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Noah
I ignorethe tray of champagne the waiter offers me and take a sip of the water I've been nursing instead.
I don't have anything against alcohol, but I rarely drink nowadays. Not like I ever had a problem with drinking in the past or anything, but in my profession, it's good to always keep a clear head, even when you're not on the job. It's what I've been trained to do.
It’s not like I expect anything to go down at my dad's wedding to his new wife. Still, it's better to be safe than sorry.
I personally handled all the security here. It’s not like my dad is a high-profile client or anything, but you never know.
The only thing I wasn't able to do was vet all the guests, so I don't know everyone here, but again, I'm not expecting any kind of trouble. It's not like my dad is the head of the city's mafia or anything. He’s just the head of a family of three bullheaded boys.
I smirk to myself at that thought as I glance over at my two brothers. Charlie is tucked into a corner like me, observing everyone, and Luke is standing out in the open, pulling on his collar like an overgrown child and scowling at everyone and everything, being the grumpy asshole he is.
My heart warms when I see my dad dancing with his new bride. Karen Shay looks at him with stars in her eyes, and I couldn't ask for anyone better to take my mom's place. Of course, I know no one will ever replace her in my dad's heart, but I think he's grieved her long enough.
I had less time with Mom than my brothers what with me being the youngest, but I still remember the way she and my dad looked at each other with total devotion in our eyes.
Even as a young boy before I knew what that look meant, I knew it was something special. I never thought I'd see that look on my dad's face again, so seeing that he's finally found someone who can make his eyes sparkle like that again makes me happy for him.
My eyes continue to scan the perimeter, flicking over all the guests chatting away happily. I'm content to stay in the shadows like this, though. It's what I do for a living. I hang back in obscurity, and I watch for signs of danger.
I don’t spot anything out of the ordinary until my eyes land on a head of light blonde hair. It’s the color of the morning sun and tumbles down a lithe little back.
My eyes trail over the tiny frame, down the gentle swell of her hips and over the light blue fabric that falls all the way to the floor. The woman turns around, and my chest tightens painfully.
Fuck me, but she's the most beautiful little thing I've ever seen. I can see the vibrant emerald color of her eyes all the way from over here. They're framed by thick, dark lashes that contrast starkly with her light blonde hair. Her lips are full and puffy and naturally pink. They don't look like they have any lipstick on them at all. I’m sure the girl is wearing makeup, but it's so subtle I can't tell it. She’s a natural beauty. Anangel.
Her light is so blinding it almost hurts to look at her. She looks like something pure and ethereal, like she’s not of this world.
My hungry gaze roves over her, from the thin straps that hold up a square-neckline dress all the way to her little toes peeking out from underneath the hem of the gown.
She's tiny, yet she has subtle curves in all the right places. She’s so little I bet I could span both my hands around her waist, and her head would barely come up to my chest.
While not quite as tall as my brothers, I'm a good six-foot-one and big and burly to boot, compliments of all the time I spend in the gym training honing my body into the machine it is. I’ve never needed weapons. I have my two hands and this hulking body. My strength is all I've ever needed to make my way in this world.
My dad spins Karen to a stop in front of me, and she grins at me happily as she blocks my view of the tiny goddess.
“Noah, what are you doing tucked away in a corner over here? You need to come out and have some fun.”
“I’m having fun watching you make my dad so happy.” I smile at her kindly. I only met her yesterday, but Karen’s been nothing but nice to me. She and my dad had a whirlwind romance, so much so that he sprung this wedding on us after scarcely knowing her a month. He’s that in love with her that he couldn’t wait to marry her.
Dad wraps an arm around his new wife's waist and plants a kiss on her forehead. “She does do that, son,” he tells me as he smiles. I tip my mouth into a grin for both of them.
“Have you met my daughters yet?” she asks me.
I shake my head. She scans the room and takes my arm, pulling me through the crowd.
I let her just to be polite even though I'm not interested in meeting anyone except that blonde goddess across the room.
I try to be as polite as possible as Karen introduces me to her oldest daughter, a pretty redhead who seems distracted.
I don't take offense at her distraction because I am too. My eyes keep flicking over to the little blonde angel.
“And where did Lucy get off to?” Karen stands on her tiptoes as she looks all around before she shrugs. “Oh well, we'll find her later. Now I'd like you to meet Cynthia,” she tells me as she pulls me in another direction.
My chest tightens as I see we’re headed toward the little blonde angel. Maybe she's talking to one of Karen's daughters, and I’ll get to find out who she is. My chest squeezes again at the thought.
