Chapter 16

Damon

I parked my car in Grosvenor Square and walked up the steps to the three-story Edwardian home overlooking the park, where, as a boy, I kicked a ball around with Evan.

As I entered the kitchen that overlooked the backyard, I found Evan by the espresso machine.

“Are you here alone?” I asked.

“Yep.” He rubbed his head.

“A big night?”

“You could say that.” He pressed a button and black liquid spluttered out. “Do you want one?” He lifted a demitasse.

I shook my head and opened the fridge for a bottle of water.

“So why are you here?” he asked.

“I’m meeting Tedd, an army mate.” I stared down at my watch. “I just dropped in to get a book I left behind.”

“You’re really going ahead with it then?” He placed the little cup to his mouth.

“Yep. The builders have started.”

“Mummy’s not happy.” Evan leaned against the wooden cupboards of that large kitchen big enough to cater for five hundred guests.

“It’s hard to make Mother happy, save us marrying royalty,” I said.

“That’s not happening with me. I’ve got a thing for the unwashed.”

I looked at my brother and shook my head. “That can get a bit smelly.”

“Yeah. Nice.”

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “You’re sick.”

He shrugged. “It beats inbreeding.”

“So you’re looking at siring a child soon?” I headed for the living room.

He followed me, sipping his coffee. “Are you kidding? I’m too young to become a father.”

“You’re thirty. Dad was twenty when he married.” I grabbed my book on organic agribusiness from the coffee table.

“What about you? You’re thirty-two,” he returned.

“Haven’t met the right girl.” My eyes rested on the sofa that Theadora had fallen asleep on that night.

Evan inclined his head. “You seem to have a fondness for busty housemaids the last time I looked.”

“Vivianna’s her name,” I said. “Don’t refer to her as an object.”

“Ooh… it’s like that, is it?” His smirk faded into a look of curiosity. “Have you fucked her yet?”

“Although it’s none of your business, I haven’t.”

“But you want to. I can tell.” He raised a brow.

“I am a man.”

What Evan didn’t know and would never know, since I liked to keep my dirty thoughts private, is that I’d been fondling my dick more than usual since meeting Vivianna.

“What about Dad?” Evan shook his head. “Who would’ve thought? He’s arranged that dinner next week for us to meet his partner.”

I exhaled. “Each to their own.”

“But he’s our dad,” Evan pressed.

“So? Homosexuality’s everywhere.”

He nodded pensively. “Not my thing. I mean they tried me at school.” He chuckled. “Public aah… a pederast’s feast.”

“That’s kinda cliché, isn’t it?”

“Clichés represent the common paradigm,” Evan said, putting to use his degree in sociology.

“Whatever, but I didn’t get hit on at boarding school,” I said.

“That’s because you were known to punch kids when they played up.”

A smile grew on my face. Yep. That was me. Fighting with anyone that got in my face.

“I’m not surprised you joined the army,” he said.

“Hey, I’m no longer that guy.”

A poor argument given the punch-up with those brutes while saving Vivianna. I would have done that a million times over. I shuddered to think what would have happened had I not arrived when I did.

“Are you coming to the dinner?” He roused me out of the rerun of me carrying Vivianna’s heavy drugged body away from danger.

“Sure. It would be good to meet whoever it is that’s making our father happy.”

“It’s certainly not Mother,” Evan said, returning to the kitchen. “Divorce is in the air,” he sang instead of “Love is in the Air.”

I chuckled. Evan was a bit of a clown when he wanted to be. One of his finer points.

“Mm… don’t know if it’s going to be that simple.” I stared down at my watch. “I’ve got to go.”

He saluted me.

One hour later, I walked into a pub off Leicester Square where I found Tedd at the bar waiting for me.

It was midday, and a bit early for a drink, but knowing Tedd, who had the liver of an Irishman, time didn’t matter.

Sipping a stout, he waved for me to join him. “Hey, mate. Good to see you.”

I patted his broad shoulder. “You, too.”

“What are you drinking?”

“A beer, I guess.”

The bar attendant, a woman who looked as old as the pub, ambled over, and Tedd ordered drinks and a bowl of chips.

I nodded at the barmaid and then picked up the cool glass. “Can we sit at a table?”

He nodded and followed me to a spot by the window.

Tedd was stronger than most, and fearless. One had to be in our squadron. He was the one that came back from our messy tour of Afghanistan and helped pick up the pieces for many of the guys in our unit.

SAS training made us strong physically and mentally, but emotionally that was a whole different story.

Tedd still had his demons. He just didn’t talk about them.

With what we’d seen and experienced, it was best we kept it between ourselves. When I felt like the ground was crumbling beneath me it was Tedd or Teo or one of my other army pals that I reached out to. Not a shrink. Only soldiers understood what we’d really been through.

“So, you’ve got a proposition, I believe?” He sat back and sipped on his dark ale.

The barmaid shuffled over and laid down a plate of hot chips and a tiny bowl of tomato sauce.

He looked up at her and nodded.

He pointed at the bowl. “Help yourself.”

I shook my head. “I had a big breakfast.”

He smothered a chip in sauce and popped it in his mouth. “Tell me about this new role.”

“You’d have to move to Bridesmere. Would that be an issue?”

“Nup.” He wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “Are there plenty of pretty girls?”

I smiled. “I suppose there are, going on Evan and his endless pursuits.”

“Your rich brother goes for commoners?” His dry, gravelly delivery made me chuckle.

“He goes for whoever’s pretty and willing. But sure, he doesn’t mind getting down and dirty with a farmer’s daughter or two.”

He sniffed. “I like the sound of your brother.”

“You’ll meet him soon enough. Evan’s a bit of an airhead, but he’s a good guy deep down.”

“That’s all that counts.” He munched on a chip. “So, a boot camp for troubled youth. Mm… I could’ve used one of those.”

Tedd had been locked up for stealing cars and minor infringements when he was a teen. Brought up by a single mother, who he preferred not to talk about, he’d grown up on the wrong side of town and learnt to make his own breakfast by the time he could say “Mama.”

“That’s why you’d be perfect. You’ve been there,” I said.

Lost in thought, he wore an abstracted expression. “You do realise we’re not miracle workers, don’t you?”

I smiled faintly. “Look, if we can help three out of forty, then we’re still potentially saving a life or two in the future.”

“You’ve got your sights set on low. I reckon we can at least save five.” His eyes gleamed back at me, and a smirk grew on his face.

“I know what you’re getting at. It’s as unknown as a campaign in Afghanistan. But that’s the point.” The fire of ambition flowed through me. “If we don’t do this, no one else will.”

“They have similar programmes in youth prisons. But hey, count me in.”

“Thanks, mate. That means a lot.”

“So when do we start?” he asked. “And are you recruiting a few others?”

“Maybe Teo. I’ll contract counsellors and maybe a hip-hop and piano teacher.”

The piano idea just popped out spontaneously. I was just as surprised as Tedd, whose puzzled frown amused me.

“Hip-hop. Sure. I get that. But fucking piano?”

“Well maybe not that. Music of some sort.”

He nodded pensively. “Some of the guys liked to muck around with rap lyrics, so that could work. It’s big among street kids.”

“As is street dance. I think this could work. I’m also thinking of getting them to grow things.”

His brow creased. “Like gardening?”

I smiled at his surprised tone. “Mm… organic veggies.”

He nodded slowly. “That might work. Beats teaching them how to fire rifles and play video games.”

I sniffed. “That would be counterproductive.”

Sarah strutted by the window. Noticing me, she waved, and next minute, my glammed-up sister entered the pub.

Looking incongruous, in that rundown pub, Sarah wore a short dress that looked painted on. As her older brother, I didn’t approve of my sister’s femme fatale ways, but she was twenty-seven, despite always being that little sister to me.

Tedd’s eyes landed on my sister as she swanned over, gliding along effortlessly on shoes that made her stand close to six foot.

“Starting a bit early, aren’t we?” She pointed at my barely touched beer.

She was right. I wasn’t much of a drinker. But I had the odd one socially.

“This is Tedd, a mate from the army.”

“Oh, you’re in the SAS?” She looked impressed, which was mysterious given her dismissive attitude to my involvement in that elite squadron.

“Was,” he replied in that deep voice that reminded me of aged whisky and cigarettes.

“This is Sarah, my younger sister.”

Tedd extended his big hand and took my sister’s pale, manicured hand. Her smooth, white skin looked out of place against his large calloused hand.

She checked him out longer than she should have. My sister had a thing for brawny guys. Normally creeps that I had, on occasions, saved her from.

“Can I offer you a drink?” Tedd stood up with his empty glass. That was him, a considerate giant. Even little details like taking his glass back to the bar.

That’s why he was an important friend. Apart from sharing in the horrors of back-to-back campaigns, he was always there for everyone. Never too tired to help.

A team player.

She looked at me as though seeking my approval. “Um… I’d love to, but I’ve got an appointment.”

He lumbered off, and Sarah turned her attention to me.

“He’s cute.”

“Cute’s not how I’d describe Tedd. But sure, he’s popular with the girls.”

“Whatever. I don’t date them unless they have at least seven zeroes in their bank accounts.”

I shrugged. “And that’s landed you well, so far.”

“Stop being all protective big brother. I can look after myself,” she said, as her eyes followed my friend standing at the bar.

“Look, Sarah, believe it or not, Tedd’s deep. So no fucking around with his head.”

“Hey, chill. One can look, can’t they?” She kept her eyes on Tedd as he strode back. “Is he part of this boot camp that’s got Mummy frothing at the mouth?”

“Would you be more approving if he was?”

She shrugged. “I’ve always had a weak spot for rugged alpha males. But don’t worry, I won’t try and jump his bones.” She giggled.

I rolled my eyes. “Tedd is going to run the whole show for me. I plan to hang in the background.”

“You realise this is going to create no end of shit for you? I mean, imagine if things get stolen. The cars. The art.” She giggled as though the thought of that entertained her.

“Mother asked me to talk some sense into you.”

Tedd sat down and with a wry grin commented, “Your big brother’s pretty set in his ways.”

Sarah pulled a crooked smile. “Tell me about it. He’s stubborn, all right.”

“He’s got a heart of gold. That’s all that matters.”

I returned a smile.

“I best be off, I suppose. I guess I’ll see you around,” she said to Tedd.

He nodded. “Looking forward to moving close to the sea.”

“The village is sweet. A little inbred. But sweet,” she said, revealing her snobby attitude.

“Maybe my presence will add to the gene pool,” Tedd said with his dry wit.

I laughed. “We’ll have to warn the girls.”

“Mm…” Sarah lifted her chin. “Oh, well, ta-ta.” She fluttered her hand and off she went.

Tedd watched her leave. “She’s something else.”

I sensed mutual attraction and although that worried me, knowing Sarah and her man-eating ways, Tedd was a grown man who’d had his fair share of adventure. As long as it didn’t impact on our business arrangement, I’d keep well away.