Christmas Games
Alistair
“So, this is all you’ve got?” I paced the length of my parents’ Spanish-style garden patio.
“I’m doin’ all I can, Mister Scott,” Lou answered, stabbing his cigarette into an ashtray.
“My guys have been all over it—heard Holly popped up in northern Brazil last week, but she slipped the net. Word is she tried gettin’ her sister outta prison, but nobody knows if she made it.
We’re still diggin', but down there? She’s like a damn ghost.”
“Why the fuck did I hire you? Can you remind me?” I pinched the bridge of my nose.
The burly man took a step forward. “We’ve got a place.”
“What have you got?” I place my hands in my pockets to hide my fidgeting fingers.
“She stayed at a motel in Recife, a coastal city in northern Brazil.”
“For fuck’s sake. Find her. I want her alive.” I sighed, then checked my watch. Vera and her mother should be here in fifteen minutes. Family and friends started arriving at my parents’ ranch to celebrate Christmas in style… champagne and a buffet lunch.
“My boys took care of Steven,” Lou said.
Crossing my arms, I tilted my head. “Who the fuck is Steven?”
“He was with Holly the night—”
“Did he speak?”
“He admitted helping Holly. Said a beautiful woman paid him. Someone who knows you. She’s got money and power, sir.”
“Find out who the woman is, and find Holly James,” I growled, clenching my fists in anger.
“I will.”
“Did Steven tell you anything else?”
“He refused, so we cut out his tongue and fed it to the fish.”
“And the rest of him? Swimming with them, too?”
Lou met my eyes, no trace of doubt. “He’s dead, sir. You wanted him gone. I made sure of it.”
“Right. I don’t need the details.” I’d given the order, and Lou had delivered. When you’re born with money and influence, power comes as naturally as breathing. I never wasted energy on guilt, especially not for assholes who crossed me.
“Feel free to grab some food inside before you leave. Keep in touch.” I waved my hand to dismiss Lou. He bowed, nodded, and walked away.
There was one thing about men like Lou. He was loyal as long as his family lived comfortably, and I took care of his family.
. Heck, I threw in free private schooling for his kids.
The guy belonged to a motorcycle club, and he was crazy about his woman, just as I was crazy about mine.
We shared common ground from that standpoint.
My friend, Angelo Lucciano, recommended him. Said he was reliable, and he was right.
As for who violated Vera, my gut screamed Saira, but suspicion wasn’t enough. I needed proof. When judgment day came, I wouldn’t stand in front of a judge and jury with nothing but guesses. I’d bring evidence sharp enough to cut her down.
Judgment day would come, and when it does, I’ll aim for the jugular.
Vera
“Merry Christmas, babe,” I greeted Alistair with a kiss when I arrived at the Scott Residence. He and I kept our relationship quiet from the public eye and the media for now. It wasn’t hard because he spent most of his time traveling abroad for work.
We decided it was time to let the cat out of the bag that we were officially a couple, starting with our families and close friends. Alistair invited my family—Mom, Julian, Sapphire, and their baby, Drake Octavius Richland, born only a few weeks ago—to the Christmas party.
“Merry Christmas, Alistair,” my mother said, holding her hand out for him to shake. They got along well from the moment they met back in September. I revealed my relationship with Alistair to Sapphire after she gave birth to my nephew. She was thrilled, and surprisingly, so was Julian.
Alistair chuckled and cupped Mom’s hand with both of his hands. “Make yourself at home, Frances. It’s good to see you again.” He turned to me and kissed my cheek. “I’m glad you made it, sweetheart. It’s been too long,” he murmured into my ear.
I gazed at Alistair’s dilated eyes, clouded with lust, and whispered, “It’s only been one week this time, but I’ll make it up to you tonight.”
“Eight p.m. sharp at my place, or I’ll hunt you down,” he growled, gazing at my body. “I must greet my cousin, Cecily. Julian and Sapphire are already here, talking with my dad and some of his buddies. Damian’s here too. He can’t wait to see you.”
“Damian?” Mom asked, watching Alistair walk toward a bubbly blonde woman with a gift in her hands.
“He’s Alistair’s son,” I explained. I liked spending time with the kid. He and I watched a new action blockbuster at the movies last weekend.
“Alistair reminds me of the mythical Orion. He was a hunter too, and Artemis’s lover,” my mother pointed out.
“His fate was rather unfortunate, though, so Artemis placed his body among the stars. As for the scorpion she killed, she placed that one behind Orion in the sky to warn everyone of treachery and deception, or betrayal of trust.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Mom, what are you saying?”
“Why, not much at all. It’s just a silly story. Julian knows more about these myths.” Mom patted my hand.
“Boo,” a boy’s voice cut in, breaking the thread of conversation with my mom. I spun around and found myself staring into bright green eyes, a freckled nose, and dimples deep enough to disarm me.
“Damian. You scared me.” I placed both hands against my cheeks and opened my eyes wide to imitate Edvard Munch’s painting, The Scream.
“You look like a zombie.” He chuckled with a genuine smile. It was the same smile his father wore when he was content. Elizabeth stood next to her grandson, glowing with happiness.
“It’s good to see you again, Vera. I hope you’re enjoying your new job at Orion,” she said.
“The company keeps me busy, and I love my team,” I responded, then gestured toward my mother, who smiled serenely. “Damian and Elizabeth, this is my mom, Frances.”
The two women began to chatter after being introduced, but I felt a chill coming from another direction. Turning to my right, I noticed two pairs of malicious eyes glaring at me from a distance. Erin and Oliver Scott were here.
“I hear you’re part of the legal team at Orion,” Erin said, taking a seat next to me at the lunch table. “Congratulations on sleeping your way to a job. You should get a stop sign embroidered on that dress between your legs.”
It was my rotten luck to have Queen Bitch by my side on Christmas Day, so I snapped.
“Actually, it was Elizabeth who offered me the job. You’re disgusting to think of me sleeping with your mother-in-law,” I replied.
“Merry Christmas, by the way. I hope you get a lump of coal shoved down your throat.”
Erin raised her glass of water, tilting it toward me. “Merry Christmas to you, too, slut face. Wanna know what Oliver said about you?”
“I don’t give a fuck what he thinks or says about me.”
Erin glanced at her husband, who sat next to a cousin further down the table.
I introduced myself to Oliver earlier at the party, but he refused to acknowledge my existence.
Ignoring what I’d just said, she continued rambling shit.
“He said Alistair would never marry trash. That you’ll never be one of us. Once a slut, always a slut.”
Oliver was the real trash. He wouldn’t know what an equal relationship was, even if it hit him in the head. He married Erin because of her looks. How shallow.
“Wow, you’re running out of insults. Slut-shaming? Really?” I fired back. “By the way, where is Camilla?”
“My daughter is asleep in the guest room upstairs with her nanny.”
“She’s a beautiful little girl,” I forced the words to come out of my mouth.
“I know. She’s like her father,” Erin grinned with the sly satisfaction that cats wore on their faces when they stole cream.
“She is a gift,” I replied.
“I’m a lucky mother. Well, you do know how babies are made, don’t you?” Erin mocked. Her eyes narrowed at mine while she gloated in her little victory.
“Grow the fuck up,” I snapped. “I’m with Alistair. Get used to it.”
Erin’s brown eyes narrowed, snake-like and unblinking. “Fine. Stay, then.” Her voice dropped to a hiss. “You’ve just declared war.”
Saph, who sat across from me, widened her eyes. The pram with my sleeping nephew was parked behind her. Julian and Alistair sat further down to the right, near John, while my mother and Elizabeth were seated with Damian on the other end, to the left.
“Hi, I’m Sapphire, Vera’s friend.” Saph extended her hand over the table to shake Erin’s hand.
“Erin Everton-Scott. Nice to meet you, and Merry Christmas.” Erin shook Saph’s hand. “By the way, is your friend, Vera, always this rude?”
Saph’s icy blue eyes drilled down on Erin as her grip tightened. “Vera is rarely rude unless someone is either stupid or crazy. So, are you stupid, or are you crazy?”
Erin winced, letting go of Saph’s tight hold. She laughed nervously in a poor effort to regain her composure. “Brr, is it getting cold in here?”
“I can’t get a moment of peace without drama in here,” a haughty voice hissed with a hint of anger.
I glanced to my left at a lush woman in a tight, floral outfit, which accentuated her curvy hips and ample breasts. Her thick, dark curls gathered on her left shoulder and were held together with an intricate gold clip. I wondered who she was.
“My name is Bianca,” the woman announced as if she could read my mind.
“I’m Vera,” I said with a smile.
“I’m glad we’ve met,” Bianca said enthusiastically. She grinned as if my name were music to her ears. “I’ve heard a lot about you from Alistair.”
“Oh?”
“He and I have been friends for a lifetime. We—”
“Bianca and Alistair are friends with benefits,” Erin interrupted, glaring at both of us, then laughed. “What? Didn’t you know? Bianca is Alistair’s high school sweetheart, to whom he lost his virginity back in the day. Why do you think she’s here? Did you really think you were that special?”
“Erin, enough,” Bianca snapped, her voice edged with authority. Then she turned to me, her eyes softening with something close to pity. “I’m only here because my husband and I are friends with the Scott family.”
“Where’s your husband, Bianca?” Erin fired.
“That is none of your business,” she replied curtly.
“See, Vera? You’re not special to Alistair. You’re a dime a dozen,” Erin taunted, smirking like a bratty schoolgirl.
“Alistair told me you mean the world to him. He’s fiercely protective of you,” Bianca whispered into my ear. “Ignore Erin. She’s a pain in the ass for the Scott family.”
I laughed softly. “I’m glad we met. I love your dress, by the way. It’s gorgeous, very Parisian chic.”
Her grin widened as she brushed her fingers over the printed flowers on the silk. “Thank you. It’s one of my favorites. A rare Chanel piece.”
The sound of a spoon clinking on a champagne glass interrupted our bitter conversation, and all heads turned to Alistair, who stood up, ready to speak.
“Thank you for being here today to celebrate this festive season,” he began.
“It’s not often we have family and close friends gathered in one room to bond and celebrate the end of the year, and what a year it’s been. ”
“Here, here,” a relative called out. Alistair’s slight smile turned into a soft chuckle.
“I’d like to make two toasts before we start lunch,” he continued. “First, I’d like to make a toast to our successes, good health, and lifelong friendships. Merry Christmas, everyone.”
“Merry Christmas,” we cheered in unison, raising our glasses with him, before sipping our drinks.
Alistair cleared his throat, then continued.
“For those of you who aren’t aware, I invited a lovely lady and her family here today to celebrate Christmas with us.
Here’s a toast to the beautiful Vera Kathryn Richland.
Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” His eyes locked with mine as he raised his glass in my honor.
The guests chimed warm wishes and raised their glasses, but all this faded into a blur as I focused my gaze on my handsome Orion, the man who showed me love.
My ears and cheeks burned with crimson heat when his soulful green eyes connected with mine.
I felt as if the stars in the universe started to align for us.
Of all the gifts he and I gave each other on Christmas, the most important one was an intangible exchange between our souls—a crazy thing called love.