My pulse speeds up.
Though I know I’m the only person in the stairwell,I can’t resist casting a quick glance over my shoulder, just to make sure.
And of course, I’m the only one here.
With another wry laugh, I hurry the rest of the way down the stairs. Once I reach the first-floor hallway, the light softens, shifting from fluorescent overheads to softly glowing wall-mounted lamps. The scent of pine hits me from one of the many Christmas trees set all over the building. We have one in the reception area, another in the newly-added communal living room, where we host parties and celebrations when the weather isn’t nice enough to have them outside, and two more, smaller ones, one in each of the conference rooms.
“Why do we need Christmas trees in the conference rooms?”I remember Cole asking years ago, when Maya first insisted on including them.“Those are spaces for business. Not celebrating holidays.”
Maya gave him one of her patentedmen just don’t get itlooks.“Because it’s stressful being in there. Answering all these questions about why you need Blade and Arrow’s services. Especially if it’s a pro-bono client, and they’re already scared and stressed. Having a cheerful tree there… it might help them feel like everything’s really going to be okay.”
Ever since then, Cole’s made sure to include Christmas trees in both conference rooms.Andin the client apartments, if they’re occupied during the holidays. Which I think is a really nice touch. After all, I remember how scared I was coming here to ask forhelp. How worried I was that they wouldn’t believe me. That my last hope would be a dead end.
Imight have been cheered by a small Christmas tree back then.
Although having Leo there didn’t hurt, either.
I smile as I head towards the living room, thinking back to that day when my life changed forever. My hand twitches towards the scar on my cheek, a mark I’ve grown used to after almost six years. Before Leo, I was convinced the scar made me ugly. But he showed me I’m so much more than that. That I’m beautiful, not despite the scar, but because of it.
Slowing my pace, I trace my finger down the six-inch scar, just the way Leo did back in those early days. And I remember the reverent way he looked at me as he said,“You’re beautiful, sweetheart. Everything about you is beautiful, inside and out.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed him back then. But now? I do. And I don’t think of the scar as a flaw anymore. I think of it as a symbol that I survived.
Anyway, if not for the attack that gave me my scar, I would never have met Leo. I wouldn’t have Lily. I wouldn't have Maya and Elle and the rest of my Blade and Arrow family. And I’d go through anything for them.
From my pocket, my phone vibrates, jolting me back to the present.
My heart jumps, though there’s no reason for it to.
As I reach into my pocket, I silently scold myself,First ice makers, now phones? What’s next? Hiding from shadows?
But as soon as I read the incoming message, my body unclenches, releasing a tension I didn’t realize I was carrying. It’s Leo, sending a goodnight text.
Hey, sweetheart. Just got back to the hotel and talking to the guys for a few before heading to bed. How’s it going?
I stop walking so I can respond.
We’re good. I’ve been wrapping presents with Maya and Elle. Lily’s getting very excited about Christmas.
Three dots blink on my screen as he types his reply.
Oh? Is she giving you a hard time?
I shake my head while I type.
Not really. She just doesn’t want to sleep. First, she was trying to practice dance while she was supposed to be in bed. And now she’s refusing to go back to sleep until I find Miss Twinkle Shoes.
Miss Twinkle Shoes is a stuffed unicorn dressed up like a ballerina, and it’s one of Lily’s favorite toys, along with Dave the Dancing Dragon and Hildy the Happy Hippo. And Miss Twinkle Shoes’ disappearance is why I’m downstairs searching instead of still upstairs with Elle and Maya, enjoying more macarons and petit fours while we finish wrapping the last of the gifts.
Leo answers almost immediately.
Miss Twinkle Shoes is missing? That does sound like a crisis.
I laugh at his droll response.
It is. She’s very insistent on sleeping with Miss Twinkle Shoes tonight. So I’m conducting an intensive search for the missing person. Or unicorn, as it is.
The three dots blink again.
