Her Secret Santa

Chapter Thirteen

CLARA

I f all it takes is giving Santa a piece of my mind to get him to act right, I can live with that. He tugged at his jacket and glanced off to the side like he was embarrassed when I called him out, but there was also something like gratitude in his dark eyes. By the end of the day, the kids were actually enjoying themselves. Hell, by the end of the day, I think Santa was enjoying himself too.

Allie should be getting off work right about now so I dial her up and wait for her to answer as I walk toward my beat up old Chevy in the parking garage. Thank God the mall is nice enough to cover parking for staff, or I’d have to spend hours every morning trying to find street parking in between the holiday shoppers and tourists here to spend Christmas in the city.

“A call from Santa’s favorite elf?” Allie says when she answers. “To what do I owe the honor?”

I laugh, rolling my eyes at her antics.

“I don’t think I was ever his favorite, and I’m definitely not after today,” I say, unlocking my car. “I had to scold him like a toddler in front of everyone, but he whipped himself into shape after that, surprisingly.”

Allie guffaws as I bend to get into my car and start it up.

“What do you say to Chinese food as a reward for being so big and brave?”

I can’t help the smile on my face as I pull out of the parking garage and head toward my apartment. Allie always finds it amusing when I put people in their place, no matter how much I hate doing it.

“Chinese sounds fantastic. Can you bring your laptop too?” There should be enough time for her to pack everything up and grab food before I get home. “I want to check out any new job listings.”

“You got it, babes.”

We say our goodbyes and hang up, and I divert my attention entirely to the road. Snow is starting to fall—not quite enough to pile up, but enough to make a sludgy mess on the streets. Friday night traffic is always a nightmare, but it eases up the further I get from the city center. I don’t live in the most convenient part of town, but The Bronx isn’t so bad, and at least there’s a little breathing room.

Not much, of course, but you can only ask so much from New York.

Finally making it back to my apartment building, I park and gather my things before heading to the main door and then up the stairs. Allie stands right in front of my door, her backpack slung over her shoulder, a takeout bag in one hand.

“I was just about to text you,” she says. “Got your favorite.”

I groan in appreciation as I slip the key into the lock.

“You take such good care of me.”

“Anything for you,” Allie says with a wink and a chuckle.

She follows me inside, and we waste no time heading to the kitchen to tear the bag open and tuck into the containers. I put up the rest of the string lights I have, and the box of handmade ornaments my grandma and I always use to decorate the mini tree we get for the kitchen. I don’t have the money for a big tree this year, but the little one is plenty cute. It’s nice to have a bit of time to just eat and not think about anything else. The only other person I’ve ever been able to be this comfortable around has been my grandma.

And, now that I think about it, my Elite, and I don’t even know who he is . I can’t imagine relaxing so casually like this with him, but it’s so easy to forget the world exists when I’m with him.

“Any news from Eternity?” Allie asks, seemingly reading my mind. “I’ve been waiting to hear from my mystery man, but I guess he’s more the hit-it-and-quit-it type.”

I make a face at that, not liking the sadness creeping in around the corners of her eyes. She brushes it off before it has time to settle, but I can tell it’s bothering her more than she’s letting on.

“I’m sorry. That’s shitty of him.”

“It’s whatever,” she says, shrugging carelessly. “It was a fun night, I don’t need it to be more than that. Anyway, you didn’t answer my question, little miss. You got an invite back, didn’t you?”

I go bright red immediately and sheepishly pull a thick black envelope from beneath the rest of my mail. I’ve been trying not to read it obsessively since I got it yesterday, hence why I’ve kept it hidden.

Allie squeals in excitement, snatching it from my hand and dumping the contents on the counter. There’s another bracelet, this one engraved with 3663 , and an invitation.

“Be here at nine on Sunday, wear what’s in the bag,” Allie reads aloud, her brows winging up toward her hairline. “He got you clothes ?”

I flush even redder at that.

“I don’t know if I’d call them clothes,” I say with a chuckle. “The dress makes what I wore there the first time look modest .”

“Holy shit!” she squeals, pushing off the kitchen counter. “Show me!”

“After we eat!” I tell her with a groan. “I’m starving, and I don’t want to get grease on it.”

She pouts at me, but relents nonetheless, returning to the counter with me to eat. I don’t have an eat-in kitchen, or a table, so I usually eat on the couch, but Allie and I have a habit of standing to eat when we’re together.

“Oh, laptop,” Allie says around a mouthful of chow mein. “Almost forgot.”

She pulls it from her backpack and flips the screen open before sliding it across the counter toward me. I chuckle at her, forever astonished at how quickly she can switch topics.

My fingers are greasy, but her poor laptop has seen much worse. I take a bite of an egg roll as I log into my email, hoping for an answer from the last few inquiries I’ve sent out. It refuses to load on my old phone, no matter what I do, so I usually only get a chance to check it once a week.

I’m really hoping something has come in, because there are only two and a half weeks left of December. Two and a half weeks before I’m officially out of a job. January is the slowest month for catering gigs, too, so I’m out of luck there.

I choke around the egg roll when my inbox loads.

Allie reaches over to thump me on the back, teasing me as I get my breathing back under control, but I can’t turn my eyes away from the email staring back at me.

The email from Hawthorne Enterprises with a subject line inviting me to interview for a position.

“Holy shit?” I whisper as I click on it.

Allie hums curiously, leaning closer to read over my shoulder, and then she chokes in surprise too.

“Holy shit !” she squeals.

We read through the email in disbelief, my hands shaking as I scroll through the message. It’s from the CEO’s personal assistant, saying they found my online portfolio and are asking me to come by for an interview on Monday. The position is a hybrid graphic design role where I’d also take on assistant duties for the CEO as necessary. It’s kind of a weird mix, but for the money they’re offering, I can do weird.

I’ve never made that much hourly in my life.

“This has to be a clerical error,” I say, shaking my head even as I read it all again. “I didn’t even apply for this. I’m not qualified for this.”

“Who cares ?” Allie shrieks, shaking my shoulders in excitement. “I talk about you all the time, babes, maybe something finally came down the pipeline from that Hawthorne Mall job I’ve been working!”

“Holy shit.”

I keep saying it, but it’s all my brain can come up with right now. This is the biggest opportunity I’ve ever been offered.

I’d be able to buy my own laptop. I could buy my grandmother nice new sweaters for Christmas and make sure the children’s home gets fresh ingredients for Christmas dinner. Everything that I know could change, and it could change for the better for once.

I frantically type out a reply, overthinking my words as anxiety and excitement clash. I hit send immediately after proofreading my response, a rush of relief and exhilaration flooding me. Allie squeezes me tight around my shoulders, shaking me as she babbles out thrilled congratulations.

“I’m so proud of you!” Allie squeals, hugging me tight. “Little Clara, all grown up.”

She fakes some sniffles into my shoulder, and I laugh as I clutch her back, shock and joy whirling through me. Allie would give an arm and a leg for this chance, and she actually has real experience and education in the field. It feels wrong for the opportunity to come to me, but I won’t waste it.

I can’t actually give other people all of the luck that comes my way. I just have to make sure I do something good with it.

“I’ll get you in too, if I get the job,” I promise, pulling back to look her in the eyes.

“You better,” she teases, grinning at me. There’s not a trace of jealousy in her eyes, pure pride shining back at me. “Right now, though, you need to go get dressed, or you’re going to be late.”

I curse under my breath when I glance at the clock. I must have spent more time in traffic than I thought because it’s already past eight. A taxi back to Manhattan will take at least twenty minutes.

I need to get a move on.

Allie follows me into the bedroom, takeout in hand, and relaxes on the bed as I rush through a shower, taking care to keep my hair dry. As soon as I’m out and mostly dry, I frantically rifle through my makeup bag. I’ve only done it twice, but already the pattern of slicking mascara over my lashes and swiping gloss along my lips makes me feel like I’m stepping into an entirely different persona.

My hair is still slightly wavy from the braids I had it in all day, so I don’t bother doing anything with it. It’ll be a mess by the end of the night anyway.

“See what I mean?” I ask as I pull the dress from my closet.

It’s hardly more than two crisscrossing straps of lace, cutting low on my back and high on my thigh. The vee of the neck reaches all the way down to my navel when I shimmy into it. Allie lets out a low whistle of approval, raking her eyes over me as I do a little spin.

“You look hot ,” she says. “Is that Versace?”

“Is it?” I ask, immediately panicking at the thought.

I spin in search of a tag. The thought of wearing something that expensive makes me want to cringe. There’s no reason for me to be wearing a dress that probably costs as much as my rent.

“Let him spoil you!” Allie scolds, stopping my frantic attempt to figure out how much this whole outfit cost. “He’s an Elite, he can afford it. Now, grab a coat and go have fun.”

I leave the joke about the freezing temperatures outside unspoken, laughing at her enthusiasm and snagging a coat from my closet. Even if it wasn’t cold out, this dress is only about half an inch from being indecent, and I’m not interested in risking that.

“I have to get going,” I say, tugging the heels on and trying to find my balance in them. “Can you lock up when you leave?”

“Oh, I’m spending the night,” Allie says with a mischievous grin. “I want all the details in the morning. We’ve both been way too busy for me to get all the juicy details, but I’m not letting it slide this time.”

I roll my eyes affectionately and press a kiss to her cheek before grabbing the bracelet and my bag. The stairs are tricky to navigate in my heels, but I make it down and hail a taxi without twisting my ankle.

The ride to Eternity is quiet, and I use the time to settle myself. It’s been a big day for me, but instead of feeling drained like I usually would, I feel oddly energized.

I’m excited to see what my Elite has in store for me tonight.

I show up a few minutes early, the bouncer letting me in, before tying a mask around my face and putting my bag and coat in a locker. The cool metal is starting to become familiar, and it soothes the flutter of nerves in my stomach. I select my bracelets and follow the Floor Master out of the room.

My Elite waits for me at the bottom of the stairs.

It looks like he’s just as impatient for tonight as I am.

“You’re early,” he says as I reach him. His eyes are dark and burning with desire as he trails them over my body. There’s something almost familiar about them, a spark in the back of my mind that makes me want to get a look at the man behind the mask. “I picked well. You look stunning.”

“I was late last time. Had to make up for it, didn’t I?” I tease with a cheeky grin as I step into his arms, melting into the feeling of his broad hands against the small of my back. “Thank you, Sir.”

He ducks his head to take my lips in a kiss, all insistent demand, and it makes my whole body go liquid and hot. He tastes like expensive whiskey and need. I want to taste him for hours. When he pulls back, I can’t stop a smile from blooming over my face. He thumbs at the corner of it, the look in his eyes softening to something closer to genuine affection.

“Happy, pretty girl?” he asks, his voice almost too low to hear over the music.

“Today was a good day,” I say, just as quietly. “And now I’m here with you. I’ve got plenty to smile about.”

His grin regains its sharp edge and he tugs me just a hair closer, the blunt edge of his nails digging into my hips through the dress. He’s hard already, pressed against my thigh, and my mouth waters at the promise in his dark eyes.

“Then let’s see if you can keep that pretty smile going when your lips are around my cock, little one.”

I shudder at the heat in his tone, already desperate to show him how good I can be.

“Lead the way, Sir.”