He tucks my hair behind my ear and shakes his head. “This shit with Queenie. I’d be devastated if we ever lost her. Fuck, it doesn’t even bare thinking about, but the thought of it being you… Fuck, I wouldn’t survive it. You die, I fucking die.”
I swallow, threading my fingers through his short hair. “I’m not going anywhere, and Queenie will fight this. Have you tried arguing with that woman? She always wins.” I smile, trying to ease his concern.
He gives me a tight smile, but I can see the depth of worry this has on him.
I press my lips to his. “I’m here, Casper. Nothing could ever take me away from you. I’m too fucking stubborn for that, and as for Queenie, we will support her and get her the best possible care there is,” I assure him. He presses his lips to mine. “Plus, I ain’t missing watching you deal with Storm dating boys.” I smile against his lips.
“She ain’t fucking dating. Ever,” he growls.
I chuckle and move my hips slightly, making him groan. “Reckon you could go again, or is Casper getting too old for that?” I tease, feeling him already harden inside me.
Ghost growls and thrusts up, making me gasp. A loud banging stops us, and we turn around to see Spider banging on the window, looking down on us. I laugh and lean forward, pressing my chest to Ghost’s so he can’t see anything.
“YOU FUCKERS!” he mouthsat us.
Ghost’s chest rumbles with laughter. “I told him no fucking in the hot tub.” Ghost laughs.
“Oh!” I laugh. “Well, come on. It is Christmas, after all,” I sigh, getting off him. Ghost moves in front of me, blocking me from the window, so if anyone looked out, they would just see Ghost’s ass. He pulls on his jeans and slips his T-shirt over me before picking me up in his arms so my feet don’t get cold in the snow.
As we head back inside the cabin, the sound of chaos rings out. Children are running riot, Erebus is barking, and Queenie is chastising Hawk. Ghost pauses at the door, those ice-blue eyes searing into my very soul.
“Merry Christmas, darlin’.” Ghost grins.
“Merry Christmas, Casper.”
EPILOGUE
RAGE
FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
“Take the knife,and you twist as you enter. Then pull. Those edges are like barbed wire, so they hook inside the flesh, causing pain,” I instruct with a grin.
“Uncle Rage, I’m going to prom. I don’t need to know how to stab someone,” Storm sighs.
“You do if anyone oversteps. You stab first, think later,” I remind her.
She gives me a small smile and reaches up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “Thanks, Uncle Rage.” I nod.
“Want me to follow? I can gut the fucker if he tries anything,” I offer, hoping she says yes, and also hoping the fucker tries something. It’s been a while since I’ve sliced into flesh. I miss it.
“Er, no, thanks,” she states.
“The fucker is five minutes late,” Ghost seethes. He’s been pissy ever since Storm was asked to go to prom. She’s not a senior until next year. At first, Ghost had said no, then Star told her yes and argued with Ghost. Then Storm cried and begged her dad, flashing those eyes of hers at him. He had relented, but under the condition he picked her up from the club. Of course,all of us were there. Like fuck were we going to let some guy pick her up without us all making sure he knew what he was facing if he hurt her.
“Storm, Chad is here!” Maisy grins.
Fucking Chad. What a douche. We all follow Storm outside. “For fuck’s sake, pull your dress up,” Ghost snaps, pointing at Storm’s cleavage on display.
“Dad,” Storm hisses at him as Chad gets out of his car. Not a bike, but a fucking car. Who drives a car by choice instead of a bike? Fucking weirdo.
We all stand there with our arms crossed. Hades growls beside me. “Easy, boy,” I say, stroking his head. I lost Erebus five years ago to old age. It had hurt, and I’d shut myself off for a week until Star and Dixie forced me to get out.
Dixie comes to my side and smiles up at me. My world. “I never had a bomb,” she sighs.
“You want one?” I ask bluntly.
She laughs, and the corners of her eyes, now crinkled with age, shine up at me. It’s the only sign she’s got older. “No, too old.”
