Page 15 of Christmas Trouble

Dave squinted at Boston. The language similarity of the teenagers was amusing. Yes, the boys had been spending a lot of time together. Now they even started to sound alike.

Dave hoped to God that his idea of bringing the teenagers together with the young assassins would not come back to bite him in the ass down the road. All he could do was try the idea of the new facility and hoped that it stuck.

The gaming room Boston and Beck came from was set off to the side in a room with an open, arched doorway. The couch-filled area was not far from the great room where the tree and sectional were, but it was far enough away so the sound of the games being played wouldn’t be annoying.

Everyone else sprang up and filed past Dave into the dining room that could fit a small army. The table was ladened with platters of breakfast foods including eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns. The kids had hot chocolate, but the adults either opted for coffee or eggnog.

The room was noisy.

Kellum sat four-year-old Dylan on a chair between him and Creed and was keeping the boy busy with a pop it toy. Dylan’s giggles were infectious, making Dave smile.

Gage and Mason also had little ones—seven-year-old Molly and five-year-old Joey. Their voices seemed to be permanently stuck on loud and high, but Dave didn’t mind. It was nice after living with teenagers, who would rather stick their noses in their phones than have a real conversation. Travis seemed to take his young siblings in stride and even lifted Joey onto the booster seat next to his chair before reaching for the food.

Tyler sat between Boston and Azrael, along with Joshua, Travis, and Beck on one side.

With all the teenagers and kids accounted for, it was up to the adults to find chairs where they could.

Dave settled into the chair at the head of the table with Stone to his right.

Gage took over the job from Travis to get the food for Molly and Joey. It wasn’t Travis’s job to take care of the younger kids, but Gage couldn’t seem to stop his brother from doing it.

Living with Mason had been an adjustment for them all. Gage and Travis had grown up living in poverty, and they were still having a hard time getting used to living with his husband’s wealth. Mason was a millionaire, and the man took great delight in spending as much money on them as possible.

No matter how much Gage grumbled about it, Mason wouldn’t stop.

This lodge had been rented by Mason for the week. Most of the funding of the new facility had come from Mason, with a hefty donation from the Brick family, who owned and operated Cobalt Security. Jacob Burns—whose father, Wild, was richer than the Bricks—had also donated toward the project.

Dave ran his eyes over Beck, who had snagged a seat on the other side of Azrael. Beck was currently living with Dave. Beck told Dave that he wanted to move in with Justice and Fisher and learn the ropes so he could work for Erebus. Right now though, Fisher and Justice were on a much needed vacation and Beck was his responsibility.

Who was he kidding? They were all his responsibility. Azrael, Boston, and Beck were under his care, Cash and Apollo were going to college on his dime.

It was a heavy burden to bear, but one Dave gladly took on.

“I heard you got a new blade,” Beck murmured to Boston.

“I heard that Santa Claus is coming tomorrow night,” Mason blasted a look at Beck who flushed and ducked his head.

“Ho, ho, ho,” Creed said deeply making Dylan giggle.

The rest of the adults around the table chuckled and eating resumed.

“I’m going to stay up and catch Santa in the act on Christmas Eve,” Travis told Molly and Joey.

“Me too!” shouted Joey.

“No, you’re not,” Gage groaned when both younger children clapped excitedly and insisted on catching Santa Claus. Gage gave Travis a scowl, but his younger brother blew it off with a grin.

“Aww come on…but it’s Santa,” Boston joked, earning a finger shake from Gage.

The conversation grew lively after that.

It was later, after the children had gone to bed that the older teenagers and adults sat around the great room. Firelight flickered over the area and ornaments glinted on the tree.

Dave lifted his glass of eggnog and when the group around the room noticed, they all lifted their glasses.

“Happy Holidays,” Dave murmured, and everyone responded.

“Happy Holidays, Boss,” Gage said.

---