After the tree had been decorated, Zoe suggested some games, and soon, laughter filled the space, clearly surprising each brother and delighting the women by their side.
Cary made it his mission to be as silly as possible, making not just his little brother smile and giggle, but the entire assembly too.
Ted didn’t follow suit, preferring to remain either by Catriona’s side or on Liam’s lap.
It humbled him, as a man, but also as a cop, to have a little boy who’d suffered so much from society, but still had enough in his heart to trust him. Liam had never been close to children but accepted this gift and welcomed it.
Cary approved, although the boy stayed closer to Catriona and Ted. Liam understood it as he couldn’t help touching her.
Each time the connection was made, she turned to him and smiled, reciprocating with a touch, or leaning into his arms.
The day passed, the sun being replaced by the colored lights of the tree, and the many tea lights glittering all around the room. They ate in a circle on the floor, including Lazarus in his chair. It was the first time, for as long as he could remember, that Liam felt part of a family, a real one. There, in that circle were the most important people in his life, those he’d lay his life down for, and knew they would do the same for him. The circle had increased over the years, maybe making him more vulnerable, but also much stronger than he’d ever thought possible.
And an angel brought it all together and was still by his side. His hand lingered more and more on every part of Catriona he could touch.
They ate a mix of sweets, sandwiches, and snacks that was anything but festive, but nobody seemed to mind.
Archer surprised them all by playing Santa Claus, minus the costume. He had ordered small trinkets and silly knickknacks for their amusement.
The boys were amused by the games they received and loved the books too. Unwrapping gifts was a distant memory to them, so much that they hesitated at first, but were quickly caught up in the moment and tore at the colorful paper with glee in their eyes.
Their life was so similar to his own, being alone, fighting for survival in a world without mercy. It was a miracle they’d survived for so long without being taken by gangs, let alone sold as slaves. That thought only brought the darkness back to his mind, and he promised himself to talk to Archer about it.
Zoe and Isabel distracted the assembly by talking about some hot chocolate and s’mores by the fireplace. Ted jumped to his feet, pulling at Cary’s hand, who did the same with Lucas. The parade continued until only Catriona remained by his side. Sasha was napping beside Lazarus, who was still as a statue.
Liam couldn’t resist bringing Catriona onto his lap, being surrounded by her heat and the sweet smell of her tawny hair.
How her body yielded to him made his gut tighten, imagining what new sins he’d teach her tonight.
“Thank you.”
The words seemed so out of sync with what was in his mind that he thought he’d misheard her. “What?”
Her gaze slid over his face, soon followed by her fingers. There was so much warmth emanating from her, he wondered how he’d be able to live without it.
“Thank you for showing the way with your brothers. I prayed they wouldn’t resist too much. It was a real joy to see you all together. You’re lucky to have such a family.”
He ran his fingers through her silky strands. “You’re the one who brought us all together.”
“If I had been faster in cutting off your father’s assets, you wouldn’t all have to hide here on Christmas. This is my contribution and an apology.”
“No, it was a mess from the start. I should’ve been more open with you. If you’d trusted me more quickly, none of this would’ve happened.” He paused and then smiled. “And after all, I’m happy this happened. This has been a blessing in disguise, and I wouldn’t have missed it. With you.”
This time, she was the one who initiated the kiss, and it seared a path from his lips to his heart, almost scaring him in its intensity. He could warm up by the fire of her kindness, but he had to remember that she was probably returning to her life at the convent, becoming a nun for good this time, once this was over.
Laughter and footsteps came from the corridor, so he ended the connection with one last kiss on her forehead.
However, she didn’t move from his lap, even as the group returned to the living room. Nobody said anything, but he knew his brothers too well. They noticed everything.
As soon as the tray loaded with everything for preparing the treats was spread, Kai and Sam were put in charge of making the s’mores.
Ted was the very first recipient, and as soon as the little boy had the hot, gooey delight in his hand, Liam was certain he’d shove the entire thing in his mouth, but instead, he went to the other end of the room. Carefully, he took Lazarus’ hand on the armrest and turned it upward before putting his treat in it.
Sasha smiled at the little boy, coming to his side. “I’m sure Lazarus would love it, but he can’t eat right now. Not like this. But when he wakes up, you can make him one. Is that okay with you?”
The little boys seemed to hesitate, and naturally, Catriona went to him, crouching at his level. “Ted, darling, let Lazarus rest. Sasha is right. And I promise too, you can feed him all the chocolate you want.”
The boy didn’t seem happy about and pouted a little but took his s’more back and instead offered it to Catriona.
