Lock took Blayne’s seat and asked, “How long before you’re cocaptain?”

“I give it six months.”

Picking up her hand from the table, Lock kissed her bruised and bloody knuckles. “I was really proud of you tonight. I have the toughest girlfriend

ever,” he finished, mimicking Blayne.

“You do. And I have the sweetest, most cuddliest, most adorable bear

ever.”

Grinning, they rubbed noses, moving in closer to kiss, but abruptly stopping when that hand slammed onto the table and Mitch lifted his head from the floor.

“Dying,” he gasped. “Internal bleeding. Call. Ambulance.”

“Ma,” Gwen whined, not in the mood to stop flirting with her boyfriend.

Roxy slammed her hand down on the table and snapped, “Jesus Christ on a cross, Mitchell O’Neill Shaw! Get off your lazy ass and stop acting like a baby! You’re embarrassing me!”

“Dying! Painful death!”

Roxy pointed a finger at her son. “Don’t make me get the staple gun out of the back of my car. I will use it.”

“But will it stop the bleeding?”

Ignoring her brother and mother, Gwen leaned into Lock and said, “Any interest in getting out of here?”

“And miss Phil’s rendition of ‘Rawhide’?”

They glanced up at the stage. The wild dog even had a whip.

“Tell me you’re being sarcastic,” Gwen said.

“I actually have to

say I’m being sarcastic?”

Lock eased out of the booth, stood, and held his hand out for her. Gwen took it and let Lock lift her up and over her brothers’ bodies. With their fingers twined together and mostly oblivious to the rowdy crowd of shifters all around them, they headed toward the exit and home.

EPILOGUE

Gwen jumped out of the cab and tossed money at the driver. “Come on!” she ordered Blayne. “We’re late.”

“I know.” Blayne handed off the bags she’d held throughout the trip to Gwen and slid across the seat and out the door. “Merry Christmas!” she said to the driver, who looked at her in surprise.

“Aren’t you bubbly?”

“It’s Christmas!” Blayne cheered, taking one of the heavy bags from Gwen.

“It’s Christmas Eve, so don’t annoy me.” Together they ran up the stairs to the front door.

Gwen rang the doorbell and followed with a knock, not sure she could be heard over the Christmas music.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blayne look over her shoulder again.

“What’s with you?”

“Ever feel like you’re being followed?”

“No.”

“I do.”

“Sure it’s not just her?”

Blayne turned herhead to look at Gwen, but caught sight of Dee-Ann standing behind them.

“Ahh! Where the hell did you come from?”

“Momma says from the love she shares with my daddy,” Dee calmly replied.

Blayne said, “Awwww,” and Gwen desperately stabbed at the doorbell again until it opened.

“You are late, feline.”

“Don’t you have a cold war to start?” Gwen asked as she walked past Sabina.

“And where is my chair?”

“He’s an artist,” Gwen gleefully reminded the wild dog. “He won’t be rushed.” She shoved the bag at Sabina. “Here’s your damn chocolate cakes.”

Sabina took the bags from Gwen and Blayne and then looked them over.

“What are you wearing?”

Blayne glanced down at the tiny velvet green minidress she wore. “Jess asked us to be Santa’s helpers tonight.”

“You look like Santa’s whores. And has Santa been pimp-slapping you all over New York?”

Gwen took a step toward the mouthy wild dog, but Blayne caught her arm. “We came right from practice.

We’ll wipe the blood off.”

“Do that,” the Russian ordered before heading off to the kitchen with the cakes.

“And happy fucking holidays to you, too.”

“Ignore her.” Blayne shook off the rudeness like she always did and grabbed Gwen’s hand, dragging her into the party.

“Blayne!” the crowd called out as soon as she walked in.

Gwen pushed Blayne toward her waiting friends and cut through the crowd. She saw Ric and said,

“Where’s my honey bun?”

He laughed. “Upstairs, I think. And was that the lovely Dee-Ann I just saw come in with you?”

“Yeah. And if you can find her again, more power to you.” She kissed his cheek and kept moving through the crowd until she saw Mitch and Sissy kissing on the stairs.

“Find a room,” she teased, stepping over them.

“Don’t begrudge us our forbidden love,” her brother playfully chastised.

Laughing, Gwen jogged up the stairs. “Hey, Bren.”

“Hey, Gwenie. You look cute.”

“Thanks.” As Gwen went past him, she saw Ronnie Lee, slammed back into the wall, and bared her fangs at her while hissing.

“Hey, darlin’,” Ronnie Lee said with that big smile. “Have a wonderful holiday!”

Still hissing in very clear warning, Gwen went down the hall, keeping her back to the wall until Ronnie and Bren disappeared down the stairs. She turned and kept moving until she reached another set of stairs. She ran up those, passing others she knew, wishing some a happy holiday, ignoring others she didn’t really like.