All Chapters of A DANGEROUS CHRISTMAS ROMANCE : Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

Sebastian Volkov hated Christmas.He hated the lights, the forced cheer, the jingling music that followed him like a stalker, and most of all, he hated the way the holiday reminded him of everything he had lost.The only reason he was currently stepping out of a black SUV into a snow-covered luxury lodge in Aspen was tugging on his gloved hand.“Daddy,” Noelle Volkov said, her tiny boots crunching happily against the snow. “Is this where Santa lives?”Sebastian looked down at his six-year-old daughter—wide-eyed, red-cheeked, bundled up like a walking marshmallow—and sighed.“No,” he said flatly. “Santa is a myth.”Noelle gasped. Loudly. Dramatically. Like a child who had just discovered betrayal on a global scale.“You promised,” she accused, pointing an accusing mitten at him. “You said Christmas would be magical this year.”Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose.“I said we’d go somewhere cold,” he corrected. “And safe.”Safe. That was the key word.Aspen was neutral territory. No

The crack of gunfire echoed across the snow-covered lodge grounds, splitting the serene morning like a lightning bolt. Sebastian Volkov barely had time to register the sound before instinct took over. He shoved Noelle to the ground behind a decorative ice sculpture shaped like a reindeer. Snow sprayed into the air as she landed with an undignified “oof.”“Daddy!” she shrieked. “What’s happening?”“Stay down,” Sebastian growled, rolling over to cover her. His eyes darted to Nyra, who was already scanning the perimeter, a small pistol in hand—tenser than anyone should ever be before breakfast.“You always bring a gun to coffee?” Sebastian asked, his voice low, tight, but almost amused.Nyra’s lips curved slightly. “You really shouldn’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”He scowled. “I want the answer.”“You wouldn’t like it,” she said, snapping off a shot that sent a ricochet over the snow. “Besides, my coffee is stronger than your coffee.”Sebastian stared. Somehow, she’d mad

Sebastian Volkov sat in the lodge office, eyes fixed on the glowing screen of his phone. The message from earlier wasn’t just a warning—it was a challenge. Whoever was behind it knew he was in Aspen, knew about the neutral ground rules, and was daring him to slip.“This Christmas, you won't get away.”He scowled. His instincts screamed danger. His rational brain screamed danger squared. And yet, a small, exasperated voice interrupted him:“Daddy!”He looked up. Noelle was standing in the doorway, clutching a stuffed reindeer that looked far too big for her arms. Snowflakes stuck to her eyelashes like tiny sparkles.“Yes, Noelle?” he asked, trying to sound calm while calculating which exit led to the least danger.“I… I think we need a plan,” she said seriously. “For Snowtopia.”Sebastian blinked. “…Snowtopia?”“No, you don’t get it,” she said, stepping forward. “The threat. The bad people. The snowstorm. It’s all connected! We need strategies!”Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose