Page 187 of Filthy Rich Santas

“She’s brilliant and creative,” Tristan says. “Have you even seen her artwork? It’s incredible.”

“What’s really fucking incredible is her laugh,” Ryder says, holding my gaze. “It’s like that one Christmas song, you know, with the tidings of joy and shit.”

“That’s not Christmas, that’s just Lana,” Beckett rumbles. “She brings a little magic to everything she touches.”

“Like roadside attractions.” Ryder smirks, but his eyes are soft as he looks at me. It’s almost as if they’re not telling my parents off anymore, they’re speaking directly to me. Publicly confessing feelings that make my heart race and my eyes sting with unshed tears.

“She’s adventurous.”

“Brave.”

“Full of determination and passion.”

“She’s beautiful,” Tristan adds quietly. “The fire in her eyes when she stands up for what she believes in, when she sees herself the way we do, is…”

“It’s everything,” Beckett finishes, his gaze finding mine and making the rest of the room fall away.

Then Caleb clears his throat, and I remember we’re not alone.

“Mom, Dad,” I start, a lump growing in my throat as they silently stare back at me.

The tension in the room is palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife, and I sigh, shaking my head.

I tried, and they either can’t hear me or don’t care. Anything more is going to have to come from them.

“Get your stuff,” Tristan says, resting his hand on my lower back. “We’ll go to Grandma Meg’s.”

“No, I’ll get it,” Beckett interjects, glancing at Tristan and Ryder. “Take Lana outside. I’ll meet you out there.”

He stalks past my parents, heading for the stairs, and Tristan and Ryder flank me, guiding me out of the house without any goodbyes.

A moment later, Beckett is back, my suitcase in hand, and we leave.

44

RYDER

My heart is poundingas we leave Lana’s parents’ house, adrenaline coursing through my veins and my emotions a total mess. I keep my arm wrapped tightly around her as we quickly walk to the SUV, partly to support her, but also because focusing on her helps me keep all those wild emotions in check.

I didn’t expect things to blow up like that. None of us did. But dealing with the aftermath will have to wait for later. Right now, she’s the only thing that matters.

As we pile into the SUV, with Tristan taking the wheel and Beckett joining Lana and me in the back, I can feel the tension radiating off all of us like it’s a living force. I’m definitely not the only one on edge from all that bullshit, and we’re barely out of the driveway when Lana’s composure starts to crumble.

A sob escapes her, and I pull her closer, letting her bury her face in my chest. Beckett’s jaw hardens, and I’m sure he’s currently wishing he hadn’t let us stop him from pounding the shit out of Wade.

He puts a hand on her back and he rubs slow, soothing circles there as I stroke her hair.

“S-S-Sorry,” she stutters out, clutching my shirt.

“It’s okay, love,” I murmur. “Let it out.”

“We’ve got you,” Beckett adds.

She drags in one more shuddering breath before the floodgates open, all the pent-up emotions she’s been holding back for who knows how long pouring out as she cries.

I catch Tristan looking back at us in the rearview mirror, his eyes tight and worried, but I give him a subtle shake of my head. It fucking guts me to have her so torn up, but at the same time, this release is probably exactly what she needs right now.

It’s a good thing, even if it stokes my rage at everyone who helped contribute to it.

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