Prologue

Ma

These past few years have been more eventful than any before.

I’ve lost my husband, a man I was married to for over forty years, a man dedicated to his family and the organization. To me.

My sons have found the women they love, and now I have a brood of grandchildren, an ever-growing family. And it’s only expanding further.

I thank my lucky stars every morning I’m able to get out of bed and see my boys become the men they were always destined to be.

The incredible way in which they’re carving out their children’s and grandchildren’s futures. The next generation of Mafia.

As we pull into the boys’ estate, I smile to myself. This really is an O’Connell family compound.

Each of their homes are covered in Christmas lights—Con’s being the most elaborate; no doubt he’s paid a ridiculous amount of money for a designer. While Cal has clearly tried to do it himself, the head of the light-up reindeer is missing, and I chuckle, wondering if Cal lost his temper with it or if Prince and Keen have been using it as target practice.

The car pulls to a stop outside Con’s house, and my body warms with the love that gathering our families during the holidays always brings.

It will be a very O’Connell Christmas.

ChapterOne

Cal

All I wanted for Christmas was to spend it with Lily, Reece, and Chloe. Instead, my son has disappeared with his own family to go on vacation at my mortal enemy’s home, and my wife has insisted we all pack up and stay at Con’s mega mansion next door. Next. Fucking. Door!

I stuff another gift into the suitcase with a huff.

“You know, you can just run back and grab the gifts after the kids have gone to bed, right?” I turn my head over my shoulder to face Lily. She stands in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest and a fleeting smile on her pretty face. God, she’s stunning.

“I’m leaving Chloe’s gifts here. I’m just taking yours.”

She nibbles on her lip. “Oh. I thought we agreed on not getting each other gifts this year.”

I spin to face her. “We did. Did you not get me anything?”

Her eyes narrow, then she breathes out a rush of air. “Cal. I didn’t buy you a gift, exactly. No.”

“But you got me something?” I raise an eyebrow, my heart racing as I trail my gaze down her luscious body. “My ma will be there all weekend,” I add, even though she knows this already.

Her tongue pokes out, and she licks her top lip, and my cock springs to life in my joggers.

Merry fucking Christmas to me.

I drop the gift and stride toward my wife, and her face flushes on my approach. Yeah, she knows what’s coming—me.

Grabbing her arms, I pin them above her head with one hand and delight in the air whooshing out of her luscious lips and her pupils dilating with the same need I feel. Her breathing turns heavy as I stare into her eyes before smashing my mouth against hers with such force she nips at my tongue. The sting only heightens my desperation for her further. My cock throbs as I use my free hand to unbuckle my pants, and I revel in her whimper when I grind against her. Fuck yes! She’s going to get it so damn good.

“Daddyyy, I want a new Barbie with blue hair not yellow!” Chloe pushes past the door, and I jolt away from Lily at warp speed. My shoulders sag and my cock deflates as I turn my back to our daughter and quickly buckle my pants.

“Daddy, did you hear me? I want a Barbie with blue hair!”

I spin around to face her while trying to regulate my breathing. Her eyes drill into mine, and her lip sticks out in a pout. It’s borderline adorable if it wasn’t so fucking frustrating.

Great! Now she wants a fucking Smurf-like Barbie. Fan-fucking-tastic.

“I want one from Santa.” She stomps her boot-clad foot on my toe.