Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Like the adults, they didn’t give a shit about the gift exchange. They already knew how awful some of the gifts could be. Especially when everyone who actually purchased them tried to outdo everyone else by buying the lamest, most embarrassing gift possible. A good reason for Axel Jamison to keep the adult gift exchange for much later in the evening.
The fun of it was in the absurdity. And it was even better once they all had a few drinks in them.
The activity in the room came to a screeching halt when Monty appeared from the back hallway, announcing loudly, “Sorry we’re late!”
Sorry we’re late?
All eyes turned to see that the only female member of the BAMC was not alone. Those same wide eyes connected around the room, communicating in very loud but silent messages.
Basically that message was What the fuck?
“I had an early shift,” she continued like she hadn’t just dropped a damn bomb in the middle of their Christmas celebration.
Sloane leaned into him and whispered, “Who’s that?”
“That’s Monty. She’s also a Blue Avenger. I’ll introduce you once the mushroom cloud from that unexpected explosion dissipates.”
“What?”
He shook his head. Decker scanned the man holding Monty’s hand from head to foot. Unlike the rest of them, he wore neatly pressed navy dress pants and a light blue button-down collared shirt—without a wrinkle or stain to be seen—under a well-fitted dark navy blazer.
Sweet baby Jesus, Decker couldn’t forget the freshly-shined loafers that completed the outfit.
What the actual fuck?
He glanced over at Rez ready to catch flies with his gaping mouth. Decker elbowed him and his trap snapped shut. The club’s sergeant at arms bugged his eyes out at Decker and he simply shrugged in response since he was just as lost as the rest of them.
“Why do all you guys look shell-shocked? Who’s that with her?” Sloane whispered.
“No fucking clue,” Decker murmured back.
“Is there something wrong with the guy she’s with?”
His eyebrows pinched together. “No… Just…” He shook his head. “No. There’s nothing… wrong.” It was a damn struggle not to bust on the guy.
But it was Christmas. A time to be “merry and bright.” The ball-busting on the new guy could wait until the new year.
Even so, Monty had never brought a man around them. Not once in all the years they’d known her.
But, seriously, this was the one she decided to break the seal with?
She had to be punking them.
Jamison’s reset button must have been pushed by his wife Bella because suddenly he became animated again. He clapped his hands, trying to gather everyone’s attention. “Okay, all kids need to gather at the Christmas tree…”
“Do you know him?” Sloane asked.
“Can’t say we do.”
“Aww. Then she found herself a new boyfriend, right?” Sloane asked. “We should be happy for her.”
“Uh huh.”
“So, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.” Rez narrowed his eyes and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Who’s the nerd?”
Monty’s guy had no idea how tonight would go for him. Maybe someone should warn him.
Or they could let it all play out.
If he couldn’t hack being around them, then now was the time to find that out. While the relationship was new and before they got serious.
“I’m sure we’ll find out any minute now,” Decker answered.
“This has to be a prank,” Crew said when he stepped up behind them. “Right? She’s fucking with us.”
Monty and her male guest were now turned toward each other and she was straightening his pink bowtie.
Straightening his fucking bowtie. The man had some balls to show up wearing a bowtie.
Balls they would have a blast breaking.
“Why would she do this to him? You think he has any idea what he just walked into?” Crew asked on a laugh. Even though he hadn’t rubbed his hands together like Rez, he might as well have.
“If he doesn’t, he will soon,” Decker murmured, as Monty and her new man began circulating the room as she introduced him to everyone.
“Do you think we should behave to give him a false sense of security?” Rez asked. “Or should we break him in from the get-go?”
“I think from the get-go,” Crew answered. “No point in letting their relationship drag out if he can’t hack it.”
Sloane stepped in front of Decker to face him. “Do I need to get out the spray bottle like I do with Finn?”
“Just for future reference, Heat Miser only likes baby oil sprayed on him,” Crew said, “so he’s all shiny when he strips.”
“Finn the cat,” Sloane clarified before glancing over her shoulder to the redhead now talking with Monty and her new man, who might not last the night. Maybe they should make bets on how long he’d last. “Finn’s a stripper?”
“He went undercover at The Peach Pit,” Decker explained quickly. “That’s how he met Mel.”
Recently, Rez had been hanging out at The Peach Pit, stalking the club to see if T-Bone would pop up there again like the infected and inflamed boil the prospect was. Unfortunately, after picking up Sadie from the hospital, T-Bone seemed to have vanished into thin air. Most likely because he knew he had a target on his back. But Decker hadn’t given up on finding that fucker.