Page 66 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

Ethan and Mitch are already here, halfway done with their hearty breakfast. Since it’s a special day, I decided to sneak out of bed and away from their strong arms about an hour earlier than usual so I could put this veritable feast together.

“You got the champagne,” Ethan replies, half-smiling.

“Two cases. You know, in case we decide to go wild,” Colton chuckles and joins them at the breakfast table, but not without dropping a kiss on my cheek first as I load his plate with a hefty serving of everything. “Morning, beautiful.”

“Morning,” I reply, feeling warm and golden on the inside.

His blue eyes search my face. “So, this is why you ran off before dawn.”

“Figured you could use proper sustenance,” I reply with a giggle. “We’ve got a big lunch before the New Year’s Eve dinner as well. You boys better show up hungry.”

Mitch chuckles. “Oh, you bet your gorgeous ass we’re gonna show up hungry. We don’t have much to do for the rest of the day. Darla’s upstairs in her home office closing up the admin year for the ranch. Sammy’s got Kyle and Jason patching up the last damaged section of the northeastern fence.”

“All we have to do is handle the cattle feed, check on the rest of the livestock, and take the horses out for one last ride of the year,” Ethan adds. “Oh, Colt, the fireworks.”

“Already in the garage,” Colton replies, clearly satisfied with himself.

My eyes pop wide with excitement. “Y’all do love a raucous New Year’s Eve, huh?”

“Normally, we’d just go out to the Cavalier and celebrate with everyone else, but we figured we’d try something special this year,” Colton says in between morsels of food. “My Lord, Melissa, this is one of the best omelets you’ve made so far.”

As I watch my men work through their breakfast, I think of ways I could tell them about the baby. They should know. I’ll start showing soon enough, and when that happens, I have no idea what will happen.

I’m suddenly struck by a terrible thought. What if the guys don’t want anything to do with me or the baby once they find out? Mybaby will be born in prison and end up in the foster system like I did. The thought is enough to bring on another wave of nausea.

I’m biting my lower lip, and Colton is the first to notice. “Are you okay, Melissa?”

“Yeah, a few things on my mind, that’s all.”

Ruckus erupts outside. Engines roaring. Horns blaring.

Instantly, everything changes. Time speeds up. The guys jump from the table and head for the front door. Instinctively, despite my rapidly beating heart, I run after them.

I barely register the moment in which Colton, Ethan, and Mitch each grab one of the rifles mounted in the hallway cabinet before they step out onto the porch. I don’t register the warnings they give each other either.

“Melissa, stay inside,” Ethan tells me.

“What?” I’m just about to join them on the porch when I’m not-so-gently pushed back, the front door shutting abruptly in my face.

I need a few seconds to catch up, but as soon as my brain is back online, I rush into the living room and peek through the window. The view unraveling before my eyes fills me with a sudden wave of dread and horror.

Three black SUVs have pulled up outside, right in front of the house. How they got past the security gate, I have no idea.

The air feels thick and practically unbreathable as Colton, Ethan, and Mitch reach the porch steps, rifles locked and loaded in their hands.

Two men get out from the car in the middle. They’re clad in black, their winter parkas thick and unzipped.

“Bring her out,” one of them shouts, a hint of a Hispanic accent coloring the words.

My blood runs cold. I’m frozen on the spot, face practically glued to the frosted window.

“Who the fuck are you, and what are you doing on my property?” Colton replies, firmly gripping his rifle. Mitch and Ethan are already pointing theirs at the strangers.

“You know who we are. You were warned,” the guy replies.

The other one whips out a weapon of his own, but—BAM!

“Oh, shit!” I yelp.

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