Give Me War - Kate McCarthy Page 0,50
an easy fix, but I got the magnitude of it. The yuletide holiday was everything to our family. I’ve heard my mother start talking plans as early as July. Co-ordination required military precision, and the fact my wife volunteered for the task this year showed just how badass she really was. But the Vipers stole it out from under us and moving it to another day meant we got to take it back.
“We can do that,” I told Wolf.
His voice lowered to a worried whisper. “Does the law say we can do that?”
“Christmas is a religious holiday,” I told him. “It’s got nothing to do—”
“Yes, baby,” Evie interrupted my lecture.
“Cool,” Wolf replied, sounding relieved. Our kid was a stickler for following procedure. He was probably sitting there right now in his cop uniform, fingers on his badge, making sure it sat just so.
We said our goodnights and he put Mum back on the phone. She was on board with moving Christmas Day to the day after next, while still keeping the celebration at our house so we didn’t have to leave. We hung up on her promise to take care of everything.
I sighed heavily and looked to Evie. “Shower?”
She could only nod, and after I used a washcloth to tend gently to her bruised face, she stepped under the hot spray to rinse off the shitty day and I started a bath for her to soak away her aches and pains. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I told her, walking out while hot water gushed into the tub. It was almost the size of a damn plunge pool and took forever to fill. I had time.
After completing a perimeter check and noting my brothers had already put a detail on the house, I walked over to the French doors that led out into the yard, Peter’s claws ticking across the timber flooring as he followed at my heel. There was a light breeze outside. Pool water rippled and branches swayed gently as I made the call.
I put the phone to my ear. It didn’t ring for long.
Coby answered. “Jared?”
My lips pressed together in a grim expression. “It’s time.”
He exhaled deeply, knowing this had been on the cards for a while. There was a long beat of silence between us. “Okay.” He paused again. “How is she?”
“She’s not okay, but she will be. We’re moving Christmas.”
“What?”
I explained, and after wrapping up the call I turned my phone on do not disturb, putting only two people on bypass. Mum, and Mac. The former because Wolf. The latter because my sister was at the hospital with Henry, keeping watch over Rossi.
After feeding Peter and watching him hoover down his bowl of food as if he’d been starved for a whole month, I took a glass from Evie’s display cabinet in the dining room, added ice, poured in a generous splash of whiskey, hesitated, then added another hefty splash, before returning to the bathroom.
And now I’m here, listening to Evie tell me we aren’t a good team anymore, and one of those knots that started loosening in my stomach, tightens right the fuck back up again.
“You’re right,” I say, and her eyebrows soar at my agreement. “We used to be a good team.” Letting go of her legs, I seize her little bath caddy. She watches me twist and set it on the bathroom floor beside us, out of the way. Then I seize her. Hands curling around her hips, I drag her up against me until she has no choice but to straddle my hips, giving me a lapful of deliciously naked woman.
More water sloshes over the rim of the bath, dousing the little scented candle bullshit she’d set up on her caddy. “But now?” I add, enjoying the way the good parts of her now rub up against the rapidly hardening parts of me. “We’re a great fucking team.”
Her palms slide up and over my chest until her hands curl around my shoulders, her fingers digging in slightly. “Jared—”
“No.”
Please don’t leave me.
“I just want to—”
“Nope.” I’m a stubborn bastard.
“I’m trying to—”
I lean in and smother her words with my mouth. I don’t want to hear them.
She mumbles, “Would you just—”
“Kiss you?” I say against her lips. “Okay.”
“Oh my god, Jared,” she retorts, exasperated, but mirth bubbles up from inside of her. I feel the vibrations against my chest as her laughter escapes.
Then I kiss her. Really kiss her. Because she’s so brave and beautiful. Even when she’s barely holding it together.