Smoke and Steel (Wild West MC #2)(116)

My mouth filled with saliva.

“I got moved from that house after I not only fucked him up when he tried that shit with me, I fucked him up more when he tried that shit with another kid that was there with me. They investigated, I didn’t get into trouble, but I got rehomed with a lady who took the state’s money but fed us nothing but generic Cheerios and chicken noodle soup. Like, breakfast and dinner every day for weeks. Lunch too on weekends. We didn’t eat at school because she didn’t give us the money to do it. The two months I lived with her, I lost twenty pounds.”

My chest caved in.

“Core—”

“Do you think once, even fucking once in the life I lived that I thought I’d ever wake on Christmas to fuck my woman’s sweet pussy and give her what she asked for, knowing I’m gonna go to her family’s house later. And knowing, once we get there, there’s gonna be nothing but love and laughter and good food and good memories?”

No. It gutted me, but I knew he didn’t think even once that he’d have any of that.

Core wasn’t finished.

“Do you have any clue what it feels like to walk into my house when you’re not even home from work yet, hit the remote, and the Christmas tree lights come on with presents under the tree and it smells like pine needles from the candles you burn all the time? It smells like that but feels like home. It feels like I walked right into love because you give that to me. Woman, I’ll trip on your shoes every fucking day of my life, if it means you’re in my life.”

“I’m still going to put away my shoes,” I said, my voice husky, my words lame because I was again at a loss for what to say.

“I know, baby, because you love me. Do you think ever in the life I led that I thought I’d win a woman like you?”

“I’m just a woman.”

“No, Hellen, you’re amazing.”

He was killing me.

I swallowed and said, “You are too.”

“And do you think I ever dreamed I’d hear a woman like you say that to me?”

“Stop it, Core,” I forced out.

“What I’m saying is, you don’t have to worry, sweetheart. You give me exactly what I need.”

I pulled our hands down so I could shove my face in his throat and concentrate on not crying.

“I’m happy,” he said into my hair. “I’m happy because I love you and you love me. I’m happy because I never thought I’d earn the love of a good woman, because I didn’t deserve it after what I’d done. I’m happy because I know my mom would be happy if she knew this was the life I have. I’m just happy, baby. You give me that. So no more tears from you.”

“Okay,” I croaked against his skin.

He cupped my jaw and pulled my face out of his throat so he could look down at me.

“Coffee, and I got this French toast bake I wanna try out on you.”

Of course, he did.

“And your presents,” I whispered.

“And presents,” he replied.

We kissed. We got out of bed. We did our morning thing and I turned on Christmas music and made coffee while Core whisked eggs. I then left him to it while I stuffed his and Nanook’s stockings.

While the breakfast he made was baking, we took our coffee to the living room to start the official proceedings, and I saw Core’s consternation that he didn’t stuff my stocking.

I didn’t say anything, but I knew he filed that away for next year.

I didn’t do anything as spectacular as give him a room furnished to his heart’s delight. But he laughed out loud at the Today I Feel tee I got him with nine pictures of Grogu on it and options such as sleepy, confused, cute and hungry (yes, I introduced him to The Mandalorian, and yes, he fell in love with The Child just like anyone who had a pulse did).

And Core really loved the gold Zippo I gave him that I’d had inscribed with Iustitia, Tribus, Honoris, Fidelitas on the front and DJ“HC”C (Dustin James “Hardcore” Cutler) on the back.

His eggy, gooey (but crispy-edged), brown-sugary, cinnamony French toast bake was a winner, so after we took a shower together and got ready, we packed up the leftovers, the wrapped presents for my family, our pup…

And headed over to Mom and Andy’s to finish out Christmas with our family.

By the way, I knew how much he loved me (and The Child) because Core wore his Grogu tee.

Core





After Christmas dinner, Core was out on Andy and Haley’s back porch with Nanook in the yard when Jag joined him.

Jag stopped at his side, watched Core’s dog wander the snow, sniffing, and then he asked, “You wanna talk about it?”

Jagger and Archie came over at around one after spending the morning with Jag’s family. Once they and Elijah arrived, they did a massive present gig, and after, they had dinner.

Hellen had given Arch and Jag presents from her and Core, and it was just a few hours ago, but considering the orgy of gift-giving they’d survived, Core didn’t remember what they were (Haley either really liked shopping, wrapping, or her family because she went over the deep end—Core had two new Henleys, a new hoodie, a knife block filled with top-of-the-line knives, and a new set of kickass grilling tools).

Core had doubled up on Jag’s present, giving him the same as he gave Li.