43. Jessica
I used to hate the holidays.
It's been a year since I stood in Victor's beach estate, not daring to hope for freedom, but just hoping to live to the next year. And the universe answered. Ghost, Tex and Riot charged into my life, guns blazing and shattered my entire world. Who'd have thought they’d be the ones to help me put it back together, better than I could ever have hoped for?
We’re gathered at Bonnie's, with a real Christmas tree, complete with presents, eggnog, decorations, so many blinky lights I almost want to switch my regular glasses out for sunglasses. And I'm part of it. I can barely believe it myself. This isn’t a life I ever would have imagined. It’s so much better. I’m surrounded by people who actually care about me. I know how much work the boys and Bonnie put into making this right, and I love them so much for it.
Even Anne is smiling, rearranging the ornaments that she made so they show better on the tree.
My arm aches a little. One of the gifts from the guys was taking me to get my first tattoo. A sunrise on my right arm, so I’ll always remember where my life really started. It hurt less than I thought it would, but then, maybe I’ve just known what being hurt really feels like, and a few needle pokes didn’t seem so bad. Like Ghost told me, we're always going to be a little bit broken. But that doesn't mean we have to let it rule us.
And they got some, too. One each. My name right near their hearts.
My only complaint is that it isn't snowing, but that would be exceptional around here. Still, it's been cold this year, more than last year, so I've been hoping.
"Jess! Look!" Anne holds up something for me to look at, so close that I have to take a step back to see what it is.
I read the cover of the plastic case. "Mayhem City Six?"
"It just came out! Now me and Bonnie can start the campaign from scratch, and they've added building your own homes and designing them, and a whole new fight mode where you can pick up almost anything around you to use it as a weapon, and there's a ladder now and a battle pass with all these cool cosmetics, and?—"
I hold up my hand, laughing. "You lost me like five steps ago, but I'm glad you're happy." Bonnie's grinning almost as widely as Anne, so much that I suspect it to be something that’s just as much for her as for her overly energetic adoptive daughter. It wouldn’t be my first choice, but so long as it makes them happy.
Tex swings up behind, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. "Everything good?" He kisses the top of my head.
"Everything's amazing." I reach behind me to give his hard ass a squeeze. "Just perfect."
Riot toasts me with his beer from the couch. "We did our best. Everyone deserves a little Christmas, right?"
Oh God, that almost has me tearing up. I never thought I’d be here, and it’s so much better than I imagined.
Mom smiles as she comes out of the kitchen and stops next to me, sipping on eggnog taken from the grown-ups bowl, the one with the rum in it. “Well, I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first, but I’m really proud of you, you know? This isn’t the life I would have chosen for you, but they love you so much. Your dad and I had that once, and it’s worth grabbing and holding on tight when you find it, no matter where that may be."
"Oh come on, I'm going to get weepy soon." Never mind that I'm basically there already.
"Then I won't drag it out." She finishes her mug, before giving me a warm hug. "It's getting late, and I'm getting back to my place. The taxi is here already. These old bones could do with their own bed tonight." Once she managed to prove that she was in fact still alive, it turned out that she had considerable assets to draw on. Now she's got a nice little house, just big enough for her and a big orange tabby named Cooper.
"Jeez, you're still in your forties. Don't you old bones me."
She smiles and pulls me in for another hug. "Fine, but I'm tired. I can tell that Anne and Bonnie are itching to get that game up and running, and I'm sure you and your boys have celebration plans of your own." She winks, and I don't know whether to blush or just be scandalized that the suggestion is coming from my own mother.
"Honestly, you're welcome for as long as you like."
"We'll meet for lunch tomorrow, okay? I'll call you. There's a new place down the street from me that has an amazing soup and sandwich combo."
I nod, amazed again that this is my life now.
Mom was right, of course. Anne and Bonnie lose themselves in the game almost immediately, and after humoring them for a bit, but mostly just smiling and nodding at each other every time Bonnie and Anne achieved something new, we decide to take off, too. Riot and Tex still have their old rooms in the school, but they use them more as hangout space than for living these days. We rearranged Ghost’s place and got a bigger bed. It’s not going to work long term, and the club is eyeing a row of run down houses on the other side of the wall, but for now we’re happy.
As we cross the compound, a tiny flake of white lands on my nose. "Snow? Seriously?" We all look up. It's not much, just a very light dusting, but for a part of the country that rarely gets any at all, it's like a sign. Like I made the right choice. My perfect Christmas, with my… well honestly imperfect guys, but they're perfect for me.
But it's cold too, so we hurry back inside where we can rely on shared body heat. As soon as we're in, the guys are more than ready to throw me on the bed, but I hold up a hand. "Stop! Wait!"
Ghost frowns. "Something wrong?"
That makes me smile. "No! Everything’s perfect. But I have presents for you guys."
"You didn't have to," says Tex, getting behind me so he can kiss me on the head. "You're gift enough for us."
"But I wanted to. And… well, I'm pretty sure you'll like them."
"Well, now I'm curious." Riot grins widely as he leans his butt against the top of the backrest of one of the chairs.
Out of a bag that I sneakily hid behind the leather couch, I pull out three boxes, rectangular, a little bigger than a regular piece of paper and a lot thicker. "One for each of you."
After a couple of curious glances, the three of them tear their gifts open. A sudden flash of nervousness hits me. They're pretty personal, and now I'm wondering if this was a good idea after all, but I'm already committed.
Riot's the first one to get his out. "It's a… calendar?" He's confused for almost a full second before he flips it open to January and grins. "Holy fuck, this is perfect."
Tex gets a glance of it, and then shreds the wrapper on his so he can get it open. Riot's already flipping through the months like a horny teenager who just discovered centerfolds. Because that's basically what they are.
Of me.
"I used my phone camera, so they're not really professional, but I got that little tripod and just… you know, tried. I printed everything out myself since I didn’t dare send it anywhere. And I found some ribbon to tie the pages together. They're all different, one for each of you." I'm rambling because I'm so nervous. "So they're real basic, but?—"
"Fuck, it’s perfect. This is giving me some ideas." Riot has stopped on one page and he's rotating it in front of himself like it'll get him a better angle. "Some serious, fucking ideas. Or some serious fucking, ideas."
Ghost looks up over his, and I have no idea which month he stopped on, but his eyes are smoldering so hard they're almost on fire. Maybe I didn't do so bad after all. "Bed. Now."
Merry Christmas to me, because I think I’m about to get exactly what I hoped for: three big, strong, dangerous, naked bikers who'd do anything for me.
And hopefully, to me.
Thank you so much for reading Outlaws’ Property!