Page 72 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

Jason’s eyes flick to Grace, and there’s something there, something unexpected. Worry? Did he think...he thought she was in danger. He actually thought he was going to help her.

I’m too stunned to process it. Jason? Defending Grace? After everything?

Grace seems to catch on at the same time, her grin faltering as she stares at him, brow furrowing. “Jason? What are you doing?”

He blinks, looking from her to me, then to the others, clearly piecing together the fact that we’re not strangers here to hurt her. “I heard the door bang open and...I thought…” His voice trails off, unsure of where to go with this now that we’re all staring at him.

For a beat, no one says anything.

Atlas shifts his weight, casting a bored glance in Jason’s direction, but says nothing. Key just rolls his eyes, leaning against the counter like this entire situation is beneath him. Grace blinks once, twice, her expression hovering somewhere between disbelief and irritation.

Then, without a word, she turns back to me.

“So,” Grace says brightly, ignoring Jason’s very existence, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she crosses her arms, “Was all this supposed to be that thing we talked about earlier?”

I blink, still recovering from the pain, but her question hangs in the air, and I can see the mischief brewing behind her eyes.

Atlas raises an eyebrow at her, and Key barely stifles a laugh.

I manage a smirk, though I’m still feeling the effects of her defense mechanism. “Maybe.”

Grace’s lips part in surprise, and then she lets out a sharp laugh. Atlas chuckles, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. “That was the idea.”

Key bursts out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. “Yup! We were going for the wholekidnap you, make you feel like you’re in dangerbit.”

Grace giggles. “And then I accidentally lived up to my nickname once again.”

Key is practically bent over, clutching his stomach. “Oh, youdefinitelydid! Right in the middle of our big, dramatic entrance!”

I groan, trying to stand up straighter despite the lingering ache. “Yeah, well, we weren’t expectingthatpart.”

Grace doubles over, laughing so hard her shoulders shake. “You mean...you guys were all geared up, trying to be all dangerous and intense, and I just ruined the whole thing by taking you down with one knee?”

“That’s pretty much it,” I mutter, rubbing my manhood. The pain has dulled, but my pride is still smarting.

Atlas snorts, shaking his head as he leans back against the wall, arms crossed. “Let’s just say, it didn’t exactly go as planned.”

“Well,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “If you’re done trying to incapacitate me, maybe we can get back to what we were actually doing.”

Grace tilts her head, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Hm, and what’s that, exactly?”

I smirk, leaning in just enough so only she can hear. “Giving you exactly what you asked for.”

Her breath catches, and for a second, the teasing falls away, replaced by something heavier, something that hums between us, electric and undeniable.

“Is that right?” She murmurs, her voice low.

“Damn right it is,” I say, my voice rougher now, more serious. “And trust me, Little One. It’s going to be a lot more fun when you’re not trying to take me out in the process.”

She laughs softly, her eyes sparkling as she leans into me, her hand resting on my chest. “I’ll be gentle,” she whispers, her voice teasing.

I grin, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, ignoring the pain still lingering between my legs. “I won’t.”

And with that, Jason becomes a distant memory–nothing more than a forgotten figure as we return to the moment, to each other, like he never existed in the first place.

Chapter Twenty-Five

I’ve spent hours–days–stuck in this godforsaken cabin, left alone with nothing but my own thoughts and the humiliation that burns deep. The stupid, seemingly never-ending snowstorm keeping me stuck here in misery.

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