bedroom, shutting the door. I hear it lock into place. Fuck. She really is scared. I open my front door and step outside. I see Pussy Juice, Rimmed, and Rizz waiting for me.
“Guess you guys didn't need much sleep, huh?” I ask thinking it might lighten the mood, but they're not interested.
“Where is Sugar?” Rizz asks.
“Doesn’t matter. She's not coming with you,” I tell him plainly. “Look, you said you wanted her off your hands. You got what you wanted.”
“I have a reason I need her.”
“And what's that?” I ask. “You want to do some illegal shit with a woman who can make up her own goddamn mind? The guys all laugh as if I'm the fool. “She's not yours to take.”
What are you going to do?” Rizz asks. “It's three against one. I may not be the smartest guy on the block, but I know enough to say that's a stupid way to go.”
“You think you’re going to show up here, shoot me, and take Sugar? Is that what you think?” I ask. “She said you were stupid, but I didn't realize how fucking dumb you actually are.”
Rizz’s face is red with anger. My words riling him up just like I knew I would, but I don't care.
“Listen to me, I don't lie, I don't cheat, and I sure as hell don't back down from a fight.”
“Is that a threat?” Rizz asks, spitting at my feet.
“No, it’s a fucking fact.”
Rizz pulls out a gun, and so do his guys. Suddenly, all three have them pointed to me, their fingers on the triggers, and all I can think about is Sugar. Her being left with these men.
“Don’t shoot,” Sugar says. “Or I will.”
I pull in a sharp breath, feeling the cold metal of my own gun in my back pocket. This sure as hell wasn't how the morning was supposed to go.
“What are you doing?” Rizz shouts. “Put that away.”
Sugar steps forward, a small silver gun in her hand. I had no idea she carried heat. Then my heart pounds with love and a deep desire to protect her
at all costs. My girl has had to fend for herself for so damn long. It’s wrong for her to fight for me now.
This is my battle and I will do the dirty work.
I pull out my gun, not afraid to shoot. These fuckers want to mess with my girl, they gotta get through me.
Sugar
Smith moves in front of me, and suddenly the world seems to spin. All five of us stand here with guns raised, and the idea of losing Smith is too awful to bear.
In my other hand is Smith’s phone. I hold it up. “I will call 911. Don’t you dare tempt me.”
“This how it’s gonna be, Sis?” Rizz asks. “You think you turning me in on Christmas is the way to fix our problems?”
“It’s better than making me a prisoner to some MC lord,” I say, my words tight, but my voice clear. No more cowering to my bully of a brother. This is my life and I’m not going to lose it.
Just then a cougar darts from the woods, catching Rizz, PJ, and Rimmed off guard. I shriek, as Smith points and shoots, the cougar hissing as a bullet grazes it’s back. Three more come from the tree line, as if waiting to pounce.
Rimmed shoots at the cat, but misses, hitting PJ instead. Smith pushes me behind his hulking frame. “I can’t lose you, Sugar. I love you too damn much.”
The cats hiss wildly, teeth bared, my heart pounding. “You love me?” I ask as he raises an arm of protection over me.
“So damn bad. Now go inside and call the cops.”
I dart in the door, calling 911 as I watch through the window. Rizz blasts his gun at another pair of cats, misses, as he slips on the icy snow. Just as a cat is about to jump on him, Smith shoots the animal, kicking Rizz’s gun away in the process.
Now, all three of them are disarmed, and two of them are bleeding out. My brother may have broken a bone because he is clutching his leg and moaning loudly. I tell the operator that there’s been an emergency and Smith’s bullets penetrate the cougars, leaving all four of them dead in their tracks.
Smith grabs a rope from the porch and begins to hog tie my brother and his besties, as I pull on a winter parka and slip my feet in oversized boots. Outside, teeth