What if I told her I was a mistress to a billionaire who ruled the underground business world? She'd freaked out and run away for sure.
I turned on my own heel and headed out of the mall, too. Patrick, to my pleasant disbelief, did the same as the other bodyguard and offered to carry my bags of cakes for me.
Once back at the hospital, I gave some chocolate cake to the bodyguards. Patrick looked pleased while the other one, Tim was his name, thanked me profusely.
I said, "Thank you for your hard work," before heading to see my brother.
Andy thoroughly enjoyed the carrot cake I had bought him and told me that I definitely should start baking again. I personally didn't know if I could as yet. The pain was still there... The reminder of Mom and me in the kitchen, laughing and enjoying our moments together as she taught me how to cook and bake.
It was five in the afternoon when I kissed Andy on the forehead and then left for the day. On the drive back to the hotel, I couldn't help but ask Patrick some questions that had been burning within my mind since I was with Savanah.
"Patrick?" I began.
"Yes, Miss Donovan?"
"Do you know anything about that bodyguard we saw this afternoon?"
"Ah... That one? Interested, are you?"
I frowned. "Yes. I am."
He chuckled. "He works for Mr. Bosworth."
I had no idea who this Mr. Bosworth was and was about to ask when Patrick said, "That girl belongs to Mr. Bosworth."
Gosh! Patrick was blunt. So Savanah was Mr. Bosworth's girl?
I felt sick to my stomach and a lump formed in my throat. Savanah wasn't that different from me after all? She belonged to Mr. Bosworth. It sounded like she was this man's property or something. His toy.
Then I wondered contritely if, I too, was merely James's property... for five year. His toy. My heart ached at the thought.
"Is everything all right, Miss Donovan?" Patrick's voice reached me.
I took a deep breath and managed to nod my head to tell him that I was indeed fine, which was a total lie of course. I wasn't fine. I think I was love sick. I think I was in love with James who only thought of me as his toy, and that was heartrending and agonizing. I was a toy to a dark billionaire and nothing more. I was worth two million, and I felt awfully besmirched thinking about that.
Back at the hotel, I tried to be positive and forget about how Savanah and I were in a similar situation as I showered. I wanted to forget about the fact that I was James's mistress because of two million. I wanted to forget about the fact that I was nothing to him but his toy. But of course, it was impossible.
Then I thought about his kisses and his promise this morning, and I felt a little better. I knew I was deluding myself into believing James truly liked me for real, but I couldn't help myself. Deep down, I knew I was putting myself deeper into a trap where I could never escape, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be okay with that.
Chapter 14
James
James picked up his phone on the second ring. He noted it was Cole Packer. As usual, the guy was impressively fast where his job was concerned.
"Cole," he greeted, leaning back on the leather chair and staring off at the exquisite scenery of Las Vegas City beyond the floor-to-ceiling window of his office.
"Hey, boss," Cole said from the other side of the line. "Mia Donovan's resignation from that restaurant is all sorted." He paused. "You should have seen the bastard. Damn, but he's a wuss."
James didn't missed the hard edge he had heard from the other man's voice. He didn't doubt Cole had had quite a bit of fun whilst he had been on the job, despite he had never shown that outward appearance to anyone. Well, intimidation was his specialty, after all, what with the baldhead, a dark permanent scowl on his face and massive, muscular build with the height that was over six foot five tall. Cole Packer was a muscular giant and was dubbed the 'Angry Bear' within the circles of his work mates. Cole had been a boxer in his previous profession, and since that department went sour after some injury, he had become one of James's best men.
"You didn't cause too much trouble, I hope?" James warned, knowing Cole was notorious for causing a shit load of damage when he was particularly passionate during a business dealing.
Cole waved James's concern aside. "Don't worry. Like I said, the bastard is a wuss. He literally pee on his pants the moment he saw me." He went quite for a moment. His voice was hard and dark when he said, "Mia Donovan is all clear. That girl. What a mess."
James frowned. "What's a mess?"
"Mia Donovan," Cole said. "I don't know how she could have put up with such a bastard. Honestly, I don't. I know I wouldn't. I know a lot of people wouldn't. If it were me in her situation, I'd beat that fuck-head into a pulp."
James kept quiet. He knew it was best to let Cole have his rant about his passionate subjects. Apparently, Mia Donovan's previous working life was now one of those.
James wondered how Cole would react if he were to meet Mia in person? The man had a soft spot for cute, vulnerable creatures, after all, despite what he looked like and what his job was. And Mia Donovan was that cute, vulnerable creatures. On top of that, she had also had a pretty shitty life and had been treated poorly and unfairly, not to mention had been molested by an uncle during her tender years. Yes. Those were Cole's other passionate subjects; tortured creatures being cruelly treated and left to fend for themselves.
James didn't doubt if Cole were going to meet Mia, the man would treat her like one of his beloved kitten, doted on her, and would protect her with his life.
Cole went on, "She works from eight in the morning until eleven at night with only a half hour break for lunch and dinner. That's fucking fifteen hours a day. That's not legal. And she got paid minimum wage for eight hours a day. The other seven she got paid ten bucks an hour, and those were under the table." He growled. "That's fucking illegal, you know, boss. I talked to one of the waitress. The woman said Mia got treated the worst because she refused him. He was fucking harassing her, you know that?"
James gritted his teeth. Fuck! No! He did not know that. First the uncle and now the restaurant owner, too?
"That poor girl," Cole said. He sounded a little deflated after his ranting, as if he had finally let off some steam. But James knew better. The only way for Cole to
let off some steam was a good fight in the ring where the opponent was severely beaten into a pulp.
"And the uncle?" James asked. This bastard, this Uncle Herbert, was what he worried most. He needed to get the man's attention and set him straight where Mia was concerned. It was for Mia's sake.
James noted there was a bit of a pause on Cole's part when he asked the man this question.
"Well?" he asked again.
"About that," Cole said. "That Uncle Herbert isn't a Donovan. His name is Herbert Weston. His wife is Mia Donovan's mother's sister. It's messed up, boss. So fucking messed up. Need I tell you the bastard is gone?"
James gritted his teeth. "Gone?"
Cole said, "Yes, sir. Mia's aunt divorced him a couple of years ago. He was abusing her and there was quite a big court case about it, though nothing came out of it. He's no longer in New Hampshire."
James frowned. "He fled?"
"Yes, sir," Cole said. "My team are on it. We'll find him in the next couple of weeks, I'm sure."
James frowned. "Good," he said. "We can't afford not to."
Cole's tone was sharp and dark when he said, "I understand. Shit! I can't wait to take down that bastard. What he did was unforgivable. He's sick. He's a fucked up shit."
James couldn't disagree more. "Contact me when you've found him."
"Will do," Cole said.
James was about to terminate the call when Cole said, "Err... Is Mia all right?"
James couldn't help but smiled. "She's fine. Come over to LA when you've got the job done. I've got a few more stuff for you to do in LA."
He could tell the man was pleased with the offers. He knew Cole wanted to see Mia, despite they had never cross path before and had nothing to do with one another whatsoever.
No. James knew he was wrong on the last part. Cole did have something to do with Mia. He had put forward her resignation from her job on her behalf, and furthermore, he'd be the one to take down Herbert Weston, her uncle who had sexually molested her when she had been young.
James terminated the call and leaned his head against the back of the chair. He shut his eyes.