Twenty Seven
December Twenty-Third Whitney
Orion and Rachel ended up sitting at the same table as Max, Shianne, Fade, and Whitney. Elodie was sleeping in Brittanya’s room, just an earshot away and safely out of the obstacle course of guests and furniture. Whitney had worried about Fade and Orion landing at the same table, but she hoped for the best, keeping them at opposite ends. Wolfie had been incredible at knowing when to step in before tensions rose, sparing her the effort.
Rachel seemed pleasantly surprised to meet Juniper when they flew over together the second time, bonding over familiar places in North California. Whitney tried to keep the peace by steering the conversation toward safer topics, asking Rachel about her job, her interests, and what she liked about Orion. While Max kept a gentle hand on Shianne’s back, helping calm her as she kept glancing toward the hallway, listening for any sounds from their baby.
“So,”
Orion said, chewing with his mouth open as his eyes flicked toward Fade. “You two got back together? Lucky you. Seems like you like your hands full.”
The words dropped like a stone on the table.
Whitney felt the subtle shift in Fade. The quiet inhale, the way his body tensed beside her. He didn’t even look at Orion when he answered. “Thanks.”
His voice was clipped. Controlled. She could feel the effort it took.
“We’re both lucky,”
she cut in quickly, her voice a little too bright. “Rachel, you work at the hospital? That’s pretty amazing.”
But before Rachel could answer, Orion set his wine glass down with a careless clink. “It is good,”
he said smoothly speaking for her, and Rachel’s mouth snapped shut in surprise. “More prideful than her being a stripper, anyway.”
Fade’s exhale was audible. He didn’t speak, just leaned in close to Whitney’s ear and murmured, “Excuse me.”
She barely had time to nod before he rose and walked down the hall, his steps controlled but quick. She heard the quiet click of the bedroom door latching behind him.
The room shifted, a strange stillness falling over the table. Wolfgang’s eyes tracked Fade’s exit, his usual easy smile slipping into something more serious. The other table fell silent, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
“What the fuck, Orion?”
Whitney hissed, her fingers tightening around her napkin. “That was a jab at me, not him.”
Orion just smiled and shrugged, far too pleased with himself. “I had to see if he’d really changed.”
“It’s like you’re asking to get your ass kicked.”
Rachel downed the last of her drink in one long sip, clearly uncomfortable. “I’d like to see him try,”
Orion said lazily, leaning back in his chair like he didn’t have a care in the world. His plate was half finished, like he hadn’t even worked up an appetite yet.
“Orion, have you changed?”
Whitney snapped. “Because I’m not seeing much effort. I thought you cared about me.”
“Shit, I do,”
he said too casually. “Wouldn’t test the guy if I didn’t.”
Before Whitney could answer, Shianne reached for the dish of mashed potatoes, and in her attempt to pass it, her elbow clipped her glass. It tipped with a delicate sound, the deep red wine spilling like blood across the table and into Whitney’s lap.
“Oh my God, I am so sorry!”
Shianne gasped, face paling.
“Well I hope he passed.”
She hissed at Orion. Whitney pushed her chair back quickly, brushing off her dress with shaking hands. “Don’t worry about it,”
she said, her voice tight. She tossed her napkin onto her plate and forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
She left before anyone else could speak, her steps quick down the hall.
When she slipped into her room, Fade was perched on the edge of the bed, watching the door like he’d been waiting for her. His eyes immediately dropped to the wine staining her thighs, the dark spots against her skin.
“You okay?”
he asked softly, rising to his feet.
She exhaled slowly, her shoulders falling as the tension bled out of her. “Yeah. You?”
“I’m fine.”
He crossed the room in a few easy strides, stopping just inches away. “You know I love you. No matter your past.”
Her heart twisted and then his lip curled, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “Could you imagine if he knew about you and my stepdad?”
“Let’s not even go there,”
she muttered, rolling her eyes but she smiled despite herself.
“I’m sorry about my brother,”
she added softly, her hand brushing his chest.
Fade’s expression darkened. “I’m still pissed about it.”
His voice dipped lower, rougher and his hand slid up, fingers curling around the back of her neck. His thumb traced the line of her jaw, gentle but firm, and when his eyes met hers, there was fire behind them.
“I’d love to help with that,”
she whispered, tilting her face closer. Their breath mingled but she pulled back before their lips met, a teasing smile curving her mouth. “But I didn’t prepare a whole damn dinner party just to miss it.”
She slipped out of his arms and into her closet, emerging a moment later with soft sweatpants and a T-shirt in her hands.
Fade leaned back on the bed, arms behind his head, watching her with an unmistakable heat. When her fingers dipped to the straps of her dress and revealed the curve of her blue lingerie beneath, his eyes darkened.
“Whoa. You’re not taking that off,”
he said, his voice low and rough. He was off the bed before she could blink, closing the space between them.
She met his gaze, her lips twitching. “Fade—”
But she stopped. Because the look in his eyes told her exactly what he wanted and exactly how much she wanted it, too. “What do I get out of this?”
she teased, stepping back just out of reach.
He followed slowly. “You tell me, baby.”
That voice, that gravel-rough edge, sent a shiver racing down her spine.
His finger hooked under her chin, tilting her face closer. “Beg for me.”
The growl that slipped out of his throat was enough to make her knees weak.
“Fuck me,”
she whispered, his hands already sliding over her hips. His fingers found the tiny clasp at the back of her lingerie, and with one quick motion, it came undone.
The fabric slipped from her shoulders, leaving only the delicate blue lace of her panties behind. Fade’s eyes raked over her. Her tattoos, her curves, and the way his breath caught made her skin flush.
“Undress,”
he ordered softly. She turned away from him, giving him a perfect view of the tattoo on her back, the one she’d gotten for him and never dreamed of covering up.
When she glanced back over her shoulder, his jeans were already sliding down his hips and the look in his eyes was pure, predatory hunger.
As she climbed onto the bed, he didn’t wait. He caught her by the ankles and dragged her toward the edge, his hands trailing up her thighs as he sank to his knees.
“Fade—”
she started, but the word broke on a moan as his mouth found her.
He didn’t let up. His tongue and fingers working together, sending shockwaves through her already sensitive body. When her legs started to shake, his arms wrapped around her thighs, holding her tight.
“Fade… please…”
she panted, her fingers twisting in the sheets.
But he didn’t stop. He didn’t let up. He only looked up at her from between her legs and the promise in his eyes made her whimper. Her toes curled against his shoulders attempting to push him off.
His face drew back, his heated gaze trailing over her body before locking onto her eyes as he stood. His hands curled around the blue straps of her lingerie, dragging them slowly down her hips and legs until they caught on her ankle and finally popped off. He grinned at the sight of her bare, waiting for him, and when he pinned her knees into the mattress and spread her, his eyes darkened as he watched himself disappear inside her.
She reached for his chest, fingers brushing his tattooed skin as she tried to catch one of his nipple rings just out of reach.
“How about you touch yourself?”
His voice was roughened by restraint, his eyes burning into her as his thrusts slowed, deliberate and teasing.
She arched a brow, breathless. “Or what?”
He stilled, buried deep inside her, and his hand wrapped around her throat, firm but not cruel. His face hovered just above hers, lips brushing against her mouth when he spoke. “Or I’ll fuck you until you do… no matter how many times that tight little pussy cums for me.”
He pushed in harder, making her gasp.
“Be a good girl and touch yourself for me. Say my name while you're at it.”
Her throat moved against his palm as she nodded, and the corners of his mouth twitched in satisfaction. “Good,”
he murmured, kissing her fiercely before releasing her.
His calloused hand traced down her chest, pinching one of her nipples on the way, before sliding lower to grab her wrist and guide it toward herself. But then he paused, grinning wickedly.
“Actually, you know what? Come here.”
His voice was a low growl as he pulled her up, leading her to the mirror on the other side of the room. “Now we both get to watch.”
He bent her forward, his hand fisting in her hair to arch her back, and slid back inside her with one hard, aching thrust. “Let’s see it, babe.”
Her hand slid down her own body, fingers moving between her lips as his pace quickened behind her. The pressure built fast, pleasure mounting with every stroke, and her other hand alternated between her breasts, teasing her own nipples.
In the mirror, their eyes met. He was watching her, his jaw tight, his chest rising and falling heavily and she could tell he was close.
He pushed her shoulders lower, folding her in half as his hands locked onto her hips.
“Fuck, Whitney,”
he hissed, and then spit on her ass, his thumb following the trail of saliva until it found her other hole, pressing inside slowly.
“Oh, fuck,”
she moaned, arching against him, watching his reflection as he filled her in every way. “Fade!”
Her orgasm crashed over her, and she trembled as he followed, his body jerking with his release. For a long moment, the only sound in the room was their breathing, ragged and sated.
“Fuck, Whitney,”
he murmured again, running his hands over her skin like he couldn’t get enough. She groaned softly beneath him, still shuddering. “I could go again. Right now.”
“Fade, please,”
she whined, squirming out from under him and collapsing onto the bed.
He laughed, smacking her ass before flipping her onto her back and pinning her beneath him. His face was flushed, his golden hair falling in messy waves around his face.
“I love you,”
he said softly, brushing her hair from her face. “It took a lot for me to walk in here and not beat your brother’s ass.”
“I’m proud of you,”
she murmured, her body limp and content.
He grinned at the praise, rubbing himself along her stomach so she could feel how hard he still was.
“Fade, seriously. I can’t. I’m trying to host a Christmas dinner.”
He stole one last, lingering kiss before finally rolling off her and letting her up. As she dressed, her eyes caught on something red on his backside.
“What the hell is that?”
she asked, stepping closer to get a better look.
Fade glanced over his shoulder, grinning. “Oh, you like?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You got my name tattooed on your ass?!”
He faced her, trying and failing, to hide his newest addition. “Maybe.”
“When?”
she demanded, pulling on fresh underwear.
“Yesterday.”
“Why?”
His eyes softened. “It’s your Christmas present. I’m as much yours as you are mine.”
********
When Whitney and Fade finally made it back out to the dinner table in sweats, because why even try anymore, she was immediately greeted by Orion’s loudmouth.
“Wow, Whitney. You look like a train hit you and that’s not a compliment to Justin at all.”
That was it. She snapped. “Owen, I’ve had it!”
Before anyone could stop her, she launched herself across the room. Her bare feet barely touched the ground before she slammed into him, knocking him sideways out of his chair. The wood cracked beneath him as he hit the floor with a satisfying thud.
Fade blinked, clearly impressed. And then Whitney cocked her fist back and hooked her brother across the face. “You don’t have a problem with Fade, you have a problem with me!”
No one moved to intervene. Wolfgang and Aldous stayed silent, and even Rachel looked too shocked to react. Whitney grabbed Orion by the shirt, hauling his shoulders up before dropping him again with a thud.
“Why do you hate me so much?”
she demanded, her voice shaking with fury.
Orion’s chest heaved. “Mom left because of you. And then you left me and Andy too.”
Her breath caught. “I couldn’t help that Mom left. I suffered too. And I am not Mom.”
“No,”
Orion panted, his eyes glinting with pain but the corner of her mouth lifted, pleased he got her to snap. “You were better than Mom. And then you left. I was excited to see you again, and then I found you playing house with some convict who didn’t deserve you.”
Her grip on his shirt loosened. “Is that why you never put in the effort to get along? You don’t think Fade is good enough?”
Orion’s chest rose and fell, his face twisted somewhere between anger and something a hell of a lot closer to heartbreak. “Do you even know what it was like when you left?”
His voice cracked, and it hit her harder than his words ever had. “You were the only thing holding us together, Ronnie. Mom didn’t give a damn, and when she walked out, we still had you. And then one day, you were gone too.”
Her throat tightened, but he wasn’t done.
“I waited. I kept thinking maybe you’d come back. Maybe you’d call. But you didn’t. And yeah, I get it, you had your own life. But it felt like you stopped caring. Like we didn’t matter anymore.”
He looked away, his jaw flexing hard. “I didn’t hate Fade because of who he is. I hated him because he got you when we didn’t.”
The fight drained from her, and she slowly lowered herself to sit beside him on the floor. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“So maybe I’m mad that Mom left,”
Orion said quietly. “But you left Andy and me, too. After everything we went through together.”
Her eyes burned with unshed tears. “I’m sorry.”
Fade stepped forward, offering his hand to help her up. She took it, and when Fade reached again for Orion, he didn’t hesitate.
Rachel stared at Orion like he’d just morphed into a completely different person. Which, honestly, wasn’t far off. She opened her mouth, closed it again. “Wow,”
she muttered under her breath.
But when Orion dropped back into his seat, rubbing his jaw like it wasn’t the first time his sister had decked him, Rachel’s hand slid over his without hesitation. “You okay?”
He shrugged like it was nothing, but the way his fingers curled around hers said everything his face wouldn’t.