Page 123 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

As they lead me up the steps, the front door swings open, revealing a beautifully decorated foyer draped in twinkling lights and holly, with the warmth of a roaring fire and the scent of pine filling the air. I look around, taking it all in–this massive,luxurious cabin that’s no longer a temporary thing but a permanent retreat for us to come back to whenever we want.

The dogs, sensing the excitement, race inside and flop onto the massive rug in front of the fireplace like they belong here, and honestly, they do. We all do.

“So, what do you think, Sugar?” Key asks, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes as he watches me try to absorb it all. “Feel like recreating some fun memories?”

I pull each of them in for a hug, feeling like I might burst with happiness. “As long as there are no more hostages and bloodshed hidden around here,” I say teasingly, laughing as I look from one to the next. “I love it, guys. Thank you!”

Epilogue

CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas is bright and beautiful, with sunlight streaming through the giant windows, casting a warm glow over the massive tree we decorated together. Piled high beneath it are an assortment of presents, wrapped in mismatched paper and ribbons, some with tiny bows barely hanging on. Our three dogs sit nearby, looking just as eager as we do.

Key bounces on the couch beside me, his eyes glued to the mountain of presents. “All right, who’s ready to dig in?” he says, reaching for the first box, which is wrapped with crooked tape and about three layers of extra paper.

“Patience, Key,” Teddy laughs, though he’s already reaching for a package with his name scrawled on it. He looks at me, his eyes twinkling. “Should we start with this one?”

I grin and nod, unable to contain my own excitement. “Go ahead! Open it!”

He carefully pulls back the paper, revealing a sleek, dark leather sheath with silver embossing. He draws out a beautifully crafted dagger, with a handle inlaid with carved wood thatmatches his usual dark, no-nonsense style. His eyes widen as he runs his thumb over the blade’s edge. “Grace, this is incredible. This will definitely come in handy.”

Atlas leans over to admire the dagger, nodding with a grin. “Nice choice, Nutcracker.”

“Just wait,” I say, picking up another small box and passing it to Atlas. He opens it to reveal his own dagger, this one with a more rugged, utilitarian look. The handle is wrapped in black leather and is perfect for his practical nature.

Atlas holds it up, testing the weight in his hand. “Now this…this is exactly what I needed. Thank you, baby.”

My heart rate picks up and I turn, handing one to Key.

“Finally, something for me!” Key exclaims, tearing into a bright green package with a wild grin. Inside is a gleaming, intricately designed dagger with his initials engraved along the handle and a few flourishes that are pure Key–sharp, sleek, and a little flashy.

He lets out a low whistle. “Sugar, you just get me. This is almost too good-looking to use.” He flashes me a wink. “Almost.”

I chuckle, pulling my own pink package toward me, a little suspicious of the guys’ shared looks as I unwrap it. My mouth drops open when I see what’s inside: a compact, sleek, pink pistol with a custom grip and delicate nutcracker girl engraving along the barrel.

“A pink nutcracker gun?” I say, laughing as I run my fingers over the handle. “You guys are ridiculous. But I absolutely love it!”

“Thought you might like something that packed a punch,” Atlas says with a smirk, watching me turn it over in my hands.

“And don’t worry, there’s a custom holster in here too. Also pink, of course,” Teddy adds, watching my reaction with a grin.

We spend the next hour tearing through presents, laughing over every unexpected surprise. I unwrap a set of throwingknives from Atlas, perfectly balanced and wickedly sharp. Teddy gets a set of lockpicks from me, ones I know he’s been eyeing for ages. Key unboxes a high-end pair of aviator sunglasses, complete with a gold K on the frame, which he immediately tries on and starts posing with.

And so much more. Honestly, we’re all a bit spoiled.

Amidst the chaos–which is a lot more pleasurable this time–the guys pass me a long, slim box. Unable to guess what it is, my mouth drops open when I unwrap it to find a custom-made leather jacket lined with fur on the inner lining, collar, and cuffs. Fitted perfectly to me, it’s in the deepest shade of black. “It’s so pretty and fuzzy!” I exclaim, pulling it on and laughing as Key gives me an approving whistle.

“Only the best for our girl,” Teddy says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. The dogs jump up and start pawing at the leftover ribbons, earning a laugh from all of us as they roll around in the mess of wrapping paper.

Finally, there’s only one box left. I bite my lip, feeling the flutter of nerves as I pull it out from under the tree and pass it to the guys. “It’s for all of you to open together.” They look at each other with curious smiles and tear into the package, practically fighting each other to get to the goods. Inside, they find three custom dog tags, each one engraved with a different message, something I wrote just for them.

Atlas reads his first, running his fingers over the words. “My shield.” His voice is soft, his gaze warm as he looks up at me, his smile more genuine than I’ve ever seen. He knows he’s my big, gruff protector.

Teddy lifts his, reading aloud, “My lighthouse.” He grins, his eyes full of pride, knowing he’s the one who effortlessly leads us all through this crazy thing called life.

Key lifts his with a playful smirk, “My wild card.” The one who makes me laugh, makes me crazy, makes life fun. Hereaches over and pulls me into a tight hug, lifting me off the ground as the others follow suit, surrounding me in warmth.

I’m wrapped up in their arms, feeling like I have everything I’ve ever wanted.

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