And Lucy.
She was smaller in person than she looked onstage, all big blue eyes and glossy brown hair in a messy ponytail, wearing an oversized pale-pinkHARPER ROSE WORLD TOURhoodie, jeans, and scuffed white boots—the kind of outfit I’d expect ona girl queuing outside a Harper Rose concert. Her gaze flicked over my shoulder into the villa, quick and eager, like she was trying very hard not to be overtly excited about this.
“Fraser,” Marco crowed, arms already opening.
“Stop right there,” I said, holding up a hand.
He froze mid-lunge, arms suspended like he’d been caught in a flash freeze.
I probably should’ve been more diplomatic. Eased into it with a hug, a joke, a crack about flights and airplane food. But Aurélie was a warm presence at my back, and the second I’d opened the door, every instinct I had turned territorial.
They’d shown up to our sex island. They were getting a briefing.
Marco blinked. “Wow. Cold reception. I thought the Greeks were known for their hospitality.”
“They are,” I said. “I’m Scottish.” I let my accent roughen as I went on. “We’ve got this thing about folk crossing a threshold and no’ minding the house rules. Old stories say if you come into a Scot’s home and don’t show respect, theCailleach comes down off the hill to make your next year a living hell.” I let that hang for a beat, watching all of them blink at me like they weren’t sure whether I was joking. Then I shrugged, mouth tipping in a smile that wasn’t entirely friendly. “Point is, you’re in our space now. So listen.”
Kimi huffed a quiet laugh. Ivy’s mouth twitched.
Lucy glanced between us, uncertain, then slowly raised her hand. “Um. Sorry, I’m new here. What’s a Cailleach?”
Aurélie giggled. “He’s got lots of Scottish lore you’ll learn about. Beautiful culture, if you ask me. I could listen to him talk about it all day in that accent.”
I shot her a look over my shoulder. She winked at me.
All of our friends pressed their lips together to keep from reacting.
“Should we… come back another time?” Lucy asked hesitantly.
Aurélie stepped up to my side, her small shoulder bumping my arm. I didn’t have to look to know she’d pasted on that cool, bright smile she used when the world was watching. Except the air around her was different now. Softer at the edges. Like the ring on her finger was humming.
“Take your shoes off before coming any further, s’il te plaît,” she said sweetly. “In France we say, on dit qu’on laisse les chaussures et les soucis à la porte—we leave our shoes and our worries at the door. Same rule applies here. And according to his Cailleach story, if you disrespect a Scottish threshold she steals your luck for a year. I’m studying his folklore now, and I am not risking a curse, so shoes off, no bad vibes.” She rocked back on her heels, and she looked almost militant with the way she clasped her hands behind her back. “Oh, and welcome to our sex island.”
Relief loosened something in my chest. There she was. My chaos co-pilot.
Marco wheezed. “I knew it. This is a retreat, not a holiday. You two are sick. I’m proud.”
I stepped back, keeping my hand at the small of her back to guide us both out of the doorway. “Inside,” I said. “Shoes off by the door. Bags there.” I nodded at the wall.
They filed in, the noise level rising with every inch they crossed into our space. Gravel crunch faded into the soft slap of bare feet on cool tile. The scents of airport and plane and unfamiliar perfumes tinted the air that had, for the last few days, been nothing but sea salt and the vanilla candle she refused to blow out properly.
It was like watching sand get kicked into our bubble.
No, it’s not getting kicked in.
We were controlling the collateral.
I kept my hand on Aurélie, felt the quick rise and fall of her breath as they moved past us, lining shoes up against the wall, dropping bags, and stretching. For a moment, the scene looked almost normal—friends arriving for a holiday, food on the stove, sunset outside, and laughter echoing in the entry.
But every time one of them glanced at her, my brain helpfully supplied:mine. Like I was some neanderthal that didn’t want anyone near his territory.
When their shoes were off and the bags were down, I gave Aurélie a look. She met it, eyes glinting.
I raised my eyebrows, silently asking,Now?
She nodded once in agreement and straightened.
We stepped back together, blocking the hallway that led deeper into the villa. Side by side, hands behind our backs like we were about to conduct a very polite firing squad.
