I stroke Skipper’s fur, keeping my voice low and steady. “Nice touch bringing the wife in on it, Blue. Real poetic. You’ve got a flair for the dramatic.”
My reindeer mask itches, the antlers wobbling as I shift, but I don’t take it off. Not yet. The masks are our edge, keeping her off-balance, reminding her of Halloween when we had her tied up and begging. That night replays in my head like a film I can’t stop watching, her moans, her body arching under my fingers, the way she took everything we gave and gave it back tenfold and it’s been burned into my brain ever since.
She’s so goddamn perfect, watching her now as she stands by the desk, arms crossed, chin up like she’s daring us to make a move. I can’t help but smile at her. I can’t wait to make her ours.
Black walks over to her and slides his fingers into her hair, twisting it just enough to make her breath hitch.
“You didn’t think we’d let you walk away after Halloween, didn’t you?” he growls, his Santa mask doing nothing to hide the hunger in his eyes.
“You took our money, left us with nothing but hard-ons and a headache. Now that we’ve found you, you’re not slipping away again.”
Red leans against the wall, his elf mask tilted, dimples flashing as he grins. “Gotta say, Blue, this setup’s a work of art. You’re a fucking genius but you know what’s missing?” He steps closer, his voice dropping to a teasing drawl. “Us. You didn’t invite us to the party, and we’re hurt.”
I chuckle, setting Skipper down gently. She yips and darts to Blue, circling her legs like a tiny deputy ready to back her up.
“Skipper’s on your side,” I say, my tone lighter than I feel. “But she remembers us, don’t you, girl? Smart dog. Smarter than you, Blue, thinking you could outrun us.”
Blue’s eyes narrow, but there’s a flush creeping up her neck and an excited spark in her eyes betraying the fun she’s trying to hide. Our girl loves a thrill.
“You three are like a bad rash that I can’t get rid of,” she snaps, her voice dripping with that bratty sass we can’t get enough of. “What do you want? The money? Revenge? Or are you just here to ogle my handiwork? Because I’m busy, and I didn’t really plan to have an audience.”
Goddamn, that mouth. I want to kiss it, shut it up, make it moan my name, my real name this time. She’s a little nervous, I see it in the way her fingers twitch toward her clutch but she’s not backing down. That defiance, that fire, it’s what draws us to her. She’s not just a mark…she’s a match, lighting up parts of me I thought were long dead. I glance at Black and Red, catching the same hunger in their eyes. We’re not here to hurt her, not really. We want her with us, part of us, not just for a night but for good. But first, she needs to learn what happens when you fuck with us.
Black releases her hair, stepping back but not breaking eye contact. “Finish your con, Blue. We’re not here to stop you. Hensley’s a piece of shit, he deserves everything you’ve got planned. But when you’re done, you’re coming with us.”
Her laugh is sharp, almost a bark. “Coming with you? What, to play house? You think I’m that easy? I fucked you once, boys, and it was fun, but I don’t do encores unless I’m calling the shots.”
Red laughs, a low, warm sound that fills the room. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re calling plenty of shots. Look at this place, Hensley’s done for - but you owe us, and we’re collecting. Not just the money… You.”
I step closer, my boots quiet on the carpet, and tilt my head, studying her. “You felt it, Blue. That night, it wasn’t just a con. You gave us something real, and we gave it back. Don’t pretend you don’t want it again.”
My voice is softer than my brothers’, but it’s no less firm. I see the way her breath catches, the way her eyes flicker to my chest, over my tattoos and then bites down on that plump cherry red bottom lip. She’s remembering, same as me. The way my fingers found every sensitive spot, the way she came apart under my touch. Fuck, I want that again. Want her screaming my name, want her laughing with us, planning cons with us. She’s one of us, even if she doesn’t know it yet.
Blue’s gaze darts to the safe, still open, the loot stuffed in Skipper’s basket. She’s calculating, weighing her options.
“You’re not taking my haul,” she says, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a flicker of doubt. “I worked too hard for this. People like him—” She gestures at Hensley, then the papers on the walls. “They don’t get to win. Not anymore.”
Black nods, his jaw tight. “We get it. He’s scum. We’re not here for him. Finish it, Blue. We’ll wait.”
I glance at Red, who’s watching her like she’s the only thing in the room that matters. He’s always been the charmer, the one who wears his heart on his sleeve, but I see it now, he’s falling for her, same as me. Same as Black, though he’d never admit it. We’ve been burned before, lost too much to trust easily, but Blue’s different. She’s not just a thief; she’s fighting for something bigger. Those papers on the walls, the names, the faces, they’re her ghosts, just like we’ve got ours.
Blue hesitates, then turns back to the desk, grabbing another stack of papers, more denial letters, more obituaries. She tapes them to the walls with quick, precise movements, her hands steady now, like she’s channeling her nerves into action. I watch her work, my chest tight. She’s carrying so much pain, I think.Every name on those papers is a wound, and she’s turning it into a weapon. I want to know her story, want to know what drives her. I want to be there when she wins.
She steps back, breathing hard, and turns to us, her eyes blazing. “There. Done. Happy now? Or are you gonna stand there gawking all night?”
Red grins, stepping closer, his elf hat tilted at a cocky angle. “Oh, we’re happy but we’re not done. You’re coming with us, Blue. We’ve got a place rented nearby. Time to talk about what comes next.”
Black’s voice cuts in, low and commanding. “You don’t get to say no this time. You fucked us over once. Now it’s our turn.”
I pick up Skipper’s basket. “We’re not taking this. It’s yours. But you are coming with us, Blue. We’ve got unfinished business.”
She stares at us, her lips parting, that sass warring with something softer in her eyes, desire maybe, or the same pull we feel.
“You think you can just waltz in and take me? I’m not that girl.”
I smile, soft but firm. “We know exactly what kind of girl you are. That’s why we’re here. Now let’s go before security decides to come check on the after-party.”
The office door clicks shut behind us, and we surround Blue to keep her centered between our three bodies as we move quickly down the hall away from the evidence of Blue’s savage victory. Hensley is still out cold on his couch, the office walls plastered with obituaries and the neon red warning that spells his ruin. But the real game isn't finished with Hensley's downfall.
