Page 50 of Unveiled Wishes
Sabre handed me JR and then doubled over to catch his breath from laughing so hard. The image alone made all of this worth it.
Eventually, the room calmed down, and the elves distributed the presents. I had made sure that each stocking was similar. Each brother received a pair of riding gloves and a few gift cards. The women, frilly soaps and lotions. I had gone through and made a list of each member so that they received one larger personalized present from the club. Chef cried over the new pot I had picked out. Pebbles had to rub his back until he regained his composure.
My stocking was the only one different, and I knew why. Sabre had filled it with things he knew I liked: gift cards for department stores I shopped at, bubble bath and other luxuries, but in the stocking’s bottom was the best gift. He’d wrapped asmall box and put JR’s name on the tag as the giver. It was a new charm bracelet, and the first two charms attached were Best Mama and a motorcycle. One for each of my men. I didn’t need to be reminded why I loved him, but he always made sure I felt valued and never inferior.
The volume in the room had escalated over the presents, but once Santa disappeared, the brothers with families gathered their things, preparing to leave.
“I should say something,” Sabre said to me, standing from the couch and moving towards the fireplace in the front of the room. He whistled between his fingers, and the room went completely silent. “Before some of you leave, I’d like to say a few things.” He looked at his feet, gathering his thoughts. I could tell whatever he was about to say would be heartfelt.
The room waited for their president to continue.
“It’s been one hell of a year for the Iron Shield. We’ve lost family.” His eyes shifted towards the ceiling for a few seconds, and everyone followed suit. The room was eerily silent. “We’ve gained family,” he continued, circling the room and stopping on each new person. Kelly tried to hide behind Op, since he was the closest to her. Meredith buried her head in Grizz’s shoulder, not wanting to be acknowledged. Aunt E sat a little straighter, a hint of the woman she had once been. Emily linked her arm around How, who casually slung his over her shoulder, both of them sharing a quiet moment. The prospects shifted under his gaze. A few others caught his eye, and then he finally landed on me and JR. He winked and went back to addressing the room.
“My father was notorious for saying you can’t pick your blood, but you can choose your family. My mother would always add, ‘We’re stronger together.’ I never understood what they meant. In fact, I thought it was just something they said so that Pretty and I wouldn’t kill each other.” A snicker floated around the room. “This year’s taught me the importance of family. Godknows, if we could pick our blood, Pretty wouldn’t be my first choice.” He smirked, looking directly at Pretty.
“Love you too, big brother.” Pretty was unfazed as he jingled the bells on his shoes.
“I choose the Iron Shield, every brother, every family member, as my family. I choose to raise my son in this family. This Christmas has reminded me we’re stronger together. We’ve survived one chaos, and I am positive there’s more on the horizon, but we’ll get through it. As family.”
The brothers stomped their feet on the wooden floor in agreement.
Sabre held out his hand to me, but I had JR in my arms. Dee saw my dilemma and sat next to me to take JR into her arms, cooing him back to sleep. When I reached Sabre, I easily placed my hand in his.
“The Iron Shield hasn’t celebrated Christmas like this in a long time. Thank you, Grace, for reminding most of us what’s important.” The brothers stomped their boots on the floor again, and there was a chorus ofthank yous.
When it quieted down again, Sabre continued. “There’s one more present for the night.” He looked around the room with a slight smile on his face. Watching him, I shifted to look at the brothers as well. Every one of them either had a smile on their lips or a full-blown smirk. It was clear they knew what was about to come. I didn’t know if I should be excited or scared.
Letting go of my hand, Sabre walked over to Count and took a wrapped present from him. Placing the box in my hands, he told me, “This is for you, Grace. Open it.”
Someone had wrapped a medium-sized box in gold paper with a pretty red bow on it. I sliced through the tape at the bottom of the box with my finger and pulled the wrapping paper off. Handing it to Sabre, I lifted the lid. Inside, there were two sets of keys, laying on gold tissue paper.
I looked back at Sabre, confusion written on my face. He’d already given me a key to our home. I had kept my car, and I had those keys. What did these keys go to?
He smiled. “Pick up the keys.”
I did as I was told, and underneath the paper was a picture of the Old McMillan Place. Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the picture, but my emotions were unraveling. Meredith, my aunt, and I had worked on designs and business plans for the place, but we’d decided it would be a money pit. I’d wanted it, but I wasn’t willing to allow Sabre or the club to be stuck with a poor decision.
“What’s this?” I asked. “I mean, I know what it is, but why is it in the box?”
“Keep going, Grace.”
I picked up the picture of the building, and underneath it was a set of documents. The first page was a bill of sale. I instantly turned back to him. “You didn’t, did you?” I asked. “This place needs a ton of work.”
“You know I did.” He smiled. “Let me explain,” Sabre whispered back to me and then pulled away. “The brothers already know, but let me fill the rest of you in. Grace is now the proud owner of the Old McMillan Place. I have it on good authority that she wants to turn it into a fancy as fuck event center.”
I couldn’t help the tears that were streaming down my face as I held the box to my chest. He bent over and licked one stream from my cheek, causing more ruckus.
“Grace, the club believes that you’ll make them a fuck ton of money, so they’re going to partner with you to fix the place as the newest club business.”
I turned towards the club. This was an unfamiliar experience and it couldn’t have come at a better time. No one had everbelieved in me so completely, but now they were placing their trust in me. I wasn’t going to let them down.
I wrapped my free arm around Sabre’s neck. Kissing him, I whispered against his lips words of thanks and love.
“I told you that’s what she wanted,” I heard Pretty announce to the room, as there was laughter floating around.
Chapter 20
Two Hearts in The Big Apple
