Page 236 of Screwged for Christmas

Damon finished his plate and pushed it to the side as Zahara settled a cup of coffee in front of him and grabbed one for herself.

“There’s something you need to know about Ivy and me. We didn’t grow up in a family like you did. Where mom and dad were there for us when we fell flat on our faces or when we scored good grades. No one to cheer us on and support us. We had four walls most of our lives and at least one good meal a day. But that was the silver lining.”

“Son of a bitch.” Damon fisted his hand and bit back the stronger string of curses he wanted to let loose. “How much fucking worse did it get?” He really didn’t want to hear this. If anyone had hurt her, he’d hunt them down and make them fear the simple act of drawing breath.

“What really killed my little sister inside were when people, moms and dads, walked into the orphanage with the nuns and looked at all of all the kids playing or studying or whatever we were doing at the time. They were not supposed to let us know they were looking to see which of us would fit into their lives the best, but this was a small place and the nuns didn’t really follow all the rules. I can’t tell you how many people would pass over us like puppies in a pound or worse, trash.” Zahara paused and he could see the past weigh on her as she fiddled with the new wedding band around her ring finger. “The nuns loved us in their own way, and Ivy and I even managed to get adopted by a family.” She looked up and offered a small smile.

“Before you and your sister came to Savage Ridge I never thought much of fate really. Now it’s grabbed me by the balls and well, here I am. So what happened with the family who adopted you?” The more he heard about their time the more he might be able to decipher how to help Ivy.

“The wife was a sweet lady, but when her husband fell ill and lost his job they couldn’t care for us anymore so, back we went. It really hurt Ivy, too. She took a real liking to the lady. A year later I turned eighteen and took my sister out but not before all the rejection messed with her head.”

“There was more than one family I take it.”

She nodded but didn’t give him any more. He thoughthewas a clam. “She said something about your mom. What happened to your parents?”

He watched her for the slightest clue to the answers he needed, but she gave none away as she contemplated her thoughts before answering. “She should be the one to tell you all this, not me. We share the past, but I don’t know. It seems like it all should come from her.”

“We slept together tonight, Zahara. I’ve claimed her in ways I never thought possible for a man and I’m not entirely talking sexually. She’s left me wondering about Christmas miracles and soul mates. Hell, not even that. She has me knowing they all exist.” He didn’t mean to blurt it out but it tumbled over the tip of his tongue and dropped like an atomic bomb in the middle of his lap.

Zahara cupped both of her hands of her mouth. “And she’s wanting to run.”

He nodded. “Now I see why. She’s afraid I’ll leave her high and dry like all those other assholes in her past.”

His hand went to the back of his neck as a wave of heat consumed the entire circumference of his neck. He stretched at the neck of his shirt but it didn’t help. “Anything else you can tell me might help me break through this wall she’s erected against anyone who wants to get close. Do you know who your parents were?”

“Dad was a workaholic and left to work here of all places. Not Savage Ridge, but Alaska back when they installed the pipeline. Mom couldn’t take care of two kids on her own when he left and her recreational fling with narcotics became a lifelong passion until she took one pill too many. I found her one morning dead and Dad might as well be dead. His last trip out he never came back.”

“Some people do not deserve to have kids.”

Perched on the end of her stool, Zahara looked at her plump belly, and the sudden urge to see Ivy with his child sucker-punched him in the gut and nearly blew him off his own stool.

“There’s something you need to understand about Ivy, Damon. She’s fiercely independent and fears looking weak or in need. It took me months just to get her here and only the news of the babies got her moving.” She clasped his hands between hers. “I know she’s dropped out from her classes, but I’m not all that sure if that’s what is bothering her. Or if she’s done wanting to be a doctor. But she won’t talk to me. I think she believes her problems would be a burden with the little ones on the way. I’m worried. She’s keeping something pent up inside and I think you might be the only one to help her. Honestly, I’m afraid she’s going to pull away entirely. I can sense it.”

“You would be right.”

A cold blast of air rushed through the open door as Holden and Riley pushed it open with their feet, their arms laden with a variety of ice creams and toppings in several different bags. Holden kicked off the snow as Riley rushed in behind him. The cold didn’t really bother them but they were more worried about their woman getting cold with the door wide open, as he would be for Ivy. “We didn’t know what you wanted so we got everything.”

“More like we didn’t want to mistake what the next craving would be so we got everything and then some,” Riley corrected Holden.

“That too,” he admitted with a laugh.

Damon shoved aside his personal problems for a moment and helped unload the bags from their arms so they could brush off the powdery snow before wetting the floor.

“Hey, man, thanks. What’s brought you by?”

“Can’t a brother come over and keep a sister company?”

“Sure, especially if you bring those little pies you make.”

“Check,” Zahara offered like she’d won the lottery. “Didn’t let him through the door without them.” Holden walked over to Zahara and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

“Glad to know you guys have your priorities all lined up. I also had the head baker place in a few other things. New breads and pastries I’m trying out.”

Armed with a little more information than what he began the night with, Damon clasped hands with Riley and then Holden before giving his sister-in-law a hug. “Thank you. You take care of my little nieces or nephews. I’m already working on a special little something down at the bakery in their honor.”

Zahara beamed up at him, and his heart lightened a fraction at seeing her smile return.

“Are you not staying, bro? What’s the rush?”

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