Page 67 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

Ethan shoots him in the leg. The man falls to the ground with a scream as the first guy pulls a gun from the back of his pants. Mitch swings his gun toward him and fires inches in front of the man’s toes.

“What the fuck!” the startled man yells as he takes a step back.

“That was a warning. Don’t be stupid,” Mitch warns. “You’re on our turf.”

Another man jumps out to help his injured comrade, pulling him into the SUV.

The first one speaks again. “Give us Melissa Carson, and we’ll be on our way.”

“You need to be on your way, period,” Colton says. “Or we will fire again. And again. And again. I’ve already called the sheriff. He’s on his way.”

I doubt that. There was no time. But these cartel pricks don’t need the truth. They just need to know someone’s coming. That we’re not alone out here in the middle of nowhere, theirs for the picking. Instinctively, I cradle my lower belly with both hands, terrified of what might happen if these men get past Colton, Mitch, and Ethan.

Ethan descends the first porch step. “You heard my brother,” he shouts. “Get the fuck out of here, or I will shoot you.”

“Give us Melissa Carson,” the first guy insists.

“Apparently, you didn’t get my message,” Mitch says and fires a second round, even closer to the previous.

It makes the driver jump. “You fucker!”

“Not going to say it again.” Colton stands his ground as well.

I’m pretty sure they’re outnumbered and outgunned, but the cartel already has one injured man and the Averys aren’t afraid to shoot.

“Oh, God,” I whisper as Ethan points his rifle at the chatty driver.

“One last time. Are you pricks leaving on your own, or will we be burying bodies in the back pasture?”

“We’ll be back,” the driver says, backing toward the SUV. “Either deliver the girl or the money, or you won’t like what happens.”

To my relief, the men get back in their cars. The three black SUVs turn around and bolt up the driveway leading back to the gate, while Colton, Ethan, and Mitch stay right where they are.

Watching.

Waiting.

Ready to fire if needed.

“I can’t believe it,” I whisper, shaking like a leaf. The adrenaline courses through me like an endless, unstoppable surge of electricity, making my chest feel heavy and my knees weak.

Me or two million dollars.

Anything other than that will result in something much worse than what just happened.

Next time, there won’t be three cars. Next time, I wager my guys won’t have the precious few seconds they’ll need to grab their rifles to defend me. Good grief, I almost believed there might be a way out of this hot mess.

22

Colton

“Kyle and Jason are with the sheriff at the gate,” Sammy says as he comes back into the house, snow falling from his boots. “They’re checking the cameras and the motion sensors. Some of the wires were cut apparently.”

“And that’s how they got through without triggering the alert on my phone,” I grumble while pacing the living room.

I stop by the fire for a few moments, welcoming the heat as I give Melissa a long, wondering glance. She’s glued to the armchair, pale as a ghost and scared out of her mind. I wish I could hold her and kiss it all away, but clearly it wouldn’t be enough.

“How are you holding up?” I ask her.

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