Chapter 26 #2
We care too much about her, and that might end up being our downfall. It doesn’t need to make sense. It’s just how it is.
“This is fucking weird,” I mumble, staring at the two girls decorating a Christmas tree.
“Wasn’t Christmas last week?” Jasper asks.
“Yup,” Sylas sighs. “But Callie insisted that we do something together. So her brilliant idea was to combine Christmas and New Year’s. Because Jasper was with his parents and Nola was with hers, she wouldn’t let me do something with her on actual Christmas.”
“Huh,” I hum. “So, is this our lives now?” I turn to face him.
We’re all standing in the doorway of the study, watching as they toss tinsel onto the tree.
“Celebrating Christmas?” Sylas asks, brows pulled together.
“Celebrating anything.” I turn my attention back to the girls. Jasper might have a good family relationship with his mom and dad, but Sylas’ parents are dead, and I literally couldn’t care less what happens to mine.
As kids, we would go over to Jasper’s place for every holiday party or any of their work parties just so we could see Nola. But since we joined the Brotherhood, celebrating holidays just wasn’t a big deal anymore.
“If Callie has anything to do with it, then yes,” Sylas says.
“That means Nola is going to be there, too.” I sigh.
“Yup.”
I turn to look at Jasper, opening my mouth to say something.
He holds up his hand. “No, that does not mean anything is changing regarding a physical relationship with Nola. It’s. Not. Happening.”
“Fucking buzz kill,” I grumble, crossing my arms.
“Are we… friends with her now?” Sylas questions. “Is that happening again?”
“I guess,” Jasper mutters. “If you want. But that's it. Treat her like you’d treat Callie.”
“Sorry, dude, but I can’t do that. Callie is my sister, and the things I want to do to Nola are things you don’t do to your sister,” Sylas replies.
“I mean…” I grin. “Depends on how hot she is,” I chime in tauntingly.
Sylas chuckles, and Jasper glares at me.
“What?” I ask, my grin growing. “We fuck women in front of a room full of men, cut them open, and drink their blood. But you think fucking your sister is messed up? Our whole fucking life is messed up.”
“Okay, stop,” Sylas shudders. “I don’t want to think of fucking my sister, thanks.”
“What the fuck did I walk in on?” Garrett steps in front of us. “Dude, should I be worried you’re going to try to compete with me for my woman?”
“Drop dead.” Sylas flips him off. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Ouch.” Garrett grins. “I thought we were besties, but it sounds like you don’t like me,” he pouts.
“I don’t like the fact that since you’ve gotten back, you’ve been trying to get in my sister's pants. What about the bro code?”
“I thought that meant a bro can’t fuck their friends' ex-girlfriends,” Garrett counters.
“Or mothers,” I point out.
“It includes sisters,” Sylas snaps. “So stay away from mine.”
“I’ve been trying to get in your sister's pants since before I came back.” He grins wide. “You’re the one trying to cock block me. Not cool.”
Sylas’ nostrils flare. “Hey, Callie!” Sylas calls out.
The two girls stop what they’re doing to turn and look at Sylas. “Yeah?”
“Need more decorations for the tree? Because I’m about to gut Garrett like a fish, and his intestines would make good garland.”
Callie grins. “Sounds great, thanks!”
Nola giggles, and fuck, what is wrong with me? I like it. And I don’t like giggles, or laughs, or fuck all.
“I’m going to smoke a joint,” I mutter.
“Do you think that's a good idea?” Jasper asks.
“Relax, dad.” I roll my eyes. “It’s not like it’s that garbage Sylas gave us.”
“Hey!” Sylas protests. “They’re working on fixing it, okay? We just took too strong of a dose.”
“Don’t worry, my supply doesn’t come from his company,” I reiterate, ignoring Sylas.
“Asshole.”
I leave them in the sitting room and head out back. Sitting in one of the chairs, I pull out the joint and light it up.
Taking a deep inhale, I hold it in before blowing it out.
“Can I have a puff?”
I look up to see Nola standing a few feet away. She’s dressed in a red and black knitted dress, her long blonde hair curled, flowing down over her shoulders.
She looks beautiful, and my cock agrees.
“You want a hit?” I question, raising a brow. “You know this is weed, right?”
“I know.” She rolls her eyes. “I’ve gotten high before.”
That catches me off guard. “You have?” My brows pull together. “Why?”
“Why not?” she retorts. “It’s all natural. I’d rather get high than get drunk.”
She has a point.
“You want some?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.” She grins.
“You know, you’ve gotten quite the mouth on you,” I say, holding out the joint.
She takes it from me, and when she brings it to her lips, takes a puff, and doesn’t cough, my cock thickens in my jeans.
“Who are you?” I whisper to myself. But she hears me.
She blows out the smoke before smiling. “I’m just me.” She shrugs. “I’ve always been me. You three just haven’t let yourself see it.”
I continue to stare at her until she starts to shift from foot to foot. “What?” she asks after a long moment of silence.
“What else don’t we know about you?”
She grins and leans in, handing me back the joint. “So, so much.”
I bring the joint to my lips and take a puff before passing it back.
We share it until it’s gone. By the time we’re done, the effects are hitting me hard.
“Whoa,” Nola giggles. “I did not expect it to be this strong.”
I give her a lazy grin. “It’s good shit.”
“Yeah, I’d say.”
“Nola!” Callie shouts. “Supper is ready.”
“Food!” Nola cheers. “I’m starving.”
She rushes inside, and I can’t help but laugh. Oh, this is going to be interesting.
“What the fuck did you give her?” Jasper comes up to me, sounding pissed. But when is he not? You would think, being the only one out of the three of us with a normal family, he’d be less of a grumpy bastard.
“She shared a joint with me.” I shrug.
“Why would you let her do that?”
“She’s a big girl. She can do what she wants.”
“Okay, but now Callie is high out of her mind with Lola,” Sylas says.
“But… they’re so cute.” Garrett chuckles.
“I feel like I’m watching feeding time at the zoo,” Jasper mutters. “What is wrong with you?” he asks me.
“Be nice,” Garrett chastises. “They’re just hungry."
After Nola came into the house, and Callie saw she was high, she started pouting because we left her out.
I told her I had another joint and insisted she ask her brother.
When he told her no, she went outside and smoked it until she started feeling the same effects.
Now we’re all sitting around the table eating, and Callie and Nola are a giggling mess as they devour their food.
“I’ve lost my appetite,” Jasper grumbles, even though the fucker ate all the food on his plate.
I watch the girls with amusement, eating my food. After we’re done, we move out back where we sit around the fire pit.
It’s strange. Just hanging out like normal people. I don’t remember the last time we were able to just hang out like this.