Page 2 of New Resolutions

I catch the head of my security’s eye and nod my head signaling it is time for us to get the hell out of here. Javier isn’t just the head of my security; he is my friend. The best friend a guy can have since he is willing to take a bullet for me and not just because I pay him to. In the early days, when I didn’t have a pot to piss in, Javi stayed with me, kept me safe when I made shady deals and knew where the bodies were hidden because he helped dig the holes. The guy is like my right hand, my shadow in the best way possible. My brother, my friend, and the one person who I let get close.

He starts moving through the crowd to reach me as I turn to the doors to leave…just as a woman comes through them with tinsel in her hair and light shining down on her. It’s like she’s emitting the glow from inside of her at the same time it’s coming from above. She looks…like an angel.

I’m so stunned I don’t realize Javi is beside me before he speaks.

“Ready to go?”

He has to say it more than once before I realize he’s talking to me.

“You okay, Barrett?”

No, I am anything but okay. “Who is that?”

He looks over at where my gaze seems to be focused. “Sarah?”

I don’t miss the fact he straightens up a little taller when he says her name.

“The dark-haired one is named Sarah?” A hot sizzle of jealousy goes through me so fast I can’t control it. The fact he knows hername right away without even having to think about it eats at me.

“Oh,” he seems to relax somewhat, “no, the one she’s standing next to is Sarah from the daycare. I'm not sure who the brunette is.”

“Find out.”

I should ask him how he knows who Sarah is, but I can’t be bothered with that right now.

“Yes, sir. I’m on it.”

I don’t care how he has to do it. I want to know.

“Mr. Cane, Mr. Cane. I’m Julia from Accounting. I wanted to tell you how much I love working for your company.”

She bats her eyes and if I’m not mistaken sticks her chest out further when she says it. Her hand lands on my forearm as she pouts her lips.

“Good, I’m glad. If you want to keep working here, I suggest you take your hand off me right now and find someone else to celebrate with.”

Her eyes widen and her mouth falls open in shock as she goes pale but quickly removes her hand from me. I don’t wait for a response before I walk away. Having her touch me just makes whatever is inside of me that sprang to life when I laid eyes on my angel that much hungrier.

I should wait to hear back from Javi, but I can’t wait that long. I won’t wait that long. I move through the crowd as I watch her walk to the bar at one side of the room. I wait until she’s got her drink and turns to face the crowd to come up beside her.

“Enjoying the party?” She jumps a little and almost drops her drink. I wrap my hand around hers to help steady her. Or so I tell my sensible self. The other side of me knows it’s because I want to touch her and this is the only way I can do it without sending her running for the door. “Careful.”

Again, I’m talking to myself more than I am to her. I will have to be careful not to frighten this little angel away before I can tie her to me.

Chapter Three

Charity

As soon as we come through the door, I am rethinking everything, my clothes, my shoes, my hair…coming here, listening to Sarah, all of it. Everyone looks so…classy and grown up and I have tinsel in my hair showing everyone how freaking young and dumb I am.

“Sarah, I don’t think I can do this. I’m going to go home.”

“No, you are not! We got all dressed up for this and you look like a Christmas treat someone can snack on. Stay long enough to have a drink with me.”

“Okay, but only one.”

We make our way to the bar set up along the back of the wall. People might look classy but they are already too far in the Christmas spirits to have any inhibitions left it would seem as a man comes walking up to Sarah and slurs his words.

“Who’s your friend, Sarah?”

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