Paxton finished his beer and slammed the bottle on the table, laughing. “I think I’ll give that bastard a call and see if he’s up for it.” But then, he sent a warning glare to us. “Just do me a favor and don’t mention this to anyone yet. I’m sure a certain someone will have something to say about it.”
Braden snorted. “Got that right. Mom will shit a brick.”
Paxton shrugged and winked over at me. “Eh, it’ll be fun. I may be in my fifties, but I can still kick some ass.” Braden and I both knew it too. I’d been in the ring plenty of times training with him. Paxton glanced at me and then over to Braden. “Now that we’re away from the girls, I think it’s time you boys were straight with me. I’ve been meaning to ask this for a long time.”
Braden side-eyed me, and I did the same to him. I had a feeling I knew where this conversation was headed.
“Straight about what?” Braden asked.
Paxton sighed. “I’ve kept quiet for a while, but I started to notice odd things with you boys.”
I laughed, hoping to throw him off, and Braden joined in. “Like what?” I replied.
Paxton’s gaze narrowed, almost as if he could see right through us. “Like the fact that both of you, along with Carter, Ripp, Kase, and Hunter all have the same dragon tattoo on your backs. I’ve been trying to figure out where I’ve seen it before, and it hit me about a month ago. I just didn’t want to believe it was true.”
Braden blew out a heavy breath. “Believe what?”
Paxton leaned forward on his elbows, his hardened stare trained on us. There was a time when he fought at the Dark Side along with Braden’s mother. They had to do it to survive, just like Braden and my sister had to do just a couple of months ago. Paxton, however, had killed people when he fought; he was known as the Reaper. He even had the skull tattoo as his brand, just like Braden and I had the dragon.
“I have no doubt things have changed in the last thirty years,” Paxton said, “and I can only assume it’s gotten worse. You don’t have to give me the details, but I want to ensure you’re okay.”
Braden and I stared at each other, and we both nodded. “We’re fine,” Braden spoke up. “At least, for now.”
Paxton nodded and I could see the muscles in his jaw tense. “You’re in trouble because of me, aren’t you?”
It wasn’t just him but everyone else in our circle, including my parents. We kept the secrets to keep them all safe.
“We’re handling it,” I said. “We haven’t failed yet. We don’t want to get you and everyone else involved.”
Braden huffed. “Exactly. We got this.”
Shaking his head, Paxton fisted his hands on the table. “I should’ve known the past would bite me in the ass.” He reached out and grabbed Braden’s wrist. “Let me help you. We can take the fuckers down like me and the others did all those years ago.”
Braden shook his head. “No, we got this.”
He turned to me, and I nodded in agreement. “We promise,” I said.
By the troubled look on Paxton’s face, I had a feeling that one way or another, he’d find himself back in the middle of it all. The last thing I wanted was for our parents to be in danger. But, on the other hand, I knew my time with Nikolai Michelson would be coming soon.
The side door to the garage opened and Reagan came in, arm linked with Peyton. “Are you guys going to stay out here all night?” Reagan chided. “It’s Christmas.”
Braden stood and strolled over to them. “Hey, we don’t want to be stuck watching your lame-ass Christmas movies.”
Reagan crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you really want to do this right now? Who was the one watchingA Knight Before Christmaswith me last night?”
“Whoa, nice one,” I called out. “You’re never gonna live that one down, brother.”
Paxton snickered under his breath. “That sister of yours is a spitfire. Braden needed someone like that.” I couldn’t agree more. I looked over at Peyton, whose eyes lit up as she watched Reagan and Braden banter back and forth. Paxton grabbed his beer and sighed. “We should probably join the ladies. It is Christmas, after all. If they want to watch something likeNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, I’m all up for it.”
Peyton walked over and gave him a side hug. “Hey, I’m good with that.” She let him go and walked next to me as we returned to the house. “Do you have to leave, or can you stay a little longer?” she asked, keeping her voice low. Everyone was behind us, and it took all I had not to wrap my arms around her waist and hold her close.
“I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Good,” she said, grinning wide. “You’re staying.”
When we got inside, Peyton’s mother was on the phone, pacing back and forth in front of the couch. From the concerned expression on her face, it looked as if something was wrong. Peyton walked over just as her mom ended the call.
“What’s wrong?” Peyton asked her. Everyone had gathered around, and she looked at us before fixating her gaze on Paxton.