Deadly Christmas (8 page)

“I’m going to be eating in a few minutes, Ally,” James warned. “Don’t make me sick.”

Jake ignored James. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“I don’t see why you’re angry,” Ally said. “I won. You should be giving me a standing ovation.”

“I’m not sure I see it that way,” Jake replied. “I keep picturing the horrible things that could have happened when you tasered him.”

“Like what?”

“Like the gun accidentally going off and an innocent person being shot,” Jake charged. “Did you think of that, Ally? If someone had been accidentally shot you could’ve gone to jail because of it – and that’s on top of the guilt you would feel and probably never get over.”

Ally’s smile slipped. “I guess I didn’t think about that.”

“You never do,” Jake said, reaching for his glass of water.

“Oh, well, come on,” James prodded. “Let her off the hook.”

Jake arched an eyebrow. “Seriously? You just spent two hours being mad at Mandy for not handing over jewelry.”

“And now I’m done with it,” James said. “Ally did what she thought was right in a tense situation. It worked out. There’s no reason to beat her up over it.”

Jake was dumbfounded. “Right there. You two are exactly alike. You’re secretly proud of what Ally did, aren’t you?”

James scowled. “I … she saved Mandy and herself. I’m not going to hold that against her.”

“This family gives me a migraine,” Jake grumbled.

“Don’t worry,” Ally said, perking back up. “I’ll make you feel better when we get home. I bought a special outfit today and everything.”

“And there went my appetite,” James muttered.

“Are you still angry?”

Ally found Jake sitting in the quiet living room about an hour after returning home. The television was off and he was focused on the snow as it fell on the other side of the bay window.

Jake opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. Finally, he patted the spot next to him on the couch. “Come here a second, angel.”

Ally stilled. “You’re not going to break up with me, are you?”

Jake rolled his neck, cracking it as he fixed her with an incredulous look. “Seriously?”

“You don’t look like you’re very fond of me at the present moment,” Ally said, her heart rate increasing. “I … .”

“Come here, Ally,” Jake ordered, sighing as the woman he loved more than anything pathetically shuffled over and sat down next to him. “Stop asking me if I’m going to break up with you. I don’t like it.”

“I can’t help it,” Ally admitted. “Sometimes you get these looks on your face and I just know you’re sitting there debating about whether or not I’m worth the work you keep having to put into me.”

“Yeah? Well, that shows how much you know,” Jake replied, tugging her closer to him and frowning when he felt her heart pounding. “Why are you so worked up?”

“I just told you.”

“Oh, Ally, this has to stop,” Jake said, grabbing her chin and forcing her gaze to him. “I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time – even before I admitted to myself that I felt that way. Even after I admitted it to myself, it took me forever to get up the courage to tell you.

“You’re my forever,” he continued. “I don’t see anyone else in my life. Ever! That means you can’t do something stupid and get hurt, Ally. That means you have to try and stay safe for me. I can’t lose you.”

For some reason Jake’s words calmed Ally. Mandy was right. She’d been freaking herself out when it was completely unnecessary. Jake loved her. She was certain of that. Everything else would happen when it was supposed to.

“I didn’t think about him accidentally shooting someone,” Ally said. “I didn’t really think at all. I knew I had the taser in my purse and that Mandy was refusing to give up her jewelry and I just reacted. I’m sorry.”

“Angel, I don’t need you to be sorry,” Jake said. “I need you to give a few moments of thought before you act occasionally, though. I don’t ever want anyone else in my life. You’re it for me. I know you don’t believe that sometimes.”

“I … .”

Jake shushed her. “You just told me that you think I’m debating if you’re worth keeping around,” he said. “Just for the record, I am never thinking about that. You’re worth every headache and potential heart attack. I still don’t want you hurt.”

“I didn’t … .”

“I know, angel,” Jake said, slipping his arm around Ally’s waist and pulling her on top of him as he reclined on the couch. “I don’t mean to upset you. I really don’t. Believe it or not, I was the calm one when we walked into the mall.”

“I believe that,” Ally said, resting her chin on his chest. “You’re always the calm one.”

“I told James that you two were a lot alike and he didn’t like it.”

“I don’t like it either,” Ally replied, making a face.

Jake snorted. She was too adorable for words sometimes. “You’re both passionate people, my Ally. You both fight for the people you love. I consider myself lucky to have you every moment of every day.”

“I love you, Jake,” Ally said, her voice barely a whisper. “Sometimes I look at you and the love I feel overwhelms me. That’s when I scare myself and let my mind wander to bad places. It’s like … it’s like I can’t imagine anyone loving me as much as I love you and I make myself crazy.”

“Well, then we’re both crazy,” Jake said, pushing her brown waves away from her face. “I never knew it was possible to love anything as much as I love you. I promise you a future together, Ally. Please, don’t let your head run away from you.”

“Mandy told me to let you do things on your own timetable,” Ally mused.

“Mandy is smarter than she looks sometimes,” Jake said, smirking. “I’m betting she and James have already made up. We’re going to be snowed in tomorrow, angel. I don’t suppose you’re ready to make up now so we can enjoy the whole day together tomorrow, are you?”

Ally grinned. “Are you ready to make me feel better?”

Jake tightened his arms around Ally’s waist. “I’m ready to make us both feel better,” he said. “Now come here and give me a kiss. I’m about to give you an early Christmas present.”

“IT’S REALLY
coming down out there,” Emma Pritchard said, her eyes serious as she rubbed her burgeoning stomach close to the window.

Finn moved up behind her, pushing her auburn hair away from her neck so he could kiss the soft flesh there. He loved the way she shuddered at his touch. “We’re perfectly safe here, sweetheart,” he teased. “I ran to the store and got everything your hormonal heart could possibly be craving in the next thirty-six hours.”

Emma’s smile was rueful when she turned to her fiancé. “Am I really that bad?”

“You wanted pickles and tomato juice when I left the apartment yesterday morning and were happily dipping chocolate in peanut butter and making faces about the pickles and tomato juice when I got back an hour later,” Finn said, grinning. “I happen to think your cravings are adorable.”

Emma ran her hand over Finn’s short-cropped hair. She loved how soft it was and how the close cut highlighted the angles in his face. “You take such good care of me.”

“I’m going to take really good care of you when we’re snowed in here together tomorrow,” Finn said, grasping Emma’s hand and leading her toward the couch. “Get comfortable and I’ll rub your feet.”

Ever since getting pregnant, Emma had learned a few hard lessons. The woman who never ate any extra calories – mostly because she was a model and had to maintain a certain look – now found herself always eating. Finn adored watching her sample things she rarely indulged in. He also found he was a fan of her expanding waistline and blossoming bosom. She hadn’t gained an ounce anywhere else. He was fascinated by her rounded stomach and couldn’t stop touching it.

Emma giggled as Finn rubbed her baby belly. “I’m going to be huge by the time the baby comes. I’ve already put on fifteen pounds.”

“You look beautiful,” Finn replied, not missing a beat. “You glow all the time. The fact that you’re always hot for me helps, too.”

Emma snorted. “I kind of like that part of my pregnancy, too,” she admitted, her cheeks coloring. “I … you don’t think it makes me perverted, do you?”

“Honey, if that’s perversion, sign me up,” Finn said, grinning. “Okay. Lean back and let me rub your feet.”

Emma wasn’t used to carrying extra weight around and her ankles were swelling on a regular basis. Finn tried to rub the weariness out of her feet at least once a day. He figured that she was carrying his child – giving it a safe place to rest until joining them – and the least he could do was make the woman he loved as comfortable as possible.

“I’m excited about Christmas this year,” Emma said, groaning as Finn hit a sensitive spot in her arch. “I just wish Jeff was going to be here. The warden says there’s no way he’ll be released before the spring.”

Jeff Pritchard, Emma’s brother, was doing five years in the state penitentiary after a botched robbery. Since he’d been trying to put food on the table for Emma and himself after being abandoned by their mother – and their child molester father was locked up for life – the judge was lenient. Emma was getting antsy about her brother’s imminent release.

“I hate to say it, but that’s probably better for us,” Finn said. “I know you want him with you for Christmas. I’m sorry for that. We’re getting a place set up for him once he gets out. Peter is helping us, but we need to make sure that the house has no ties to Peter’s financials.”

In addition to being Sophie Lane’s foster father, Peter Marconi was a recognizable figure in the Detroit mafia scene. He had an interesting code of ethics, and Hardy Brothers Security had worked with him on more than one occasion. That didn’t mean the state parole board would look kindly on Jeff living in a house owned by a mobster.

“I know,” Emma said. “It’s just … this is the first Christmas where I have a real home and someone to share it with. I want Jeff to be part of it.”

Finn stilled. “We were together last Christmas. Are you saying that didn’t count?”

Emma nervously clutched her hands. “By the time Christmas rolled around last year, we were only together about two weeks,” she reminded him. “It was a wonderful holiday, but I was still expecting you to walk away from me because of … everything.”

Lance Pritchard’s molestation atrocities didn’t skip his children. To them he was especially cruel. Emma’s self-worth was tied up in her father’s actions for years. Finn was still trying to prove that he would love her no matter what. Part of him wished she would agree to get married before the baby was born so she wouldn’t always be so nervous. She didn’t want to be “fat” when she finally married the man of her dreams, though, and after constant admonishments from Mandy and Ally to let her decide, he dropped the subject. They were engaged. The wedding would happen when Emma was ready for it to happen.

“I wish you would have told me that then,” Finn said. “It doesn’t matter now, though. This is going to be the best Christmas ever. I promise.”

“I have a feeling your family is going nuts shopping for the baby,” Emma said.

“What makes you think that?”

“I hear them whispering and they act like they’re not talking about me when I walk into a room. It’s going to be a whole Christmas full of baby stuff. That’s going to be exciting, isn’t it?”

“I guess,” Finn said, smirking. “I just keep picturing having to put all of that stuff together.”

“You’re going to have to do that every Christmas once the baby comes,” Emma reminded him. “Toys need to be put together, too.”

“I never thought of that,” Finn said, switching to Emma’s other foot. “I have a feeling you’re right about the gifts, though. Whatever they bought, I think it’s big. We’re going to have a full apartment of baby stuff.”

“Don’t worry, I bought gifts for you,” Emma teased. “Daddy needs to be spoiled, too.”

Finn stilled, something dreadful occurring to him. He racked his brain as he mentally went over the list of things he’d bought Emma for Christmas. His stomach sank as he realized every single item had to do with the baby. Not one thing was for her alone. Crap!

“This is kind of an interesting Christmas,” Emma said, obviously missing Finn’s internal panic. “It’s our last one with just the two of us. This will be the last time we can focus just on each other. Next year we’re going to have a baby – and he or she is going to be big enough to actually enjoy some of what’s going on.”

“Yeah,” Finn said, forcing a smile. “This is going to be a special Christmas for us, sweetie.” Finn glanced at the calendar on the kitchen wall. He had a limited amount of shopping days in front of him. “Do you know what I think we should do?”

“What?”

“I think we should take a bath,” Finn said, squeezing Emma’s feet. “It’s cold out and you love a hot bath. After that, we can have some hot chocolate and cuddle up on the couch and watch Christmas movies.”

“And after that we can play some fun games in the bedroom,” Emma suggested.

“Definitely,” Finn agreed.

“Cool,” Emma said, swinging her legs off of Finn’s lap. “I’m going to start the bath. Do you want bubbles?”

“Always,” Finn said, reaching for his phone. “I’m just going to call James and check in really quickly. No one should be here tomorrow. We might be able to move our … activities … down to the main floor if you’re feeling adventurous.”

“You just want to do it on the pool table again,” Emma teased.

“I’m a man of limited interests,” Finn said, smiling as he watched her walk toward the bathroom. “I’ll be right there.”

MANDY’S
face was red from exertion as James wrestled her to the couch and tugged on her pants. “I thought you were still angry with me.”

“I’m over being angry,” James growled, grabbing the button of her pants with his teeth. “We’re going to be stuck here all day tomorrow, my little snow bunny. I have big plans – and we’re starting them tonight.”

Mandy giggled. “I … .” She frowned when the sound of James’ cell phone ringing cut her off.

“Hold that thought,” James warned, reaching for the phone. “Hello?”

“You sound distracted,” Finn said.

“I was about to play a game with my wife,” James said, fighting to tamp down his irritation. “What do you need? Is Emma okay?”

“She’s fine. She’s getting a bath ready. Um … can I talk to Mandy for a second?”

James stilled. “Why?”

“It’s a female Christmas thing and I need a woman to talk to,” Finn admitted. “I … I think I might have screwed up.”

“She’s right here,” James said, wordlessly handing over the phone.

Mandy took it, confused. “Finn?”

“I did a bad thing,” Finn said. “I … every single thing I bought Emma for Christmas has to do with the baby.”

“Oh, no,” Mandy said, wrinkling her nose. “Well, you realized it before it’s too late. You can still buy presents. There’s no reason to freak out.”