Christmas dinner was upon us, and everyone was in the dining room and kitchen finishing up the last of the holiday meal prep like it was any other holiday.

We were acting normal, but I was still completely on edge about the whole stalker thing. It was weird that Gavin and Myla hadn’t gotten any more notes or anything. Chad had been going to check on their condo daily, getting their mail and talking to the doormen—nothing. I really couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was off about the situation.

“What’s up, Sean?” Gavin asked with a knowing look on his face.

I shook my head. “I’m just still in cop mode. You guys are under my protection, you do know that, right?”

He tried to hand me a beer, but I refused it. He shrugged, opening it for himself instead. “Do you think it was just a one-time thing?” Gavin asked as he set out the stuffing and gravy on the decorated table.

Griffin was busy carving the turkey, and the girls finished the last-minute sides then set the table. “Dude, when that psycho was stalking me, she waited weeks in between contact. Turned out she had rented an apartment in the building across from mine with a direct view into my bathroom. Fucking crazy as hell.”

Myla threw a dishtowel at her brother-in-law. “Not helping,” she shouted as she made her and Jess Tito’s and cranberry with lime.

Griffin threw his hands in the air. “I was just telling you guys to not let your guard down. You’ll end up with a paper bag full of hair and toenail clippings left at your doorstep.”

“Did they ever catch her?” Jess asked before taking a sip of her pink drink.

“Yeah, she’s actually locked away. I wasn’t the only person she had stalked, and apparently, she had gotten violent with someone at one point. I kind of feel bad for her.”

“Hopefully she’s getting the help she needs,” Jess remarked as she put the cherry and apple pies into the oven to warm up. One of my favorite things about her was that she was a master baker. My waistline hated it, but it was just too good to ever pass up.

Crosby leaned on the counter across the kitchen. “Man, I just don’t get women sometimes. Like, all of you are so normal”—he motioned to the girls before continuing—“and then you get crazy bitches like my ex or this woman leaving threatening messages. It just blows my mind.”

“Fuck if any of us have the answer. No offense, Gavin, but I would not kill someone to be with you. If you left me to be with another woman, you and her could go fuck yourselves and I’d just rake in my alimony while sunbathing on a beach somewhere with a sexy scuba instructor.” Myla nudged her husband with her elbow as she leaned up on her tiptoes for a kiss.

“Now that right there is true love.” Gavin smiled down at his wife.

Karla waved her hands in the air. “The baby is only going to sleep and leave us in peace to eat for so long. Enough talk about crazy psycho chicks—let’s dig in.”

Right as we were settling into our seats and dishing our holiday feast out onto our plates, a brick crashed through the front window, rolling all the way to my feet. I kicked at it to make sure it was just a brick—no note or anything more dangerous—as I removed my gun from its holster.

Seven leapt up, growling and barking at the front door. Jess was on her feet, gun in hand, waiting for my signal.

I nodded to her and she started to usher Karla and Myla into the den with Lilly. Brayden had his shotgun propped in the crook of his shoulder, covering me as I made my way to the front door.

“Go stay with the girls, send Jess back out to me. We’ll clear the perimeter.”

“Got it.” Brayden fell back as the other guys followed him into the den to stay with Myla and Karla. I was thankful none of them felt like they needed to play hero and just let Jess and me do our job.

“Backup is on the way. I just got off the phone with the captain,” Jess whispered as I opened the front door.

“Are you good?” I asked as she came up behind me.

“What do you mean?” She put her hand on my shoulder, letting me know she was right on my flank.

“How much did you drink?”

“Not even a full drink,” she answered.

“If there is a shot to be taken, let me take it.”

She didn’t protest. She knew if there were an investigation, because I hadn’t even touched a drop of booze, it would be best that it was me with gunshot residue on my hands.

The street was dark and quiet. I looked up to see that the street light had been busted out.

I glanced over my shoulder at Jess. “I have a very bad feeling about this.” The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and we made our way around the side of the house. Seven was trotting next to us, her shoulders hunched like she was ready to pounce at any moment. I had never taken her for being such a protective dog, but I supposed instincts had taken over.

Rustling came from the bushes. I whipped around as a woman burst out, grabbing Jess from behind. My gun was trained on her head as I started to try to think of the best way to play this. It took a few seconds for me to recognize her, but in her ravenous, blonde fury, I saw it was Marsheila who had Jess in a headlock with a Glock pressed against her temple.

“Now, Marsheila, you do not want to do anything stupid,” I said in a calm voice. “Jess here did nothing to you. She didn’t even know any of us until the year after you and Gavin were done. Put the gun down. We can talk this out.”

“You put your gun down or you pretty girlfriend gets to meet her maker.”

“Take the shot,” Jess mouthed to me over and over, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Off in the distance, sirens started to blare.

“Marsheila, those cops are not going to be as forgiving as we are. If you let Jess go now, there is still hope for you to walk away from all this.” My entire body was shaking. I was watching a madwoman threaten the only woman I had ever truly loved.

“Stop lying to me, Whistler. You always hated me. You made sure all of them knew how much you wanted Gavin to leave me, how happy you were when I left him. He was mine first. He should be with me,” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Jess’s eyes were locked on mine as she continued to silently plead with me to take the shot.

One.

Two.

Three.

I exhaled and then did as Jess asked, pulling the trigger. I should have missed. I was way too damn nervous, but by some miracle, I got Marsheila right in the forehead. Blood and brain matter peppered the side of Jess’s face as she screamed.

I ran to her, scooping her into my arms as our captain and Tomlinson rushed up the front lawn with a few other officers in tow. Captain MacDonnell called for a bus as I sank to the ground, rocking Jess in my arms.