some sense has reached Liam’s snake-like eyes. Tommy is built like The Rock.

“Tommy. Security, bodyguard, and hired hitman. Anyone that comes for my Evie and her kids will have to get through me. But don’t worry, I’ll protect your family as well whilst I’m here.

No one will get to them while I’m breathing.

I’m prepared to take anyone down who gets in our way.

” He stares into Liam’s eyes until Liam drops his first. “And Evie’s husbands are rock stars.

Marcus Russell and Xander Barclay. I’m sure you know who they are.

If not, look them up. Pretty hard to miss the pair of them. ” His grin is that of a shark.

“Of course I know who they are. Just my little joke. We’ve heard a lot about you, Evie, how you control all these men. Patrick and I are in fear of our lives if you give any tips to our ladies.”

What a dickhead. I unleash a big sigh and look away, out towards the gardens. Granda Healey, give me strength .

“I don’t think Aoife needs any tips on that. Or Christy. They seem well in control.” Jonno laughs, looking at me appreciatively. “I, for one, love being bossed around by women. Best job ever.”

Evie laughs. “Jonno, don’t make out you had a choice in any of that.

You know the score, baby bro. I say, you do.

All four of my brothers know the law. That’s right, isn’t it Aoife, Christy?

I bet little Lara bosses everyone around.

I saw her today, she had my boys and Ryan lined up earlier in a game. Women, every time.”

We all laugh and I smile my gratitude at her. She’s managed to deflect what could have turned into a sticky situation. Marshall takes her hand and kisses it.

“Even as a baby, she had us all on the hop. Now it’s little Rio’s turn.” His face displays all his love and emotion. “If you need to go to bed, Midarlin’, don’t wait for us.”

“I think I will hit the hay. The kids get up in the night sometimes, so I apologise now if you hear us in the kitchen.”

“I’ll get up with the boys, Evie.” Jonno repeats his offer, and my envy in how easy he is, how comfortable with her and the boys, surprises me.

“I can’t sort out Rio, but if you need to feed her, I’m happy to take her after and wind and get her back off.

Just let me know. The boys can get in with me.

Give Tommy and Valentina time to sleep.”

It’s such a beautiful snapshot of how they all live at home. They all help, support each other, all are involved. I want that, I want him to be involved. A family.

The kitchen is in semi darkness as I make my way to the gleaming silver beacon that is our family fridge. It’s like it has a tractor beam on my baby, calling to us both. My baby seems to like my night eating.

I spot him laid out in a corner of the kitchen, his body languid on the old, comfortable, very large sofa.

The baby on his chest. Skin on skin. She’s so beautiful, so peaceful the pair of them.

I stand and take him in. Low slung PJ bottoms, no T-shirt or top.

His glorious abs on show. His skin is slightly tanned, obviously spends time outdoors, or in warmer climes.

His sculpted muscles. His arms cradling the baby.

If he hadn’t already fertilised one of my eggs, they would have jumped out of my body and done it themselves.

He opens his eyes and catches me blatantly checking him out.

He smiles a lazy smirk. So goddamn sexy.

The man needs to stop with the sex appeal.

I’m practically drooling, as much as the baby on his chest. He nods to the baby, and as he goes to move, she snuffles a little.

He tightens his arms around her and the grip on my heart.

I can see him doing this with our baby. I feel like I am looking at a future film reel of our lives. I’ve watched him tonight with all the kids. Letting them run free, but always being there to support them, guide them. God I want him, I want us.