Page 32 of A Merry Misfit Christmas

I’m a bit nervous because I feel like the men in the club have to know what Kodiak and I have been doing, but none of them say a word to me implying they heard anything at all, so I start to relax my guard.

“Sweet, we can go shopping!” Sly exclaims, clapping his hands together. Looking at Spike, he adds, “We’re doing thisevery year, right? Because these kids will always deserve a good Christmas given the shitty circumstances they’re presently living under.”

“Absolutely. We’ll talk in church about ways we can collect money and basic things all year round so we’re not going crazy two weeks before the party. I’m sure we’ll find both Yukon Bluff and Mercy Falls willing to help us out,” Spike replies.

Kodiak comes over with two plates laden with food and my eyes widen. “I can’t possibly eat all of that,” I tell him as he sets my food in front of me before Fang places a glass of orange juice by my plate while handing a cup of coffee to Kodiak.

“I know you worked up an appetite, Sweetheart,” he says, smirking at me, which has several of the guys suddenly having coughing fits as they look anywhere else in the room but at the two of us.

Shit. They heard Kodiak claim me. Repeatedly.

I feel my face flushing but opt to focus on eating rather than glaring at my formerly sweet bear of a man. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt that because I’m the first mate any of them have had, he wasn’t thinking about how his words would come across.

“So, when are we leaving to shop?” Fang asks, interrupting my internal monologue.

“Should we all go together or split up?” Sly questions.

“Together makes the most sense,” Spike advises. “If we do have to split off, remember to keep the receipts. While this will be a nice tax break, it’s not the reason we’re doing it, but our CPA will have my ass if she has to hunt anything like that down.”

The guys start snickering, so I presume there’s a story behind what he’s just said. “I have to go pick up some of the donations that have been collected and bring them back here so they can be sorted,” I say. “Oh, and I need to buy wrapping paper, tags, and bows, too!”

“I’ll add those to the list. I take it you’re going to be wrapping the gifts?” Spike questions.

I nod. “Yeah, since we have the lists of what the kids are wishing for, I can separate the stuff into piles, then wrap and tag it,” I reply, pushing the rest of my unfinished plate toward Kodiak, who pulls it in front of him to start eating.

“You’re going with Kodiak, then, correct?” Spike asks, adding the items I mentioned to his notes app on his phone. Well, I presume that’s what he’s doing since his fingers are flying over the keys.

“Fuck, I have to teach a class at the gym I can’t get out of,” Kodiak grumbles, his growl causing the plates on the table to rattle slightly.

“I’ll be fine,” I reply, understanding that he can’t always drop everything for me, and that he’s got responsibilities.

“Callie, we haven’t seen Jeremy recently, but that doesn’t mean he’s not watching and waiting for the right time,” Spike warns.

I shiver with apprehension. The last thing I want is to come face-to-face with that bastard ever again. I wish he’d just leave me alone.

“I can watch her,” Kong states. When everyone looks at him, he shrugs. “What? I know what the prick looks like and there’s no fucking way I’ll let him harm a hair on her head.”

“Then that’s settled. Let’s get going, brothers, so we can help these kids have a Merry Christmas. Kodiak, you’re going to have to get a Santa Claus suit, too.”

I start giggling at the glare Kodiak gives Spike, who merely crosses his hands over his chest and raises his brow.

Everyone leaves us as they head toward the parking lot, prepared to fill their shopping lists.

Kodiak slides an arm around my waist, hauling me into his chest. “Callie.”

I tip my chin up and notice he’s scowling. “You’re going to have to trust that I’ll be okay, and Kong will protect me.”

He snarls, and I know this is going to be a long day. Still, after he shoves some money and a card into my purse, he kisses me then walks toward the truck that Kong is waiting near. Glaring at Kong, he states, “Not a hair on her head, brother.”

As grumbly as he’s being, he’s still gentle as he helps me into the large truck. How I got so lucky as to have someone like him want me is beyond my capacity to understand, but I’ll never take him for granted.

“I promise, Kodiak,” Kong retorts. “I’d sooner cut off my own arm then let your mate be harmed, and I’m kind of partial to my arm, so you can understand how hard I’ll fight to keep her safe.”

Chapter Fourteen

Kodiak

Trust that someone other than me will protect my mate? My newly claimed, heavily bearing my scent, beautiful, vulnerable mate?

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