© Jojo B 2018

All rights including those in copyright in the content of this story are owned by Jojo B. It's Illegal to steal and/or copy.

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Snakes and Splinters

6

I met Hayley and we took the tube to art school on the Monday morning. Walter was resting up and I didn't want to have to wake him to drive me, nor did I fancy driving myself in his car. Parking was difficult in central London, not to mention expensive.

"How was Walter's boxing match?" Hayley asked me as we climbed up the stone steps of the art school.

"He won," I grinned.

"Congrats to him," Hayley smiled.

I smiled back, "Yeah. He's just resting up. He's more tired that he thinks. How was your day with Eli?"

Hayley bit on her lip cheekily, "We almost got caught yesterday. My parents came back home earlier than I thought and Eli was in the kitchen with me. I hid him in the storeroom, which is tiny by the way, until they went upstairs. Then he literally jumped out the window."

I laughed loud, "Seriously?"

She chuckled, "How are you surprised? It was the ground floor. Remember when both he and Walter jumped out the window at school that one time? That was on the first floor! Those Simpson boys are crazy."

"True," I nodded with a wide smile as we walked into the workshop.

I noticed Antonia sitting on the table Hayley and I usually sat at. She grinned and waved when she saw us, pushing her dark curls back over her shoulder. She had on a nice long sleeved, navy blue jumper and was just opening up her folder.

"Hey," I greeted her as I sat down.

"How are you doing?" Hayley smiled.

"I'm good, how were your weekends?" Antonia smiled back.

"Relaxed," Hayley said. "I like to take life at a slow pace."

Antonia laughed, "Sounds perfect to me. What about you, Coral?"

I was surprised she even remembered my name.

"I had work on the Saturday," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Talk about fun."

She grinned, "I'm not jealous at all. I feel like I should get a job now that I'm eighteen. I would gain some more independence and stuff, but I just can't be bothered. I don't think people would even understand me when I speak English."

I laughed in disbelief, "What do you mean? Your English is perfect!"

"Exactly," Hayley agreed. "If anything, people would love to talk to you because of your super sexy Greek accent."

Antonia chuckled, "Well if that were the case, they wouldn't get very far. I've got my whole family on my case. No dating until I'm like thirty years old."

Hayley and I grinned.

"We saw who we think were your brothers last week," Hayley said. "Just outside with their motorbikes."

"Yes," Antonia sighed and rolled her eyes. "That's who I'm talking about. Only one of them is my brother though. The other two are my cousins."

"Is your brother the one with the curls?" I guessed, remembering their appearances vaguely.

"No, not him. He's one of my cousins," she shook her head. "The tall, big one. He's my brother."

Hayley low whistled, "Well no wonder no one is brave enough to try and date you. They'd have to go through that first."

Antonia laughed again, "I know right? He's so overbearing sometimes. I've never even had a boyfriend."

I raised my brows, "Really?"

She nodded, "Yep."

She was so pretty though.

"Why won't he let you date?" I questioned.

Antonia threw her arms in the air and let out an exasperated sigh, "Don't ask me, I don't know. He's just too overprotective. I try to tell him that not every guy out there is a bad person. He doesn't listen."

"Well I'm happy I'm an only child," Hayley said with a grin.

"You're lucky," she said with a smile and a shake of her head. "Not only do I have my brother, but my cousins are like my brothers too. So make that three overprotective siblings."

"That is kind of cute though," Hayley said. "You have to admit."

"No, not really," Antonia grinned.

I laughed, "Did you all grow up really close then?"

She nodded, "Yeah, we all lived and grew up together in Greece. We moved here to England like two years ago. I went to college here and started University, but I transferred to this facility because my last Art School was pretty bad. One of the supervisors did introduce me to everyone but I think you two came late that day."

Hayley and I smiled sheepishly and I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we were late that day. I have a habit of sleeping in," Hayley said with a chuckle. "And Greece sounds amazing. Do you still have your massive Greek villa available for guests this summer?"

A smile spread across Antonia's face, "It would honestly be great to bring round some friends around sometime. We'll see how it goes."

Hayley was joking but when Antonia said that, she raised her brows, "Well count me in. I haven't had a good tan in a while."

She pointed to her face, "Look at me. I'm super pale. I haven't been back to Greece for almost a year. We only go in summer."

One of the teachers walked by us then and told us to quit chatting and get on with our work. He fixed us with a scowl so hard that we had to hold back laughter. I wasn't eight anymore, being 'told off' didn't bother me.

"Was that supposed to hurt my feelings?" I muttered a little too loudly and the teacher actually turned around to look back.

"Oh shit," Hayley chuckled, ducking her head and making it even more obvious the comment came from us. "Coral you're feeling wild!"

I had to laugh at that and Antonia nodded in approval as she grinned. She was cool and I liked her. She fitted right in and to be honest, it was nice to have another girl friend.

I got a text from Walter a few minutes before our session finished, asking if we were nearly done. He was waiting outside. I raised my brows, not expecting him to have come to central London just to pick me up. I replied saying we'd be out in a couple more minutes.

"Walter's outside," I murmured to Hayley as she was shading in some of her designs.

"Nice," a smile lit her features. "I'm basically done. Let me just pack my stuff."

I started doing the same and Antonia lifted her head, "Are you guys finished?"

"Yeah," I nodded and smiled. "Our session ends now. We're just clearly so eager to get the hell out of this place."

She smiled a perfect smile at me, "I'll come with you guys, at least to outside the building anyway. My brother and cousins are probably waiting for me."

"You mustn't keep them waiting," Hayley warned playfully. "They are so mean looking with those bikes. Do you know how to ride one?"

"Yeah, but I don't have my own one," she rolled her eyes. "They said I should wait till my birthday, which is in August...so far away."

Hayley laughed, "Same here, girl."

"Mine's in September," I smiled cheekily. "I'm already nineteen. I'm turning twenty this year."

"Nice," Antonia nodded at me as she finished packing up.

We walked through the art school towards the main doors that faced the busy roads. Heading on outside, I saw Walter sitting on the metal railings of the steps that led down to the paved streets. Eli was next to him, leaning against the railings and murmuring to Landon who was standing beside them both. Walter hopped down onto his feet when he saw me and a smile broke across his battered face.

"Hey," I went to hug him.

"You good?" he murmured, sending his deep voice vibrating through my chest.

"Yep," I pulled away and beamed up at him.

Antonia waved at me as she walked past us down the steps and I smiled and waved back.

"See you later," Hayley said to Antonia as Eli started climbing the steps towards her.

"Later," she grinned and turned to continue walking down the steps.

I guessed she was meeting her brother and cousins somewhere else this time, as I hadn't seen them or their bikes.

"Who was that?" Landon fully turned around just so he could keep watching Antonia as she walked on, her long dark hair blowing in the wind.

"She's not available, that's what," I told him with a grin as Walter snaked an arm around my waist. "With her overprotective brother and cousins, you won't get close."

Landon only laughed, "That can't stop me."

"Isn't she a bit young for you?" Eli arched a brow at his brother after giving Hayley a discrete kiss on the corner of her lips.

"She's your age, right?" Landon frowned at me and Hayley.

"Yeah, she's eighteen, like me," Hayley answered.

"Soon to be nineteen, I guess," Landon said. "I'm only a year older. That's not young at all."

"Whatever," Eli rolled his vibrant green eyes.

"You clearly just like older girls," Landon smirked at him and winked at Hayley.

"We're the same age," Eli replied in a flat voice, making me grin and Hayley chuckle.

"How come you're all here?" Hayley hugged Eli's side as we walked down the rest of the steps and onto the street. "It was a nice surprise."

Eli smiled faintly so that his dimples appeared a little bit, "I had a half day at school."

"And Walter's on too many meds, so I wouldn't let him drive," Landon grinned, turning so that he walked backwards in front of us down the busy streets without a care. "That's how he got stuck with me."

"Are you feeling alright?" I looked up at Walter in concern.

The bruises had really darkened on his face and his nose had a cut across it.

Walter just sighed and shook his head at Landon, "I'm fine, good enough to drive. This little bitch was just bored."

Hayley laughed and looked at Landon, "Is that so?"

"I guess," Landon said with a shrug. "Phoenix is taking a day off and therefore, I am too. He needs it more than I do, to be honest."

"What does he do that makes him so tired?" Hayley wondered aloud. "...Actually, don't tell me."

Landon smirked and nodded at her, "That's the right answer."

I had noticed Phoenix spending a lot less time with us recently, except from the surprise visit at Walter's bout last night. Apart from then, he was often grouchier than usual and I attributed that to difficulties in the dealing business. I had no idea what he and Landon were actually facing, just that it was bigger than I could possibly imagine.

"Where is your car anyway, Landon?" I asked as we rounded a busy corner.

"Like five minutes from here," he replied. "There's barely any parking anywhere and we didn't know how long you'd be, so we couldn't wait up at the front. No parking on double yellow lines and all. I learnt all the road signs when I was like ten. This is where we're from you know, the very heart of London itself."

"Nice use of personification for someone who didn't finish school," Eli muttered.

Landon arched a brow, "You think you're better than me because you're actually getting straight B's now?"

Walter scoffed, "He's just showing off that he actually knows what personification means."

Eli sent them both sour looks, "I'm smart, you know."

Walter laughed in his face and I would have nudged him in the side for trying to knock down Eli's confidence, if he wasn't still healing.

"Are you guys always this mean?" Hayley asked Eli's older brothers, jokingly.

"You mean, is Walter always this mean?" Landon corrected her. "The answer is yes."

Walter sent Landon a bewildered look, "I was backing you."

Landon chuckled, "True, but when I'm facing Eli, there's no need. I could thrash him any day."

Eli raised his brows, sensing a challenge, "At least I have a steady relationship. That's something you've never been able to achieve."

Walter smiled darkly, watching his brothers exchange verbal blows. Hayley looked like she was enjoying it too. I would have smiled a bit more if I didn't know that Landon did actually want to get out of his bad habits someday.

"I don't need a steady relationship," Landon said, nonchalantly.

A smirk grew on Eli's face, "No wonder they don't last. That's what I would say too if there was something wrong with my – "

"I wouldn't be making comments about that when you're obviously still a virgin," Landon smirked, not caring that Hayley was there.

Eli was clearly bothered by that and didn't even try to deny it. He ran forwards for Landon, who was still walking backwards ahead of us. Landon grinned and started running down the street as Eli chased him.

"That was meant for you too, Walter," Landon cried over his shoulder.

I widened my eyes and didn't even have time to look up at Walter to confirm whether or not it was true.

"Be careful..." the words died on my lips as Walter gave into the chase and ran off. He was still healing, dammit.

Hayley sent me a knowing smile, "There's no taming those boys."

Eli was a fast runner and was catching up with Landon. Eli didn't bother checking the side road before he crossed and we gasped in alarm when he was struck by a car that had braked sharply. The impact forced Eli up the hood of the car before he rolled down and landed on the ground. He picked himself up after not more than a second, gave each of his legs a shake and started chasing Landon again with a slight limp, ignoring the concerned driver who had gotten out of his car to see if he was okay. Walter ran and vaulted over the hood of the car and I could hear Landon's laughter being carried back in the wind as he looked back to see what was taking them so long.

To be honest, I felt exactly like the driver who just stood there and watch them go past with a loose jaw and Hayley and I shared a wide-eyed look of shock.

These Simpson boys really were something.

***

That evening I found myself in the Dartfish pub.

I wasn't working though, nor was I exactly alone. Severn was slouched on the side of the bar, looking at the stage with a sleepy expression as an amateur band performed indie rock music. The main lights were turned down low and multicoloured spotlights moved about the place, giving it a funky feel. I was talking to Gomez, making sure he wasn't tempted to start stealing from people whilst they had their attention on the gig. I caught eyes with Giovanni, who was drinking the rest of Severn's lemonade whilst he wasn't watching. He smiled, the straw still between his lips when he saw me looking. I had to smile back.

I'd had free access to the show, being an employee of the pub for over three years now. I'd brought the triplets along with me because they'd wanted a 'night out'. I'd smiled and explained to them that I wouldn't be able to sneak them alcohol but they'd insisted they'd come anyway. I didn't mind. I hadn't actually been planning on going anyway and I figured their company would be fun.

"Can we get another side of free onion rings, Coral?" Giovanni asked and then pushed Severn's arm lightly. "It will at least stop you from dozing off."

Severn blinked several times and then sat straight on his stool, stretching his back.

"This music isn't really doing it for me," he murmured, rubbing his blond hair.

"How about a side of girls instead? I'm sure that'll do it for you, Severn," Gomez suggested with a smirk when he spotted a table with a few girls on it.

His triplets followed his gaze to the table close by, where three girls around their age sat, watching the band perform. They sipped on their drinks through their straws, not really talking to each other much.

"They look bored," Gomez said to his brothers with a grin.

I'm pretty sure the triplets were sending each other telepathic messages by the way identical, cheeky smirks slipped onto each other their faces as they looked at each other.

"Whoever gets a kiss in the quickest time wins," Giovanni said, getting off his stool and smoothing out his shirt. "I'll go first."

"I was born first," Gomez argued. "Let me."

"Fine," Giovanni hung back, leaning his elbows back on the side of the bar behind him. "Go ahead."

"Coral," Gomez looked at me as he stood on his feet. "Do you mind keeping time?"

I smiled in amusement, "Alright. This will be interesting to watch. How about I keep track of who gets a rejection in the quickest time instead?"

They chuckled at me, unaffected by my words.

"You underestimate our skills," Severn said to me with a lazy point of his finger, wide awake now.

"Show me what you've got," I leaned against the side of the bar with one of my elbows and smirked. "Let me see what Landon taught you."

"This has nothing to do with Landon," Gomez said. "I'm a natural."

Giovanni scoffed, "Sure you are. Hurry up and go already."

"Start the time when I get to their table," Gomez looked at me.

I got out my phone and opened the timer, "Sure."

We watched Gomez walk over to the girls' table that was so near to us that his words were within earshot as he had to raise it slightly so he could be heard over the music.

"Is this chair taken?" Gomez asked, placing his hands down on the back of the fourth chair at their table.

He looked at the three girls with what I could only describe as a charming smile. Like his brothers, Gomez already had good looks and he sure knew how to use them to his advantage. The girls were about sixteen and wore light makeup and modest clothing compared to some of the other ladies around this evening, who wore low cut tops and hoisted up miniskirts. If you asked me, it was just too cold outside for that kind of wear, but that was none of my business.

"Our friend was going to come, but she bailed on us," one of the girls answered, smiling back widely at Gomez.

"Do you mind if I fill in her spot?" he asked, pulling the chair out slightly.

"Sure," another said brightly.

"Thanks," Gomez said, sitting down with them. "How are you finding the music?"

They smiled and pulled a couple faces.

"It's okay," one of the girls with red hair said kindly.

Gomez smirked at her and leaned closer, "Nice way of saying it could be better, right?"

They laughed and nodded and Gomez smiled, leaning back in his seat.

"What are your names?" he asked them.

"Cassidy," the blonde girl answered first.

"I'm Leila," the redhead said.

"Marissa," the girl with braids replied and smiled friendlily. "What's yours?"

"Gomez," he replied with a side smile.

"I'm surprised they don't recognise him," Giovanni murmured.

"They might be new to the area," Severn said, "or just dropping in from somewhere else."

Gomez turned to the stage when the band finished one of their songs and started another. He leaned back in his chair and started swinging on it.

"No more," he called, making the girls giggle and cover their mouths with their hands.

He turned to them with a smirk, "Oh come on, you were all thinking it."

"But you said it," the redhead copied a line from the movie White Chicks with a giant grin on her face.

"Good film," Gomez nodded at her.

"Do you know what else is a good film?" the dark skinned girl, Marissa with the braids asked.

"Tell me," Gomez titled his head to the side.

"Mean Girls," she said. "I wonder if you've seen that one."

Gomez bit on his bottom lip, "I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that I have indeed."

The girls giggled again and Gomez grinned at them.

"So which one of you can tell the weather by your boobs?" he asked, looking at them almost seductively, making them laugh even more.

I looked away, "This is scaring me."

Giovanni and Severn burst out laughing and they had to bite on their hands to keep from making too much noise and revealing their presence. Tears spilled from Gio's eyes and Severn nearly slipped off the stool he was sitting on as they were laughing so hard.

"Was it really that funny?" I sent them odd smiles.

"Your expression," Severn nodded as he tried to catch his breath. "You really did look terrified."

I chuckled a little bit, "It's just that I haven't really seen you guys act like this before. I feel like I shouldn't be watching."

"Don't worry," Giovanni said as he wiped the last of his tears away. "He should be finishing soon."

We looked back at the table and saw Gomez glance at us quickly, a big smirk lodged on his face.

"Are you here alone?" Cassidy, the girl with blonde hair asked him.

"Why do you ask?" Gomez glanced down what small amount of her cleavage was on show before slowly lifting his gaze back up and looking into her eyes.

Beside me, Gio and Severn groaned.

"He always plays that," Severn rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. "It actually works most of the time."

It seemed to work this time too because despite the wavering coloured lights, I definitely noticed the blush on her cheeks as she giggled at something Gomez had murmured lowly to her. If he kept at that, her friends would start to feel uncomfortable. Thankfully after a few more low spoken words and seductive smirks, Gomez and the blonde girl stood up.

"I'll be back," she said to her friends who sent her blank glances.

Gomez smiled at the two of them, "It was nice meeting you."

"You too," they mumbled, clearly annoyed that their friend had basically ditched them for a boy.

"Get ready, Gio," Severn said to him. "You're coming up."

He nodded and we watched Gomez and Cassidy head towards one of the side exits. The girl was about to walk outside, but Gomez held her wrist, stopping her from leaving so soon. He looked down into her eyes and slowly leaned down to kiss her. I stopped the timer on my phone when their lips touched and had to look away after that. It was like watching my little brother get with a girl and I just couldn't look.

"They're out," Severn said, watching as they paused with the kissing to no doubt continue outside.

"Go get them," Severn slapped Giovanni's back as he pushed himself off the side of the bar and approached the table where two of the girls sat, dejectedly.

"Hey," he smiled at them.

The girls frowned at him.

"You're back already?" Leila the redhead asked. "Where's Cassidy?"

"I don't know who Cassidy is," Giovanni only replied with a smile. "Maybe she's with my brother."

They raised their brows in realisation.

"Oh wow, so you're twins?" Marissa said with a new, bright smile on her lips.

Gio shrugged with a half smile and sat himself down, "You could say that."

They smiled at his answer, probably thinking he was just trying to be funny. Giovanni didn't bother explaining that he was, in fact, a triplet.

"Do you guys go to school around here?" Gio asked them. "I don't recognise you."

Marissa named a school that I hadn't heard of, confirming that they were indeed some outside the area.

"We came to watch the band," Marissa explained, glancing at the stage. "The main singer used to go to our school."

"Oh nice," Gio nodded. "You knew him well?"

"Not really," Marissa smiled sheepishly.

"Just came to admire from afar?" he smirked at them.

Marissa smiled shyly and looked down, chewing on the corner of her lip.

"You could admire someone much closer instead," Giovanni leaned and murmured softly with a smile.

He grinned when Marissa looked at him with surprised eyes.

"I don't mind," he wiggled his brows.

She laughed and brushed him away, "Is this some sort of game? First Cassidy, now me?"

"No," Gio shrugged and leaned back again, keeping his eyes on Marissa's dark ones. "Not a game."

Leila, sensing the change in environment, stood up with her bag.

"I'm just gonna go to the bathroom," she said with a little smile.

"Sure," Gio nodded at her.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Marissa looked up at her friend whilst Gio leaned over and sipped on her drink through her straw.

"No, it's cool," Leila shook her head and then smiled slightly, although it didn't really reach her eyes. I knew she felt left out.

She left before Marissa could say anything. Marissa turned her attention back to Giovanni to see him still drinking her cool drink through her straw. He pulled back slowly and sent her an equally chilled smile.

"Tastes good," he said to her, licking his lips.

I saw her swallow and Severn muttered under his breath in annoyance. Giovanni was just as good as seducing girls as Gomez was.

Marissa leaned in and took the straw into her mouth, tasting the drink. She nodded when she pulled away and gazed at Gio.

"It does," I had to read her lips as her voice had dropped considerably.

The two of them gazed at each other for a while and then Gio slid the drink to the side and leaned in towards her to close the distance. Their lips found each other and I stopped the timer on my phone again, making note of it. I looked back when I saw Giovanni rising to his feet, Marissa following suit.

"What about Leila?" she asked him.

"We won't be long," he shrugged, knowing that Severn would come to keep her company in due time anyway.

Marissa still looked unsure but she got out her phone and sent her friend a quick text before following Giovanni out of the main entrance, probably going to continue the makeout session just like I had suspected Gomez had with the other girl.

"Watch me do this right," Severn said to me before he got off his stool and made his way over to the empty table.

Leila, the redhead, didn't even notice Severn was sitting there until she had taken a seat herself. She stiffened in surprise and Severn looked at her with a gentle smile on his face. Neither of them said anything, they simply looked at each other. Severn's eyes searched her face and I almost blushed for the girl. He didn't take his eyes off her once, and it wasn't in a creepy way. I think because she recognised him from seeing Gomez and Giovanni, she was more confused than worried. I raised my brows when Severn reached out and caressed her face softly, the smile growing a little bit when her gaze fell onto his lips.

I stopped the timer with just over one minute on the clock.

Leila pulled back first, opening her eyes to look at Severn who was still sitting there giving her sleepy blinks and a laid back smile.

"So are you triplets?" she asked him.

He nodded, "Yeah, we are."

"I figured," she laughed lightly. "Your brothers are still with my friends right?"

Severn nodded again, "They're just outside the pub."

"So it was a game?" She tilted her head to the side.

Severn tried to read her. She didn't seem annoyed or upset about it.

"It wasn't a game," he replied. "I just didn't want you to come back to an empty table."

She smiled at him and tucked some of her hair behind her ear, "That's nice and courteous of you, unlike your brothers who whisked my friends off."

"They were pretty eager to go," Severn chuckled.

She smiled even more and rolled her eyes, "That's true. So what's your name anyway? Your other brother didn't tell us. All I remember is the name Gomez."

"I'm Severn," he answered. "And yours?"

"Leila," she responded.

"Nice," Severn said and he ran his gaze over her again. "I like your hair. The colour."

She smiled and ducked her head slightly, "Thank you."

They looked like they were about to kiss again when the band finished up and people started to get up from their seats. The gig was over and Leila looked around for her friends, only to see them returning from outside. They raised their brows in shock when they saw Severn sitting there.

"Three of you?" Cassidy gaped. "Wow."

He only smiled and Leila smiled back at him before taking her bag.

"Give me your hand," she said to him.

Severn did so with a questionable look. Leila grinned at him and took out a pen from her bag before writing her number on his hand. She blew on it to make it dry before getting up to leave with her friends.

"Later," Severn waved at her.

"Sure," she smiled again and the three of them headed for the door and left the pub along with many others.

Whilst the girls were leaving through the main exit, Giovanni and Gomez came back in through the side door which was less busy. The three of them joined me at the bar again, grinning their heads off.

I shook my head at them, "Trust you lot to come up with some sort of challenge like that. You're lucky none of them slapped you for being so forward."

Gomez shrugged, "I've only been hit like twice and on both times they kissed me again afterwards."

"Wow. A player in the making," I said to him.

"So who won?" Giovanni asked me impatiently.

"Gomez took four minutes fifty seconds," I said, looking back at my phone. "Giovanni took three minutes twenty two, making Severn the winner with one minute and fifteen seconds."

"What?" Gio and Gomez turned to look at him sharply.

Severn shrugged with a grin, "You always underestimate me. Just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I don't have game."

"How?" Gio frowned.

"I didn't really say anything, I just kissed her," Severn said with a smirk.

"It's because you were last," Gomez muttered. "I shouldn't have gone first."

Giovanni chuckled, "Hey, I was going to go first. You insisted."

"I got her number too," Severn said, waving his hand in their faces.

Gomez gave him a smirk and an arch of his brow, "I got more than a number, mate."

Giovanni had an identical smirk on his face, "Did she give you – "

"No, that's not what I mean," Gomez cut him off and held out his hand, revealing some pricey looking earrings and a pretty golden ring.

"Gomez," I said, appalled. "I don't even want to know how you pulled that off."

"I was distracting her with the kisses," he put the jewellery in his pocket. "Why do you think I chose her? She had the most expensive looking shit on her."

I shook my head at him whilst his brothers rolled their eyes.

"Let's just go home," I said, getting to my feet.

Now that I was off the high stool, the boys were quite a few inches taller than me again. I was about to head towards the side exit when I heard someone call my name.

"Antonia," I widened my eyes in pleasant surprise.

She came over to me and gave me a hug.

"Twice in one day," she laughed when she pulled away. "How are you?"

"I'm good," I grinned back at her.

Half of her dark hair was tied back and the other half flowed down her shoulders in dark cascades. She had twinkling diamond earrings in her ears and a neat, dark dress on. I didn't even notice her big brother that came and stood behind her until she turned to the side to introduce him.

"This is Coral," she said, looking up at him. "We're in the same group at art school."

I noticed the triplets looking...well staring at her. She looked very beautiful indeed. They must have been captivated by her accent too. I smiled to myself, Antonia was off-limits to everyone and this man here was one of the main reasons why.

"This is Maximos," Antonia smiled. "My brother."

Maximos, who towered over everyone including the triplets, looked down at me. His big chest and arm muscles were all too visible through his slim fitting black jumper. I wasn't sure what brand it was, but I could tell it was expensive. His eyes were a dark emerald green and they sat under thick, black brows. He had a scar that ran through one of them.

"Nice to meet you," I said quietly as he clearly wasn't going to speak first.

He nodded, "Same to you."

His voice was low and gruff and I recognised the same Greek accent that Antonia had, even through the three words he'd spoken. Antonia glanced at the triplets who stood around me, her smile widened when she noticed they were identical triplets.

"Are these your brothers?" she asked, looking between us.

"We're family," I replied simply and Giovanni draped an arm over my shoulders.

She nodded and Maximos grumbled something impatiently. I didn't understand what he said, but I could tell he wasn't comfortable. He didn't want to hang around and make friends, not with me anyway.

"That's lovely," Antonia replied to me with a bright smile. "We're going now, but I'll see you around."

"See you," I smiled back and the triplets gave her nods.

Maximos nodded back politely and turned his broad back to us. Antonia gave us a little wave and went with her brother. The triplets watched until they'd walked out the door.

"Maximos," Giovanni said with a little smirk on his face. "His name sounds like a Transformer."

Severn laughed, "He looks like one too. His body is a machine."

"He even speaks like one to be honest," Gomez added and then lowered his voice, making it deeper than it already was. "I. Am. Optimus. Optimus Prime."

"I. Am. Maximos. Prime," Gio corrected, adding a growl in for good measure.

"Stop," I couldn't stop laughing. "He's Greek, that's all."

They too chuckled as we made our way outside the pub. These boys sure knew how to make someone seem a lot less intimidating. It was as if they weren't afraid of anything.

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What did you think of the chapter?

J

X