Bought By Santa (Seasonal Obsessions #1)

Chapter 34

The Santa

A s soon as Carolina falls asleep, I sneak out of bed and get dressed again. After checking in with Marco, who stayed back to take care of the bodies, I make my way to my office and immediately open my laptop. While I look for my group chat with Jack and Ruby, I mentally go over how to tell them everything that’s happened.

Try as I might, there’s no rehearsing the words I’m about to spill. So instead of wasting my time doing that, I hit the call button.

The laptop screen glows with the familiar faces of Ruby and Jack. Ruby’s in a small, dark room, her face lit only by the harsh glow of her phone. The shadows accentuate the bruise forming on her cheek, and my chest tightens with a cold, familiar rage. Jack, on the other hand, is propped up in a hospital bed, his skin pale even against the white sheets. Seeing them together on the screen, yet worlds apart, brings a tightness to my chest that I can’t shake.

Jack is the first to speak, his voice weak but laced with the same cocky bravado he’s had since we were kids. “You look like shit, Nick. Long night?”

I manage a smirk, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. “You could say that. But it’s over now.”

Ruby leans forward slightly, and even in the dim light, I can see the guarded look in her eyes. She’s waiting, always bracing herself for the worst. “What’s over?”

Taking a deep breath, I steady myself. I’ve always been the one to protect them, to shield them from the worst of it. But there’s no protecting them from this. “Dad’s dead.”

The silence that follows is heavy, almost suffocating. Ruby’s face doesn’t change much, but I see the flicker of something in her eyes—relief, maybe, or something darker. Jack, on the other hand, closes his eyes, a slow exhale escaping his lips, like he’s been holding his breath for years.

“It was him,” I continue, my voice cold and steady. “He’s the reason you’re in that hospital bed, Jack. The reason Willow’s dead. He betrayed us all.”

Jack’s eyes snap open, a flash of anger crossing his face. “That son of a bitch. I knew he was twisted, but this…” He makes a sound of disgust. “Fucker!”

Ruby’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “And you took care of it?”

I nod, meeting her gaze head-on. “I did what had to be done.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Ruby leans back in her chair, crossing her arms. “Good. He deserved worse than whatever you did to him.”

My eyes drift to the bruise on her cheek, the ugly mark marring her pale skin. The anger inside me flares again, hot and uncontrollable. I grit my teeth, the taste of bile rising in my throat. I don’t want to push her, not when she’s already on edge, but I can’t let this go.

“Ruby…” I begin, my voice lower, more measured. “About your marriage. I can get you out, make it disappear. You don’t have to stay with Michael.”

Her eyes flash with something fierce, a strength that’s always been there, just beneath the surface. But there’s something else too—a defiance that I recognize all too well. “No, Nick. I’m done with handouts. I’ll deal with my life on my own terms from now on.”

Her words hit me harder than I expect. She’s always been strong, but there’s a finality in her voice, a determination that leaves no room for argument. It’s a moment of clarity, a glimpse of the woman she’s become—no longer the little sister I need to protect, but a force of her own.

I nod slowly, swallowing the urge to argue. “I respect that.”

Jack shifts in his bed, wincing slightly as he adjusts the pillows behind him. His voice is quieter now, more thoughtful. “So, the old man finally paid the price. Guess the family curse got him too.”

The Knight family superstition, the one that’s haunted us since we were kids—three heirs to secure the future, because only one survives. It’s a dark joke, one we’ve always half-believed, and now it feels more real than ever.

Jack grins, though it’s a shadow of his usual smile. “Well, I guess I’ve already died once, so I’m in the clear.”

“Don’t joke about that,” Ruby snaps, her voice sharper than usual. She’s always hated the superstition, hated the idea that our fates were somehow cursed before we were even born.

Jack shrugs, but there’s a sadness in his eyes that he can’t hide. “Just trying to lighten the mood, sis.”

Since my siblings aren’t asking questions about what Dad did or didn’t do, I decide not to elaborate. If they ask, I’ll answer. But if not… why taint them?

I clear my throat, trying to shift the conversation away from the darkness that’s settled over us. “There’s something else we need to discuss. Dad’s estate.”

Ruby’s eyes darken at the mention, her expression hardening. Jack just looks tired, like the mere thought of it drains him of what little energy he has left. I can’t blame them. The estate is a place filled with nothing but bad memories and ghosts of the past.

“As the eldest, it all belongs to me now,” I continue, the weight of tradition pressing down on my shoulders. “But I want your input.”

“I don’t want anything from that place,” Ruby says quickly, her voice cold and final. “I don’t care if you burn it to the ground.”

Jack nods in agreement. “She’s right, Nick. That place is cursed. There’s nothing good there.”

I knew they’d say that, but hearing it still stings. The estate is more than just a house—it’s a symbol of everything we’ve inherited, for better or worse. But I also know that Carolina and I need to move in there. It’s tradition, and in our world, tradition isn’t something you can just ignore.

“I understand,” I say quietly. “But Carolina and I... we’ll have to move in. It’s what’s expected.”

Ruby looks at me with a mixture of pity and anger. “You don’t have to, Nick. You can break the cycle.”

“Maybe,” I reply, though the words feel hollow. “But some things are bigger than us. I’ll figure out what to do with the place.” I’ll have to talk to Carolina about it later, figure out how we can turn that cursed place into something we can live with—if that’s even possible.

The silence after our discussion about the estate is thick, laden with the unspoken weight of our shared history. We’ve always been bound by blood, by the legacy of the Knight family, but tonight, something’s shifted. I can feel it, in the way Ruby’s eyes flicker with a new resolve, in the way Jack seems more distant, more resigned.

Ruby is the first to break the silence. She adjusts her position in that dark room, the glow from her phone still casting shadows on her face. There’s a subtle change in her posture, a confidence that wasn’t there before. “Nick, you know, for the longest time, I’ve been running… from everything. But I’m tired of running. I’ve made my decision. I’m going to face my life, my way.”

There’s a knot in my chest that tightens with every word.

Though I’ve always done my best to protect my sister, I know I’ve fallen short many times. But now, she’s stepping out on her own, and as much as it hurts, I know she needs to do this. “I understand, Ruby. Just know that I’m always here if you need me.”

She smiles, but it’s tinged with sadness. “I know. But it’s time I stand on my own.”

Jack shifts in his hospital bed, the lines of pain etched deep into his face. He’s been through hell, and it shows. His voice is softer, more reflective than I’ve ever heard it. “I guess we all have our paths to walk. Just make sure you don’t lose yourself along the way, Ruby. Don’t let this world chew you up like it did Dad.”

Her jaw tightens, and for a moment, I see a flicker of the old anger that used to drive her. But then she softens, her voice gentle but firm. “I won’t, Jack. I’m not Dad, and I’m not going to let his mistakes define me.”

Jack nods, and I can see the approval in his eyes, but it’s laced with a bittersweet understanding. “Good. We’ve had enough of that.”

There’s a beat of silence, the three of us lost in our own thoughts, our own memories of what we’ve endured to get here. Being a Knight has always been a heavy burden, and tonight, it feels like we’re finally starting to shed some of that weight.

But even as we find closure in these moments, there’s an unspoken acknowledgment between us. We’ve been through too much together to walk away clean. We’re all marked by the same blood, the same pain, and while we might be heading in different directions, those marks will always tie us back to each other, even if we never say it aloud.

Jack’s voice breaks the silence again, but this time it’s lighter, almost teasing. “You know, Nick, if you’re moving into the old man’s place, you better make sure you don’t let it turn you into him.”

I chuckle, but there’s no real humor in it. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve got Carolina to keep me in check.”

Ruby’s smile is small, but it’s there. “She’s good for you, Nick. Don’t lose sight of that.”

“I won’t,” I promise, and I mean it. Carolina’s the one thing in this world I won’t let slip through my fingers.

Another pause, this one longer, as if we’re all searching for the right words to say. But nothing comes. There’s nothing left to say, really. We’ve said our goodbyes, even if we haven’t spoken them aloud.

“I’ll check in on you, Jack,” I say finally, my voice gruff. “But take care of yourself, okay? Don’t rush getting back on your feet.”

He smirks, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You know me, always taking it easy.”

Ruby’s voice is soft as she adds, “And Nick… take care of yourself, too. You’ve carried us all for so long. It’s okay to let go a little.”

I swallow hard, nodding once. “I’ll try.”

The call ends with a series of quiet goodbyes, and then the screen goes dark. The room feels emptier now, the silence heavier. We’re all going our separate ways, and though we didn’t say it, the truth is clear.