Selfless: Book Two (bxb) ✔️

Chapter Eight: Deck The Windsor

Ace Villan

"Nope, I would rather drown in a vat of acid."

Cade smacked my arm. "Stop it. Your mom worked really hard on this. Plus, it was on my list, so suck it up."

Mom cleared her throat as she tossed daggers at me. Fine. I'll put up with it. "I will be giving you partners—"

"I'm with Cade. Bite me."

"I will put you with Uncle Tate if you do not shut your corn hole, child."

"I'm twenty-seven!"

"All I see right now is you at age five."

I rolled my eyes but relented. Mom organized a fun and easy scavenger hunt. Except—it was massive. She wanted us to have experiences or whatever. Christmas sucked. But since I wanted to do things for Cade, I had to be sure it was me partnered with him. I would actually enjoy this heinous activity then.

Cade was fun to be around, and I knew he'd make it fun. So, I refuse to work with anyone else.

Mom went over all the rules. Telling us that whoever got back first got the prize. Whatever that was. When it came to Mom, it might range from a new cutlery set or severed heads. You truly never knew what to expect.

"Okay, Tate is with Sebastian," Mom called off the list.

"Oh, hell yeah!" Tate skipped away from his husband and slid next to Sebastian. "Bash, you better help me win this."

"I got you, Tater Tot."

Mom rolled her eyes. "I'm taking Damon. Emery with Ethan. Nolan with Carter. Alastair, I have you with Lily." She found my awaiting gaze. "You can have Cade, and that is only because you might spill blood if I don't give in."

I crossed my arms. "Good."

"Asher and...Cameron." She smiled like she was some sweet angel and didn't just potentially cause death and destruction. "We must all rebuild bridges."

I glanced at the two boys in question, and Cameron turned away—Asher wanted to look anywhere that wasn't Cameron. Oh, how fun. Drama. What was that story? There was something juicy there, and I could smell it from a mile away with my hound dog nose.

Mom folded the list. "Since Liam tapped out today, that is everyone!" She waved a stack of papers. "Let's get down to it."

After she handed me the paper, I stared at it like it personally offended me. What were these riddles? Everyone had already raced off toward their first stop, and I couldn't even figure out the first one.

We had to take pictures of each object on our list. What a cruel existence. I still didn't know the first one.

"A candle," Cade whispered. "The first one, it's a candle." He pointed at the top of the page. "I am thin—burns faster. I am fat—burns slower. A breath is my enemy—when you blow it out."

"I love your brain, let's go!"

I took off running, and Cade's laugh echoed around the chilly air. Mom had us stand outside to start the game—a form of torture, if you ask me. But my big-brained fiancé who was laughing behind me, brought this day alive.

This could be fun if I allowed it to be, and I supposed I could stop being a Grinch for the duration.

Cade already had his phone out to take the picture when we found one of the million candles in the house. He was so excited. He snatched the paper from my grip, his eyes greedily reading over our next clue.