Page 44 of Idaho

Butcher looked at her like she was insane. "You want us to hang Christmas lights outside, on the clubhouse?"

Jenny nodded.

"But...it's a clubhouse," Toxic added.

"It's the place you're insisting we live for now," Susie pointed out. "And we have kids here who expect some Christmas joy."

"Isn't Christmas joy a bottle of whiskey and a hooke-" Toxic broke off with a grunt when Hellfire elbowed him in the stomach.

I stared at them with wide eyes. It was fast becoming my usual look around these men. They were crude, and violent, and...honest. They held nothing back. I kind of enjoyed them. Everything was so different from back home, but they all made me feel incredibly welcomed.

"Don't worry," Jordan whispered, "I'm sure he's never actually used a hooker."

Gwen snorted, replying softly so the kids wouldn't over hear, "Like he'd ever have to pay."

"Not with the way the women flock to him," Daisha snickered.

Most of us were sitting on the floor next to the boxes, forming a wide circle as we laid everything out that we needed. Kit started passing out egg nog a bit ago and it wasn't hard to see that some of them already had a buzz going on. Brittney had Tori's son on her lap and they were untangling a string of lights. He was doing his best to help, but kept making more knots. Brittney didn't seem to mind, she just patiently loosened all his 'progress'.

My heart lurched in my chest. I wanted so badly to be married and have babies running around while my husband and I decorated our home for Christmas. My two oldest sisters were married, but me and my younger sister had yet to find anyone. I was almost thirty years old and I was worried I was running out of time. It just seemed like the only men ever interested in me were con men looking to gain the family name for the title and wealth it would bring. Not for me.

Someone tapped my shoulder and I looked up and smiled at Caitlyn. She was a very quiet little girl, but oh so sweet. Without a word, she crawled into my lap, making herself comfortable. I glanced up and found Jenny watching us with a soft smile. Wrapping my arms around the little girl, I gave her a squeeze. "You remind me a lot of my brother," I told her.

"What's his name?" she asked softly as she picked up some tinsel and ran it through her fingers.

"Charles, but we call him Charlie."

She grinned over her shoulder at me, then went back to watching the men set up the tree. My mouth dropped open when, as soon as the tree was standing on its own, Taylor and Gabby went barreling into Toxic with ferocious yells. They each hit the backs of the man's knees and sent him crumpling to the ground as his legs gave out.

"Shit!"

Laughter filled the room, Hellfire's booming above everyone's. "They got you, fucker."

The girls were giggling and hitting Toxic everywhere they could reach as they clambered over him.

"Jesus. You're turning my kids into vicious little monsters." Priest said as he walked up and watched as two of his girls whaled on Toxic.

"Need them to be able-" he broke off with a grunt as Taylor landed a blow in the gut. "To take care of themselves," he wheezed.

The rest of the men were standing behind Priest, but only he was shaking his head. "They're girls, I'm supposed to make them into ladies, or some shit." That was muttered low enough I didn't think any of the girls heard. "I really pity the kid that tries to ask them to prom."

"A little help?" Toxic called out.

Butcher walked over and grabbed both girls by the back of their jeans, lifting them into the air, and carrying them like suitcases. More laughter sounded and I couldn't help but smile. This was a family. They may not all be blood related, but they loved each other. Glancing over, I caught Idaho's gaze.

The corner of his lips tipped up in a smile that was more of a smirk. He had his elbow resting on Lockout's shoulder while they stood and watched the chaos. Lockout didn't look thrilled, but he wasn't shoving his brother off him either. I'd only been here for about twenty-four hours, but I already picked up on the tension between the two. It made me curious, but I promised myself earlier that I was going to keep my distance from the sexy biker.

My cheeks heated as the memory of him with his hand wrapped around himself came to mind. I broke eye contact, and though I refused to look, I knew he was laughing at me. It was impossible to be this attracted to someone this quickly...wasn't it? I wasn't sure what was wrong with me. I'd never kissed a man the way I had him. One touch of his lips and I melted for him. I'd been tugging him closer, kissing him back, at one point I'd even sucked on his tongue. It was so overwhelming, and I didn't know what to do. So, I opted to keep my distance. That should be easy enough.

The only men I ever met—was allowed to meet—were, as these guys would put it, prim and proper. None of them had that feral, savage interior that Idaho had. There was a real monster there.

"The women want these lights up," Butcher told Lockout, holding up a strand that was a gnarled mess. It was clear by the look on his face he was hoping Lock would say no.

"Sure. Why not?" Lockout replied, with a grin. "But not like that, make sure they're straight."

Butcher sighed, then sat down on the floor and dragged the boxes over. Toxic, Mel, and Dash joined him. Hush moved over and kissed his wife on top of her head before he took his now crying son from Jo. The baby settled down in his father's arms and I watched as the stern man's features softened as he stared down at his son.

I wanted that. Not Hush, specifically. But a man who was strong and proud, but went completely soft for his child. For my child. Sighing, I focused back on Caitlyn and the ornaments once more.