EPILOGUE
DREAD
Christmas Eve
Taking a pull from my beer, I watch Honey and the boys put the finishing touches on our Christmas tree. It’s the same one we picked out the day the boys were taken.
After everything went down with Eddie, I didn’t think Honey would want to go back to Hank’s, but she surprised me. Said she wasn’t going to let that motherfucker ruin Christmas for the boys.
So, three days ago, we drove back there and got it. The old man who owned the place recognized us immediately. Said he’d kept our tree aside, hoping we’d come back for it. Didn’t even charge us for it, just handed it over with an apology in his eyes.
Honey still doesn’t know what happened to Eddie.
Nobody does except my brothers. As far as the world will ever know, Eddie skipped town after his failed kidnapping attempt.
The cops didn’t put much effort into finding him once they learned he was the boys’ father. They chalked it up to a domestic situation and filed it away.
Which is perfectly fine by me.
“Dread, can you hand me that box of candy canes?” Tommy asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
I reach for the small cardboard box on the end table and pass it to him. His little hand brushes against mine, and I feel that same tug in my chest that I get every time these boys look at me with trust in their eyes.
“Thanks!” he chirps, turning back to hang the candy canes on the lower branches of the tree.
Honey and her boys moved in for real three days ago. It didn’t take long for the prospects to box up all their things from next door and haul them over.
There wasn’t much to move, honestly. It was mostly clothes, a few household items that should have been tossed a long time ago, and the boys’ toys.
That first night, after we’d tucked the boys into their new beds in their new rooms, Honey cried.
It damn near gutted me when she told me how she couldn’t believe how lucky she was. My baby had been through so much, and she was having a hard time trusting that this was real.
“How does it look?” Honey asks, stepping back from the tree to admire their handiwork.
I pull myself back to the present, taking in the sight before me.
The Fraser fir stands tall in front of the living room window, wrapped in multi-colored lights and a mismatched collection of ornaments we’d bought together.
The glittery gold star sits slightly crooked at the top.
Jackson stood on my shoulders and put it there, declaring it was just right.
“Looks perfect, baby.” I wouldn’t care what it looked like, as long as they’re happy.
The tree isn’t the only thing that’s perfect. Stacked beneath it are presents we’ve been shopping nonstop for the last few days. We wanted to make this Christmas special for the boys.
We’ve gone a little overboard, but after everything they’ve been through, they deserve it.
Although there’s one more gift that’s not under the tree yet. One I haven’t told Honey about. One that’s currently at the clubhouse, waiting to make its Christmas morning debut.
I take another swig of beer, wondering how Honey’s going to react when she sees it. Probably should’ve asked her first if it was okay, but I couldn’t resist. The way the boys’ faces lit up when they were looking at puppies in the pet store window sealed the deal for me.
“Alright, boys,” Honey announces, hands on her hips. “It’s bedtime.”
“Aww, Mom!” Jackson whines, sticking out his bottom lip. “It’s Christmas Eve!”
Tommy joins in on the protest. “We’re not even tired yet!”
I set my beer down on the coffee table and lean forward, elbows on my knees. “You know Santa won’t come if you’re awake, right? And I’m pretty sure I heard his sleigh bells earlier.”
Their eyes go wide, and just like that, the complaining stops.
“Goodnight, Mom! Goodnight, Dread!” Jackson shouts, already halfway up the stairs.
Tommy pauses long enough to give me a quick hug, then he’s racing after his brother. “Don’t come upstairs, okay? We’re going right to sleep!”
Honey shakes her head, laughing. “That was too easy.”
I wink at her, picking up my beer again. “You going up to tuck them in?”
She nods. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I watch her climb the stairs, my eyes lingering on the sway of her hips in those tight jeans.
While Honey’s upstairs, I turn off all the lights except for the Christmas tree. I grab a fresh beer from the fridge and settle back onto the couch, waiting for my woman to come back.
It’s not long before I hear her footsteps on the stairs. She appears in the doorway, a soft smile playing on her lips.
“They’re already passed out,” she says softly. “Guess they were tired after all.”
I set my beer on the coffee table and hold my arms out to her. “C’mere.”
She crosses the room and slides onto my lap, her arms going around my neck. I pull her close, burying my face in her neck and breathing her in. “Merry Christmas, baby.” I press a kiss against her soft skin.
She shivers. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
I lift my head, cupping her face in my hands. “You happy?”
Her blue eyes shine in the glow of the Christmas lights. “More than I could ever put into words,” she whispers.
“I’ve been thinking,” I start, my thumb brushing across her bottom lip.
“That’s dangerous.” She grins, sinking deeper against me.
I roll my eyes. My baby’s gotten comfortable, and I’ve learned she can be real feisty when the mood strikes.
“Makin’ you my ol’ lady.”
Her eyebrows furrow slightly. “Your what?”
“You heard me, woman.” I tighten my arms around her waist so she can’t get away. “Claiming you. Officially.”
Her body relaxes completely. “And what does that mean?”
“It means you’re mine, and I’m yours. No one touches you, no one disrespects you, and if they do, they answer to me.”
The grin on her face shifts to a full-on smile that lights up the whole fucking room. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Caleb Reeves?”
I snort. “Fuck no. I’m a grown ass man. I’m tellin’ you, you’re my woman.”
“Yes.” She leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine. “I’ll be your ol’ lady.”
I capture her lips with mine, kissing her deep and slow. She melts against me, her fingers tangling in my hair. When I finally pull back, we’re both breathing hard.
“I love you,” I words spill out, but I mean them.
Honey’s eyes go wide. “You… love me?”
“Yeah, baby. I do.”
“I love you, too,” she whispers back.
That’s all it takes for my control to snap. I stand with her in my arms, her legs going around my waist as I carry her down the hallway to our bedroom.
I kick the door shut behind us and lay her on the bed, my eyes never leaving hers as I pull my shirt over my head. Her gaze travels down my chest, lingering on the tattoos that cover most of my skin.
“You’re so beautiful,” she says, her voice full of awe.
I chuckle, leaning down to tug at the hem of her sweater. “I’m a sure thing, baby. No need to butter me up.”
She rolls her eyes as she sits up, letting me pull her sweater off. The sight of her in that lacy pink bra has my cock hardening against my zipper. I make quick work of her jeans, sliding them down her legs and tossing them aside.
“Fuck,” I groan, taking in the sight of her laid out on my bed in nothing but her panties. “Never gonna get tired of this view.”
She blushes, a soft pink color spreading across her cheeks and down her neck to the tops of her breasts. I run my hands up her legs, over her hips, and across her flat stomach, loving the way her skin feels beneath my fingertips.
“Caleb,” she breathes, her back arching slightly as I cup her breast through her bra. “Please.”
I unhook the clasp and pull it away, exposing her perfect tits to my hungry gaze. Taking my time, I kiss my way down her neck to her chest, capturing one nipple between my lips.
She moans, her hands going to my hair to hold me there as I suck and lick at the hard bud. I move to the other breast to give it the same treatment, and her hips start to rock against me.
“Patience, baby,” I murmur against her skin, even though my own is wearing thin.
I continue my path down her body, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her stomach, her hip bones, the insides of her thighs. Her panties are soaked through, and the scent of her arousal has me growling with need.
Hooking my fingers into the sides of her panties, I slide them down her legs and toss them over my shoulder.
“Spread your legs for me.”
Her thighs fall open to reveal her slick pussy. I groan at the sight, diving in without hesitation. The first swipe of my tongue has her bucking her hips, a gasp tearing from her throat.
I hold her hips down as I feast, alternating between long, flat strokes of my tongue and quick flicks against her clit. When I slip two fingers inside her, curling them to hit the spot that drives her wild, she comes apart on my tongue, her thighs trembling around my head.
Before she’s fully recovered, I stand up and rid myself of the rest of my clothes. Her eyes flutter open, dazed but hungry for more as she takes in the sight of me standing naked before her.
“Ready for more?” I ask, stroking my cock.
She nods, licking her lips. “Always.”
I crawl over her, settling between her thighs and lining myself up with her entrance. I slide in slow and deep, both of us groaning at the sensation.
“Fuck, you feel so good,” I grunt, holding still for a moment to savor the feeling.
“Oh, god,” she whispers, her hands sliding up my arms to grip my shoulders.
I start to move, setting a steady pace that has her moaning beneath me. Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me deeper, her nails digging into my back as I pick up the pace.
“Harder,” she begs, her eyes locked on mine.
Giving her what she needs, I drive into her with more force, the headboard bumping against the wall with each thrust. The sound of skin meeting skin fills the room.
Reaching between us, I thumb her clit, determined to make her come again.
“Caleb,” she gasps, eyes locked on mine before they roll back, and her mouth falls open in a silent scream as she climbs higher.