“This is her doing.” A finger stabs in Isla’s direction. “She’s turned everyone against me. I told you she was ungrateful and—”
“Will you stop?” Walker barks. “I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but it’s Christmas, goddamn it. I only get to see my son and Isla every couple of years... and Dom,” he adds a little sheepishly. “And I need the damn truth. All of it. So, someone better start talking. Not you,” he warns Macie when she opens her mouth. “I don’t know who you are, but this is a side of you I am not comfortable with.”
“This is ridiculous!” Macie shrieks. “I am your wife. My word should be final.”
“Agreed,” Walker says without missing a beat. “But not when my wife is the reason I’m about to lose my children. So, you’re going to sit and wait your turn until I hear what has to be said. Then you will give your side.”
Macie will have none of it.
She bursts into tears and sprints in the direction of the door. She grabs her coat off the rack and bolts out into the night.
“She’s fine,” Walker murmurs, though he doesn’t seem convinced as he watches his wife jog to the car through the window. “Going to sit in the car for a bit and cool down.” He ambles to his own coat and fishes inside the pockets for his keys. With a push of his thumb, he starts the engine for her. “Now, you three,” the keys are dropped back inside his jacket pocket and he faces us once more, “who wants to start?”
The elected person is Nick when all eyes turn to him. The two take their seats and Nick starts somewhere in the beginning. I’m not listening when I capture Isla’s bunched fingers and tug her away from them. I guide her to the bedroom and shut the door behind us.
“Hey.” I pull her into my arms. “You okay?”
She takes a breath before speaking. “I honestly don’t know. So much has happened and... I’m exhausted. I just want this night to end already.”
I nod slowly. “Come on.”
Despite her protest, I lead her out of the room and into the bathroom. I turn on the shower before facing her. Carefully, I tug her dress up over her head and hook it along the back of the door. I strip next before carefully nudging her back against the sink and reaching between her thighs.
The plug is exactly where we left it. It slips free with beautiful ease and a shudder from her.
“I’ll leak,” she teases.
I grin and kiss her. “We’ll replenish you later.”
Her laugh makes me smile as I take her hand and guide her into the shower.
No funny business.
I’m a complete gentleman washing her and bundling her up in a thick towel. We can hear Nick and Walker still talking when I scoop her up and carry her into the bedroom.
“What do you think is going to happen?” she asks when I set her down at the foot of the bed.
I give a shrug. “That depends on Walker’s decision, I guess. We’re not going to force him to leave Macie. That’s his choice. But we will make sure we keep you safe. That’s our job. So, if that means Walker comes to New York for the holidays instead…” I shrug again. “But don’t worry about it, okay? We will figure it out.”
I dress her in one of my T-shirts before nudging her to climb in under the covers. I follow and pull her into the curve of my body, bundling her close.
Through the walls, I can hear the husky baritone of Nick’s voice. His steady stream of words is broken only by Jacob’s occasional snorts. I don’t hear Macie return to the cabin, but I don’t expect her to. Not that it matters; they have a long drive home where she can tell him anything she wants. But at least Walker is making an effort to listen. Whatever he decides after this is on him.
Careful not to jostle her, I stroke my fingers through Isla’s damp strands. Her breathing is soft against the hollow of my throat, but even in that cusp of near slumber, her limbs are tense.
“Let it go, baby,” I murmur quietly into her ear. “We got you.”
She doesn’t. Not right away, but the longer I rub her back and whisper softly to her, the more she goes slack in my arms. She’s fully out by the time Nick shuffles into the room.
I watch him tear off his clothes in the semi darkness and crawl in behind me. His arm hooks across my abdomen, wedging between me and Isla. His body curves along my back.
“How’d it go?” I ask, careful to keep my voice low.
His huff burns the back of my neck. “They left. Said he’ll talk to her. Guess we’ll see.”
I nod slowly. “It’s going to be okay.”
His response is a low grunt and then silence.
