Page 185 of Filthy Rich Santas

The men watch until he finally reaches a corner and disappears from sight, then they turn back to me.

I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding, realizing in a rush how quiet it’s gotten behind me. The festive atmosphere has evaporated, replaced by a thick, uncomfortable tension.

I’m guessing we’ve officially ruined my parents’ party, but I can’t think about that yet. Not until I make sure my men are okay.

Ryder smirks as they head back toward me as if he can read my mind, and the intense way all three of them watch me as they approach has my pulse starting to race for a different reason.

“Excuse me,” someone says, dragging my attention away from them for a moment.

An older couple I vaguely recognize needs me to step to the side since I’m blocking the doorway. As soon as I do, they scurry past me, and I can hear the rustle of coats and the murmur of hastily made excuses from behind me as the other party guests scramble to leave too.

My stomach twists as the reality of what just happened crashes over me. It all unfolded so quickly that I haven’t really had a chance for everything to sink in.

I’m still reeling, both from Wade’s arrogant audacity in showing up here the way he did, and from the way the guys jumped to my defense. But the one inescapable fact that starts to crowd out all the rest is that the truth about our relationship—the one we’ve only just officially started and which I know my parents will never approve of—has now been laid bare for everyone to see.

I know I want to be with Tristan, Ryder, and Beckett, but since I never thought it was possible, I also never thought through how I’d present such a thing to my family. Now I have no choice, and I have no idea what’s going to happen once my parents’ house clears out and it’s time to face the music.

When the men finally reach me, they each take a moment to touch me. Beckett gives the back of my neck a reassuring squeeze, Tristan strokes my hair, and Ryder pulls me close and kisses my temple.

Then, like a living shield, they move with me inside the house, their presence both comforting and anxiety-inducing as the last of the party guests leave.

My family has gathered in the foyer shoulder to shoulder. I doubt they mean to block the entrance into the house, but it couldn’t be more obvious that they’re on one side of an invisible line, and the guys and I are on the other.

Vivian and Caleb both have shocked expressions on their faces, staring at me like they’ve never seen me before, but my parents are a different story. Unmistakable anger radiates off both of them, hitting me like a palpable wave.

I have no idea what to say. The silence stretches, taut and uncomfortable, between all of us.

“What thehellwas that, Lana?” my father finally bursts out. “How could you humiliate us like this? Do you know how many important people just saw that vulgar display you just subjected us all to?”

I flinch at his tone, but before I can respond, he continues, his anger building with each word.

“Do you have any idea how much work your mother put into this party? The planning, the preparation—all ruined because you couldn’t keep your… your promiscuous indiscretions private?”

He’s practically spitting. I’ve never seen him so outraged.

I swallow hard. “Dad, I?—”

“No!” he cuts me off, his face flushed with anger. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. This behavior is completely unacceptable. You’ve embarrassed this entire family in front of all our friends and colleagues. And Wade! What the hell was all that? I don’t know what happened between you two, but he was clearly here to forgive you and make things right?—”

Something inside me snaps.

“Forgive me?” I shout, the volume of my voice powered by years of pent-up frustration over never being seen as anything but a disappointment, no matter how much I’ve tried.

My father gapes at me for a moment, and I take a deep breath, steadying myself, then go on.

“I have spent my entire life trying to make you happy.” I look between my mother and father. “Every decision, every choice I made, including dating Wade in the first place, was all about living up to your expectations. And you know what? It was never enough. Not for either of you.”

My mother scoffs, looking away, while color rises in my father’s cheeks as a muscle starts to tick in his jaw.

My voice breaks slightly, but I push on. “No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I’ve always fallen short of being who you want me to be. And all it did when I tried was keep me living a life that was suffocating me. It was fake. Wrong. At least, wrong forme.” I swallow. “I was livingyourversion of my life, not my own.”

I don’t see any sign that I’m getting through to either one of them, both of their faces stuck in all too familiar matching expressions of disapproval. But then I feel Tristan’s hand slip into mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze, and the way all three of my men surround me gives me the strength to continue.

I straighten my spine and take a deep breath, centering myself as I look straight into my father’s eyes, then my mother’s.

“I’m done doing that. I’m done living by your standards. Done hiding who I really am. Done pretending and twisting myself into knots just to please you.”

“Lana.” My mother’s lips are pursed, her voice tight as her eyes flick to the men and then back to me. “If you were… compromised during the road trip?—”

---