by Lily Harlem
“Magic?” Raul frowned. “I not magic. I make pie with these.” He held up his hands.
Olivia giggled. “He means you’re great at what you do.”
“Ah, I see.” His frown relaxed. “In that case, yes, I am magic.”
“And modest,” Paul said, pulling open the fridge.
“I am top Barcelona chef.” Raul picked up a whisk and a bowl. “Cooking is what I do.”
“And you do it very well.” Lucas accepted a beer from Paul.
“I thank you for your appreciation, mi amigo.” Raul did a mock bow. “And for you I have made steak and ale pie—you said it was your favorite. You and Mason, si.”
“I have just fallen in love with you.” Mason grabbed Raul’s head and planted a kiss on the side.
“Hey, get off me.” Raul shoved him away with a laugh. “You are not my type.”
Soon they were all tucking into Raul’s delicious pies. The chicken was creamy, the mushrooms plentiful, and the pastry perfect. The conversation revolved around the construction of the hospital. Evan was the one with the vision and was clear in the order in which it would be built.
The twins were confident in their tasks, and it seemed Harry, Raul, and Olivia would be doing as they were told.
“Did you get the welding set?” Olivia asked Harry as she tucked into a chocolate cake Raul had whizzed up.
“Yes, it’s in the van with the tent, there was room next to your tool kit.”
“Perfect.” She really hoped she’d be able to get the village Jeep working, because when the hospital was built and they left, they’d have to bring all of the trucks and vans back with them. The village needed at least one mode of transport.
Darkness wrapped around the villa, and after helping tidy the kitchen, Olivia sat on the sofa between Raul and Lucas.
Harry put the TV on and found a war film, which everyone, except Olivia, seemed keen to watch.
She yawned then sighed.
“You are tired,” Raul said, placing a cushion on his lap. “Lie here, rest your eyes.”
“Mmm okay.” She settled her head on the cushion and closed her eyes.
Raul gently released her ponytail then smoothed his fingers through her hair.
Lucas lifted her feet onto his thighs and carefully rubbed the soles of her feet.
Contentment washed over her, and her body became heavy. The sound of the TV faded, and the softness beneath her body seemed to absorb her weary limbs. She allowed her thoughts to drift, and then dreams took their place.
Chapter Twelve
When Olivia woke it was dark and quiet. Morning was still a long way off.
She was in bed.
A hot, hard body was lodged behind her, and another in front. She raised her head and studied the face beside hers in the weak light.
Lucas or Mason?
It was so hard to tell when they were asleep and she couldn’t use their facial expressions and body language to distinguish them.
But he had his hand on his chest and out of the covers.
No thumb ring.
Lucas.
Carefully, she turned over and saw Mason lying on his side, fast asleep and snoring quietly.
She swallowed; her mouth was dry.
Trying to not make a sound, she pushed back the covers and wriggled to the bottom of the bed.
“Mmm, where’y going?” Lucas whispered, his voice husky.
“Only to get a drink.”
He turned to his side and appeared to go straight back to sleep.
She stood and noticed she wore just her bra and panties. She wondered who’d carried her to bed and undressed her. She had no recollection of it, but then she did sleep ridiculously heavy.
She spotted a white t-shirt—she wasn’t sure if it was Mason’s or Lucas’s, but she dragged it on anyway, then slipped from the room.
The corridor was dark, and she padded barefoot toward the kitchen. A low-level light led the way to the sink, and she quickly filled a glass. A little spilled over the top and trickled to the base, so she plucked up a napkin to catch any drips. After taking a sip, she moved to the window and stared out at the balcony, then beyond at the still pool, which was reflecting the moon’s light.
There was a sound behind her, and movement in the reflection. Her heart skipped a little as a figure appeared in the kitchen.
Paul.
He walked sleepily to the sink and did the same as she’d just done.
She continued to face the window, but instead of looking out, she watched him.
He drank deep, then rinsed the glass and turned it rim down on the drainer. It was then he noticed her.
“Olivia,” he said.
“Couldn’t sleep, huh?”
“Got to sleep okay, but kept dreaming of cans of cola. Guess I was thirsty.” He came to stand at her side and looked out at the garden.
“It was a hot day yesterday, must have dehydrated you.”
“Aye.”
Silence stretched between them.
She took another sip of water, then decided to head back to bed. She moved her glass from one hand to the other and the napkin fluttered to the floor.
She ducked to get it.
So did he.
They bumped heads—only lightly, but enough to make Olivia gasp.
“Shit. I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for her shoulders and steadying her as they both straightened. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine.”
His face was so close to hers, and concern streaked over his eyes.
“I’m not that delicate,” she added.
“Yes, well… I can see that.”
He kept his hands on her.
The heat from his palms seeped onto her skin. It was strange to be touched by someone else—someone who didn’t belong to her.
“Olivia,” he said quietly and leaning a little nearer.
She studied the shape of his bottom lip, so familiar yet not. “What?”
“I’m trying really hard, you know.”
“To do what?”
He touched her necklace with his thumbs. It was an oddly intimate gesture and produced a tightening in her belly and increased her heart rate.
“To understand this arrangement you have going on, with all these guys.”
“It’s quite simple really.”
“Yes, I get that in theory but…” He shook his head. “I see you with Lucas, and then Raul. Harry can’t take his hands off you, Evan can’t take his eyes off you, and Mase…” He paused. “Mase talks about you non-stop. You’ve got them all eating out of your hand.”
“That’s not how it is, and on Elysium it didn’t matter what anyone else thought. We had our dynamic going on, and no one questioned it.”
“But you’re not on a desert island anymore. This is the real world?”
“You think?” She kind of huffed and rolled her eyes. “Lear jets and luxury villas…”
He released her and rubbed his jawline. There was a soft grating sound as his palm caught on his light stubble. His attention remained steadily on her.
“I care for them all, equally.” She moved away and set her glass down. “And the fact that we’re all together shows they don’t have a problem sharing me.”
“I’d want you for myself.”
“Pardon?” She turned to him.
He shook his head. “What I mean is, a woman. If I had one in my life, I’d want her to myself. Why share?”
“Why not? It’s pretty good fun when—” She stopped herself from saying it was good fun when there was three in a bed. He didn’t need to know that.
“When what?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She folded her arms.
“Listen.” He stepped up close again and cupped her elbows.
She waited for him to go on.
“I really like you, Olivia, you’re clearly good for Lucas and he seems to have finally found people he can be himself around, other than me and Mase, that is.”
“
I’m glad you think so.”
“And Mase smiles way more than he used to. Truth be told, he could be an arsey son of a bitch at times. And always looking for a fight.”
“He seems pretty chilled and in control to me.” She decided not to mention the fight with the bikers in Full Throttle Saloon. She’d bet money on the fact Mason had enjoyed every moment of it.
“As I said, you’re good for him.” He pulled in a deep breath then let it out. “And I want to apologize for before, in Newport, when we met.”
“There’s no need.”
“I disagree. We got off on the wrong foot. Mase had called me, upset, and it was you who’d made him that way, so of course I was on the defensive.”
“Mason and I had an issue, it’s resolved now.”
“I can see that. But it was still wrong of me to pre-judge you or to try and interfere in my brother’s relationship, no matter how much of the protective older brother in me wanted to come out.”
“You care about him.”
“I love them both.”
“So do I,” she said quickly.
He looked her straight in the eyes, unblinking, then inclined his head. “I’m glad you said that.”
She stepped away, forcing him to release her elbows. She didn’t need his approval or his permission to love his brothers. “I’m going to try and get some more sleep.”
“Aye, you do that.”
She walked past the island.
“Olivia.”
She turned. “Yes.”
“I…”
“What?”
“Will you still help me with the vaccinations?”
“Of course. Goodnight, Paul.”
“Night.”
Olivia crawled back into bed, between Mason and Lucas, and snuggled down. Mason slung his arm over her waist and pulled her back against his chest. For a while she lay staring at Lucas’s angular profile as he slept peacefully.
Her feelings for Paul were confusing. One minute he annoyed the hell out of her, the next she understood why he was acting the way he was. He was so different to his twin brothers, but there was something alluring about him, and she admired his skill and the charity work he’d dedicated his life to. Perhaps things would settle down once they reached Kaskum. With lots to do, to take his mind off her, he’d forget she had five boyfriends…hopefully.
It took some time for her to drift off to sleep, and when she did it was deep, and she woke feeling a little groggy.
The bed was empty and the en suite silent. After stretching out her spine, she walked to the window and drew back the curtains.
Blinking in the bright light, she spotted three figures on the lawn. They were all the same height and of similar build. One had more strawberry-blond hair compared to the others.
It was the McCadam brothers working out. They each wore gray sweats, nothing else from what she could tell, and were performing the complex sequence of karate moves she’d seen Mason and Lucas practice before.
Their timing was impeccable, they moved as one. Every kick, punch, and swipe of their arms fluidly flowing into the next. It was clear they were all of the same competence level.
She bit on her bottom lip and hugged her arms around her waist. She still wore one of the twin’s t-shirts.
God, they’re hot.
A sensation of pride and lust swirled within her. Two of those guys were hers to touch, kiss, and hold whenever she wanted.
The third…she hoped she’d soon consider him a friend.
She watched for several minutes, then Evan knocked on the door. “Hey, babe, I brought you tea.”
“Oh, thanks.” She turned to him.
“What are you looking at?” He handed her a big red mug full of steaming liquid.
“The guys out there practicing their karate. I didn’t know Paul was also a black belt.”
Evan stood next to her. “Certainly looks as capable as his brothers, and let’s face it, it’s not going to do us any harm to have three Scottish ninjas with us.”
She smiled. “Yes, you’re right. Are you looking forward to it?”
“Getting out of the city and into the wild, what do you think?”
“I think your chomping at the bit.”
He chuckled. “I’d rather chomp on you.” He leaned in and gave her a noisy kiss on the cheek. “But we need to get going, and we need our star driver.”
“I know, I know. I’ll go shower now. Thanks for the tea.”
Evan left the room, and she returned her attention to the garden.
The guys had apparently finished and now stood talking on the dewy grass. Paul turned and looked up at her window. He must have seen her standing there, because he tilted his chin slightly as if surprised by her observing them.
She stepped away. It hadn’t been him she’d been enjoying, it had been his brothers…her lovers.
An hour later and Olivia was behind the wheel of the truck. It was heavy and took some grinding up the gears as she pulled away from each set of lights. But luckily they were now on a four-lane highway and heading north.
Paul and Mason were in front, in the smaller medical supply van. Behind her Evan drove the medium-sized truck containing their tent and supplies. Harry was keeping him company.
“You want a candy?” Raul offered her a small, pink boiled sweet. He had a huge bag of them on his lap.
“Yes, please.”
He unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth, then offered Lucas one.
“Strawberry,” Lucas said, sucking on it.
“Nice.” Olivia enjoyed the sugary fresh taste traveling over her tongue.
“What do you think of this?” Raul said as the road sliced through the middle of a huge shantytown.
“I think it’s sad that people have to live like this.”
“Many are not South Africans,” Lucas said.
“No?” Olivia glanced at him.
“South Africa became the golden state because of Mandela,” he said, “lots of help for the poor. The people who created these shantytowns are likely in better living conditions now and helped by the government. The trouble is, word spreads, and now from all over Africa people have flocked here hoping for a better life and government help. They’ve just refilled these places.”
“I did not know that,” Raul said. “And it is such a big area.”
“The shantytown?” Olivia asked, looking at it sprawling into the distance on both the left and the right.
“Si, the town and Africa. If everyone comes here it will be too much.”
“Puts the hairs on the back of my neck up,” Lucas said, nodding at a big neon sign they were approaching.
It was tall and black with a red cross flashing over it. Danger. No Stopping.
“Why do you think that is?” Raul asked. “No stopping.”
“It’s not a good place to get out for a stroll,” Lucas said. “We’re surrounded by people who have so little they’re desperate. If rich tourists took to hanging out on the curbside, they wouldn’t last long without getting robbed, or worse.”
A shiver went up Olivia’s spine, and she checked the dashboard for fuel, engine temperature, and oil. All was good.
But when she looked back up, Paul had put the van’s hazard lights on and was pulling over.
“Shit.” Lucas rested his hands on the dash and peered forward. “What the hell is he doing?”
“He should not be stopping,” Raul said.
“No, he really shouldn’t.” Olivia cranked down a gear and stepped on the break. “But we can’t leave them here.”
As Paul and Mason drew to a halt, she parked the big truck in behind them. A quick glance in her mirror told her Evan and Harry were doing the same.
Raul scrunched the bag of sweets closed and glanced about.
Olivia did the same. They were about fifty meters from the perimeter of the shantytown, which had a wire fence around it, but it didn’t appear particularly secure.
Lucas jumped out of the cab. “Wait h
ere.” He slammed the door.
She watched him jog up to his brothers’ vehicle, making short work of the distance.
Mason got out, then so did Paul, and they popped the lid and huddled at the front out of view.
Olivia glanced nervously at the shantytown.
“What are they doing?” Raul asked.
“No idea.”
Bang. Bang.
“Oh!” Olivia jumped and pressed her hand to her chest.
Harry had reached up and knocked on the driver’s door window.
She opened the door.
“What happened?”
“No idea.” As she looked ahead, she saw Evan also jogging up to the medical van.
“I’ll go find out, stay here.” He wagged his finger at Raul. “Don’t let her out.”
“We will stay here,” Raul said, resting his hand on Olivia’s knee. “Where it is safe.”
Chapter Thirteen
Harry joined Evan, and Olivia kept her attention on the van in front. Cars continued to whizz past, everyone going about their business. No one was going to risk stopping and helping them out.
After a few minutes, Evan ran back to the truck.
She opened the window.
“We’re not sure what’s wrong. Paul said the clutch feels weird, as if it’s going to stick.”
“Bloody hell.” She frowned at the van.
“What?” Evan appeared even more worried.
“If the clutch cable has gone, we’re in big trouble.” She undid her seatbelt.
“What are you doing?” Raul said.
“I need to go and take a look.”
“No.” Raul shook his head. “Harry said you are to stay here.”
“But I’m the only one who knows about this stuff.”
Evan shrugged. “She’s right, Raul. I’m clueless when it comes to car engines.” He held out his hand. “Come on, babe.”
She noticed he had a knife tucked into his waistband. It was sheathed in brown leather and had a black handle. It reminded her of how he’d never been without one on the island.
“Thanks,” she said, climbing down and then tucking out of the way of the traffic.
“I really don’t like this,” Evan said as they ran up the side of the busy road. “We’re right under the damn sign that says no stopping.”
