1
“Perfect,” Emmett whispered, staring at the fully decorated tree in his and his roommate’s living room. Well, it was technically her living room and he rented a room from her, but Roni was the best and let him basically have free rein of the whole house.
Including decorating for holidays.
They’d only been living together since last spring, and at first, he’d been too nervous to ask her if he could put out a few things when summer and then fall arrived. She was so intimidating in her leather vest and plethora of tattoos, but when she’d gotten a glimpse of his bedroom overflowing with decorations in October, she’d just laughed and said he should put things around the whole house.
And now it was almost Christmas. His favorite time of year.
Well, it was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but that was close enough. He’d spent all day Friday taking down his fall and Turkey Day stuff, and now the house was an explosion of red, green, and silver.
When he heard the front door shut, he turned with a smile, expecting to see Roni strolling in, but she never appeared. A slamming cupboard door in the kitchen let him know where she’d gone instead, so he started heading that way, a little skip in his step despite her obvious annoyance. She wasn’t mad at him; Roni never got mad at him.
“Babes, you want some ice cream? My day was absolute shit, so I’m having a sundae and passing the fuck out,” she called from the kitchen right before he walked in.
He hesitated in the doorway, nibbling on his lip as he watched her pull the cartons from the freezer. Should he eat ice cream so late at night? Absolutely not.
But then again, who was there to stop him?
Straightening his shoulders, he marched forward. No one, that was who. He could do whatever he wanted and not feel a lick of guilt since he didn’t have a daddy to be disappointed in him.
Or praise him.
Or punish him when he was really naughty.
Shivering, he sidled up next to her. “Do we have mint chocolate chip?”
She gave him a half-hearted smile, eyes brightening some at hisA Christmas Storysweater, and pointed at one of the cartons in front of her. “Of course we do. I’d never let us run out of your favorite.”
Roni was the best. Almost as good as a daddy would be. He guessed, anyway. He’d never actually had one, so he wasn’t really sure. But he knew she was awesome and the least judgmental person ever. “What happened at work?”
She sighed and grabbed the bowls from the cupboard. The big ones. The ones they usually only used for popcorn during movie nights. “This guy came into the shop tonight, right before we closed. And he was such a fucking—” She sucked in a breath and slammed her palms down on the counter, stopping herself from calling him whatever name she’d been about to. “He repeatedly misgendered our piercer, mocked the design Knuckles had done up for him, and then wouldn’t leave when I told him to.”
Emmett gasped. “Did you have to call the police?”
Roni laughed at that as she scooped out the ice cream. “Hell no. I busted his nose though, and then he threatened to call them. Luckily, he noticed my cut and thought better of it.”
Nibbling his lip, he glanced at the leather vest she wore over a navy blue hoodie and the patches on her chest.ViperandSGT-at-Arms, one on top of the other. As much as she was just Roni to him, he knew she had a whole different life with her motorcycle club. “Are you okay?”
She quirked an eyebrow as she went to the fridge. “Yeah, babes. I can throw a punch without breaking my hand.”
Of course she could. He flushed, but when she pulled out the chocolate sauce and whipped cream, looking at him in question, he nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please.”
He watched as she squeezed liquid chocolate and sprayed creamy goodness into his bowl of ice cream, eyes wide. Hopefully, he’d be able to sleep after all that sugar. It would be worth it though.
“I’m sorry that guy was so rude,” he said, accepting his bowl from her and following her out of the kitchen. “Poor Tay and Knuckles.”
“It happens, but not often. Luckily, most people around here know not to fuck with the club.” She paused in the living room doorway, then hurried forward. “Emmett! This tree looks awesome!”
Pride filled his chest. “Thanks, Roni.”
She set her bowl on the table next to one end of the couch and peeled her vest off, tossing it aside, then toeing off her boots. Without the leather and her tattoos mostly hidden under her sweatshirt, she looked younger, almost innocent, with only faint lines around her bright green eyes showing her age.
Well, except for her dark green hair, the sides trimmed short.
He sat next to her, curling his legs underneath him and digging into his sundae. “Did you do any cool tattoos today?”
She shrugged, crossing her legs. “A couple of college girls came in and got their underboobs done, and then I did a consult on a half sleeve and worked on a back piece I’ve been making progress on for the last six months. Should be pretty cool when it’s done. It’s a huge Japanese piece.”
