Page 113 of Ice Cold Christmas

His heart began to beat faster. A glance at the clock on the bedside showed it was only four thirty. He’d woken early. Excited. Happy. Like a freaking kid.

But…

No Melody.

The unease inside of him grew stronger. He hit the switch on the wall, and illumination flooded through the bedroom. “Melody!” He hadn’t meant to shout. Had he?

He found himself racing out of the room. They’d fallen asleep in his bed. She’d been in his arms, and now she was just gone. His heart heaved in his chest, and fear bloomed because he’d just gotten her back.

He’d— “Melody!” He ran toward the front door.

“In here.” Soft.

From the den.

He stopped mid-run. Breath heaving, he spun toward the den. His feet pounded over the floor as he rushed to find her. Victor had a desperate need to see Melody.

And he did see her. As soon as he entered the den, soft lights from the Christmas tree spilled onto her. Melody wore a red robe. Red was her favorite color, after all. She had on reindeer slippers. He’d given those her, a present she’d opened last night. Slippers that had been wrapped and waiting for over a year.

Melody stood near the stockings. His stocking, he noticed, was full. Chocolate candy bars peeked out from the top. A candy cane hooked over the edge.

“Melody?”

“Surprise.” She bit her lower lip. “I, um, thought it would be fun if I filled your stocking. A new tradition, you know, I wanted to do something nice?—”

He scooped her into his arms. Ignored the pull of the damn stitches. His body shuddered against her as he buried his face in her neck.

“Victor? What’s wrong?”

You were gone. For just a moment, the whole world stopped again. Maybe he’d never fully get over the fear that she’d vanish again. Maybe he’d always be hyper protective where she was concerned. But maybe…

His head lifted. “I love you.”

She beamed at him. “Wait until you see what’s in your stocking.”

He didn’t really care what was in his stocking. The best gift of his life was right in front of him. In his arms.

But…

Maybe in a little bit, after he’d kissed her senseless and he’d made love to her underneath the Christmas tree, maybe Melody would take a peek in her stocking. It wasn’t empty. There was a small gift inside. A present he’d carefully tucked in before she’d gone to bed with him last night.

Olivia had stolen Melody’s engagement ring. The diamonds were evidence. That ring—even if they ever got the pieces back, it was tied up with pain in Melody’s mind. She deserved better. She deserved everything.

He’d gotten her a new ring.

A new ring. A new start. A new life. For them both.

She wasn’t the Ghost of Christmas Past knocking at the door. She was his present. His future. And he would spend the next fifty Christmases making every dream she had come true.

* * *

THE END