Page 84 of Silver Tears

“Not even them,” Rafe says, offering me a reassuring smile. “I mean sure, if they ever find out, they’ll chew our ears off for keeping them in the dark, but Seb’s our brother.”

I nod my head. “My dad doesn’t know I’m in touch with my mum. He doesn’t know about Charlie. No one in my family does. I have been seeing them in secret for about eight months. Only Seb and Ruby know.”

“Ruby?” Rafe’s head whips up at the sound of my best friend’s name. Curious.

“Of course, she’s my best friend.” I turn my attention back to the boy whose lap I’m sitting on. The same boy who had his head in-between my legs last night and made me feel amazing. I flush as I think about last night, and he grins at me, cocking a brow. Oh god! Does he know what I’m thinking about right now? Last night was amazing for me, but for him it was probably nothing.

“Milly!”

“Oh god, Charlie,” I gasp, I’d totally forgot about my little brother. I clamber off Seb’s knee, conscious that I’m in one of his T-shirts. I rush down the hallway, sticking my head in doorways until I find my little brother. He’s sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes and still coming around. I plaster on my best smile as I walk into the room.

“Hey, Chops. Did you sleep well?”

He nods his head, holding out his arms to me. I walk over to his bed and wrap my arms around him and hug him. He’s safe. For now.

“How cool is this bedroom? I’m in an adult big bed,” he tells me, patting the large king-size bed he’s in.

“It is huge,” I agree. “Seb and his friends are in the other room. You want to come and say hello?”

“Yes!” he exclaims. He throws back the cover and scrambles past me to his feet. “I like Seb. He’s ace.”

I laugh. The irony of him calling him ace. “He certainly is.” He rushes off out before me, bursting with energy and enthusiasm. I smile to myself when I hear him shouting Seb’s name. When I enter the room, Seb has Charlie slung over his shoulder and he’s tickling him in his side, making him giggle hysterically.

“He hasn’t been for a wee. Carry on doing that and he’ll pee on you,” I warn, taking a seat at the white marble kitchen island.

“Coffee or tea?” Rafe asks me from where he leans on the other side of the island.

“Tea, please. One sugar.”

I’ve heard so many rumours about these three. Good rumours and bad rumours. The girls whisper about their good looks and their bedroom skills. The boys, meanwhile, talk in awe about their bad-assery, how they make people disappear. Never did I think I’d be sitting here with one of them making me tea.

I jump when Seb deposits Charlie beside me on a bar stool. “Chops has put in an order for pancakes. Do you think we have the ingredients?” Seb places his hands on either side of my stool as he addresses Rafe. I’m so aware of him being behind me.

“Well, we pay Calvin enough to keep this place well stocked, so there should be,” Archer chips in as he strides over and takes a seat on Charlie’s other side.

“You have big muscles,” Charlie says. “They’re like Thor’s.”

Seb guffaws. “Mine are bigger,” he assures him. I laugh as I watch him curl his right bicep. “See, look at that.”

Charlie examines his arm from where he sits, before shaking his head. “Archie’s are bigger.”

Archer smirks. “I like this kid. Even if he did just call me Archie.”

“It’s Archer, not Archie,” I tell my brother, fighting down a giggle. I jump when I hear Seb’s voice right in my ear.

“Mine are bigger, right precious?” I jerk, the feel of his breath against my skin affecting me.

“Why, of course,” I agree, not hiding the humour in my tone.

“Good girl. I’ll reward you later with my tongue.”

I splutter, having just taken a sip of the tea Rafe made me. Chuckling, he pats my back as I cough and splutter. Is he insinuating we’ll repeat what happened last night? I mean, he just did that because he knew I needed the distraction. Not because he wanted to, right?

“We have to bring mum here. This house is so cool,” Charlie says, looking around the plush open spaced living area. It is beautiful here. The views out to the sea are spectacular from here. “Can we go down to the beach?” he asks Seb, his eyes widening with excitement.

“Sure we can.”

“We can?” I say. “What if?” Seb shakes his head at me.