Jingle Bells

Chapter Seventy

Bella’s POV

Only one week until Christmas. The mansion was decorated beautifully with red baubles, golden tinsel, and sprigs of mistletoe. Luckily Jemima and Jordan weren’t mobile yet or the greenery would have had to go. I’d sent Gabriel a few messages, telling him I was safe and asking if he was okay.

He hadn’t replied yet but I knew he’d read the messages. Maybe his hurt was still too fresh. Five days weren’t enough to come to terms with the fact that your sister betrayed you for a man you hated more than anything in the world. My messages to Mom and Belsa my twin hadn’t even been received. I suspected Dad had gotten new phones for them so I couldn’t contact them.

I approached Nina as she stirred a new batch of baby food, a sweet potato puree. “Do you get Christmas presents for each other?”

Ibash had given me a credit card from one of the Hades bank accounts yesterday, and while I’d wanted to decline at first, I took the card. Erik seemed determined to make sure I had everything I needed. Still, it felt a bit odd to use their own money to buy them presents, but it wasn’t as if I could access my family’s accounts anymore.

“Well, last year was still a bit of a Christmas trial. Ibash and his brothers still need to get used to a female touch in their life, but I got them gifts, and a few days after Christmas I got gifts from them as well.” She laughed. “I think this year they might have gifts on time.”

“I don’t know what to get any of them. I don’t know them well enough, and I don’t really feel like part of this family yet ...”

She touched my shoulder. “But you are, Bella.It’s a strange situation for all of us, but it’s the best thing that could have happened, especially for Erik .”

“You think?” I whispered.

“I know it,” she said firmly. “How are things between you?”

“I’m trying to keep my distance. I’m scared of allowing too much

closeness too fast.”

“But you want to be with him?”I laughed. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

“He won’t force you.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I said quietly. “I don’t think my heart or my body will leave me a choice.”She nodded, understanding filling her face.

“I’m so happy for the both

of you, the four of you.”

“Do you think Erik ’s capable of ... love?”

Nina looked thoughtful. “He and Ibash went through horrible things as children. It formed them into the men they are today. It still affects them. I’m not sure what it did to Erik . If parts of him were irrevocably destroyed ...”

I didn’t ask what kind of horrors lay in Erik ’s past. Nina would have told me if she thought it was her place to share. If I wanted to find out, I’d have to ask him.

“If you want to go Christmas shopping, we can go together tomorrow. Fabiano could guard us.”

“That would be nice,” I said.Despite Ibash ’s words of protest, Erik came down for dinner that evening, and we all settled around the dining room table. Jemima and Jordan were in their new high chairs between Nina and me. I had taken over the job of trying to wrangle food into Jordan ’s mouth since Jemima seemed to do well around Kiara.

I could feel Erik ’s eyes on us the entire time with an expression I could only describe as longing. My food was getting cold anyway, so I decided to give him a chance to be a real dad.

“Why don’t you give this a try?” I asked Erik . I wasn’t sure if he was interested in feeding or if he was like some fathers whose interest in their children ended when it required them to do something.

Everyone paused what they were doing for a moment. Erik put down his fork and stood. His movements were still stiff, not just because of the bandages; it would take some time for his broken bones and bruises to heal. I gave him my chair, took my plate, and settled into the place he’d vacated.

Jordan was making grabby motions, but the spoon and bowl were out of his reach. I could tell that he was getting frustrated with the situation and a hissy fit was fast approaching.

Erik took the spoon and lifted it toward Jordan ’s face, but he didn’t restrain his arms. Before I could warn him, Jordan snatched at the spoon and catapulted sweet potato puree through the room. Most of it landed square on Erik ’s shirt. The rest in Ibash ’s face.

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop laughter.

Nina didn’t show the same restraint. She burst out laughing. Ibash wiped his face with a napkin, his eyes on his laughing wife—and softer than I’d ever seen them.

Jordan rocked excitedly in his chair, a toothless grin on his face. Erik glanced down at himself, then at his son, and his lips twitched. This time he took Jordan ’s hands in his big one before he brought the spoon toward his mouth. Jordan pressed his lips together, obviously unhappy about the situation.

“This reminds me of you, Adamo,” Erik said.

Adamo grimaced.Ibash nodded. “You always made a mess during feeding as well.”

“If we start exchanging baby stories, I’m out,” Ades muttered.Erik turned back to Jordan and nudged his lips with the spoon. “Come

on,Jordan”

I stood and got on my haunches beside Jordan ’s high chair. “Come on,Jordan , show your dad how well you can eat.”Erik looked down at me, his expression stilling when I called him

‘dad.’

After a moment of hesitation, Jordan finally allowed Erik to put the spoon in his mouth.

I smiled, straightened to my feet, and pressed a kiss on Jordan’s head. Then I leaned over Jemima and did the same. She smiled at me with the spoon in her mouth, and my heart just exploded with gratefulness.

I caught Erik ’s eyes but quickly glanced away because the look in his threatened to crush my resolve to keep my distance.