Page 83 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

“Be careful,” I say as they head out the door.

The second it opens, a wall of cold air hits me, and the wind howls even louder. Atlas and Teddy disappear into the snow almost immediately, the white swallowing them whole before the door slams shut again, muffling the storm once more.

“Great,” I mutter, moving over to the couch and pulling a blanket tight around my shoulders. “That went from cozy to terrifying real quick.”

Key, ever the optimist, plops down next to me on the couch, draping an arm across the back of it. “Hey, don’t worry, Sugar. Those guys have dealt with worse. Besides, look at it this way: we’re snowed in with food, fire, and a big comfy couch. I’d say we’re doing just fine.”

I glance at him, unable to resist a small smile despite my nerves. Leave it to Key to find the silver lining. “You make a good point,” I admit, though my eyes keep flicking back to thewindow. The wind is still rattling the glass like it’s trying to claw its way inside, and the snow is coming down so thick, it’s starting to feel claustrophobic.

“Of course I make a good point,” he says, lounging back with that easy grin of his. “Now, come on. Let’s not let a little snow ruin our night. We’ve got a fire, we’ve got each other, and best of all, we’ve got plenty of hot chocolate. That’s practically the dream.”

I can’t help but laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And yet, here you are, still sitting next to me.” He nudges me playfully with his elbow, and I roll my eyes, settling deeper into the couch as I try to relax. He’s right, though. If we’re going to be stuck in this storm, there are worse places to be than inside a cozy cabin with a roaring fire and three guys who would do anything to protect me.

But the storm outside is relentless. Every few minutes, I glance toward the windows, watching as the snow piles higher and higher, until it feels like the cabin is slowly being buried. It’s unsettling, even if Key is doing his best to keep things light.

After what feels like an eternity, the front door bursts open again, and a blast of icy wind sweeps into the room. Atlas and Teddy stomp inside, covered in snow and looking like they just battled their way through a tundra.

“The generator’s fine for now,” Atlas says, shaking snow from his coat. “But the storm’s getting worse. If we lose power, we’ll have the backup generator but it isn’t in the best condition. If that packs up on us, then it’ll be hard to keep the place warm, so we’ll need to keep the fire going.”

Teddy brushes snow off his shoulders with a grunt. “We’ve got enough firewood to last us a couple of days, so we should be good.”

I glance between them, trying to gauge how serious things are. Atlas looks calm as ever, but Teddy’s lips are set in a grim line.

Key grins. “This is the universe’s way of telling us to chill. We can’t control the weather, so we might as well enjoy it.”

Atlas moves toward the fire, adding another log as he nods. “We’ll be fine as long as we stay prepared. Just keep an eye on the storm.”

I pull my blanket tighter, trying to take a deep breath and settle into the situation. “Alright, so what now? Do we just wait?”

Atlas looks up from the fire. “For now, yeah. Best thing we can do is stay inside and ride it out.”

Key suddenly bounces to his feet, his face lighting up. “I know what’ll pass the time–hot chocolate! Extra marshmallows, coming right up.”

I laugh as he dashes toward the kitchen, already rummaging through the cabinets. Leave it to Key to make the best of being snowed in. He turns even a blizzard into an opportunity for fun.

As he bangs around the kitchen, I settle back on the couch, watching Atlas and Teddy take their seats by the fire. There’s an odd sense of calm in the cabin despite the storm raging outside. Sure, it’s a little scary not knowing how long we’ll be stuck here or whether the power will hold out, but with the guys around, I feel safe. Like no matter what happens, we’ll figure it out together.

The wind continues to howl outside, but inside, it’s warm and quiet. Teddy throws another log on the fire, and the flames crackle, filling the room with a soft, golden glow. I let out a slow breath, relaxing for what feels like the first time since the storm started.

Key pops his head out of the kitchen. “Hot chocolate’s coming up! Prepare yourselves for greatness.”

I smile, feeling a bit of the tension ease out of my body. No matter how bad the storm gets, at least we’ve got hot chocolate, a fire, and each other.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It's been a while since I’ve let my nerd flag fly, and today? Today feels like the perfect time to take advantage of Key’s tech skills to do just that.

“Grace,” I say, pulling her aside, trying not to laugh at the suspicious look she gives me. Her eyes, all wide and curious, sparkle like fresh snow under a clear sky. “Wanna play some video games?”

She tilts her head like a confused puppy, lips quirking at one corner. “You play video games?”

“Pfft, do I play video games? I live and breathe video games, Little One. But don’t let that fool you–I’m still all muscle under this geekery.”

Grace giggles, and the sound is pure Christmas magic. Like sleigh bells and fruity candy canes, with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

“Let me guess, you’re going to show off and wipe the floor with a bunch of twelve year olds?” she teases, poking me in the chest.

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