Angel chuckled. “I hope we didn’t wake them.”
“Yeah, you did,” Chloe said, raising her voice to be loud enough. “So gross. Why can’t you guys hate each other like normal parents?”
“Go back to bed,” Lash said. “Don’t make me come out there.”
“So gross,” Chloe said.
They burst out laughing as they heard their daughter go back to bed.
“We’re not normal parents,” Angel said.
“Clearly not. I can’t get enough of my wife. I’ve never been able to have my fill of her, and that is never going to change.”
****
Lash stared at the arriving guests. As always, Devil was the first to arrive. He climbed out of his car and immediately went to Lexie’s side. It had been a couple of years since Lexie had survived breast cancer, but Lash understood the man’s concern.
Lexie swatted at Devil and went toward the back while urging him forward.
“I have to say, I was surprised to get the invite,” Devil said.
“I don’t know why. We’ve hosted Christmas many times before.”
“Yeah, exactly, and you hated it, so I’m guessing this is all Angel’s idea.”
Lash stared at the man.
Devil laughed and held out his hand. Lash took it, and then they each pulled one another in for a hug. Slapping him on the back, Lash was actually fond of Devil. The man was a good father, an amazing prez, and an even better ally to have in a crisis.
“Thanks for inviting us,” Devil said.
“It’s going to be a pleasure to have you all. As usual, you guys can opt to stay here or to take up the spare rooms at Tiny and Eva’s,” Lash said.
“We’ll head to Tiny and Eva’s. That will give Tabby, Simon, and their little group to stay here and to catch up with the others.”
As if on cue, Simon arrived.
Daisy had been working alongside Angel in the kitchen and was already outside waiting.
The moment Tabitha climbed out of the car, Daisy was there, throwing herself at Tabitha, who held her friend tightly against her.
“I figured Tabitha had been missed,” Devil said.
Miles was next, as were Eva and Tiny, and her little brother Luke.
Lash knew it wouldn’t be long before a couple of other visitors would appear. The kids who were attempting to make a play at being prospects in his clubhouse. The kids who hung around with Tabitha and the others.
Angel stepped out of the kitchen and immediately went to Lexie.
Along with Lexie, Phoebe, Judi, Mia, and Jessica had arrived. There men didn’t stop them as they rushed toward Angel. Lash watched his woman as she was embraced by the Chaos Bleeds women. They were all laughing, hugging, and just being friends.
Natalie arrived, and she held a book, which he imagined was full of fashion designs, seeing as she was one of the lead designers at Lexie’s clothing shop back in Piston County.
“It never seems to get old, does it?” Ripper said, coming in for a handshake.
He shook Curse’s, Butler’s, Dick’s, and Slash’s hands as they came toward him. Each of them slapped him on the back as they did so.
Lash hadn’t been looking forward to this. There were a lot of them all together. He couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive. He always did, but he never told anyone how he felt. This often came because of how they had been attacked. So much death had occurred when they were all together.