Beast of Christmas Past (Yours Everlasting Series Book 27) by Brynn Paulin

Author:Brynn Paulin [Paulin, Brynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Series
Publisher: Supernova Indie Publishing Services LLC
Published: 2021-12-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

~ Bex ~

Alec pulled off the highway and into a nearby fast food place, and the kids cheered at the prospect of chicken nuggets, their favorite food on the planet. I was just shocked that the place was open on Christmas.

We got them unfastened and they both crowded over to Alec. I was relieved that they didn’t show hesitation or shyness that could be present at their age. They just hugged him tight, and I knew all the times we’d talked about him had paid off.

Eventually, Zan mumbled about being hungry, and I’d let Alec know we had approximately ten minutes before there was trouble. We’d headed through the drive-thru then got back on the road.

“I don’t have a tree,” he said out of the blue as we traveled in silence. The kids had played quietly and read picture books for a while, but after fighting off sleep, they’d actually drifted off again as they were wont to do on car trips.

“Next year.” I had noticed the lack of holiday decorations at his home—our home, I guessed. After the things we’d talked about on the trip to get the kids, I wondered if it was because it seemed pointless to him. I never wanted him to feel that way again. I’d have a hard time shaking my guilt over the pain I’d caused.

“Mom and Dad have a tree.”

Great. Yeah, we were going there, weren’t we?

“I don’t have any gifts for the kids. Do you think anyplace is open?”

I covered his hand with mine. “All their presents are in the back of the truck. They either say they’re from Santa or from Mommy and Daddy. It’s covered.”

He deflated slightly. “I can’t believe you’ve included me in their lives all this time.”

“I didn’t know how to navigate any of this, you suddenly becoming my stepbrother, everyone being so angry at me.”

“Who’s this everyone?”

“You were there, Alec. I’m not making this up in my head. Your dad, my mom, Dillon, my aunt and uncle, my grandma. They were all screaming at me for ruining the perfect day.”

It had been the worst Christmas of my life. I’d never longed for my other grandma more than I had in that moment. She would have told them all to fuck off and leave me alone.

“I don’t remember that.”

“How do you not remember?” I asked in shock, it was seared into my memories.

“It might have something to do with them all bursting into the bedroom while we were naked. One minute I was kissing my wife, the next people were seeing my naked ass while I got on pants and tried to hustle everyone away from you. Yeah, I went with them, but that was why.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. In hindsight, I would have handled everything differently.

“I’m sorry, Alec. I really am.”

“I know. I’m sorry, too. We start new now. No one gets between us, never again.”

“Never again.”

“Fuck, I want to kiss you.” He glanced quickly up in the rear-view to make sure the kids weren’t awake to hear him swear.

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