Page 139 of The Christmas Wife

"What?"

"You remember the thing that had its claws into first Jace, then Sinner, and then Saint?"

"No, I don’t." I scowl, and I thought I was delusional?

"I’m afraid you’ve fallen prey to it as well."

I straighten, lower my chin to my chest, "I have no idea what you’re talking about. And it’s not because I’m a bit hungover?—"

"A bit?" He snorts, “Don’t you have to stop drinking before you can be hungover?

I glare at him. "Okay, my head is pounding, and clearly, I’ve poisoned myself with enough alcohol that I may spontaneously combust at any time?—"

"Attaboy." He pats my shoulder, "Tell it like it is. I knew you’d come through."

I shake off his hand, "You’re bloody creepy when you go all paternal."

"Me, paternal?" he laughs.

"Stranger things have happened." I roll my shoulders. My stomach copies the motion. "Shit." I wipe the sweat from my upper lip, "I don’t think I’m feeling that well."

"Wonder why that is, huh?" Liam stalks in.

"Oh, bloody fuck," I groan. "Thought you’d crawled away under whatever rock you’d been found under."

He shakes his head, "Man, you’ve gone and done it now."

"What?"

Damian chuckles.

"What?" I ask again.

Liam folds his arms over his chest, "Shit or get off the pot."

"Eloquent, as always." I grimace.

His dark gaze takes in my features, "You look like hell."

"Still better-looking than you."

His forehead crinkles, "Why do I even bother with you, huh?"

"Because you know, at heart, I am the one destined for greatness."

"You’ve proved that already," he mutters. "You got your way in the end—became a surgeon, saved lives. You make the difference between life and death. You saved mother’s life."

He comes forward, grips my shoulder, "Thank you."

Is he for real?"Did you just go all polite as fuck on me?" I scowl.

Liam’s features twist, "Guess not even soulless bastards can resist the spirit of Christmas, huh?"

"You mean it, don’t you?" I shake my head in disbelief. "You’re actually thanking me for the first time ever, that I can remember."

"It is the first time," he confirms. "You can thank your woman for that."

"My woman?"

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