Chapter 13 #2
“It was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but we got a little carried away.” Getting up from the floor, I go to the living room and pull everyone’s stockings from the fireplace—even Wolf’s, which Gracie snuck up there a few days ago.
It matches the rest of ours. Red and white with a stitched W for his name.
When I return to the kitchen, they’re dressed and finishing up their breakfast. It must be cold now, but neither seems to care when I lay their stockings on the table to open whenever they’re ready. It’s a tradition for Gracie to fill mine, and I fill hers. We picked the items for Wolf’s together.
Our biker sips his coffee and stares at the full stocking like it’s diseased.
“It’s not gonna bite ya,” I tease.
“I…” He clears his throat. “I’ve never had a stockin’, so this is…”
“Weird?” Gracie fills in for him, and Wolf nods. She smirks around a bite of bacon, hooks her finger in the loop of his stocking, pulls it off the table, and sets it in his lap. “You go first, then. Get the weirdness outta the way.”
“Sweet Girl,” he starts like he’s about to object.
Gracie turns to him, lays a hand on his knee that’s bouncing up and down with nerves, and whispers, “You’re ours. Now open your presents, Daddy.” She winks. “I know this is weird. Everything about the past few weeks has been weird. But weird doesn’t have to be bad.”
Blowing out a heavy breath, Wolf finishes his coffee, nods once, and pats the top of Gracie’s hand before pulling the gifts out of his stocking.
He takes his time, appreciating everything from the new leather gloves to the tattoo balm to the photo of the three of us that Gracie insisted we add so he can put it in his wallet.
I’m…
Fuck…
I’m overwhelmed.
They got me gifts.
Nobody gets me gifts.
Nobody.
Ever.
Not since I was a kid.
Massaging the nape of my neck, I stare up at the ceiling, so I don’t get too damn emotional. It’s bad enough I got choked up when I… Damn. I can’t even talk about it without my throat gettin’ all tight.
I fucked Gracie.
We…
It doesn’t matter.
Well, it does. But I can’t talk about it. Alright?
It’s one thing to talk to Jace about. It’s another to set our plans in motion.
I went from being a loner to having a family in less than a month. I don’t know what the fuck I did to deserve this, but I’m damn sure gonna do my best to never let them down. I’m in love.
In. love.
Damn. I never thought that’d happen, and with two people? That wasn’t even on my radar.
Goddammit.
I…
Shooting out of my chair, I damn near race to the bathroom to give myself a moment to screw my head on straight. It’s Christmas for fuck’s sake. It’s just another holiday. Only…it isn’t. It’s Gracie and Jace and…
Fuck.
Locked in the bathroom, I piss, wash my hands, and splash water on my face before I stare at my reflection.
What am I doin’ here?
I’m in my forties. I’ve been fine on my own forever. I do my job, I hang with my brothers, I have a life.
But did I really have one? Before them.
Every summer, I looked forward to comin’ here to meet up with Jace. Now I’m…
I slap my cheeks and shake my head. “Get your shit together, Wolf,” I hiss at my reflection.
There’s a soft knock at the door, and from the sound, I already know it’s Gracie here to check up on me. “I’m good, sweet girl,” I call.
“You’re sure?” Her kind voice penetrates through the door, straight into other parts of me. The organ in my chest, if you must know. It’s beatin’ like crazy, and there’s this wild swirlin’ in my stomach.
“Yeah,” I croak, to ease her concern.
“You know you don’t have to do this, Wolf. If you don’t want to,” the sweet woman states, and it pisses me off. Because, of course, I want this. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. It’s just… I don’t feel much at all, and this is a lot. Not in a bad way.
Pointing at myself in the mirror, I whisper, “Don’t be a bitch,” before I march over and rip open the bathroom door to find Gracie standing there waiting for me, lookin’ a whole lot of worried as Jace, who doesn’t fare much better, rests against the wall.
Grabbing Gracie’s shirt, I yank her body against mine and take her mouth in a searing kiss.
I pour every ounce of emotion into her, every goddamn piece of me, and when I’m done, I leave her gasping for breath and do the same to Jace.
Hard and demanding, I press him into the wall and bite and suck at his lips as we duel for dominance.
Gracie slips beside us and watches. Her fingers ghost across my side.
Ripping my lips from Jace on a gasp, I stare down into Gracie’s lust-drunk gaze and tell her what’s up because I have nothin’ to hide.
“I love you. Okay? You hear that? I love you. I don’t say that shit to just anyone, and I sure as fuck don’t take it lightly.
I love you both, and I wanna have a baby with you.
I want a family. I don’t fuckin’ know how or why it’s happenin’ now, but I’m in this. Ya got me?”
“Yes,” the stunning woman replies, her tone breathy.
“Then say it,” I command.
“I got you.”
“And what else?”
“I love you, too.” Her conviction is strong. Damn if that doesn’t turn my crank, hearing her acknowledge it—owning it with her full chest.
I brush my fingers over her cheek. “I know, sweet girl. Now let’s open our presents before your sister gets here. I’m sure she’s gonna have a fuckin’ field day with all this.”
Gracie nods adorably and chews her bottom lip as I turn to Jace to confirm we’re on the same page. I rest my forehead against his. “You good?”
He digs his fingers into my hip and presses his hard-on against mine. “Yeah. I’m good,” he rasps, his hot breath wafting over my lips.
“You sure, Kid?” I check again to cover my bases. The three of us have to be on the same page.
“I… I think so.”
I nudge his nose with mine. “You gonna say what you wanna say?”
“I…” Jace clears his throat. “Fuck…I love you.”
A small smile curls up at the corner of my mouth. I’m proud of him for doin’ this. Not only opening up to us, but also his bisexuality. That’s a lot for some people. “I know, Kid. Now let’s put this emotional shit to bed so we can have a good Christmas.”
“Yes, sir,” Jace replies.
“If you keep that up, you’re gonna end up with my dick in your sweet ass.”
“Fuck.”
“That’s the point.” Nipping Jace’s bottom lip, I pull away before I rut him like a goddamn beast, and we end up scarring Gracie’s sister for life.
We’ve got forever, I continue to tell myself as we enter the living room.
And again, when Gracie opens the silver Wolf necklace I bought her, and Jace opens his Wolf ring. If I can’t put a property of patch on their backs, it’s the least I can do—make them wear a piece of me. I also had our initials engraved into the back.
Gracie rests her temple against my shoulder. “Thank you. I love it.”
Pinching her chin, I tip her head back and force her lips to meet mine. “I’m yours. I’m glad you love it.”
Jace twirls the ring around his middle finger and stares at it, pressing against his wedding band. I nudge his leg. “You good?”
He bobs his head. “Yeah. This is… It’s great.”
“It looks good on ya.”
“Yeah. It does. Thank you,” he replies, still staring at the jewelry. I know rings aren’t for everyone, but a big wolf head suits Jace’s thick fingers.
Gracie lays a small blue box on my thigh. “This is the most important gift,” she says, bouncing excitedly as I open the lid to find a black house key. “See. It’s so you can come home anytime.”
Home.
I haven’t had one of those in decades.
Crushing the key in my fist, the teeth bite into my palm as I look at them, really look—Gracie in her adorable pajamas and expectant expression with dark hair spilling over her shoulders, brushing the tops of her tits…
tits I’m quite fond of. Sitting forward, elbows resting on his knees, Jace rubs the wolf’s head.
His broad back, covered in ink, ripples and flexes as he breathes.
They’re perfect.
So much for puttin’ all those emotions to bed.
I clear my throat to keep my shit together, and Jace, bless the man, collects the gift for Gracie from the coffee table and sets it onto her lap.
She rips the bright red paper to shreds and opens the white box.
Inside is a onesie that says, “My mom handles the snuggles. My dads handle the mayhem.” We had it made by a local woman Jace knows, and I came up with the saying.
Hugging the gift to her chest, Gracie bursts into tears. For half a second, I worry we fucked up and took this plan too far, but when she climbs onto my lap and kisses me, I know all is right in the world—in our world.
This Christmas is the first of many with my new family, with my loves, and my new life, and fuck if I’m not ready for it. Whatever happens, we’re in this together.
Now get the hell outta here and celebrate the holiday with your family. We’ve got a baby to make before Gracie’s sister gets here.
Merry Fuckin’ Christmas.