Page 10 of A Wilde Christmas

“I know it.” He took his wife’s coat from the closet in the foyer and helped her into it, then grabbed his own.

“Merry Christmas, Davey,” Natalie said, kissing him on the cheek. She was the sweetest of his aunts, an all-around goodperson, and a soothing presence amid the crazy. Bridger took after her.

“Merry Christmas, Aunt Tally. Sorry for…” He waved vaguely at the living room. “Everything.”

“Not your fault. Besides, it wouldn’t be a Wilde Christmas if the tree stayed up all night.” She stepped outside, and Greer followed but stopped and glanced back before shutting the door.

“When you get a second, check your company email. A new client is lined up for a protection job after the holidays, and you were requested by name.”

Dread curled through Davey’s gut. “Me? How could they even know I’m no longer with the Navy?”

Greer ignored the question and pulled on his coat. “I think it’d be good for you to take this one during the transition to get back into the swing of how we do things at WSW.”

Was that a… twinkle in his eyes? Uncle Greer was not the twinkling type, and all of Davey’s alarm bells started clanging as the door shut. He grabbed his phone from his back pocket to check the email, but his brothers filed into the foyer for their coats, distracting him.

“We’re heading out,” Elliot said.

“Gonna find a bar and some lonely ladies looking for a little holiday cheer.” Dominic gave an exaggerated brow waggle and pulled open the door. “You in?”

Davey shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Have fun.”

“Oh, I plan on it.”

Elliot followed him out, but, like Greer, he paused on the front porch and glanced back. “Tell Mom and Dad we’ll be back for gift exchange in the morning.”

“I plan to be hungover,” Dominic called gleefully from the driveway.

Elliot rolled his eyes. “Only you would be cheerful about the prospect of a hangover, Dom.”

six

With the house silent,Davey took his first full breath since he walked in. He looked at his phone and managed to get into his company email after several failed attempts and resetting his password—it had been a long time since he last accessed it. But, once again, he was distracted by Dad coming downstairs.

“How’s Mom?”

“She’s okay. Sleeping now.” Jude scrubbed both hands over his face. “She cried herself out. I’ve been waiting for that breakdown for months. You know how she keeps everything in, and she’s been wound so tight since—” He stopped short.

“Since I was injured? You can say it.”

“Mm. Except I can’t.” He made a fist and tapped it to his Adam’s apple. “The words get stuck right there every time.”

“Dad, I’m okay. Really. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I know.” He cleared his throat. “Where’d your brothers go?”

“Where do you think?”

Jude smirked. “Well, they are my sons.”

“Jesus, Dad.”

“Hey, before your mother?—”

“Ireallydon’t want to know.”

Luka scratched at the door to be let out, and Jude chuckled as he grabbed the dog’s leash. “Come on. Let’s walk your dog. I promise I won’t scar you with stories of my wayward youth.”

The evening air was bracing and smelled of snow even though there was very little of the white stuff on the ground. A breeze rustled through the bare branches of the trees lining the street, light but sharp with cold. Christmas lights twinkled around the windows and under the eaves of neighboring houses. It was peaceful, and they strolled in a comfortable silence until Luka stopped to do his business.

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