This Love ✔️

Xmas Bonus Chapter Part 3

I know it's not Christmas anymore or even close but I needed to update lol whoops the holidays got the best of me and I was too busy to update then I forgot...

All of the young ones come into the living room to help set the table. We get it done in five minutes and after that we start taking the food out. Eventually everyone takes their seats and waits to start praying.

Grace looks at the empty seat beside her and across from me. "Where is Lucas?"

I open my mouth, ready to give an excuse when Lucas walks through the door, Bash dragging behind him.

"I'm right here Ma," Lucas says.

As soon as Bash and I make eye contact he pulls himself out of his slump and rushes forward, shoving Lucas to the side. Everyone watches as Bash comes to my side and kisses me.

I don't count how many seconds it lasts for but I can tell that the kiss is desperate. He needs to do it, either to apologize or just to have me near.

I pull away when I hear my sister whistle. With Bash's face in my hands I whisper, "I love you. Nothing can change that."

He closes his eyes before kissing me quickly once more then he takes his spot beside me. Immediately he grabs a hold of my hand and I can tell he has no intention of letting go anytime soon.

"Bash, you remember my Mom," I say, looking over at her. She gives me a concerned look, clearly wondering why Bash kissed me like that. "And this is her husband Victor." Victor smiles and nods at him but Bash does nothing in return. "And this is Ben," I say, leaning across the table to point at the boy sitting two seats down.

"Who the hell are you," Bash asks bluntly.

"He's my boyfriend asshole," Quinn says with a grin, waiting for Bash to notice her.

"Oh hey Quinn."

It's amusing to watch her eyes nearly pop out of her skull. "What the hell? I came all the way here to surprise you and I only get a 'oh hey Quinn?'," she asks outraged.

Bash smirks, showing off his dimple. "I heard your voice from a mile away."

She huffs and crosses her arms, pouting like a preschooler. Bash leans over to rub her hair making her cry out and nearly smack us both.

"Well let's eat," Dad speaks up.

After the initial awkward conversations everything flowed nicely. Lucas told my Mom all about his promising baseball career. Quinn explained to everyone how her and Ben met which was quite amusing to hear honestly. I could never imagine Quinn with a bodyguard in England but apparently it worked out well for her in the end.

Then it got back to awkward.

"So Bash," Nathan speaks up, rocking Nick to sleep in his arms, "how was your flight back home? I bet you were shocked by the cultural differences the second you walked off the plane."

"It was fine. Long and tiring but it was okay."

"Violet told me you're in the marines," Victor says, "You just got back from deployment right?"

Bash's hand tightens around mine. "Yes."

"Well," he prods, "any war stories you can amuse us with?" I know that Victor meant it in good humor but Bash certainly didn't take it that way.

One second he was beside me and the next he was pushing his chair backwards and standing up. "Excuse me."

"Bash wait," I call but he's already out of the dining room. I flinch when I hear the kitchen door leading to outside slam.

I get up from my seat, throwing my napkin on the table, ready to run after him.

"Let me."

Stunned I look over to see Victor stand up from his seat, setting his napkin neatly on his chair. "I was the one who provoked him. Let me fix this."

"I think you've done enough," I seethe.

"Sadie, be nice," my Mom whispers. "Victor didn't mean it."

"Well I won't let him say anything more."

"Sadie please," my Dad says, silently pleading for me to conform. I know the look on his face well enough to know that I don't have a choice.

"Fine," I huff, sitting back down. "But don't mess it up more than you already have."