Page 37 of A Merry Misfit Christmas

“How’s it going,cuz?”Kong spits out, glowering at Jeremy.

“He’s your cousin?” Spike questions.

I shrug because most of us have our own stories of how or why we ended up in Yukon Bluff. Not everyone has shared why and while Spike may know, he doesn’t share those confidences, allowing the brothers to as they assimilate into our family.

“Yeah,” Kong replies. “I know I haven’t shared, but fuck, how the hell can I explain why my own father banished me fromour troop? I was barely out of puberty, for fuck’s sake. Andthatfucker,” he sneers, “is the reason!”

All of us are now glaring at Jeremy and the scent of fear has ramped even higher at Kong’s words. I can hear the pain in my brother’s voice and know it goes bone deep. I dig deep into my memories and realize when Kong arrived at the club, he was severely underweight and malnourished. Hell, he’s probably five to ten years younger than me, which pisses me the fuck off. Puberty hits each of us shifters at different ages, and that means he was on his own shortly after he hit his thirteenth or fourteenth birthday. How the fuck did he survive?

“He needs you to come home,” Jeremy finally stammers out.

“Fuck that!” Kong exclaims. “I am home!” I can see his gorilla rippling behind his eyes and know things are hitting him hard. He’s going to lose his shit soon and I can’t blame him.

Peanut looks at me then at Kong and hauls off, his fist slamming into Jeremy’s face. “That’s for trying to get my brother’s mate.” Then he slugs him again, the power behind the punch nearly knocking the chair over. “And that’s for whatever the fuck you did to my brother, Kong.No onefucks with a Twisted Misfit brother.”

Spike stands back, smoke billowing around him. Combined with his dragon eyes, it’s an eerie effect that typically scares the shit outta anyone who’s down in our wet room. Not that we’ve had too many over the years, but there’s a reason the town and surrounding areas like us as much as they do; we’ve taken out a lot of trash. Oh, there’s no proof whatsoever thanks to Spike’s abilities, but the rumors about us abound and we don’t do anything to stop them since it serves a dual purpose.

Don’t fuck with the Shifted Misfits because if you do, we’re gonna fuck back harder until you’re in Hell.

“Why are you coming after my mate?” I ask. It’s the question I can’t seem to shake.

I’m doing my best to keep calm, but my bear is right under the surface, ready to unleash a world of hurt. Granted, Peanut’s punches are like being hit with a sledgehammer, so Jeremy’s face is already swollen, bloody, and bruised, but I want to rip the skin from his body in shreds. Just the thought that heevertouched her has me seething.

“What do you want to do, Kodiak?” Spike asks after pulling me off to the side behind a wall we know shifters can’t hear through. “Kong? You okay, brother?”

“We need to know more,” I reply. “Something’s kind of hinky with him showing up like he did. It’s just a bit too coincidental, but it’s important enough to warrant further investigation. We can keep him down here on ice, so to speak until we get Sly to find out more, can’t we?”

“Yeah, I like that idea,” Kong says. “Because I find it odd as hell that the father who kicked me out over a decade and a half ago now wants me back. He told me that day that my name would never be uttered again.”

“Then let’s get our guest settled in his temporary accommodations. We’ll make sure he eats, of course, but outside of that, no other amenities. We’ll get Sly to go through his phone as well. Also, I didn’t notice anyone outside of him, but we need to make sure there aren’t others lurking around.”

After a brief but intense discussion, we return to where Jeremy’s still sitting, now with a dark stain at his crotch which tells us all he pissed himself and gather around him in a semicircle. I consider myself a badass, but if I was tied to a chair and had the predators we are standing around me, I’d probably do the same.

“You’ve bought yourself some time, Jeremy,” Spike advises. “Unfortunately for you, our accommodations forguestsisn’t all that fancy, but don’t worry, we’ll check on you frequently.”

The way he says it is so sinister sounding, especially with his arms showing his dragon scales that I have to hold back a shiver. There’s a reason Spike’s our president; he’s formidable and unstoppable, especially when the family he helped create is threatened.

“I’ve got him,” Peanut says. “You guys head on upstairs and I’ll be sure to get him a nice comfy spot.”

We’re all chuckling as we head back upstairs, content to let one of our two enforcers handle the task of putting Jeremy in a cell. Right now, I want to see my mate and make sure she’s still doing okay.

Chapter Seventeen

Callie

“If you don’t stop, I’ll never get all of this wrapped before we go to the zoo tonight,” I murmur as Kodiak nuzzles my neck.

“You still have another week before the party. Let’s have one of our own before we go see the lights with the kids,” he replies, his husky whisper sending tingles all over my body.

I think about what he’s saying and realize he’s right. Spike gave me two huge rooms that weren’t being used for anything as my very own Santa’s workshop as he called it. It took me, Sly, Fang, and Nix two days to sort and organize everything that I bought according to each child we have on the list. I’ve spent the past week wrapping, taking breaks to eat, of course.

At night, while we’re all hanging in the common room, I bring the stockings down and work on them. It’s coming together and I honestly cannotwaitto see the joy in the children’s’ eyes when they walk into the party. We decided to use the suitcases donated as the boxes for the clothes, and those have been nicely folded and placed inside, along with some personal care items on the other side in a nice bag I found online for a great price. Granted I had to order in bulk, but Sly set up a spreadsheet for me that has each kid listed and I’m able to denote whether or not they got a suitcase this year so if they’re still in care next year, they won’t get another one.

I make a mental note to buy boxes for clothes for next year when the after Christmas sales hit, then stand up and practically leap into Kodiak’s arms. “I’m feeling kinda sleepy, wanna take a nap with me?” I ask, licking my bottom lip.

“Hell yeah, Sweetheart, let’s go get some rest,” he replies, winking at me before he cradles me in his arms and heads off to his suite. We’re still staying here versus his cabin since Sly’s still checking into the possible threat from Jeremy. Until we have all the answers we need, I’m trusting my bear and staying in the clubhouse.

“I can’t do it,” Kodiak growls as I stand back, taking in the giant bear of a man dressed in his Santa suit, looking surly and nothing like the jolly man he’s supposed to emulate.

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