of Betti.
“You’re pregnant?” Karis asked, clearly holding her breath.
“We found out this morning,” Heath supplied, giving his wife’s shoulder a squeeze.
Karis squealed and jumped out of her chair. Jolie rose, and the sisters met halfway for a heartfelt hug.
It was nice to know that good things still happened to good people. Cutter stuck out his hand to Heath. “Congrats, man.”
“Thanks. We’re beyond thrilled.”
Jolie nodded. “It’s the best week ever. Before the baby news, the TV promos of Shealyn West in my spring collection started airing.”
Cutter’s heart clutched but he kept his expression flat.
“Orders are already exploding. The press lauded the line. I simply had to hire a permanent head of security.” Jolie’s megawatt smile said that all her dreams were coming true. Then she glanced up at her husband as if he was her most treasured blessing.
“You made certain I couldn’t say no to that position—or any other—love,” Heath ribbed.
She blushed.
“That’s great,” Cutter told them. “Congratulations.”
“It helps that Shealyn West looks good in everything.”
She looks even better in absolutely nothing.
Cutter swallowed back the thought and gave Jolie a vague smile. “I’m really happy for you. For all of you.” He finished off the last of his beer and set it on the counter. “But I have to head back to Lafayette tonight, so I’m going to hit the road.”
Karis grabbed his arm. “If you leave, I’m the only other sad sack single in the place. Please . . .”
“You’re going to be fine, little gypsy.” He kissed her forehead.
Before he could make his getaway, the conversations fell to whispers, then died to a sudden hush. Cutter turned to the opening of the kitchen. His fingers curled into fists.
Who the fuck had invited One-Mile?
The guy clambered in wearing combat boots and a sneer. As usual, those dead dark eyes gave away nothing as he scanned the crowd. Their eyes met. Cutter felt the blast of hate from across the kitchen.
“Whoa,” Stone said under his breath.
As if sensing the rising tension, Logan’s wife grabbed Callie by the hand. Together, the two of them led the sniper to the far side of the room.
All the more reason to leave. If Cutter stayed, he’d want to avenge Brea. After all, he was going to marry her, and he didn’t think for an instant that Callie would forgive him for committing murder on her kitchen floor.
“I’ll catch you all later.” He nodded at everyone, then snagged Sean’s attention. “Thanks for everything. I had a great time.”
“Can you stay for three more minutes? Callie hosted this party for a reason.”
Cutter sighed. The woman had been nothing but gracious. Nearly everyone in this room had been. He could shelve his animosity for a bit. “Sure.”
As if sensing the sudden undercurrent in the room could get ugly fast, Callie rose and clinked a fork against her glass of champagne. Sean headed for his wife and flanked her left. Thorpe had already taken up residence at her right. Everyone gave her their attention, even Pierce the pus-bleeding asswipe.
“Thorpe, Sean, and I are so happy everyone could come for this holiday celebration with us. Some of you are actually family, but as you know, I was unfortunate enough to lose mine years ago. Same with Sean and Thorpe. We’ve made our own little family together. Most of you have married and done the same.” She laughed. “The sheer number of babies between all of us is crazy.”
“Twelve.” Thorpe shook his head. “With two more on the way. We need to figure out what’s causing that.”
“And do it again.” Sean winked.
Everyone laughed.
“Make that three more on the way,” Heath cut in, smoothing a hand down Jolie’s belly.
Well wishes resounded around the room before everyone turned back to Callie again.
“Clearly, we’re pretty good at expanding our family,” she teased, then sobered. “That’s what tonight is about. We’re not conventional and never have been. But we have big hearts, loyalty a mile wide, and love to spare. We’ve helped one another, shared joy, tears, good times and bad. Besides significant others, we’ve found our ‘people’ in this group. We’ve learned how to become each other’s brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors, best friends, confidantes . . . We’ve become a big, wonderful extended family. I couldn’t think of better people to make my way through life with.” She teared up. “And now I’m going to cry. Just know that you’re the family we’ve chosen. We love you as if you shared our blood. We wish you the very merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years.”
“Hear, hear!” Everyone raised their glasses and toasted the Mackenzie-Thorpe trio before hugs began all around.
Cutter found himself wrapped up in a soft, feminine hug or the recipient of a hearty slap on the back. The joy was contagious. He found himself smiling, sharing a moment, even opening a little of his shell.
Until he spied Pierce Walker across the room.
Heath grabbed his arm. “Let it go.”
Never. “Sure. Great to see you, man. Let’s get together soon.”
The Brit nodded but he clearly wasn’t fooled. “You have my number.”
If he wanted to talk? Nope. This was probably one situation that would only be solved with violence.
But Cutter kept that to himself. He shook Heath’s hand, hugged Jolie and Karis, brushed a kiss across Callie’s cheek, then headed for the door.
The sound of loud boots clomped behind him. “Hey, fucker! You’re not marrying Brea.”
Cutter ignored One-Mile’s spew of crap and slammed the door between them. Not for a second did he think this was over. But for the night he was determined to ignore the asshole and focus on the holiday spirit, along with the new, extended family he’d surprisingly been adopted into. He had a feeling all their experience, positive vibes, and love would help him through this trial—and anything else that gave him hell.
With that bit of unexpected reassurance, he climbed in his car and drove into the night . . .
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