The President’s Christmas Vixen (25 Days of Christmas: Bikers & Mobsters #2)

Prologue

GABE

“Hawk,” I call, scrubbing a hand down my face. It’s been a long ass week, and I need to get church over with and get some fucking sleep. I’m exhausted and over everything. “What happened on the island and who were all those men Matteo was with at the docks?”

Rescuing Sadie didn’t go exactly as we had planned, but with multiple crews involved and everyone doing their part while fighting over who’s actually in charge, it was a clusterfuck that ended in our favor out of pure fucking luck.

Hawk runs through the story, telling everything from the moment Matteo’s man shot him at the party to the island blowing up in their wake.

When he talks about Sadie killing three people and how she’s still trying to make peace with the fact that she feels no guilt or remorse, everyone in the room goes silent.

We all know what it feels like to take a life.

We’ve all don’t it in similar situations to Sadie’s, but most of us were trained to protect our own.

Others it comes by instinct. But no one is ever ready for the aftermath.

The emotional turmoil is something nobody can prepare you for.

Eventually, you learn to compartmentalize everything and come to the realization that it was you or them.

Sadie will come to that conclusion soon enough.

But until then, we’ll all be here to help her when she needs us.

“I get that Kayce and his men were on the island, and Parisi’s two cousins, but who were the men on the docks? Do you know?” Mack asks Hawk.

“Not really. Enzo said it was their friends. But I didn’t meet any of them.

When we touched down, I got Sadie and Nora as far away from that shit as possible.

” Everyone shares a strange look. None of us understand what the hell happened out there, and it appears Hawk doesn’t know anything about it either, which makes it even crazier.

Not liking being left in the dark, Hawk asks, annoyed. “What am I missing? What happened on the docks?”

“That’s just it,” I answer honestly, shrugging. “We don’t know.”

“What?”

Ghost jumps in to add, “Something weird happened at that warehouse down there, brother. We’re just trying to figure out what it was.”

“Weird, how?”

“All the dead bodies of the Devils …” Ghost starts but pauses so Mack picks up where he left off.

“There were very few gunshot wounds, and most of them weren’t deadly injuries. They were all dead, but …” It’s Mack’s turn to pause. Everyone keeps looking around at one another. No one wants to say it out loud because then that makes this shit real.

“But what? Someone tell me what the fuck happened?” Hawk shouts, getting frustrated at all the tension in the room.

“It’s like their souls left their bodies,” Caleb says. “Their eyes were black as coal. The entire eyeball. It was like some shit you’d see in a scary movie—only it was real,” he explains. “Their bodies were there on the ground, but they didn’t bleed out, Hawk. It’s like they were just … empty.”

“What the fuck? And everyone saw the same thing?” Hawk asks. All who were there nod. “What about Parisi’s men? Were they the same way?”

“That’s what was strange about it,” Ghost adds. “Parisi’s men that were hit, bled out, but their eyes and shit were normal. It’s the weirdest fucking thing, man. Gave me the creeps.”

There’s a knock on the door, which isn’t supposed to happen when we’re in church, so that can only mean one thing. Trevor opens the door and proves my theory right.

“I’m sorry, Pres, but Mr. Parisi insists on seeing you now. He’s out there with Sadie and the other women, getting them all riled up.”

“The fuck you mean getting them riled up?” Ethan’s on his feet, ready to move. He’s been on edge for months, since the day he found out he was having a kid and even more so since Emily was born.

“He better not be messing with Skyler. Emily hasn’t been sleeping much, and Sky needs her rest. I only brought her with me today so the girls would take Emily for a little bit and let Sky rest while we’re in church.”

“I’m not upsetting your woman or your child, Mr. Anderson. Congratulations, she’s beautiful. I’m happy to see she looks like her mother,” Vincenzo drawls as he makes himself comfortable and sits down at the end of the table opposite me. I guess the women aren’t all he came to rile up.

“Why are you here, Vincenzo?” I ask, still pissed as shit with the asshole for allowing his man to shoot one of mine. He claims it was to save Hawk’s life, but the jury is still out on that one.

“I brought a gift, but I’m uncertain whom to give it to.” Vincenzo waves his hand in the air. “Originally, I thought of giving it to Sadie, but then thought perhaps Mr. Hawkins would prefer to take care of it for her.”

“What gift are you talking about?” Hawk asks hesitantly, moving to stand up, leaning his back against the wall.

“Asha Volkrov.” Vincenzo lights a cigarette, then leans back, taking a long drag before blowing the smoke out in front of himself.

“The trainer who drugged her,” Hawk explains. I glance between Hawk and Vincenzo, then back to Hawk, waiting for further explanation. When Hawk says nothing more, I know he’s waiting for my ruling.

“Your call,” I offer to Hawk. We don’t kill women or children, but I can understand Hawk’s hesitation.

If it hadn’t been for the bitch trainer, Sadie never would’ve been on that island in the first place and maybe not have had to kill people.

She would’ve left all of that to us instead of having nightmares of her own.

“I’d prefer you dispose of the problem yourself. After all, she was in your employ when she fucked over my woman. She’s your problem to fix,” Hawk decides. It’s the right call.

“Very well,” Parisis says, taking another pull from his cancer stick.

“I guess, since you’re here, I should go ahead and give you your gift,” I offer, smiling as I lean back in my seat and cross my arms. I’m kind of excited to be able to deliver this package to Vincenzo. It’s about time he took out his own trash.

“There’s no need to give me thank-you gifts, Gabriel. I would think you would know that our friendship extends beyond material things after all we’ve shared these last few months. No?” Vincenzo smirks.

Asshole.

“Hawk.” He knows what to do and quickly takes out his phone. He walks slowly over to Vincenzo’s seat and shows him our guest in the basement.

Vincenzo takes the phone from his hand. He doesn’t show any outward reaction except when he shouts, “Santiago!” The doors to church open, and in walks Vincenzo’s second most trusted henchman.

Vincenzo shows the screen to Santiago. His eyes snap to Vincenzo’s. “Orders?”

“Collect the trash. We’ll take it home and dispose of it there,” Vincenzo orders. Santiago turns to me, and I call for the prospect to take Santiago to the basement.

“I feel as though I owe you something in return, Gabriel,” Vincenzo says, though there’s a hint of humor in his tone. “Perhaps you will all see me out to my vehicle.”

This should be interesting.

It’s been my experience that whenever we meet near Vincenzo’s vehicle, there’s a body inside waiting for me.

I follow him out the back door in time to catch Santiago backing into a parking spot.

The backdoor of the SUV opens, and out steps Kayce Eaton.

My men are all lined up at the back of the building.

Declan, Jake, and Hawk lean against the brick wall awaiting orders.

Kayce comes forward, stopping in front of me, his arms crossed, attempting to be intimidating.

“Gabe,” Kayce approaches, getting close enough that I unload three rapid punches. One to the face and two to the body. The bastard has had this shit coming for a while now, and it’s about time I delivered.

When he rights himself, he shakes his head, jerking his jaw from side to side. “Guess I deserved that.”

“What you deserve is a bullet between your fucking eyes for the shit you’ve pulled!

” I argue. “I don’t give a fuck how close you were to Declan back in the day or that you helped find his woman and her son.

You crossed a line when you snuck onto Kings’ property and not only helped a known traitor escape, not once but twice—then you framed our brother for four fucking murders and disappeared, leaving us to clean up your fucking mess! ”

“We also helped rescue your niece and bring her home safely. Or doesn’t that count for anything?” Kayce taunts.

“Sadie would’ve found her way home; of that I have no doubt.

That girl has outsmarted all of us, including Tate,” I growl menacingly.

“Let me be very clear. You are not to come anywhere near Kings property, and that includes our women. Violet and Carter are no longer your responsibility—they’re Kings now.

You have no business here at all. If I so much as catch your scent on the wind, I’m going to unleash hell on every fucking one of you.

” Inching myself closer, crowding the fucker until I’m right up in his face, I give one last word of caution.

“If I were you, I’d take the warning for what it is and fuck off. ”

Kayce takes his place in the back of the SUV.

I turn back to find Vincenzo smiling. He slaps his hand on my shoulder and says, “This is why we are friends, Gabriel. You don’t mince words.

You are a man of action and a man of honor.

Until next time.” Vincenzo drops his hand and goes to get into the SUV.

We all stand watching as they leave the yard.

“The fuck does that mean?” Jake asks me.

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling that whatever Vincenzo is up to, we’re going to get roped in.” Shaking my head, and ready to be done with this shit, I announce to my men, “Come on. Let’s go see the girls. We can finish church this evening. I want to see my niece and could use a fucking drink.”