His Christmas Cookie

“He’d rip you to pieces, trust me. You’ve known Frost for a few weeks. I’ve known him his whole life.”

That is what most people say about Frost, and I’ve seen him in action a few times myself. But I don't get that side of him. I get the side that no one else knows about besides my family.

“Why don’t you get some rest? Nathan is going to keep watch on your door for me. If I were you I wouldn’t try to escape. It will be Nathan running after you.” She winks as she goes to the door. “If you can make it past him.” She closes it behind her, and I fall back onto the bed.

I want to curl into a ball and cry the ache away. I know that's not possible. The only person that can stop it isn't here. I hold myself as I lie there and wonder where he is and what he's doing.

At some point I get up and shove a chair under the door in case Nathan really is out in the hallway watching. She could have been lying, but I’m playing it safe.

Sleep never comes as the hours pass, and slowly the room starts to fill with light. I left the drapes open because there’s not a clock in here, and I can only guess the time.

The sun is high in the sky when I look out the huge window, and all I see is an endless blanket of snow. The sun bounces off of it and makes it painful to look outside.

The landscape is sparse and barren, and the only thing making it nice is the snow. This house is miserable on the outside too, and I think about Frost and Miller growing up here. I can see why their exteriors are so hard because I’m guessing it's something they learned to do at a young age.

The door handle turns as someone tries to open it, and I hear Chel curse. “I’m coming.” I sigh as I walk over to the door and remove the chair. The door flies open, almost hitting me in the face, and Chel stands there in a wedding dress.

Oh god. This is really happening. He’s really going to marry her. Oh god, I’ll have to see them together if he lives next door to my sister. It’s not possible. I’d be so miserable, just like this stupid, overdone house.

At least Chel’s dress is horrible.

“Listen here.” Chel points a long finger at me, her nails painted blood red. She’s so pretty on the outside, I actually feel a little sorry for her. “You stay away from Nathan. You hear me?”

I nod. “I’ve been trying to stay away from him since the day I left him.” Not only is this a miserable house, it’s a crazy house too.

Between the lack of sleep and everything else I’ve felt, I start to laugh. The crazy is rubbing off on me.

“What’s so funny?” She scowls, but I see weakness in her eyes.

“Besides the dress?” I say through my laugh, and she glares at me.

“I bet you won’t think it's funny when Frost fucks me in it.”

My laughter dies in my throat after she hits her target. Her red lips, painted in the same shade as her nails, curl into an evil grin. I’m shocked her overdone lips can even form a smile, but rage like I’ve never felt fills my body.

I do the only rational thing I can as I ball up my fist and punch her skinny ass right in the face.

The first two punches are all I remember before everything goes black.Chapter 12Frost“Are you ready?” Miller asks, stepping into the room.

I straighten my tie and nod. He closes the door behind him and comes closer. He doesn’t say anything as he reaches for my tie and fixes the knot for me.

“Are they safe?” I ask in Russian, and he nods.

Last night while I was making the call to my mother, Miller took Pumpkin and her parents to a secure location. My chest ached that he had to do that, but protecting them was crucial. We didn’t know what the ramifications of today would be, and it’s better that our mother can’t get her claws into them.

“Did Winter call you?” he asks, and it’s my turn to nod.

Cookie’s father called me late last night and told me that everything would be okay. I told him I was sorry that I’ve brought this on their family, but he stopped me and told me that all he wanted was his little girl back and for me to bring her home.

I was prepared for his anger that I’d let this happen to his daughter. But instead he gave me kindness and forgiveness because he knew that I would never have done this to her if I could have stopped it. My own father hasn’t spoken to me in years, and I doubt we will ever exchange another word after today. Winter is the father I always wished for, and he’s entrusted me with making it right. After today it will be, no matter what I have to sacrifice to get it.