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heart felt as if it were going to melt.
What was this small child doing to him?
I love you, too, Billy. Tanner s voice was slightly strained. Those were not words he ever spoke,
and when he said never, he meant never. He cleared his throat as he felt an odd sting in his eyes.
Billy held on for several more minutes before he climbed from Tanner s lap and climbed slowly
down the steps with the help of one of the elves. He turned back and attempted a smile.
I know you re magic, Santa, cause my mommy always said that Christmas was magic and no
dream was impossible when you came. So maybe you can just bring them back, he said, sounding far
older than a five-year-old child.
Tanner stood up and moved to Billy, kneeling down in front of him. All the magic in the world
can t undo some things, Billy. I wish it could. Just don t give up on Christmas or the things your
mother told you that magic can do, he said with desperation. For some reason it mattered to Tanner
that this boy didn t lose his love of Christmas and the magic of Santa.
Billy said no more as he walked away. Tanner watched him, looking for someone to take the young
child s hand, but he was still alone as he turned a corner. Who was at the mall with him? Should
Tanner go and chase him down? Not knowing what to do, he just kneeled there, emptiness filling him.
He d never experienced a pain like what Billy was currently going through. He d been too young to
feel the impact when his mother had walked out on him and his siblings, and his family was close
or they had been close until the last few years.
But even that was changing again and he was speaking to his siblings a little more really
speaking to them and even to his father. To top that off, he d discovered he had all of these
cousins. He d never been alone and afraid like the child who d just looked so trustingly into his eyes.
If Tanner was alone, it was by choice.
When he looked up, Tanner s eyes connected with Kyla s and she didn t even try to hide the tears
streaming down her face. She came toward him and touched his shoulder.
You did a very good thing there, she whispered before turning and walking away.
Tanner was stunned. After several long moments, he rose to his feet and went through the mall to the
changing area. He needed to get as far from this place as he possibly could.
This Christmas couldn t come and go fast enough.
CHAPTER TEN
TO SHAKE the image of
UNABLE rudge back to the apartment the boy with so much pain etched in his features, Tanner
decided to t building instead of taking a cab. He tried to blank his mind
during the fifteen-minute walk, but the boy s face refused to leave his vision. What he needed,
obviously, was a good night of sleep. Halloween was long gone, and he refused to be haunted.
As he pulled open the ridiculously heavy front door, he found himself looking at the building
through new eyes. A couple of kids were playing in the hallway, laughing as they chased marbles on
the ragged floors.
Just yesterday, he d growled the words noise pollution to himself as he passed other children in the
building. Now the laughter almost cheered him. Almost, but not quite. These people considered this
their home, their place of safety, but he d done everything in his power to take them away from it. He
never looked at individuals, just the whole of a situation.
Was it profitable? What could it do for him?
But, hey, he was a businessman, trying to make a lot of money for a lot of individuals. That didn t
make him a monster. He was just living the American dream. Wasn t that what everyone wanted?
So he wasn t the bad guy here. Businesses weren t charities, and it would be insane to start thinking
that way. But this punishment was taking its toll on him. He had to get out of here before he had a
meltdown, or became empathetic. He didn t know which would be worse.
Coming around the corner, he heard raised voices and went on instant alert. What in the hell was
going on now? This place was just a barrel of fun each time he stepped into it. One minute he saw
children playing, the next someone shouting. What would be next? Dancing monkeys?
Instead, he saw two men pinning Kyla between them, her face panicked, and fury rose within him.
Stop! she cried just before one of the men leaned in and mashed his lips against hers.
The man right in front of her leaned back only slightly to ogle her again. Come on, baby. I saw the
way you were looking at me in the mall.
He held her arms pinned behind her back and ground his hips against her. His accomplice laughed,
and both of her assailants had their hands all over her.
Please stop, she cried.
Not until we re finished. Get her key, Mike.
Why hadn t anyone come out to help?
Tanner moved swiftly forward, and before the accomplice knew what was happening, Tanner
grabbed his shoulder, spun him around, and slammed his fist against his eye. One down; one to go.
The main attacker instantly released Kyla, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. Ah,
ya think you re gonna be a hero today, do ya? the man taunted.
Tanner said nothing, but he looked unflinchingly at the weapon the man was swinging around. Kyla
had backed away and was also watching the flashing blade.
I got no problem spilling your blood, the man said, and he lunged forward.
Tanner stepped to the left, then kicked the man s knees, making him scream in pain, drop to the
ground and lose his grip on his knife, all in a moment s time. One more swift kick to the guy s head
and the asshole was moaning on the hallway floor.
Tanner kept his eyes firmly on both of the men. Call the police, he told Kyla brusquely.
With trembling fingers, she pulled out her key and wrenched her apartment door open, then rushed
inside to grab her phone. Tanner waited for the police to arrive.
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