Page 23 of Apricity (Devil Dogs of the Apocalypse)

Alessandra

Three weeks later…

“Come on, Hawk, it’s freezing out here! Can I please come inside, now?”

“Five more minutes, sweetheart! Almost done!”

I turn to look at Jax behind me, but it’s useless. I can’t see a damn thing. His big, meaty hands are covering my eyes and half my face in an attempt to keep whatever Hawk is doing inside a complete secret from me.

When I asked Hawk why I couldn’t stay inside where it was warm while he did whatever it is he’s doing, he threw his arms up in a tizzy spouting some nonsense like, “There’ll be no surprise if you’re all up in the middle of it!”

It' s been two hours and, although the snow dancing around us is absolutely breathtaking, my toes are about to fall off from being so numb. Jax distracted me for the first hour and a half by checking the traps again. We managed to get a few squirrels and, by sheer luck, managed to bag a turkey on the way back. It was a pleasant surprise but now he says he needs to teach me how to pluck a fowl. With my limbs on the verge of abandoning the rest of my body, I’m not entirely sure now is a good time to do so.

Frost bite and hypothermia are serious medical conditions people! Fucking freezing out here!

I wonder if people ever lost their boobs to frost bite…

I gasp at my inner thought. “Not the titties!” I yell as my hands lift of their own accord, forming a protective barrier over them in my feeble attempt to prevent frosty-titty-bite.

Jax, obviously sensing my fear of de-booby-fication, presses closer to me, lending me his heat and I’m more than happy to take it from him.

He’s huge and has plenty of warmth to spare for little ol’ me.

I feel his steamy breath on my neck and crane my head back just as he whispers.

“It’ll be worth it. I promise. We’ve all been working on this for weeks without you knowing about it and we’re not about to let you see it before everything’s absolutely perfect for the unveiling. ”

How in the hell have they been working on something for weeks without my knowledge of it?

Have they been hiding in the bathroom pretending they’re pooping while they’re actually concocting crazy schemes?

We’re always together! Always! The impossibility of such undercover-ops makes my imagination run wild with what they have planned.

Thankfully, I hear the door to the cabin open.

“Alright, beautiful. It’s time.”

Jax keeps his hands over my eyes as all three of them lead me back into the bug-out-bungalow. I smell something sweet on the air but can’t sense anything else as they position me somewhere in the middle of the room. Hawk and Cole each take one of my hands just before Jax lowers his to my shoulders.

“Open your eyes, baby doll.”

Slowly, I open them and both my heart and breath stop instantly at what I see.

Sadie sits in front of me, cute as a button wearing a Santa hat with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, and against the wall, in between the wood burning stove and the kitchenette area, is a Christmas tree just about a foot taller than me.

It’s not huge but it doesn’t need to be.

It’s absolutely perfect for our simple home.

The tallest part holds a star made of sticks that seem to be glued together, forming the shape.

More of these woodland stars cover the tree’s entirety, along with popcorn garland and pine cones that have been painted white.

Vintage glass bells and large glow sticks scattered amongst the branches project multi-colored lights throughout the room, completing the overall look.

Unable to keep still, I spin around, slowly taking in the rest of the room.

The woodburning stove is lit and full, the flames adding the perfect ambiance to the small space.

There’s natural pine garland draped over every flat surface available and my jaw drops at what’s been carefully laid out on the counter.

“Is that… did you guys make sugar cookies? And gingerbread men?” I turn back to the guys, awestruck that they were able to do all of this with what little we have.

“Yes ma’am. And actually, those are gingerbread us ,” Hawk corrects, pointing between the three of them before they all come to stand next to me.

“See this big burly one with the angry eyebrow frosting? That’s Jax.

Obviously.” Jax grunts out a cough next to me as he looks sheepishly at the ground.

I know he took the time to lead the creation of these delicacies and deserves to know my appreciation.

Lifting up on my toes, I pull his hulking frame down to me and kiss his cheek, smiling when his own lips perk up at the gesture.

Hawk points to another one. “And this one? With the big ass third appendage between his legs. Totally me.” He smirks but loses his swagger as Cole steps up.

“Um, actually that one’s a replica of me.

You’re this one over here.” Cole points to the gingerbread man whose arms are raised above its head, his hip cocked out to the side and who, instead of eyes, has two pink hearts and a comically large smile.

Hawk purses his lips to the side before pointing back to the rather well-endowed cookie.

“You sure I’m not this one?” he asks while wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

“Each of you is delicious in your own appetizing ways.” I wink and smile, unable to contain my joy at everything they managed to do to bring this all together. I lift up onto my toes and plant a kiss on Hawk’s lips. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, sweetness.”

I turn and get lifted into Cole’s arms, giving him a kiss as well.

After a few seconds, he sets me back down, allowing me to enjoy all of their hard work.

It’s amazing, unbelievable really, but absolutely perfect.

I stop myself, however, when I realize one horrific detail.

“I don’t have anything for you guys. Nothing.

I didn’t realize. I didn’t know. I could ha—”

Jax stops me mid-ramble, shaking his head as the three of them surrounding me with a collective embrace. “Don’t think like that. You’ve given us everything we could have ever wanted, baby.”

“You complete us. In every way imaginable. There’s no greater gift, pretty girl,” Cole adds.

Hawk brackets my face in his gentle hands, pulling my gaze to his.

“You’ve given us back our lives, sweetheart.

Given us meaning. Purpose. Love. An overwhelming amount of love.

Who are we but three knuckleheads that just so happened to survive the end of the world and win the lottery when you rolled into town?

You’ve made us the luckiest guys in the world. Best gift ever, if I do say so myself.”

I smile as they each kiss me again, even as tears cascade down my cheeks, my emotions overfilling with an abundance of love and affection. Hawk wipes them away with his thumbs as he smiles back. Then, he leans in, kisses my temple and whispers, “Merry Christmas, sweets.”