A Crossroads Christmas: Holiday RBMC Tonopah, NV by Nikki Landis

Author:Nikki Landis [Landis, Nikki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nikki Landis Books
Published: 2024-12-27T00:00:00+00:00

WRAITH DROPPED BY FOR a visit the following morning. He came alone, which was a bit odd since Tawni usually spent time with Heather. Most of the club members stopped by often to see Asher, so I didn’t think anything was up until Wraith pulled me aside.

“Got something for you.” He cleared his throat. “It’s an early Christmas gift.”

Surprised, I didn’t know what to say.

“Here. Open it.”

I took the box from Wraith’s hands and tore into it, ripping off the paper. A stupid grin widened my lips, and I couldn’t help it. I’d gone so many years without experiencing something as simple as opening gifts that it meant everything to me that he’d gone through the effort.

When I removed the paper and opened the box, I glanced down at the steel plaque. It looked like something I should hang on my living room wall, but I wasn’t sure because the words confused me. The black sign read CORNELL Henry Heather Est. 2024.

I stayed silent for a minute, unsure how to respond. “It says Cornell.”

“It does,” he agreed.

“That’s your last name.”

“It sure is, Spook,” he confirmed.

I blinked, processing what this meant. “Are you saying,” I began, suddenly unable to clear a large lump in my throat, “th-that I’m y-y-your. . .”

“My son,” Wraith confirmed. “Yes. That’s exactly what the fuck I’m sayin’.” His palm rose and pressed to his chest. “I got to be the lucky one to be your sponsor. Not a day went by that I regretted doing it. You’re in here, kid. We’ve gotten close since you patched in. I don’t like that you’re stuck with a generic last name.”

After the man who took me as a child kept changing my last name as often as he moved cities, I didn’t want to use any of the ones he’d given me. The last names of my birth parents didn’t feel right either. Once I was old enough, I changed it to Smith. It didn’t seem any better since it had no connections to anyone. Generic and meaningless, it left an ache in my heart that I never spoke aloud.

“So,” Wraith continued, “I can’t stand the idea of you having Smith as your last name. You’re mine, Henry.” His voice cracked, and I had to blink hard not to cry. “I want you to be a Cornell if you’ll be happy with it.”

Happy? I was fucking ecstatic!

Someone loved me enough to want to share their name with me. I didn’t know how grateful and humbling that would feel until now.

“Wraith,” I choked.

“Jasper. This isn’t a club function or decision.”

“Jasper.”

“Or better yet. Dad.”

“But you have Zane.”

“I got enough in here.” He tapped his heart. “For you both.”

I shot to my feet, trembling as I sucked in giant gulps of air. A dad. I finally had a father. I’d never wanted anything more in my entire life except for Heather and Asher.

Every heartache over what had been done to me by men I trusted as a child and teen dulled when I saw the hopeful smile on Wraith’s face.

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