Page 151 of Burn It Down

“It was a team effort,” I told her as we eased apart. “And there’s more. Come.”

I took her hand and led her toward the entrance doors.

They flew open just as we reached them and Bryce stood there smiling.

“Bryce,” Aurora greeted with a cute head nod.

“Little A,” he returned in his sweet way that he’d developed with her.

They’d bonded after the whole Hexwood House invasion debacle.

He was one of the few guys we were okay with her being close with outside of us. Well, Aaron was also included in that. And her dad who’d become less antagonistic each time we’d seen him over the last few weeks. It probably helped that he’d had Olivia with him each time, as she really did mellow him out. Also the fact that we weren’t at war anymore and he had no more reason to be on high-alert and living the high-stakes and gruelling life of being on the run, so he could finally relax after all these years.

He gestured for her to step on through and she did, me following after her.

She gasped as she took in the decorations lining the corridors.

This time, all pink.

Garland and tinsel and Christmas lights were all over the corridor walls and ceilings.

“Wow! This is amazing!”

I smiled happily. The pink was all my doing. I’d told her I’d left something back at the house and I’d headed back during a break in our classes that we’d had, while she’d been insistent about putting in some extra studying for an upcoming exam. I’d managed to get it done in time and headed back to her, with her none the wiser.

And it had been worth it to see her reaction.

It actually kind of mirrored Ash’s when she’d kept her promise to him and stopped renting her house on the edge of town and officially moved in with us.

I led her through the house and out onto the patio and as soon as she saw what we’d set up, she went stock-still and sucked in a choppy breath.

I smiled as I took in the patio table all dressed up with a red and green Christmas-themed tablecloth, the crackers beside each place setting, the sparkling Christmas tree center pieces.

And then there was the food. The full Christmas feast, along with her favorite Christmas desserts, the trifle and the Yule log.

I watched her gaze dart to everyone gathered around.

Asher at one of the heads of the table with Jonah on one side and Aaron on the other. Lance and Olivia were further down and Drew was opposite them, along with Ronan. And there was one empty seat for me beside Drew and next to the other head of the table that was set aside for her.

“I can’t believe this!” she cried. “It’s incredible! Thank you! And you’re all here! Oh my God, thank you so much for doing this!”

Tears of joy were glistening in her eyes and she was so dazed by it all that I led her to the table and helped her take her seat.

I sat beside her as she took in more colorful Christmas lights and garland covering the expanse of the patio.

“I know we said we’d use this space more, but this is another level,” she spoke as she looked around at everyone.

And we had been using it for nightly dinners actually. The four of us sat down every night together without fail. It was the highlight of our days. Well, and what came afterward too—a whole lot of dirty fucking where we got to worship our girl with everything.

I blinked out of that train of thought before my dick started reacting during what was supposed to be a wholesome dinner.

“Thank you for coming,” she said to her uncle.

“It’s long overdue, cupcake. Besides, no more Infidels and Heretics, no more off-the-grid bull.” He raised his glass and all of us followed suit.

Asher’s voice rang out, giving a toast, “To a life without shackles.”

“And to family,” Aurora added.

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