Johnny Angel Read Free Page A

name, but the roar of his motorcycle drowned out her cries and he left her standing in the cold. Alone.
                  “Looks like you have some unresolved issues yourself, Johnny.”
                  “Yeah, well, it’s not like I can wake up Christmas morning and change everything, now can I?” he said softly.
                  “What happened?”
                  “This isn’t about me. It’s about you and how you don’t have to end up like me, right? That’s the gig.” He yanked her close and waiting for the spark of magick to transport them back into the stream, but it wasn’t forthcoming.
                  That holly jolly bastard, Burl Ives started over again the scene rewound, playing again like a scratched record. Every time Carla screamed his name, it was another cold knife of regret and his concentration shattered like a fallen icicle.
                  “Not that this isn’t nice, you smell like candy canes and hot chocolate. But we both know how this holiday magick works. At least, from what I’ve seen in the movies. We’re stuck here until you say something or do something. So, if you want to help me, maybe you have to help yourself first?”
                  “That’s cute. Real cute.” He growled up at the heavens.
                  “Just tell me what happened,” Sofia prodded.
                  “Her name was Carla. She was my girl. And on Christmas Even in 1965, I asked her to marry me.” He was silent as he looked for the words to recount the events of that night.
                  “So, it didn’t go well?”
                  “She said no. I left. She waited for me to come back. I, uh…” he paused and took a few deep breaths before continuing. “I had this body shop on Sixth in the city. It was on a piece of property Nicholas Civella wanted. It wasn’t worth much. I’d scraped and clawed to have my own shop and he wanted me to sell it to him for half what it was worth. I told him no. He sent guys to the house to change my mind. And they killed her. If I hadn’t left, she’d still be alive. So, that’s my regret.”
                  Her face softened and empathy shone in her eyes. “Even if you would’ve been there, they still would have come for you,” she offered.
                  “Maybe. But Carla wouldn’t have paid the price.” It was the first time he’d said that out loud.
                  The world around them shimmered and suddenly they were back in Sofia’s apartment.
                  “Well, this escalated quickly,” Sofia said with a nervous half-laugh.
                  “Things tend to this time of year,” Johnny agreed. “Tomorrow will be better. I’m still a little new at this.”
                  “Tomorrow? Clarence did all his work in one night.”
                  “I’m not Clarence. I’m Johnny, remember?” He looked at her pointedly.
                  “Okay, smarty pants.” She shoved a plate of gingerbread men at him. “Well, have one for the road. I certainly won’t be eating them.”
                  “Why? Because of what you said about your ass being dueling cantaloupes?” He wouldn’t mind judging that for her again. If she needed a second opinion.
                  She scowled. “No. Because I will forever associate the taste of them with choking to death.”
                  “I get it. I can’t stand the taste of Jim Beam.”
                  “Why?”
                  “That’s what I was drinking when I drove my bike off the bridge.”
                  “I can see where that would be an unpleasant memory.”
                  “Not so much. The dying didn’t hurt. My neck broke on impact. It was more about what came