Page 75 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

Atlas raises one thick, black eyebrow. “Carols?”

Key catches one of his knives and grins. “I’ll sing if we can rewrite the lyrics. None of that traditional crap.”

Teddy smirks before taking a drink of his whiskey. “What, like ahitman’s guide to Christmasor something?”

My grin widens. “Exactly like that.”

Atlas groans, but I catch the faint hint of a smile tugging at his lips. For all his tough-guy brooding, I can tell he’s secretly enjoying this. Oh, he thinks he’s tough now. Let’s see how tough he is after I get him to sing about jingle bells and gunfights.

I slide a teasing glance his way and decide to push my luck. “Come on, Atlas.” I stand up, walk over to him, and grab his arm, pulling him toward the piano. “I know you’ve got some Christmas spirit hidden somewhere in that big, scary body of yours.”

His expression softens just a little as he allows himself to be pulled to the piano, but there’s a playful challenge in his eyes. “Don’t count on it.”

Key bounds over next, spinning one of his knives in the air before catching it and setting it down on the coffee table. “This should be good.” He winks at me, and when he reaches the piano, he leans in close, his hand brushing my lower back, sending a little jolt of heat through me. “I’ll join in, Sugar, but you better keep up.”

“I’ll do more than keep up,” I tease back, not missing the way his hand lingers. The touch is fleeting, but it leaves a delicious tingle in its wake.

Teddy, with a resigned sigh, pushes off from the wall and strolls over, taking his place beside Key. “Fine, but I’m not wearing any elf hats.”

I laugh and slide back onto the bench. “Deal. No elf hats.”

I begin to play the opening notes ofIt’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, starting off soft and cheerful, letting the holiday mood settle into the room. Atlas watches me, his dark eyes warm despite his usual gruffness, and I can feel theconnection between us all. It’s an unspoken bond that goes beyond the chaos of the past few days.

“You boys ready?” I ask, glancing up at them with a mischievous smile.

Without missing a beat, Key leans against the piano and flashes me a grin. “I was born ready.”

I switch it up, transitioning into a playful version of Jingle Bells, and I can’t help but improvise with my own lyrics. “Dashing through the snow,” I sing, wiggling my eyebrows. “With three hitmen on my tail-”

Key jumps in with perfect timing, his voice surprisingly smooth. “Over the hills we go, leaving bodies in our wake?—”

I snort with laughter, barely managing to keep playing through my giggles. “Whoa, Key! Not exactly the Christmas spirit I was aiming for!”

Teddy rolls his eyes but joins in, his deep voice playful as he adds, “Guns blazing all the way!”

“Jingle bells, bodies fell, Grace led us astray-” Key belts out, grabbing a candlestick from the minibar counter and using it as a makeshift microphone.

I stop playing, laughing so hard I can’t continue. “Led you astray? Excuse me?”

Teddy shrugs and takes a seat beside me on the piano bench, his thigh brushing mine in a way that feels entirely too intimate for caroling. “You do tend to drag us into chaos.”

“Well, maybe you boys need a little chaos in your lives,” I say, flashing him a grin. I can feel the heat from where our legs touch, and for a second, the teasing is replaced by a quiet intensity. “I keep you on your toes, admit it.”

Atlas, who has been silently watching, finally cracks a chuckle. “You definitely keep things interesting.”

I give him a playful smile, happy to see him loosening up. “Come on, Atlas. Sing with us.”

He gives me a long, measured look before grumbling something under his breath. But when I start playing the next song, he stays quiet, waiting.

I switch to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, slowing down the tempo and adding a bluesy twist, letting the song drift into something playful but smooth. Almost instantly, Key jumps in again, crooning in a sultry voice. “Grace the red-cheeked sweetheart, had a very sassy grin…”

I burst out laughing, but manage to keep my fingers moving on the keys. “Key, really?”

“And if you ever met her,” Teddy adds, his voice low and teasing, “you would say she’s sweet as sin…”

I snort again, shaking my head as I glance between them. “You two are ridiculous.”

Key leans in close, his lips brushing my ear as he murmurs, “Only for you, Sugar”

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