Suddenly, Maddox was there, wrapping his arms around Richard to hold him back. Richard was raging—yelling and cursing, trying to get to me. Oddly enough, Gracie stood, blocking his way as I straightened up, holding my jaw. The man knew how to throw a punch. A glance to the side showed me Katy, standing mute and confused across the room, watching the scene unfold in front of her. Dee stood beside her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders in comfort as Katy covered her mouth.
“Talk about decking the halls,” another voice spoke up.
“I told you this wouldn’t stay secret,” Brayden muttered to Addi.
Richard’s wild gaze turned to him. “You knew?” he yelled. “You knew about this?” He struggled harder against Maddox’s grip. Maddox looked startled then lifted his eyebrows, indicating the door, silently telling Brayden to get out. Others began to file from the room. It was like the proverbial sinking ship. The rats were deserting.
Brayden grabbed Addi’s hand. “Time to go.”
Maddox met my eyes. “Go with them. Now.” Blindly, I followed them outside. Brayden grabbed the keys from my hand for the SUV, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting in their living room. I had no recollection of the short drive over.
“I should go,” I muttered.
“You can’t drive in this, Jaxson. It would be suicide,” Brayden protested.
I barked out a laugh. Grace was probably wishing me dead right now anyway.
Addi went and got the ice pack, pressing it to my rapidly swelling cheek. The cold startled me, and I shook my head to clear it.
“Gracie,” I breathed. “I need to go back.”
“No,” Brayden insisted. “You need to stay right here and let Gracie figure this out with her family. You’ll be involved soon enough.”
“What happened?” I asked in a daze.
Brayden clapped me on the shoulder. “Welcome to the family, Jaxson. Brace yourself. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”
He sat down, pulling Addi to his lap. “Enjoying your honeymoon?” he quipped, trying to lighten the air. “What’s a family holiday without a secret being leaked and fistfights happening? I mean, usually, it’s the triplets and eggnog is involved, but at least this one was different.”
“This is awful,” she whispered.
“Christmas took an unexpected detour,” he agreed and hugged her close. “It’s going to be okay, Addi. Somehow, it will be.”
“What are we going to do?” she asked quietly.
I felt his sympathetic look. His reply was low.
“They need to figure it out, Addi. It’s their story to tell. Their future to decide.”
He was right. It was our story. One we hadn’t finished yet.
And the biggest question right now was—did Grace and I have a future?
Chapter 26
Grace
I made my way toward Addi’s house in the early hours of the morning, dawn barely having broken. I carefully picked my way through the piles of snow and ice that had accumulated overnight, planting my boots firmly between each step and holding tight to my overnight bag I was carrying. The five-minute journey took three times as long as usual. I wasn’t convinced it was totally due to the snow as to how tired my footsteps were.
There was a light shining in the early morning dimness, and I knew Addi was waiting for me. I had texted her earlier, and she had responded that she was awake and had coffee ready.
I paused outside, noting that Jaxson’s SUV rental was still outside. I was grateful he was safe.
I slipped in the door and found Addi in the kitchen, the promised coffee on the table. She was dressed casually, her hair up in a ponytail. She stood as I came in and hugged me tight. I returned her embrace then sat down, accepting the coffee.
“Bray still asleep?”
“Yes. So is Jaxson. I heard him pacing most of the night, but he finally became quiet around four. He probably exhausted himself.”
“He does that when he’s upset. Paces and thinks. I swear the carpet in his office must need replacing often.”
“You know him well for someone who claims not to care.”
“I never said I didn’t care. That right there is the problem.”
She cocked her head. “Talk to me, Gracie. What the hell is going on?”
I sighed. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry I ruined Christmas.”
She laughed softly. “Ruin is a strong word. The boys will talk about this one for years. But I don’t care about that. You married Jaxson, Gracie. Why?”
I met her concerned eyes. “I don’t know, Addi. I got drunk. I did something stupid.”
“Is it stupid? He certainly doesn’t seem to think so.”
I took a sip of coffee. “That’s what’s so confusing. He ended things between us. He was hateful. Told me I meant nothing to him. I don’t understand.” I thought about the hours I had spent trying to recall what happened in Vegas. How we ended up married. Why Jaxson was so determined not to end the marriage.