Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
It’s Christmas morning. I was able to go home last night. Both Jade and Riley came with me to August’s penthouse. I guess it’s our penthouse?
He is insistent on calling it our home. It took some convincing to get Jade to agree to come.
In the end, I told her that he made me happier than I’ve ever been.
And she caved. She’s still not August’s number-one fan, but that’s okay, because that spots already taken by me.
And Jade? She’s always going to be my best friend.
“Morning.” August walks into the bedroom holding a mug.
“Is that coffee?” I ask.
“It is.”
“Oh, thank god! I think I love you.” I take the cup from his hand, and August’s body freezes.
“You think? I know I love you, Hayley Bell.” He sits next to me on the bed. My heart hammers in my chest.
“You shouldn’t tell me that, August,” I warn him.
“Why not?”
“Because what if hearing it makes me… I don’t know… too clingy?” I ask him.
I’m so stressed about reverting to my old stalkerish behaviors. August, however, seems to welcome my level of crazy.
“Cling away. I don’t care.” He leans down and kisses me briefly. “Merry Christmas,” he says, handing me a small box.
“Um?” I don’t know what to say. My hands shake as I open the box. Somewhat relieved and slightly disappointed when it’s not a ring inside. “A key?” I have no idea what it’s for.
“It’s symbolic. You have the key to my heart. The key to our home. The key to our future,” he explains.
That is way better than a ring.
I smile up at him. “Thank you so much. I love it.”
August eyes me for a moment. “You thought it was going to be a ring.”
I start to shake my head, but his whole no lying policy stops me. “It’s a small box, and when a man hands a woman a small box, she always thinks it’s a ring, August.”
“What would you have said? Out of curiosity? If it were a ring?” he asks me.
“I don’t know. I would probably tell you that it’s too soon, and you would tell me it’s not soon enough or some crap like that, and then you’d tell me you’ve already picked a date.” I laugh, because that seems like something this man would actually do.
“Good to know your answer would be a yes.” He smirks. “You ready to face the heathens out there?”
“Our friends are not heathens.” I laugh again.
“Yours, maybe. Colton most certainly is,” August says with all seriousness.
When we walk out—very slowly with August supporting most of my weight—Colton is the first one I see. “Breakfast. Merry Christmas.” He hands me a bowl filled to the top with milk and cereal.
“Thank you,” I reply as August helps me onto one of the sofas. I lean over and whisper into his ear. “I love you too. I forgot to say it back. But I don’t think. I know.”
He takes hold of my face and his lips slam onto mine. His tongue pushes into my mouth, and I get lost in him.
“Gross. That’s my sister.” Riley’s voice breaks through my August fog, and I pull away.
“Merry Christmas, Rye.” I’m about to stand when he holds up a hand to stop me.
“Don’t get up.” He bends over and hugs me. “Merry Christmas, sis. You feeling okay?”
“I’m good,” I tell him.
Ever since he found out I was stabbed, he’s hardly left my side. I know it scared him and reminded him of when our parents died. We are all we have. Well, I guess now we have August too.
“Okay, present time!” I squeal.
This is my favorite part of Christmas. Giving. I look across to Jade, who is curled up on the other sofa rubbing her protruding stomach. She smiles back at me, and I just know everything is going to be okay.
August takes hold of my hand.
“Colton, you can play Santa. Pass out those gifts,” I tell him.
“This body is far too toned to be Santa,” Colton grumbles.
“I don’t know… Hot Santas are in at the moment.” Jade laughs.
“Ew. Don’t,” I warn her, knowing that she won’t. At least, I don’t think she would…
I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I look around at everyone gathered in this room. This isn’t the European Christmas of my dreams. It’s better than that. It’s more… It’s family.
What’s next in the KylieVerse?
Dead Or Alive - Emmanuel And Evie’s Book, a standalone dark cartel romance.
Dead or Alive
Emmanuel
Love is a weakness.
You either kill it, or it will kill you.
I’ve been in love once, I killed it.
I’ve managed to avoid the weakness my entire life.
And then I saw her. The very thing I killed.
Not dead, and very much alive right in front me.
When she tries to flee from my grasps, I hold tighter,
Because dead or alive, Evie is mine.
Evie
I’ve spent my life being put on display.
Beautiful, a word I’ve heard a million times.
Do I believe it? No.
I might be shiny and pretty on the outside, but the inside…
It’s a dark, scarred and bruised place.
When I wake up to a cartel boss looming over me, dark eyes, a jaw clenched tight,
My first instinct is to reach out and comfort him. That’s where I realise my mistake.
But it’s the one word he utters, that has my skin crawling. “Who?”
He knows…He can see the ugly.