CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

1989

The following night we went to one of our favourite Indian restaurants. We were regulars back in the day and had even held meetings there when things first started to take off for us.

Maca and George had stayed at Jimmie and Len’s the night before. After my parents had left and things had calmed down a little bit, Bailey had mentioned in front of Maca that George had been seeing someone. We’d shut him down as quickly as we could, and then the lot of us had proceeded to get pleasantly stoned.

George had come over to our place that afternoon, and her and Maca were all over each other, so I assumed Cameron King was no longer in the equation, and they had sorted their shit out and were back together.

Like the night before, after my parents had left that is, I felt this weird sense of ... I don’t know what, exactly. I felt calm and content, happier than I had in a long time. I was sitting eating dinner with four of the people I loved most in the world and it warmed the cockles, as my dad would say.

Despite Len booking a table towards the back and in the corner of the restaurant, we were still recognised and asked to sign autographs, but even those interruptions couldn’t dampen my happy mood. In that moment, I didn’t feel like a rock star. I didn’t think about the places I’d been, the people I’d met, or the things I’d seen over the past few years.  For the next few hours, I just kicked back and enjoyed my favourite food with my brother, sister, and two of my best friends.

Then we tried to leave the place and all hell broke loose.

Some fucker had tipped off the press and they were everywhere.

I’d just told George she needed to eat a few more curries and fatten herself up as we walked outside. She’d turned to me and said “Fuck you, Marls. That’s as insulting as telling a fat person they should eat less and lose weight.”

“Ignore him, babe, you’re fucking perfect.” Maca had called out from behind me.

“You’re such a brown nose, McCarthy,” I told him.

“What?” He replied. “She is perfect. Too skinny, but always perfect in my eyes.”

“You’re such a wanker.” I said.

Suddenly flashes were going off and Georgia was almost pushed over.

I heard a “Fuck off,” being yelled from Maca and an “Oh shit,” from Len, who had waited inside for Jim to use the bathroom.

I grabbed a hold of George and tucked her under my arm as the cameras flashed all around us as reporters screamed out questions.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Are you going home with both the boys?”

“Are you the latest piece of meat in a Marley and Maca sandwich?”

Cheeky fuckers.

I wanted to knock the bitch that asked that last question flat on her arse, but I didn’t hit women, even arseholes like her. I wanted to scream at all of them that she was my little sister, but there was no way I was giving up that piece of information.

“Keep your head down, and don’t say a word,” I said into her temple, not sure if she could hear me above all of the commotion going on around us. I kissed the top of her head in reassurance as I could feel her entire body shaking as I held her.

Maca unlocked his car from behind me and I shoved my sister into the passenger seat.

“Keep your head down,” I told her again before running back to help Maca, Len, and Jimmie out. They were surrounded by a bunch of screaming girls, as well as the journalists and photographers.

“Get the fuck outta here,” I told Maca. “I’ll go with these guys. You’re probably better off staying at G’s.”

He moved away from Jimmie’s side and I replaced him in protecting her from the pushing and shoving.

We’d given Milo the night off, convinced we’d be fine just nipping out to our local Indian restaurant with our family, but it was a lesson learned. It was no longer possible for us to nip anywhere and it dawned on me that Georgia had just had a rude awakening to what our lives were like these days, and I wondered how she’d deal with the press intrusion. Once they found out her and Maca were back together, her life would change considerably.

George rang me Saturday afternoon while I was still at my brother’s place to invite me to a party at my dad’s club that night. It was for a mate of hers and Jimmie’s, and Len and Maca were both going, I said that I was up for it too. Everything felt right with my world, except I was still the odd one out, still the single one.

When Maca came to pick me up later, I knew something was up with him straight away. He was quiet the entire drive back to our place.

“What do you know about her and this bloke she’s been seeing?” He asked, sitting down on the sofa as soon as we were in the door.

I took off my jacket and hung it on the back of a bar stool, before sitting on the sofa opposite him.

“I don’t know anything. Jim and Len mentioned that she was seeing someone a few months back, but that’s all I know. She’s never mentioned him to me.” I told him honestly.

I didn’t know anything about my sister’s relationship, other than it was Cameron King that she was seeing. His family had a bit of a reputation around our way. They were the type that you didn’t mess with. A bit like my family, I suppose, although I had never been a part of that life. I wasn’t stupid. I knew that my dad, uncle, and brother had earned themselves a name as the type of businessmen you didn’t ever want to upset, but that’s all I would say on that subject.

That hadn’t been Maca’s question though. He’d asked about my sister’s relationship, not who it was with. I should’ve stepped up and told him exactly who it was my sister was seeing, but I’d decided that I was staying the fuck out of their shit. If there were any revelations to be made, they could be the ones going ‘Ta da,’ not me. I was staying the fuck away from anything that might cause trouble in paradise. I’d learned my lesson, well and truly.

“She’s been seeing him for a while then?”

“A few months Mac. That’s all I know.”

“Is she fucking him?”

“What the fuck? I don’t know. I don’t wanna know and if you do, then you best have that conversation with my sister.” I told him. She’s twenty-years-old. They’d been seeing each other a while, so of course they were fucking. But like I said, I’m staying the fuck outta dodge.

He threw himself back against the sofa, letting out a long sigh and looking up at the ceiling.

“Maca, if this is gonna be an issue for you, then you need to either deal with it or move the fuck along. I’m not gonna sit back and let you break my sister’s heart and then watch you fall apart with guilt all over again.”

“I’m so fucking jealous and I’ve no clue how to handle it, Marls.” He said with honesty. “This is all new for me. There’d been no one else before me ... I don’t ... fuck, I don’t know. I’ve just gotta get my head around the fact that she’s lived a life while we’ve been apart.” He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“It’s been four years, Mac. Have a little think about what you’ve been up to in that time. Like I said, you either need to move past it or move on.” I’m pissed off with him now and feeling defensive of my sister. Whatever she may or may not have been doing with regards to her sex life, I bet she’s lived like a nun compared to the things we’ve been up to, at least I fucking hope she has.

I shudder.

“Can we end this convo please? My sister’s sex life is really not my favourite subject ... ever.”

He gives a small smile. “Ah well, what’s done is done. I love her and want her back regardless. I’m just a jealous fucker, but I’ll get over it. She’s meeting him Monday to break up with him anyway.”

He pushed up from where he was sitting. “I’m starving. We got any food here?”

“There’s bread in the freezer and beans in the cupboard, if you fancy beans on toast.” I tell him, grateful for the subject change.

We enter my dad’s club for Georgia’s mate’s party, just after midnight. Len had arranged extra security and we were smuggled in a back door and straight up to the VIP area.

The only people I recognised were Bailey and Lennon. There was no sign of the girls.

“Gia not here yet?” Maca asked straight away.

“Downstairs dancing.” Len said.

“For fuck’s sake, Len, why’d you let her go down there?”

“She’s a grown up, Mac. I can’t tell her where to go. They wanted to dance, and it’s not very busy up here yet.”

“She’ll be fine, mate.” Bailey added. “She’s here nearly every week and we never have any problems. You’re the famous one, Maca, not her.”

“I need a drink.” Is all Maca comes back with.

We had a few bourbons and a couple of lines of coke before we left our place, and I could tell he was a bit edgy.

And before you judge about the drugs ... again, it was what it was. The area that we grew up in—the circles that we were mixed in—drugs were just a part of our lives. They were as normal for us on a Saturday night as a film and a takeaway were for others. I didn’t indulge too much during those days, but I did still like a joint, and I that will never change.

Maca went to the bar and got us both a drink, then went over to the balcony so he could look down at the dance floor below.

“You need to chill the fuck out, mate.” I told him as he scanned the crowd for my sister.

“Fucker.” Was the reply I got. I followed his gaze and watched as my sister turned and gave it to some bloke that was trying to grind up against her. He held his hands up, as if surrendering, when George pointed her finger at him. He turned his charms on a girl in a silver dress whose face I couldn’t see and I laughed along with Jimmie and George as the girl turned around and grabbed the bloke by the throat before calling over one of the bouncers. I still couldn’t see the girls face, but she had a nice arse. Jimmie held her hands up in an ‘I give in’ gesture, and the three of them carry on dancing.

“See, they can look after themselves. They’re grown women, not thirteen-year-old girls anymore.” Len said from where he was standing on the other side of Maca.

“They’ll come up here when it gets too much down there. They just wanna have a dance. Come the fuck over here and stop torturing yourself.” He told him.

We move back over and stand at the end of the bar, where we’re promptly surrounded by a group of women who my dad would describe as being dressed like ‘Drury Lane Whores.’

They knew exactly who me and Maca were and can’t keep their hands off us.

That type of behaviour from women had always puzzled me. Some, not many, but some would argue that Bailey and Len were better looking than us, but despite the pair of them standing right next to us, it was me and Maca they wouldn’t leave alone. Why was that? Was it the money? The Fame? It was beyond me that people could be that shallow.

“So, I’ve heard you two like to share. How about the four of us get out of here and go have some fun?” One of the women suggested as she tried to unbutton Maca’s shirt. I looked across at him and rolled my eyes. Like we’ve never heard that chat up line before. They were seriously letting the side down for you, ladies—slutty and unoriginal.

“How about you get your fucking hands off me, right now.” Maca told her.

Before she could move or any of us could say anymore, George appeared, grabbed the woman’s hand and bent it at the wrist, so far back, I thought it was actually gonna snap.

“Get your fuckin’ hands off him,” she said through gritted teeth.

I gave a little grin as I caught Maca smiling at George, a look of complete adoration in his eyes.

“Whoa, whoa, Georgia.” Len jumped in and removed G’s hand from the woman’s.

“Georgia, baby. You are such a bad, bad girl.” Maca said through his grin, while looking at my sister like she was the only other living thing on the planet.

Milo stepped out of nowhere, the way he always seemed to, and escorted the women away from where we all stood.

I grabbed a couple of glasses of Champaign from a passing waitress and passed one each to Jimmie and George. “Little sister Georgia, what are we gonna do with you and that temper of yours?” I tried to sound authorative and not smile as I spoke, but I’d had a few bourbons and a line of class A, so yeah, I failed.

“We’re not gonna do anything with that temper of hers.” Maca said while sliding his arm around my sister’s waist and pulled her in so that he could kiss her neck. “Because she makes me so fucking horny when she gets all green eyed. I love it.” Maca made a snarling noise into G’s ear and I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

“Fucking ‘ell. I’m sure I must have some important paperwork to file, or security screens to monitor.” Bailey said, giving a little shudder at Maca’s words before turning and heading away from the bar.

I looked at Len and shook my head. “You two are a fucking nightmare,” he told the lovebirds. “We had to practically sit on him just now when he saw some bloke trying to touch you up on the dance floor.”

George wrapped her arms around Maca’s neck and it felt so good to see the way that she smiled at him in that moment.

“Aww, did they baby? Did you get all jealous?” She coos at him.

He said something into her ear and she listened intently.

“Fifty quid says they have a barney and leave early.” Len said. I shook my head because knowing those two, he was probably bang on the money.

“Oi, George. You gonna do the honours or what, babe?” A strong Essex accent came from behind my sister.

I turn to look in the direction of where the voice just came from and my heart felt like it plunged down to my balls, back up through my chest, and lodged somewhere in my throat.

Fuck. Me.

She was gorgeous. Not very tall, but she had curves in the exact places a woman should have curves. She was wearing a silver dress and black patent heels. Her hair was blonde, and her eyes were sort of a brownish blue, or bluish brown. I didn’t know, that sounded stupid, but they were either brown with blue flecks or vice versa.

Yep. I got all that from just one look.

I caught George saying that her name was Ashley, and I just stared—not saying a fucking word, just stared.

Maca leaned across and lifted my chin, making me realise that my mouth must’ve been hanging open. What the fuck was wrong with me? I looked at my sister and then at Maca for some help, but they were looking at me like I wasn’t all the ticket.

Speak, that’s what I needed to do ... say something.

“Happy Birthday, Ashley. You. Are. Beautiful.” I told her.

I don’t know where everyone disappears to, but suddenly it was just me and her, standing and staring at each other.

“You’re Marley Layton.” She states.

“I am.”

“You said I was beautiful.”

“I did.”

“I’m not stupid. That sort of talk won’t get you in my knickers.”

I have to laugh at her bluntness.

“Who said anything about you being stupid?” I questioned.

“Well, you obviously assume that I’m stupid enough to believe that you think that I’m beautiful.”

“I don’t assume any such thing, sweetheart. I told you you’re beautiful because you are. You’re fucking gorgeous.” Bloody woman. Most women lapped that shit up, not question it.

“Well, thanks. You’re not so bad yourself, but I’m still not shagging ya.” She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder, moved her bag from one hand to the other and took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

I lost the smile that was on my face as I watched her watching me from over the top of her glass as she took a sip of her drink.

“Why not?” I asked her. “What’s wrong with me?”

She looks me up and down and shrugs her shoulders. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“But?”

“But you’re Marley Layton.”

“That’s usually a help, not a hindrance. Birds usually wanna shag because I’m Marley Layton.” 

“Well not this bird.”

A group of people were headed in our direction and wished her a Happy Birthday, so I turned and ordered myself another drink from the bar, hoping her mates fucked off and left us alone, sharpish. I needed to talk to this girl some more. I had no idea why, I just wanted to be near her ... I wanted to know her ... I wanted to know about her.

“So, how do you know my sister?” I asked when her mates had all gone off in search of drinks and their other friends. The party was now in full swing and the dance floor was packed. I steered her to the very end of the bar so that I could hear what she was saying.

“You’re kidding me, right?” She asked. I shook my head no in confusion. “I went to school with your sister. I went to the same school as you.” She said, obviously pissed off that I don’t remember her, judging by her tone.

“George was two years below me. I don’t remember any of her mates.” I told her honestly.

“You and Jimmie were always pretty tight.” She reminded me.

“Yeah, well, Jim had been Georgia’s best mate since she was about four. She used to sleep over at our house, come on holiday with us.” I explained in a hurry.

“So you and Jim ... there was never anything between the two of you?” I shook my head no. I’m not gonna go into details about how I felt when I found out about Jim and Lennon. The past was the past and I’d been over that for years.

“Jimmie’s been with my brother since she was fourteen. She’s like a sister to me.” She nodded her head in understanding. “Now will you shag me?” I asked jokingly, but actually, not joking at all.

“Nope.” She said with a smile “I’ll let you dance with me though, Rock Star.” She grabbed my hand and started to lead me over to the dance floor.

“Oh, you’ll let me dance with you, will ya?” I smiled as I asked, gripping hold of her small hand as I followed behind her, definitely not looking at her arse all the way. Not even once, or twice, or a few hundred times.

The Pointer Sisters ‘Automatic’ was playing. Not too fast and not too slow. I pulled her front to mine, turned her around and grinded into her arse. I loved the fact that she grinded right back. The song changed and Frankie Beverly’s voice rasped out the Maze hit, ‘Joy and Pain,’ and the whole dance floor suddenly moved as one as they started this side stepping, line dance type of thing.

Now don’t get me wrong, I can dance, but aside from on stage, I didn’t get much opportunity. When we usually went to clubs, it was pretty much impossible for us to get out on the dance floor without being pestered, even in the VIP areas, so I just didn’t bother too often.

So yeah, I was a little lost for a moment as everyone fell into step, seemingly knowing the moves by heart.

Ashley moved from beside me to in front of me.

“Eyes on my feet Rock Star. Just copy what I do.” She winked at me and I did as I was told. As soon as I picked it up, she stepped back in beside me and we danced along, side by side, for the rest of the song. It was the most fun I’d had outside the bedroom in a long, long time, and I couldn’t wipe the big fat cheesy grin off my face.

My cheeks ached because I was smiling so much. This girl was like a breath of fresh air.

The song finally ended and Ashley gave me a round of applause.

“Not bad, Rock Star. You’re a fast learner.”

“Oh, you have no idea, baby.” I said at the same time I pulled her into me and moved us both to the sound of Womack and Womack’s, ‘Teardrops.’

I kissed along the curve of her neck and whispered into her ear, “Come home with me?”

“No,” she replied.

I kept us moving while trying to think of what I could say or do to get her back to my place. It wasn’t just the fact that I really wanted to fuck her, even though she was the reason for the painful hard-on I’d had for most of the night. It was because I just didn’t want the night to end.

What the fuck was happening. I sounded like a big fucking girl. I looked over Ashley’s shoulder and around for my brothers, or Maca. I spotted them all together, but it looked like George and Maca were arguing. He stormed off, grabbed one of the women that was all over him earlier and started dancing with her.

“What’s the matter? You lost interest coz I’ve knocked you back?” Ashley asked.

“No, baby. I’m just watching my sister and best mate argue.” She turned her head in the direction I was looking.

“Shit, George will kill her.”  She stated as we watched the woman put her hands all over Maca, before going in for a kiss.

“Looks like she’s about to.” I said.

We watched as Georgia grabbed the woman by the hair.

“Oi, you’re taking the piss now, love.” Georgia shouted at the woman. I was surprised when she gave up without a fight. She called something out over her shoulder, but my sister and Maca seemed to be oblivious to it as they stared at it each other like the pair of weirdo’s that they were.

Gloria Estefan’s, ‘I don’t wanna lose you’ started to play and Maca and G started to dance.

“Looks like they made up and no blood was spilt.” Ashley said.

I looked down into her blue-brown eyes. I slid my palms over her hips and up to her armpits, back down and over her arse.

“Come home with me, Ashley. Not to fuck ... well, not unless you force me, but just to talk.” She gave me the sweetest smile, kissed my cheek and said into my ear, “Get me drunk, Rock Star, and I might think about it.”

Two hours later, I was holding her hair back as she threw up down my toilet. I’d got her drunk, all right. So drunk, in fact, that I had to carry her from the club, out the emergency exit, and into the car that Dave, one of our drivers, was waiting outside for us in. About halfway home, Ash threw up all over me, herself, and the car.

Dave helped me get her up to my place, but I made him leave before I stripped her out of the little silver dress she was wearing. I grabbed a T-shirt of mine and pulled it over her head as quickly as I’d pulled her dress off ... almost.

What? She was braless and only wearing a black thong underneath. I’m a bloke, for fuck’s sake. Of course I had a little look. Twice or twelvety-two times.

Once the T-shirt was in place, I’d taken off her thong, purely because as good as it looked, that thing had to be fucking uncomfortable. I pulled a pair of my boxers up her legs and managed to get them in place without copping an eyeful once, despite how hard I’d tried.

I laid her on my bathroom floor with her head resting on a towel while I stripped out of my clothes and jumped into the shower. I dried myself quickly when I got out and pulled on a T and boxers myself.

I was just done with loading all of our clothes into the washing machine and turning it on when I heard her heaving. By the time I got back to my bathroom, she’d thrown up all over herself and my bathroom floor.

I ran my hand over my head and then over the stubble that was forming on my chin.

“What the fuck am I gonna do now?” I said to myself out loud. I didn’t want to be in this position. I had an unconscious girl in my home and I’d already stripped her clothes off once, and now I was gonna have to do it again and this time I was gonna have to shower her too, as it was in her hair and every fucking where.

I paced for a few seconds, then decided to call Jim. It might be four thirty in the morning, but I’d rather listen to Jimmie complain that I’d woken her than be accused of something I hadn’t done ... again.

I got the phone off my bedside table and dialled their number while stepping back inside the bathroom. I folded a clean towel and put it under her head, wedging the phone between my ear and my shoulder as it rang.

I had this overwhelming feeling of panic creeping up my spine. I wasn’t sure if I was worried about being accused of something, or if it was the fact that I wanted to look after her. No, fuck that, I didn’t want to, I needed to ... me, Marley Layton. I’d lived my life following the two F rule. I fucked ‘em and forgot ‘em, and as much as I wanted very much to fuck Ashley, the fact that I needed to make sure she was okay was overriding any horny thoughts I was having.

Len answered on the fifth ring with, “This better be a fucking emergency.”

“Len, its Marls.”

“Oh fuck, what’ve you done?”

“Fuck you, arsehole. I haven’t done anything.”

“What the fuck d’ya want then? The birds are fucking singing here and I’ve only just got to bed.”

“I’ve got Ashley here at my place.”

I heard him exhale, or inhale, I wasn’t sure which, but it went on for an exaggerated length of time.

“Marls, I swear to God, if you’ve upset that girl, George, Jim, and Mother will have your balls.”

“Mother? What the fuck has she got to do with anything?”

“Ash works for her and Georgia.”

Well fuck, she hadn’t mentioned that.

“I haven’t upset her. She’s out cold on my bathroom floor right now, covered in her own spew.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Len uttered his favourite response to most things I told him. I could hear Jimmie asking who it was in the background.

“Len, put Jim on. I need to talk to her. “The anxiety that was snaking it’s why up my spine was now bubbling in my chest and I paced as I heard Len passing the phone over to Jim.

“Please don’t fuck my friend, Marls. She’s had a tough enough life as it is, she doesn’t need you doing your usual fuck and run and breaking her heart.”

“Jim, she’s been sick and it’s everywhere. I don’t know what to do. What if she wakes up and she thinks I touched her? They won’t believe me again, Jim. I’m not a rapist, but the papers won’t care, they’ll write shit about me again.”

I felt like I’d been hit with a ton of bricks. The panic, hurt, and anger I’d felt at the comments made in the press and by others in our industry when Haley White made her accusations came clawing their way to the surface. I’d shrugged it all off at the time, had another drink, snorted another line, but it hurt. It fucking hurt and I didn’t want to feel like that again, not ever.

“Marley, calm down, babe...”

“I’m not a fucking rapist, Jim. She spewed up over her party frock so I took it off her and put it in the machine. I put her in one of my T-shirts and a pair of boxers, but she’s done it again and it’s all in her hair this time. It’s fucking everywhere, but I never touched her, Jim, I swear I never touched her.”

I was crying like a fucking princess, I was crying.

What the fuck was that all about?

“Marls, listen to me. You’re not a rapist, and no one thinks that. She doesn’t think that. Now calm the fuck down.”

I took a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. I could actually feel my balls and dick shrivelling and being replaced with a vagina over my breakdown.

“I love you, Marley Layton. You’re a good person, and don’t you ever forget that. Now, go run a shower, get Ash in it and wash the puke out of my friend’s hair. If you have to take her top off, try and do it in a non-pervi way.”

“Jim, she’s out fucking cold, dead to the world. I might like things a bit kinky, but I’m not into fucking girls who are passed out, I can assure you.”

“That’s good to hear, Marls. Now, go turn on the shower. I’ll stay on the line in case she wakes up and freaks out.”

After putting the phone down on the side of the sink, I turned on the shower and lifted Ashley up and sat her down again in the corner to let the water run over her. She tilted her face up into it and mumbled a few things that I couldn’t understand. Leaving the boxers on, I pulled the T-shirt over her head and washed her hair, her arms, and her legs. Her tits were staring me in the face. My arm and even my hand brushed against them a couple of times. I had a hard-on the whole time and felt like the worst person on earth. She was fucking gorgeous. Even in this sorry state of hers, she did things to me.

I wrapped her in the biggest towel I could find and carried her out to my bed and laid her down.

“She’s clean. She woke up a bit, but wasn’t making any sense.” I told Jimmie when I got back on the phone.

“Okay, well done. Put her in another one of your T-shirts. Give her hair a comb and tie it back if you can find an elastic band, and keep her lying on her side. She’s gonna be mortified in the morning so go easy on her, Marls. She puts on a big brave front, but she’s soft as shit and has a heart of gold under that mouthy bird she makes out to be.”

“Jim?” I whisper quietly.

“What Marls?”

“I like her. I mean, like ... I really like her.”

My mouth feels as dry as a nuns mildred as I try to get the words out. (Sorry God, nuns, and all you religious types, but you get what I’m saying here, right?)

“I know Marls. I knew it as soon as I saw the way you looked at her in the club. Don’t fuck this up. Now go sort her out and get some sleep. Love ya.” She hung up before I said any more.

I went and found a comb and combed her long blonde hair as best I could, then dressed her once again in a T-shirt and boxers of mine.

I laid her on her side, facing me, and watched her sleep as my thoughts raced, my stomach churned, and my heart? My heart did not have a clue what had just hit it.

This little blonde thing had gotten to me. I’d looked after her, washed and dried her, made sure she was safe, and I wanted nothing more in return, other than to get to spend more time with her.

And that scared the shit outta me.