Kat and Chelsea carried the last cooler of cold drinks into the pergola.
Kat looked around and smiled. “This place looks amazing. I think we’ve all earned a cookie while we wait for everyone to arrive.” She giggled as she heard car doors shut out the front. “That has to be Sensei Connor and Josh.” She ran to their gate and saw Damon walking up their driveway carrying an esky, hard cooler. He must’ve got the esky out of the back. That explains the second door. She ran up to him. “Thanks so much for coming. We’re out the back.”
Damon walked with Kat to the backyard. “This place looks great. I’ve got some meat and beers, Eric. Where would you like them, and will you join me in a beer?”
“Put the meat in the esky near the barbie. I’d love a beer, thanks. This has been a great year. Next year’s going to be even better.”
“It sure is.” Damon handed Eric a beer and opened one for himself. He put the meat in the cooler. “I’ll give you a hand cooking when we’re ready. We’ve got a good lot coming tonight. Dad, Heather and the kids are staying at my place. They can give me a lift home, and I’ll pick up my car tomorrow. Dad will probably run over with me in the morning,” Damon smiled and rolled his eyes, “the long way. Not that I’m planning a hangover, but that’s Dad’s hangover cure. I’m just lucky there are no obstacle courses around here.” Damon grinned, “Or at least, I don’t think there are.”
Kat’s eyes brightened. “I’d love to try an obstacle course, just not when either of us are hungover.”
Damon smiled. “I’ll sort something out. Are you drinking tonight?”
Kat shook her head. “Probably not a good idea. Mum and Dad said I could have one or two if I wanted, but I’m not used to drinking. I’d probably get emotional. I want this to be a great night. When I’m eighteen, absolutely. Maybe next year, but we’ll see.”
Damon smiled and nodded. “Good call. I’d like a few, but I’m an old man compared to you.”
Kat heard car doors as she chuckled. “Hardly, but you do have a few years on me. I bet that’s Avery. She said she wanted to be early. It’s easier than walking into a crowd.”
Damon smiled. “Absolutely.”
Kat ran out to see Avery walking up the drive with her parents. Avery was carrying a pile of brightly wrapped Christmas presents, and her parents were carrying food and drink.
Kat beamed at her friends. “Great to see you. Can I help?”
Kari smiled. “Great to see you too. Thanks for the offer, but I’ve got mine balanced just right. If I change anything, it will all fall down.”
“Ooh, I don’t want that. Come this way. I hope you all had a great Christmas.” Kat heard several more cars pull up just as she showed them out the back. “I better go.” She darted off to meet the newcomers.
Damon beamed. “She’s so excited. I love it.”
Dominique beamed back at him. “I’ve never seen you this relaxed. This is good for, well, all of us.”
Tony popped open a bottle of champagne. “Absolutely!”
Kat rushed down the driveway to meet Brent, Connor, Josh, Sheridan and her parents. “Thanks so much for coming.”
“Thanks for inviting me, Kat. I do appreciate it,” Josh said sincerely then glanced at Sheridan and smiled.
Sheridan smiled shyly and pulled her hair over where the X had been carved into her face although you could no longer see it. She hugged Kat and regained some of her confidence. “It’s so great to see you. Thanks for inviting us to stay. It will be so much fun staying in your room. Are Avery and Chelsea still sleeping over too?”
“They sure are. Your parents and Avery’s parents have a spare, I mean, guest room each, and Brent’s staying in the study. I thought a four-bedroom house with a study was way too big when we first moved here. Now I wish we could fit more people in, but we still have the lounge room if anyone else wants to stay.”
Connor laughed. “I’m walking distance if I get over the limit. Josh will just have to walk with me.”
Josh smiled. “I’m happy to, Sensei. When I’m eighteen, I can drive.”
Car doors stopped the conversation and Kat ran to greet Laura, Dereck and Baby Hope. Lucas pulled over just as they were getting Hope out of her car seat. Gareth and Kevin both parked behind him.
Kat beamed. “Everyone’s here!” Her smile faded as she saw Vicky. Fuck. I wish he’d brought Sasha instead.
Kevin noticed Kat’s smile fade. “Give us a hand getting the kids out, Kat. We’ll only stay for a few hours or we’ll have tired and grumpy kids. This is going to be loads of fun. Thanks for inviting us.”
Amy’s face lit up. She was often shy, but when she truly smiled it was almost as though she was glowing. “We love having you in our life. You’re such a great role model, especially for Ashley.”
“Thank you! Ashley is doing so well with karate now. I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”
Ashley beamed. “Thanks, Sensei Kat.”
Ashley’s eighteen-month-old brother, Boyd, pointed to Cadence smiling at his car door. “Pretty.”
Cadence’s smile increased. “Can I help you out, buddy?”
He grinned and put his arms out for her.
Kevin laughed as Cadence carried Boyd on her hip. “He usually insists on walking.”
Cadence put him down when they reached the backyard. “There you go, buddy.” Her eyes lit up as she saw her big brother. “Damon!”
Damon put his beer down and sprinted towards her. He picked her up and spun her around. “Monkey!”
Cadence grinned cheekily. “Call me a monkey, I’ll act like one.”
Damon chuckled and cut Caleb off before he could sneak a beer out of the cooler. “I’m more worried about our brother.”
Caleb showed Damon his big, black eyes that would usually melt anyone’s heart. “Come on, bro. You can’t tell me you didn’t sneak a beer when you were my age.”
“Actually, no. Dad let me try straight scotch. I wasn’t interested in drinking for several years after that.”
Caleb pulled a face. “The old man’s tried that on me too. Straight scotch is disgusting. Beers and mixers on the other hand…”
Damon shook his head. “You’re ten, and you’re running here with me and Dad in the morning to get my car – the long way. It’s up to you whether you’ve got a hangover and puke your guts out multiple times on the way.”
Lucas grinned at Damon. “A long run, an obstacle course and fifty rounds of kumite is the best hangover cure I know, hey, Damon?”
“Absolutely. I almost forgot the fifty rounds of kumite.”
Caleb cocked his blond head to the side. “For fifty rounds of kumite with you two, I can forgo drinking tonight.” He eyed Damon’s beer. “You may want to take it easy, bro.”
“Haha. I’m not ten. I won’t be having shots, though.”
Vicky pouted. “I’ve brought jelly shots. Are you sure I can’t change your mind? What about you, Sensei Lucas?”
“I’ll just have one, thanks. Did you bring any plain ones for the kids?”
Vicky looked down. “Um, I didn’t think of kids, not having any myself.”
“We’ll definitely need to keep the little ones away from them.” Lucas looked at his youngest. “Caleb’s going to be a bit trickier.”
“He looks so much like you except for his hair. None of your children have your accent. Where in America are you from, Lucas?”
“I was born in Australia, but moved to America as a toddler. I grew up on a property in New York state close to the army base. Damon was born in Maryland in the States. We moved to Queensland when he was four and Victoria when he was six. He has dual citizenship, as do I. Have you and Gareth travelled much together?”
Gareth smiled and put his arms around his wife. “We try to go somewhere when we both have time off. Our plan is to go overseas as often as we can now and do Australia when we have kids.”
“I’m not ready for kids!” Vicky almost yelled.
Gareth pulled away. “I’m not yet either, babe, but def
initely one day.” He downed a jelly shot and grabbed a beer which didn’t take him much longer to finish than the shot.
Damon looked at Eric. “I think it’s time to start the barbie. Give us a hand, Dad and Gareth.”
Vicky opened another Cruiser and looked for someone else she could talk to as the men walked off.
Kat sat in a circle with Chelsea, Cadence, Avery and Sheridan, all on folding chairs eating their food. Josh had stayed within two metres of Connor the entire time he had been there and glanced intermittently at the girls who were not only gorgeous but the closest to his age.
Connor smiled at him. “You should take your chair and join them.”
Josh shook his head. “I’m not ready for any type of relationship and the dark side of me just wants to, you know, get physical. I don’t want to be a scumbag, especially to them. Kat could beat the crap out of me, but that’s not it.”
Connor put his hand on Josh’s shoulder. “I get it. You’ve come a long way this year, black belt and all, but you’ve still got further. When you feel you’re ready.”
Josh blew his fringe out of his face. “I’m scared I never will be. I feel like I’ve got this constant battle inside me.”
Lucas waved to get Josh and Connor’s attention, excused himself from Heather and walked over to them. “Grab a sausage in bread and let’s walk and talk for a while, both of you, please. I couldn’t help but notice what you were saying?”
Josh looked at him strangely. “Notice? Weren’t you too far away to hear.”
Lucas nodded. “I lip read. I think I can explain the battle. A wise sergeant explained it to me when I was facing one of the biggest struggles of my life, and believe me, I’ve had a few.” He walked to the table and got a sausage in bread for each of them. “We’ll be back soon,” he said as he walked out the open gate with Josh and Connor.
“You lip read?” Josh asked as soon as no one else could hear him.
Lucas nodded. “Yes.”
Connor nodded. “Damon’s teaching Kat and me.”
Josh’s eyes widened. “That’s so cool. I’d love to learn that.”
Lucas smiled. “The way you’re going, that could definitely be arranged. Let’s talk about that battle.”
Josh cocked his head. “You said you’ve been through similar, Sensei?”
“Yes, we all go through it in our own way. I was twenty-five and had grown up looking different to my brothers and sisters. I discovered my father was not my biological father. I was angry to put it mildly.”
Connor and Josh stared at Lucas, neither had heard this story before.
“My biological father had passed away before I was born. Everyone explained my looks as a mix between my mother’s and Richard Knightly’s grandmother. I was angry that I had believed them for so long. I felt betrayed. I found my biological father’s family and, at first, believed I was one of them. They were beautiful, powerful and rich beyond words. They were also without morals. They didn’t care who they hurt and believed they were above the laws of man and God. They were into drug and human trafficking and many other things. I got out as soon as I discovered that and felt more alone than ever. I ran into an ex-army sergeant who knew me by my eyes. We all have my mother’s eyes. Sergeant George Hunt saved my life. I would’ve taken it otherwise.”
Josh’s mouth dropped open and Connor said, “Oh my God. I didn’t know.”
“Please don’t make this common knowledge. I think this part of my story can help Josh. George took me to his farm where he lived with his beautiful, Native American wife and their children. He took me horse riding and explained many things. One was the proverb of the two wolves. The story goes, we all have two wolves inside us. One is good. He is love, compassion, forgiveness, hope, truth, joy and all the good things. The other is envy, self-pity, ego, hate, especially hate, and all the bad things we feel. We all have this battle going on inside us, but some feel it more than others, especially when they are trying to change or are going through something. You are trying to change, Josh, so you feel the battle more strongly than most. Keep going the way you’re going and your good wolf will win. Remember, to keep feeding your good wolf.”
Josh looked at Lucas. “So the more good I do, the more I’ll become good?”
Lucas smiled. “That’s pretty much it. We all have a bad wolf and a good wolf. We all need to try to starve the bad and feed the good. Little things like Caleb swiping jelly shots at a party doesn’t really matter, but hurting people for your own gain, certainly does. You’re right to stay away from the girls while you’re thinking of using them for a one-night stand. Friendship or more would be good, but most of them aren’t ready for more than friendship. I’m not the only one here with a sob story, but theirs aren’t mine to tell.”
Connor looked at Lucas, “If it’s none of my business, please say so, but from what I’ve heard of your mum, she wouldn’t get mixed up with someone involved with human trafficking.”
“That’s very true.” Lucas looked at Josh and nodded. “I think you should both hear this, but definitely keep this to yourself.”
Josh nodded quickly. “Yes, Sensei.”
“Absolutely.” Connor agreed.
“George explained all this. He also stopped it from breaking me. Genetically, I have the worst wolf you could imagine. My biological father was a drug dealer, pimp, mass murderer and rapist. He fooled everyone but could not convince my mother to choose him. She was in love with my real father, Richard Knightly. The drug dealer’s looks and charm had never let him down before, so he raped her multiple times, planning to impregnate and kidnap her. It would be harder to run if she had his child. She got away from him before he kidnapped her. He had made her pregnant, though. When I’m at my lowest, I think of Mum. Her strength and her love is very much a part of me. I know I have darkness in me too, but my mother’s heart was much stronger than her attacker’s. My good wolf will win. I just have to feed him and starve the other.”
Josh stared at Lucas. “I’m just a spoiled brat. I’ve never been through anything like that. I was so stupid.”
Lucas shook his head. “Mum didn’t tell me she had been raped when I found out I had a different biological father. I called her a hypocrite and ran off. I was twenty-five. Believe me, you can definitely come back. You’ve been amazing and will continue to do so. You earned your black belt. Sensei Connor helped you, but you asked him to and did all the hard work. Your good wolf is definitely getting strong.”
Josh smiled with tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Sensei.”
Connor also had tears in his eyes. “Thank you for trusting us, Sensei. Does Damon know?”
Lucas smiled. “Yes. I wouldn’t ask you to keep this from him. Cadence and Caleb are too young. Please don’t tell them. I will tell them when they need to know or are old enough to take it. Whatever comes first. Josh needed to know today. The two wolves help.”
Josh nodded. “It does, Sensei. Thank you for trusting me. I promise I will not tell anyone.”
They walked back into the pergola to see Damon’s eyes blazing at Vicky. She had her back turned to the gate. They couldn’t see the look on her face nor could Lucas read her lips.
Damon waved and walked over to them, leaving Vicky by herself. “Gareth’s a great guy, but I cannot stand his wife. He deserves so much better. I wish he never took her back.”
“What just happened?” Connor asked.
“She told me they had an open marriage now, and they could both sleep with whoever they wanted. She said she wanted me.” Damon turned to Lucas, “Fuck, I wish you’d brought me up so I could swear in front of women in times like this, Dad.”
Lucas put his hand on his son’s arm. “Did you let her know you weren’t interested without swearing?”
“Oh yeah. I told her that I’m not gay as many believe but would sleep with a man long before I’d consider sleeping with her.”
Josh’s mouth dropped open.
Connor nodded slowly but wasn’t sure what to say.
Lucas chuckled softly. “You certainly don’t need to swear. I don’t think you could have offended her more if you tried.”
“I could’ve if I told her what I told you; that Gareth deserves better.”
Lucas nodded. “Don’t have any more to drink while she’s still here. It’s a pity she came. Dominique told me how relaxed you were before she came. You deserve to be.”
They noticed Vicky storming their way trying to drag Gareth behind her, but he broke her grip and walked casually.
Vicky glared at Damon. “We’re leaving!” She looked at Lucas and melted at his beauty. “I’m sure you’re easier to get along with than your son.”
Lucas shook his head. “Damon’s temper is nothing compared to mine.” He turned to Gareth, “You’re welcome to have a boys’ night with us anytime.”
Gareth smiled. “Thanks, Lucas. I’d like that.” He gave Damon a manly hug and whispered, “Thanks,” so only Damon could hear. He looked at the four men, “Happy new year. See you soon,” and followed his wife down the drive.
They walked into the pergola to see Boyd falling asleep in Cadence’s arms.
Lucas’s smile was met by Amy’s. “She’s amazing with him. He’s totally smitten. He’d usually be doing that with me right now. She’s a credit to you. We’re going to say goodbye to everyone and go. Have a wonderful new year.”
“You too, Amy.”
Damon hugged her. “You’ve got a gorgeous family and are welcome any time in our group.”
Amy’s smile faded. “Sorry about Vicky. She met Gareth through me. She had to make him hers, tame the bad boy cop. Now that she has, she doesn’t want him anymore but won’t let him go either. I think she’s trying to make a collection. Get the guys hard to catch. Be careful, Damon. You’re beautiful and unobtainable. She’s going to keep chasing you.”
Damon smiled. “I think I talked her out of it.”
Amy shook her head. “She told me what you said. You made her angry, well, furious actually, but sadly, I don’t think she’ll give up. You have scared her away for a little while, though.”
“I’ll just have to avoid her. I wish Gareth hadn’t gone back.”
Our Cause (Let the Monsters Live in Fear Book 1) Page 26
