Unveiled Wishes (Iron Shield MC #2)

19. Christmas Eve Dinner, Part Deux

Grace

The dishes were done, and the main room’s atmosphere was festive as I walked back in. The jokes were flowing, and the kids were playing quietly on the floor. As I scanned the crowd, my eyes landed on Meredith. I did a double take, surprised to see her curled up beside Grizz, their heads close as they whispered to each other. My heart swelled with hope, making a quick Christmas wish it would last.

I moved on, scanning the room for Sabre. I found him sitting on one couch, cradling JR as he fed him his Christmas bottle. JR’s eyelids were growing heavy, and it wouldn’t be long before he drifted off to sleep, though I wasn’t sure how long it would last with all the commotion in the main room.

“Thank you,” Sabre murmured as I settled beside him. “This has been one of the better Christmases I can remember here.”

I smiled warmly at him, opening my mouth to respond, but a loud, “Ho, ho, ho!” interrupted me. Everyone turned towards the back staircase. The adults weren’t sure what was about to happen, but the kids jumped up and down with excitement. “Ho, ho, ho,” the booming voice rang out again.

I flashed a smile at Sabre before turning to look at the back staircase with everyone else.

“Ho, ho, ho!” Santa walked out from one of the back rooms.

The kids were hysterical. “Santa! Santa!” they called out as they jumped around excitedly.

Thunder had been the perfect choice to ask. He walked around and spoke a few words to each child, asking them if they had made the nice list and how school was. When he approached Bear, he asked her if she’d been good this year. “You know I am always naughty,” she retorted, and the room filled with laughter.

Thunder worked the room until he landed in front of my aunt. Slate was sitting at the bar behind her, and my father was right next to her.

“Have you been a good girl?” he asked her, getting down on one knee so that they were eye level.

“I think…so,” she said. I watched her closely, trying to gauge whether she was frightened or simply overwhelmed by the attention.

“Well, you should be a bad girl, and sit on Santa’s lap later.” He stood and moved on, leaving my aunt speechless. Thunder had just staked his claim in the middle of the main room. “I have some elves with me to pass out the gifts,” Santa boomed. Everyone’s heads instantly shot to look at the back staircase, waiting for the next surprise.

“You didn’t,” Sabre whispered in my ear. I had done this for him and the other brothers who had been around long enough to remember Christmas pasts.

“You know I did.” I leaned over and lightly pecked his lips.

“Santa’s little elves are here,” Pretty called out as he walked into the room, wiggling his feet so that the bells on the toes would jingle. He had on a green elf costume, complete with hat and tights.

“You’re not little,” one of the club girls called out.

“Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here every night,” he said like he was a comedian on stage. “Santa, you need to put her on the naughty list.” He paused. “On second thought, she might like that.”

There was a chuckle that floated through the room.

“I need help from my other elves,” he called behind him.

Berry, Pint, and Twig all walked out, dressed in the same costume, including the tights. The room exploded with laughter. The three of them were physically the biggest men in the club. As long as they hadn’t cared, I thought it would be hilarious to see them dressed as elves. When Pretty had asked, they’d agreed instantly. I hadn’t needed to bribe them.

“Come on, elves. We have to distribute the stockings. Right, Santa?” Pretty called out.

“Skip the naughty ones,” Santa replied.

“That’s the entire room,” someone called out.

Sabre handed me JR and then doubled over to catch his breath from laughing so hard. The image alone made all of this worth it.

Eventually, the room calmed down, and the elves distributed the presents. I had made sure that each stocking was similar. Each brother received a pair of riding gloves and a few gift cards. The women, frilly soaps and lotions. I had gone through and made a list of each member so that they received one larger personalized present from the club. Chef cried over the new pot I had picked out. Pebbles had to rub his back until he regained his composure.

My stocking was the only one different, and I knew why. Sabre had filled it with things he knew I liked: gift cards for department stores I shopped at, bubble bath and other luxuries, but in the stocking’s bottom was the best gift. He’d wrapped a small box and put JR’s name on the tag as the giver. It was a new charm bracelet, and the first two charms attached were Best Mama and a motorcycle. One for each of my men. I didn’t need to be reminded why I loved him, but he always made sure I felt valued and never inferior.

The volume in the room had escalated over the presents, but once Santa disappeared, the brothers with families gathered their things, preparing to leave.

“I should say something,” Sabre said to me, standing from the couch and moving towards the fireplace in the front of the room. He whistled between his fingers, and the room went completely silent. “Before some of you leave, I’d like to say a few things.” He looked at his feet, gathering his thoughts. I could tell whatever he was about to say would be heartfelt.

The room waited for their president to continue.

“It’s been one hell of a year for the Iron Shield. We’ve lost family.” His eyes shifted towards the ceiling for a few seconds, and everyone followed suit. The room was eerily silent. “We’ve gained family,” he continued, circling the room and stopping on each new person. Kelly tried to hide behind Op, since he was the closest to her. Meredith buried her head in Grizz’s shoulder, not wanting to be acknowledged. Aunt E sat a little straighter, a hint of the woman she had once been. Emily linked her arm around How, who casually slung his over her shoulder, both of them sharing a quiet moment. The prospects shifted under his gaze. A few others caught his eye, and then he finally landed on me and JR. He winked and went back to addressing the room.

“My father was notorious for saying you can’t pick your blood, but you can choose your family. My mother would always add, ‘We’re stronger together.’ I never understood what they meant. In fact, I thought it was just something they said so that Pretty and I wouldn’t kill each other.” A snicker floated around the room. “This year’s taught me the importance of family. God knows, if we could pick our blood, Pretty wouldn’t be my first choice.” He smirked, looking directly at Pretty.

“Love you too, big brother.” Pretty was unfazed as he jingled the bells on his shoes.

“I choose the Iron Shield, every brother, every family member, as my family. I choose to raise my son in this family. This Christmas has reminded me we’re stronger together. We’ve survived one chaos, and I am positive there’s more on the horizon, but we’ll get through it. As family.”

The brothers stomped their feet on the wooden floor in agreement.

Sabre held out his hand to me, but I had JR in my arms. Dee saw my dilemma and sat next to me to take JR into her arms, cooing him back to sleep. When I reached Sabre, I easily placed my hand in his.

“The Iron Shield hasn’t celebrated Christmas like this in a long time. Thank you, Grace, for reminding most of us what’s important.” The brothers stomped their boots on the floor again, and there was a chorus of thank yous .

When it quieted down again, Sabre continued. “There’s one more present for the night.” He looked around the room with a slight smile on his face. Watching him, I shifted to look at the brothers as well. Every one of them either had a smile on their lips or a full-blown smirk. It was clear they knew what was about to come. I didn’t know if I should be excited or scared.

Letting go of my hand, Sabre walked over to Count and took a wrapped present from him. Placing the box in my hands, he told me, “This is for you, Grace. Open it.”

Someone had wrapped a medium-sized box in gold paper with a pretty red bow on it. I sliced through the tape at the bottom of the box with my finger and pulled the wrapping paper off. Handing it to Sabre, I lifted the lid. Inside, there were two sets of keys, laying on gold tissue paper.

I looked back at Sabre, confusion written on my face. He’d already given me a key to our home. I had kept my car, and I had those keys. What did these keys go to?

He smiled. “Pick up the keys.”

I did as I was told, and underneath the paper was a picture of the Old McMillan Place. Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the picture, but my emotions were unraveling. Meredith, my aunt, and I had worked on designs and business plans for the place, but we’d decided it would be a money pit. I’d wanted it, but I wasn’t willing to allow Sabre or the club to be stuck with a poor decision.

“What’s this?” I asked. “I mean, I know what it is, but why is it in the box?”

“Keep going, Grace.”

I picked up the picture of the building, and underneath it was a set of documents. The first page was a bill of sale. I instantly turned back to him. “You didn’t, did you?” I asked. “This place needs a ton of work.”

“You know I did.” He smiled. “Let me explain,” Sabre whispered back to me and then pulled away. “The brothers already know, but let me fill the rest of you in. Grace is now the proud owner of the Old McMillan Place. I have it on good authority that she wants to turn it into a fancy as fuck event center.”

I couldn’t help the tears that were streaming down my face as I held the box to my chest. He bent over and licked one stream from my cheek, causing more ruckus.

“Grace, the club believes that you’ll make them a fuck ton of money, so they’re going to partner with you to fix the place as the newest club business.”

I turned towards the club. This was an unfamiliar experience and it couldn’t have come at a better time. No one had ever believed in me so completely, but now they were placing their trust in me. I wasn’t going to let them down.

I wrapped my free arm around Sabre’s neck. Kissing him, I whispered against his lips words of thanks and love.

“I told you that’s what she wanted,” I heard Pretty announce to the room, as there was laughter floating around.