Chapter 52

Mia

Andy slept for most of the day while I read magazines as I sat there beside him. When he awoke, we’d chat about random topics that had nothing to do with our current situation, which we both tried our utter most to avoid. Who’d want to talk about billionaire elites, the underground business world, Mexican cartel, kidnapping, torturing, and that sort in the hospital with a very injured patient who had just been through that aforementioned shit? Sometimes it was easier to live to delude yourself into believing that everything was all right. Deep within my mind, however, I wondered if things that had happened to Andy would likely happen again, and I knew the answer was yes, one hundred percent.

The thought didn’t sit well with me. I wanted to protect Andy. I wanted his and my life to go back to the way they had been six months ago before Andy had left Mystic Spring, when I had a job as a kitchen hand and Andy as a cleaner even though we only made just enough to get by. But at least then we didn’t have to worry about whether Andy would get kidnapped by the Mexican or the Albanian.

An anguished cry escaped my lips as I thought about the horrible things that had happened to Andy and would likely happen again. What if the next time it’d be worse? What if it was so bad that his very life…

No. I reasoned with myself. Andy had Matt to protect him, and I had no reason to question the man’s ability and Andy’s safety under his watch. Matt was a pro in this type of business. He was one of the dark billionaires who ruled Las Vegas with an iron fist. So Andy was safe and protected with him. Yet Andy was still…

I shook my head. Matt would be more proactive now this time around after what had happened. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be bodyguards with Andy at all times, right?

And what about me with James? If I wished that Andy and my life were back the way it had been six months ago, if I hadn’t come here because of Andy and that two million dollars, what would I be doing now?

Working at the restaurant, that was for sure. That meant I would have never met James. That also meant I wouldn’t have to think about him every few minutes and wonder about our unconventional relationship and whether he liked…no, loved me or not. I was utterly happy being with him, yet at times such as these when he wasn’t around, when I was alone and I had my thoughts to myself, I thought I might just go insane thinking about him.

Noting that Andy was still asleep, I got up from my seat and headed out the door. I didn’t want to spend my time sitting here thinking about the possibility of my dark, desolate future of my unrequited love for James. I needed to get out and get some fresh air.

Patrick accompanied me to the Nevada Mall, the one James took me to the last time to buy clothes, the one that belonged to his family. It was weird to have a big, bulky man in a black suit following you around like a little duckling. It was also a little embarrassing when people started staring at you just because you had a bodyguard with you. At least Patrick was considerate enough to keep his distance.

At first I wondered why Patrick would even accompany me to the mall. Surely I wouldn’t get lost in there. I’d just meet up with him a few hours later once I was done. When I asked, he simply replied, “Mr. Maxwell stated clearly I must be with you at all times when he isn’t around.”

Seriously?

Then a thought struck me. Was I being targeted by the Mexican and the Albanian as well? Images of men following me ever since I had landed in Los Angeles flashed into my mind. I had always been a target since the beginning, hadn’t I? Ever since Andy was involved. Hadn’t James said they’d even fly over to Mystic Spring just to get me? How could I forget about that? God! How stupid of me. I was involved, and I was a target for a potential kidnapping and all the horrible things that came after that, whether I liked it or not. Yes, my life was on the line, so to speak. The thought made me shiver in trepidation. My heart raced and my head spun, flashing with endless, atrocious images and possibilities of my demise.

I glanced at Patrick behind me. So he was guarding and protecting me all along? I must admit I was grateful for his presence and his hard work.

I dismissed the thoughts of my being kidnapped from my mind and started browsing the stores in the mall. For the first half hour I simply went from one store to another, scanning through the products on display. Of course I didn’t buy anything because nothing caught my fancy. Besides, I was used to window-shopping, what with being poor and on a tight budget. I also didn’t want to spend James’ money too. I was quite stubborn and independent where money was concerned. I wanted to only spend my own that I earned through my own ability. I think people would put that as pride?