Chapter Nine

Two Days Before Christmas

I t was mid-morning, the sun glinted off the snow that had fallen overnight. The place truly looked like a winter wonderland.

“Who’s hungry?” Dave called from the direction of the kitchen.

The former SecDef stood in the open archway next to the large counter that served as a bar.

Behind Dave came Stone, who took off a red-and-white-checkered apron and tossed it onto one of the many barstools.

“I’m fuc—er starving,” Boston said, jumping up from where he was playing a game with Tyler and Beck on the television.

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.

“Merry Christmas,” Hunter added.

“It’s rare that so many of us get together like this,” Dave said. “I’ve already taken the liberty of thanking Jacob and the Brick brothers for their help, and now I want to personally thank Mason for your generous donation that will help build our new facility. We really need a place like this to keep our young adults safe. Plus a place we can train new members as well as any of the younger generation who want to join us,” Dave finished and took a sip from his glass.

“You’re very welcome,” Mason said, lifting his mug of coffee.

“Here, here,” Hunter said and tapped a glass of sparkling cider against Seven’s glass.

Every adult tapped their glasses with someone nearby and took a sip. Some of the older teenagers followed their example.

The facility Dave envisioned already had plans drawn up and would be located deep in the wilds of Colorado.

“And just so you all know,” Mason said with a smile after the noise of thank yous died down. “Gage and I and the kids are moving out here to Colorado to live.”

Stunned expressions were accompanied with wide smiles on the faces around the table.

“It’s going to be a blast,” Travis said, earning a smile from Joshua.

“I want to live here too!” Tyler jumped in.

“You’ll need to speak with Eagle and Link,” Dave told the boy.

“They won’t say no.” Tyler smiled. “They never do.”

Dave, along with others, laughed at the sixteen-year-old’s confidence.

It was true though. To date, Link and Eagle had given Travis the world.

“Not me dude,” Boston said around a bite of food. “I’m staying in California. It’s too cold out here. You?” Boston asked a silent Azrael.

“Yeah, I have a home.” Azrael said, keeping his eyes on his plate, poking at the eggs.

“I’m staying in California,” Beck said. “At least for now.”

“The facility will be here if you ever change your mind,” Dave told the boys. He’d hoped that they would come but knew that it couldn’t be forced.

“You know, I heard about a facility like that in Nevada,” Echo said.

“Me too,” Hunter chimed in.

Everyone turned and looked at Dave.

Silence.

The fact that Dave said nothing was more telling than any words could ever be.