Page 4 of Buying Angel

If he wanted me out of his life, why didn’t he just let me go?

Yeah, I knew the reason why: because I was the one that always got him out of his drug debts by opening my legs.

How had I ended up like this? Why had I let Vincent control my life for so long? I knew I couldn’t ask him that question, though, and knew that it would be too much of a red flag to him.

“When do I have to have this form completed?”

“You have a few days, but the sooner you complete it, the more chance you have of being included in the next auction. It is on Friday, May the tenth, so you have a couple of months of complete rest from the club and me.”

This was starting to sound more attractive the more I thought about it. I was usually taken down to the club at least twice a month, sometimes more. To have two months of complete rest was just what I needed, and it gave me time to plan everything. Looking at the clock on the wall, I could see it was only seven in the evening, and there was no time like the present.

“Would you mind if I sat at your desk and completed this? I will leave it there once I have finished so you can check it.”

A wide smile appeared on his face. He thought he had won, but he couldn’t have been further from the truth. If anyone was going to win, it would be me, for once in my life. Plus, there was always a chance that I wouldn’t get into the auction, and then where would that leave me?

“Of course, Ella. I will leave you for now while you spend time running through the questions. I have a couple of people I need to meet tonight, so I may not be home until late, if at all. Just leave the questionnaire on my desk and I will get it sent off for you. Unless I need any changes made, that is.”

He got up from his seat and stepped over to me, pressing a kiss onto my hair. It sent shivers down my body whenever he touched me, and not the kind that I relished. No, they were more chills, the kind you get from watching a horror movie or walking down a dark alley on your own.

He lifted up and turned to walk out of the room. “Don’t wait up.”

I listened as he walked out of the apartment and closed the door behind him, and I sat there for a moment. Even though I hated the idea of ending up with Mikhail for a whole weekend, there was a chance that I wouldn’t. There was also the chance that Mikhail would treat me well. He had never really treated me badly before. It was his underlings who had done that, and it was usually only until Mikhail spoke.

I picked up the questionnaire, walked over to Vincent’s desk, and sat down. There was a pen lying on top that I picked up. Opening up the questionnaire, I started to write. Hopes of escaping this prison ran through my head.

Chapter Two

HUDSON

I WAS CURRENTLY on my private jet, heading from New York to Detroit. It had been five years since I’d left, and I hardly ever came over to Detroit now. Working at the New York office was far more to my liking. That being said, I still came over to see my brother, Trent, and his wife, Kristen, every once in a while.

I was always joined by my best friend, Nico. He was both my friend, driver, and chief of security. He went everywhere with me. We were closer than I was with my own brother. We had been friends now for more years than I could remember, having known each other since high school, before he left and went to New York. I think one of the reasons I moved out there was because I missed him, and there was no reason for me to stay in Detroit, not after that night.

There was one other thing about Nico that not many people knew: he was also the boss of a small mafia family. They weren’t as prevalent as most of the families in NYC, but he was known well enough not to be bothered, and that allowed us to conduct our business without any problems. We had left his second-in-command, Gino, in charge back at the office while we spent some time back in Detroit discussing business and other things with Trent. Trent always welcomed Nico with open arms. He knew how important Nico was to me and was always there for me whenever I needed him.

We were sitting facing each other, as we always did. I was gazing out the window, wondering what Trent’s solution was to my problem. Well, not so much a problem. More like a dilemma. I must have completely zoned out because I didn’t even hear Nico talking to me until he placed his hand on my knee. I quickly looked up with a shocked expression to find Nico almost wetting himself with laughter.

“I didn’t think you heard me, Hud.” He was the only one who got away with calling me Hud.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before I spoke. “Did you want something, or were you just trying to give me a heart attack?”

He just laughed in front of me. For a trained killer, his sense of humor was sadistic at times. I had gotten used to it over the years, but it still amazed me sometimes.

“What’s wrong with you lately, Hud? You seem to be lost in thought all the time. You know I’m always here to listen.”

That he was, along with other things. I couldn’t thank him enough for always being there for me, but there was still one thing he could never give me, and that was the reason why we were currently on a plane heading back to my hometown of Detroit. I looked up and saw him patiently waiting for me to speak.

“Have you ever thought that there is more to life than just this, Nico?”

I saw the realization come over his face. We’d had similar conversations most of my adult life. He knew exactly what I was going to say.

“Hud, I’ve told you so many times. The right woman will come along just when you need her. Until that time, you just have to be patient. I’m always here for you and will always stand by you, no matter what.”

I gave a big sigh. It was the same answer every time. Be patient.

I was done being patient. I was thirty-three years old. Most people my age, with my money, were already married and divorced twice over, with children by now. I still hadn’t gotten married the first time around. Nico moved forward in his seat and took my hand in his. He always knew how to calm me when I was feeling low or anxious.

“Nico, I’m not sure I can wait for the right woman anymore. I’m thirty-three years old. If I wait much longer, I’ll be nearly retired before I find the right woman. I just hope whatever my brother has come up with is worth it.”

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