Page 62 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

“Yeah,” I lean forward to read the instructions, “You have to hit the weasel with the hammer and if you get it, you get to take the goldfish home.”

“Can I try? Oh, Abby, please, can I try?”

I grin at him, “Go ahead.”

Taking out five dollars, I give it to the man in-charge before Steven could even reach his wallet, “Give him five tries.”

I was watching Aaron make the shot when a woman next to Steven, smiled at him, “You’ve got a lovely family.”

I didn’t know what I expected him to say in response but what he said, definitely wasn’t it, “Thank you. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

My breath caught in my chest and I swallow hard.

The warmth filling my chest evaporates when I felt the hair on the back of my neck prick with discomfort. I glance over my shoulder.

There was no one there.

Frowning, I chalk it off to my imagination.

However, as we move through the market, I find myself gripping Aaron’s hand tighter. I felt like someone was watching me, and I didn’t like it.

I trusted my instincts and when a man brushed past me, muttering an excuse me, I felt my instincts flare and I immediately backed into Steven, forcing Aaron behind me.

“Abby?” There was a sharp note in Steven’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

The man who had brushed past me, glanced over his shoulder and made eye contact with me before pulling his hoodie closer and quickly blending into the crowd.

My eyes searched f

or him, but I couldn’t find him.

“I think it’s time we left,” I say, my tone strained.

Something was off.

Three men in the same hoodie had brushed past me in the past hour.

“What’s wrong?” Steven looks at me, his eyes narrow.

“I don’t know,” I mutter. “I just think we should leave.”

He studies me before nodding, and then swears, “The box! I left it at the stall. Stay here.”

Before I could stop him, he dives into the crowd, disappearing from sight.

The hair on the back of my neck prickle again, and I grab on to Aaron, “Aaron, hold on to me very tight. Don’t let go.”

He looks up in confusion, and I snap at him, “Put your hands around my waist.”

My instincts were screaming at me and my body grows tense when I see a brown-haired man in the same hoodie approach me from the side.

I notice the gun in his hand and my eyes flew toward another man approaching me as well. Their eyes were cold and one of them was looking at Aaron.

I take out the pepper spray from my bag.

If I send Aaron running, there was a chance they would grab him. There was another one of them out there.

“Stay away!” I snarl at them, my pepper spray hidden in my hand.

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