Twisted Christmas

by Sara Cate

  “I’ll go slow, so very slow.”

  “Take me, River. I’ve loved you for longer than I can remember. I want you; I want you so much.”

  He pushes slowly inside of her, but pauses where I know he’ll pop her cherry. She lets out a little whimper. “Need me to stop, baby?” he asks, and his tenderness for her, in how he caresses her cheek and waits for her answer, is beautiful. They’re so beautiful.

  “Move, dammit. Move.” Well, why am I not surprised she’s bossy, too? I’m not.

  “Got it, baby. On it.” He’s slow with his movements, and her plump little tits bounce up and down. I lean in, taking one into my mouth, sucking it hard.

  “Yeah, there, that. Oh, fuck…” I love how she lets go, and how she does it with both River and me.

  “I’m close, Riv. I’m so close.”

  He speeds up, and his gaze connects with my own, as he mouths, thank you. It was only right River make love to Kenzie first. Again, it’s so beautiful, they’re so beautiful together.

  “I’m coming, Riv. I’m….” she trails off with her orgasm. The kid was smart to get her close to an orgasm, making it easier for her, while he was inside of her for her first time.

  With one more push, River lets loose, and he falls onto her body, keeping all of his weight on his arms. “I love you, Kenz, so much.”

  It’s instinctual for her, taking her hands, cupping his face. “I’ve loved you for so long. Thank you for loving me back.”

  A lump forms in my throat at their intimacy.

  “Kenzie Hanson, I find it the easiest thing I’ve ever done.” He rolls off of her, toward me. I hold River, and River holds Kenzie. This is my life. It will continue, and there will be good times and bad times. But, no matter what our future brings, I will be with them, and at the end of the day, it’s all that matters.

  Two sleeping silhouettes take over my bed. We’ve barely left it all day on Christmas Eve as we continue to get acquainted with each other’s bodies. Every once in a while, I left the room to get us food, or we watched some Christmas movies, at the urging of Kenzie.

  I love them, I really do.

  At first light on Christmas morning, I dress, leaving a note for both Kenz and Riv, telling them I’ll be back soon. I want them packed and ready for a surprise once I’m home.

  I take the familiar drive to the final resting place of the man who was as much my brother as my best friend.

  “Did you know?” My eyes fall to the graves, sitting side by side. “Is it why you asked me?” I fall to my knees. “I can’t imagine you’d ever be okay with Kenzie and me, let alone Kenz and River together. But you asked me anyway. This is my way. It’s all I know. And, Robert. I love them. Not for any other reason than they are fucking fantastic.”

  There’s a release of sorts, with my confession to my best friend. “I’ve never wanted someone like Kenz and Riv. River can be such an asshole, and he reminds me of myself at that age. He’s tough but also tender and in need of so much love. Then there’s Kenz. We never discussed how much I loved Tanya but it’s not the reason I love Kenzie. She’s fearless, unafraid and innocent—well, somewhat.” I chuckle at my words. “I promised you over a month ago, when your last request to me was to take care of your kids, and I’m keeping my word. Maybe not in the way you expected, but I’ll forever be the person to love them, protect them and at the end of the day, it’s all that matters, right?”

  I weep for the friend I’ll forever miss. I must stay in this position for over a half an hour, but now, I continue to cry for Robert, not out of guilt, and never out of regret, but for the man I’ll never share a beer with or catch a game with. “I miss you, friend, but I promise, your kids will forever be the best thing that has happened in my life.”

  I push from the cold ground to get back to the two people I’d move heaven and earth for. Again, it may not have been Robert’s way, but I’ll forever keep my word, loving Kenzie and River Hanson with my very last breath.

  About the Author

  Leigh Lennon is mother, veteran and a wife of a cancer survivor. Originally with a degree in education, she started writing as an outlet that has led to a deep passion. She lugs her computer with her as she crafts her next story. She can be found drinking coffee or wine, depending on the time of the day.

  * * *

  Be sure to check her out at authorleighlennon.com

  Other Books by Leigh Lennon

  Authorleighlennon.com

  * * *

  The Power of Three Love Series (MMF)

  Foundations

  Fahrenheit

  Famous

  Forgiven

  * * *

  A Love is Love Book (MM)

  My Only Reason

  My Only Regret

  My Only Defense

  * * *

  Father/Son Duet (Forbidden)

  Like Father Like Son

  Different as Night and Day

  * * *

  Dungeon Elite (BDSM)

  Temptation

  Corruption

  * * *

  Unbreakable Series (Second Chance)

  Unfiltered

  Unacquainted

  Unwanted

  Unforgettable

  * * *

  425 Madison Avenue Series (Second Chance)

  Must Love Coffee

  Must Love Forever

  * * *

  Fans of Football Series (Sports)

  Color Blind

  Rules of Submission

  * * *

  The Jake Davis Novella Series (Suspense)

  (Now in a Box Set)

  The Complete Package

  * * *

  Stand Alone Books

  Stockholm (Suspense)

  The Last Breath (Chick Lit)

  Lots of Naughty & A Little Nice (MMF—Holiday)

  Stray

  BY J.D. HOLLYFIELD

  “Stray”

  A step-brother romance

  * * *

  I knew exactly who she was, but she didn't know me. Bratty, mouthy, intolerable.

  A stray.

  And my new stepsister.

  But it doesn’t change the fact that she’s collateral damage.

  © Copyright 2021 J.D. HOLLYFIELD

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Created with Vellum

  Chapter 1

  Catalina

  I can’t believe this is happening.

  I shouldn’t be back here.

  The Uber driver pulls up to the address. A quaint, two-story house on the end of Willowbrook Street. A house with four walls and a family inside. But it’s no longer my home. It’s no longer my family. It stopped being a home when I was seven and my parents broke their vows. When I was fourteen and Dad finally left. When I was sixteen and Mom tossed me out without a care.

  I stare out the window, my heart rate starting to pick up as we pull into the driveway. I should have fought Dad harder on this. I never should have allowed him to send me back here. I shouldn’t have allowed him the option.

  * * *

  “Dad, no. You can’t do this.”

  “Baby girl, it’s already done. Janette and I are getting married. We certainly can’t take you on our honeymoon. It’s about time you and your mom made up.”

  “There’s no making up, Dad. She hates me. She made that clear.”

  He pats me on the top of my head as if I’m still his little girl and not turning eighteen in a few days. “She can’t hate you. She’s your mom. And she wouldn’t turn away her own kid.” Yes, she would. If only Dad knew the real reason she kicked me out. “Plus, she agreed
. It’s only for your last semester. You can meet up with all your old friends. It’s not like you’re making any here.”

  His jab at my lack of a social life hurts, but it’s the least of my problems right now. “Dad, I can’t go. Please, let me stay. I start back at school tomorrow. And just like you said, it’s my last semester. I’m about to turn eighteen. I’ll be fine on my own here. I can’t leave now.”

  “Sorry, baby girl. Our flight leaves in the morning, and your flight leaves tonight.”

  He didn’t give me another thought as he put me on a plane and shipped me back to the one place that holds the worst memories. The worst regret. The most shame.

  My foot starts to tap rapidly against the floorboard. The driver puts the car in park and waits for me to get out, but my legs suddenly feel like steel beams, unable to move. Tap, tap, tap. My fingers flutter against the door, but I can’t pull the handle.

  I shouldn’t be here.

  “You gonna get out?”

  I blink away the fear and nod to the driver, finally pulling the lever to open the door. The winter chill blasts across my face, and I clutch my thick coat to my chest. I gather my small suitcase, my body shivering. Panic starts to grow inside me. I try to find salvation back inside the Uber, but it’s too late. He’s already pulling out and driving down the street. “Shit. Shit!”

  I shouldn’t be here.

  I glare at the house, lines forming on my forehead as my brow furrows.

  I shouldn’t be here.

  The light’s on in the front room. She’s waiting up for me. I inhale deeply and release a cloud of chilled air. “It’s just a few months. I can do this. Just stay out of her way and I’ll be back with Dad in no time.” I lick my dry lips and focus on putting one foot in front of the other. As I trek toward the house, I peer down at the walkway. It looks like it’s been plowed, but a fresh inch of snow has already accumulated. A flashback from long ago resurfaces. My dad and I shoveling the driveway. The shovel was too heavy, so Dad ran into the garage and got my sand shovel. I insisted on finishing the walkway until I almost froze to death, and he had to carry me in.

  Dammit, I can’t do this.

  I can’t pretend nothing happened. Pretend that she doesn’t hate me. I turn around, but the sound of my mom’s voice stops me.

  “Catalina.” Clenching my eyes closed, I inhale a staggered breath. Turning on my heel, I find her standing in the doorway wrapped in a white robe.

  “Yep. Still my name.”

  God, this is awkward. The little girl in me wants to run into my mom’s arms, but the cautious, wounded woman wants to run the other way and avoid the hurt she’ll inevitably cause.

  “Well, come on in before you catch a cold. We’re expected to get more snow soon.”

  As much as my feet want to direct me in the opposite direction, I force them to move and head up the walkway. When I reach the door, Mom moves out of the way to allow me entrance. I expect to be flooded with familiarity, but nothing sparks my memories. Everything is different. The furniture. The color on the walls. I hadn’t expected to see any old family photos hanging up, but I don’t see any new ones either.

  “You’ve done some redecorating.” It’s the only thing I can say.

  “Yeah. It was time for a change. William helped pick out the furniture. He and Hunter painted.” Her new family. I’ve only spoken to my mom once since she kicked me out, and it was for her to tell me she was getting married. It wasn’t to invite me back home or even to the ceremony, just that she was starting fresh, and it would be best if I didn’t meddle in this one. I hid the hurt. Her continuous denial of affection. What ever happened to unconditional motherly love? Then I remember she’s not built that way.

  I turn around and face her. She looks the same. Age has been good to her. Her hair is darker. No doubt she’s been dipping into the Botox fun. “Hunter?” I ask.

  “Oh, William’s son. Your stepbrother.”

  “Cool. Always wanted a brother.” Not. The day suddenly starts to catch up to me. “Well, I’m just gonna go up to my room.” I head toward the stairs when she stops me.

  “That’s no longer your room.” I turn back around to her cold stare. “Hunter is staying there now. I moved most of your things into storage. But the big stuff is in the guest bedroom.”

  Fire starts to brew behind my eyes. “And why couldn’t he stay in the guest bedroom?” I’m not even sure why I ask. The answer is obvious. She never planned on me coming back. “You know what, don’t answer that. I won’t be in your hair for long. As soon as Dad gets back, I’m gone.” I scale up the stairs two at a time. When I pass my old bedroom, the faint sound of music seeps through the door. I walk one more door down, throw my suitcase on the guest bedroom floor, and dive face-first into bed, wishing for this nightmare to be over.

  Chapter 2

  Catalina

  “Get the hell out of my house. You’re nothing but a whore. Don’t you come back here. Don’t you ever come back here!”

  My feet feel as if they weigh a million pounds as I trek down the steps of the bus and stop to stare up at Montgomery High. My old high school. Until one night I took things with him too far. I didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye.

  That was two years ago.

  And now, I’m back.

  Kids rush past me, entering the school. Some stop and stare as if I’m some sort of ghost who’s been resurrected. Do they know what I did? Do they know why I was sent away? I tuck my head down and snuggle into the fur of my winter scarf. Whether they know means nothing. It doesn’t change what happened. Or why my mom hates me…why I should probably hate myself.

  Bodies are scattered through the hallways, your typical cliques huddled in groups near their lockers. There was a time when I was just like them, gossiping in my friend circle, loving the high school drama, skipping class, and drinking off-campus during school hours. To say I was a rebelling teenager would be an understatement. Being bad made me stand out. It made me be seen.

  A few take notice of me as I walk past. Some faces look familiar, but I don’t bother to stop. Pulling my schedule out of my back pocket, I peer down at it and groan. Physics first period? I can barely function until third period. There’s no way. I turn back to head to the counselor’s office for a schedule change and smack straight into a hard chest.

  “What the hell?” I snip, trying to catch my balance.

  “I could say the same. You should watch where you’re going.”

  I push my hair out of my face. My eyes crinkle, and I prepare for my first fight back. Wild dark hair, leather jacket, tattoos… Heat floods my belly as intoxicating eyes, the color of the sea, bore into mine. I’m instantly drunk off his gaze. I bite my bottom lip, preparing to respond, but he beats me to it.

  “Not only are you clumsy, you have a fucking staring problem.”

  I blink.

  Shit. What am I doing? Clearly making an error in judgment. Attractive or not, I do not do assholes. Breaking eye contact, I grab my schedule from where I dropped it, and he snatches it out of my hand.

  “Give me that back.”

  He glances it over, humming as he says my name. “Catalina Mitchell.”

  “Wow, you can read. Congrats. Give it back.” I launch forward to rip it from his grasp, but he pulls away.

  “I can do more than read, Stray.”

  “What did you just call me?”

  He takes a step toward me, forcing me to take one back. “You heard me. You’re the stray girl being stowed for the semester. No real home.” What a fucking asshole. “Better be a good girl and stay out of everyone’s way. Hate for you to be seen and sent back to whatever hole you crawled out of.”

  He flings the paper back and turns on his heel to walk into the classroom we’re in front of.

  The physics room.

  How convenient.

  Saying first period sucks is an understatement. Of course, the only open seat is right in front of the asshole. My back has been on fire since I sat down
. How could I have felt any kind of spark with this guy? Because he’s hot and mysterious. And an asshole. Taking a deep breath, I search for a distraction.

  Mr. Gibson, our physics teacher.

  Fit, well-dressed, dark hair, well put-together.

  His voice trails through the room, deep and luring. I watch his lips move, becoming annoyed when the lips of the jerk behind me continue to invade my mind. So inviting. Tempting. What is wrong with me? I didn’t sleep a wink last night. That has to be it. It’s the only way to explain my attraction to someone so vile. His crude mouth. His plump lips. His shadowy gaze. Shit. He’s exactly the kind of guy I fall for. I clench my eyes shut, refusing to be roped in by this urge. A desperate attempt for attention. It’s the only way to explain why someone like him has such an immediate effect on me. He may be alluring and attractive, but he’s not what I need. What I need is to focus on getting out of this damn place unscathed.

  I inhale slowly and release, opening my eyes. My breath hitches when I realize Mr. Gibson has stalled in his lecture, his eyes dilated and locked on mine. Three heartbeats pass, and he blinks, pulling his gaze from mine to gather himself and continue with class.

  What was that?

  The way he caught my attention and held it. As if there was no one else in the room. I know I was looking at him. Watching. But my thoughts weren’t on him. They were—oh my God. I was staring at him while my mind ran rampant with thoughts of the asshole behind me. I cover my face with my hands and groan. First day and I’ve already made an ass out of myself. Good job, Cat.