Page 19 of Silent Night Sins
I was completely unwrapped.
And I couldn’t wait to be his present the next time. Maybe I would be the one tying him up, showing him that he was just as much mine as I was his.
Butwhile my mind came up with devious plots how to make that happen, something soft brushed against my cheek. His lips. That was his mouth, which meant….
I jerked upright, but the monster was already walking out the door, the Krampus mask clutched between his fingers. I stared at the back of his head, memorizing what details I could see. The broad shoulders, the tall frame. Jet black hair that melded with the shadows in the hall, before the darkness swallowed my thief in the night.
It has to be him.There was no other way to explain the feeling in my chest. I knew that man. He was the grown-up, hardened version of the boy who’d stolen my heart.
Leaning back onto my crooked elbow, I gazed toward the empty space. The back door whispered open, then clicked softly closed. What if fate brought us back together all these years later to show that we still had something? More than a childhood friendship, more than raging, animal connection? I sighed sleepily. Christmas miracles did happen. Who was I to question it?
Chapter 6 – Cristiano
She’s mine.There was more than one way to show her what that meant.
After finishing the last installment, I returned to the living room where Nicky was fast asleep on the couch. I’d been here for an hour, tinkering around with a few odds and ends. The process wasn’t exactly quiet, but the fact that my presence hadn’t woken her this time spoke volumes.
My angel was exhausted.
I gathered the cocoa cup from the side table and deposited it in the sink. The evidence pointed to a quiet, cozy evening reading by the tree. The winter wonderland playlist still played softly on her phone. It wasn’t Christmas music, but a magical compilation of woodland sounds so foreign to the big city. The notes momentarily carried me away to another land, and I saw why she liked this ambiance.
Time to add my own touch to the setting.
Pointing the projector at the wall, I clicked on the device. The first scene was a gothic library. I flicked through the backdrops until an enchanted castle came to life.Perfect.It was the one she’d saved on her Instagram. This viral device gave readers an immersive experience. Exactly what this woman, who’d shopped for everyone else, needed. Since she’d been the only one here, setting up the tree herself, there weren’t any gifts for her under the tree.
That was going to change.
What if she doesn’t like them?I bristled, fighting down the sharp sting of fear. There was a distinct possibility that Nicky only enjoyed my presence because she had a dark and twisted soul. What if she didn’t like the man behind the mask? What if she was disgusted at the idea of being with me, the boy from the wrong side of town? Her family hated mine. It was logical that she only enjoyed our encounters because the mask kept the illusion of reality at bay.
I shook my head. Porca vacca! I was going to fight like hell to make sure she wanted me—not just the dark game I allowed her to play. Part of that was making sure I knew everything there was about her, and then using that to woo her. Which was why I’d painstakingly selected these gifts.
I debated tucking the present I’d brought her under the tree, but I didn’t want her to wait until next week to open it. Tiptoeing to the side table, I placed a book, one that wasn’t releasing until mid-January, on top of the one she’d been reading. My wrapping paper job looked like a child’s. I frowned, debating taking the paper off. It hadn’t been easy to break into the distribution center, find the correct pallet, and sneak a copy of the book. Hopefully, she didn’t mind the bunched, candy cane-striped edges, extra tape, and crooked bow once she unwrapped it and saw what it was—the latest fantasy romance novel in one of the most popular series.
With the two gifts placed, and the secret ones streaming straight to my phone, I paused beside the sofa. Nicky looked peaceful. I came here tonight with plans and a new mask. But seeing my sweet angel curled up, fast asleep, I suppressed my own needs and decided to let her be.
Good thing too, because my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was set on do-not-disturb, but there were three numbers who could come through.
Nicky shifted, moaning softly as she snuggled under the blanket. Leaning over her, I inhaled the divine scent of pine and smoke. She didn’t choose a bright floral or sticky fruit perfume, preferring something darker, edgier.
It made my dick heavy with need.
“I’ll be back,” I whispered. “Sleep well, beautiful girl.”
Once I was in the backyard, however, an idea too tempting made me pause. I tested the snow, which was wet enough to mold. Bending, I began to roll it….
***
The don’s summons sent me to a crew of guys who’d had vehicle problems. They were in the middle of unloading the broken-down moving truck when I pulled up. Product was everywhere, and we were too close to a main road. If Johnny Law came cruising by, it would be a nasty bust.
Shrugging out of my coat, I set to work helping them reload the contraband into the new vehicle.
“Get that wheel off,” I barked.
Tobias shook his head. “The nuts are seized up. We need a blow torch.”
With a growl, I ripped a box off the frozen ground. “Is Gio bringing a tow?”
The bottom of the crate gave out as I took a step. Straw, ceramic dishes, and a velvet box fell on the ground. Chucking the useless pieces of wood aside, I scooped up the main contents of the crate—the rectangle of velvet.
