A Ruthless Christmas by K.L. Savage

 

Christmas Day

“Can you untie me now?” Badge asks, wiggling around in his chair. Aidan and Maizey crashed and fell asleep around his chair a few hours ago, but now it’s about time to wake them up for presents. “I really need to take a piss.”

“Badge, Santa does not say those words,” I chuckle, then smell the sweet scent of coffee. “Yeah, I’ll untie you.” I unplug him and unwrap one string, going in a hundred circles before starting on the other.

“Good thing I’m not Santa. Ever again.” Once he’s free, he runs toward his room to get undressed and do his business. My cheeks still hurt from laughing at what the kids did. Scrubbing my eyes, I yawn and step over Aidan, who has his hand on top of Maizey’s. Oh my God, what if they grow up and fall in love?

A mother can hope.

I throw my hair up in a quick, messy bun and head to the kitchen. Reaper, Patrick, Poodle, Warden, Bane, Wolf, and Boomer are there making Christmas breakfast.

“Is everyone ready for presents? The cactus is overflowing. Santa really outdid himself,” I say, greeted by Reaper’s kiss.

“Eat first, then we will.”

“Aye, the kids will sleep for another half hour. Let’s dig in before the little spawns wake up,” Skirt says, biting into a piece of bacon.

Delilah comes up the steps of the basement next, holding the hands of the two kids we haven’t seen much since we rescued them. Micah and Delaney, brothers.

Everyone stops what they’re doing, looking up as they enter the kitchen, and the siblings hide behind Delilah’s legs.

“Well, good morning, you two! Guess what? It’s Christmas! Do you want to go open your gifts?” I ask them, wanting them to feel like part of the family.

Micah blinks at me and steps away from Delilah. “We have gifts?”

My heart breaks when I hear those words. “Of course, you do! Santa brings presents to everyone. Come on, everyone. Looks like we’re moving to the living room early. Grab your coffee,” I say, guiding the kids to the living room.

When they see the cactus, they’re astounded. “Woah, that’s the coolest tree ever.”

“It’s a cactus,” Delaney says. “Stupid.”

“You’re stupid!” Micah pushes his brother, and he pushes back.

“Okay, that’s enough. Everyone, calm down. You’re both right. It’s a Christmas cactus,” I say with pride.

“Maizey,” Micah pokes her side. “Wake up. Christmas is here.”

“We caught Santa!” She bolts into a sitting position, but then she sees the empty chair. “But he was right there! We caught him.”

“He poofed. I saw it,” I say, wanting her to know I believe her.

A knock at the door interrupts everyone getting settled, but Tank gets up as soon as he sits down. “I got it.”

He opens the door, and Zain is there, holding a bottle of wine with a bow on it. “I … uh … I don’t know if I’m still wanted here, but I wanted to bring something by. I didn’t know what to get.”

“I’m sorry, we don’t allow alcohol in the main room,” I tell him.

“Oh, it’s non-alcoholic. I saw what Porter did to your friend,” Zain says, and to know he was so thoughtful has Tank swinging the door open for him to come in.

“Come on in,” I invite him in, and he gives me the biggest smile, one that is remarkably similar to Reaper’s.

Reaper comes in the room and gives Zain a nod, which is better than a knife to the chest, so hopefully he understands that.

Everyone gets settled in the main room, and I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with love. This is my family, my home, my people. There are so many here, so many who would risk their lives for another. I’m so lucky.

Poodle and Melissa are on the couch, feeding Lady pancakes. They have given her everything she wasn’t allowed to have before since she isn’t doing so well. Patrick and Sunnie are next to them, Tool and Juliette are sitting next to Reaper on the floor to be close to the action. Doc and Joanna are on the other side of the cactus, Skirt and Dawn are on the loveseat, Joey on Skirt’s lap. Aidan is in front of the tree, looking like he’s about to tear into the gifts any minute now.

Tongue and Daphne are in the corner, watching from the dark as they like to do. Badge, Slingshot, Knives, Tank, Bullseye, and Braveheart are on the new sectional we just purchased. It’s huge, an L-shape, to fit everyone.

That doesn’t even include Boomer and his guys, who are lined up against the wall since there’s no room.

Maybe we should have had Christmas in the gym…

“Okay, here we go,” Reaper says, grabbing the first gift. “Slingshot, it’s you, buddy,” Reaper tosses it to him, and Slingshot catches the red gift with a silver bow.

He tears into it, opens the box, and jumps up and down when he sees what it is. “It’s a three-hundred-dollar gift card to my favorite taco stand!”

No one is happy about it.

“Who did that?” Reaper asks, but no one admits a thing.

“Duh, Daddy. Santa.” Maizey pats Reaper’s arm. “It’s okay. It only means Slingshot deserved it.”

“I’ll have to write a letter to Santa and tell him my complaints then.” Reaper shoots me a glance and winks, and my body flushes in response. He knows it too because his eyes darken to molten lava.

“Thanks, Santa!” Slingshot nudges Badge, and Badge slaps him on the back of the head.

“Bullseye!” Reaper throws him a gift, and we hope it lightens Bullseye’s spirit. He’s been quiet and down. We miss him.

Bullseye tears into the black wrapping paper and grins, smiling for the first time in months. “A dart maker. I love it! Thank you, Reap—Santa,” he corrects himself quickly. “Really, thank you.”

“Daphne, this one is from Tongue. You have two,” Reaper says, and Daphne manages to pry herself away from Tongue’s hold to take the boxes.

One is wrapped in pink, and the other is wrapped in green. She gently unfolds each side of the paper instead of tearing into it. The box is long; maybe a necklace? No. That’s too basic for Tongue.

“I love it!” she announces, sliding out a blade that looks a lot like Tongue’s, but when the light hits it, I notice it has his name engraved in the steel. Not his road name, his real one.

“I got mine engraved too, Comet,” Tongue says, unsheathing his knife to show her. “It’s got your name on it.”

Daphne kisses him, deep and long, and the guys whistle at them for putting on a show. She pulls away, flushed, and her eyes are glittering with lust. Tongue growls, and Reaper has to snap his fingers to get the couple to focus.

“What’s this?” Daphne holds up a key, analyzing it by twisting the ribbon which causes it to spin in circles.

“It’s the key to your new bookstore,” Tongue says, kissing her on the cheek.

This time, there is no stopping them. Daphne jumps on Tongue, wraps her legs around him, and his hands move to her ass. I move my palm in front of Maizey’s eyes, and Reaper does the same with Aidan. A few of Boomer’s men take note and go to hide Micah and Delaney’s eyes when Tongue walks backward to their room.

“I love it. I love you,” Daphne says between kisses. “I want you so much.”

“Okay, kids in the house. Kids!” Reaper calls after them just as their door slams. “Bunch of rowdy teenagers.” Reaper shakes his head and gets up to grab the big box against the far wall.

“Boomer, here.” Reaper hands him a box that isn’t wrapped. “Sorry, I ran out of paper.”

Boomer gives Reaper a bepuzzled look and yanks the box open. “Fireworks!” he gasps, then giggles. “Big ones. Holy crap, Reaper, Sarah, thank you. Can I go shoot one off now?”

“It isn’t nighttime, Boomer,” I deadpan.

“So…” he murmurs.

Everyone laughs, and Reaper continues handing out gifts until there is only one left. Even Boomer’s men have a little something, cash to gift cards; something simple since we don’t know them too well. Zain even has one, a small album full of pictures of Reaper and everyone here throughout the years so Zain can feel like part of the family. Tool has a new screwdriver set from Juliette, and Juliette has a new microphone, and Reaper and I got them new sex toys.

Skirt, Dawn, and Bullseye got a new room for their escapades. A real watch room. There’s a private section where Bullseye can watch without Skirt and Dawn knowing, or he can join. We do know Skirt doesn’t allow Bullseye to touch, but we wanted them to have a nicer room to share their desires besides the rooms the cut-sluts were in.

Gross.

Reaper hands me a gift next. “I thought we agreed we wouldn’t buy each other anything? I took that literally. I didn’t get you a present.”

“It’s for both of us,” he says.

“Okay.” I lift a brow and pucker my lips as I carefully open the envelope. I pull out two plane tickets and a brochure. “Oh my God.” I read the itinerary. “A week’s vacation in Alaska! You’re serious? How … when? You need to be here?”

“Tool can handle it. Maizey is going to hang out with Dawn and Skirt. Everything will be fine. Tool is VP for a reason. I want time with my wife. Me and you, Doll. Do you want that?”

Pinpricks sting my eyes as I try not to cry, but it’s a losing battle. “Are you kidding? I’ll go anywhere with you.” This time, it’s my turn to kiss him senseless. I can understand why Daphne took Tongue to the bedroom. I’m ready to tear his pants off and mount him standing.

“I have a gift for you two,” Doc says, handing us a small package.

“You’re under the mistletoe!” Maizey points to Knives and Mary.

They’re arguing because Mary got him coal for Christmas, and he got her a pegged leg. A fake one, but she’s currently beating him upside the head with it.

“I’d rather kiss a freaking toad then kiss Knives!” Mary slams the leg down on Knives’ shoulder.

Knives wraps an arm around her waist and tugs her head back by her hair. “If it gets you to shut up, I’m willing to do anything!” He smashes his lips against her, and I’m nearly bursting at the seems with excitement. Finally.

They act like they hate each other, but they don’t.

The kiss turns from angry to soft, and Mary pulls back, trying to blink away her daze. She shoves the wooden leg into Knives’ stomach and stomps away.

“That woman is crazy!” Knives groans.

“Anyway,” Doc clears his throat and offers us the gift again. It’s cute, wrapped in a metallic green paper with a red satin bow. “You have to open it together.”

Reaper and I tug the ends of each side of the bow, and the ribbon floats to the ground. We tear the paper off to reveal a piece of plastic. I’m staring at a positive sign right in the middle. “What is it?” I ask him. “Is it a life alert for Reaper?” I chuckle at my own joke, and everyone laughs with me.

I can be funny.

“Maybe. In about nine months. You’re pregnant, Sarah. I re-ran the test. It’s positive.”

“It’s—” I gasp, my words failing me. “It’s p-p-pos… positive?” I whisper, and my hand trembles. “Really?” My voice becomes high-pitched as I cry.

“Really, Sarah. Merry Christmas,” Doc grins.

Reaper and I stare at one another, not believing what we’re seeing. Reaper falls to his knees in front of everyone and kisses my stomach. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he chants.

“We’re pregnant.”

Reaper wraps his arms around me and lays his cheek against my stomach. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I run my hands through his hair, and he jumps to his feet. I stand back, stunned by the sudden movement.

He takes my hand and lifts it in the air. “We’re pregnant!” he announces to everyone, and the entire MC cheers and claps.

It really is the best Christmas ever.

Because only the best miracles happen on Christmas.