My Christmas Gift

by Steele, C. M.

  “No, it’s fine,” she said, looking at our hands.

  “Are you uncomfortable with this?” I asked.

  “No, it’s just…” she didn’t want to tell me that she really was uncomfortable with the situation not my hand.

  “I’m moving fast as fuck. I get that, but when I see something I want I go for it.”

  “I don’t even know your name,” Paige stated bluntly. I guess she had a point.

  “It’s Charles Carter. Most people call me Titan or Charlie, though.” I didn’t have lots of friends so Kaci was the only one who called me Charlie. I hated being called Charles. To me it was the name of a pretentious ass; it was my father’s name.

  “Titan? Is it because you’re huge?” Her eyes widened and I had to bite back a laugh.

  “Yep, exactly why.”

  “How old are you, Charlie?” Fuck me, my dick was stiff on the spot. Never had hearing my name been such a turn on and never without sex involved.

  I swallowed hard, trying to remember her question. “Oh, I’m thirty.” We walked to the exit of the mall in silence, only saying goodnight to the security guard who was waiting to lock the door. I knew she was more than unsure of us that she was letting on, but I would fix that. “Have you eaten dinner?”

  “No, I haven’t, but it’s getting late,” she looked at her phone. It was an older model Samsung Galaxy, maybe an S3 or S4. I get that she didn’t have a well-paying job, but from what I could see she wasn’t a wasteful person. That also told me that she wasn’t a gold digger either.

  “There’s a couple places still open.” I took her hand and led her to my truck.

  “The parking must have been bad.” It was dark out except for the lights in the lot. My truck looked so far away now that the lot was almost empty.

  “I was in a hurry, so I didn’t want to search for a spot closer.” I felt guilty that I parked at the end. She was still wearing her outfit and it was cold. Thankfully, she had a coat and hat on.

  “That makes sense. I’m glad I don’t drive or getting here would have been hard.”

  My eyes bugged out and I scanned her body up and down. “You took the bus dressed like that?” I shook my head in disbelief. There was no way that was safe.

  “Yes. It’s a little cold, but I needed the job.”

  “Let’s get something to eat then I can take you home. There’s a Denny’s right here. It’s probably the only place open late.”

  “That works for me…” she paused when she saw my gun under my jacket. I caught her scared expression. I pulled my PI license out of my pocket and handed it to her.

  “Don’t freak out, Paige. I’m not dangerous to you. I’m so used to carrying a gun I don’t think twice about it anymore. I’m sorry for frightening you,” I said, running the back of my hand down her cheek.

  “Sorry, I usually don’t jump into strangers’ cars.”

  “I’d like to think not. It’s not safe. So why did you with me?” I was curious because I wasn’t as nice as most men who would approach her and I demanded that she come with me.

  “I can’t say. Something about you makes me feel safe. Which is crazy because you’re a giant man. I should have been running in the opposite direction,” she confessed. I chuckled because that was true. There was something special passing between us. Something bigger than either of us knew.

  Chapter 2—Paige

  This was insane. I was on my way to have dinner with a complete stranger. In his vehicle and he carries a gun. Granted, he was a private investigator, but that didn’t mean anything. I should be frightened, but I wasn’t. The feelings I was facing weren’t negative at all. In fact, for the first time in two months, I felt safe. I’d just been harassed by two teenagers before they were escorted out of the mall when I felt someone staring at me. It lasted longer than I expected, but I was afraid to turn around. After having so many men ogling me today in this tiny outfit they gave me at the temp place, I was worried. When I got the strength to turn around, I gasped. He was stunning. Tall, a large build, and undeniably handsome. He had a shopping bag with several stuffed animals so part of me was annoyed thinking he was a married man with kids. The woman behind him gave me a wink and pointed to her ring finger and mouthed “Single” to me. I smiled at her, but I lost sight of him.

  I was busy when he came out, but it didn’t stop him. The first words from his lips sent shivers down my spine in such a delectable way. Now, we were pulling into a Denny’s. He turned off the engine then twisted his body to look at me. “Are you okay with this place?”

  “Yes. Are you having second thoughts?”

  “God, no. I just want to be sure you’re good.”

  “I am. I have a taste for pancakes and eggs right now.” I was hungry since I hadn’t eaten the entire day. Thanks to my brother, I was about to be evicted, there was no food in my place, and my bank account was dry. He’d robbed me blind and I had no way of getting back on track in the next month. There were ways he said, but there was no way I was becoming a stripper or prostitute like he suggested, the lousy son of a bitch. I couldn’t believe he would say that to me as his sister. I knew not every man was a piece of shit, but it seemed so many that I’d known in my life were total crap.

  “Well then, let’s get our grub on.”

  We were seated right away and it wasn’t long until we both picked the same meal. I thought it was cool. “So, who did you buy the stuffed animals for?”

  “My best friend’s son. He’s not even one, so there isn’t too much to get him that he doesn’t have already.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “When you see him, you’ll see that he’s so lovable you want to give him everything.”

  “I doubt I’ll meet him,” I informed him. I wasn’t going to take this date as a lifetime commitment. Besides, I had nothing to offer in the relationship. At least he had a good job.

  “How long have you had this gig as the cute, mall elf?”

  “I started today,” she said taking a drink of water that the server set at our table.

  “Really? A bit late in the season, no?”

  “I lost my other job not too long ago and I just found another.” I was embarrassed by it, but he just acted like it didn’t matter.

  “Do you have to work tomorrow?”

  “Yes, but only until six.”

  “Good, so we can spend the holiday together. I don’t have to work until Monday so I have the next four days off.”

  “What if I said I had somewhere to be?”

  “Then I would like to be your plus one,” he replied right back.

  “You don’t take no for an answer, do you?”

  “You haven’t given me a no, yet,” he answered. He was right; I hadn’t really given him any objection. We finished dinner in the next hour but decided to have some coffee before he took me back to my place.

  It wasn’t the nicest and he had a hard time leaving me there. I understood his concern, but I couldn’t go home with him, even when he half-joked about it.

  “I want to kiss you,” he said.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I replied. If he kissed me, I might ask him to come in. The man captivated me to the point that I would probably do whatever he said. I was a trusting person, but I never let anyone into my life, especially a man.

  “You’re right because I don’t think I’d be able to stop. But I will be kissing you tomorrow, Paige. I’m going to kiss you like you’ve never been kissed before,” he replied, stepping back down from the top step.

  “I look forward to it.” I walked into my apartment, closed the door, and pressed my head to it. My heart was so unbelievably happy and excited. I didn’t know how I was going to get any sleep.

  Chapter 3—Titan

  Leaving her had been hard to do. I wanted to be by her side and have her in my bed. She lived in a shit hole on the Southside. I hated it, but we had just met. As much as I wanted to take control of her life and fix all her troubles, it was ultimately her de
cision. When I got back to my house, I did a quick background check on her. I knew why she lost her job. I didn’t know if she was willing to tell me. It was fucked up and I hated that she was a victim to her brother’s behavior. I’d get the information from her, but I wanted her to feel comfortable to tell me anything. Once I found her brother, I would make sure he could never do any damage to her life again.

  When I went to bed, my mind was clouded with thoughts of her and our life together. As she sat across from me at the restaurant laughing, I knew I wanted to stare at her from across the dining room table for the rest of our lives. Jake had been right. When you found the right one, you’d know. I knew, alright.

  The next day, I dropped her off at the mall around ten and I would be there to pick her up when she got off. There was no more taking the bus for her.

  The whole day I spent at home working on dinner plans for us both. I had no idea what she really liked other than pancakes and eggs, but I had a feeling a nice chicken dinner would be doable. Everything was set up for dinner. I called Jake and Kaci and they both gave me a million tips and teases about her. They couldn’t wait to meet her. Kaci was all about judging her character, but Jake wanted to meet the woman who made me forget work.

  I had her present wrapped and under the tree. I had another one to get when I got to the mall. I hoped it would fit, but she needed a very special gift from me.

  Chapter 4—Paige

  I was drained as the day was coming to an end. There were at least double the kids today. Having been thinking about Charles all night, I hardly got any sleep. When I was on my break, I called Charles. Of course, I didn’t call him Charles since he didn’t like the name, even though I did. He was going to be at the mall soon. He claimed he had a bit of shopping left to do. I got greedy and wanted to see him sooner, but I couldn’t. The next hour dragged on and I was happy that it was finally over. I had to leave my outfit with the cleanup crew, so I brought a change of clothes. The temporary changing room was outside the security office and right next to the exit doors. I got into the cramped space, glad I wasn’t Santa. Rudy wasn’t a small guy and if I had a hard time, I know he would. He didn’t need the stuffing to play the part, but the man was cool.

  I was getting dressed when someone knocked on the tiny changing room. “Yes?”

  “Someone named Tony is looking for you out here,” Elvis, the other elf, said. He had been the camera person for the last two days.

  “Okay. I’ll be right there.” I ran out because my brother knew he shouldn’t coming looking for me. I warned him not to bother me anymore. Tony burned that bridge when he got me into so much trouble for nothing and he left me with nothing. I didn’t want the police coming after me again, trying to ruin my life.

  I stepped out to the front exit, and I was met by two police officers. Shit. I closed my eyes and prayed that Charles wasn’t around to see my humiliation. He had gotten me arrested before for possession of a Schedule I drug, heroin. I was taken to a lockup before being released the next day when it was proven that it wasn’t me who it belonged to. Bastard left me high and dry to fend for myself. The smaller of the two officers said, “Miss Smith, we need to have a word with you regarding your brother.”

  “I don’t know where he is,” I blurted out. This wasn’t happening; I couldn’t believe he got me in trouble again.

  “We know. Turn around.”

  “No,” I replied. I didn’t know why I was being cuffed, but they didn’t care. They spun me around roughly before cuffing my hands. They rushed me out of the mall and to an unmarked car. That wasn’t right.

  “I didn’t get my things,” I said.

  “You don’t need them,” one of the cops said with a laugh in his voice. I didn’t get to grab my bag, but I slipped my cell in my pocket right before I stepped out of the room. At least I was changed in jeans and a long sweater. They drive away in a rush. That was when I was sure they weren’t who they said they were. I wiggled it out of my pocket and pressed the last number. It was Charles’s number. I hoped he could at least help me.

  “I didn’t do anything, why would you cuff me? Where are you taking me?” I called out.

  “Because you lied. We know you were just talking to him today,” the biggest of them said.

  “I don’t know where he is. I swear.” The air got thick and I knew this wasn’t going to end well for me. “You guys aren’t cops, are you?”

  “Your brother needs to pay. The only way that’ll be is with a life. Yours or his.”

  Chapter 5—Titan

  I saw her being pushed into a car with cuffs on. I ran after her but only caught part of the plates. I jumped in my truck and went after them. I had the make and model. Then just as I was going to call in a favor, she called me. Fear ran through me because I knew immediately that they had no idea she had the phone on her. If they found out, she could be killed. I listened because I knew she’d just been kidnapped. Uniformed officers didn’t use unmarked cars. Those were for the plain clothes officers, narcs, or detectives.

  “…Yours or his.” I took a deep breath all the while letting the phone pull up a trace. I was glad I looked into her background, so I knew who possibly took her. It was one of her brother’s drug dealers. The man was a leader of a gang and after her brother; she was payback. But there was no need in killing her without sampling her. I had to find her before it was too late.

  I called in a couple of detectives I was cool with and the one working the drug bust, Detective Callahan. I gave them the details and they told me that a dirty detective used that car. I heard about the case from Callahan before.

  Within minutes, the police had a beat on them. The Crown Vic was stuck in Christmas traffic and lovely Chicago construction. For the first time, I loved the ever-present road construction. Thinking no one was on them they sat in the traffic jam. I caught up with the police and was only a block behind them. I wanted to jump out of my truck and run, but they could kill her if they saw me coming.

  At the intersection, the stupid shits were surrounded by cops that came in from every angle. They jumped out of the car and darted into a large crowd of people. The car wasn’t put in park so it started rolling until it hit a pole across the street with Paige still in it. I ran as fast as I could to get to her. She was being helped out of the car by two officers. “Miss, are you hurt?”

  “Not really, but these cuffs are hurting my shoulder,” she said. I was standing outside of the car as they undid her cuffs. As soon as she had them off, she rushed into my arms. “Charles, you came for me,” she sobbed against my chest. If I’d left the jewelry store sooner, she wouldn’t have been taken in the first place.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there on time, Paige.” I squeezed her tight. She was mine to protect and I messed up. Never again.

  “You saved her, man. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be able to find her until it was too late, if ever,” Callahan said as he approached us.

  “Miss Smith, I’m sorry that you were involved in this, but I’m glad you had the smarts and bravery to act.” She looked up at him with soft eyes and the jealous beast in me wanted to deck him. William Callahan was a young stud who made detective in two years. He was brilliant and a tough guy, so he moved up the ranks faster than most.

  “Thanks, but I swear I don’t have anything to do with my brother and his crimes. Last time…” she paused, pushing away from me, looking ashamed. “Last time, he led the police to my place and I was arrested for his drugs.”

  “I know,” Callahan and I said simultaneously.

  “You do?”

  “I looked into your background. I didn’t like where you lived and I wanted to know why you were living there.”

  “And yet after finding out the truth, you came back for me?”

  “Your brother is the piece of shit, not you.”

  “Thanks for saving me.”

  “Don’t thank me, yet. I told you I was going to kiss you today,” I growled, closing the distance between us and captur
ing her lips with mine. It was a deep and passionate kiss that was ended with a loud cough from Callahan.

  “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone, Carter,” Callahan said with curiosity, giving Paige a subtle smile.

  “We started dating last night,” I responded gruffly.

  “Really, the way you’re acting, you could’ve fooled me,” he said with a smirk. I was a man possessed, that I understood. I never felt like that before. So strung out for a woman that I was irrational and ready to beat someone just for looking at her. I calmed myself down mentally before I went all caveman on Callahan. He barely gave her a gentle smile, something most detectives would do when meeting with a victim.

  “Well, when you know, you know.” She looked at me in shock at what I publicly confessed. I pulled her tight to my side and wrapped my arm around her waist.

  Callahan shook his head, then addressed Paige. “Miss Smith, I need to ask. Do you know where your brother is?”

  “Like I told them, I don’t. He called me from a blocked number. It wasn’t like I called him. He didn’t tell me much except to be careful and that he owed some people a lot of money.”

  “Yes, I believe he does,” Callahan responded.

  “Do you think he’s going to be alright?” she asked him anxiously. Sometimes it was too hard for people to let go of those that are toxic to you when they’re family. Maybe he wasn’t always a douchebag.

  “I can’t say right now. Until we know how to contact him we won’t know how to protect him.”

  “We’ll mention an attempted kidnapping on the news and hopefully it’ll lure him in to contacting you.” It was a good idea and maybe it may even keep the fuckers from looking for her.

  “Okay.”

  “Is that all you need for now? She’s not dressed to be out in this weather.” Her coat and everything was still at the mall.