Knight winked at her and straightened up.“They’re over by the tree.Better hurry before Griffin finds ‘em.”
As Knight led the way, I glanced around the warehouse.My brothers, the people I trusted with my life, along with our growing families.Children from Haven and other women’s shelters in the area and their mothers darted all over the place, their laughter echoing off the high ceiling.Our women chatted in groups, some wearing sparkly Christmas sweaters that contrasted sharply with their husbands’ leather cuts.Heresy or not, I was pretty sure someone had bedazzled Chains and Pain’s vests on the back.Around the club emblem no less.
Everyone was here.Caleb and several of the kids played a new video game, trash talking and razzing each other good naturedly.Did my heart good.
Penny slipped her hand into mine, her fingers warm and small against my palm.“You doing okay?”she asked quietly, her eyes searching my face.“We can leave early if your ribs are bothering you.”
I squeezed her hand gently.“I’m fine, honey.Nothing’s gonna keep me from giving you all a proper Christmas.”I grinned down at her.“Besides, I think I need this as much as I want to give it to the three of you.”
The smile that spread across her face was worth every aching bone in my body.“I think it’s already the best one we’ve ever had.”
We followed Knight to a table near the tree where Violet greeted Penny with a warm hug.The girls hovered nearby, Zelda pretending not to care while Kira edged closer to the plate of cookies Knight had mentioned.
“Go ahead, honey,” Penny encouraged her, and Kira reached for a star-shaped cookie frosted in bright blue.Then she snagged the whole plate and took off to the other kids in the corner with the video game.I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I hung back slightly as Violet and Pippa brought Penny into their exclusive club of the biker old ladies within Kiss of Death, positioning myself where I could see both exits while still watching the girls.My gaze swept the room for threats.Another prison habit that had saved my life more than once and I couldn’t seem to break no matter where I was.
“They’re safe here,” Riot said quietly, appearing at my side with two cups of spiced cider.He handed one to me.“No one’s getting past our security.”
I nodded, taking a sip of the cider.Spiked with something I was sure would help me relax.The warmth spread through my chest, easing some of the persistent ache in my ribs.Probably help with the pain too.“I know.”I groaned in relief.“Just can’t turn it off.”
“Nor should you,” he replied, his voice low enough that only I could hear.“But maybe dial it back to eight instead of eleven.It’s Christmas Eve.”
Steam rose from the cup in my hand, carrying the scent of cinnamon and cloves and the healthy, bitter tang of whiskey.Jack and apple cider was just wrong.Good, but wrong.Across the room, Caleb approached the girls, showing them something on his phone that had both of them laughing.Real laughs from both of them, not the guarded, half-hearted chuckles like they’d had when they’d first come here.Penny watched them from a few feet away, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
I knew what she was seeing.Her daughters acting like children for once, not the hypervigilant, guarded little adults they’d been forced to become.The knot in my throat tightened as I watched them.This was what I’d fought for, what I’d take a hundred more crowbar hits to protect.
Griffin passed by wearing reindeer antlers, a striking contrast to the full sleeve tattoos visible beneath his rolled-up flannel shirt.A little boy sat perched on Griffin’s shoulders, his tiny hands clutching the antlers for balance.The sight made me smile despite myself.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” I muttered to Riot.
“What’s that?”
“All of this.”I gestured with my cup to encompass the room, all the battle-hardened bikers in Santa hats passing out presents, the children running between tables, the women laughing together over cups of eggnog.“Our own version of normal.”
Riot followed my gaze to where Zelda and Kira finally relaxed enough to laugh and joke.No small thanks to Caleb.Even now, the young teen stayed close to the pair.Since the incident a couple of days ago, he’d been even more protective.Kid believed in taking care of the women in his life and I respected the hell out of him for it.I was also glad to see he’d included Kira and Zelda in his circle of family.They needed him to reinforce the idea not all men were evil pricks.
The girls’ usual defensive posture had softened, their shoulders no longer hunched against expected danger.Kira moved to sit cross-legged under the tree with another girl from Haven, both of them examining ornaments with solemn concentration.When I’d first met Kira, she’d never have initiated interaction with another child.She might not have rebuffed anyone, but she’d preferred to hang back with her sister.
“Ain’t nothing normal about us,” Riot said with a quiet laugh.“But that’s what makes it work.”
Penny caught my eye from across the room and smiled, a private smile meant just for me.Something in my chest expanded, pushing against my injured ribs in a way that had nothing to do with pain.I was also reminded it had been two days since I’d had sex with her and as beaten as I was, I was ready to see how much I could get her to do before she realized I might not be up to the task just yet.I thought I could get her to do most of the work if I teased her enough.
As I made my way back to her side, navigating through the crowd while keeping an eye on the girls, I realized Riot was right.There was nothing normal about our family.Nothing normal about ex-cons feeling safer than stepfathers.Nothing normal about colored lights strung across camo netting or outlaw bikers wearing Santa hats.But as Penny leaned into my side and I carefully wrapped my arm around her shoulders, I knew I wouldn’t trade our version of normal for anything in the Goddamned world.
I was nursing my second cup of nicely spiked cider when I caught Zelda and Kira huddled together by the decoration table, whispering and casting glances my way.That particular combination -- Zelda’s plotting expression and Kira’s barely suppressed giggles -- signaled the best kind of trouble.They broke apart when they noticed me watching, approaching with exaggerated innocence that immediately set off warning bells.Zelda had her hands clasped behind her back, rocking on her heels in a way that reminded me of a cartoon bomb about to go off.
“What are you two up to?”I asked, narrowing my eyes in mock suspicion.
“We need you for something,” Zelda announced, her tone making it clear this wasn’t a request but a command.“A surprise.”
Kira nodded enthusiastically, bouncing slightly on her toes.“Please, Tiny?It’s for Christmas.”
Those words, “for Christmas”, had become a magical incantation over the past two days, one the girls had quickly learned I couldn’t resist.I set my cup down on a nearby table, already resigned to whatever fate they had planned for me.
“All right, what’s this surprise?”I asked, knowing full well I was walking into a trap.
“First,” Zelda said, holding up one finger, “you need to sit in the middle of the room.”
