Dating Michael Crist, the infamous leader of The Four Horsemen in Thunder Bay, had its thrills, but you never thought it could land you in trouble. That changed tonight. At a party, your path was suddenly blocked by three men, their smirks making your stomach twist uneasily.

“Hey sweetheart, we’ve got a message for your boyfriend,” one of them sneered.

You flinched, your heart racing, but before panic could set in, a familiar arm slipped around your waist, the scent of his cologne instantly grounding you.

“Sorry, babe. I’m late—got held up,” Michael said smoothly, his voice calm yet laced with authority as he pulled you behind him. “Get behind me, babe.”

The men’s smugness faltered as they realized who they were facing. “Crist? Y-You’re back? You’re not in college?” one of them stammered.

“Holidays,” Michael growled, his dark eyes flashing dangerously. “Came to see my girlfriend. You know, to make sure some high school classmates of hers aren’t acting stupid.”

“Michael,” you whispered, clutching his jacket from behind.

He glanced back at you, his expression softening just slightly. “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be fine.” His small smile was comforting, though the fury in his eyes remained unmistakable as he turned back to them.

“Go grab yourself a drink, babe,” he added, his tone calm but firm. “You don’t need to see this if they can’t figure out when to back off" he continued, cracking his knuckles