Page 48 of Hacker Auction

“Tell me why? If I had to bet I’m close.”

Brock stood and glanced between Paxton and me. “Maybe it’s time you did speak to someone you know—”

“Don’t fucken finish that thought. I do my job, and I’ll handle this job. A therapist is not going to fix the issue. Only going back in time will.”

Brock’s mouth opened, and I worried what might come out of his mouth. “I care about you, Mia. The only thing I want is for you to be happy, but that won’t happen until you move on from what is buried deep inside of you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the extra hours in the ring. Going punch for punch with Matt isn’t going to change anything.”

“Point taken, Boss.”

He shook his head and walked out. He was leaving me alone with the sexy doctor. A man I could easily get lost in, and I worried fall for. I didn’t deserve a second chance at love. The only thing I deserved was pain and heartache.

“What now?” Paxton asked.

“I gather my things and meet you at your place.”

He glanced down at his watch, “it’s late, and we need to go to the club tonight. I can wait for you, and we can go together.”

The gesture was sweet, but I wanted to escape for a second.

“I’ll meet you at the club.”

“How come I feel like you are going to run?”

Because I was contemplating taking the cash I had in my go bag grabbing my passports and leaving, going to the club, and feeling the raw emotions would lead to a breakdown. One I didn’t want to have in front of the sexy doctor.

“I’ll show up.”

He stood and placed a soft kiss on the top of my head. “See you soon. I want you to wear a pink corset, no underwear.”

“Yes, Sir.”

His eyes widened. “You surprise me.”

“I’ve been in the lifestyle a long time. That doesn’t mean I’ll listen when it comes to my job, but I need the lifestyle.”

He watched me, and I knew he was trying to figure out why, but that was a secret I would never tell him.

The sexy doctor walked out of the building. I walked to my apartment and stepped inside. Eight years and I hadn’t changed a thing. Everything was how it was when Sam offered me the job. Next to the door was my go-bag—everything I needed to disappear and never look back.

I walked past it to the back room, sat on my bed, and stared at the table next to it. The only thing inside led to more suffering, but I still slid open the door. I snaked my hand to the back and tugged the burner phone I had secured to the top of the cabinet out.

The phone took a second to turn on. While I waited for it to finish loading, I held my breath, hoping there wasn’t a message. The one ding told me my life was about to change.

I need you.

Three words, and I knew I would have to walk away from my life.

* * *

Dr. Paxton Renolds

“She’s not coming,” I stated the obvious after I looked at my watch for the tenth time.

Wes winced, “Brock said she took her go bag. I don’t think this is about you. Mia has a past, one I don’t know much about. She wouldn’t run because you were her next mission.”

Jesus, he categorized me as a mission. I understood the club needed to be watched. When my brothers read comic and thriller books, I read romance. My problem was I fell hard and fast. One look into her emerald eyes, and I would do anything.

“What now? I don’t expect you to run this job alone.”

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