Without A Trace

Seventy-Two.

After the guests have left and the party has quieted down to just our family, we gather around the Christmas tree in the foyer to exchange gifts.

"This was an amazing turn out Cora," Anna says as she takes a seat on the lounge chair next to the fireplace. "Everything was beautiful and everyone seemed to have really enjoyed themselves," She says with a smile as she crosses one leg over the other.

"Thank you," I say with pride and a smile, "It turned out better than I could have hoped it would. And we got some great information about Zamira and her whereabouts aside from figuring out what her next move is in reguards to the location of her next campaign."

"We'll do work stuff in a few days Cora," Ivy says with a nudge and a smile. "Its Christmas Eve," she says before lighting a cigarette and handing it to me. I take it and take a long drag off of it before sitting on the arm of Thomas's leather chair.

Ivy kneels down and scoops up her daughter thats asleep on the couch, nestling her into her body and rubbing her back softly. Michael stands next to his wife as he strokes his daughters soft brown hair slightly. Pip lays with her head in the crook of Ivys neck, fast asleep. Ivy resting her head against Pips, turns and gives her daughter a soft kiss on her temple and moves some fly away hairs out of her daughters face.

Michael, Lewis, and Thomas each take a ring box out of the tree and hand it to their wives. Ivy blushes with excitement taking the gold box and Anna beams with a giant smile as she stares at the clear ring box in her hand. Thomas takes my hand and turns it over placing the emerald green velvet box in my hand. His eyes meet mine and he winks with a small smile before letting go and sitting down in his chair next to me.

Michael peels Pippin off of his wife and holds her so Ivy has access to both hands. She opens the gold ringbox and smiles at the band with staggered moss agate gems in it. She takes it out and pulls her wedding ring off and connects the two before slipping it back on.

"Anniversary band," Michael smiles before leaning down and giving his wife a kiss. "Te iubesc atât de mult Ivy Mae Shelby," (I love you so fucking much Ivy Mae Shelby) he says before giving her another soft kiss. Her face grows warm after the second kiss as she turns to show Anna and I excitedly.

Lewis sits across from Anna with his drink resting on his knee. He grins at his wife before bashfully looking in his lap as she opens her ringbox to the rosegold band with opal stones across the whole thing. She puts it on and her eyes meet Lewis, "You did good," she says playfully as Lewis chuckles in response.

Ivy gushes over Annas ring before they both quickly turn their attention to me, as well as everyone else. I glance around everyones faces nervously, "Can I help all of you? Jesus," I say with a small laugh. My skin turns to fire where Thomas places his hand as he wraps it around my calf affectionately and almost territorially. I fucking dig it.

I open the box to a beautiful gold band with small emeralds throughout the band. I pull it out of the box and notice an inscription carved in the back of the band, "Moon of my Life."

I smile and slide it on before meeting Thomas's gaze as he smiles softly. His eyes run down the plunging neckline of my black dress before he meets my eyes again licking his lips softly.

"It's beautiful, thank you," I say genuinely before placing a firey kiss on his lips. I pull away from him and use my thumb to wipe the lipstick off of his lower lip while feeling Thomas's gaze burn into my face.

"Get a bloody room," Polly says rolling her eyes before taking Pip from Michael, "I'm going to put Pip to bed," she say's genuinely to Michael before walking away with her up the stairs.

I grab my gift for Thomas out from under the tree and hand it to him before sitting back on the arm of the chair. He opens the red box to find a set of new etched whiskey glasses with the family mnemonic on them. Almost identical to the ones I got him as a wedding gift.